What Car? Q&A - Which is more sensible: Astra or 147?

Q:I am considering buying an Alfa 147 or a Vauxhall Astra but don’t know which would be the more sensible purchase. I don’t want the hassle of an unreliable car. Can you help in my decision?

A: According to independent warranty supplier Warranty Direct, which provides policies for cars that have reached the end of their manufacturer warranty, Alfa 147s need more repair work. Out of all the Alfa 147s and Astras it has provided policies for, 45% of 147s required attention – compared with only 20% of Astras.

It is, however, difficult to give a definitive answer because manufacturers do not publish reliability reports on their own cars. The JD Power Customer Satisfaction Index, published in association with What Car?, gives a strong indication of what a car is like to live with. This year a massive 23,322 people took part in the survey.

See: JD Power Survey 2005