Giulietta Vs C Class Coupe

[courboy]

Hi all

Returning here after a while away! I used to have a Spider 2.2 LE on the amazing lease deal Alfa were offering at the time (I think it was 3+23 at £300 inc VAT). Anyway, I had to get rid of it early due to deciding to change career and since then I have been paying of my masters debt. Unfortunately (and I am trying to remain concise) I had to purchase a cheap car through a loan a few years back as a run-around. I went for a Mercedes A-Class and have hated it, even more considering that the loan is worth more than the car. Anyway, I digress...

I am now looking at (and was pretty set on) the C220cdi Coupe auto on a great deal. It was 6+23 at £322in VAT a month. BUT I decided to have a look at the Giulietta yesterday - I know they are very different cars- and I was very pleasantly surprised. What a lovely car it is in the flesh and the interior was much better than I had anticipated after reading the reviews.

So I am now trying to see what deals Alfa can offer on a 1.4 170 TCT Veloce with some better wheels. For me the Mercedes is a much more mature car and has a lot of presence on the road and a great interior. But it doens't have that passion that the Alfa has.

My question is, would I regret not getting the Mercedes, considering they are likely to be pretty much the same price p/month, mainly due to the great offer on the Coupe at the moment?

My head has been completely turned as I was 99% set on that and hadn't even considered the Giulietta. To be honest, I didn't even like the look of it in the magazines, but boy is it a different car in the flesh!!!

[JFT89]

Its always a personal choice, but I looked at a Mercedes C class 220cdi too and they came to a similair monthly payment once I had specced up the Giulietta.The Mercs more refined and the interior a little nicer, but it didnt make me smile or giggle like the G does.

You'll admire the Merc but you will fall in love with the Giulietta.

[opettaja]

My mate got the Merc C220cdi as a company car last year (he gets a new one every 2 years lucky bugger). He does a lot of mileage every day and he absolutely hates it. He even tried to take it back after a few months to change for something else but was not able to. His main gripe is that it is extremely uncomfortable on long journeys and does not have the oomph of his last car (a Volvo would you believe it).

hhhmmmm

http://www.alfaowner.com/Forum/alfa-...ml#post4750601 (Gawping onlookers)

[Killem]

I Did look at the C class coupe before i ordered a giulietta cloverleaf.
We had a AMG c63 come through work and i was taken by its looks and seeing as all C-class coupes have AMG body kits as standard i thought i would do a bit of research.

General findings were,

Diesels were a bit noisey compared to other makes.
Had to go for more expensive engines to get decent performance.
Handling isnt very sporty.
list price of lowest model is around £30,000.

From all reports the Giulietta 170 MA is a pretty fun car to drive so if you like to have a play on twisty roads its the one to go for.

[stevepen]

I had the same choice. Even test drove the merc . I'm now driving a 170 MA and didn't test drive first. Enough said

[Cartier23]

Hmm, Which one looks better?

Veloco or AMG?

[Alfred TI]

G of any variety (with 17 or pref 18" wheels)

[Mattgusto]

If you can't get a Merc C coupe with an engine for the G money - then I'd strongly consider the Giulietta over it.

Drive both!!

[davidjwbailey]

that is an amazing price on the merc. says something about the trouble they have selling them, maybe?

[stevepen]

Originally Posted by davidjwbailey

that is an amazing price on the merc. says something about the trouble they have selling them, maybe?

Higher residues equals lower lease costs

[davidjwbailey]

we need to stop thinking that "german cars have great residuals", because it is just not true of most of them

the merc c class is "best in class" at 52% in 3 years / 36,000 miles
Eight depreciation-busting cars - June - 2011 - Which? News

BUT

the G is predicted to have outstanding residuals. 48%-64% residual depending on model and purchase date.
Alfa Romeo Giulietta Hatch 5Dr running costs over 36 months and 30000 miles

//Parkers opened with 39% pre-release, but have withdrawn that now. It is often quoted, but you can ignore it.//

Even the Mito is headed for 60% at 3 years / 36,000 miles if well specc'd

oh, you mean "merc use their subsidy from the captive german market (where you can claim your mileage to work against tax if you drive a german car) to buy back models and inflate second hand prices"? just does not work any more - merc residuals are no better than a G now.

I hope you enjoy telling mates down the pub that your Giulietta is worth nearly 10% more than a Merc with the same sticker price at 3 years!

I'm also guessing the prices are "company lease only", so have built in VAT and tax breaks in both leases?

[stevepen]

Yes, company lease.

As a comparison
G 1.4MA Veloce, OTR £21084, Lease £273 + VAT
Merc C-class Coupe 1.8 AMG, OTR £29310, Lease £279 + VAT

[TonyGr]

Just a thought. Do you meet many clients who will see the car. Will they be impressed by the merc or think "we must be paying them too much for the ....... (whatever it is you do)". If so go for the Alfa, the clients that are in the know will be impressed and those that arn't will think its a rather nice looking rep mobile

[GiuliettaQV]

Most mercs nowadays are just fashion that goes away. Long gone are the awesome w126 and other old models. If you buy a C coupe now it will look good only until the new model comes out. Now take every alfa that was ever produced and you will see that every new model is different and not comparable to the new one. Its like Lambo. It doesnt matter if you have the countach or the miura or the diablo etc. Its just cool. Every alfa model is unique and will always be cool if it is speced good and its paint is fresh. However I will admit that mercs interiors are more solid. Not nicer but more solid. From there on it depends on you mate. In any case most people will prefer the Merc. I wouldnt. In fact I havent.