Attention: Please take a moment to consider our terms and conditions before posting.

New Car. Alfa or BMW

Clem_Snide
Clem_Snide Posts: 11,759
in Not Sports Related
Wife wants a new car. Its either a 1 series BMW or an Alfa Giulietta (not open to alternatives). Which one?
«1

Comments

  • Addickted
    Addickted Posts: 19,456
    If you're a petrol head, then at least once in your life you need to own an Alfa.
  • smiffyboy
    smiffyboy Posts: 4,314
    I had a 1 series BMW 2.0 disel convertible very fast car handled well didn't really have a bad word to say about it, felt like I was bombing around in a go kart and enjoyed every minute is the only way of describing it.
  • Clem_Snide
    Clem_Snide Posts: 11,759
    The thing thats putting me off the BMW is the fact that literally everything seems to be an option.

  • Strasburger
    Strasburger Posts: 957
    Head BMW (one of the best automobile manufacturers in the world, if not the best, bloody Germans ;- ) Heart Alfa. Anyone remember the Alfa Sud? When it worked, what a car.
  • AFKABartram
    AFKABartram Posts: 57,914
    Someone's doing alright :-)

    Both sound great, enjoy pal
  • stackitsteve
    stackitsteve Posts: 12,111
    No number plate should go anywhere but the centre of the bloody car.
    For that reason alone, go with the BMW
  • JaShea99
    JaShea99 Posts: 5,476
    A 1 series is a BMW for the sake of having a BMW. So either go for a better BM or go for the Alfa.
  • SE18Addick
    SE18Addick Posts: 375
    1 series won't cause you many problems, German reliability. At the same time I agree with the last post it's only 'just' a BM. The 'cool' choice id go Alfa
  • bobmunro
    bobmunro Posts: 20,922
    Alfa's in the 60's and 70's were about soul, passion and unreliability. When they worked they were fantastic. Not the same now.

    BMW's are the best engineered cars in the world. The 1 series isn't about entry into the marque, it's about a car that fits a certain sector in the marketplace. The new facelift model is a real improvement on the old one and it will also hold its value much better than the Alfa.

    If these are the only choices then BMW all the way.
  • Lazy_eye_metaphor
    Lazy_eye_metaphor Posts: 1,960
    Neither. Vauxhall Corsa :-)

  • Sponsored links:



  • dickplumb
    dickplumb Posts: 4,835
    edited March 2015
    The Alfa everytime. But why would you limit your choices to two? I have just sold my Jag and bought an Audi, fantastic car.

  • ChiAddick
    ChiAddick Posts: 1,781
    Stephen James BMW in foots cray have some excellent finance offers. £259 deposit and £259 a month. 1.6d sport.
  • All_Thaid_Up
    All_Thaid_Up Posts: 2,293
    Was surprised by how large the 1 series felt inside. M version was very nice, but you do pay for everything.

    Couldn't recomend the Alfa, but as others have said every petrol head should have one at sometime.
  • cafcfan
    cafcfan Posts: 11,209
    Before deciding - will it have a factory fitted sat nav? And is a good system important to you? If so, check out where Alfa is currently with the Uconnect system. It seems it does not collect and react to traffic info to automatically change route guidance to take account of accidents/road works, etc. It seems possible it never will in the UK & Ireland which means the system is not fit for purpose.
    alfaowner.com/Forum/alfa-giulietta/634129-uconnect-6-5-traffic-info-4.html

  • Lincsaddick
    Lincsaddick Posts: 32,391
    edited March 2015
    http://www.carbuyer.co.uk/reviews/alfa-romeo/giulietta/hatchback/review
    http://www.carbuyer.co.uk/reviews/bmw/series-1/hatchback/review
  • Davo55
    Davo55 Posts: 7,848
    I had a BMW 1 for a couple of years. Very nice, plenty of poke, surprisingly roomy but not if you've got 3 kids. Don't know Alfa very well but bad reputation for reliability and rust.
  • Kap10
    Kap10 Posts: 15,601
    I had an Alfa Cloverleaf Veloce - if you want style and character get the Alfa, as its for the wife get a BMW
  • SantaClaus
    SantaClaus Posts: 7,684
    I drive a lot of different cars in this class. The 1 series has always been the stand out for me. Now's an excellent time to get a deal as the end of quarter is looming large.
  • Chizz
    Chizz Posts: 28,365
    Clem_Snide said:

    Wife wants a new car. Its either a 1 series BMW or an Alfa Giulietta (not open to alternatives). Which one?

