Alfa Romeo Giulia

Well since you just said you don't believe anything the press writes anymore I guess I could have posted any source up there and have gotten the same reaction...

FWIW:

Software issues, say Alfa, in an official statement. I'm sure it's true but they could give more details about the issues themselves, especially to specialised media.

Alfa Executive on Our Giulia Experience: "Not Even Recognizable"

 

There's a lot of questionable "journalism" on the Giulia.

I saw one comparison lap where the times weren't impressive.
Turns out it was literally a go-kart track where the AWDs will always do better, due to the poor surface.
And their "timing device" was a cell phone.

I have to wonder whether the "media" cars ever got proper dealer prep.

There's a Giulia forum, where people asked about the top 5 problems experienced.
Generally, the top problems were dealer issues: tire pressures incorrectly set, flash updates not done, etc.

I'm wondering if the "media" cars are straight off the boat without set up.

 

If it is, it's still an Alfa problem. Quite amateurish.

 

The problem about FCA is they always rush their new models, look at Alfa's road test cars, how long have they tested the Giulia on road? The answer is not so long, just nearly a year, from late 2014- early 2016, Stelvio early 2016- early 2017! Now look at how long BMW have road tested their new models? For example their upcoming new X5 started road testing in the beginning of 2016 and will be debuted in 2018, same as the new BMW 3 series, they are spending almost 2 years for road testing their new models, who is more complete their cars? No wonder Alfa is having that many software issues need to upgrade look at their infotainment system is 5 years behind from Idrive, 2017 still no CarPlay support, at this point you can already imagine how rush their products are? And talk about the new model, where is the new model that they promised for next year? Have you seen the road test car with camouflage yet? You will see if there is ever a new model coming next year they will only road test it about a year for sure! That's why the consumer report is still in test the Giulia, it's already in test more than half year now and still in test, the only reason for that long test is because the car is in serious trouble about reliability issues, keep sending back to dealers for repairing, so they have to spend more time to complete the test I won't be surprised to see when they reached very lower positions from J.D. Power quality ranking for the next couple of years

 

Agreed absolutely joke of a publication written by a bunch of wining 20 somethings. The Business Insider/buzz feed of car publications.

 

I've had my QV for almost 2 months and 1,000 without any issues.
It interesting how all the early reviews were glowing. It's lately that some of these issues have come out.
You may or may not give cred to Jalopnick et al, but there's no doubt this negative press will spook the casual buyer.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Media issues with Giulias are not limited to R&T, as even the R&T article states. We've had them at Automobile as well, though we did not track the car. A day after our last QV completed 500 or so successful road miles with only small issues (rough idle and the adaptive suspension occasionally giving an error message), it stopped dead at a traffic light for no apparent reason. Eventually it was able to be restarted.

Journalists have been waiting to bash Alfa? I wrote Automobile's Giulia cover story alongside the featured Milano Verde (one of my personal cars) and the photographer's personal '67 Giulia Super. Most of us love Alfas.

 

I have had so many Verdes and GTV6's over the years, as well as a few 164s L/S/Q - still miss my last Verde, GTV6 Callaway, and the 164Q. Have a 4c and am still thinking of adding a Giulia but don't need a headache. The older cars you could troubleshoot, work on, and fix yourself - not so with a new car today...

 

Totally agree journalists love alfas but they also love to sell copy and a neg take will get more attention than a positive one

regardless, anyone who gets an alfa should realize reliability isnt priority. But if dealer is nearby with loaner cars and its only 2 or 3 yr lease, risk might be worth it

 

Years ago, I interviewed Ken Okuyama while he was still with Pininfarina and hot off the Maserati Birdcage concept, among others. We were talking about how many kids today don't worship cars as we had when we were young with posters on our walls and model kits on our desks. He told me he thought the relative reliability of modern supercars had something to do with a loss of romanticism. When a car feels like a computer, rather than a semi-living, mechanical thing, some of the uniqueness is lost. Unfortunately, the Giulia's issues are nearly-entirely computer and electronics related.

 

Including Sam, author of the R&T article.

 

I used Alfas as my DDs for over 10 years.

In 38 years *every* problem with my '79 Spica Spider came from the fuel delivery system.
(Mostly due to water in the fuel.)

I did have a couple issues with the Alfetta GT and the GTV-6 from sub-freezing temperatures.
(On one, the crankcase vapor cannister froze and caused pressure buildup in the crankcase. After that, I learned to leave the crankcase hose clamp loose.
On the GTV-6, the throttle cable got ice covered and jammed from driving on unplowed streets.)
Most of my GTV-6 problems came from dealer blunders after Fiat bought Alfa.

*With regular service*, Alfas aren't horribly unreliable.
But treat them like a Toyota (drive till it drops), and they'll strand you.

 

My best friend had mid 70s gtv as his dd back in day. Was nightmare to keep on road even compared to triumph tr8 I had at time

 

One thing I noticed, in the '70s, was that Alfas got a lot of abuse by people who were used to cars they drove until they stopped.

That's why I opted to go for a new Spider instead of a used one, in '79.
(The used '75 Alfetta and '81 GTV-6 I got from the dealer (and race shop) that serviced my Spider.)

I'd take them in for an annual service and they'd be fine the rest of the time.
(Mostly. I replaced the Alfetta with the GTV-6 after I fragged the second gear synchro on the Alfetta. That's a car that could have benefited from a paddle operated twin-clutch transaxle. The manual was like a broomstick in a bathtub.)

That was the trick to Alfas: Get the service issues dealt with before they stranded you on the road.

