Anyone here own or know someone who's owned a 2017/2018 Alfa Romeo
07-07-2023, 09:51 PM
#1
Suzuka Master
Thread Starter
Anyone here own or know someone who's owned a 2017/2018 Alfa Romeo
Hey ya'll,
I'm looking for a compact crossover and have currently narrowed it down to the 3G RDX and the Alfa Romeo Stelvio. Both will be CPO few year old models. But I am just wondering does anyone here own a Stelvio or Giulia long term and can give me some advice? Does the Alfa live up to the reputation or is that rep from a bygone era?
I understand that the Alfa will cost more to maintain/repair but otherwise anything I should worry about?
Thanks in advance.
I'm looking for a compact crossover and have currently narrowed it down to the 3G RDX and the Alfa Romeo Stelvio. Both will be CPO few year old models. But I am just wondering does anyone here own a Stelvio or Giulia long term and can give me some advice? Does the Alfa live up to the reputation or is that rep from a bygone era?
I understand that the Alfa will cost more to maintain/repair but otherwise anything I should worry about?
Thanks in advance.
07-07-2023, 10:31 PM
#2
The Third Ball
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@hdcolumbus
I had a 2019 Stelvio and loved it. Only reason I don’t have it anymore is that it was a lease, and I felt EV was the next step. I will say that the 2017 doesn’t have CarPlay/android and only very select 2018 had it.
I had no issues with it, and once you drive it hard through some twisties nothing with ever compare again.
I had a 2019 Stelvio and loved it. Only reason I don’t have it anymore is that it was a lease, and I felt EV was the next step. I will say that the 2017 doesn’t have CarPlay/android and only very select 2018 had it.
I had no issues with it, and once you drive it hard through some twisties nothing with ever compare again.
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RDX10 (07-07-2023)
07-07-2023, 11:53 PM
#3
Suzuka Master
Thread Starter
@hdcolumbus
I had a 2019 Stelvio and loved it. Only reason I don’t have it anymore is that it was a lease, and I felt EV was the next step. I will say that the 2017 doesn’t have CarPlay/android and only very select 2018 had it.
I had no issues with it, and once you drive it hard through some twisties nothing with ever compare again.
I had a 2019 Stelvio and loved it. Only reason I don’t have it anymore is that it was a lease, and I felt EV was the next step. I will say that the 2017 doesn’t have CarPlay/android and only very select 2018 had it.
I had no issues with it, and once you drive it hard through some twisties nothing with ever compare again.
I drove the RDX and while I found the seating position and overall wow appeal of the interior to be pretty top notch (except that crappy ass touch pad), the performance was pretty disappointing and even the handling wasn't all that crazy. I've been driving a grocery getter for a few years now and I desperately need something fun to drive again, I feel like the Stelvio fits the bill but it is missing a few small features that I really care about, namely the cooled seats so it's a bit of a toss up at the moment. Plus I'm very used to working on Hondas so the RDX has some familiarity as well.
07-14-2023, 09:14 PM
#4
Three Wheelin'
My neighbor has an acquaintance that had a Giulia quadrifoglio. My neighbor wanted to buy it from him and the guy flat out said no. What was relayed to me is that those cars are either good, or awful, rarely in between. He said he loved driving the Giulia but he was fed up with constant issues.
a friend of mine has a 4c and I it’s been running well for him (he had is since new). It’s a really pretty car, I took some pics of it a while ago.
Some of the YouTube stuff I watch say the Porsche SUVs drive really well, my uncle has a Macan GTS that he gave me for a week when we flew out to see them and then we drove out to Yosemite. Drives really well and the air ride keeps it pretty level in the corners while not rattling your fillings off over bumps.
a friend of mine has a 4c and I it’s been running well for him (he had is since new). It’s a really pretty car, I took some pics of it a while ago.
Some of the YouTube stuff I watch say the Porsche SUVs drive really well, my uncle has a Macan GTS that he gave me for a week when we flew out to see them and then we drove out to Yosemite. Drives really well and the air ride keeps it pretty level in the corners while not rattling your fillings off over bumps.
