Alfa Romeo 159 JTDM 16v TI 4dr - Buying a used car for the first time

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Wed 15 Mar 2017 15:45
Alfa Romeo 159 JTDM 16v TI 4dr - Buying a used car for the first time - Helen Queen

Hello!

I'm asking around about this because I want a variety of advice!

I am looking to buy my first ever used car, specifically an Alfa Romeo. I found one online with Umberslade Motors and I'm not sure whether it's good value or not.

Here's the link: www.umberslademotors.com/alfa-romeo-159-jtdm-16v-t...0

Do you think 7 grand is too much for this car?

Thanks in advance!

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Wed 15 Mar 2017 16:01
Alfa Romeo 159 JTDM 16v TI 4dr - Buying a used car for the first time - oldroverboy.

You would be heading for particulate filter problems, potential clutch problems and potential cylinder head/injector problems. Do you do sufficien mileage to justify the riskd of a high mileage diesel.

But at least £1100 overpriced.

My personal choice. NO don't risk it.

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Wed 15 Mar 2017 16:05
Alfa Romeo 159 JTDM 16v TI 4dr - Buying a used car for the first time - Helen Queen

You would be heading for particulate filter problems, potential clutch problems and potential cylinder head/injector problems. Do you do sufficien mileage to justify the riskd of a high mileage diesel.

But at least £1100 overpriced.

My personal choice. NO don't risk it.

Thank you for the advice! I've been recommended Umberslade Motors by my Mum so I think I will stick with them, see if anything better comes up!

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Wed 15 Mar 2017 16:11
Alfa Romeo 159 JTDM 16v TI 4dr - Buying a used car for the first time - SLO76
Looks lovely as Alfas always do but it will be a heap of never ending and costly trouble, a total money pit. Don't even think about buying a 90,000 mile Alfa diesel!

The dealer won't have paid much more than £4K for this at auction and is expecting a huge profit margin probably to offset the likely hassle and costs he'll have when he does sell it. Honestly leave well alone.

If you want some advice regarding alternatives at this budget then let us know and I'm sure you'll get some good advice from the regulars.
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Wed 15 Mar 2017 16:26
Alfa Romeo 159 JTDM 16v TI 4dr - Buying a used car for the first time - Wee Willie Winkie

In 2009, I bought a 2002 156 2.4JTD Veloce Sportwagon with 96,000 miles from a private seller for, if I recall correctly, £1900. Full service history supplied. The seller had just bought a 159.

It ran it to 134,000 miles in just over 2 years, but not without incident. It constantly needed suspension parts, there were numerous electrical gremlins and It had a decent appetite for tyres.

Having said that, I loved it. This 159 seems well overpriced to me, but if you can find a decent priced example then do it, as long as you're prepared for a labour of love.

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Wed 15 Mar 2017 17:03
Alfa Romeo 159 JTDM 16v TI 4dr - Buying a used car for the first time - Helen Queen

In 2009, I bought a 2002 156 2.4JTD Veloce Sportwagon with 96,000 miles from a private seller for, if I recall correctly, £1900. Full service history supplied. The seller had just bought a 159.

It ran it to 134,000 miles in just over 2 years, but not without incident. It constantly needed suspension parts, there were numerous electrical gremlins and It had a decent appetite for tyres.

Having said that, I loved it. This 159 seems well overpriced to me, but if you can find a decent priced example then do it, as long as you're prepared for a labour of love.

Thanks for your advice, I'm sure every car faces its issues (this one more than most it seems) but this advice is so helpful!

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Wed 15 Mar 2017 16:49
Alfa Romeo 159 JTDM 16v TI 4dr - Buying a used car for the first time - 72 dudes

Don't Buy It.

Lots of reasons, not least that the Fiat 1.9 engine is the same one as in the Vectra and is one of the most unreliable diesels out there. In fact buying any diesel car with 90k on the clock could mean lots of expensive problems coming up over the next few years.

Not a sound buy for a first used car.

Alfa's build quality is not great but if you really want a 159, and they do look great, why not search out a much rarer petrol version.

And yes, £7k is too much, around £6000 to £6500 seems to be the going advertised rate.

Edited by 72 dudes on 15/03/2017 at 16:50

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Wed 15 Mar 2017 17:03
Alfa Romeo 159 JTDM 16v TI 4dr - Buying a used car for the first time - Helen Queen

Thanks for your help, I think I will do a bit more looking around!

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Wed 15 Mar 2017 17:38
Alfa Romeo 159 JTDM 16v TI 4dr - Buying a used car for the first time - SLO76
Is £7k your maximum budget? How are you financing it? A loan, money in the bank, car finance?

