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to BUY or not to BUY? Alfa 147 2.0


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#1
slpless

Posted 20 July 2006 - 01:34 PM

slpless

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Hi guys,

I currently own a honda. When I dropped my car to the Honda SC at
Glenmarie this morning for the 1st time, I noticed that Alfa 3S is just
next to it. So when I was there to pick up my car just now, I made a trip
to the Alfa showroom. Damn!

Well, I'm actually looking forward to upgrade to a Civic 2.0 soon. Many
reasons behind and am collecting infos and you know what a car enthusiast
will normally do b4 purchase a car lah.

Anyway, after the trip to the Alfa, I'm in dilemma. I know I always like
the 147 since the day it launched. But never had my foot into one or even
to the showroom. Today I did, and I love the "feel" even with the engine
off and sitting in the showroom. The salesperson had given lots of good
input to me about the car and bla bla bla...did a really good job. So I'm
seriously considering now, with the promotions and freebies that he said
he will throw in for me.

However, as a typical Malaysian, I hesitate. I believe most of you guys
here gone thru this b4 u made ur 1st purchase on an Alfa. So here I am
again, going thru what most of you Alfa owners had gone thru. All the
question marks. So here I am, putting some questions and hope that you
guys can help out.

1) Resale value - how did you guys made the purchase knowing that the
resale value of this mark is not going to be good? How much do u think I
will lose if I were to sell it off 3 yrs later?

2) Maintenance cost - is it true that the part costs have been lowered
lately?

3) Reliability - how reliable is it when it comes to safety?

4) Civic/2.0 vs 147/2.0 - besides the RM50K different, what do u guys see
in this two comparison?

5) What's the best price we can get for a brand new 147/2.0 today?
Assuming normal financing.

Thanks very much.

rgds...

#2
Redd

Posted 20 July 2006 - 01:54 PM

Redd

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well, if ur unsure then i suggest you DO NOT take the car for a test
drive. don't start it up. in fact, don't even go to the showroom anymore,
and if u see a 147 on the road, u-turn and run the other way!

if u don't im sure you will fall head over heels in love with it. :D

on to your questions:

1) what makes u think ur gonna want to sell it 3 yrs later? if u want
good resale, get a toyota. period. if u want to feel alive, get an alfa.
good thing about alfas is that the resale is poor, so 2nd hand cars are
very affordable. i wouldnt buy one new unless i was flushed with cash.

2) dont ever compare japanese parts cost with european parts cost. do u
expect to spend the same amount of money dating jenny tan from next door
versus dating cindy crawford? if you compare alfa parts cost with other
european brands - merc, bmw, volvo, audi - its about on par. the parts
supply situation has greatly improved with lots of 3rd party suppliers
other than Sime Auto Italia. if you can be bothered, parts can be
imported from UK for quite cheap, too.

3) someone i know drove his off a cliff and walked out. you tell me.

4) jenny tan, cindy crawford. jenny may be younger, but cindy is still
cindy.

5) check the car buyer guides for market prices. financing can be
difficult with few companies willing to take alfas.

seriously alfas are not for the faint of heart. if you're not committed
to making cindy crawford happy, don't even attempt to kau her.

but ask urself, would u rather be seen on the street with jenny or
cindy? ;)

redd


#3
slpless

Posted 20 July 2006 - 04:27 PM

slpless

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Hi redd,

Thanks for ur feedback.

1) I won't settle for a Toyota, never! I would rather drive a local car
than to drive a Toyota! Anyway, based on your opinion, shall I get a used
alfa instead of a new now? I'm quite worry of the condition of a used car
as I've had some bad experiences b4. And of coz, I'm not the kind of guy
who really knows how to check on a used car ma. Hmmm...I tot I won't even
be thinking of changing my honda in less than 3 yrs too. In fact, I'm
still enjoying the free service now. Big Smile

2) Good answer from you, so case closed.

3) Good answer for this too. But 2 of my honda friends had their honda
totalled and walked out as well.

4) Errr.....kekeke.....no comment...

5) The salesman told me he can get 2.75% for normal financing. Selling
price can be discounted plus some interesting freebies. My question was
basically to check if anyone here can get a good...good good...deal from
the dealer or not nia.

Whether Jenny or Cindy, I'm sure I will make them happy! I'm sure my
current Helen knows that! The problem is, who will make me happier? If
Cindy is the answer, will the happiness be justifiable by the hole she
created in my pocket?

rgds

#4
Redd

Posted 20 July 2006 - 05:20 PM

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1. well, a used alfa is always good value. but u need to be careful if
the previous owner has taken good care of the car. alfas are sensitive
creatures - if u drive them til they break then only repair [like u can
with a toyota] ur in for a lot of trouble. they do require a fair bit of
TLC, so you must be sure the previous owner has given her that TLC. i'd
go for a used unit as i don't have a stigma about getting a used car, but
i'd take my time finding a good unit.