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07-16-2023, 01:15 AM
#5
The Third Ball
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My neighbor has an acquaintance that had a Giulia quadrifoglio. My neighbor wanted to buy it from him and the guy flat out said no. What was relayed to me is that those cars are either good, or awful, rarely in between. He said he loved driving the Giulia but he was fed up with constant issues.
a friend of mine has a 4c and I it’s been running well for him (he had is since new). It’s a really pretty car, I took some pics of it a while ago.
Some of the YouTube stuff I watch say the Porsche SUVs drive really well, my uncle has a Macan GTS that he gave me for a week when we flew out to see them and then we drove out to Yosemite. Drives really well and the air ride keeps it pretty level in the corners while not rattling your fillings off over bumps.
a friend of mine has a 4c and I it’s been running well for him (he had is since new). It’s a really pretty car, I took some pics of it a while ago.
Some of the YouTube stuff I watch say the Porsche SUVs drive really well, my uncle has a Macan GTS that he gave me for a week when we flew out to see them and then we drove out to Yosemite. Drives really well and the air ride keeps it pretty level in the corners while not rattling your fillings off over bumps.
tha@hdcolumbus has a buttload of new Alfas (3 or 4) and they aren’t his first ones. If he ever sees this he’d be the best to comment. Or find his Alfa thread and comment.
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RDX10 (07-18-2023)
07-16-2023, 01:37 AM
#6
Super Car Enthusiast
My neighbor has an acquaintance that had a Giulia quadrifoglio. My neighbor wanted to buy it from him and the guy flat out said no. What was relayed to me is that those cars are either good, or awful, rarely in between. He said he loved driving the Giulia but he was fed up with constant issues.
a friend of mine has a 4c and I it’s been running well for him (he had is since new). It’s a really pretty car, I took some pics of it a while ago.
Some of the YouTube stuff I watch say the Porsche SUVs drive really well, my uncle has a Macan GTS that he gave me for a week when we flew out to see them and then we drove out to Yosemite. Drives really well and the air ride keeps it pretty level in the corners while not rattling your fillings off over bumps.
a friend of mine has a 4c and I it’s been running well for him (he had is since new). It’s a really pretty car, I took some pics of it a while ago.
Some of the YouTube stuff I watch say the Porsche SUVs drive really well, my uncle has a Macan GTS that he gave me for a week when we flew out to see them and then we drove out to Yosemite. Drives really well and the air ride keeps it pretty level in the corners while not rattling your fillings off over bumps.
Well, that changed this year—JDP rated Alfa #1 in quality and reliability for luxury segments and 3rd overall. The most common question I’ve been asked over the past 4 years of owning several is, “How reliable are they?” My answer is simple—they’ve been the lowest cost vehicles to maintain with the least amount of issues (two dead batteries and an o2 sensor in like 8 Alfas owned) I’ve ever owned in 30 years of car ownership. So, did Alfa make drastic changes to be ranked so high suddenly? No. They just finally had enough consumer survey data to analyze and rank.
As @Sarlacc mentions, you really do just have to drive one to understand the entire experience. It’s a driver’s car. It’s a racer’s car. It’s a tuner’s car. It’s a family car. Do they have have the best tech? Nope. Do they perform and handle better than anything in their class and even vehicles at twice the price? Absolutely, without question. Do they have Italian quirks? Yep.
They have issues like every vehicle, sure. At scale though, they honestly can’t be beat. And be on the lookout for a halo car announcement on 8/30.
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07-16-2023, 09:34 AM
#7
Three Wheelin'
Common misconception about Alfa Romeo in the US due to their terrible marketing. It doesn’t help matters that for the past 6-7 years, consumer reports like JDP and others have rated them low in quality and reliability. The cold hard fact is that there was simply not enough data for these publications to rate them appropriately. Most had asterisks stating as much; but still ranked them low.
Well, that changed this year—JDP rated Alfa #1 in quality and reliability for luxury segments and 3rd overall. The most common question I’ve been asked over the past 4 years of owning several is, “How reliable are they?” My answer is simple—they’ve been the lowest cost vehicles to maintain with the least amount of issues (two dead batteries and an o2 sensor in like 8 Alfas owned) I’ve ever owned in 30 years of car ownership. So, did Alfa make drastic changes to be ranked so high suddenly? No. They just finally had enough consumer survey data to analyze and rank.
