Alfa Bashing - gone?

fjon · 30-07-2008 3:59pm

RichyX wrote: »

I'm not sure that the designs of the 169 or 149 have been confirmed.
There were pictures of a very different 169 on one site a few months back, bit more 159 like iirc.

The mito does look silly from the front though. The rear and sides are much smarter though.

You're right about the Mito, I specifically didn't post a rear photo as it doesn't look that bad from there, kinda like a Fiat Bravo.
I think I remember reading that the 149 was confirmed though. Here's another pic. Once again it looks better from the side or back:
http://www.alfa-news.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/149/alfa149rearthumb.jpg

testicle · 30-07-2008 4:03pm

MYOB wrote: »

159/166/etc are from under the new regime. If a Fiat Auto car was designed after 2003 its a world apart from any designed before - such as the 1997 Alfa 156.

Pardon?

The 166 is almost as old as the 156...... It hasn't been made in RHD in nearly 3 years!

(CH3)2CHOH · 30-07-2008 4:32pm

fjon wrote: »

I don't think Alfa will win any new fans with the designs of their newer cars:

149
MiTo
169

That 169 looks Fantastic

siralfalot · 30-07-2008 4:34pm

testicle wrote: »

Pardon?

The 166 is almost as old as the 156...... It hasn't been made in RHD in nearly 3 years!

I think he means in build quality

I've had pre 2003 and post 2003 Alfa 156's, the post 2003 cars are light years ahead of the first cars, much better screwed together cars

10-10-20 · 30-07-2008 8:18pm

I think it was pointed out earlier, but Alfa Bashing has dropped just like the sales.
I think I saw that the '07 sales statistics for Fiat sales (inclusive of Alfa Romeo) were 2,500 cars, versus 22,000 in 2001.
What does that tell you about Fiat and Alfa?

I personally believe that we may be lucky to see Alfa and possibly Fiat remain in the UK/IRE markets in the next 5 years. The last marque to suffer such brand failure was Lada, and we all know where they went.

As for dealerships on the Southside, in the last 2 years we've lost Victor Motors but have retained one of the scruffiest dealerships I've ever come a cropper on, on the Stepaside road.
I had to send my wife up there to collect her car, she being a BMW driver at heart, and I nearly thought she was going to die. The place hasn't seen a lick of paint since they became Daewoo dealers, it's cramped, untidy and very expensive. Have you priced Selinia oil by the litre recently? I think it was €30 PER litre.

They also quoted me for a full suspension job on the car (an '03 156 SW) - which has hit rock-bottom in a number of potholes - and the quote was €700 upwards (inc labour).
I've since ordered the parts from Poland (!!) and I'll just replace them myself for that price. They should come in at ~€300.

In a previous online-life I used to frequent a number of the Alfa forums (I know a lot of the names above here), so this comes as no shock to me. You just try walking into a BMW dealership (if you can find one left) and compare the service to what Alfa has to offer - there's a gorge of a difference.

BTW - I'm the PROWD owner of two Alfa's at the moment - the aformentioned 156 SW, 1.9 M-JET and a '97 1.8 145 TS.

RobAMerc · 30-07-2008 9:48pm

10-10-20 wrote: »

I think it was pointed out earlier, but Alfa Bashing has dropped just like the sales.
I think I saw that the '07 sales statistics for Fiat sales (inclusive of Alfa Romeo) were 2,500 cars, versus 22,000 in 2001.
What does that tell you about Fiat and Alfa?

The FIAT group probably care little about the Irish market as its surging ahead in the rest of Europe.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-01/17/content_7433426.htm

To be fair when Fiat were selling bag loads of cars it was mainly due to low pricing, but it was backed by a network of sh*te dealers that would be the ruin of any brand ( perhaps more FIAT ireland than FIAT themselves to blame here )

When you think of how little the Irish motoring public know or care about cars - its their loss really, isn't it ?

skyhighflyer · 30-07-2008 9:58pm

fjon wrote: »

I don't think Alfa will win any new fans with the designs of their newer cars:

149
MiTo
169

That 169 looks like teh sex :eek: How could anbybody not like that?

