My New Daily Driver is an Italian Hot Hatchback
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- čas přidán 25. 08. 2024
- I'm on the hunt for a new daily driver, and I think this could be the perfect petrolhead daily.... right?
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"Alfa builds a car to be as good as a car can be....briefly"
- Jeremy Clarkson
Yet he drives a GTV6 saying it's his favorite car.
Love this, i wanted one so bad for ages!
My friend has one if you want to check his video on his Brera S by prodive?
czcams.com/video/ny2TFRfam4w/video.html
Dreaming of one for 15 years now...
Love My Mito Turbo but a Brera is a Brera
It's sad that I knew what it was straight away from the shape in the thumbnail.
Man you should have shown that back! Looks soo amazing from the rear!
The very best part and selling point of the car!
if its misfiring then it's going to be shit on fuel...
The 2.4 jtdm would probably would have been a more practical option
The only thing that doesn’t work on my 159 is the passenger window, and apparently the fuel tank as it uses so much petrol there must be a leak...
Well give us a shot of the interior if it’s so bloody nice then!
+giddesk I took a shot, obviously forgot to edit it in. Plonker.
JayEmm on Cars Teaser
Not test driving a car that is a cat c or cat d is just asking for trouble.
Shoulda bought the 2.4 Diseasel Jay, once you have it chipped 250+ bhp and decent mileage per gallon. I loved mine and miss it to this day.
Mate, what were you thinking. All Breras are gorgeous but pretty awful to drive, but the 3.2 is probably the worst as it's the heaviest and it even sounds crap considering the amount of cylinders it has.
+PieterA I will not argue with you on that one
What's the budget?
1.8 TBi is the way to go if you can find one, and perhaps worth revisiting (or in 159 form for rear seats). Put an exhaust on it and you might be able to make it sound close to a 4C. It's nearly 200KG lighter, way cheaper to run and nearly as fast as the V6.
Good to see you put your previous experience to the back of your mind when purchasing this.... it sounds like history repeating itself! What a fantastic looking machine though!
Have to say for someone who regularly buys cars you aren't very good at it ha. I would never take the word of the previous owner on how it drives etc. Usually the more polite they are the more they are trying to hide. Also if he is a Italian car enthusiast he would know its value so cheap for a reason i imagine. Big fan of the Brera i was going to buy one a few years back . The interior is awesome
I think you let your heart rule your head when you bought that one! Moral of the story? Don’t buy cars off eBay? :)
+Nathan Pitman I think you're right there
I have the same, V6Q4, but i live on the Alps and is very good to drive on the snow better than other cars with awd . This is not for the race , but very confortable and safe to drive. Sorry for my english.
Hi Jay, please consider Torque Automotive in Bedford.
Marco is the owner. Fantastic knowledge of Alfa's & Italian cars. Very reasonable with prices and can get OEM parts alongside aftermarket parts
I had one of these for about 2 years (also previously a ROI car). I used it as a daily and on my commute (80% motorway, rest on A roads) and I'd get 27mpg. If you're nowhere near that then there's something more wrong with the engine than needing a few new spark plugs.
A four wheel drive car is a very sensible choice with the winter coming on ;-) but how could you not have known that the back seats are useless, didn't you try sitting in it at least before buying?
Basically, you're a knob for not test driving it first.
+Will Sheward I tried to convince myself it would be fine. I was wrong. The seller seemed decent and honest, evidently that may not have been the case.
I did know the car would need some work, but it's never fun finding these hidden issues.
After hitting enter on my previous comment I remembered that yesterday I picked up a 1962 Ford Thunderbird and drove it home, after having bought it at auction without driving it (or any comparable model) first. So perhaps this is one of those pot, kettle, black situations.
I'm sure most of us car guys have done it at some point for me it was a 1989 BMW 525i I took it for a quick test drive threw the money over without checking the car properly since it drove well and looked good... Stopped off at a service station 20 miles into my drive home and noticed a leak coming from a rear wheel, turned out the brake lines had corroded through and I'm lucky the brakes didn't fail on me.
This makes me feel good about my own car purchases 😂😂
Cords exposed are common on these as is front subframe corrosion. Check out any MOT history a Brera, and the failures are usually cords exposed on inner edge and front subframe problems. Maybe the two faults are related.