As @Sarlacc mentions, you really do just have to drive one to understand the entire experience. It’s a driver’s car. It’s a racer’s car. It’s a tuner’s car. It’s a family car. Do they have have the best tech? Nope. Do they perform and handle better than anything in their class and even vehicles at twice the price? Absolutely, without question. Do they have Italian quirks? Yep.
They have issues like every vehicle, sure. At scale though, they honestly can’t be beat. And be on the lookout for a halo car announcement on 8/30.
Well, that changed this year—JDP rated Alfa #1 in quality and reliability for luxury segments and 3rd overall. The most common question I’ve been asked over the past 4 years of owning several is, “How reliable are they?” My answer is simple—they’ve been the lowest cost vehicles to maintain with the least amount of issues (two dead batteries and an o2 sensor in like 8 Alfas owned) I’ve ever owned in 30 years of car ownership. So, did Alfa make drastic changes to be ranked so high suddenly? No. They just finally had enough consumer survey data to analyze and rank.
As @Sarlacc mentions, you really do just have to drive one to understand the entire experience. It’s a driver’s car. It’s a racer’s car. It’s a tuner’s car. It’s a family car. Do they have have the best tech? Nope. Do they perform and handle better than anything in their class and even vehicles at twice the price? Absolutely, without question. Do they have Italian quirks? Yep.
They have issues like every vehicle, sure. At scale though, they honestly can’t be beat. And be on the lookout for a halo car announcement on 8/30.
if you don’t mind I ask, how long have you had them? If you say they hold well, I’ll definitely put the Giulia on the list if I ever decide to replace the TL. It’s a shame there isn’t a manual option but other than CT5 blackwing or m3 I don’t think there are other sporty sedan options so I might just have to get over it.
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07-16-2023, 07:09 PM
#8
Super Car Enthusiast
thats really good to know, as I mentioned above, my sample size was 2. For the one account that had issues with his car, I wonder how much the local dealership contributed to the poor experience, possible miss diagnosis or poor work.
if you don’t mind I ask, how long have you had them? If you say they hold well, I’ll definitely put the Giulia on the list if I ever decide to replace the TL. It’s a shame there isn’t a manual option but other than CT5 blackwing or m3 I don’t think there are other sporty sedan options so I might just have to get over it.
if you don’t mind I ask, how long have you had them? If you say they hold well, I’ll definitely put the Giulia on the list if I ever decide to replace the TL. It’s a shame there isn’t a manual option but other than CT5 blackwing or m3 I don’t think there are other sporty sedan options so I might just have to get over it.
Again, all have spent more time in the shop getting tuned and mods installed (still no issues yet) — and you’re right, dealer experience is everything.
I’ve got a great dealer and the service team is awesome. I definitely wouldn’t have bought more after the initial two (which I still keep tabs on with new owners and they’re still running great after 4 years), or recommended my mom buy one (she just bought a 2023 Stelvio Veloce) if I didn’t believe in their reliability and quality.
And, they’re so mod friendly too—you can pretty much do what you’d like until your heart is content from that perspective.
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RDX10 (07-18-2023)
07-16-2023, 09:27 PM
#9
Three Wheelin'
That’s great feedback!
I tend to keep my cars pretty stock, minor bolt on mods at most. Also, out of the 3 cars we have now, one we have had 15 years the other 13 years and finally 5 years. So reliability and running costs are pretty important. The math changes a lot if you do 2-3 years leases or just buy and sell after a short period of time. My neighbor’s son who is 18-19 has had more cars than I have and I’m in my 40s…
thanks
I tend to keep my cars pretty stock, minor bolt on mods at most. Also, out of the 3 cars we have now, one we have had 15 years the other 13 years and finally 5 years. So reliability and running costs are pretty important. The math changes a lot if you do 2-3 years leases or just buy and sell after a short period of time. My neighbor’s son who is 18-19 has had more cars than I have and I’m in my 40s…
thanks
07-17-2023, 08:07 PM
#10
Super Car Enthusiast
That’s great feedback!
