The engine is similar but not the same.
Both the Vauxhall 2.0 and "Alfa" 2.0 diesels are developed from the Fiat 1.9 Diesel which was used in many Saabs, Vauxhalls etc.

As far as I am aware they are seperate developments by each company and have some detail differences. I am aware that the Vauxhall version suffers oil pickup and subsequent big end bearing failures, but I don't think anyone here has ever had the issue on an Alfa. Of course there are millions of Vauxhalls on the roads and relatively few Alfa's which could mean that simply because of numbers more Vauxhalls are affected.

The EGR cooler cover cracking is a known problem on the Alfa engine but they should all be fixed by now with revised parts.

The 2.0 overall is a very reliable engine if serviced correctly, especially if compared to a BMW N47 or VAG 2.0 PD. No cam chain to worry about, only an easy to change belt every 4 years or so.

The only thing which lets them down is a lack of refinement compared to some of the competition.

 

....

The only thing which lets them down is a lack of refinement compared to some of the competition.

Can you share a bit more on this point? I thought the Giulietta handled bumps and holes nicely, are other cars in the segment much better?

Believe around 2015 the sounds insulation improved but mine is quite noisy 2012 model so can't compare.

 

The 2.0 engine has none (or certainly far less) of the issues the 1.9 had (DPF,EGR, Swirl flaps etc etc) as they had mostly been designed out with the 2.0. Maybe he was thinking of the older unit. Mine (same engine in the 159) is now at 162,000 with original DPF, EGR and swirls still in place and functional. Apart from a leaking EGR cooler (common and cheaper to fix if you use the Vauxhall part) which was a fairly easy DIY, and the o ring on the oil pick up, also easy to fix,the engine itself has been fine.

EDIT....beaten to it by a faster typer!

 

The giulietta doesn't have the swirls anymore anyway.

 

Today’s provocative “ “Alfas are rubbish, aren’t they?” Posting. Alfa Giuliettas are pretty normal cars!
Not just normal cars that are pretty either.

 

The clue there is the mechanic doesn’t have much experience of Alfas so relies heavily on a similar, but not the same, engine. Too many rely on the hearsay of someone in the pub who’s mother’s cousins’ aunt once overheard someone say Alfas have problems. Good job you came on here to find out the gen info. If you do get it I would suggest you locate your nearest independent Alfa specialist and use them instead of a generic mechanic.

 

Is a Giulietta diesel that different from most other diesels?

 

Is that mechanic also advising people not to buy diesel Insignias?

 

By the sounds of it I'd say he is advising people not to buy Insignias.

 

A guy I know who works as a mechanic says that "Alfas are unreliable and not great" yet he drives around in a 1992 Ford Escort. I don't think he has ever had to fix an Alfa yet either.

You also have to consider that the type of person who buys an Insignia generally isn't a car person, and is likely just to drive the car until it stops without doing basic things like checking the oil level between services (If they bother to get it serviced).

My cousin is such a person. He had a Mitsubishi FTO which he drove until the engine blew up. The same happened to his Toyota Celica and his current Insignia... The insignia now has a replacement engine.

 

Thats what I thought.....but one of the companies that post on here recently posted a pick of a 2.0 JTDM Giulietta inlet manifold which did have swirls....maybe it was just earlier ones.

 

Got a link to that?

There are some version that have fixed swirl vanes, but none have moveable vanes or an actuator. the 170 and 120 don't even have the fixed setup.

 

I think he meant the refinement (noise etc) of the 2.0JTDm engine itself. I find them pretty on par with most 4 pot dervs of the same era to be honest. Many dont though. I find mine a pretty smooth and quiet even with the miles....apart from when stone cold. Many don't even notice it is a derv if they get in when she's already warm!

 

.....mine would never be as noisy as that even on the coldest winter morning....must be something wrong with it surely!

 

.....mine would never be as noisy as that even in on the coldest winter morning....must be something wrong with it surely!

I have no idea it has been like that ever since we bought it at 60,000 miles (50,000 miles ago), that was with the engine cold. I have heard a couple of others and they did sound similar.

My brothers Skoda with the 1.6TDi CR engine is barely audible at tickover.

 

How do these people justify their decision to buy cars then drive them to destruction?! They're machines with many, many working parts and filled with various fluids which need attention...

An old boss I had did this, his yard mechanic had to service the car without him knowing or they'd have blown up prematurely.

 

I don't know, the neighbour and his wife have had 6 cars in 3 years so they didn't need servicing, but another neighbour seems to drive his cars till they need repairing. a couple months ago his Ford Ranger diesel sounded like it was about to die, haven't seen it since so it probably did.

 

their 2.0 PD enines made enough noise for 5 generations of diesel engines though...

 

i don't think there is a lot of difference between the noise of a PD and the Giuliettas JTDm. The neighbour opposite runs a taxi with one in it.

I found this review, it also agrees that the JTDm is noisy. The simple solution is to get the 1.4 petrol instead...

https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/owner-reviews/alfa-romeo/giulietta-2010/?review=8616

 

I've worked on cars with the pd engines, the noise is unbearable. could never live with that..

 

My son has the 2.0 diesel engine in an Astra and the pulling power in my 2.0 is better. I can accelerate comfortably from low speed up a steep hill in 3rd but his engine struggles to do that. His car has towbar but the kerb weights must be similar. His engine does feel and sound a bit more refined.

 

The astra is as heavy as it looks...

https://zeperfs.com/en/duel3446-5687.htm

can be 200 lbs heavier easy.