    I have *exactly* the same decision to make in a few months' time. Let me know what you end up deciding. (For me, it's Alfa all the way...)
  • letthegoodtimesroll
    letthegoodtimesroll Posts: 10,683
    Make her get a proper car...one day you might have to travel in it with her, or God forbid, drive it yourself...man up, there's only so many times you can tell people it's your wife's car before they stop believing you...get something big and with muscle, point out she will look sexier driving that and other drivers will show her more respect

  • Sponsored links:



  • jamescafc
    jamescafc Posts: 1,832
    Have a 1 series recently bought from Stephen James @ Ruxley. Very impressed for the price and sales service was excellent. Haggled an upgrade to professional media free of charge and that package has most of the gadgets or extras you'd want. Not particularly exciting to drive though.
  • diamondaddick
    diamondaddick Posts: 102
    A while back I replaced a BMW Compact with a new Alfa 156. The Alfa was a really great drive but not that reliable. The main Alfa dealer I purchased the car from were crooks - lying about delivery, poor delivery preparation and very, very poor servicing - every time it went in for a service they replaced rear suspension bushes (whatever they are) My work colleague bought one at the same time and had a font suspension part replaced at every service. I sold the car as soon as the guarantee ran out as I was fearfully of the bills that I would likely receive.
  • skywalker
    skywalker Posts: 476
    edited March 2015
    Been driving Italian cars for 32 years now. First Lancia's, then a Fiat once, now my second Alfa. I remember waking up at night wondering what weird sound I was hearing ... it was my car rusting .... However, that all changed now. That Fiat stilo was better than a Golf. My "alfa rosso" GT was perfect: not once a problem while driving it 130000 kms. And now my 'bianco" 159 TI is still soldiering on with 197000 kms on the clock without one problem. Mind you, I take it for maintenance to an Alfa specialist. I think that's important.
    My brother in law has been a beamer fan whole his life. Bought 4 times a 3-series, never a problem. Last 2 cars however (both 5 series) are a different story. Had engine management problems, and eventually some German engineers had to come over from Munich.
  • bristoladdick
    bristoladdick Posts: 1,152
    I alway drive Alfa's. I'm getting on so less sexy versions now but still drive an Alfa 159. Partner has a VW Golf. Go for the Alfa Giulietta!
  • cafcnick1992
    cafcnick1992 Posts: 7,461
    BMWs do scream "I have absolutely no imagination"
  • sillav nitram
    sillav nitram Posts: 10,184
    alfa unless you're black that is;-))
  • Rob
    Rob Posts: 11,879
    BMW all day for me. As someone else has said - Alfa were lovely cars back in the 60s/70s but now just run of the mill in my opinion.
  • mattaddick
    mattaddick Posts: 655
    The only car I ever drive is an Alfa so I'd go for the BMW.
  • tangoflash
    tangoflash Posts: 10,788
    It's like choosing a woman. The Alfa is the looker that will turn heads and all your mates would love a go.

    The BMW is reliable and won't let you down, even if a little on the predictable side.

    Bloody hell, I'm turning into swiss Tony............

    image
  • JiMMy 85
    JiMMy 85 Posts: 10,202
    I don't really know what predictable or unoriginal means in this context. Unless people are building their own cars.

    Driven a 525 for the last few years. Got it cheap and cheerful like. Most solid car I've owned (the others we Mk1 Escorts so that's not saying a great deal) and the engine is the size of a small farm. Completely and utterly impractical, money-wise, but a fun car to have.

Categories

“Marketplace”