Alfa 147's - General Forum - Peugeot 306 GTi-6 & Rallye Owners Club

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Subject: Alfa 147's

southernfool

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Location: Brighton

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Post #1

Good morning guys,

Noticed it's a total buyers market for bargains at the moment, and I was going to get a trusty Golf or Polo as a reliable runaround till I save up for something a bit smarter and then I noticed that you can get some pretty mint Alfa 147's for around the £1000/£1200 mark even with full service history, and you seem to get hell of a lot more for your money (eg full leather, heated seats, other gadgets, even the 150bhp model is well within that price range).

Now I know that they have a reputation of being unreliable, but how accurate is this and does anyone happen to know what goes wrong usually is it electrics usually on all these gadgets? Also anyone got any good guiders of what to look out for when viewing these? Are they cambelt snappers like 6's etc, I did do a search but couldn't find anything.

Cheers, Lee

Posted 5th Apr 2013 at 11:03

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rikky 🦔

Location: cheshire

Registered: 28 Feb 2004

Posts: 26,796

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Post #2

the only thing i've heard about alfas is the steptronic boxes. i know a lad who had big issues with his and he booked it in to a dealer, and when they rang back with a quote he sold the car within the hour! LOL

________________________________________

306 rallye reproduction decals (full sets/individual decals) | 306 b-pillar textured vinyl weatherstrips
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Posted 5th Apr 2013 at 11:06

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southernfool

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Location: Brighton

Registered: 23 Feb 2005

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Post #3

I am so ignorant on these cars that I do not even know what a steptronic box is! How would you tell if that has gone wrong? Maybe there are hidden demons in these cheap adverts Wink

Posted 5th Apr 2013 at 11:08

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ian7675

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Location: Gloucestershire

Registered: 12 Oct 2007

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Post #4

Most Alfa owners I know have always had pretty much trouble free motoring, they're no less reliable than anything else out there. I had a 156 which was great and Barry on here had a 147 GTA which was good. As above, avoid those fancy gearboxes, ensure full history and cambelt change.

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Posted 5th Apr 2013 at 11:16

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yippeekayay

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Location: wilts

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Post #5

I had one for a year. Steptronic boxes are gash and horrendous for going wrong... The 2.0 twinspark is a great car but engine failures due to not monitoring oil levels acutely almost daily, big end bearing failures are common so make sure car is cold started if you look at one and listen to the start up carefully. Any rattle runaway. Also prone to belt failure. Top mounts rattle from nearly new but great car if you can afford 20 quid amonth in bulbs and 15 a month for oil....

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306 less for first time in nearly 7 years. Lets keep it that way... please refuse any offers i make to buy your 306 ( doctors letter supplied by request)

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Posted 5th Apr 2013 at 11:17

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pebbles167

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Location: Melksham. Wiltshire.

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Post #6

Steptronic is presumably an auto box that the driver can control to some degree. They are generally not well thought of in Audi or Mitsubishi either, hence having the nickname "tip-terrible"

Imo I think the Alfa 156 is a better looking car with better engines, they can be found cheap too. Thumbs up

A mate of mine was into Alfa's and IIRC cambelt changes and repairs can be very expensive.

________________________________________

2005 Peugeot 206 GTI 180

2008 BMW K1200R

Posted 5th Apr 2013 at 11:20

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southernfool

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Location: Brighton

Registered: 23 Feb 2005

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Post #7

Cheers. So basically make sure it's a fully manual gearbox, unless the majority are Steptronic.. and also make sure cambelt has been done recent & full service history if poss so far. Yes noticed 156's are bargainess too Smile

Posted 5th Apr 2013 at 11:29

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ian7675

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Location: Gloucestershire

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Post #8

Not as expensive as the repair when you miss the interval...ask me how I know LOL

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Posted 5th Apr 2013 at 11:30

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ian7675

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Post #9

Also the 156 2.4 JTD is supposed to be a monster.

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Posted 5th Apr 2013 at 11:31

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yippeekayay

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Post #10

And check oil level... They are designed to use oil soa good level will indicate someone staying on top of the issue. This is still the case for low mileage cars too

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Posted 5th Apr 2013 at 11:34

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southernfool

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Post #11

Monsters are good but looking for a little runaround at this point Smile

although already what's started as getting an old Golf/Polo as a reliable runaround has turned into looking at less sensible options! Haha.

Posted 5th Apr 2013 at 11:35

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ian7675

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Post #12

Its a monster but its a diesel. I'm sure there are 147 JTD's too.

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Posted 5th Apr 2013 at 11:40

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pebbles167

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Post #13

Yeah but they use the early 1.9 don't they? Not the later 150bhp one. the 2.4 has loads of torque, and as its a 5 cylinder can sound quite nice too.

________________________________________

2005 Peugeot 206 GTI 180

2008 BMW K1200R

Posted 5th Apr 2013 at 11:48

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gwyn rallye

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Location: Anglesey

Registered: 05 Jul 2007

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Post #14

I had a 156 2.0 Twin Spark. Ran it for 30k trouble free...It was great. As previously mentioned the Twin Spark engine's inherently use oil... and quite a lot. Also spark plugs are (were) expensive as they were platinum and you need 8...

