Corolla T Sport Vs Alfa 147

[Nemesis]

Hello all

...I've just come over from Alfa!

Had a 147 2.0 manual which I traded for a RAV 4 because I was going to get a caravan. Decided not to get a caravan so needed a 'hot' hatch.

Shortlist was the Honda CTR (top of the list), but nearly new they hold their price too well. Tested a red number which was quickest of the bunch, but no deal.

Seat Leon Cupra in red was quite tasty, but didn't have the performance I expected (these cars all had between 4 and 10k on the clock so were reasonably well run in)

Skoda and an excellent red (again) RS which was a real belter and very good to drive, but overpriced. Checked several others, but either a bit dodgy and all overpriced.

Tested 2 Corolla T Sports, a thunder grey and a black. Was very impressed with the performance and perhaps more crucially the deal. Toyota paid off my finance (£3600) on the RAV and swapped the RAV for this 10k miler ex Toyota T Sport (and have my old RAV on their forecourt for only £500 more than they bought it from me!).

Alfa vs Toyota. The 147 looks better inside and out. The build has to go to the Toyota, but not by as much as you might think. The Alfa has the edge on handling but not on ride. The Corolla though well and truly trumps it on performance easily (though not the new 147 GTA!!!)

All the Corolla needs is 17" alloys, lowering 30mm and a couple of tuning mods to get it pulling harder from lower down the rev range...all happening in good time!

Couldn't shake a VW Lupo GTi on back roads the other day though! Fast little flucker he was!

;)

[gramacar]

I agree that Alfa 147 is a great looking car just like most alfas.

Italian designers are the best in the world. They have also improved

the quality of the interior but their engines are just shadows of the

good ones seen in the past. Now the most powerful 2.0 lt engine

in alfa range has just 165 hp. So most alfas are slow cars in

comparison with TS or Type-R etc. They still have great handling though.

john

[Bobby]

definitly the 147 GTA is a super car the only two problemas are, a hefty price and that it's fwd...

you said that the Italians were the best auto designers in the world???

well, the Ferrari Enzo (the new one) was designed by a Japanese guy who works for pininfarina...

the aerodynamics of that car are superb... brilliant underneath design to provide enough downforce without needing a big rear wing...

etc...

[gramacar]

When I said that "Italian designers are the best in the world"

I meant that they design the most beautiful cars. Not the best cars

in terms of quality or aerodynamics. By the way do you really like Enzo ferrari?

I did not know it was designed by a japanese designer but I dont think

its a good looking car . Compare it with modena or F40 etc. As for japanese

designers I dont think they have much to say. Don' t forget that toyota yaris

and the yaris shape that toyota follows with the rest of its cars, is designed by a

greek designer (I. kovos) (apart from celica which is designed in US).

Japanese are also responsible for some of the ugliest cars ever made (in my opinion)

like the new Civic 3-door :P :P , Daihatsu sirion :P , Subaru impreza :P etc.

They build great cars in terms of quality and engineering though. :) You cannot

have it all unless you pay a fortune.

john

[Teresa]

Hi, I had an Alfa 156, sports pack, side skirts, big high in ya face spoiler, etc and it was the biz. I loved it to bits (looks wise inside and out), but I would never buy another Alfa again. I dont care how good it looks, it's not worth the number of trips to the garage to fix things, expensive faults that will come up that arnt' covered under the warranty and the 60% drop in depreciation in less than 3 years.

I have a tsport corolla now which I know will last me a long time without having to cough up £80 to Alfa servicing to replace a £3.95 part on a one year old car with only 9,000 miles on the clock! This is just one example of many where buying an Alfa is just not worth it.

You made the right choice with your tsport, only an ex-alfa owner can appreciate what a lucky escape you had!

[Rothgard]

I don't agree with you Teresa.

I drive often Alfas because I often hire them for work, well I love them. If you say their value drop very quickly you could be right but I have to say that my Corolla TS in Italy will no have a secondhand market. High power, and no turbo-diesel (here it's really "cool" to have one... :( )...

I don't know either the costs of Alfa's parts in England, here they are affordable.

If 147 Jts appeared some months ago I could have a good choice between my TS and that one. The handling and the sport sensation inside are superior in Alfa.

