Stelvio owner... prior BMW, Audi, Infinity, Lexus, Nissan and Saab owner. This car is fantastic !! Handles great.. has been extremely reliable Mine had a sticker of $58K, I got it for $26K with 23K miles in 2019.
My whole family has been driving Italian cars (Fiats & Alfas) for over 30 years in Greece. We never faced any major issue. Having competent mechanics and just doing the usual preventative maintenance goes a long way in reliability.
@@HEMI345S no, I mostly use Valvoline and change oil before 5k or max 9 months. My father used mostly Castrol Magnatec on his 1.2 FIRE Stilo. My uncles old Alfa 155 reached 400k miles with Eni/AGIP oil an no engine rebuild. You can say whatever you want about bad examples in electrical/electronics of Italian cars but you can't say anything bad in terms of mechanical durability of the engines.
@@logical_lb3059 Maybe explicitly because something is unique, but yeah if you see a lot of a car everywhere then it will affect your perception of it. If several of your friends own the same car, you aren't going be hesitant over getting the exact same model?
I’m in Australia and retired now but from the mid seventies I owned 3 Alfas continuously for around 40 years. The last bought new in 1988 we kept 24 years and sadly had to sell due health issues. Apart from the initial purchase period I always had them serviced by small special Alfa or Italian car mechanics. I joined the Alfa Club and found them so supportive when it came to ownership issues. Now you can just access a plethora of assistance online from fellow owners even on Facebook. I never encountered any unusual problems and so long as you adhere to the servicing schedule you can expect a reliable driving and ownership experience way in excess of their competitors. Shop wisely for a well maintained model, find a local owner’s group and a recommended specialist mechanic and you’ll never have to worry about the limited Dealer network. Both the Giulia and Stelio Veloce will give you pleasure you couldn’t believe.
Have had a Stelvio for three years. One of the best cars ever owned…I’ve driven Audi, Infiniti, Mercedes and BMW and I’d buy another Alfa in a heartbeat.
On my 2nd Stelvio .. 1st was a 2018 , current is a 2020 that I bought out the lease . Fantastic car , no issues , drives fantastic and if I had the money I would upgrade to a Quad .. Very satisfied Alfa owner 🤙🏻
I own a 2019 Stelvio Quadrifoglio and aside from 5k oil changes, these cars are easy to maintain. The 2017-19 had issues with leaking radiators at the seam which most get fixed under warranty. I was fortunate that Alfa did a goodwill warranty repair for my radiator as I was 1 year beyond the warranty but only had 22k miles. They took care of me and driving the QV is like nothing else. I encourage anyone to test drive even the lower trim levels and you will be blown away. 2020+ models seem to have very very few mass issues.
I am South African, 78, and have owned seven beautiful Alfa Romeo,s. Each one has been trouble free and given me many hours of joy, and happy motoring.❤
My daily is a 2022 Stelvio Veloce and just purchased a 2023 Giulia QV. Had a Giulia 2.0 Ti prior and loved it. Have owned many cars and the Alfas by far have been my favorites.
I dunno why Americans have so much prejudice on Alfa Romeo cars. They are fantastic and not at all less reliable than a BMW o Mercedes. I got a Mercedes B Class, BMW X3 and Alfa Romeo Giulia. They are all solid vehicles. I live in Europe and people love Alfa Romeos. There is a world outside the USA walled garden
You are so right! There’s a lot of misinformation in the USA about Alfa’s, and the USA citizens seem to revel in disparaging Alfa and Italian brands for some reason. A number of people I talk to smirk when I tell them I have a Giulia, yet they’ve never even sat in one, let alone driven or owned one.
How is the turning radius wall-to-wall of a Giulia? There is some strange information on the internet about it, on one place it even claims the nonQV versions have like 12.5 meters radius, which is a land boat for us living in urban areas. Would like to get a Giulia but not if it is not nimble enough in the city.
@@ΧρήστοςΔενέχεισημασία I don’t know the measurements of the turning circle, but I can tell you that I have no problems negotiating tight city spaces and turns in my Giulia Quadrifoglio.
there's a simple short answer: Low demand for Italian brands, because most people believe they're unreliable. The mindset of most "car uninformed" people is that German cars are good and reliable and Italians are weak and unreliable. Neither is true, but that's what most believe and 'hearsay'.
As a former BMW owner, I agree fully! Constant repairs and high $$$. Don't get me wrong, when it was running, it was a fun experience. Not worth the high price of maintaining. My Giulia has been in the shop one time (under warranty) for a faulty low oil pressure sensor and I've owned it for about 1.5 years.
I´ve got a 2017 Giulia 2.0 Turbo. Now with about 160.000km (99.000 miles). I´ve never had a problem with this car, expect the battery. The car is producing strange failure codes if the battery gets weak. In total it´s my third Alfa Romeo. Before I had a 156V6 and a Giulietta QV. It´s important to give them their maintenance, some good oil every year and be sure the engine oil is warm enough before you play pedal to metal and these car will be faithful companions.
We own a Stelvio Q4 Veloce. It is a brilliant vehicle. Drives like a sports car and with 280 hp it is quick. It weighs less than 4,000 lbs so performance is great. And it looks fantastic, just that little bit different.
Thanks for an excellent review of Alfa,s. I am South African, 78, and have owned seven beautiful Alfa,s which have given me many hours of happy and trouble-free motoring.❤.
My Alfa Romeo, giulia was rocksolid 2018 TI sport. Someone sideswiped it and totaled it. No fault on my own but best car I’ve ever had and I have a Honda cross tour right now, but I’m still going to buy another Alfa
@@ECPP absolutely once they figured out, the relays were out of the initial problems and some of the small things like the hoses. I did a TH-cam video about my Alpha Romeo swapping out the relays after that it was solid.
As an owner of a 2021 Stelvio I can say that it drives great. There were several problems in the second year of owning it. There was a leak in the intercooler coolant reservoir, a leaking rear shock (could have been the wife's fault), and a more serious issue of a broken wire in the harness for the rear brake wear sensor that took the dealer almost a month to sort out. We were given a brand new Tonale as a loaner. Since it was repaired there have been no issues.
@@ECPP No, the 4 banger, it's enough power. It drives and corners almost like a car. I regularly catch myself driving 80+ without noticing how fast I'm going.
@@Alfadan96 Most likely my wife's turning into the driveway in a manner that slammed the rear right into the curb... And the wonderful condition of Nooyorkistan roads.
It's the same way with Italian motorcycles. Moto Guzzi, in particular, are some of the best motorcycles you can get and they go for dirt cheap prices all day long because of ignorance about decades/half a century old stereotypes. No, Tony doesn't need to fix it again because there's nothing to fix! Shaft drive, dry clutch like a car, and robust engine that will easily go 100,000+ miles with basic maintenance. Seems that Alfa-Romeos are suffering from the same ignorance of the past. Gorgeous vehicles inside and out that offer the driver a certain refined and sex appeal while still being manly about the experience. I'd take an Alfa over a German brand any day of the week, no doubts about it.
Had a 2017 Veloce for 6 years. Completely trouble free except replacing the battery. She handled amazing and very comfortable. Biggest issue was she could tempt me to have too much fun.
My 2020 Giulia Quadrifoglio has been rock solid and reliable 100% so far. I do put the car on a battery tender however if I’m not going to use it for 3 or more days. That, plus regular maintenance, is the key to reliability in these cars (any car for that matter).
Good to hear but having to put a modern car on a battery tender is insane. This isn’t the first time I’ve heard of Alfa owners doing this. That’s a pretty annoying and unacceptable if you ask me 🤷♂️. Still undecided if I take a risk with an Alfa…
@@eddiek1231 I’m a bit obsessive - I used to do the same with my previous BMW’s and Merc’s. It’s probably not necessary in reality to do it that often. Good luck in making your decision- let me tell you the quadrifoglio is the best car I’ve ever had.
@@edombre4637 always happy to hear good things from actual owners, and realistically buying one is still a possibility…which is why I still watch videos about them 😆. The Quad is too much for my needs but I would love to own one…I just know the turbo 4 is more than enough for my lifestyle.
You nailed this one! I was wondering when I would see the car guys I follow divulge this secret. I waited until they worked out the earlier issues to lease a 2022 Giulia. It’s a great car. My wife and I also lease a 2021 3 Series. The Giulia has much better handling than the BMW. I also prefer the Giulia’s climate control knobs versus the BMW touch screen climate control access. Since the pandemic, new BMWs have become scarce while there are plenty of Alfa Romeos. That makes the Alfa a much easier buying experience. We’ll be replacing the BMW with another Giulia.