 

My work uses Astra as well as other cars. I believe the older ones are 2.0D and actually go quite well. Enough torque to spin up the wheels in 1st and 2nd if you're unsympathetic.

Recently moved over to 3 cylinder diesels which sound nice but really aren't fast.

The 2.0 unit doesn't seem to get many faults, it's the rest of the car that usually has the issues.

 

The Giulietta faults tend to be ancillary things like the wiring to the boot lid becoming brittle and breaking, the air con or climate control going faulty or the interior door handles snapping off. The engines and drivetrains are pretty solid, though I do find the diesels rattly at idle/low speed, especially when cold. Even my 2016 model (1.6 JTDm 120) which had the extra sound deadening (from 2014 onwards) made a bit of a racket, but Fiat group diesels over 1.6 all seem like that.

The Giulietta actually does very well on general reliability, in line with reports here and at odds with conversations in the pub. I think the below are based on the same report, but one looks at all classes of car and the other breaks it into different classes, where the Giulietta scores even better.

Most reliable used cars - Admiral

Reliability is a key concern for second-hand car buyers, with price, practicality, technology, style and safety. Here are the 10 most reliable used cars.

www.admiral.com

2024 What Car? Reliability Survey: Britain's most and least reliable cars

In our annual Reliability Survey, we ask readers to rate the dependability of cars aged up to five years old. Here are the latest results based on the experiences of nearly 30,000 owners

www.whatcar.com

 

The tailgate wiring was redesigned to avoid the work-hardening caused by the axis of flexing. Door releases break if used as “door handles”. I’m not sure if the A/C ever got modified to avoid the failure of bits which require a massive tear-up of the dash.

 

I have to point out that I have had 3 Alfa diesel cars a 147, a Giulietta and a Giulia, they have been the most reliable cars I've ever owned. We have had worse experiences in Peugeots, Fords, Citroens etc. No manufacturer makes a bad car anymore so I wouldn't listen to anyone in a pub dissing a car make. The reputation Alfa had / have is from the 1980's when they and Lancia made cars with poor paint and corrosion protection. The fundamental engineering is as close as you can get to a high end sportscar for the money and whilst I have no experience of every former model in the previous range I would definitely recommend a 170 bhp Giulietta 2.0 jtdm2 to anyone. You might have to replace the EGR valve and cooler on an older model at some point but its a DIY job and that model of the car is proper quick for the money! Don't listen to people who don't know the magic these cars exude!

 

I've got a 2.0 JTDM 170bhp. Covered 13,000 in it with zero issues. Replaced some suspension components due to general wear, fixed a broken wire in the loom but engine and drive train have no issues at all. Engine sounds like Symons on start up for about 2 minutes then quietens off. Best and most satisfying car I've ever owned and I will buy another when I decide to replace, I've absolute confidence in it despite having good friends with other Alfa models that have been troublesome. You get a lot of car for the money and it's very comfortable on long runs.

Go compare reviews with similar cars on parkers or honest John and I think you'll find they don't generally agree with your mechanics opinion of it being a problem car.

It's awkward to work on, oil and air filters are a pain to access. Front suspension is difficult as arms need to come off to remove shocks, balljoints are not tapered etc but this is not an issue as you'll probably only change once during ownership and OE parts are very well made so last well.

Cheers

 

Ball joint are tapered....and you don't need to remove either arm to replace shock/springs....recently replaced my springs with Eibach and you dont even need to release the bottom ball joint to get them out....just the top one. But agree 100% with the rest!

 

Reliability myths are spread by companies and people who have something to gain rather than based on facts or data.

I've been driving OLD Alfas since 2005 and I've had 1 reliability issue per car.

7 year old 156 - 3 years, power steering fluid pipe leak where it was rubbing against a bracket. Could still drive it to the garage slowly using muscle power.
3 year old 156 - 5 years, fuel pump stopped working. AA tow to garage.
3 year old 159 - 4 years, water pump broke. 4 weeks left on warranty when I bought it and pump failed before it expired !
7 year old Giulietta - 4 years, nothing yet.

 

Yours is a 159? Is it the same as the Giulietta?

 

Ahh...sorry....forgot where I was....never done Giulietta suspension!! Ill get my coat!

 

They are door releases, not handles. If you know that and own one from new then you can act accordingly.

 

A minor technicality, but yes, of course. But this person is looking to buy used so I was pointing out what can go wrong and demonstrating that in contrast to what he'd been told, the faults don't amount to much and seldom involve the engine.

 

The trouble with this forum and other (owner) forums, it's the nature of the beast. You hardly ever get, "Chnged so and so today, and no issues at all." Or, "Another week and nothing wrong". "Three years and no failures". It would get quite boring of post after post of "great, super, smashing car, very reliable." We only post when we have a problem or something's wrong, which quite often can be the owners fault or misunderstanding something.

 

Many mechanics spend their days with the problems and failures of cars and not with the units that have nothing wrong with them. If you filter the advise given to you to those that come from personal experiences you'll be doing yourself a favor.
I've had a 140 hp 2.0 JTDm2 for 3.5 years now. Bought it at five years old and 116000 km. Now the odometer says 170000. The engine has had zero issues. The rest of the car, more than trouble free!
I take good care of the car but not obsessively. The car is in use in the extremes of climates from -30 C winters to +30 C summers.
My favorite feature of this engine paired with the Giulietta is that it gets beautiful fuel economy and when you want it to, it pulls like a Stallion.
PS. Only the project engineering team has the right to say which engine is the same as what.