I've pointed this out before: During one four year period, I spent the same on service for my Ferrari 328 and the Toyota Celica GT-Four, **when serviced to the same standards**.

I used the 328 as my summer DD for much of that period, with only one issue (a failed plug extender).

The service standards on Italian cars is higher than on mundanes, if you want them to go when you need 'em.


And that's why the success or failure of Alfa now will rest on the quality of the dealer network -- particularly the service departments.

If they fumble the dealer network, the reliability will suffer.

I suspect the reputation for unreliability from the classic days came from the sparseness of the dealer network under pre-Fiat Alfa. And from the horrible dealerships that followed the Fiat purchase.
If you had a qualified mechanic nearby, you got reliability. If you relied on a generic "foreign car" shop, you fared worse.

(One used Spider I looked at was a ticking bomb. A bad shop had re-bent the Spica injector lines, causing the metal to flake. That was a massive failure waiting to happen.)

 

yes they did buy it back and he bought a C63S coupe`

BMW almost had to buy back my E92 M3, they fixed it on the final try...and I did not have an issue after that...
I am very happy with my QV, it never fails to make me smile when I drive....I can live with the quirks...

 

Never broken down in an Alfa Romeo, but yes they do not suffer abuse like some cars will.

I ran a Sud on the track, etc. for many years was dead reliable until we chased hp (standard camboxes cannot handle high lift camshafts), I'm restoring a 1750GTV and even though she was stuffed when I bought her she never broke down (just used a lot of oil) and now run a 156v6 (over 30,000km's in about 1.5 years). The only issue with the 156 was tyre related and I now know to rotate the tyres front to rear and visa versa every service, otherwise the rear tyres will wear funny.

I do watch the gauges and check the fluids but otherwise drive them like any other car, harder even

IMO some people should not own Alfa Romeos and a friend of mine was down to purchasing an Alfa 33 or a Peugeot 309 GTI and I recommended the Peugeot.
Pete

 

I would echo that sentiment. In the mid-late 70's I owned at various times a '69 Berlina, a '71 Berlina and a '72 GTV. For the most part they were reliable except for an occasional head gasket failure. Although, on one trip from grad school in NH to New York I had a fuel line spring a leak at a gas station somewhere in Westchester County. It was a Friday night and I was able to fix it myself but finished the trip stinking of gasoline.

 

Although not as nice or interesting as earlier Alfa's, the 164 was a very reliable car(and I bet the 156 and 166 V6's are just as good). I have had several 164's(12 and 24V) and until they hit 15 years old(everything starts to crack and get old at 15-20 years old) the only thing I did was change the timing belt every 40,000 miles and kept a good battery in the car. The remaining maintenance was wear items just like a Toyota or Honda would need. The 24 valve 164 was even better than the 12 valve. The only issue on the 12 valve was on 1991 models valve guides caused smoking due to wear. Mine were all late 1992 and 1993 164's.

That's why when I hear these auto magazines trash the Giulia I smell BS!!! They did the same thing to the 164 and they were full of it. Fake news

True story, I have a friend who has what can be described as a lemon Toyota Corolla. It had a bad engine and the front brakes including calipers went out at 40,000 miles. Does that mean all Toyota's are unreliable based on that experience??

 

Let's not stick our heads in the sand and yell "fake news" - the journalists are reporting their experience with break-downs and other issues with the Giulia. Probably more representative than your experience with some 164s a long time ago... I love Alfas as much as anyone, but that will not make me blindly discredit or distrust any critical reporting on quality, performance etc. Though, I may still get one

 

Well they said the same thing about the new Maserati's having some issues and they are pretty reliable. Balance their anti Italian biased attitude with what you have experienced for yourself, but expect a few strange problem to occur. I have owned a lot of Italian cars, and you have to expect issues but if it is a newer car they probably won't be a big deal unless you are a perfectionist. If you are one of those buy a Lexus and be happy to not have to worry

 

You are soooo right Mayor!

We are daily blinded and lied by the marketing and so-called influencers. The worst is: so many people want to be blinded and have no interest in the truth.

 

Thanks for correcting the impression being given about journalist's hatred of the car. But Italian cars have earned it to some degree. I've had several first model year cars including a Honda Accord, Lancia Beta Coupe, Datsun 280ZX, GTV6, 84 Biturbo, 90 Q45. Guess which were the most fun? The Q45 WAS one of them!

The Honda was totalled by a drunk in another car 3 months after I got it. But all the others had issues. I still have the Biturbo, it looks quite lovely and runs great. So miracles do happen ... The Q45 failed to even turn over one day in the middle of a lumber yard for about an hour. Then inexplicably it sprang back to life! That was stressful. I never did find out what caused the software glitch and it never happened again.

A neighbor of mine works for corporate BMW and his wife was driving a company three series(?) convertible that she couldn't get to turn off. It took them a couple hours to figure that one out.

Stuff happens with some early cars to all of them even the mighty Lexus had a very serious problem with their V8 that prompted my older car enthusiast friend to dump his and buy another Mercedes because he thought his car would never quite be the same after they pulled that engine and all of the other complexities out of the car. Yet his wife's much earlier LS400 still runs great save a few electrical items that are not worth fixing now.

Alfa has always needed a much better PR department and dealer network.

Ferrari and more recently Lamborghini are the only Italian brands to create good dealer networks. I haven't owned a modern Maserati so I can't judge how they're doing but I do live in an area with seemingly several good options for all three of those. So perhaps we can add those to the list. Some are also Alfa dealerships. It seems like that should work if they're committed to really selling and servicing the car.