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Brera Diesel buying/A3 instead?

3K views 40 replies 19 participants last post by  pvogue 
#1 ·
Hi all,

I would love to get a Brera, but too scared of owning one incase it does belly up, lol
I recently sold my 130i and was looking at getting a 1.9TDI A3 as replacement as a mile cruncher.
Aways loved the Brera look but know nothing about them.
Has anyone changed from a VW/Audi/BMW to one?
What to look for, got around 5k to spend but not alot about, which is a good thing I guess compared to the Germans.
Cheers :thumbs:
 
#2 · (Edited)
Two choice's IMO, keep driving a german car & simply run with the herd, & when your lucky enough to spot a Brera on the road whilst driving such a boring gloomy car make sure you have a tissue to whip the drool from your mouth.

2nd choice get a Brera and have the envy of most german car motorist you'll pull along side at the lights.

I stopped at the lights today & had a BMW 435i (2014 plate) driver looking at the Brera, horse shoe wheels, 6 pot Brembo's up like he thought he'd also made a wrong choice.

But the choice is yours? Boring or Brera?
 
#10 ·
Two choice's IMO, keep driving a german car & simply run with the herd, & when your lucky enough to spot a Brera on the road whilst driving such a boring gloomy car make sure you have a tissue to whip the drool from your mouth.

But the choice is yours? Boring or Brera?
:thumbs: Well said that man :lol:.
 
#3 ·
Get the German car, German cars never break down, never have problems and oh the quality and style of the interior just fabulous.

My wife just looked over my shoulder and told me to stop teasing!!:lol:
 
#5 ·
I owned the mkII A3 S-Line with the 3.2L V6 engine and changed it for the 159 2.0JTDM SW and while there was nothing particularly wrong with the car, I just never really "clicked" with it.

Yes it was fantastically quick, it made a nice sound and the quattro system means it sticks to corners although it does still understeer massively and the traction control is a bit intrusive. I had no issues with reliabilty etc... as you'd expect.

But...

The 159 (and i guess the Brera) is just more fun to drive and even though its a diesel its not too bad (the 2.0 is much better than my old 1.9 TDI Golf) I also enjoy the rare-ness of the Alfa - it is very rare that I see another car the same as mine which can't be said for the Golf or the A3 - I guess it boils down to what you want in a car.

Buy the Alfa dont look back or regret it and don't buy into the whole "Alfa's are less reliable" camp - its plainly wrong

Equally buy the A3 and I am sure you will be happy....
 
#6 ·
Reliability wise, there is not much in it ( had clutch and turbo issues with my A3), the question is to you want to fit in, or do you want to stand out!? Audi A3 zzzzzzzzz


Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App
 
#7 ·
LOL at the comments!

I have been driving my sisters A3 2.0TDI which is boring as hell but I am averaging 51mpg (compared to my 130i 30mpg).
I was looking at the older 1.9 due to reliability as her car has had a new turbo and afew other parts being the crappy BKD engine, although fine now.

What are the Brera diesels like on fuel?

This anyones on here?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/201161269914
 
#9 ·
If Audi VW & BMW drivers did the Alfa wave of acknowledgement thing, they would soon get bored, due to the number on the roads.

Look at how many are for sale on AutoTrader?? 10's of thousands ... Saturated market

If you want to drive something that turns heads and puts a smile on your face every time you drive it, which a brera 2.4 jdtm will do, then you're on the right forum.
 
#11 ·
Look at it this way, if the 2 choice's was dating a stripper? Or dating a librarian? You know the stripper may cost you alot of cash to please, but think of the..... Oh, so good times that you would have with her?

Or date the librarian where you know, where you stand with her?

Just a metaphor whilst your pondering the Brera or Boring choice
 
#13 ·
Ha ha ... well said that man!!
 
#12 ·
My morning commute is about 30 miles, mixture of country roads and motorway ... Avg consumption is usually around 40/40+ ... but I'm not totally convinced by the display and would agree at a figure of more like 36/37 overall. Not done a brim to brim, but there's plenty on here who have.

Mine's unmodified as yet btw ;)
 
#14 ·
I think if someone's looking to be persuaded to buy an Alfa it's not really for them.
For the 2 I've owned as soon as the models came out I knew there and then that I'd be buying one at some point.
No question whatsoever in my mind :p.

1.9 TDI A3? Just saying it makes me want to go to sleep :rolleyes:.
 
#15 ·
Lussoman & Matty74, you probably both & i know, we didn't need to join a forum then start a thread asking an obvious question. Because we already had the answer to his question the OP ask's.
It's a no-brainer IMO
It was love at first sight, nothing else cares :)
 
#34 ·
This is funny to read. In 2012 I rented a TT cabrio (1.8 200 bhp) and drove 1300 km in one day with a friend. We drove across and around the Swiss alps and even went to Milan for dinner and then back to Switzerland. I can honestly say, it was a nice day, the sun was shining and the cabrio offered quite an experience up in the alps... but I got thoroughly BORED driving that engine. It offered no feedback and no fun, the car is quick but it woke up as many feelings in me as our fridge in the kitchen.

Driving the 159, or better the 156, despite being heavier, slower and not having a sunroof, is a much more rewarding experience. When you get a shift right and step on the gas and you can blaze through the valleys and over the mountans... you really feel connected to the car. In the TT, I couldn't tell if I was in 3rd or 4th or sometimes even 5th. It's like driving a microwave.

