General Honest John - WTF ?

[Ex-Alfa]

Hi,
First time poster here so please excuse me if I'm going over old ground. My beloved V6 Alfa died recently and I've been looking for a replacement. With NuLab trying to tax the motorist out of existence I thought now might be the time to switch to diesel. My obvious choice was a 147 or 156 JTD but they're as rare as hens teeth where I live (Highlands of Scotland).

I've always liked the look of the 3-dr Stilo and it's got the same engine and a local dealer has got an unbelievably cheap one (or is it ?) going (2004/04, 48k, 1.9 jtd, metallic grey, Dynamic, £4.7k - probably get it for 4.3) at the moment so I thought I'd do a bit of research then have a look at it.

Then I saw this :-

www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/index.htm?md=508&

(not allowed to post links until I've posted 5 messages - why not ? - so you'll have to manually paste in the URL)

Having owned a couple of Alfas I'm no stranger to Fiat S.A. problems but that article has scared me right off. Are they really that bad ? Is there a FAQ on here about how to spot a good (or bad) one ?

Thanks in anticipation.

 

[JFL]

honest john doesnt really like stilos im guessing with its 1 star rating on there

i would say that the stilo is going to have its neiggles, mine has, but then again what car doesnt

look at my mum and dads supposedly bulet proof merc, 900 quid to fix the air suspension

mine in the near year that i have earned it has had a new body computer, and rubber part for the gear linkage, and an intercooler air hose (under warranty)

minus the body computer, all these parts can go on any car, and even when they did the car was still driveable

good aspects of the car is that its well equipped, looks so nice with the right bits and pieces on it. the engine is an absolute gem, delivering power throughout the rev range (1.5k to 4k), without all off the power here and its gone nonsence you get in a few td cars (F..0rrdd td..cii coug cough :devil.

Have you found any others at dealers for around that price, it seems an okay price to me, especially f you can get it at 4.3k

Its cheap to insure as its only group 5 insurance (80bhp astra cdti is same group - hmmmmm, which ones faster :idea. - it costs me less to insure then a new shape 1.4 club corsa in fact which is excellent :devil:

i get on average about 45mpg from mine , and i have seen over 600 miles to one tank of fuel, and as low as 380 to another (all i can say is santa pod - think i was the only derv there :yum

get one!!!!

 

[ChrisUK]

Hi,
First time poster here so please excuse me if I'm going over old ground. My beloved V6 Alfa died recently and I've been looking for a replacement. With NuLab trying to tax the motorist out of existence I thought now might be the time to switch to diesel. My obvious choice was a 147 or 156 JTD but they're as rare as hens teeth where I live (Highlands of Scotland).

I've always liked the look of the 3-dr Stilo and it's got the same engine and a local dealer has got an unbelievably cheap one (or is it ?) going (2004/04, 48k, 1.9 jtd, metallic grey, Dynamic, £4.7k - probably get it for 4.3) at the moment so I thought I'd do a bit of research then have a look at it.

Then I saw this :-

www .honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/index.htm?md=508&

(not allowed to post links until I've posted 5 messages - why not ? - so you'll have to manually paste in the URL)

Having owned a couple of Alfas I'm no stranger to Fiat S.A. problems but that article has scared me right off. Are they really that bad ? Is there a FAQ on here about how to spot a good (or bad) one ?

Thanks in anticipation.

Its to stop people spamming the forum with URL's and Ads after signing up.

As for the honest john article I think he's a little too honest sometimes in the fact they tend to over rate problems and under rate good things.

Yes the coil springs are an issue but are replaced for free if your car is effected. As for airbags I've never heard of that tbh. With it being Honest john there was probably 1 reported case of this so they has to turn it into a mass recall to be as anti fiat as they can .

If you follow the normal used car rules you should have no problems . Stilo isn't fiats best car by a long shot but there are a lot of happy owners out there and some angry ones but you get this with ANY car no matter how much it costs.

 

[Ex-Alfa]

Yes the coil springs are an issue but are replaced for free if your car is effected.

even if it's out of warranty ?


I know you can get problems with any car but that review is so damning it's scared me ****less.

 

[Ex-Alfa]

Have you found any others at dealers for around that price, it seems an okay price to me, especially f you can get it at 4.3k

Not so far

Its cheap to insure as its only group 5 insurance

wow group 5 !

i get on average about 45mpg from mine , and i have seen over 600 miles to one tank of fuel

I'd expect more than 45mpg TBH - you must have a heavy right boot

get one!!!!