Sandwich · 30-07-2008 10:02pm

testicle wrote: »

Pardon?

The 166 is almost as old as the 156...... It hasn't been made in RHD in nearly 3 years!

In fact, I think the 166 is older as a design than the 156, even if not as a marketed vehicle. 166 was a beautiful looking machine though (streets ahead of 5 series, E class, not to mention VelSatis etc) - nicer than the 156, though the 156 did have great Wow factor when it came out. Hence all those sales.
Hope that 169 photo posted above is the real think. Looks splendid. Alfa though, especially in Italy and Germany has an legion of fans who are always dreaming of if having an 'Admiral' car to rival 7 series, Jags (exotic luxury from their perspective) etc. They engage in wishful thinking and try to propose designs to Alfa by circulating images as genuine Alfa leaks.

L1011 · 30-07-2008 10:12pm

testicle wrote: »

Pardon?

The 166 is almost as old as the 156...... It hasn't been made in RHD in nearly 3 years!

166 was re-engineered in 2003... which is more than 3 years ago!

L1011 · 30-07-2008 10:16pm

RobAMerc wrote: »

The FIAT group probably care little about the Irish market as its surging ahead in the rest of Europe.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-01/17/content_7433426.htm

To be fair when Fiat were selling bag loads of cars it was mainly due to low pricing, but it was backed by a network of sh*te dealers that would be the ruin of any brand ( perhaps more FIAT ireland than FIAT themselves to blame here )

When you think of how little the Irish motoring public know or care about cars - its their loss really, isn't it ?

They've appointed a new MD to Fiat Ireland in 08, intend to chuck any remaining ****e dealerships (that'd be, umm, most of them then!) and get up to 30 with new ones. Sales figures appear to be pretty flat although I am seeing lots of Grande Punto's around - its probably at the the expensive of other Fiats.

As goes sales in one territory, when you're raking in patent money off most modern diesels, designing or part building cars for GM, Ford, Suzuki, etc - its not really an issue.

agent_smith · 31-07-2008 12:41am

I have seen lots of the fiat 500 about of late. I have no doubt that Fiat will continue to sell brilliantly in the Irish market.
With regard alfa, their cars drive brilliantly, and the 159 and brera i looked at at one point, was incredibly well screwed together. I have heard no complaints in here from owners.
My worry with alfa however, is that most of their range do not fall within the same emissions range as their german equivalents.
For example compare the emissions of a 1.9jtdm 16v with a 320d ... I wonder if alfa will do a mid life refresh and rejig the engines and emissions. The VRT differences has meant that the price differential between an alfa 159 and a 3 series is not as large as it was pre July....

JHMEG · 31-07-2008 12:45am

Will someone just come out and say that Alfa are still shite. Then balance will be restored.

Quint · 31-07-2008 1:00am

You can't take a lot of what TG says seriously, they don't have to use the car every day, or own the car. Didn't they say a 2wd Porsche was better cos you could swing it around corners so it was more fun to drive even though they admitted the 4wd one was better handler?

JHMEG · 31-07-2008 1:15am

Quint wrote: »

You can't take a lot of what TG says seriously,

No, and a lot of what they said about Alfas is based on romanticism which stems from auld Alfasuds etc.

Biro · 31-07-2008 11:26am

MYOB wrote: »

They've appointed a new MD to Fiat Ireland in 08, intend to chuck any remaining ****e dealerships (that'd be, umm, most of them then!) and get up to 30 with new ones.

Might be too little too late. Their dealers are mainly to blame. Assholes by and large. Only 2 decent ones I've come across are one in Claremorris and one in Clonmel. (Clonmel one is Fiat and Mazda, odd combination!).
I think it'd be a disaster if Fiat/Alfa left the Irish/UK market. We'd be left with a bunch of german sameness and far eastern mundane boxes. The French even have lost their design flare!

siralfalot · 31-07-2008 11:36am

agent_smith wrote: »

For example compare the emissions of a 1.9jtdm 16v with a 320d ... I wonder if alfa will do a mid life refresh and rejig the engines and emissions. The VRT differences has meant that the price differential between an alfa 159 and a 3 series is not as large as it was pre July....

already going ahead

http://www.fptpowertrain.com/eng/pdf/Comunicato_uk.pdf

RobAMerc · 31-07-2008 11:45am

Its nothing radical really is it, but still - it should improve things.
Any idea when this will hit the streets and what the stupid Co2 emissions might be ?

Nonoperational · 31-07-2008 12:12pm

Waste of money using selenia anyway! Can't understand why people would pay over the odds for it.

siralfalot · 31-07-2008 12:29pm

RobAMerc wrote: »

Its nothing radical really is it, but still - it should improve things.
Any idea when this will hit the streets and what the stupid Co2 emissions might be ?

not so sure when Alfa and Fiat will be getting the engines, but Saab are already using the 180bhp version

ianobrien · 31-07-2008 2:31pm

Biro wrote: »

Might be too little too late. Their dealers are mainly to blame. Assholes by and large. Only 2 decent ones I've come across are one in Claremorris and one in Clonmel. (Clonmel one is Fiat and Mazda, odd combination!).

The Fiat Dealer in Bandon is also a pleasure to deal with.

10-10-20 · 05-08-2008 10:33pm

I cried a tear when I read this...

Marque: ALFA ROMEO
July '08 Sales: 23 units
Sales YTD: 301 units
Market-share YTD: 0.21%

SIMI have the figures published online.

miju · 05-08-2008 10:50pm

gpf101 wrote: »

The big end bearings failing IS due to running low on oil. The twin sparks could burn 1L every 1000 miles.

was about to say the same thing

maidhc wrote: »

So, in essence, I suspect there is no smoke without fire. I think there is no doubt but that some Alfas and many 156s did suffer some pretty catastropic failures. In court today there were 5 seperate instances mentioned, and the way Alfa trenchantly tried to oppose the order for discovery was interesting.

In the place I work I've seen a few Ford engines completely fail all under 1 year old. I don't think all Fords are bad I just think the person in charge of them was an idiot and didnt know how to basically maintain a car.

But some people do enjoy a good alfa bash

unkel · 05-08-2008 11:01pm

10-10-20 wrote: »

I cried a tear when I read this...

Marque: ALFA ROMEO
July '08 Sales: 23 units
Sales YTD: 301 units
Market-share YTD: 0.21%

That's shocking. Is that because no one is allowed to get a 159 as a company car? I'd have expected the Brera and GT alone would have sales like that.

Anybody any EU / global figures?

Biro · 05-08-2008 11:33pm

unkel wrote: »

Is that because no one is allowed to get a 159 as a company car?

Ya, why is that? Last place I worked had that attitude. Stupid. 3 years warranty and 3 years free servicing, sure what could go wrong that would cost anything?

L1011 · 06-08-2008 1:38am

unkel wrote: »

That's shocking. Is that because no one is allowed to get a 159 as a company car? I'd have expected the Brera and GT alone would have sales like that.

Anybody any EU / global figures?

Theres 2007 vs 2006 figures over on fiatforum.com, Alfa down quite a bit - significantly more than the general collapse. Fiat one of the few brands to rise at all but FAS as a whole down.

http://www.fiatforum.com/gallery/data/500/medium/carsalesjune.JPG - may need you to copy and paste the link.

Nonoperational · 06-08-2008 9:03am

Sur the tax on a 1.6 147 petrol is now 1000 a year. Wont see a single one anymore.

Alfa Bashing - gone?

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