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Colour and roof rails;
This:
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Or this:
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My last question on the subject I promise...
Silver one for sho' 🙂
silver.
Black looks dirty about 3 minutes after you clean it.
roof rails offer more flexibility in load mounting.
Silver
first one
With roof rails for me whatever the colour, although I personally don't like black cars!
Rails make it much easier to put racks on without fear of scratching the paint, with my old golf I would never put the racks on unless I had given the car a thorough clean, now I just give the rails a quick wipe down and on it goes, far more flexible!
silver
that car doesnt look like a straw poll ?
whats the question ?
Silver, with those wheels. Though back telephone dials would look better.
If I were buying I'd be drawn to [url= http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2008-Alfa-Romeo-159-Sportwagon-2-4JTDM-TI-5dr-4WD-/191452390891?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item2c9373a5eb ]this rare beastie[/url]
Usually I'd say silver but these look brilliant in the flesh in black.
Second one. The alloys and red callipers are much better looking. Plus I don't like estates without roof rails.
Black
Black, black, black, black, black, black, black.
The lower one. Left hand drive cars are a pain in the UK.
Silver because of the roof rails. If the black had rails, I'd prefer that.
The black one if you keep it spotlessly clean and never want to load anything on the roof.
Practically, the silver one. When it gets dirty silver tends to go 'grey', so they don't look as dirty, if that makes sense. When my silver Golf gets a wash it's a surprised "Oh, I've got a SILVER car!"
I should add the car I'm looking at is a darker "mercury grey" (and RHD) 🙂 and has rails like the lower one.
The rails seem to be rare on these and can't be retro fitted, but its a case of not living with the black one for 2 years, can I cope wah, wah etc 😥
Black with rails and the wheels off the silver one. Silver cars are the choice of the most unimaginative.
Although, I own a silver car. But it has a black roof, mirrors and wheels and there's only about 200 in that colour in the country. So, erm, yeah. Still black.
Silver - looks like a Ti model? Delicious
The one with the lowest mileage
Oh, well, Mercury Grey looks good. Get that.
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Make your own mind up man!
No red interior?
I is disappoint
Thats the one Munrobiker.
Lol @ DeZb *rolls dice*
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I should add the car I'm looking at is a darker "mercury grey" (and RHD) and has rails like the lower one.
So you wanted us to choose between two colours that you're not actually looking at. Iz Confuse.
Grey > black > silver IMO. No roof rails.
[i]Make your own mind up man![/i]
Kryton isn't the most decisive person you'll ever meet....he needs to explore each and every avenue...at least twice!
K, seeing as you haven't actually shown the pics of the actual cars its not an easy decision, cos you didn't mention the wheels which make a big difference.
Rails if you ever want to put things on the roof. The roofbar mountings if you don't have rails are pretty poor.
Wouldn't have another black car either.
We've got a silver van and its not been cleand since june 2014 , looks a bit grubby but ok .
Both next door neighbours have black cars that look filthy and need cleaning every week .
Not so much car cleaning = more riding time .
Silver FTW .
Silver/ shiny rails/ anthracite wheels/ red brakes/ very slight tint = perfect + easy to clean*
*i.e. you don't have to. My car goes around 4-6k miles between wash's and always gets comments on how tidy it looks.
[i]Both next door neighbours have black cars that look filthy and need cleaning every week[/i]
No! No! I've made my own mind up and no nonsense from STW is going to change it. I never wash my car and I'm seriously considering a black one.. bugger.
The cleaning question comes down to, do you hate having a dirty car? Or do you just see dirt as a thing that happens. Dirt on black looks great to me, signs of life. Get some mud up the sides.
But then, nobody's quite sure what colour my car is, under the crust.
colour is irrelevant, you'll never see it as it will be at the dealership being fixed
[i]colour is irrelevant, you'll never see it as it will be at the dealership being fixed[/i]
Hey Kryton - did you see that? A new joke!
Black cars look lovely when clean, but having had two now, I'm in the never again camp (but I tend to keep my cars clean and dip my toe in the geeky world of detailing).
