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      04-19-2021, 06:55 PM   #1
Germanauto
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Alfa Romeo Giulia, Thoughts?

Would like to get some of your thoughts on the Giulia if you have experienced the car and/or dealerships. Test drove one recently and really loved how the car drove, just excellent. Beautiful car too and just the right size. The interior is not screwed together as well as competitors but its not a deal-killer.

However what left a bad taste in my mouth was the dealership/sales experience. The dealership was falling apart, salesman (who I booked an appt with) was dressed sloppy and immediately started pushing me to talk numbers before letting me drive the car which I found to be disrespectful. I don't think this company understands how to sell cars to people accustomed to BMW, Audi, Porsche, Lexus, etc. And knowing Alfa's reliability reputation, I'm worried that even during the course of a 2-3 year lease that the thing will have issues and I'll be driving a Fiat as a loaner.

What I really want is an M2C but at this stage of life I'm not quite ready to spend that type of money on a car. A Giulia lease could be a nice stop-gap. Would appreciate any input. I love the product, but the inherent baggage that goes along with Alfa Romeo and formerly FCA/now Stellantis is off-putting. Am I worrying too much?
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      04-19-2021, 07:26 PM   #2
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I would have a talk with your preferred dealer's service department. The sales experience while it may not be up to your liking, will not have as much of an impact long-term (even during a lease) as your service experience since that is what you are worrying about most. Discuss with them what the loaner experience is like in case of an emergency repair. I can't speak for the SoCal area, but I would assume there are a few Alfa dealers to check out.

The better of the dealers are the ones that are paired with Maserati (one by me is even paired with Ferrari), rather than Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep. Anyone with worries as to Alfa surviving can be reassured as the Stellantis CEO has said that they intend on keeping Alfa in the states and bringing out new products for them and Maserati.

As for Giulia reliability, every car will be a YMMV situation, you could have great luck or bad luck so I can't speak on that, but I will say I do have a few friends who have all had Giulia and Stelvio 2.0T's, and they say that these are decently reliable, the Quadrifoglio are the more problematic models with their engines. One friend has put over 80,000 miles on his Giulia and only had minor issues such as a bad oil sensor. Another friend had put 50,000 on his Stelvio with no issues either. Of course there may be others who have experienced differently, but that is all I can say from those that I know. Funny enough they both mentioned that the alarm has gone off on them randomly two or three times (typical Italians ). And then of course MotorTrend also did a long-term test of a 2.0T Giulia at the same time as C/D but there's happened to be trouble-free for 20k+ miles, and this was an older 2018 model but everyone usually only pays attention to the QV. For the 2.0T, I believe any issues are more likely to be electronic related rather than engine or powertrain related.

It really is a hard decision, truly one of going with your head versus your heart as there really is nothing that drives as well as the Giulia in its class, not to mention the lease deals I've seen on Leasehackr for the Giulia's are really good. I think it could be a great car to lease but I'm also not as adverse to risking it for a 2.0T, a QV would be a different story. If I did get one, I'd get a Ti Sport with the Performance Package.

Good Luck
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      04-19-2021, 08:08 PM   #3
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as long as Alfa Romeo increase its sales unfortunately whatever country you visit and AR dealership, its much worse than expected.. i recommend you to take a look at this link..

its not a horror movie kind of thing to own one.. but not headache free as well..

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews...bility-update/ ..
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      04-19-2021, 08:45 PM   #4
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I was considering Ti sport last year but abondoned the idea after reading that some owners are waiting 2-3 mo for parts. That is unacceptable unless it's an engine replacement.
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      04-19-2021, 08:53 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Germanauto View Post
Would like to get some of your thoughts on the Giulia if you have experienced the car and/or dealerships. Test drove one recently and really loved how the car drove, just excellent. Beautiful car too and just the right size. The interior is not screwed together as well as competitors but its not a deal-killer.

However what left a bad taste in my mouth was the dealership/sales experience. The dealership was falling apart, salesman (who I booked an appt with) was dressed sloppy and immediately started pushing me to talk numbers before letting me drive the car which I found to be disrespectful. I don't think this company understands how to sell cars to people accustomed to BMW, Audi, Porsche, Lexus, etc. And knowing Alfa's reliability reputation, I'm worried that even during the course of a 2-3 year lease that the thing will have issues and I'll be driving a Fiat as a loaner.

