USED Alfa Romeo GT Coupe (04 - 11)

My car

I love My Alfa Romeo GT JTD. It is a pleasure to sit in the cabin and I always look forward to getting in it first thing in the morning.

It is very refined and there is always plenty of power available at whatever speed you are going.

I have been very pleased with the car's economy as I regularly achieve more than 45mpg. It handles well and I have yet to find the limits of the grip available.

My only gripe with the car is a very annoying rattle at the rear.

My car

It's fun, looks great and it's fairly practical too, although you can't see too well when reversing so the park assist is much recommended.

But what an engine! - its powerful, quick and sounds amazing too! - but watch the fuel, a bit thirsty for everyday use.

Reliability? I could put up with a few minor needs for repairs, but not when Alfa Romeo just seem unable to supply the parts required to their dealers on time. Neverltheless I love it.

It certainly has a style of its own and is not just another mould like all the rest on the roads today.

My car

Performance:Excellent

Looks: it's a fantastic looking car and gets plenty of attention although some of it not wanted.

Interior: Having owned BMW, I have to say its on par with quality and layout

MPG: Not as good as you would expect from a 2.0-litre engine - it struggles to get 30mpg

Spec: I upgraded the alloys and had leather and it's been worth the expense

Resale: Let's wait and see. I have to say, I purchased the car on looks rather than whether or not it's a good investment - so when it looks this good, who cares?

Overall it's been a good purchase and I have been suprised by the level of quality - having known Alfa in the 80's.

Problems: None with the car or the dealer but it can be a bit doggy over large speed humps-after only 24hrs on the road I found it does "catch a bit".

My car

This car is Alfa's best for several decades.

The styling, always an Alfa strongpoint, is exquisite. It is also very practical for a coupe, the hatchback tailgate and split folding rear seats give it the edge over the BMW 3 Series Coupe in this respect.

The driving experience is very good, but this car should be judged as a GT, not a pure sports car, which it is not. The 1.9 diesel engine is very quiet and refined and has loads of torque, so it is very flexible and has very punchy acceleration and the six-speed gearbox is a delight to use. I am averaging 45mpg.

The sports seats are very supportive and the driving position is good - not usually an Alfa strong point. It comes very well equiped in standard trim and looks fantastic with the addition of leather seats.

Niggles? - Rear visibility is not the best - the optional rear parking sensors are well worth specifying if you are buying new - and the turning circle is quite large for this size of car. The stereo controls are quite fiddly and complicated, as are the climate control settings and switches.

The build quality seems good. No rattles or sqeaks and the quality of materials used is up there with the best of the Germans. No cost cuting is evident.

Overall, a very impressive package and a match for the ubiquituous BMW coupe and the very different, but ugly duckling and thirsty Mazda RX8. Well worth putting on your short list.