I tend to keep my cars pretty stock, minor bolt on mods at most. Also, out of the 3 cars we have now, one we have had 15 years the other 13 years and finally 5 years. So reliability and running costs are pretty important. The math changes a lot if you do 2-3 years leases or just buy and sell after a short period of time. My neighbor’s son who is 18-19 has had more cars than I have and I’m in my 40s…
thanks
I tend to keep my cars pretty stock, minor bolt on mods at most. Also, out of the 3 cars we have now, one we have had 15 years the other 13 years and finally 5 years. So reliability and running costs are pretty important. The math changes a lot if you do 2-3 years leases or just buy and sell after a short period of time. My neighbor’s son who is 18-19 has had more cars than I have and I’m in my 40s…
thanks
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PhilB81 (07-17-2023)
07-17-2023, 10:20 PM
#11
Three Wheelin'
I only leased the first two on short terms because I really didn’t know the brand except what I’d heard about from reliability issues (unfounded). The ones I have now I plan to keep for the long haul with just under $300K in them (the 4C is worth much more; but I got an unheard of deal from an estate auction). I have a feeling they’ll be some of the last true driver’s cars on ICE and am done tuning them. My 2023 Stelvio Quadrifoglio is 100% stock and I plan to keep it that way. Every other mod on all the others are 100% reversible.
funny enough, a friend of mine texted me today that he just got a Giulia.
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RDX10 (07-18-2023)
07-18-2023, 04:34 AM
#12
Suzuka Master
Thread Starter
My neighbor has an acquaintance that had a Giulia quadrifoglio. My neighbor wanted to buy it from him and the guy flat out said no. What was relayed to me is that those cars are either good, or awful, rarely in between. He said he loved driving the Giulia but he was fed up with constant issues.
a friend of mine has a 4c and I it’s been running well for him (he had is since new). It’s a really pretty car, I took some pics of it a while ago.
Some of the YouTube stuff I watch say the Porsche SUVs drive really well, my uncle has a Macan GTS that he gave me for a week when we flew out to see them and then we drove out to Yosemite. Drives really well and the air ride keeps it pretty level in the corners while not rattling your fillings off over bumps.
a friend of mine has a 4c and I it’s been running well for him (he had is since new). It’s a really pretty car, I took some pics of it a while ago.
Some of the YouTube stuff I watch say the Porsche SUVs drive really well, my uncle has a Macan GTS that he gave me for a week when we flew out to see them and then we drove out to Yosemite. Drives really well and the air ride keeps it pretty level in the corners while not rattling your fillings off over bumps.
Id take a stelvio over a macan any day of the week. You just have to drive one to understand.
tha@hdcolumbus has a buttload of new Alfas (3 or 4) and they aren’t his first ones. If he ever sees this he’d be the best to comment. Or find his Alfa thread and comment.
tha@hdcolumbus has a buttload of new Alfas (3 or 4) and they aren’t his first ones. If he ever sees this he’d be the best to comment. Or find his Alfa thread and comment.
Common misconception about Alfa Romeo in the US due to their terrible marketing. It doesn’t help matters that for the past 6-7 years, consumer reports like JDP and others have rated them low in quality and reliability. The cold hard fact is that there was simply not enough data for these publications to rate them appropriately. Most had asterisks stating as much; but still ranked them low.
Well, that changed this year—JDP rated Alfa #1 in quality and reliability for luxury segments and 3rd overall. The most common question I’ve been asked over the past 4 years of owning several is, “How reliable are they?” My answer is simple—they’ve been the lowest cost vehicles to maintain with the least amount of issues (two dead batteries and an o2 sensor in like 8 Alfas owned) I’ve ever owned in 30 years of car ownership. So, did Alfa make drastic changes to be ranked so high suddenly? No. They just finally had enough consumer survey data to analyze and rank.
As @Sarlacc mentions, you really do just have to drive one to understand the entire experience. It’s a driver’s car. It’s a racer’s car. It’s a tuner’s car. It’s a family car. Do they have have the best tech? Nope. Do they perform and handle better than anything in their class and even vehicles at twice the price? Absolutely, without question. Do they have Italian quirks? Yep.