0:47 Besides the sun roof, this is my MY22 Giulia Veloce Q4! Same misano blue colour, same rims and red Brembo calipers. Buying this car was the best decision i could make. I love this car and it drives so well.
I have a 2019 stelvio TI sport that I bought with 22000 Miles. I've only had to replace the battery along with scheduled maintenance. Issue free otherwise.. great car! I've also considered moving up to a quad.
2021 Giulia Ti with 25K trouble free milles, best car I've ever owned! Bought out the lease last year! Makes me smile every time I drive! We're lucky to have a great dealer (Strongsville Alfa Romeo) here in the Cleveland, Ohio area. As others have mentioned, I think changing the oil every 5-6k miles instead of the factory recommended 9600 miles helps with reliability! (Also, make sure service center uses correct oil! No "Quikky-Lube" oil changes!😂)
I've had my Giulia TI for a year now, bought it used, and am loving it. No issues beyond basic maintenance and a sensor going bad. Drives on rails, good MPG, and is very unique.
Had a convertible red Spider 1986, got it on 1992. Sure took to a good friend who worked for a BMW dealer, knew everything about European cars. He fixed and made a even better car. Was my car for almost 4 years, living in L A one thing you all can be sure. Had a great time with my Alfa
My first car was a 1985 alfa33 quadrofoglio verde. After fixing the rust there was always had minor quirks with the car. However I still loved it and had a special place in my heart
@@rlsedition Hi! In Australia we got R32 GTR in 1990…AuD$110,000! I had ex Japan grey import R33 6 years old for $35,000. I had 1990 Alfa Romeo 75 Milano which sold new for $40000. Alfas way cheaper than GTR…🤣
BTW, I found the misfires on cold start were due to low gas in the tank causing air to get in fuel lines during cat light off on cold starts when the fuel injectors are drawing maximum fuel to heat up the cats. The fuel tank is shaped like a saddle and stradles the drive shaft but only one side has a tube sucking out gas. So it really is like two separate fuel tanks connected by a hose, which they did to maintain perfect 50/50 weight distribution. As a result however this means that when you have say, 15% fuel or less (which the inaccurate fuel guage on the dash shows as like 25-30%) then suddenly fuel pump goes to maximum setting to supply the max setting of the injectors for the cat light off to have its rich mix, this creates a whirlpool effect in the low fuel tank and draws a tiny bit of air in that results in a misfire. As soon as the cats are heated and it goes to normal idle, then the misfires will no longer happen, the only exception being a transition to cylinder deactivation in bank 1 around 25mph sometimes could retrigger it as the injectors go from completely off to on in that bank requiring a quick surge from the fuel pump. This can be exacerbated if you get condensation in the fuel as tends to happen if your fuel is low, because all air has some humidity, and lots of air in the fuel tank means some humidity in there, which can cause dew to form on the walls and get moisture in your fuel. I found the best solution is simply to keep the gas tank at least 50% full at all times, and since I started doing that, I have not had a single misfire. I feel so bad for all the dealers who had been replacing coils and spark plugs and wastegate actuators and even whole engines chasing the misfire issue when the whole time it was probably just people with low fuel levels getting air in the fuel lines during cat light off... but maybe some of the misfires were from other issues on some cars? Who knows.
This is the reason for many issues in all models of cars. Most people around the world drive until empty and then refuel. So many headaches would be alleviated if everyone just topped off at like a quarter tank. Not just Alfas.
I have a 2019 Stelvio and love it. It’s been trouble free and maintenance and insurance is not expensive. For reference I’ve owned an Audi, 3 VW’s, a BMW and two Honda Accord’s. I will never buy another VW product ever again. They literally left me stranded on the side of the road. My Jetta literally blew head gaskets at 45k.
I have two Giulia's and they have been very reliable, fun and practical even. The 4 banger is very light feeling and quiet, the QV is worth it's premium price just for the incredible sounds the engine makes when you give it the beans. The seats are really snug and comfortable for long trips, even the optional Sparcos. Battery tenders are a must for the QV.
Stelvio owner here, I was scared to buy it if it will gives me a problematic in future nope, i was wrong, I loved the looks on front.end. so after I test drove it and I loved it! Loved the way it handles, great power out from 4 bangers, n such, so I ended up buying it. I put 60,000 miles, never had any issues and mine is 2018.
I have a quad. I don’t care about selling it because I’m going to keep it for decades. Most luxury cars depreciate like crazy. Especially the very expensive ones. As far as reliability, I know, I’m just one case, but I have had nothing go wrong in over five years. but the maintenance cost are horrifically expensive expensive. Like two grand for a serpentine belt that has to be done every 30,000 miles.
@@jwalesoutlaw3294 you don’t need it because you have to do it so often that you don’t have to do it the first time. I’ll probably get that done the second time
1) Italians assemblers get paid $1600/month, engineers around $2500; 2) Alfa Romeo hit the American market on 2017 and today most of Americans don’t know what brand is when they see one but they recognize how incredible they are; 2) Due to the fact that they don’t sell many the dealerships are forced to lower the price in order to sell them; 3) Dealerships maintenance is way too expensive and unjustified.
Dealership costs are stupid for ANY brand though. I’m in the UK and have found a local Alfa specialist, who are more trustworthy, diligent and affordable, when compared to the main dealer.
Owner of Giulia for 10 month 30k miles on it , I got from this 12 k . problem leaking main radiator. Using amsoil oil 0-30 every 5k miles . For 50000 km radiator problem is not good thing but in other hand no other issues so it is somehow good reliable
Great video. I was going to comment yesterday but held back. The perceived reliability and issues thing is real and even though I've owned Italian cars all my driving life and had very few issues, and never been left stranded, i didn't want to tempt fate because I was going to take my 2003 alfa 156 GTA for a long drive today. It was faultless, and was just a shame the weather was so bad today here! The key is to find a decent independent specialist, and we are lucky in the UK as there are plenty. I've never skimped on maintenance and it's never let me down other than a recent hiccup that looks to have been an ECU connection come loose causing some weird issues. I honestly think a lot of problems at least of the past are because they're sporty. People buy an alfa and drive it hard, but service it like an economy hatchback. We also have a Stelvio and again it has been trouble free. The reality is friends have had far worse problems with German cars that are perceived to be stalwarts of engineering and reliability.
Few dealers and leftover bad reputation for Italian cars in the US from the 1970s, mostly. My 2017 Giulia 2.0 is at 87K miles now and I only had to replace the AC compressor. No local shop will work on Alfa as too few on the road so I had to go to dealer ($1800). Never had any electronic problems; Italian leather seats still butter smooth (even the leather dash has not lifted). I would rate Alfa about on the level of BMW 330i, higher than a Benz C-Class (piston cracking anyone?), and lower than Audi (that EA888 Gen 2 and higher engine is an unstoppable beast). New is easy, its under warranty so who cares? The car is as close as a mere mortal will ever get to a Ferrari sport sedan; its dynamics are THAT good. If you aren't in a major city with independent shops that will work on Alfa, I would not advise to buy used and keep long term.
You are right the driving dynamics are better than most and not as unreliable as some say. There are issues, just not as bad as some say, but a good dealer network is imperative.
What you should have done was to buy the entire book of your car. Bet you could fixed by yourself, listening some good tunes and a six pack or juice . Change a compressor if you have the tools and space is not a hard job. There labor is a rip off, when is a car not well known. They have so many arguments to keep raising the cost. Do a little search, cost of the compressor will take not even 5 minutes. I'm very curious and would done while waiting for their fixing price.
If you drive one of these, you will want it. About 1 year in with a ‘22 Veloce - bought it mid-‘23 and it was a steal. My guess is you can still get a lot of previous year models, brand new. I was driving a BMW 4 series, which I loved. This car is better in every way. So - test drive at your own risk….
Alfa sill makes car that are just looking different! i changed the mentality of my wife, removing the Merc and getting her a Green Tonale.... she is now enjoying driving it around Prague!