OK then - but I'll hunt you down if it all goes pear shaped

 

[PNL]

Getting the springs replaced [if they snap] is a lottery and not all owners have come out on the right side of this including me airbags are a constant problem but fiat have done a new harness and connectors to sort the problem out ..check the car out and get them to do it before you buy the car..[if their faulty]..most owners are very pleased with the car on here but you can always get the Monday morning /Friday afternoon car which likes to give you problems ..fiat should have logged all faults and maintenance done on the car and you can ask them for the history if the car has a full fiat service history..

 

[Argonought]

Sounds like he's quite good at copying sales brochures but for general usefulness looks like his site is after a **** of the year award

Biggest problem for uninitiated reviews of the Stilo is that the body computer frequently reports false faults on startup (generally due to low battery voltage etc). I'd imagine a huge number of owners, who otherwise wouldn't even know if a wheel was about to come adrift, actually believe these messages and therefore log them as actual faults on the car. To be fair the messages are quite convincing until you find Forums like this.

I've owned my JTD over 2.5 years and so far:

1. Problem with sky-roof (sorts itself when it gets warm)
2. Split hose on overboost valve (due to dealer fitting cheap tubing)
3. 2 x Glow plugs

I've also replaced the springs all around to avoid any spring failure issues.

In terms of reliability, if you exclude the spring issue, then I'd say it outclasses two VW's I've owned previously :spin:

Get one and enjoy it

 

[T14086]

My obvious choice was a 147 or 156 JTD but they're as rare as hens teeth where I live (Highlands of Scotland).

not as rare as a alfa garage

I know you can get problems with any car but that review is so damning it's scared me ****less.

buy a car because you want too not what someone else says,even honest John!

 

[JFL]

I'd expect more than 45mpg TBH - you must have a heavy right boot

i am 19 :devil:

i do drive it relatively fastish, if its clear on a motorway for instance i wont sit at 70mph

45mpg to me is quite good though, i only got mid 30's from my last 1.2 which ate fuel

that is with the skyroof open though (does this create a bit of drag i presume) :idea:

 

[850kd]

Weve got 2 stilos a 1.2 and a 1.4. Both returm more than 45mg on average motoring. In fact we expect 50+ on the 1.2 on a long journey and about 47.5 on the 1.4. (Why do you like diesel?)

 

[Ex-Alfa]

Weve got 2 stilos a 1.2 and a 1.4. Both returm more than 45mg on average motoring. In fact we expect 50+ on the 1.2 on a long journey and about 47.5 on the 1.4. (Why do you like diesel?)

running costs really - ins group 5, low road tax, good mpg (unless you're 19)

 

[ChrisUK]

about 47.5 on the 1.4. (Why do you like diesel?)

Very very optimistic figure. Most i've had out the lighter Punto with the same engine is 41mpg doing 70-75 for 200miles clear motorway.

I do agree though unless you are driving lots and lots of miles its pointless getting a diesel even more so with the ludicrous diesel price £1.20 a litre in some places :bang:

 

[ChrisUK]

running costs really - ins group 5, low road tax, good mpg (unless you're 19)

Yeah you should get 50mpg out of the 115 dynamic, maybe a little more if you decide to get a ECU remap

 

[JFL]

running costs really - ins group 5, low road tax, good mpg (unless you're 19)

still 45mpg is very impressive for me with my right foot

especially now as i go for the when in town windowns down and akkyroof open look

 

[FiatStiloJTD]

I'd go for a stilo but make sure you check all the electrics, had mine since Jan and get the airbag loose connection and some other random errors.

Other than that touch wood its been bomb proof.

MPG wise the computer says my overall average is 48MPG, which includes the stopping and starting. At 70MPH im getting about 52MPG according to the computer. But mines done quite a few mile (96000).

Hope it all goes well.

Matt

 

[Argonought]

I've just returned 56.5 mpg with 5 up and a full boot over about 130 miles but I have seen better

 

[Solel]

From his new Bravo review

I’d never actually driven a Stilo, which contributed its underpinnings to the new car. But if that’s what a Stilo was like I can fully understand its lack of success.

'honest' john eh?

 

[Solel]

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/?id=262

 

[Stilomeister]

I've had my car 2 years now and yes I've had a few issues such as the airbag light (easy fix), snapped front spring (easy to replace with better after market ones) and replaced the reverse light switch.

But I have to say it's a great car for the money, when compared to a VW golf for example. I get nothing but positive remarks when people see it and ride in it. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the JTD. If you service it regularly using a good oil such as Selenia or a quality fully synthetic, should have no trouble.

The 3 door is the only one to get for looks though

 

[PNL]

The 3 door is the only one to get for looks though

Oh no its not..:nerner: