Alfa 147 OUT 306 GTi6 IN

Well, I sold my 147 last weekend and immediately replaced it with an end of the line 2001 306 GTi6.

Having driven the car a few days now, I thought Id share my thoughts on the car compared to the 147, which I owned for about 9 months or so (did 10k miles in that time).

Firstly, the 147 was a low mileage Selespeed which Id had remapped and added a CDA. Its was noticeably quicker than standard.

I loved the fact that there wasnt many Alfa's on the road, and obviously it looked great. Add to that the sound of the engine and it was pretty quick too. This all meant I was loving Alfa ownership. But as the days and weeks passed, the 147 became more and more frustrating. Firstly, the ride was atrocious; every bump, pothole and spec of dust on the road rocked the car! And if the car handled well, I couldve probably forgiven the poor ride, but it was like a boat, and the steering didnt communicate anything to me about what was going on at the wheels. The 147 also sits very high and isnt as involving as it should be.

The 306 on the other hand handles brilliantly, and it soaks up every bump and crappy pothole thats Britains roads throw at it. Admittedly, the design is getting on abit, but it still looks good in my eyes, especially in phase 3 form. And the engine is a peach, its pulls from the bottom of the rev range right to the 7300rpm redline. And its performance stats are nigh on the same as the 2.5 V6 in the 156, which is impressive for a 2.0 four pot thats been around since the mid 90's.

Going back to the 147, the interior is one place where it shines brightly compared to other cars. It made my missus' Audi A3 interior look bland and boring. The 306 interior looks extremely dated by comparison!

Ultimately, for me, the 306 is more of a drivers car. It has communicative and responsive steering, no electronic driving aids, it sits low and its effortlessly quick.

I still love Alfa's, but the 147 couldve and shouldve been so much more.


The sale of the Alfa and buying the Pug left me with a little left over, so I couldnt be happier at the mo. I just hope it stays reliable!

The Pug is my daily driver and I might get a weekend 156 GTA or Cupra R Leon. But at the mo, Im loving being back in a 306!

Thanks for reading!

Are you insane?

Glad you're happy.: Don't mind Pugs, ours still chugs us around, at 101,100 miles, on it's 1360 'wee' motor, with no rust to be seen.: Having said that, it started to make a strange noise when I went over to my daughters this evening.: Think it may be the intermediate bearing on the o/s drive shaft, not sure why I think that, just do!: Wheel off at the weekend, for a shuftie. I hate working on motors in the winter, soft old summer mechanic nowadays.

GTi6's are a very nice car just mind the lift off oversteer.

Cambelt, Cambelt, Cambelt - Get it changed, I had one go on me in the 306.
Great perfomance, great handling (although the Focus is just as good nowadays) but god awful reliabilty.

I don't think I could go back now but you gotta own one sometime. One of the best hot hatches out there. Where did Pug go wrong ??

Originally Posted by Damien_C

GTi6's are a very nice car just mind the lift off oversteer.

Its not my first 306, so I know all about that! The passive rear wheel steering means you can easily get the back end to drift, but like you say, if you bottle it half way through a corner, you'll end up in a hedge, or someones front garden!!

Originally Posted by Downward

Cambelt, Cambelt, Cambelt - Get it changed, I had one go on me in the 306.
Great perfomance, great handling (although the Focus is just as good nowadays) but god awful reliabilty.

I don't think I could go back now but you gotta own one sometime. One of the best hot hatches out there. Where did Pug go wrong ??

Cambelt and all bits were done a few thousand miles ago thankfully! You're right though, after the 205 in the 80's, and the 306 in the 90's, Peugeot farked up big time with the 206 and the particuarly awful 307!

As for reliability, Id say its more reliable than the 147 I had. Its done twice the mileage, but its on original suspension, bushes etc, and I had it checked out by a Pug specialist yesterday, and all it needed was a fuel filter!

Originally Posted by Paul J

Are you insane?

Exactly what I was thinking.

The 306 is awful imo regardless of how good it drives. Each to their own I guess!

I don't know, i quite like the GTI6, but i would rather have any alfa.

Originally Posted by vetch

Its not my first 306, so I know all about that! The passive rear wheel steering means you can easily get the back end to drift, but like you say, if you bottle it half way through a corner, you'll end up in a hedge, or someones front garden!!

Dry stone wall for me.

Mate had just got his GTi-6 that week and he demonstrated it's impressive acceleration, lift off oversteer, and truly horrendous P6000s all in one demonstration...


Enjoy the car!!

Originally Posted by alfa_147_jtd_16v

The 306 is awful imo regardless of how good it drives.

If a car handles sublimely, and has a bit of poke too, (the 306 Gti6 does both in spades) then anything else is secondary to that.

The driving experience is more important than any other aspect.

Everyone seems to have had a 306 at one point, so here's mine:

Bought a 306 XTDT, supposedly top of the range model with comfy seats and electric everything but it was built like Mr Potato Head: even worse build quality than the Alfa believe it or not! It fell apart round my ears, electric sunroof packed in along with the passenger electric window, both front doors and the sunroof leaked like a sieve, the heater matrix blew up and flooded the car with antifreeze. It was going to be such a big job to replace a £30 heater matrix I bypassed it so -5 degree winters were -5 degrees inside the car as well. The suspension on the front NS packed up and the car sat on a wonk, the rear screen demister didn't work, the power steering pump and water pump blew up ....

... but the turbo-diesel engine was nice.

Originally Posted by vetch

Its not my first 306, so I know all about that! The passive rear wheel steering means you can easily get the back end to drift, but like you say, if you bottle it half way through a corner, you'll end up in a hedge, or someones front garden!!

Makes for exciting driving in the wet and roundabouts bit like my 146 with cheap nangkang tyres.

why would you do that! lol

Originally Posted by Dibby

Everyone seems to have had a 306 at one point

Not me, don't like tinny cars, regardless of how they drive.

Good even great drivers cars, but not a good move IMHO Sorry Vetch

Originally Posted by baby278278

why would you do that! lol

Ahh the car came with them drivel that are called tyres. Have a decent set of ER300 Turanzas on the car great tyres and not too pricey to be honest.

I remember the god awful P6000's - Same Tyre they put on the 1.2 Corsa SXI - Says it all really.

I had problems with the 306 with Trailing Arms, Diffs, Front Tyres and Discs.
The Oil Temp Guage never worked and the bleeding Lecy Window Clips are useless.

Miss the sound of the Induction Kit though and the power in 3rd gear.

Hey Vetch, think ive seen your username over on www.306gti6.com havent I?

As you can guess i used to have a GTi6 and i think they are great hothatches. Mine never let me down in 2 1/2 years and they can hold its own on the road and round a track would prob show my GTA a clean pair of heels

thinking of getting a 2.0 147 not THAT bad handling are they won't bother if so

Originally Posted by Fraser

Not me, don't like tinny cars, regardless of how they drive.

My phase 3 306 is no more or less tinny than the 147. In fact, the 306 does a better job of keeping wind noise to a minimum compared to the 147.

Originally Posted by barryrs

Hey Vetch, think ive seen your username over on www.306gti6.com havent I?

As you can guess i used to have a GTi6 and i think they are great hothatches. Mine never let me down in 2 1/2 years and they can hold its own on the road and round a track would prob show my GTA a clean pair of heels

Yeah, Im a member of the 6 forum mate. Ive seen your blue GTA in your avatar, I assumed you used to own a GTi! I may go for a 147 GTA in the new year, not sure yet. Ive yet to drive a GTA, if the poor ride is like the "normal" 147, then I might have to give it a miss.