Own a 2020 Giulia, and I’ve had it for 2 years now. No major issues and drive it hard daily. 100 miles a day, my change brake pad lights barely came on ! 😢
My siblings have owned Masterati Ghibli, BMW M8, Porche Cayman, 2010 Mercedes SL63 AMG, Tesla model S, etc. I've driven each of them multiple times. Don't get me wrong, they're each gorgeous in their own ways. But for the price, my current 2020 Giulia Ti Sport Carbon is my favorite (and I'm broke relative to them lol). I love the handling, the performance, the ability to just let it cruise and get good mpg vs slam the pedal and pull whenever I need to. I also absolutely love the modest pur of the engine, not obnoxiously loud but classy, deep purs. I'm in love with this car and I got it at 30k miles for $24k. Prices skyrocketed recently but I managed to negotiate down from $32k to $24k and I'm so glad I did.
u made extremely nice video, maybe issues u mentioned are not that frequent, and some i never heard... as proud GiuliaQ4Veloce owner i can tell you that it is a proper beast! I think there is much more problems with leaking water radiator and turbo..... i bought mine with 90000, outside warranty, i had to cover those.... but i bought the car from a guy who made those klicks with consumption 8.7 l/100km.... i cannot go below 12..... engine was clogged.... after some period, i managed to make her breathe again, and reseal and replace that radiator..... after then 30000 kms, not even a glitch! what a car.... and for battery, yess factory ones are proper crap, new GEL ones solve millions of gremlins!!!! and yea, bigger battery, better! and kill START/STOP!
I own a Stelvio and is an amazing car, unfortunately at 75000 miles suffered an abs unit failure. Huge because the servo brake simply stopped working so it was required an unbearable amount of pressure on the pedal to actually stop the car. Replacement cost of entire abs unit costed 3000+ bucks, but nobody speak about the AVAILABILITY of the spare parts, which is an issue here in Europe AS WELL (I'm Italian so I know what I'm speaking about). That's the main problem.
Yeah, we have a 2020 Giulia Ti Sport Nero Edizione and it’s been awesome. We were cross shopping with Audi and the Alfa felt like it had more character. Zero issues so far with 40k miles. It’s super sporty, comfortable, unique, super solid and quiet ride. Alfa’s are so under appreciated. Stellantis needs to step up their game and make AR stand out. Did you know Giulia and Stelvios use aluminum body panels, and have a carbon fiber drive shaft. Crazy!
Since 2017, I've owned 2 new Giulia's and now we own a 2018 Stelvio. Not one problem with any of these 3 Alfa's. Maybe we've just been lucky. But we enjoy them and after owning many BMW's (7) and Mercedes (5) we feel the Alfa Romeo's recent offerings are better.
They are cheap cuz ppl dont look for em and Alfa does not advertise in USA. People also do not realize the safety value of Alfa: the best-handling car with 50/50 weight is also the safest because it is less likely to spin out. Alfa also has five-star ANCAP safety test results. I got Stelvio NRING limited with carbon ceramic brakes ($15k option) and Thatcham security system (top-end alarm) for $40k below sticker when it was just 2 years old lol and the car was basically like new with 25k miles and 18 months of warranty left.
Had my 2019 Giulia for a few years now. Fantastic car. No faults at all, just lots of happy driving. Just changed it for a slightly newer Stelvio with an Ascari exhaust system. Pick it up in a few days.
I bought a 2017 with 75k miles in Dec and got a maxcare 3yr /30k for about $2200 Totally true about the weak battery voltage. Mine was was on its 3rd OEM and struggling even with fairly regular driving. Replaced it with a 95 AH AGM and low and behold my stop/start (which i had assumed the previous owner bypassed) started working. Might be in my head, but it seemed like the car performed better and gets better gas mileage after changing the battery as well.
I drove a rented AR Stelvio between NYC and Vermont. It handled very well and it’s a smooth ride. Though we found the engine compromises the floor space for your feet. I would still buy it after my experience. Mercedes and BMW are nice cars but they are killing it with all the plastic parts in and around the engine, thus making repairs outside of warranty ridiculously expensive. Though if you can find them German manufactured in country then they last longer and are build better for some odd reason. Lexus just has a great reputation from what mechanics and dealers are saying. Hence why they hold up their value very well. I see 2014 IS list between $17k-$30k with reasonable Km in Toronto when I look up the book value on VMR Canada. Jaguar just has a nice looking product but mechanics say stay away from them because the electrical is very problematic and costly to fix. There needs to be more recalls on the electrical and drive train components of these car. And heaven sake, they need to stop overcharging for plastics. Otherwise people are just going to 3D print their own parts.
Lol. Your entire paragraph was filled with a few errors. #1. BMW is in line with Honda in reliability as he said. It has been that way for many years now. Toyota even uses (2) BMW engines, interior bits, and electronics. #2. ALL car manufacturers are using plastic under the hood. It has been that way for 20 years. If you took the time to open the hood of the Alfa Romeo, you would have seen it right away. #3. Lexus is a rebadged Toyota for the most part. They are very reliable but leave a lot to be desired in performance, tech, etc. All cars are a compromise.
Lots of people say that Giulia and Stelvio have electrical problems, but all the electric parts come from Germany... Which supply other brands like bmw and Mercedes...
I have a Stelvio and we have (from new) 14 years old now Mito that has gone that has gone from wife to daughter to son…never had anything major go,wrong with either save the Mito’s ECU which seemingly does nothing as it carried on in daily use until it was replaced.
Exactly the same here with the mito….four people in the family have owned since new( 2011) , still going strong for my youngest and only the ECU and a clutch have ever needed replacing. We also have a Tonale without issues as of yet
In the past I’ve had lots of Alfas and Fiats. They have been fine, no worse than any other car. It’s a lazy cliche that they are crap. It’s the owners that are crap, service correctly and Alfas are great.
Alfa does little/no advertising in the US market and has few dealers here. In addition, the brand was out-of-market in the US entirely for some 15 years, so many potential buyers are not even aware they're out there. Until those issues are addressed (like offering a class leading warranty) we won't see big sales numbers achieved in the US.
I own an AR 159 2.0 JTDM, vintage 2009, and the car is the best car I have owned. I have previously driven mainly Volvo cars. They are comparable in terms of durability, the Alfa is much more comfortable and fun to drive.
@@ECPP Yes. Ours did as well and then they stopped selling Alfa Romeos and Maeratis by the end of 2023 due to budget cuts. Great place to find a used supercar or a classic Ferrari.
I agree with a lot of positive comments, there are indeed good reasons why people avoid these cars. My 2019 Giulia QV has been super reliable and solid so far, but even basic maintenance can be a hassle. The dealership in SF Bay Area quoted me $680 for a simple oil change, and in Los Angeles, it was about $450 (ouch!) (yes I know you can do it yourself, but even OEM oil + filter runs at about $220) Oil change + spark plugs + some filters at 40000 miles were $1400. Tires $1600. You need to change the accessories belt at 30000 or after 4 years, the dealer quoted something ridiculous like $3500. I was able to do it with a well-known local mechanic for $1600 or so. Just the other week, a dealer here in LA quoted me $3600 for only front rotors, pads, and a fluid flush. Again, can probably be done for ~$1400 or so if you know a good mechanic or less if you work on the car yourself. But a lot of people at this price point want the convenience of a dealership visit. On top of that, warranty repair can be a problem. It's not uncommon that dealerships need weeks to order certain parts, if you are unlucky you can spend a significant amount of time without your car. Probably the worst of them all: because these cars are rare, even in some metro areas there would be only one dealership. With no competition they have very little incentive to work on their customer service, with my Alfa I've had some of the worst dealership experiences in ~15 years of car ownership. That said, some dealerships are very good, kudos to Van Nuys Alfa Romeo, Santa Monica is okay too.
Stelvio is a famous mountain pass in Italy that attracts a lot of drivers from around the world driving up and down the challenging multi tight hairpins. Tonale is another mountain pass in Italy, also with lots of hairpins but not as bad as Stelvio.
This is mainly depended on the market regions. As for South Africa here, they arent really "cheap" and have a high-resale mark for some reason, even though they're not so popular here. And for the new Tonale, it still has a really high-resale value even with a considerably high mileage 🤷♂
Man, you aren't kidding about the used prices! Just checked, you can get a 2023 Giulia Veloce with 4000 miles for at least $13k off msrp ($37k). I also see a 2021 Giulia Ti with 11k miles for $29k.
Battery is a huge issue for our Alfa. What we can’t accept is that something keeps draining the suv. Stupid people at dealership said that we can’t leave the car without driving for more than 3 days.
