2001 Alfa Romeo 147 Twin Spark Lusso review from UK and Ireland

Gear selector cable snapped £150 inc labour.

Passenger side window started sticking £50 inc labour.

Poor mpg - oil/water in spark plug wells. 8 x replacement spark plugs £90.

Engine running rough / vibration into car - dealer can't seem to fix it.

Both front seat mechanisms seem to have stuck with the result that the front seats don't automatically slide forward when you try to get into the back.

Back box has rusted up. Replacement back box (Alfa Romeo part) has also begun rusting up after only 10,000 miles.

Beautiful, original looking car that's better to look at than to own.

Ride quality is okay on 15" wheels but deteriorates badly on 16" Alfa Romeo Sport Wheels with 205/55/16 tyres.

Handling is okay, but the car tends to roll in corners.

Car is very noisy on the motorway at 80mpg+ with engine, road, and wind noise all becoming intrusive. This is not a refined car at speed.

Clutch becoming increasingly heavy.

Engine is starting to sound very rough and smoke a little (84,000 miles). Dealer can't seem to diagnose what's causing it.

Engine uses 1 litre of oil every 1,000 miles.

Overall, an average car (apart from the fantastic looks) that is let down by the lack of refinement and the fragility of some of its parts / engineering.