What sort of mileage do you do? Mostly local stop start driving or do you largely do distance on fast moving A roads and motorways?

How much space do you need?

What sort of cars do you like the look of?

Honestly a high mileage Alfa is probably the worst place you could sink £7k. You really do need to rethink and look at other options and at other dealers if this is an example of their prices.

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Wed 15 Mar 2017 18:31
Alfa Romeo 159 JTDM 16v TI 4dr - Buying a used car for the first time - veloceman
Alfa bashing again!
I have owned 12 Alfas since passing my test 33 years ago.
The only one I ever had a problem with was the last one which was a year old Guilietta which needed a new gearbox - not good I know. I've had 4 with the 1.9 diesel and again no problems.
As said on here previously don't touch one with extended service intervals. Annually or every 10,000 miles is the way to go.
Do not leave cam belts for the Alfa recommended times. Around every 45k is about right.
I know these guys know a bit more than me and I guess there's no smoke without fire!
Find yourself a good specialist, get one with a good history and enjoy.
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Wed 15 Mar 2017 20:07
Alfa Romeo 159 JTDM 16v TI 4dr - Buying a used car for the first time - hillman

The only Alfa that I have experience of was a heap of trouble. An expensive money pit. Alfa Romeo have a sporting image and people tend to thrash them. If this is your first car you would be advised to pick up experience with something with a bit more of a reputation for reliability, and cheap spares. The BRs will be able to suggest something.

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Wed 15 Mar 2017 22:47
Alfa Romeo 159 JTDM 16v TI 4dr - Buying a used car for the first time - V4 Heaven
It's not a 159 but my wife has a 1.6 JTDM Alfa Romeo Mito. It's done 60,000 miles and has been faultless.

They're quite good value too, so while it's not a 159, you could bag a bargain?!
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Thu 16 Mar 2017 10:39
Alfa Romeo 159 JTDM 16v TI 4dr - Buying a used car for the first time - Helen Queen

Wow lots of new comments!

Yeah about £7 is my budget, I'm financing it myself from savings and stuff

There seems to be a lot of mixed reviews, so it seems like it's down to the individuals cars would you say?

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Thu 16 Mar 2017 12:25
Alfa Romeo 159 JTDM 16v TI 4dr - Buying a used car for the first time - SLO76

Wow lots of new comments!

Yeah about £7 is my budget, I'm financing it myself from savings and stuff

There seems to be a lot of mixed reviews, so it seems like it's down to the individuals cars would you say?

I ask because many buyers fund their purchases through dealer finance which on used cars like this is a very expensive way of doing it but if you are a cash buyer that's not a concern. Yes, you'll always get mixed reviews on cars. Some drivers have owned motors which are notorious for problems yet haven't experienced any trouble but you have to look at the wider picture and Alfa for example are well known for going expensively wrong especially the diesels. Widen the search, get on Autotrader and put in £7,500 maximum budget along with a few other wants and desires and take a look at what crops up then post the link to anything you fancy on this thread for some advice. I've been buying and selling cars for over twenty years as both a salesman for a large new and used dealer and later as a home trader and I'm happy to help in any way I can.
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Fri 17 Mar 2017 11:42
Alfa Romeo 159 JTDM 16v TI 4dr - Buying a used car for the first time - Helen Queen

Thank you for your help - I just realised I was meant to say I have a £7k budget, not a £7 budget - way too little for a car ;)

I'm still looking around, as I have always wanted an Alfa Romeo, my family has always had them, but bought them new instead of used, so I'm starting to go off the idea of one to be honest!

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Thu 16 Mar 2017 22:40
Alfa Romeo 159 JTDM 16v TI 4dr - Buying a used car for the first time - Avant

"Alfa bashing again!"

Not really - more like discouragement from buying a used diesel on a limited budget. Whatever the make, a well-used diesel is likely to go expensively wrong.

If you cherish and look after an Alfa, as some of our posters above clearly have, it can do well. But the older the car you buy, the more the chance of one or more previous owners being less considerate than that. The reason we often recommend a Japanese or Korean petrol-powered model is tnat these seem to withstand neglect and abuse better than most.

As an alternative to the Alfa, Helen, you could have a look at a (petrol) Mazda 6 2-litre or Honda Civic 1.8: these are a bit more sporting to drive than some others.

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Fri 17 Mar 2017 11:42
Alfa Romeo 159 JTDM 16v TI 4dr - Buying a used car for the first time - Helen Queen

A Mazda or a Honda - I shall take a look! Thanks!

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