If you are happy with a less powerful one you could consider the 8v and 16v 1.4, the Twinair or a diesel.
Details of which model had which engine when at MiTo_Model_Guide_v3.pdf
and gearbox fitment details at MiTo_Gearbox_Guide_v1.pdf

 

Thanks, that’s what I needed!

 

TB 155bhp had the M32 gearbox I'm afraid.

To avoid MultiAir and M32 gearbox you'd need the engines mentioned (1.4 TB 120, 1.4 16v 95, 1.4 8v 78) or a 1.3 JTDm or a later 1.6 JTDm - not sure exactly when the 1.6 JTDm dropped the M32 gearbox but think it was around 2013.

TwinAir's don't seem to fail as readily as MultiAir, but they do still use the same principle as MultiAir.

 

Why to avoid multiair? System works perfect if the car had good maintenance.

 

Thats the thing, you never know how well a previous owner has treated the car...

 

Had t-jet 155, now QV 170, even if you have problems with mair, new unit or revised one (500€) and enjoy the car .

 

I might have to give up on my criteria to get the right car, but deliberately buying a multiair would feel like shooting myself in the leg on purpose.

 

Personally I would have the T jet too. More reliable, more tuning options and doesn't sound ike a diesel at tickover.

 

After my 8v was written off by an uninsured driver hit & run I tried to find a non multiair as a "bullet proof" replacement to no avail. In the end I took a leap of faith on a 135 multiair which had a diy servicing history and I have not looked back. Though buying from a garage provides a degree of protection actually talking to the long term owner can provide reassurance.

 

Every car has it's own problem, every engine in Mito has its problems, bigger or smaller. Engine offer is really great, from non turbo 1.4 engines, to turbo 0.9 and 1.4 engines. For example tjet 120cv has weak point in IHI small turbo, of course related with not chaining oil regularly. 155tjet has made of butter GM gearbox. Great offer of diesel engines, 1.3 and 1.6, this 1.3 95 cv often gives you headache with abnormal consumptions of oil and of course reason is not regular oil change. So my point is what ever engine you choose is metter of luck and how previous owner was treated the car.
Still mito is super fun car to drive in every motorization, cheap to run and even today looks better than 90% new cars on the road.
Good luck

 

Every car has it's own problem, every engine in Mito has its problems, bigger or smaller.

100% true, and with second hand cars you never know what skeletons are in the closet.

That said, i'd say the 1.4 16v or 8v are about as bomb proof as it gets in an alfa. Engine wise the only foible ive found on my 16v is that the original thermostat housing is apparently plastic from the factory, which gets brittle and cracks. Luckily my garage caught it and replace it with a metal housing before i was left stranded.

Engine wise, the 16v is about as simple as any modern engine gets, parts are cheap and work is again, as simple as it gets on a modern engine. Ive swapped a clutch, swapped the timing belt etc.. There is also plenty of space to work, since the engine bay is large enough for all sorts of turbo gubbins, which are missing on this engine. If it werent for the peeling clearcoat making my mito pretty much scrap value, i suspect it would happily hit 300k kms on the engine side.

That said, its not fast, and while its been a perfect daily runabout, and i love the 6-speed, if i were to buy a mito again with a bit of fun in mind, i'd get any 1.4 turbo version, and just budget for potential problems (and inspect/fix them immediately)

 

155hp version uses an M32 gearbox but I really wouldn't let it put you off buying one. The M32 in the Mito is much more durable than the M32 in the 159. And they're not that expensive or difficult to fix when they do go wrong either, all things considered. I really like the 1.4 TB 155hp, if I was in the market for a Mito that's what I'd get.