They have issues like every vehicle, sure. At scale though, they honestly can’t be beat. And be on the lookout for a halo car announcement on 8/30.
Well, that changed this year—JDP rated Alfa #1 in quality and reliability for luxury segments and 3rd overall. The most common question I’ve been asked over the past 4 years of owning several is, “How reliable are they?” My answer is simple—they’ve been the lowest cost vehicles to maintain with the least amount of issues (two dead batteries and an o2 sensor in like 8 Alfas owned) I’ve ever owned in 30 years of car ownership. So, did Alfa make drastic changes to be ranked so high suddenly? No. They just finally had enough consumer survey data to analyze and rank.
As @Sarlacc mentions, you really do just have to drive one to understand the entire experience. It’s a driver’s car. It’s a racer’s car. It’s a tuner’s car. It’s a family car. Do they have have the best tech? Nope. Do they perform and handle better than anything in their class and even vehicles at twice the price? Absolutely, without question. Do they have Italian quirks? Yep.
They have issues like every vehicle, sure. At scale though, they honestly can’t be beat. And be on the lookout for a halo car announcement on 8/30.
I feel like Alfa especially gets shit on because of their rep from decades ago. Which of course is extremely unfair. They don't have the craziest tech but I'm ok with that, I'm not much of a tech guy anyways. For me it's about the comfort, and drive. Everything else is icing on the cake for me. I really want cooled seats but honestly if the drive is as good as I'm expecting, I don't need the cooled seats.
Last edited by RDX10; 07-18-2023 at 04:37 AM.
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PhilB81 (07-18-2023)
07-18-2023, 12:21 PM
#13
Three Wheelin'
RDX10, what year grand Cherokee do you have?
my first car was a 94 grand Cherokee (not really mine, more like spoiled brat got to drive mommy and daddy’s car) but anyways we got it in 1997, it was pretty good for the next year. But then, overheating, not starting, and other misc issues really started to become a constant problem. The front differential turned itself to dust while driving with my dad on the highway in 2000. It was in such bad shape mechanically that we just donated it. Exterior and interior was still mint. I was pretty heart broke when it went away on the flatbed, I loved that thing. We lived in Canada back when I first started driving it. I love skiing, so every Friday or weekend when we had snow on the ground I would pickup all my friends (I had a ski box on the roof ) and we went skiing. That car was a lifestyle for me and my friends, so yeah watching it go away on the flatbed, part of me died
out of all the cars we owned, the “repairs and maintenance” folder in the cabinet, the Jeep absolutely had the thickest. My dad was brave enough to buy a Dodge Ram maybe a year or 2 ago, and he already got to spend a few hours on the side of the road, lol.
I know this experience isn’t typical, I was friends with several folks on the jeeps unlimited forum and one of them had kept a 1999 (WJ generation) for 15-16 years with very few and minor problems.
oh and BTW, I don’t blame you about the Porsche SUVs, I wouldn’t buy one either, to me looks are average at best, and especially the macan cargo space is way too compromised.
my first car was a 94 grand Cherokee (not really mine, more like spoiled brat got to drive mommy and daddy’s car) but anyways we got it in 1997, it was pretty good for the next year. But then, overheating, not starting, and other misc issues really started to become a constant problem. The front differential turned itself to dust while driving with my dad on the highway in 2000. It was in such bad shape mechanically that we just donated it. Exterior and interior was still mint. I was pretty heart broke when it went away on the flatbed, I loved that thing. We lived in Canada back when I first started driving it. I love skiing, so every Friday or weekend when we had snow on the ground I would pickup all my friends (I had a ski box on the roof ) and we went skiing. That car was a lifestyle for me and my friends, so yeah watching it go away on the flatbed, part of me died
out of all the cars we owned, the “repairs and maintenance” folder in the cabinet, the Jeep absolutely had the thickest. My dad was brave enough to buy a Dodge Ram maybe a year or 2 ago, and he already got to spend a few hours on the side of the road, lol.