Never say never, but I wouldn't pay for a TT in a lifetime. :tut:
 
#20 ·
I know there is the official MPG thread but as it's mentioned here I got bang on 50.0 MPG from my 2.4 on the first hour of my journey last night :eek:

It was boring as hell through the m6 roadworks at an average of 56mph and dropped down considerably once onto m40 but was still shocked to see it could be up that end if driven like a saint. OK so i know it overreads having a remap and brim to brim would be a couple less in reality but it still counts! Finished on 44MPG over 160 miles which i was more than happy with :D

Bringing back on topic, Alfas are v. reliable these days and are better for your core body strength than A3s... the number of times you'll twist back to have a look when you're walking out the carpark you'll have abs like a champ in no time ;)
 
#22 ·
+1 :thumbs:
 
#25 ·
I looked at the A3 just before ordering the Brera back in 2006.


It was almost a terminal decision to go visit an Audi dealer.
If the patronising salesguy didn't have you spitting blood
the shear boredom of the A3 would have had you done for.

That or the ludicrous options list prices.
 
#26 ·
ok I have had the Brera for just over two years now and touch wood apart from servicing I have had NO ISSUES.

recently had it remapped by autolusso keeping the dpf and come on guys lets be honest here

before the remap I would get around 30 - 35 mpg brim to brim calculating. It also had turbo lag at the most inappropriate moments, drive it round town in traffic you will be lucky to get that

after the remap it is much smoother no lag no hiccups drives like it should, however the performance if you use it will bring your mpg into the top 20mpg, drive it mostly motorways and like a nerd your may well get 40mpg but that will be difficult and a moment of madness will bring your tank average back to the mid to late 30mpgs.

so I wouldn't generally say a remap will improve your MPG but it will drive like an alfa should and is highly recommended

as for an Audi over a Brera why are we even discussing it. You simply have no passion or love of cars lol. even Audi owners agree they are boring, Plain at best will another A3 acknowledge you....... ummm no:lol:
 
#27 ·
I had an A4 1.9TDi and it was painfully dull, not to mention it cost me nearly £2000 in repairs over two years (and it was only 4 yrs old/40k miles).

I had enough of it and bought a Brera, my first Alfa. Fell in love with it instantly and it gabe me no trouble in the 3 years I had. I only had to get rid as my daughter was about to arrive!

I'd caught the Alfa big though, so a Giulietta QV was the only choice!

Still miss the Brera occasionally...
 
#28 ·
I had enough of it and bought a Brera, my first Alfa. Fell in love with it instantly and it gabe me no trouble in the 3 years I had. I only had to get rid as my daughter was about to arrive!

I'd caught the Alfa big though, so a Giulietta QV was the only choice!

Still miss the Brera occasionally...
What engine did you have in the Brera? Happy with the move to a G Cloverleaf?
Something I'm considering...
 
#32 ·
Well I haven't bought sod all yet as I started my new job and doing 36 miles commute (there and back) so not sure if diesel will be worth it, although still managed 50s in the A3 and 27mpg in my brothers 125i lol

Anyway, does anyone know this maybe forum members?

Used 2007 Alfa Romeo Brera JTDM SV for sale in Kent | Pistonheads

Not keen on the wheels, specially cleaning them spokes!
 
#33 ·
Used 2007 Alfa Romeo Brera JTDM SV for sale in Kent | Pistonheads

Not keen on the wheels, specially cleaning them spokes!
Looks like a nice example, although it's not clear if it's the later MY08 spec. with the revised seats (which some find *less* comfortable), 'electronic Q2 differential' (actually a traction control system that uses the brakes to manage wheel-slip) and various weight savings.

So is that 36 miles for the round trip? 18 miles should be enough to warm the car up, but there needs to be some fast driving somewhere along the way - it's start-stop heavy traffic that's the killer.
 
#36 ·
Pvogue,

I my opinion you should weigh up what you need the car for.
I've a 2.4D Brera, which is great! But they are quirky.
I have a number of odd noises coming from under the bonnet when I use it. I'll have to take it to the garage soon, just to get it checked over.
It also blows NSR stop bulbs like they are going out of fashion. Which are a real pain to change the whole rear light assembly has to be taken off!

I also have a new Mazda 6 to use as an everyday car (about 2000 miles a month). I could have part exchanged the Brera and borrowed less, but i don't want to let it go.
I used to run an E class Merc, which the Mazda replaced. This was a great drive, but not the same appeal as the Alfa.
I could have borrowed the same, px the Brera and had anothere Merc, but I still didn't want to let it go.

All the things folks have said above are right, but with 30mpg at best the Brera is an expensive car to run, which is why I choose the Mazda.......but it's no where near as much fun.
In the end, the Brera isn't the most practial, is expensive the run if your covering a lot of miles and is great.

So have a go....and why not....if you don't get on with it there are plenty of A3's about.
Have fun.

Regards,
Simon
 
#38 ·
I used to buy only VW/Audi for 15 plus years, always fancied Alfa's but put off by comments regarding rust and electrics.
Had my last car written off by an old merc which came off a lot better, i saw a 156 on a forecourt and threw caution to the wind and bought it, reason being the styling, the performance of that twinspark engine and the quick gearchange box, the car was in pristine cond for a 5 yr old, I quickly became addicted.
I thought id keep it a year and then get rid of it before it falls to bits.
I have owned the 156 for just over 8 years, it has never failed to start and still goes like it always has.
It is properly serviced so has never failed an MOT, it still looks like a 5 year old car and ive added at least70,000miles to it.
I have now bought a 159 1.9jtdm lusso with 18" teledials and all the toys, I feel happy buying another as I know all the negative comments from non Alfa owners are largely untrue, I spent as much servicing my Audis and Golfs maybe more than I have so far with my Alfa's...but the only difference is i enjoy washing and driving my Italian car much more....
 
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