Awesome video! I just bought a Stelvio Quad Ocra color. 2022. I did worry about the reliability, but finally said screw it ha. Also, I hope the color is not too out there. I pick up in next few days
being an Stelvio owner since 2019....my cars been great other than premium gas....I wish Alfa would build more sports cars and affordable 2 seaters....these SUV are not true Alfa's
In my country and province (Ontario) they force the licence plate on the front. Honestly completely ruins the look of the front of the car even putting it off to the side I can't get past it. I wish we didn't have this stupid regulation still!
It's funny that no one mentions the Giulia was designed by Ferrari. The Quadrifoglio has a Ferrari engine in it. That's a big selling point right there.
Correct! I've seen the video. They did it because Alpha's contract with them was expiring. Alpha owned Ferrari at the time. I believe they did it in some insane time frame also, like a year.
Yes, our dealership picked up a base model for a hair over 17k. People are gun shy about less produced models. Kinda like the Mercury Mariner. Drove one of those off lease for a couple years and it was a Hell of a good deal. The Alpha SUVs look like a good deal unless you bring it to a dealership to get bent over.
It was the same back in the 60's through the late 90's when used Alfas were one of the best kept secrets among automotive enthusiasts. I still have a 1991 Alfa 164S though it's getting hard to find parts for and I'm looking to replace it.
My brand new Alfa spent most of its time in the dealership garage. Lots of different electrical faults. New rear wiring harness. New DNA system. Fuel cap solenoid. EGR valve went. All before it was 2 years old
That’s a bit unfortunate. I wouldn’t mind betting that most of the electrical parts were German though? The only thing I’ve had go wrong in over 20yrs is a Bosch brake light switch. I get ribbed lots because of my choice, usually for the same reasons (oh, they’re unreliable, you should have bought German, etc, etc), but when I show people under the bonnet and point out that pretty much ALL of the electrics ARE German, they usually walk away with their tail between their legs.
I love the Stelvio and especially the Quad which has immense performance and the AWD so it’s an interesting vehicle. Not perfect but neither is BMW or even Lexus these days. I would and have seriously considered buying one myself , used, because of the bang for buck.
Same thing happens to my Honda Accord. When the battery is run down, the electronic safety features malfunction. Once I took my 2018 Accord out at dusk after my kid left an overhead interior light on all night. When I turned on the corner lights of the car, the car immediately slammed on the brakes like it thought it was going to collide with something. Really. I was on an open road in the country. Good thing there was no one behind me. I don’t think car manufacturers are testing their cars during weak battery conditions. They need to. All modern cars also need an indicator on the dash to indicate battery health. Just like oil and water pressure gauges. I have similar issues with modern BMWs. Lots of scary indicator lights on the dash indicating failure of several safety features. The cars should be checking and reporting battery health first.
Mark, thanks for reporting on Alfas including their satisfaction numbers. I had some Fiats and Lancias back in the day I enjoyed. Just wanyed to tell you I bought a 2017 Jaguar F-Type R under 20k miles and you were instrumental in my puchasing of the car. Really like the car.
I have a 2019 Giulia Ti Sport, I love it but do have a bit of worry that the nearest AR dealer is 2.5 hours from me. Fortunately, I haven’t needed any repairs or parts. I love driving the car and love the styling, but the dealer network in the US (or relative lack of one) certainly doesn’t help their values.
My step dad, who in the 80s had a lot of exotics, had a couple of Alphas, they were awful back then. I remember my sister having to hold the car door closed to get it home on one occasion and the rust!
Thank you very much for a great and honest review on Alfa Romeo. I absolutely love Alfa and have been driving them all my life in South Africa and now here in America. They are awesome cars. Take care of it with services and you’ll have a reliable car. 👍
Stelvio owner... prior BMW, Audi, Infinity, Lexus, Nissan and Saab owner. This car is fantastic !! Handles great.. has been extremely reliable Mine had a sticker of $58K, I got it for $26K with 23K miles in 2019.
Wow that sounds like a great buy for sure.
Got a great deal for a beautiful and fun to drive car.Have fun
@TheRealCatof You're right, but as the owner says above. For him has or still is pretty reliable
@TheRealCatofhe said it been reliable, people say BMW are not reliable but I still have my 2018 BMW 3 series which I bought new .
@TheRealCatof that show any car can be reliable, if you take care of it . There are also old 98 Benz that still running 😂😂😂
My whole family has been driving Italian cars (Fiats & Alfas) for over 30 years in Greece. We never faced any major issue. Having competent mechanics and just doing the usual preventative maintenance goes a long way in reliability.
That’s great to hear. Yes maintenance is big and a little DIY is helpful
Annual maintenance like anything goes a long way.
Did you use only cold pressed olive oil on the engine 😂😂😂
@@HEMI345S no, I mostly use Valvoline and change oil before 5k or max 9 months. My father used mostly Castrol Magnatec on his 1.2 FIRE Stilo. My uncles old Alfa 155 reached 400k miles with Eni/AGIP oil an no engine rebuild. You can say whatever you want about bad examples in electrical/electronics of Italian cars but you can't say anything bad in terms of mechanical durability of the engines.
@@xynostasos9022 Valvoline oils are the best. I can't say the same for Castrol oils, they don't keep to specifications, they are too fluid.
I’m glad people don’t buy them, makes them unique. I’m very happy with mine.
Exactly. Cool vehicles
I can't wait to get mine❤
buying something bc it's unique is a dumb hipster reason to buy anything esp a car
@@logical_lb3059 I respect your opinion although I don’t agree.
@@logical_lb3059 Maybe explicitly because something is unique, but yeah if you see a lot of a car everywhere then it will affect your perception of it. If several of your friends own the same car, you aren't going be hesitant over getting the exact same model?
I’m in Australia and retired now but from the mid seventies I owned 3 Alfas continuously for around 40 years.
The last bought new in 1988 we kept 24 years and sadly had to sell due health issues.
Apart from the initial purchase period I always had them serviced by small special Alfa or Italian car mechanics.
I joined the Alfa Club and found them so supportive when it came to ownership issues. Now you can just access a plethora of assistance online from fellow owners even on Facebook.
I never encountered any unusual problems and so long as you adhere to the servicing schedule you can expect a reliable driving and ownership experience way in excess of their competitors.
Shop wisely for a well maintained model, find a local owner’s group and a recommended specialist mechanic and you’ll never have to worry about the limited Dealer network.
Both the Giulia and Stelio Veloce will give you pleasure you couldn’t believe.
Have had a Stelvio for three years. One of the best cars ever owned…I’ve driven Audi, Infiniti, Mercedes and BMW and I’d buy another Alfa in a heartbeat.
That’s great to hear
On my 2nd Stelvio .. 1st was a 2018 , current is a 2020 that I bought out the lease . Fantastic car , no issues , drives fantastic and if I had the money I would upgrade to a Quad ..
Very satisfied Alfa owner 🤙🏻
I own a 2019 Stelvio Quadrifoglio and aside from 5k oil changes, these cars are easy to maintain. The 2017-19 had issues with leaking radiators at the seam which most get fixed under warranty. I was fortunate that Alfa did a goodwill warranty repair for my radiator as I was 1 year beyond the warranty but only had 22k miles. They took care of me and driving the QV is like nothing else. I encourage anyone to test drive even the lower trim levels and you will be blown away. 2020+ models seem to have very very few mass issues.
Sounds great. How many miles do you think these vehicles are good for? These machines are a compelling consideration
I got a turbo and gauge cluster pass warranty. If you are reasonable and have good relationship with dealer. They may help you.
I am South African, 78, and have owned seven beautiful Alfa Romeo,s. Each one has been trouble free and given me many hours of joy, and happy motoring.❤
@@davidporter2770You should have bought some lottery tickets with that luck!
You need to change the oil every 5,000 Kilometres?
My daily is a 2022 Stelvio Veloce and just purchased a 2023 Giulia QV. Had a Giulia 2.0 Ti prior and loved it. Have owned many cars and the Alfas by far have been my favorites.
Most Americans don't even know this brand exists. Not their fault. I don't recall ever seeing an ad for them.
I do t see many around either
Alfa has existed for decades, granted it wasn't offered here for a while but it's not exactly a new brand.
@@ADUSN over a century
Yep, founded in 1910.
Well, I just be James Bond then…lol
After 30 years of driving BMWs I just bought a 2020 Giulia Ti Q4 29000 miles. $24000. Absolutely love it!!