What I really want is an M2C but at this stage of life I'm not quite ready to spend that type of money on a car. A Giulia lease could be a nice stop-gap. Would appreciate any input. I love the product, but the inherent baggage that goes along with Alfa Romeo and formerly FCA/now Stellantis is off-putting. Am I worrying too much?
If you are after the Giulia 4-banger, it was a great driving car but felt under-powered compared to a 6-pot. Car handles great on track and was impressed. You would be giving up some reliability for the great drive since its not going to be as reliable as a bimmer.
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      04-19-2021, 09:47 PM   #6
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I had one (Giulia Ti Sport w/ just under 30K) as a "demo" for a few weeks.

Here are my takeaways/observations:
- You don't see too many of them, so it felt somewhat exclusive.
- Kind of squirrelly but handled really well.
- Has a decent seating position.
- Steering wheel is on the thinner side and felt great.
- The shift paddles are A1.
- Still jiffy in Normal mode but becomes even livelier in Dynamic mode, which I didn't feel was a gimmick (how it is in some cars).
- Interior quality 7/10 - I found it to be a mix of Chrysler meets Volvo. I did notice that the dashboard (where it meets the windshield) started to peel back.
- The H/K Audio system - I found it to be a 5.9 out of 10.
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      04-19-2021, 10:47 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BMWILUVU View Post
If you are after the Giulia 4-banger, it was a great driving car but felt under-powered compared to a 6-pot. Car handles great on track and was impressed. You would be giving up some reliability for the great drive since its not going to be as reliable as a bimmer.
Ever since selling my E90 I daily an older Lexus IS which is bulletproof reliable, so anything would be a downgrade lol. The 4-banger is fine. I value handling/steering far more than power.
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      04-19-2021, 10:50 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stein_325i View Post
I would have a talk with your preferred dealer's service department. The sales experience while it may not be up to your liking, will not have as much of an impact long-term (even during a lease) as your service experience since that is what you are worrying about most. Discuss with them what the loaner experience is like in case of an emergency repair. I can't speak for the SoCal area, but I would assume there are a few Alfa dealers to check out.

The better of the dealers are the ones that are paired with Maserati (one by me is even paired with Ferrari), rather than Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep. Anyone with worries as to Alfa surviving can be reassured as the Stellantis CEO has said that they intend on keeping Alfa in the states and bringing out new products for them and Maserati.

It really is a hard decision, truly one of going with your head versus your heart as there really is nothing that drives as well as the Giulia in its class, not to mention the lease deals I've seen on Leasehackr for the Giulia's are really good. I think it could be a great car to lease but I'm also not as adverse to risking it for a 2.0T, a QV would be a different story. If I did get one, I'd get a Ti Sport with the Performance Package.

Good Luck
All good points, thanks as always man.

Nothing else in this segment really interests me. A4, C-class are both whatever. IS would have my interest if they re-did the interior. I'll give the 330i a look but I'm not as fond of the G20 as I'd like. But BMW is certainly a safer choice. You know what you're getting with a BMW from an ownership perspective, with Alfa it's up in the air.
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      04-20-2021, 09:40 AM   #9
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A neighbor who always had/has BMWs suddenly showed up with a Giulia in his driveway. So I asked him to compare.

He said he prefers the Giulia. In my area, the Alfa dealer is the Fiat dealer. He said that the dealer has two Alfas for loaners. Given the reliability history of Alfas, I would think that more than two loaners would be needed which means that many times the owner would end up with a Fiat!

So that would be my concern. I could live with reliability issues if I were confident that when it broke, I would get another Alfa as a loaner and not a Fiat or Chrysler.
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      04-20-2021, 10:23 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by yco View Post
as long as Alfa Romeo increase its sales unfortunately whatever country you visit and AR dealership, its much worse than expected.. i recommend you to take a look at this link..

its not a horror movie kind of thing to own one.. but not headache free as well..

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews...bility-update/ ..
A guy at work has a white Quadrifoglio as a daily. Much like the C/D write up nothing catastrophic has happened to it, just a lot of nagging electrical problems. It appears they usually put him in a base Giulia as a loaner. I've had a couple of pricey rides before and can testify there's nothing more annoying than scratching a $1,000 check a month to drive a base loaner.