The only trouble i had was both rear electric window cables snapping... common fault if they are rarely used apparently. You could not just buy the cables at the time so ended up buying the whole motor units x2 (about £150)

Otherwise a lovely looking car with brilliant interiors and handle quite nicely!

________________________________________

Bianca white 306 Rallye
Arctic blue Clio 182 FF
Alpine white 205 1.9 GTI

Posted 5th Apr 2013 at 12:28

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mr swampy s16

**BAD SELLER**

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Registered: 22 Oct 2003

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Post #15

ian7675 wrote:

Also the 156 2.4 JTD is supposed to be a monster.

they are

We have one as a family car, overall it drove and felt better than the Mondeo st tdci we were originally after

Listen out for knocks from the front suspension as the bushes in the upper and lower wishbone go,

Overall I'm impressed with ours and it manages 500 to the tank so not bad

Posted 5th Apr 2013 at 12:36

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mik

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Post #16

Selespeed is what was fitted to 4-cyl 147s and 156s. It is the manual gearbox with a hydraulic actuator for the clutch controlled by a black box. In auto mode it behaved somewhat like an auto but is actually the same box as the manual. Lots of trouble with the actuators, steer clear. V6 156s could be had with Q-System, which looked like a manual gearstick but was the auto box with a manual override mode as well as auto for around town. Manuals give less trouble but I like changing my own gears anyway.

Nice colour and leather combinations - I thought about a 147 but got the Rallye instead.

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Posted 5th Apr 2013 at 17:19

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southernfool

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Post #17

Checklist = Manual gearbox, cambelt recent, oil level check, cold startup & listen carefully, check for knocking for mounts, check all electrics and the normal ones like make sure there is no Jism under the radiator cap, tyres etc.

This will be gone by the time I am properly looking so not fussed about tipping people off but on the surface seems like a low miler total bargain if it's legit, however you never know till you check;

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201304026052871/sort/default/usedcars/fuel-type/petrol/model/147/make/alfa_romeo/onesearchad/used/onesearchad/nearlynew/onesearchad/new/page/1/radius/60/postcode/bn25sn?logcode=p

So cheap, then if I look at an equivelent Golf it looks so dated compared to the Alfa.

Any more to add to the list feel free,

Cheers for the feedback Smile

Posted 5th Apr 2013 at 17:41

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pebbles167

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Post #18

In honesty I'd say go for it, all the alfas I've driven have been fun. Of course I didn't live with them afterwards so cant vouch for that LOL

________________________________________

2005 Peugeot 206 GTI 180

2008 BMW K1200R

Posted 5th Apr 2013 at 18:05

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ian7675

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Location: Gloucestershire

Registered: 12 Oct 2007

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Post #19

The 156 I mentioned earlier, I ran it for 36k miles and only a wheel bearing failed at 74k. Unfortunately the cambelt snapped because I missed the schedule by 1k miles so it was my own fault. No garage would touch it so I had to have a reconditioned engine put in by a dealer...£1950. That's why it's important to make sure you stick to the service schedules religiously. On another plus note, mine had the sport pack fitted which gave the car brilliant handling. I approached a real tight hairpin going way too fast and I was convinced I was finished but the car got round it with only a bit of tyre squeal. My respect for that car was immense after that. Also I went round a bend at 85mph and was greeted by a Police road block due to an accident. How that car stopped in time is beyond me but I stopped right next to an Officer, literally alongside my window and he was a little bit pale....and he let me go. I don't drive like that anymore as I have since grown up after 10 years down the line.

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Posted 5th Apr 2013 at 20:13

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matt evans

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Location: Stourbridge

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Post #20

I do like the look of the 147 GTA's, they have the rarity and snot factor in spades.

Much more classy that a Focus RS for sure, and thats coming from a Ford man.

________________________________________

1999 Astor Grey GTi-6 OEM+ (now gone...)
2004 Aegean Blue 206 GTi 180 (also gone...)
2006 Skoda Fabia vRS in Sprint Yellow

honestly3k wrote:

Do you wrestle for a living matt? You sound like a monster LOL

owain wrote:

Nothing involving a 306 can be considered worthwhile.

Posted 5th Apr 2013 at 21:15

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silky

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Location: Chelmsford, Essex

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Post #21

GTV?

Posted 5th Apr 2013 at 21:46

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jamiek_uk2000

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Location: Llanelli

Registered: 18 Apr 2009

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Post #22

matt evans wrote:

I do like the look of the 147 GTA's, they have the rarity and snot factor in spades.

Much more classy that a Focus RS for sure, and thats coming from a Ford man.

Have you seen the engine bay on a GTA, it is automotive porn!

________________________________________

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Posted 5th Apr 2013 at 21:49

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pebbles167

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Post #23

silky wrote:

GTV?

Good shout! GTV's are cool Thumbs up

Most 2.0's look kinda crap though IMO. Better with the larger wheels and the skirts.

________________________________________

2005 Peugeot 206 GTI 180

2008 BMW K1200R

Posted 5th Apr 2013 at 21:57

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southernfool

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Location: Brighton

Registered: 23 Feb 2005

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Post #24

GTV...good shout they look sexy!

Posted 5th Apr 2013 at 21:59

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silky

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Location: Chelmsford, Essex

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Post #25

GTV V6 with the aero kit and teledial wheels

Posted 5th Apr 2013 at 22:16

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