I know this experience isn’t typical, I was friends with several folks on the jeeps unlimited forum and one of them had kept a 1999 (WJ generation) for 15-16 years with very few and minor problems.
oh and BTW, I don’t blame you about the Porsche SUVs, I wouldn’t buy one either, to me looks are average at best, and especially the macan cargo space is way too compromised.
07-18-2023, 12:24 PM
#14
Ex-OEM King
^ The 1G Grand Cherokee was dogshit, the XJ Cherokee was damn near unkillable.
As of right now, the only Stellantis product I'd own is a Wrangler or Gladiator. Pass on literally everything else, there are better options from other makes in every single category.
As of right now, the only Stellantis product I'd own is a Wrangler or Gladiator. Pass on literally everything else, there are better options from other makes in every single category.
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PhilB81 (07-18-2023)
07-18-2023, 06:05 PM
#15
Senior Moderator
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How 'bout going to an Alfa blog? 
07-18-2023, 09:13 PM
#16
Three Wheelin'
Bias can be pretty heavy though… depending on the forum.
I had a pall on the odyssey forum and we were joking about the massive difference between the odyssey community and the Subaru forums.
the short version; odyssey forum, if the wipers made a little noise on a slightly damp windshield, omg, I spent X on this van [insert long story about Honda’s claimed reliability and quality and how expectations are not met, insert longer story about overcoming personal hardship and famine to acquire this vehicle], I need to speak to the manager.
Subaru forum; omg it still rolls downhill in neutral, best car I ever owned, 10/10 would buy again.
I do agree though, before any purchase, absolutely go through the brand forums and blogs, unless you’re doing a lease.
btw Chief, I just noticed your signature lol!
I had a pall on the odyssey forum and we were joking about the massive difference between the odyssey community and the Subaru forums.
the short version; odyssey forum, if the wipers made a little noise on a slightly damp windshield, omg, I spent X on this van [insert long story about Honda’s claimed reliability and quality and how expectations are not met, insert longer story about overcoming personal hardship and famine to acquire this vehicle], I need to speak to the manager.
Subaru forum; omg it still rolls downhill in neutral, best car I ever owned, 10/10 would buy again.
I do agree though, before any purchase, absolutely go through the brand forums and blogs, unless you’re doing a lease.
btw Chief, I just noticed your signature lol!
07-19-2023, 01:24 AM
#17
Suzuka Master
Thread Starter
RDX10, what year grand Cherokee do you have?
my first car was a 94 grand Cherokee (not really mine, more like spoiled brat got to drive mommy and daddy’s car) but anyways we got it in 1997, it was pretty good for the next year. But then, overheating, not starting, and other misc issues really started to become a constant problem. The front differential turned itself to dust while driving with my dad on the highway in 2000. It was in such bad shape mechanically that we just donated it. Exterior and interior was still mint. I was pretty heart broke when it went away on the flatbed, I loved that thing. We lived in Canada back when I first started driving it. I love skiing, so every Friday or weekend when we had snow on the ground I would pickup all my friends (I had a ski box on the roof ) and we went skiing. That car was a lifestyle for me and my friends, so yeah watching it go away on the flatbed, part of me died
out of all the cars we owned, the “repairs and maintenance” folder in the cabinet, the Jeep absolutely had the thickest. My dad was brave enough to buy a Dodge Ram maybe a year or 2 ago, and he already got to spend a few hours on the side of the road, lol.
I know this experience isn’t typical, I was friends with several folks on the jeeps unlimited forum and one of them had kept a 1999 (WJ generation) for 15-16 years with very few and minor problems.
oh and BTW, I don’t blame you about the Porsche SUVs, I wouldn’t buy one either, to me looks are average at best, and especially the macan cargo space is way too compromised.
my first car was a 94 grand Cherokee (not really mine, more like spoiled brat got to drive mommy and daddy’s car) but anyways we got it in 1997, it was pretty good for the next year. But then, overheating, not starting, and other misc issues really started to become a constant problem. The front differential turned itself to dust while driving with my dad on the highway in 2000. It was in such bad shape mechanically that we just donated it. Exterior and interior was still mint. I was pretty heart broke when it went away on the flatbed, I loved that thing. We lived in Canada back when I first started driving it. I love skiing, so every Friday or weekend when we had snow on the ground I would pickup all my friends (I had a ski box on the roof ) and we went skiing. That car was a lifestyle for me and my friends, so yeah watching it go away on the flatbed, part of me died
out of all the cars we owned, the “repairs and maintenance” folder in the cabinet, the Jeep absolutely had the thickest. My dad was brave enough to buy a Dodge Ram maybe a year or 2 ago, and he already got to spend a few hours on the side of the road, lol.
