1995 Alfa Romeo 145 TD review from Netherlands
"You don't realize it's an Alfa until you see the badge"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
I bought the car in October 2001 with some faults, and so relatively cheap. It drove well, but had to repair the following:
Thermostat (Engine coolant temperature too low)
Rear brakes locked-up (Brake pressure distributor was stuck)
Back of the drivers seat was broken.
After this was repaired (by myself) I had the following problems:
Drivers door will not lock.
Windscreen wiper arm broke off.
Sometimes the airbag light will come on.
Broken off ball-joint in the suspension. This happened while taking a roundabout and caused the CV joint to brake down also. This failure was partly my own fault, because I felt some play in the suspension for weeks. However, I never thought that it would crack. Also, the car just passed the yearly mandatory inspection with this play!!!
Replaced lower suspension arms because of clattering. (bushes worn out).
General comments?
This is my first diesel powered car and also the last. I expected a good fuel economy and reasonable performance, but both are poor. Besides this, it is a nice car, good design, well equipped and pretty comfortable. Only the wind noise is bad and at high speeds, the engine is very loud.
The seats are comfortable and the ride and handling is OK.
It's a nice car, but it doesn't give me the driving pleasure I was used to with my previous Alfa Romeos.
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| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| First year of ownership | 2001 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2003 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.0 turbo diesel Manual |
| Performance marks | 5/10 |
| Reliability marks | 7/10 |
| Comfort marks | 7/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 4/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 6/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 190000 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 246000 kilometres |
| Previous car | Alfa Romeo Giulia 1600 Super |
| Date of Entry | 2nd January, 2003 |