+Al Kaput Allegedly the subframe was checked over at the time of accident repair (two years ago), but I am not so sure about how truthful the seller was. It's getting a full service soon and we will find out then what is going on
The issue with the tyre is caused in part by the suspension geometry, my alfa GT had the same problem but I fixed it way before coming to the level you show in the video. A good camber/toe setup can fix this. Also have a check out for bent suspension components.
+Davide Paltrinieri I had a BMW which did a similar thing, hopefully getting the geometry sorted will fix it
Should have went for an accord type r if you wanted reliable fun that’s not common
Im sorry this happened to you man, you seem like a good dude. It angers me off to no end that it is expected from the buyer to carry all the responsibility for the purchase despite the seller lied. The seller should stand behind their words/item not be a wild west. Ill never understand the logic of seen/bought. Negates any ethical or legal progress we as a society are striving for. Its messed up and the seller should be introduced to a tire iron very closely and then put behind bars to see what means being scr3wed.
I hope you sell it well and dont have much problems. And please tell us who you bought it from.
+ChopStickZero It was an individual and I won't name them, what I will be doing is getting the car sorted and made right for the next owner. There is a lot good about it
thx for the reply. Shouldnt matter whether its an individual or company, its their responsibility to know what theyre selling. And regarding a fun daily, few days back Ive driven a genesis coupe 3.8... didnt expect it to be that fun and accessible price-wise second hand. Though not sure if it comes in right hand drive.
+ChopStickZero We didnt get the Genesis coupe I dont think
JayEmm on Cars you should have keep the bmw
Brera is a 3-door coupé, not a hatchback.
Would of been smarter to get an old Focus ST.... But you know what I'd probably do the same as you start off looking at sensible cars then get something ridiculous.
Sad to watch this. My 16year old Alfa 2.0 156 Sport Wagon still does 40+ gallon on the motorway. Fits 4 or even 5 easily and bicycles/skis when required. Yes, specialist care is required. Please don't give up on Alfa.
Mazda 3 mps? Reliable, quick, practical...
I was considering one of these for my next daily. But buying an Alfa Romeo that's Cat D from a private seller, and with no MOT, was always going to be a big risk. Noting how fussy you are about the Lotus, you're in for a headache! Hopefully it won't cost too much to fix.
+SodenCine Video I made an error in the video. It had an MOT, but it wasnt taxed. Hence not driving it.
JayEmm on Cars Would be good to see some driving footage of it before it goes!.
How Alfa is it for them to fit 4 seats, but you can only use 2... love it!
Mostly because I don't touch mine, it stays under a cover where it can't break. Pretty car!
I will agree though that the car is not what you think it will be. It's stiff, things feel like they will go wrong, and overall it just feels a miss. But the car is gorgeous to look at and mine sits under a cover because the price is steadily rising on the right models with the correct specs. Mine is 3.2L SV Q4 with red and cream interior (very very rare interior).
Thank you for this video.
I am currently in the market for a used car around or under 10k euro and was seriously considering the Brera in JTDM 2.4l since I saw how thirsty the V6 can be.
I dont really care about practicality, I just want something remotely sporty that also won´t rust like my old mazda, and the Brera seemed to be one of the very few options, since in Czechia theres barely any cars over 120hp, especially in that price range.
The rear seats wouldnt be such a big deal for me, but Im thinking, if the car is already so heavy, why add basically unusable two seats?
Brera could have been a much lighter coup instead.
Another major point is the rust issues. Thats a deal breaker since thats basically what my previous car died to, and I never want to repeat that.
At this point I have no idea what to buy, unless I somehow double my budget, Im probably forced to buy a used BMW and suffer the service costs, since filtering the used market for cars with more than 125kw takes the results from thousands to just dozens of cars, most of which have small TSI engines which Ive been repeatadly told to avoid.
Damn, sometimes we just cant have nice things, its time to go the sheep way and buy a nearly 2 ton 1.9 TDI Škoda, like the rest of the herd does I guess.
Aww, really wanted to see a look into the interior!
Otherwise, good luck with your Alfa!
It's a coupe?
Brilliant, someone else stupid enough to fall for a brera. You get sucked in because they look lovely but my 3.2 handled like a dog due to the weight, and was so thirsty. I kept mine for all of 4 months before it drove me nuts with all of the issues
Just came across your channel and really love the style of your videos! Nice structure which makes a change compared to some of the other stuff I find myself watching. Would’ve liked to have seen parts of the Alfa you referenced, like the interior.
+Rhys Frankland Thanks Rhys! Like an idiot I actually filmed that then forgot to put it in the video
Wickes do sheds cheaper !