I know this experience isn’t typical, I was friends with several folks on the jeeps unlimited forum and one of them had kept a 1999 (WJ generation) for 15-16 years with very few and minor problems.
oh and BTW, I don’t blame you about the Porsche SUVs, I wouldn’t buy one either, to me looks are average at best, and especially the macan cargo space is way too compromised.
My cousin owned a 1999 and then a 2004 Jeep grand cherokee when I was a kid. I remember I was so happy everytime I got to ride in it lol. But I've heard so many bad things I'd never touch one with a stick.
The Porsche SUVs drive amazing but yeah the repair costs scare me and the Macan's extremely compromised boot takes me back to my 1G RDX days.
I have looked over a few alfa forums but I feel like the forums for a specific make tend to be filled with a lot of fanboys and a lot of jaded people and it becomes pretty hard to weed out the reality. Plus I have a lot of faith in the fellas on this forum to give it to me straight.
Bias can be pretty heavy though… depending on the forum.
I had a pall on the odyssey forum and we were joking about the massive difference between the odyssey community and the Subaru forums.
the short version; odyssey forum, if the wipers made a little noise on a slightly damp windshield, omg, I spent X on this van [insert long story about Honda’s claimed reliability and quality and how expectations are not met, insert longer story about overcoming personal hardship and famine to acquire this vehicle], I need to speak to the manager.
Subaru forum; omg it still rolls downhill in neutral, best car I ever owned, 10/10 would buy again.
I do agree though, before any purchase, absolutely go through the brand forums and blogs, unless you’re doing a lease.
btw Chief, I just noticed your signature lol!
I had a pall on the odyssey forum and we were joking about the massive difference between the odyssey community and the Subaru forums.
the short version; odyssey forum, if the wipers made a little noise on a slightly damp windshield, omg, I spent X on this van [insert long story about Honda’s claimed reliability and quality and how expectations are not met, insert longer story about overcoming personal hardship and famine to acquire this vehicle], I need to speak to the manager.
Subaru forum; omg it still rolls downhill in neutral, best car I ever owned, 10/10 would buy again.
I do agree though, before any purchase, absolutely go through the brand forums and blogs, unless you’re doing a lease.
btw Chief, I just noticed your signature lol!
07-19-2023, 11:49 AM
#18
Ex-OEM King
I then bought a JKU Rubicon Wrangler and that one was facking fantastic, had it for 3 years of beating the piss out of it off road and it never skipped a beat. Still sort of regret selling that one.
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RDX10 (07-22-2023)
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00TL-P3.2 (07-19-2023)
07-19-2023, 02:12 PM
#20
The Third Ball
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Correct. The trailhawk was fine for the first 1.5-2 years but then quickly went downhill from there. Ended up trading it in for my wife's Outback (which we no longer have either) that was a lot better. The ZF9 in that thing was utter garbage and was the reason we got rid of it. The rest of it was actually pretty good.
I then bought a JKU Rubicon Wrangler and that one was facking fantastic, had it for 3 years of beating the piss out of it off road and it never skipped a beat. Still sort of regret selling that one.
I then bought a JKU Rubicon Wrangler and that one was facking fantastic, had it for 3 years of beating the piss out of it off road and it never skipped a beat. Still sort of regret selling that one.
Now..no idea if the ZF9 has improved in the almost 10 years...but I also have no desire. I love my single speed EV too much to want to go back...but if I did return to a ICE...I'd look at Alfa first in a heart beat. Speaking of which I know the new Dodge Hornet has a ZF9...which basically kills my interest in it, and the Alfa Tonale that it's taken from has a 6spd I believe. Thats telling right there.