2. :D

3. ok, i'll top that - a 156 owner wrecked his car at 200kph, walked out,
and bought another 156 before the insurance claims were even settled.
beat that! ;)

4. :D

5. 2.75% financing is damn good, but only for new cars. new car financing
is always better than used cars. but bear in mind that alfas do
depreciate quite a fair bit in the first 3 years. so if u intend to keep
her long term, buy new. after the 3rd year, its about 10k/yr depreciation
which is about normal for most cars.

european car ownership will always cost more than japanese/local car
ownership. if you're on a tight budget, i'd recommend you NOT to get an
alfa cos, as i said before, they do require some TLC. this means
fixing/replacing things on a schedule before they break, and timely
servicing and wear and tear parts replacements.

the poor reputation of alfas is largely due to people who buy alfas on
the cheap but can't really afford to maintain it. my alfa 2.5V6 was 180k
new. 6 years later its 80k, but bear in mind that it's still pretty much
a european luxury car. just because it costs less than a perdana now
doesn't mean that you can maintain it like a perdana.

maintain an alfa properly and it will give u many years of reliable
performance. they are tough when it comes to being driven hard and
tracked, much more so than even the japanese cars like toyota, etc. i
track my automatic 156 frequently with very little problems.

as for which car will make you happier, drive both and find out for
yourself. but like i warned you in my first post, if ur not prepared to
buy the alfa, don't test drive it. u will fall in love. :)

redd

#5
max_chock

Posted 20 July 2006 - 05:26 PM

max_chock

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hmmm..

i will take jenny tan with Jessica Alba instead of Cindy.. ok..

if you drive a Japs.. after 2 to 3 years of ownership...
YOURFRIEND: oh.. you drive a honda...

if you drive an Alfa.. after 5 years of ownership...
YOURFRIEND: HUIYO... you drive an Alfa Romeo??!! hey how to shift gear ha??

if you drive a Japs.. after 2 to 3 years of ownership...
YOURSELF: oh.. I drive a honda... it's comfort lor, power ok, reliable lor..

if you drive an Alfa.. after 5 years of ownership...
YOURSELF: yup... I drive an Alfa Romeo 147, it's HOT, it's less comfort
compare to my previous car, but I tell you wat, this car using selespeed
you know, and twinspark and cornering very best, and i love it so much..

Jessica Alba is HOT... isn't she??

#6
maxcobmara

Posted 20 July 2006 - 07:01 PM

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I thought the new price, was including spares and maintenance for two
years? and I'm sure there are discounts to be had, if you haggle
some...(you aint buying a P1/P2).

Hondas just look tired after a year or so, I've never seen a bad looking
alfa, even the ones from the 80's are still something to look at.....

#7
Alfie

Posted 20 July 2006 - 09:32 PM

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Another thing about Alfas, no one would want to steal them cos it`s
bloody hard to fence one off. Thus you save money not needing to buy a
crook lock. A car thief who steals an Alfa would quickly return it to its
original location, with some cash attached to the wiper and a note of
apology and sympathy for the owner. Beat that.Big Smile

#8
Redd

Posted 21 July 2006 - 12:31 AM

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hahaha alfie, troo dat! the crooks prolly walk by ur alfa, shake their
head and think, "poor bastard."

i love that i can park anywhere and not have to worry about coming back
to find her missing.

with a popular japanese like the altis, CRV, etc u gotta get a 10 grand
alarm with sat tracking, a steering lock, immobiliser, etc and still come
back to find it jacked.

redd

#9
HerrBush

Posted 21 July 2006 - 12:38 AM

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The Alfa is a car one buys to appreciate driving. They basically are a
person that takes driving more than bringing you from point A to point B.

Myself, I got one from SAI for the sole reason that it is now being
driven by my father. 60th birthday present. He was an owner of Alfas for
a very long time up until the early 80s when Bull-eh land went downhill.


1) Should not be a concern.. you buy a car to enjoy and it is not an
investment. The Civic 2.0 will bring far better resale value, and you are
also talking about a car thats nearly half the price. You will definately
lose at least 1/3 of the value after 3 years. But one buys an Alfa to
drive it and even after 20 years that car will still bring a smile to
your face.
Currently I live in Singapore and I have a C200K, and I always enjoy the
moment when I go back to KL to drive the Alfa, just something about it.
Something like it moves your soul not just your backside.

2) Maintainance not really a problem these days, according to my uncle it
is not that far off from maintaining a new Camry. But when it comes to
service, the profesionalism is way better than those from Toyota.

3) This is a European car that had been crash tested prior to being sold
in one of the most stringent markets there is. But in terms of
continental cars it is not the safest, but it is certainly far safer than
that 2.0 Civic.

4) Test drive both, back to back. Actually test that Civic first, then go
test the Alfa and then go drive that Civic again... You can decide
whether that 50k extra is worth it or not. My father and me were trying
to decide whether to take the Alfa or an Accord. In the end he said the
Alfa was a much better car to have because it had a sense of
craftsmanship to it.

5) Go to SAI, show them a cheque for a downpayment. You can easily get
RM15-20k off as it was a 2005 model.



#10
rallod

Posted 21 July 2006 - 08:38 AM

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There a new promotion going on for the 147 2.0
Saw it in the newspaper on Wednesday(The Star)

From RM788 only. You might want to check it out.