Alfa Romeo 146 (1995 - 2001) 2.0 ti 5d (1998/R) Owner Review

What does this car say about you?

That I'm not your average 'mondeo man'. And that I like to be a little bit different, a bit daring if you like!

What do your friends / family / neighbours think of the car?

Not really comented to be honest.

Would you buy this car again and why?

No I would'nt buy again. The overall build quality is not there, when compared with a similar aged BMW or VW, of which I have owned both.

What are you likely to buy next?

I am likely to purchase another BMW next time round. Probably a 5 series.

Type of dealer you bought from?

Independent

Did you buy this car new?

No

What price did you pay?

£1,295

When did you buy the car?

January 2007

Did you get a good deal and why?

I paid £1200 and this included 12 months MOT and 5 months tax.

Is there any special reason why you bought this car?

Did not want to purchase a run of the mill mondeo or vectra! I wanted a cheep car that was more interesting, and the Alfa fit the bill.

What was the dealer like?

The dealer appeared friendly and honest.

What's it like to drive?

Performance is very lively when you give the car plenty of revs. It feels as though it wants to be pushed. Handling is not the best though and the power steering is very light and does'nt give any feedback. The engine torque and noise make up for this though!

What's it like to park?

Very poor turning circle make the car tricky to park on occasions. Vision is good though and the light steering does help when parking.

Have you had any problems with the car?

The handling does not appear quite right at the front, and on one particularly cold morning in January the rear brakes (handbrake) completely seized up, making the car unusable until the weather warmed up. Other than that no issues.

What's most practical about your car?

Quite good loading space for a relatively small car.

Favourite gadget, option or accessory?

None really. The best part about the car is the engine.