Alfa Romeo 147 1.9 JTD

First of all, if you've always been put by an Alfa Romeo because of someone else's comments on reliability, please think again. I can say that virtually all people that say a bad word about this brand have never actually owned an Alfa Romeo, and are simply riding on age-old jokes that spawned from decades ago, when they DID suffer problems.

A lot has changed since then, and provided you find an example that has been looked after and serviced on time, you will have no more trouble than any other marque. I have many relatives and friends driving Alfa Romeo's and like myself, swear by them. I will confess however, that you WILL tend pay a little more on parts and servicing, and insurance is usually relatively high. Small price to pay when compared to the positives though.

Now on to the the 147. I have owned mine since Feb 2008, when the car was 2 and half years old and had about 25k on the clock. I have used an independent Alfa Romeo specialist for all servicing and repairs, that has provided good service and a big saving compared to using the dealer. I have only dealt with the dealer for an early warranty fix and in all honesty the experience was bad - BUT that is mainly down to the fact my local dealer was part of a multi-manufacturer franchise site, so various departments were shared and thus the service is shocking. I know that Alfa UK are doing their upmost to keep dealer quality up to scratch after much criticism in years gone by.

The car itself has been fantastic. Reliable, needing only the usual wear-and-tear items replacing, and I average between 44 and 49 mpg with a mixture of steady and spirited driving. The insurance for me is fine, but the group is quite high so if you have low or zero no-claims you will pay a high price.

My model is the JTDm 16v with 150bhp, not to be confused with the JTD, which has 8 valves, 5 gears (as opposed to 6) and 120bhp. This is a punchy car, with lots of torque for impressive acceleration. It's not supposed to be a hot-hatch or a sports car, but unless you've been driving seriously powerful cars, the pace and grunt will impress you - even if you're not a diesel fan. Try it for yourself.

Some dislike the facelift looks of the 2005> models, but I prefer them. The interior materials are improved, the headlights are more effective, and the looks are more aggressive and sculpted. The suspension also received minor mods to improve the ride, which is still quite firm and unforgiving on poor roads in fairness, but I personally like the sporty feel.

One thing I must say is the overall feeling of quality and 'specialness' is very high with this car. Sitting inside is a pleasure; it feels sporty and expensive, with nice materials and sporty touches such as the dials, steering wheel and stainless kick plates on the door sills. You will also be very happy with the spec too, which is generous. Mine is the Lusso model, but even the Turismo is well specced. Models with the built-in satnav are a rare find, as this was an extremely expensive optional extra that whilst nice in 2001, received no modification throughout its life, so don't expect the latest features.

That's only the interior. I think the outside speaks for itself; it's a very handsome car, even now, that has dated very well and still looks special and stands out when cleanly presented. In the looks department it just can't be compared to any other hatch in my opinion. I guarantee you will want to clean this car and keep it looking it's best; it just has that effect!