I maybe looking at changing my car within the next year or so and been looking at an alfa 147 2.0 selespeed, has anyone ever driven one of these and what are they like to drive?

I know the selespeed can have some problems, but if I find one thats about 5 years old and had 1 owner it (hopefully) shouldn't be too bad.

the interior looks great heated leather seats, climate control etc and the 5 door looks as good as the 3 door.

Opinions please?

Stilo abarth sillyspeed

Go to a dealer and have a test drive

Someones opinion may differ from your own. The only opinion that matters is yours

I may wait until next year to test drive one, but I was just wondering on peoples opinions on the car? and wether it's better to go for a sillyspeed system or a manual?

I would love a semi-auto more gadgets to play with but maybe more things to go wrong :chin:

I have read a few reviews of them and you are spot on about there being more things to go wrong with sillyspeed. The 2.0 and the diesel manuals are going about as far as any car can to help Alfa's reputation for unreliable.

After recently switchin to oil burning myslef, I'd look at the diesel and then imagine it with a remap to 150bhp.

That would be nice

I have a Stilo JTD at the mo and think the JTD engines are brilliant but I'd just like the novely factor of a selespeed, my bank account wouldn't like it though

dan-the-man said:

I have a Stilo JTD at the mo and think the JTD engines are brilliant but I'd just like the novely factor of a selespeed, my bank account wouldn't like it though

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All I can suggest is trying it really. If you like it, great, youre the first! (joke) But just get some decent test drives before making the plunge

Selespeed rarely gives any real,in terms of financial,problems(I work on them alot),I'd be far more worried about when the timing belt was last changed!

Or when the cambelt was changed!

On the old alfas it was half the engine out for a cambelt IIRC!

err timing and cam are the same thing, just different names.

fair sure its a belt on the alfa's now, used to be an internal chain (hence engine out) which would rarely go wrong, but could stretch, after 100k miles

alfa's 147's are loverly.

I looked bloody hard for a stilo jtd that I could afford, gave up, and went stupid and tried to find a 147 jtd, their even rarer.

You will be very lucky to find a 147 jtd under stupid money at a dealer, if you find one atall!! they are usually spoken for before they've even come in

how much are the services for a 147 petrol? i understand that they need 8 spark plugs because they're twin spark and how often does the cambelt need changing on the 2.0 models?

Cheers!!!

a 147 is basically a bravo with a much better interior, better runing gear, and slightly more feminine exterior. its has a "woman's company car" reputation, and mostly females drive it, but its still a nice car and i wouldnt mind one. i've never driven one but the passenger experience was good.

as for selespeed, i've driven a 156 with it and it was tricky to get used to. most people dont like it. i didnt mind it too much, but i would never own one because a full manual gives you more control and driver satisfaction.

a good long selespeed test drive is a must.

I've driven a a lambo with the E-gear semi-auto system and that was pretty easy to use and I would imagine that the selespeed system couldn't be much harder.

how quick is the selespeed system at changing up gears?

Does anyone know how much the services are for the alfas? this would be my main concern really.

alfa servicing isn't cheap. but why would you want dealer servicing? unless the car is 3 years old or less i wouldnt bother. it costs a lot more than the value it adds to the car.

i found the change up was quick. if you dont take your foot fully off the accelerator its very jerky, but you'd expect that

thought a 147 and stilo shared floorpans,

and 145 and bravo shared pans
and 146 and brava shared pans

alfa servicing is expensive and just as much of a waste of time as most other servicing.

i/e on saab service scehdule it says at number 19 out of 40 proceedures to be carried out every 12k (fleets do 12k, most normal people keep it at 9-10 unless they don't like there turbos!).

it says:- "Remove a/c drier waste pipe and clean entirely"

so has it ever been done in its 85k 4year life with FULL saab SH.

NO

so what happened two weeks ago? a/c compressor burn't out due to it not being able to shift drier condensation water.

dumb funks

faster4_tec said:

thought a 147 and stilo shared floorpans,

and 145 and bravo shared pans
and 146 and brava shared pans

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yes but when you sit in the 147 there is more than just a little similarity to a bravo (air vents are good example, like the big one on dash). in fact its very similar, just better all round. then when you step outside the similarity continues, it looks like a girly modern bravo more than a round stilo.

oddly, the stilo looks like a modern 145?

the 145 is still the best looking of them all

faster4_tec said:

i/e on saab service scehdule it says at number 19 out of 40 proceedures to be carried out every 12k
"Remove a/c drier waste pipe and clean entirely"

so has it ever been done in its 85k 4year life with FULL saab SH.

NO

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exactly! thats a good example. i've heard so many people say a dealer service is worth the extra money because you know everything that is supposed to get done will get done and only the best parts will be used. from experience i know that is crap, they dont do what they should and they dont use the best parts. the best service is a DIY job using top quality parts, but if you're scared of spanners and oil the next best option is a reliable local garage using parts supplied by you (so you still get ngk plugs and castol oil etc.)

I can service easy things like oil, spark plugs, air filters etc I would have to get a garage to do things like cambelt change though

I'd change belt every 3 years(36K)

I have a 156 2.0 JTS Selespeed and the engine is amazing and the gearbox is very smooth. I'll admit it wasn't for the 1st week until I got used to it, but after that it is as smooth as any manual gearbox and a lot more fun to drive.

They aren't as bad for reliability as they make out, basically it is a standard 5 spped gearbox with a hydraulic actuator to control it all. They changed after 2002 to a more reliable system. When you have the foot to the floor and rev's over 5K, it goes into fast change mode and it is way faster than any manual box to change and you don't have to take your foot off the accelerator pedal.

As for service costs, Alfa specialists are great, £99 for a minor and £175 for a major and they really do a good job.

The 2.0JTS only has 1 spark plug per cylinder and in standard form is 165bhp which is 15 bhp up on the twin sparks. Cambelts are definitely something to watch, the tensioners were plastic on older models and will fall apart causing the belt to slip and destroy the engine. Later models and also replacement parts are all metal tensioners and these are much better. It's about £320.00 for a full belt change with new tensioners and balancer belt.

Unfortunately I am selling our 156 as I need an estate, but they are great value for money. Our's is a July 2003 (03) 2.0JTS Selespeed with factory options of Xenon headlights, Sat Nav, Momo leather sports seats, Bose speaker system with sub and a load of other bits. It's done 45K miles from new and has just had it's first MOT. I expect to get £6,500, which for a £24K 3 year old car is real value for money.

Don't be put off by the reputation, a post 2002 car is as good quality as the majority of cars on the road. I am just ordering a new Saab 9-3 Vector Sportwagon and I can honestly say the Alfa feels better built with higher quality trim.

Although I am aged (i.e 36), the insurance on the Alfa is only £300 through RAC.

Buy one, you know it makes sense.

jug said:

a 147 is basically a bravo with a much better interior, better runing gear, and slightly more feminine exterior. its has a "woman's company car" reputation, and mostly females drive it

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Very true. I'd say try a 156, basically the same car underneath although they have less toys - cruise is not standard for example, but they cost less to boot.