2005 Alfa Romeo GT 2.0 JTS from UK and Ireland - Comments

I am waiting delivery of an Alfa GT due (8th April 05).

I test drove both the diesel and the petrol. I was very tempted by the diesel having driven an Audi A4 1.9 TDi for the last 3 years.

Although the diesel is a great car I eventually picked the 2.0 petrol. If Ferrari produced a diesel how many people would buy one?

I know an Alfa is not quite in the same league as a Ferrari its still an Italian car and in my opinion putting a diesel engine in an Alfa is like trying to mix oil and water.

I've chosen Alfa Red with Tan Leather and 17" alloys (don't even consider the standard 16" alloys they spoil the look of the car)

Forget about BMW and Audi, when was the last time you saw a 3 series or an A4 and said to yourself "wow what a great looking car"?

Colin - UK

I totally agree with you man, Good choice and

Good luck with the car.

Isn't this website supposed to be for people to post reviews of cars THEY OWN? There's not much benefit in posting something saying you've simply "ordered" a car! How can you comment on reliability, quality, performance, driver satisfaction etc etc etc? I hope you come back in 6 months and tell us what you actually think of it as I'm seriously tempted to get a GT myself and what to read reviews from genuine owners to see what experiences they've had with this relatively new model (I've had a 156 for 4 years so know Alfa's can have their problems, but that they're usually worth any pain they dish out!).

Regarding the previous comment. All I would say is that cars are all about emotion. Clearly the guy is excited about getting his new car. If you are "thinking" about ordering a GT why not do what the other guy has done and test drive one? Your surely not trying to say that you would only order one if users reviews were good? If you search the web you will find great reviews and poor reviews for most cars on the market. Not every person will agree what makes a good car. That's my point... its all about emotion. But I do agree I would like to hear from the writer to hear his thoughts out of interest not because I would base a buying decision on his comments.

Alan - UK.

UPDATE TO ORIGINAL ENTRY FROM COLIN UK.

I was lucky enough to take delivery of my GT 3 weeks early!

I have to say I am very impressed with the fit and finish of the car overall apart from two very minor points. The Bertone badge on the drivers side has been stuck on slightly off the horizontal and the housing for the electric window switches doesn't seem to sit flush on the inside door handle. (As I say minor points which I will ask the dealer to sort out). The car looks a million dollars in Red with Tan leather. The leather looks and feels far better quality than my old Audi A4 although the A4's seats still looked pristine after 3 years of use so time will tell with the Alfa I suppose. Everything feels quite stiff at the moment, but I'm sure it will loosen up with a few thousand miles on the clock. My only minor criticism apart from the points above is to do with the finish to the plastic door pockets. The plastic, although it looks and feels good quality, has a sort of grainy finish. As your shoe's catch the door as you climb out it leaves marks which are difficult to remove. When you try to wipe them with any kind of cotton based cloth or duster the finish is sharp enough to catch and leave flecks of cotton were you have cleaned it. Have any other GT owners noticed this or have any tips on how to clean these areas effectively? So far I am delighted with the car and it feels very special to drive. It is still on UK roads in relatively small numbers so it attracts a good deal of attention when parked and it certainly turns heads on the road. I'll update further in a few weeks.

Colin - UK.

I must say that the few points I have read on the gt has not put me off buying gt next week. I hope to have fun driving the car & hope I do not have too many problems.

I purchased my 1.9 JTD GT a couple of months ago and have enjoyed driving it hugely. However there have been a number of annoying quality issues from new:

1. Water leaking in from rear pillar during wet conditions (now fixed by dealer).

2. Poorly fitting boot lid (rubbing against paintwork on opening) - again now fixed.

3. Interior trim coming away on drivers side around pillar.

4. Drivers side door handle and window controls coming loose.

5. Constant knocking noise from rear- according to the dealer apparently a recognised production fault caused by 'missing welds'! Stll not fixed after 4 visits to dealer.

4. Loud rattle from behind passenger side airbag when airconditioning is on.

5. Passenger side window occasionally opens by itself and sometime does not shut properly when the door is closed.

6. Automatic oil level indicator is totally inaccurate- constantly reads 'Maximum' (even when the oil needs topping up according to the dip stick).

Overall brilliant to drive, but a car of this price should not have faults like this. My advice- by an Audi or a BMW unless you like waiting in your dealer or driving courtesy cars.

Interested to read the various comments about the GT, I have owned an Alfa GT 1.9JTD for 16 months now and have just left it in today with the Alfa dealer where I purchased it for its 25000 mile service. Happy to say I so far have had no problems whatsoever other than a sticking electric window.

The GT has been used in a mix of city and motorway driving and has never missed a beat, rockstady at 120mph + and you know it would run all day at similar speeds if given the opportunity. The car is my first Alfa and I was a little bit unsure as to the wisdom of my decision, but collecting it and driving it home convinced me that sometimes you just have to go with your heart!

It's black with tan leather, 17" wheels, etc.