07-20-2023, 11:39 AM
#21
Ex-OEM King
As someone who also had a ZF9 in a 2014 Cherokee (Limited not TH) and the ZF8 in my former Durango RT and former Alfa Stelio. I can attest the the ZF9 is complete and utter dogshit. It made me hate an otherwise really good vehicle. Meanwhile the ZF8 is an utterly phenomenal gearbox. It was a joy in my Durango and an absolute pleasure in my Alfa.
Now..no idea if the ZF9 has improved in the almost 10 years...but I also have no desire. I love my single speed EV too much to want to go back...but if I did return to a ICE...I'd look at Alfa first in a heart beat. Speaking of which I know the new Dodge Hornet has a ZF9...which basically kills my interest in it, and the Alfa Tonale that it's taken from has a 6spd I believe. Thats telling right there.
Now..no idea if the ZF9 has improved in the almost 10 years...but I also have no desire. I love my single speed EV too much to want to go back...but if I did return to a ICE...I'd look at Alfa first in a heart beat. Speaking of which I know the new Dodge Hornet has a ZF9...which basically kills my interest in it, and the Alfa Tonale that it's taken from has a 6spd I believe. Thats telling right there.
The Tonale doesn't have the ZF9 in US market because only one of the few powertrains is available here, it definitely has the ZF9 in Europe with some of the other, non hybrid, options out there. It's basically a Jeep Renegade/Compass underneath so it will definitely have non-hybrid options with that shitbox under the hood. The Hornet has the euro 2.0T motor in the US and comes with the ZF9.
07-20-2023, 12:29 PM
#22
AZ Community Team
ZF8 is all planetary gears with clutch packs whereas the ZF9 is all planetary gears but used two dog ring clutches to save clutch pack space in it's tight transverse application packaging. The dog clutches caused the bulk of the design performance problems and shift operation with the ZF9.
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ttribe (07-20-2023)
07-22-2023, 12:31 AM
#23
The Third Ball
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ZF8 is all planetary gears with clutch packs whereas the ZF9 is all planetary gears but used two dog ring clutches to save clutch pack space in it's tight transverse application packaging. The dog clutches caused the bulk of the design performance problems and shift operation with the ZF9.
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RDX10 (07-22-2023)
07-22-2023, 06:10 AM
#24
Suzuka Master
Thread Starter
Correct. The trailhawk was fine for the first 1.5-2 years but then quickly went downhill from there. Ended up trading it in for my wife's Outback (which we no longer have either) that was a lot better. The ZF9 in that thing was utter garbage and was the reason we got rid of it. The rest of it was actually pretty good.
I then bought a JKU Rubicon Wrangler and that one was facking fantastic, had it for 3 years of beating the piss out of it off road and it never skipped a beat. Still sort of regret selling that one.
I then bought a JKU Rubicon Wrangler and that one was facking fantastic, had it for 3 years of beating the piss out of it off road and it never skipped a beat. Still sort of regret selling that one.
Yeah definitely. The ZF8 is an astonishingly good transmission, the ZF9 absolutely sucks. I would not buy it ever again and would actively avoid any vehicle that has it regardless of badge on the hood. Keep in mind there were a bunch of Honda and Acura products along with a few LR's that had (have?) the transmission too.
The Tonale doesn't have the ZF9 in US market because only one of the few powertrains is available here, it definitely has the ZF9 in Europe with some of the other, non hybrid, options out there. It's basically a Jeep Renegade/Compass underneath so it will definitely have non-hybrid options with that shitbox under the hood. The Hornet has the euro 2.0T motor in the US and comes with the ZF9.
The Tonale doesn't have the ZF9 in US market because only one of the few powertrains is available here, it definitely has the ZF9 in Europe with some of the other, non hybrid, options out there. It's basically a Jeep Renegade/Compass underneath so it will definitely have non-hybrid options with that shitbox under the hood. The Hornet has the euro 2.0T motor in the US and comes with the ZF9.
Our GC thankfully has the ZF8 and its pretty awesome, albeit because ours is a V6 model so the ZF8 is built here in North America whereas the Hemi/diesel equipped models had the real deal ZF8 built in Germany FWIW.
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