Great cars
I just got a 2021 Giulia today with 24k miles for about 30k. I fell in love at the test drive
@@MrBenji-fo6nrupdate me brother
I have the same. . And I love her..white with red interior
Watch out for Multiair. It is faulty and expensive. Change oil frequently after 10k km max.
I dunno why Americans have so much prejudice on Alfa Romeo cars. They are fantastic and not at all less reliable than a BMW o Mercedes. I got a Mercedes B Class, BMW X3 and Alfa Romeo Giulia. They are all solid vehicles.
I live in Europe and people love Alfa Romeos. There is a world outside the USA walled garden
You are so right! There’s a lot of misinformation in the USA about Alfa’s, and the USA citizens seem to revel in disparaging Alfa and Italian brands for some reason. A number of people I talk to smirk when I tell them I have a Giulia, yet they’ve never even sat in one, let alone driven or owned one.
How is the turning radius wall-to-wall of a Giulia? There is some strange information on the internet about it, on one place it even claims the nonQV versions have like 12.5 meters radius, which is a land boat for us living in urban areas. Would like to get a Giulia but not if it is not nimble enough in the city.
@@ΧρήστοςΔενέχεισημασία I don’t know the measurements of the turning circle, but I can tell you that I have no problems negotiating tight city spaces and turns in my Giulia Quadrifoglio.
@@ΧρήστοςΔενέχεισημασίαthe q4 has a bigger turning circle than a box chevy
Blame it on the media. It's like how the media trashes Chrysler all the time even though other companies are no better.
there's a simple short answer: Low demand for Italian brands, because most people believe they're unreliable.
The mindset of most "car uninformed" people is that German cars are good and reliable and Italians are weak and unreliable. Neither is true, but that's what most believe and 'hearsay'.
hearsay
Yet German brands are the lowest scoring for reliability from most warranty companies.
As a former BMW owner, I agree fully! Constant repairs and high $$$. Don't get me wrong, when it was running, it was a fun experience. Not worth the high price of maintaining. My Giulia has been in the shop one time (under warranty) for a faulty low oil pressure sensor and I've owned it for about 1.5 years.
Bs
I drive a giulietta qv (2012) from 128k km to 170k km and i had no big issue at all. I also bought the cheapest one in my area and im just happy
I had an Alfa Romeo Stelvio from new. Three years, not one issue. One of my favorite vehicles ever.
Nice
I´ve got a 2017 Giulia 2.0 Turbo. Now with about 160.000km (99.000 miles). I´ve never had a problem with this car, expect the battery. The car is producing strange failure codes if the battery gets weak. In total it´s my third Alfa Romeo. Before I had a 156V6 and a Giulietta QV. It´s important to give them their maintenance, some good oil every year and be sure the engine oil is warm enough before you play pedal to metal and these car will be faithful companions.
That’s great to hear and I agree, better than what many people give them credit for
We own a Stelvio Q4 Veloce. It is a brilliant vehicle. Drives like a sports car and with 280 hp it is quick. It weighs less than 4,000 lbs so performance is great. And it looks fantastic, just that little bit different.
Thanks for an excellent review of Alfa,s. I am South African, 78, and have owned seven beautiful Alfa,s which have given me many hours of happy and trouble-free motoring.❤.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Had 7 alfas that I trade in before any motor troubles*
What was your first? And what year was the car and year you bought ‘, And how much did you get it for if you remember, thanks 🙏 bless a Long life
My Alfa Romeo, giulia was rocksolid 2018 TI sport. Someone sideswiped it and totaled it. No fault on my own but best car I’ve ever had and I have a Honda cross tour right now, but I’m still going to buy another Alfa
The Alfas are fun cars which matters to many and reliability seems to be slowly improving
@@ECPP absolutely once they figured out, the relays were out of the initial problems and some of the small things like the hoses. I did a TH-cam video about my Alpha Romeo swapping out the relays after that it was solid.
what's the mileage on it
As an owner of a 2021 Stelvio I can say that it drives great. There were several problems in the second year of owning it. There was a leak in the intercooler coolant reservoir, a leaking rear shock (could have been the wife's fault), and a more serious issue of a broken wire in the harness for the rear brake wear sensor that took the dealer almost a month to sort out. We were given a brand new Tonale as a loaner.
Since it was repaired there have been no issues.
That sounds like a decent result. With that said, would you buy it again and which did you buy? The Quad?
What was the cause of the leaking shock?
@@ECPP
No, the 4 banger, it's enough power. It drives and corners almost like a car. I regularly catch myself driving 80+ without noticing how fast I'm going.
@@Alfadan96
Most likely my wife's turning into the driveway in a manner that slammed the rear right into the curb... And the wonderful condition of Nooyorkistan roads.
@TheRealCatof
For an Italian car it's actually pretty good... 🤣
It's the same way with Italian motorcycles. Moto Guzzi, in particular, are some of the best motorcycles you can get and they go for dirt cheap prices all day long because of ignorance about decades/half a century old stereotypes. No, Tony doesn't need to fix it again because there's nothing to fix! Shaft drive, dry clutch like a car, and robust engine that will easily go 100,000+ miles with basic maintenance. Seems that Alfa-Romeos are suffering from the same ignorance of the past. Gorgeous vehicles inside and out that offer the driver a certain refined and sex appeal while still being manly about the experience. I'd take an Alfa over a German brand any day of the week, no doubts about it.
Had a 2017 Veloce for 6 years. Completely trouble free except replacing the battery. She handled amazing and very comfortable. Biggest issue was she could tempt me to have too much fun.
Very nice. Cool cars too
I love Alfa Romeo And Maserati❤❤❤
My 2020 Giulia Quadrifoglio has been rock solid and reliable 100% so far. I do put the car on a battery tender however if I’m not going to use it for 3 or more days. That, plus regular maintenance, is the key to reliability in these cars (any car for that matter).
Is that an electric model ? 😂😂😂
Good to hear but having to put a modern car on a battery tender is insane. This isn’t the first time I’ve heard of Alfa owners doing this. That’s a pretty annoying and unacceptable if you ask me 🤷♂️. Still undecided if I take a risk with an Alfa…
@@eddiek1231 I’m a bit obsessive - I used to do the same with my previous BMW’s and Merc’s. It’s probably not necessary in reality to do it that often. Good luck in making your decision- let me tell you the quadrifoglio is the best car I’ve ever had.
@@edombre4637 always happy to hear good things from actual owners, and realistically buying one is still a possibility…which is why I still watch videos about them 😆. The Quad is too much for my needs but I would love to own one…I just know the turbo 4 is more than enough for my lifestyle.
@@eddiek1231 take an alfa, no mechanical problem, trust me, the driving experience is incomparable with the other brand of car
You nailed this one! I was wondering when I would see the car guys I follow divulge this secret. I waited until they worked out the earlier issues to lease a 2022 Giulia. It’s a great car. My wife and I also lease a 2021 3 Series. The Giulia has much better handling than the BMW. I also prefer the Giulia’s climate control knobs versus the BMW
touch screen climate control access.
Since the pandemic, new BMWs have become scarce while there are plenty of Alfa Romeos. That makes the Alfa a much easier buying experience. We’ll be replacing the BMW with another Giulia.
Thanks for sharing and yes, I agree, it’s a bit of an unknown gem for those looking for sporty euro sedan or SUV
Nice
0:47 Besides the sun roof, this is my MY22 Giulia Veloce Q4! Same misano blue colour, same rims and red Brembo calipers. Buying this car was the best decision i could make. I love this car and it drives so well.
I have a 2019 stelvio TI sport that I bought with 22000 Miles. I've only had to replace the battery along with scheduled maintenance. Issue free otherwise.. great car! I've also considered moving up to a quad.
Absolutely great SUVs
2021 Giulia Ti with 25K trouble free milles, best car I've ever owned! Bought out the lease last year! Makes me smile every time I drive! We're lucky to have a great dealer (Strongsville Alfa Romeo) here in the Cleveland, Ohio area. As others have mentioned, I think changing the oil every 5-6k miles instead of the factory recommended 9600 miles helps with reliability! (Also, make sure service center uses correct oil! No "Quikky-Lube" oil changes!😂)
I've had my Giulia TI for a year now, bought it used, and am loving it. No issues beyond basic maintenance and a sensor going bad. Drives on rails, good MPG, and is very unique.
