Just bought a Merc

[sasguru]

Is this Mazda MPS one of those cars with a really hard suspension that shakes all your fillings out?

No that's the Impreza it competes with. That's why the MPS is superior - you can really use it as a family car, but when you get a windy road on your own, open up throttle and blast away. 0-60 in 6 seconds, 4WD, steady and increasing power upto 150 mph. Grins galore.
Could do with a more Alfa like sound though.

[Mich the Tester]

No that's the Impreza it competes with. That's why the MPS is superior - you can really use it as a family car, but when you get a windy road on your own, open up throttle and blast away. 0-60 in 6 seconds, 4WD, steady and increasing power upto 150 mph. Grins galore.
Could do with a more Alfa like sound though.

It sounds fun, but it would either ruin my driving license or kill me.

[gingerjedi]

The Alfa 159 is the only sensibly priced modern family car that floats my boat these days, everything else just looks bland in comparison. They have a German in charge now so the reliability issues should be a thing of the past.

[Mich the Tester]

The Alfa 159 is the only sensibly priced modern family car that floats my boat these days, everything else just looks bland in comparison. They have a German in charge now so the reliability issues should be a thing of the past.

I'll wait for the replacement of the 166. It's rumoured to look something like this, although I think someone's just photoshopped a Maserati Quattroporte on that picture.

I like Alfas; had a 166. Wonderful looking car, the Momo leather seats were perfect and it was very comfortable at ridiculous speeds. Unfortunately the electrics gave up, the central locking failed and there was a puddle in the back every time it rained.

[sasguru]

The Alfa 159 is the only sensibly priced modern family car that floats my boat these days, everything else just looks bland in comparison. They have a German in charge now so the reliability issues should be a thing of the past.

Tried that. Apart from the Alfa gurgle, its not a patch on the MPS which is better handling, faster, 4WD, and even a bigger boot than the Alfa estate (which is tiny because of the slope roof design)
The German bloke may have made Alfas more reliable but he's also taken the quirkiness and magic away to a certain extent (as Germans tend to do).

[Mich the Tester]

Tried that. Apart from the Alfa gurgle, its not a patch on the MPS which is better handling, faster, 4WD, and even a bigger boot than the Alfa estate (which is tiny because of the slope roof design)
The German bloke may have made Alfas more reliable but he's also taken the quirkiness and magic away to a certain extent.

Maybe he's sacked all the plenty cheapness Albanian illiterates on the production line.

[gingerjedi]

I'll wait for the replacement of the 166. It's rumoured to look something like this, although I think someone's just photoshopped a Maserati Quattroporte on that picture.

Looks sexy in a Maserati kind of way, the great thing about Alfa's is the sheeple haven't cottoned on to the fact they're making reliable cars these days so a 3 year old can be had for £10k whilst the equivalent BMW is still £15k+.

SAS, women don't go weak at the knees when you turn up in a Mazda no matter how technologically brilliant it is. You buy an Alfa because it's sexy and exudes style with decent engines to boot... even the diesels get excellent reviews.

[sasguru]

SAS, women don't go weak at the knees when you turn up in a Mazda no matter how technologically brilliant it is. You buy an Alfa because it's sexy and exudes style with decent engines to boot... even the diesels get excellent reviews.

Been there done that. I've owned 3 Alfas in my life, before they became trendy.
You Johnny-come-lately Alfistis make me

HTH

[DimPrawn]

Been there done that. I've owned 3 Alfas in my life, before they became trendy.
You Johnny-come-lately Alfistis make me

HTH

You've owned an Aygo before they become trendy too.

[sasguru]

You've owned an Aygo before they become trendy too.

Indeed.