By the way I love my engine when it screams till 8200... ;)

Bye...

Davide

[col]

If you're hiring them then surely your getting different and newer ones each time. So can no way understand the reliability probs with the cars. i too had an alfa 156, and like teresa had nothing but trouble with them. Go to the alfa forum and you will see loads of posts slagging off the quality of the car. I agree it did look good but there are definately better looking and more reliable cars out there.

[Rothgard]

I use to drive 147 and a friend of mine have one. I don't have big experiences with 156.

When you say that 156 have a lot of probs I believe you, but it sounds strange because spanish and italians magazines give to 156 good votes for its reliability/price and performance (of course not like Bmw3 or Lexus IS).

About 147, I bought a Ts because 5 years warranty and the engine. Not for other reasons.

PS

I'm italian but I'm not a "defender" of Alfa for that reason :)

Davide

[Bobby]

damn!!! a gal in a Corolla TS, Im already getting horny...

[Bobby]

Im not 100% sure but I think the Japanese guy also designed the F50...

[Crazy4Cars]

damn!!! a gal in a Corolla TS, Im already getting horny...

Becareful with what you are writing kid, somebody can missundertand you???????????????????????

[Bobby]

???

[Aqualung]

Hi, new to the boards.

I currently have an 18 month old Alfa 147 1.6TS Lusso, which I got as a hand-me-down company car when I changed jobs (the alternative was a Megane Scenic diesel, so I was well pleased at the time).

The Alfa is without a doubt one of the best styled cars both inside and out - most people comment on how great it looks. I enjoy driving it - not exactly fast but very good on the road.

In the six months I've had it -

1. Monthly trips to Halfords to buy replacement bulbs

2. Intermittent failures of the electronic display (dealer unable to replicate fault)

3. Sticking electric windows

4. Passenger seat rattles horribly at speed (maybe I should get a passenger)

5. Eight weeks to replace a failed computer (which controls the lights) caused by my completely inept local main dealer in Lincolnshire, and Fiat's inability to tell them that they had ordered the wrong part. The problem was eventually solved very quickly by my lease company - if I was a private owner I don't think it would be fixed yet. Alfa customer service were useless, but promised to send me a letter.

6. Oh, and tonight the gearbox went !Removed! up and I can't get third - must check the manual to see if this is a feature.

I would recommend the 147 to anyone who wants a car to park on the drive and impress the neighbours.

This is not an old car - 18 months old, 36K on the clock.

The good news is, in 10 days time I will be placing an order for a Corolla TS 3-door.

Can't wait!

Mark

[eavp]

I will have to agree with most people here, In terms of style in and out the Alfa 147 beats the Corolla TS, but in quality overall and in power the TS wins the contest....It really depends on what you want the car for....And I bet over there in Europe It's the same as here: the repais costs on a Toyota are cheppear than the Alfa Romeo :D

[exon16m]

a gal in a Corolla TS, Im already getting horny...

Becareful with what you are writing kid, somebody can missundertand you???????????????????????

its a nice image ... how can you help but react in that way .... now we need a pic

[Jake]

Hi guys,

an old saying "beauty is in the eye of the beholder", I'm sorry but I just don't get it with the Alfa thing, in my opinion, they just look ok, thats it just ok, have only traveeled in them as a passenger, and was neither impressed or dissapointed. As for the Alfa looking better inside and out thean the Corolla, I not so sure, for me the Alfa never even made it on to my list of "at least have a look at, cars". I also happen to really like the interior and exterior of the T Sport a lot, so much so I purchased one, :D :D

[Teresa]

In a recent 'reliability' survey of all makes and type of cars in the UK, the Alfa 156 was the 3rd worst out of nearly 100 cars! With my experience of my alfa and colleagues who had one, we would all strongly agree with the rating. You'll be glad to know, the Corrolla was the 6th most reliable car out of the lot.

[Chris Peterson]

Euroncap results.

Alfa 147 18% frontal

Corolla 75% frontal

I don't think the Alfa 147 is worth talking about. Shame on them.

by the way, check out the new avensis. 5 stars.

http://www.euroncap.com/results.htm