Had a convertible red Spider 1986, got it on 1992. Sure took to a good friend who worked for a BMW dealer, knew everything about European cars. He fixed and made a even better car. Was my car for almost 4 years, living in L A one thing you all can be sure. Had a great time with my Alfa
Those were great cars from a simpler time
My first car was a 1985 alfa33 quadrofoglio verde. After fixing the rust there was always had minor quirks with the car. However I still loved it and had a special place in my heart
Note: The US didn't get this model.
I had an 85 33 Quattro wagon, better than my ‘sud but not as good as my 75. Having said that Skyline GTR is best.
@@kallekas8551 We didn't get the early versions of the Skyline in the US, but wasn't that way more expensive than an Alfa?
@@rlsedition Hi! In Australia we got R32 GTR in 1990…AuD$110,000! I had ex Japan grey import R33 6 years old for $35,000. I had 1990 Alfa Romeo 75 Milano which sold new for $40000. Alfas way cheaper than GTR…🤣
BTW, I found the misfires on cold start were due to low gas in the tank causing air to get in fuel lines during cat light off on cold starts when the fuel injectors are drawing maximum fuel to heat up the cats. The fuel tank is shaped like a saddle and stradles the drive shaft but only one side has a tube sucking out gas. So it really is like two separate fuel tanks connected by a hose, which they did to maintain perfect 50/50 weight distribution. As a result however this means that when you have say, 15% fuel or less (which the inaccurate fuel guage on the dash shows as like 25-30%) then suddenly fuel pump goes to maximum setting to supply the max setting of the injectors for the cat light off to have its rich mix, this creates a whirlpool effect in the low fuel tank and draws a tiny bit of air in that results in a misfire. As soon as the cats are heated and it goes to normal idle, then the misfires will no longer happen, the only exception being a transition to cylinder deactivation in bank 1 around 25mph sometimes could retrigger it as the injectors go from completely off to on in that bank requiring a quick surge from the fuel pump. This can be exacerbated if you get condensation in the fuel as tends to happen if your fuel is low, because all air has some humidity, and lots of air in the fuel tank means some humidity in there, which can cause dew to form on the walls and get moisture in your fuel.
I found the best solution is simply to keep the gas tank at least 50% full at all times, and since I started doing that, I have not had a single misfire. I feel so bad for all the dealers who had been replacing coils and spark plugs and wastegate actuators and even whole engines chasing the misfire issue when the whole time it was probably just people with low fuel levels getting air in the fuel lines during cat light off... but maybe some of the misfires were from other issues on some cars? Who knows.
Yes there are severel reasons why that can happen
@@ECPPsir, what are the several reasons please?? Love the video!
This is the reason for many issues in all models of cars. Most people around the world drive until empty and then refuel. So many headaches would be alleviated if everyone just topped off at like a quarter tank. Not just Alfas.
When it comes to car reviews, Mark you are the GOAT. I never miss any of your videos.
Thank you very much Mark. Hope you have a great week. I know here we are getting cold snap again in a couple days. Staying warm.
Sporty and edgier says it all ! Great comparison Mark ! Have a fantastic weekend 🇨🇦
Thanks, you too!
I have 2019 Giulia Ti and it's been very reliable bought it used with 14,000 miles had a sticker $51,280.
I have a 2019 Stelvio and love it. It’s been trouble free and maintenance and insurance is not expensive. For reference I’ve owned an Audi, 3 VW’s, a BMW and two Honda Accord’s. I will never buy another VW product ever again. They literally left me stranded on the side of the road. My Jetta literally blew head gaskets at 45k.
Cheers
You should have taken Scotty Kilmer's advice to never ever buy a Volkswagon vehicle. He is adamant when he states that they are complete junk.
I have two Giulia's and they have been very reliable, fun and practical even. The 4 banger is very light feeling and quiet, the QV is worth it's premium price just for the incredible sounds the engine makes when you give it the beans. The seats are really snug and comfortable for long trips, even the optional Sparcos. Battery tenders are a must for the QV.
Cheers
Stelvio owner here, I was scared to buy it if it will gives me a problematic in future nope, i was wrong, I loved the looks on front.end. so after I test drove it and I loved it! Loved the way it handles, great power out from 4 bangers, n such, so I ended up buying it. I put 60,000 miles, never had any issues and mine is 2018.
Brilliant car....driveing Gulia last 5 years....Absolutely best driving sedan....no issues.....just oil and filters
Couldn't agree more!
Spent $40k after mods, interest, extended warranty etc. on a low mileage used Giulia Ti Sport. Couldn't be happier!
I have a quad. I don’t care about selling it because I’m going to keep it for decades. Most luxury cars depreciate like crazy. Especially the very expensive ones. As far as reliability, I know, I’m just one case, but I have had nothing go wrong in over five years. but the maintenance cost are horrifically expensive expensive. Like two grand for a serpentine belt that has to be done every 30,000 miles.
The Quad, like most high-performance cars, demands copious maintenance. The base engine car has no such requirements.
I have the veloce spec. I'm going to tune it. Try to get it to 360+ and I'll be satisfied (I think). I will never sell this car.
@@JayDee-b5u I also have the Veloce, only my 2020 model was called a Ti Sport.
Do you get a waterpump, tensioner and thermostat with the belt replacement?
@@jwalesoutlaw3294 you don’t need it because you have to do it so often that you don’t have to do it the first time. I’ll probably get that done the second time
1) Italians assemblers get paid $1600/month, engineers around $2500;
2) Alfa Romeo hit the American market on 2017 and today most of Americans don’t know what brand is when they see one but they recognize how incredible they are;
2) Due to the fact that they don’t sell many the dealerships are forced to lower the price in order to sell them;
3) Dealerships maintenance is way too expensive and unjustified.
Exactly a person need to find independant mechanics
@@ECPP but I recently discovered that their pre owned Alfas come with 5 years warranty which is dammn good!
Dealership costs are stupid for ANY brand though. I’m in the UK and have found a local Alfa specialist, who are more trustworthy, diligent and affordable, when compared to the main dealer.
Owner of Giulia for 10 month 30k miles on it , I got from this 12 k . problem leaking main radiator. Using amsoil oil 0-30 every 5k miles . For 50000 km radiator problem is not good thing but in other hand no other issues so it is somehow good reliable
Great video. I was going to comment yesterday but held back. The perceived reliability and issues thing is real and even though I've owned Italian cars all my driving life and had very few issues, and never been left stranded, i didn't want to tempt fate because I was going to take my 2003 alfa 156 GTA for a long drive today. It was faultless, and was just a shame the weather was so bad today here!
The key is to find a decent independent specialist, and we are lucky in the UK as there are plenty. I've never skimped on maintenance and it's never let me down other than a recent hiccup that looks to have been an ECU connection come loose causing some weird issues. I honestly think a lot of problems at least of the past are because they're sporty. People buy an alfa and drive it hard, but service it like an economy hatchback.
We also have a Stelvio and again it has been trouble free. The reality is friends have had far worse problems with German cars that are perceived to be stalwarts of engineering and reliability.
I agree, perception is a beast. A good Indy is all a person needs to keep these on the road
Few dealers and leftover bad reputation for Italian cars in the US from the 1970s, mostly. My 2017 Giulia 2.0 is at 87K miles now and I only had to replace the AC compressor. No local shop will work on Alfa as too few on the road so I had to go to dealer ($1800). Never had any electronic problems; Italian leather seats still butter smooth (even the leather dash has not lifted). I would rate Alfa about on the level of BMW 330i, higher than a Benz C-Class (piston cracking anyone?), and lower than Audi (that EA888 Gen 2 and higher engine is an unstoppable beast). New is easy, its under warranty so who cares? The car is as close as a mere mortal will ever get to a Ferrari sport sedan; its dynamics are THAT good. If you aren't in a major city with independent shops that will work on Alfa, I would not advise to buy used and keep long term.
You are right the driving dynamics are better than most and not as unreliable as some say. There are issues, just not as bad as some say, but a good dealer network is imperative.
What you should have done was to buy the entire book of your car. Bet you could fixed by yourself, listening some good tunes and a six pack or juice . Change a compressor if you have the tools and space is not a hard job. There labor is a rip off, when is a car not well known. They have so many arguments to keep raising the cost. Do a little search, cost of the compressor will take not even 5 minutes. I'm very curious and would done while waiting for their fixing price.
If you drive one of these, you will want it. About 1 year in with a ‘22 Veloce - bought it mid-‘23 and it was a steal. My guess is you can still get a lot of previous year models, brand new. I was driving a BMW 4 series, which I loved. This car is better in every way. So - test drive at your own risk….
