Alfa 147 collezione 1.6 Tspark. opinions please good and bad.

Mc-BigE

Hi Folks,
went for a walk around my local Fiat garage yesterday and spotted a very attractive black 147 with cream leather interior, and lovely 17" alloys i've never seen on an alfa before, after doing some digging this morning their around 27000 euro and only available in petrol 1.6 tspark.

So what i'm interested in is owners experiences, on the Alfa 147, any major problems to report?, reliability stories, running cost of the 1.6 tspark looks high at 25mpg combined, is this figure right?

And finally, am i mad to be even looking at this car?, when car tax will be going up to 1000euro for this car after july, will people still want to buy it second hand in 3 or 4 years time?
anyway heres a link to the e-bouchure:
http://www.alfaromeo.ie/cgi-bin/pbrand.dll/ALFAROMEO_IRELAND/models/ebrochure.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@0724213859.1203931557@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccccadedgjkmkgmcefecejgdfkhdfjh.0&modelKey=190&com.broadvision.session.new=Yes&Failed_Reason=Session+not+found&Failed_Page=%2fALFAROMEO_IRELAND%2fmodels%2febrochure.jsp

Seth Brundle

Tax on these registered after July will go up. Tax on ones already registered will not as all cars registered pre July 08 stay on the old tax system (which is going up by 9%). Thats not to say that it won't change in the future though!

Mc-BigE

kbannon wrote: »

Tax on these registered after July will go up. Tax on ones already registered will not as all cars registered pre July 08 stay on the old tax system (which is going up by 9%). Thats not to say that it won't change in the future though!

i realize that the car will be cheaper to tax and VRT before july, thats why i'm partly interested now, but i was more interested in peoples experience with the 147 in general and running cost of the petrol 1.6 tspark engine.

I would really like to get this car in the 1.9 diesel engine after july, but this doesn't seem to be in the brochure.

the more i think about it, the more i'm turned off the idea of buying a 1.6 petrol.

Lex Luthor

there is a 147 available in the 1.9 diesel

See here

I can see the tax system levelling out in a few years....they can't be having people driving around in same engined cars with different rates on them just because they were registered before & after a certain date

Definitely a wise move to wait after July to get the diesel considering its price now in relation to the petrol

As for reliabilty, I think the 147 being one of the newer Alfas, has very few reliability issues. I'm sure if you run a search you will find plenty about alfas

The 1.6 petrol should get you about 34-35mpg whereas the 1.9 diesel will get you about 45mpg

Mc-BigE

Lex Luthor wrote: »

there is a 147 available in the 1.9 diesel

Thanks for the Lex, yes the 1.9JTD engine sounds like the bees knees, but its not in the collezione brochure, just the main brochure, so the wheels, leather, chrome exhaust, comfort suspension etc , will all be extras, instead of standard.

Redsoxfan

I was getting around 33mpg on a 147 on a combined cycle, at average speeds of 40mph plus.

Climate control and lower speeds (in traffic etc.) will affect this, but I generally got 400 miles odd to a tank.

Factor in a timing belt change before 36k miles-€500+ for the 1.6 TS.

Also need to keep an eye on the oil level-check once a month.

Service with Gerry Campbell (if you are in/around Dublin) is around €200. If you are buying new however, don't know if he is 'approved' for warranty purposes-check with a dealer.

FWIW, I just sold a 2002 1.6 and it never gave me any problems and was a very enjoyable car to drive. Great spec as well and the Collezione is a fine looking version.

Keep in mind that a 149 could be around by the time you want to sell your new 147, and it could look quite different....