On a serious note something weird yet cheap and big , signum 3.0 cdti , I had one which was mapped and tweaked . Went like hell in a strait line and being Vauxhall was dirt cheap to buy and keep ! Did 90k no problem in it
So why didn't you just buy a Golf and fade into obscurity like half the population, and six months down the line you'll notice you've been wearing grey for the past few months
Don't you normally want a daily driver to be economical and reliable?
+charlesmcguffy Yes. Yes you do.
thought u wanted summit reliable lol
He will never be able to sell it after this video
He said that he plans on making it right for the next owner. I would choose to trust JayEmm
Awesome looking car🇮🇹
Always was confused how they got away calling this car a coupe
It is more like a hatch like the scirocco
i istantly recognized the brera in the thumbnail and while you where doing the intro i was already facepalming, despite being italian and loving alfa brand, i am still waiting myself the first alfa i can own.... sorry mate, stick to germans for now
Alfa’s are great cars but you have to look after them, treat it like a focus and it will punish you. I had a 166 with a Busso V6 and it was utterly reliable for the 6 years I had it, but I really looked after it. People buy them and then abuse them. Only buy a used Alfa from an owners club member who has looked after it.
its a coupe tho
5:30 a little bit of camber
Test drove one for 5 mins and walked away - ridiculous great lump.
SHould have got a Prodrive version
Why not a Giulietta Quadrofoglio?
+InitialDreamer Way over budget
JayEmm on Cars Ahh ok. So more like £3/£4k budget?
+InitialDreamer yeah
Weve all bought a pup at some point in our lives.
When people say you should drive an alfa at least once in your life, i think they mean a classic alfa from the 50s or 60s or early 70s because from the 80s onwards they haven't really been worth driving until very recently.
So you are dismissing the 75, the 146, the 156, the 916 GTV, and the 147? All very rewarding cars to drive, and pound for pound, far more exciting than most of their contemporaneous competition.
yes due to their unreliability and poor handling. Even the 8c isn't what it should have been. Things didnt start picking up until recently for Alfa. Classic alfas however are some of the best sports cars ever made.
I thought you were talking about driving experience, not ownership experience. I agree the classic Alfa`s were some of the best sports cars ever made, but without the proper care, they were no more reliable than anything built since. Can`t agree with your comment on handling, either - amazing handling considering everything since the 75 has been fwd.
The main issues are their handling, building quality and quality of components used. They sound great and are reasonable quick with the larger engines but thats about it.
You have to admit they look great, sound great, but like all fantasies, when you wake up, and your wallet is empty, you just have wonder, heart or heat? Me, sadly it is all heart...
Enjoying a trawl through your back catalogue.
Bemused - as someone who knows bugger all about cars - that you would buy a car a) without a test drive and b) without apparently sitting in the back seat to see if it fits humans.
The back seat bit originally didnt bother me, but later became one of many things that annoyed me
Fuck yes for the Alpha, I love those, Id love one
Interior looks nice.....oh no wait...
+Alonzo Harris Yeah my bad, got the shot and didn't put it in
Not the end of the world buddy. Keep up the good work, really enjoy your vids.
this does 13 miles to the gallon.. not 30 ... maybe seller meant 13 and you just misheard
BUY A PANDA 100HP!!!! Trust me you’ll Love it!
+Rq7 Actually I keep hearing about those, and how good they are
JayEmm on Cars bought one a couple of months ago as a “first car” absolutely love it! Soo fun to drive! Handles amazing
Come on, man. The most basic research would have learned you that there's no room in the back, suspension bushes are wear items, suspension alignment is critical, and it's a stupidly heavy car. I'm not apologising for Alfa Romeo's apparently infinite ability to produce cars with design/engineering that's painfully 'almost good' and quality that even today still sucks (though less than 20 years ago), but really, most of your 'revelations' in this video simply aren't news to anyone who can use Google. Also, obviously the mileage sucks if the engine's not running right. Otherwise, I do enjoy the formula of your videos and your No Fear approach to eBay. Keep it up!
I had one! I fell for the looks, it was by far the most unreliable car I have ever ever owned. Including an RX8 that had the usual faults. It was like dating a super model. On my 56 Reg the fuel vaporise module broke (£4K, then...) ps the red paint on this model is very soft and chips like a wood chipper.... don’t fall for its looks, it will £ bite you.