I agree
Alfa sill makes car that are just looking different! i changed the mentality of my wife, removing the Merc and getting her a Green Tonale.... she is now enjoying driving it around Prague!
Awesome, far fewer of those around
I LOVE my Stelvio. Had an X3 and Audi before this car and I can't say enough awesome things about my Alfa.
That’s cool to hear
@@ECPP Especially love my 20" wheels :) and I like that it's not the same car everyone else has...almost bought a Range Rover and I'm so glad didn't.
Own a 2020 Giulia, and I’ve had it for 2 years now. No major issues and drive it hard daily. 100 miles a day, my change brake pad lights barely came on ! 😢
My wife just got a 22 Stelvio Veloce and absolutely loves it!!
Awesome ride
My siblings have owned Masterati Ghibli, BMW M8, Porche Cayman, 2010 Mercedes SL63 AMG, Tesla model S, etc. I've driven each of them multiple times. Don't get me wrong, they're each gorgeous in their own ways. But for the price, my current 2020 Giulia Ti Sport Carbon is my favorite (and I'm broke relative to them lol). I love the handling, the performance, the ability to just let it cruise and get good mpg vs slam the pedal and pull whenever I need to. I also absolutely love the modest pur of the engine, not obnoxiously loud but classy, deep purs. I'm in love with this car and I got it at 30k miles for $24k. Prices skyrocketed recently but I managed to negotiate down from $32k to $24k and I'm so glad I did.
How did you negotiate this 😫
u made extremely nice video, maybe issues u mentioned are not that frequent, and some i never heard... as proud GiuliaQ4Veloce owner i can tell you that it is a proper beast! I think there is much more problems with leaking water radiator and turbo..... i bought mine with 90000, outside warranty, i had to cover those.... but i bought the car from a guy who made those klicks with consumption 8.7 l/100km.... i cannot go below 12..... engine was clogged.... after some period, i managed to make her breathe again, and reseal and replace that radiator..... after then 30000 kms, not even a glitch! what a car.... and for battery, yess factory ones are proper crap, new GEL ones solve millions of gremlins!!!! and yea, bigger battery, better! and kill START/STOP!
i know a guy who had a giulia with 400k kilometers on it. His was not a quadrifolgio though and that may be the difference.
Owned a Stelvio, the performance and steering were very lively. I live in Houston, service wasn't a problem, but expensive at the dealer.
I own a Stelvio and is an amazing car, unfortunately at 75000 miles suffered an abs unit failure. Huge because the servo brake simply stopped working so it was required an unbearable amount of pressure on the pedal to actually stop the car.
Replacement cost of entire abs unit costed 3000+ bucks, but nobody speak about the AVAILABILITY of the spare parts, which is an issue here in Europe AS WELL (I'm Italian so I know what I'm speaking about). That's the main problem.
Yeah, we have a 2020 Giulia Ti Sport Nero Edizione and it’s been awesome. We were cross shopping with Audi and the Alfa felt like it had more character. Zero issues so far with 40k miles. It’s super sporty, comfortable, unique, super solid and quiet ride. Alfa’s are so under appreciated. Stellantis needs to step up their game and make AR stand out. Did you know Giulia and Stelvios use aluminum body panels, and have a carbon fiber drive shaft. Crazy!
Since 2017, I've owned 2 new Giulia's and now we own a 2018 Stelvio. Not one problem with any of these 3 Alfa's. Maybe we've just been lucky. But we enjoy them and after owning many BMW's (7) and Mercedes (5) we feel the Alfa Romeo's recent offerings are better.
I can totally get on board with that
The only people who have problems with Alfa's are those that don't own one. Love mine!!!
I agree@@brianb7844
used and cheap? not really... i bought a used one with 5 years and low milleage and was worth 55% of the msrp 🤣
I live in Louisiana and the nearest dealer is in Pensacola, FL, three hours drive away. That’s the only thing keeping me away from Alfa Romeo.
Nice
@@ECPPNice?
They are cheap cuz ppl dont look for em and Alfa does not advertise in USA. People also do not realize the safety value of Alfa: the best-handling car with 50/50 weight is also the safest because it is less likely to spin out. Alfa also has five-star ANCAP safety test results.
I got Stelvio NRING limited with carbon ceramic brakes ($15k option) and Thatcham security system (top-end alarm) for $40k below sticker when it was just 2 years old lol and the car was basically like new with 25k miles and 18 months of warranty left.
Thanks for sharing
Alfa's are an unrealized bargain. Love my Guilia QV.
The QV is amazing g
Had my 2019 Giulia for a few years now. Fantastic car. No faults at all, just lots of happy driving.
Just changed it for a slightly newer Stelvio with an Ascari exhaust system. Pick it up in a few days.
Great to hear!
We own a 2022 Giulia Q4 Veloce trim. Love it! You can also purchase a Mopar Protection Plan to cover it up to 125,000 miles.
Cheers
I bought a 2017 with 75k miles in Dec and got a maxcare 3yr /30k for about $2200
Totally true about the weak battery voltage. Mine was was on its 3rd OEM and struggling even with fairly regular driving. Replaced it with a 95 AH AGM and low and behold my stop/start (which i had assumed the previous owner bypassed) started working. Might be in my head, but it seemed like the car performed better and gets better gas mileage after changing the battery as well.
I drove a rented AR Stelvio between NYC and Vermont. It handled very well and it’s a smooth ride. Though we found the engine compromises the floor space for your feet. I would still buy it after my experience.
Mercedes and BMW are nice cars but they are killing it with all the plastic parts in and around the engine, thus making repairs outside of warranty ridiculously expensive. Though if you can find them German manufactured in country then they last longer and are build better for some odd reason.
Lexus just has a great reputation from what mechanics and dealers are saying. Hence why they hold up their value very well. I see 2014 IS list between $17k-$30k with reasonable Km in Toronto when I look up the book value on VMR Canada.
Jaguar just has a nice looking product but mechanics say stay away from them because the electrical is very problematic and costly to fix.
There needs to be more recalls on the electrical and drive train components of these car. And heaven sake, they need to stop overcharging for plastics. Otherwise people are just going to 3D print their own parts.
Lol. Your entire paragraph was filled with a few errors.
#1. BMW is in line with Honda in reliability as he said. It has been that way for many years now. Toyota even uses (2) BMW engines, interior bits, and electronics.
#2. ALL car manufacturers are using plastic under the hood. It has been that way for 20 years. If you took the time to open the hood of the Alfa Romeo, you would have seen it right away.
#3. Lexus is a rebadged Toyota for the most part. They are very reliable but leave a lot to be desired in performance, tech, etc. All cars are a compromise.
Lots of people say that Giulia and Stelvio have electrical problems, but all the electric parts come from Germany... Which supply other brands like bmw and Mercedes...
That’s fair. There is a lot of parts interchanging in many brands
I have a Stelvio and we have (from new) 14 years old now Mito that has gone that has gone from wife to daughter to son…never had anything major go,wrong with either save the Mito’s ECU which seemingly does nothing as it carried on in daily use until it was replaced.
Exactly the same here with the mito….four people in the family have owned since new( 2011) , still going strong for my youngest and only the ECU and a clutch have ever needed replacing.
We also have a Tonale without issues as of yet
In the past I’ve had lots of Alfas and Fiats. They have been fine, no worse than any other car. It’s a lazy cliche that they are crap. It’s the owners that are crap, service correctly and Alfas are great.
I can totally see that too
Alfa does little/no advertising in the US market and has few dealers here. In addition, the brand was out-of-market in the US entirely for some 15 years, so many potential buyers are not even aware they're out there. Until those issues are addressed (like offering a class leading warranty) we won't see big sales numbers achieved in the US.
It’s a real fun to drive car . Had zero problems with my 2017 Giulia . That big sunroof will toast u if u live south . Audi is fancy VW 😳
I own an AR 159 2.0 JTDM, vintage 2009, and the car is the best car I have owned. I have previously driven mainly Volvo cars. They are comparable in terms of durability, the Alfa is much more comfortable and fun to drive.
Yes they are fun
Alfa is my favorite Italian brand. Unfortunately, I live closer to a Ferrari certified maintenance shop than I do to one for Alfas.
