Is a used Alfa Romeo a good buy?
‘The most common area of concern with newer Giuliettas is non-engine electrics’
I would like your advice about a car my daughter is considering buying: an Alfa Romeo Giulietta 1.4 TB.
She has two teenage children and three dogs (one small and two medium-sized), and currently travels 15,00018,000 miles a year. Her budget is between £9000 and £10,000.
I have always been wary of the reliability of Alfa cars. Can you offer an opinion and possible alternatives?
WHAT CAR? SAYS…
According to data from our latest reliability survey, the Giulietta appears to be reasonably durable for the first few years. It’s the 10th most dependable family car up to three years old, with the most common problem area reported by owners being non-engine electrics.
However, the Giulietta dips to 37th place in the table for four to 10-year-old cars, with owners reporting issues with engines, gearboxes and suspension.
Your daughter’s budget will get her a 2015 Giulietta with around 30,000 miles from a main dealer. Cars of this age will soon be out of the manufacturer’s warranty, so your daughter won’t be able to rely on Alfa Romeo to cover the cost if a fault develops. With owners telling us their average repair bills cost £300, we’d advise choosing a more reliable car and one that’s likely to be cheaper to repair.
Our favourite used family car is the Seat Leon, which is involving to drive, great to look at and one of the top 10 family cars of all ages in our reliability survey. A five-door example should be roomy enough for teenagers and dogs in the back, too.
It’s also more affordable than the Giulietta, so your daughter’s budget should get her a 2016 1.2 TSI with less than 30,000 miles on the clock.