14th May 2005, 19:24
I think owning an Alfa is a lot about passion. Toyota's have absolutely no passion (with very few exceptions in my mind). I own a 156 and I am considering a move to a GT.
My 156 has 109,000 Km on it and I have added multiple bits and pieces taking it to around 200 HP. I have had an excellent experience with it.
Goes to show you CAN have passion in a good, reliable car.
Thomas
Dominican Republic.
4th Jan 2006, 08:28
I have had a 2nd hand aAlfa 156 (2001) for just over a year. The car has been a joy to drive, and I've had no real problems with the car at all. However, I did have to replace a few parts when it went for a service - just normal wear and tear - and there's no doubt that the parts for an Alfa are expensive. I also noticed that I needed to check the oil and water more often than the Golf I had previously.
Like so many others, I just love the way Alfa's handle. For the money, you just can't beat them. The only bad point is the terrible depreciation and the cost of spares.
6th Feb 2007, 09:45
Hi, I saw the GT recently and am so in love with it. Yet, am also concerned about the maintenance cost for Alfa Romeo as what the owner of a156 has shared. Is it really that expensive to do servicing and parts replacement?
29th Mar 2015, 19:02
Toyota??? I have an Avensis (Europe's top model) and it consumes massive amounts of oil!! Toyota reliability is just an imagined virtue. An engine that consumes oil is a shame - very poor engineering! Just in case you think it's only my Toyota, just type in 1ZZ-FE (the engine code) and you'll have many months of reading about complaints from all over the world between 1999 and today..!!
10th Mar 2005, 09:20
Yes I completely agree with the previous comment. Looks can be deceiving, and what use is the world's most lovely looking car when it spends most of its time in the garage, carving out a lovely hole in your wallet. My previous alfa experiences have also shown this, which is why I traded it in for a Toyota!