However, when he does have it and he leaves the parking lot the sound it makes is incredible.
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      04-20-2021, 11:33 AM   #11
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The Giulia Quadrifoglio is a wonderful car. It feels very much like a 4 door 458. As others have mentioned you may end of up with a trouble free example a total lemon or somewhere in between.
While I’ve never been totally stranded I have gone into limp mode several times. After wasting countless days with the dealer throwing parts at the car I’ve come to accept this as how it is. Usually a couple full power cycles by exiting the vehicle and locking the doors resolves the issues. At this point the car has depreciated so much the only solution is to keep it and live with the issues.
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      04-20-2021, 11:35 AM   #12
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Better get two, just in case.
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      04-20-2021, 12:27 PM   #13
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Again, the regular 2T doesn't have anywhere near these issues.
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      06-07-2021, 11:51 PM   #14
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Germanauto did you ever end up getting a Giulia? Or did you end up with a different car?
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      06-08-2021, 12:20 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stein_325i View Post
Germanauto did you ever end up getting a Giulia? Or did you end up with a different car?
Yup I'm going to pick it up later this week. It has its flaws and I do think the 3-series is a better car, but it definitely has an emotional draw. I feel like a red Italian car is something I've got to experience at least once in life.

Red with black wheels, yellow calipers, and brown interior.
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      06-08-2021, 09:59 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Germanauto View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by stein_325i View Post
Germanauto did you ever end up getting a Giulia? Or did you end up with a different car?
Yup I'm going to pick it up later this week. It has its flaws and I do think the 3-series is a better car, but it definitely has an emotional draw. I feel like a red Italian car is something I've got to experience at least once in life.

Red with black wheels, yellow calipers, and brown interior.
Congrats, and that is an awesome spec!

Like Jeremy Clarkson says, the cars with flaws make them more human like and emotional. You're gonna love the Giulia, its fantastic to drive.
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      06-08-2021, 10:56 AM   #17
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I own a 2018 Ti Q4 Sport as my daily driver (pics in my profile) and absolutely love it. Don't believe everything you hear about service and parts. I think the key is working with a dealer that is an Alfa/Maserati dealer vs an Alfa/Dodge dealer. My dealer is awesome, gives me a Ghibli as a loaner whenever I want it and never have I had to wait on a part. I've also had far less issues with it than my last 328i, and most folks I know who own one don't tend to have any issues either, other than those who bought early 2017 models.

Any issues the cars do have - can almost 100% be attributed to the battery. These cars hate a bad battery and do all sorts of odd things if it isn't charged properly.

I've got a JB4 on mine and Draggy and have regularly put down sub 5sec 0-60 times. That's insane with a 2L.

Cars handle fantastic as well.
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      06-08-2021, 11:09 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stein_325i View Post
Congrats, and that is an awesome spec!

Like Jeremy Clarkson says, the cars with flaws make them more human like and emotional. You're gonna love the Giulia, its fantastic to drive.
The quickness of the steering and go-kart like handling were unique selling points alone. I figure outside of Ferrari this is the only way to experience a car that steers so fast. I have the rest of my life to drive Bimmers and Porsches, so this will be a unique experience. I'm going to do a Mulholland run right after picking it up.
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      06-08-2021, 11:11 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Run Silent View Post
I own a 2018 Ti Q4 Sport as my daily driver (pics in my profile) and absolutely love it. Don't believe everything you hear about service and parts. I think the key is working with a dealer that is an Alfa/Maserati dealer vs an Alfa/Dodge dealer. My dealer is awesome, gives me a Ghibli as a loaner whenever I want it and never have I had to wait on a part. I've also had far less issues with it than my last 328i, and most folks I know who own one don't tend to have any issues either, other than those who bought early 2017 models.

Any issues the cars do have - can almost 100% be attributed to the battery. These cars hate a bad battery and do all sorts of odd things if it isn't charged properly.

I've got a JB4 on mine and Draggy and have regularly put down sub 5sec 0-60 times. That's insane with a 2L.

Cars handle fantastic as well.
Thankfully I will be taking it to an Alfa/Maserati location, hopefully only for annual service. Mine will just be a Ti, not the Sport. So no paddles or well bolstered seats.
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      06-08-2021, 11:23 AM   #20
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Congrats on the pick up, I have a soft spot for those cars. I have never owned one but just love the look, proportions, etc...I was looking at a used Guilia QF before I finally landed on the M2C.
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      06-08-2021, 11:27 AM   #21
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Congrats! Love the look of the Giulia!
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      06-08-2021, 11:33 AM   #22
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