Well may have to. It a Ferrari instead. Most of our Ferrari dealers also sell Maserati and Alfa in the same building
@@ECPP Yes. Ours did as well and then they stopped selling Alfa Romeos and Maeratis by the end of 2023 due to budget cuts. Great place to find a used supercar or a classic Ferrari.
I have a 2017 Giulia with 125k miles loved it. Bought it since it had 3 miles on dash
Thank you for sharing this informative profile on the new Alfa's, as I've wondered as to their reliability.
You are very welcome. Do you have any preferences for model specific
@ECPP Yes, the Giulia.
@@vinniecorleone62 I bought a used 2020 Giulia about 3 years ago and am one happy customer - nothing else drives like it!
So cheap? I was checking for a Giulia and the prices are similar to BMW series 3 and Mercedes classe c. Maybe only in America
It depends on the engine and configuration but....
I agree with a lot of positive comments, there are indeed good reasons why people avoid these cars. My 2019 Giulia QV has been super reliable and solid so far, but even basic maintenance can be a hassle.
The dealership in SF Bay Area quoted me $680 for a simple oil change, and in Los Angeles, it was about $450 (ouch!) (yes I know you can do it yourself, but even OEM oil + filter runs at about $220)
Oil change + spark plugs + some filters at 40000 miles were $1400. Tires $1600. You need to change the accessories belt at 30000 or after 4 years, the dealer quoted something ridiculous like $3500. I was able to do it with a well-known local mechanic for $1600 or so. Just the other week, a dealer here in LA quoted me $3600 for only front rotors, pads, and a fluid flush.
Again, can probably be done for ~$1400 or so if you know a good mechanic or less if you work on the car yourself. But a lot of people at this price point want the convenience of a dealership visit.
On top of that, warranty repair can be a problem. It's not uncommon that dealerships need weeks to order certain parts, if you are unlucky you can spend a significant amount of time without your car.
Probably the worst of them all: because these cars are rare, even in some metro areas there would be only one dealership. With no competition they have very little incentive to work on their customer service, with my Alfa I've had some of the worst dealership experiences in ~15 years of car ownership. That said, some dealerships are very good, kudos to Van Nuys Alfa Romeo, Santa Monica is okay too.
Stelvio is a famous mountain pass in Italy that attracts a lot of drivers from around the world driving up and down the challenging multi tight hairpins.
Tonale is another mountain pass in Italy, also with lots of hairpins but not as bad as Stelvio.
Yes indeed I saw that when I was I Italy last year
This is mainly depended on the market regions. As for South Africa here, they arent really "cheap" and have a high-resale mark for some reason, even though they're not so popular here. And for the new Tonale, it still has a really high-resale value even with a considerably high mileage 🤷♂
Man, you aren't kidding about the used prices! Just checked, you can get a 2023 Giulia Veloce with 4000 miles for at least $13k off msrp ($37k). I also see a 2021 Giulia Ti with 11k miles for $29k.
Great find
I have a 2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia QV I bought for half of MSRP and can smoke almost everything on the road.
I have a 2019 Stelvio, great car, no issues so far
Battery is a huge issue for our Alfa. What we can’t accept is that something keeps draining the suv. Stupid people at dealership said that we can’t leave the car without driving for more than 3 days.
Get an AGM H8 battery and you wont have any issues.
Awesome video! I just bought a Stelvio Quad Ocra color. 2022. I did worry about the reliability, but finally said screw it ha. Also, I hope the color is not too out there. I pick up in next few days
Congrats, they are wonderful cars and a slightly used one is amazing deal
Thank you for being honest...
You are very welcome. Want to be real
being an Stelvio owner since 2019....my cars been great other than premium gas....I wish Alfa would build more sports cars and affordable 2 seaters....these SUV are not true Alfa's
Thanks for sharing. So far so good.
In my country and province (Ontario) they force the licence plate on the front. Honestly completely ruins the look of the front of the car even putting it off to the side I can't get past it. I wish we didn't have this stupid regulation still!
The guilia quad is a monster. Great car. I just remember older models falling apart and costing a fortune to repair.
It's funny that no one mentions the Giulia was designed by Ferrari. The Quadrifoglio has a Ferrari engine in it. That's a big selling point right there.
Well, sort of...
@@Adam-ub9nu look up a video on it. Ferrari designed and built it. Fact
Correct! I've seen the video. They did it because Alpha's contract with them was expiring. Alpha owned Ferrari at the time. I believe they did it in some insane time frame also, like a year.
@failingup4907 the gulia was designed by Marco Tencone, a man who has zero connection to ferrari...
@@failingup4907 Alfa, not alpha... I suspect you have 0 knowledge
Just watched 6 alpha suvs go for less than 20k at southern auto auction yesterday.
Sounds like some great deals
Yes, our dealership picked up a base model for a hair over 17k.
People are gun shy about less produced models.
Kinda like the Mercury Mariner.
Drove one of those off lease for a couple years and it was a Hell of a good deal.
The Alpha SUVs look like a good deal unless you bring it to a dealership to get bent over.
It was the same back in the 60's through the late 90's when used Alfas were one of the best kept secrets among automotive enthusiasts. I still have a 1991 Alfa 164S though it's getting hard to find parts for and I'm looking to replace it.
Current BMW owner I’d love to buy a one problem is I’m afraid they’re gonna leave the US market
My brand new Alfa spent most of its time in the dealership garage. Lots of different electrical faults. New rear wiring harness. New DNA system. Fuel cap solenoid. EGR valve went. All before it was 2 years old
Wow thats not a great run
That’s a bit unfortunate. I wouldn’t mind betting that most of the electrical parts were German though? The only thing I’ve had go wrong in over 20yrs is a Bosch brake light switch. I get ribbed lots because of my choice, usually for the same reasons (oh, they’re unreliable, you should have bought German, etc, etc), but when I show people under the bonnet and point out that pretty much ALL of the electrics ARE German, they usually walk away with their tail between their legs.
The rear wiring looms are the worst but it's not hard to fix with some extra wire and shrink tubes
A neighbor owns two Alfa Romeo's, one Guila and a Stelvio, both base models and both very nice.
Great video. X3 owner that is really close to jumping on the Stelvio. Thoughts??
I love the Stelvio and especially the Quad which has immense performance and the AWD so it’s an interesting vehicle. Not perfect but neither is BMW or even Lexus these days. I would and have seriously considered buying one myself , used, because of the bang for buck.
Wasn't expecting such a good review of the brand! Great video!Where can I check the ranking you talk about? Is the JD one? :)
Same thing happens to my Honda Accord. When the battery is run down, the electronic safety features malfunction. Once I took my 2018 Accord out at dusk after my kid left an overhead interior light on all night.
When I turned on the corner lights of the car, the car immediately slammed on the brakes like it thought it was going to collide with something. Really. I was on an open road in the country. Good thing there was no one behind me. I don’t think car manufacturers are testing their cars during weak battery conditions. They need to. All modern cars also need an indicator on the dash to indicate battery health. Just like oil and water pressure gauges.
I have similar issues with modern BMWs. Lots of scary indicator lights on the dash indicating failure of several safety features. The cars should be checking and reporting battery health first.
Mark, thanks for reporting on Alfas including their satisfaction numbers. I had some Fiats and Lancias back in the day I enjoyed. Just wanyed to tell you I bought a 2017 Jaguar F-Type R under 20k miles and you were instrumental in my puchasing of the car. Really like the car.
Owner of 2019 Giulia Ti Sport 😊 no problems after 4 yrs. Every manufacturer has issues and videos like this don't help the brand. love our Giulia❤
I have a 2019 Giulia Ti Sport, I love it but do have a bit of worry that the nearest AR dealer is 2.5 hours from me. Fortunately, I haven’t needed any repairs or parts. I love driving the car and love the styling, but the dealer network in the US (or relative lack of one) certainly doesn’t help their values.
I enjoyed one of the Giulia’s from 2017-2019. Such a great car. The handling is unreal. Definitely a great drivers car.
My step dad, who in the 80s had a lot of exotics, had a couple of Alphas, they were awful back then. I remember my sister having to hold the car door closed to get it home on one occasion and the rust!
For me (budgetclass/used 0-10.000):
1. Hyundai iconiq
2. Toyota Prius
3. Alpha romeo
For the higher tier i would go for the tesla or audi rs.
Heers
Thank you very much for a great and honest review on Alfa Romeo. I absolutely love Alfa and have been driving them all my life in South Africa and now here in America. They are awesome cars. Take care of it with services and you’ll have a reliable car. 👍