How the hell does a car that small weigh the same as a espace is it made of out lead or cement lmao
+adrian simmons really thick steel apparently
I had a Alfa 156 for about two weeks when I lifted the carpets because it had a damp problem could believe how rotten it was I must of put about 20 holes in it with my finger lol
One more thing if I was you I would get a vw phaeton there economical and nice to drive aswell
There's nothing inherently wrong with Alfas as long as you go in with your eyes open. People buy a vag car and are not bothered about looking at it so check all the fine details are right. Then they see an Alfa, go all gooey in lust and think 'it can't be that bad' and don't check anything. I can't believe you didn't check the space/economy/drive of one closer to home before buying unseen. My boss bought one new and was pretty shocked at the tax bracket because he didn't check..... because, look at it!!
+Mike P I knew about the tax, and I had a rough idea of the economy - but I think it will be a little too much effort to make this my ideal car
its an ALFA ROMEO
Economical? Fail! Reliable? Fail! Good Man! Name and shame the liar!
It’s got the very uninspiring GM motor. If you want a mini Ferrari hatchback id strongly recommend Alfa 147 GTA instead
Nearly bought one - choice was between a TT and the brera 😬 think I made the right decision!
Should of got a Lexus ISF
V6 and AWD? Shoudda bought an Audi as I said :-P - actually, straight 5 is my weapon of choice ;)
But gorgeous it is!
Should make for interesting videos at least, good luck!
+YensR You know I don't think I have driven a five cylinder car. Done 1,2,3,4,6,8 and 12 cylinder vehicles before
Been driving Audi 100 Type 44 versions since 1998 or so, always the 5-cylinder, just loving the sound. Audi 80/90 quattro with the 170bhp normally aspirated engine is neat, but these engines are best-known in their turbocharged versions.
Fiat also made a 5-cylinder coupé, if you are a glutton for punishment };-)
+YensR Yeah the FIAT Coupe, my Dad actually had three of those - a 16v, a 16v turbo and the 20v turbo
I see, sensible car purchases run in the family ;)
Fiat Coupe are great
You not the Typ of Person for an Alfa Romeo. Better buy an japanese or something else. I drive since 35 years only Alfa and never had one Problem.
Se proprio devi parlare male della Brera prima fai un bagno nel Tamigi.
Do you want to buy my 156
Did you take it to Marco? I have had the same Experiences with a GTV absolutely gutted at the time over 10 years ago and I have never forgiven them 💩😂
Yep Marco is my man!
JayEmm on Cars I completely agree I don’t give respect or praise unless it’s earned and he’s the best technician 👨🔧 I have come across ✊🏼And that’s main dealerships included.
jay ime srry man but you must of felt that vibration through the wheels mate, ive driven many cars, an I can tell str8 away weather they are tracking str8 n true or like a old mule. soon as the tell tale signs are there, its time for work, not more driving.
After the video the tracking was inspected. It was not miles out, but one side had a newer wheel than the other. Simply putting two new wheels fixed it, then we adjusted the tracking to make sure it stayed good
All Alfa romeo have galvanized floor pans.
It's not the floor pan which rusts on these, it is the subframes
Show us.
Google it, or watch the later Brera video I did
Alfa Romeo Giulietta :-)
I've never really understood the love affair people seem to have with newer Alfas. The nose looks hideous to me, and in this model the side view is just as bad: it looks like a normal hatchback with a tremendous growth on the front. The color is nice, however.
I kind of get what you mean it looks like someone took the front end of an Alfa 159 and welded it onto the back end of an Astra.... Just had an idea get a 159 Jay they have a little bit more room in the back :D
Yeh, older Alfa’s looked good and were a dream behind the wheel. They broke down often but when they worked they felt like no other car. This is from the generation that also broke down a lot but didn’t give you that amazing engaging drive. A Brera drives like a life raft...complete shit. One of the last truly greats was the 155 for me.
Doesn't drive anything like a life raft (although to be fair I haven't driven the standard AWD V6 one), and it's one of the most beautiful cars ever made!
🍋
Jay. I can recommend an Alfa specialist called AHM Ask for Adie. There isn't much he doesn't know about them. He also builds race engines and races an Alfa himself. www.ahmotorsports.co.uk/
+Del Johnson cheers
should have bought a wrx
My thoughts exactly!!
Mike Seeds a nice place to be? No
love your videos, but you are a sucker for punishment .... an alfa! LMAO
+pompom906 I know. I know.
Outrageously ugly, poor handling, not practical in any sense, unreliable. What a shocking choice.