I bought an Alfa based on looks and the great drive - I chose to ignore the bad reputation on reliability and post-sales service and am glad I did. It well exceeds the interior quality and reliability of my previous 2002 mini cooper. Further, I have been more than impressed by my local dealer who has fixed a number of minor faults as part of my service on "goodwill". From the AR literature which I have recently received, it seems that this is due to a massive customer service drive. I think they are making a big effort in this area and so far, it seems to be working! I understand that they have just opened a quality control centre in the UK for all new cars so hopefully getting an AR in the future shouldn't be such a risk!

It's a pleasure every morning to walk up to such a stunning car as the Alfa Romeo 147 1.6 Twin Spark. When I open the door it's great to step inside and drive the car. It puts a smile on my face when I am driving it as it's lovely to drive. But at what cost? The quality of parts/reliability is not always up to scratch. Owning such a car does hurt your pockets unnecessarily, as my girlfriend puts it. After just 44K the cam-belt and variator went, and cost me a whopping £500 to fix, add £250 for a service, £120 for spark plugs, and your looking at a hefty £900 repair bill. The question is, can you afford/justify an Alfa 147, or should you be more rational and go for a less exciting, but reliable/economical option? I haven't decided yet, but my head tells me to go for another make which will make my heart bleed!