What else can I say, it's great to sit in, drive, or just admire the classic looks and style!

Thank you Alfa!

I took delivery of my GT four weeks ago. I change car every year and this is my third Alfa. My '04 156Ti provided a surprisingly good trade in value. The GT is an absolute head turner - silver (really shows off its lines compared to black), 18inch alloys and red leather interior. I think that it will still be a better looking car than the Brera, which is due to launch in 2006 (although I haven't ruled out buying one of those at the end of next year) The GT might have a bit too much power at times as it has an annoying habit of wheel spinning after low gear changes. Sometimes the wheels dart off in another direction which can be a bit alarming when you only have one hand on the steering wheel.

Like all Alfa owners, I've had my fair share of problems. Thankfully most of them have been annoyances rather than anything serious. It's part and parcel of the Alfa ownership experience, and once it's not costing you money (I've only ever bought new cars, so issues have been sorted within warranty) you learn to live with it. Plus, Alfa are apparently rolling out a big push on quality, so lets hope they can build on the work they've done to date in this area.

In saying that, I have just returned from my dealer this morning with a problem (exactly 1 month to the day since I picked up the car!) The drivers side electric window has a problem. When you close it from the fully open position, the mechanism stops at regular intervals, meaning you have to operate the switch 4 or 5 times to fully close the window. Also the automatic clearance of the window when you open/close the door is slower than normal. The dealer has said it is an electrical issue rather than one relating to the window motor, and subject to a recall at the moment. I haven't found anything about a recall on the web, so this could be a typical alfa dealer fairytale. I now have to travel a fair distance to this dealer because I have had poor service experience with several of the dealers in my area over the years. Anyhow, I have to drop it back in for a few hours next week and I have insisted on a courtesy car as well.

This is the Alfa ownership experience - great looking, well performing cars, punctuated by niggles, rattles and hours spent reading cosmopolitan in the service department reception. You have to bear in mind that the GT is not a high volume production car like the 147 - there's going to be idiosyncrasies. As a 29 year old, the GT is spot on for me, but I wouldn't recommend them to anyone else (I like the exclusivity too much!)

Justin - Dublin.

Regarding the problem with the electric windows, I have the same 'stepping' problem with my GT, see the comments above listed 22nd Nov. and my Alfa dealer says it is an ECU issue and there is an upgraded part required (mine is v9 and current is v13) which he will fit when it is available in a week or so. Had a look at the new 159 today in the dealers. While it will be an excellent new model to compete at the upper end of that class and in the same price range as the GT, sitting back into the GT there was no contest as the GT just looks and feels a much more expensive car.

Will let you know when the window issue is sorted.

John, Dublin.

Hi I have had a red GT since september. I thought the 156 selaspeed was special, but this car looks and handles superbly well. Kids have grown up so I don't need 4 doors anymore. The back seats fold down which is a big plus from the 156.I have the same window problem on the drivers side so it was interesting to read the above comments. I like the variation of the Selaspeed, but like the 156 I have had a few problems, but differant ones.Can't engage any gears some times (about 6 since september) Have to lock the car up and start again so to be fair it might be something to do with the immobiliser. Mine is a company car and the other model I was considering was a BMW 3 series diesel... Did I make the right choice...its special..

I also have the same occasional driver's side window problem (car purchased Nov 2005) and in for repair (Dec 21) along with suspension issue (see separate post). Richard, Yorks.

Wasn't there a Police Camera Action type programme on the TV in the summer demonstrating the fiery temperament of one of these cars (literally - it was going up in flames somewhere in Liverpool).

I love my 2.0 JTS GT, had some 16 months now, not unlike other comments, lovely looking, great to drive, but some niggles and rattles just means I get to know the guys at the garage better. One comment on problems mentioned with windows, I have had the passenger window stop closing in 'one go' on a few occasions, the dealer said it needed 'resetting' which I have done twice. Said to reset by: Key in ignition on, fully close window, turn off ignition then turn on and close window, should be OK (if I have remembered correctly). I have a couple of questions, anyone get better that 24mpg out of a 2.0 JTS I cannot! Also the rear GT hatch, rattles and squeaks were virtually cured by the dealer with graphite grease around the rubber surround of the hatch. Currently I am told that an updated window & surround is available which has no rubber edging to the top, I am not sure if to let them replace it yet!

One month ago I bought the Alfa GT JTS. Three days ago I had problems with the doors not unlocking when I was pressing the key button. I took the car to the dealer and I was told that there has been a water leak into the body computer causing the problem. Now the body computer has to be replaced. Has any one else experienced anything like this?

You say GT is a nice looking car, I don't think people pay 25k+ to just look at cars, we need to use them too.

As Italian ex Alfa owner I'll tell you that quite a few models of the last generation may have many reliability issues so watch out, but engines are generally quite good.

About sportive diesel versions, a 164 td with VM 2.5 engine has been completely faultless for 15 years; that can embarrass also the German competitors.