Silver is pretty dull, but with the right wheels and a subtle window tint can look smart.
The grey one you posted up is equally dull (hence the nickname resale grey) but does look smart.
The red one posted up looks properly smart.
Out of the original options, get a black one, then polish it. Lots. Then polish it.
But get a red one.
Silver would be my chioce
[i]Black cars look lovely when clean[/i]
Agree, but unfortunately I never ever clean my cars and my last black one was horrific after only 2 years and 75k. Silver one now.
...I think you need to move on from silver cars !
Mercury grey looks fantastic
If you are going to use roof mounted accessories fairly often, get one with roof bars. You will regret it otherwise.
colour is irrelevant, you'll never see it as it will be at the dealership being fixedHey Kryton - did you see that? A new joke!
sadly its anything but. they're beautiful cars, just shite to own
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Rossi red and roof rails, you'll only have it 6 months before you want a different one.
Lol @ fasthaggis.
Well, I've bought it. I negotiated some money off, a years MOT and a set of new boots (tyres) all round and 1/2 a tank of diesel.
Here it is:
[url= https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8680/16245671686_a54129e630_z.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8680/16245671686_a54129e630_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
Let the flaming / jokes commence. I no longer care... 😀
Very nice! Thule aero bars then?
looks very nice - congrats!
Should have bargained a free AA membership too 😀
How is it for bike transporting? Can you get a bike in the back with back seats down and with both wheels on?
A bike would go in the back wheels on but the boot shape won't allow it, so it's front wheel off.
Swedish Chef - I already have the roof rail tyre rack with bike carriers for the family car to that'll transfer straight over, saving me the cost of more bars.
It's a very clean car, previously owned by an Alfa enthusiastic so the weak points are addressed -such as the front sub frame being repainted all the electrics working, waterpump and cam belt recently done, wishbones sorted 7000 miles ago. It's was lovely to drive. Feels planted. It feels a tad more vague than my prior very direct 330i but then the lump in the front is bigger - just a tiny hesitation in wheel before the car moves.
Ive got to say the drivers seat is a lovely place to be. It also has a distance rumble engine note rather than the diesel clatter (from inside).
My mate had a lovely Alfa....
It died... painfully... .expensively.... he sent it for scrap.
Was lovely though.
Lovely car... see you in 8 years time when you sell it 🙄
Enjoy it
Nice choice sir!
Lovely looking car.......its a marque I always fancied owning but was always put off by mates that had them and they were broken more than running.....I would assume if you caress it like the previous owner and not abuse it that it may last longer than Alfas of old, same as any car I suppose!
Thinking about it I have the 1.3jtd Fiat engine in my van called 1.3cdti in Vauxhall speak....great little engine it is too!
Fancy keeping us enlightened to a buyers guide for this car as im looking at one as a possibility next year.
Get the wheels sprayed black...
Fancy keeping us enlightened to a buyers guide for this car as im looking at one as a possibility next year.
Sure. I'll add what I learned to look for and others can add;
a) Front sub frame - only lightly painted in the factory and subject to rust - check
b) Incorrect steering fluid in some - was Orange should be of the Green variety
c) Water pump and cambelt should be changed earlier than the 90k miles suggested. Enthusiast's reckon from 40k to 60k miles so look for it in the service history.
d) Gearbox bearing wear's quickly, check for a rumble in 5th on the M/Way from the gearbox. If so it needs replacing
e) Similar to all diesel engines of this age (5+ years):
-DMF can wear, check for uneven tickover or rattle from the engine on tickover, ensure all lights including DPF regen warning is out on tickover
-Clutch wear also at 50 - 90k depending on use, check for clutch slipping
f) Italian electrics aren't all that - check everything works
g) Front wishbones bushes wear quickly, noted by a rattle in the front wheels over bumped and premature wear on the inside of the front tyres.
h) one thats a choice - lift the bonnet and make sure is a JTD[b]M[/b] - manipulated by Saab - and a 16v not 8v as indicted on the rocker cover
i) Finally, check the rad hoses - their position means they chafe on the top of the rad so make sure they are in good order.
Kryton that is a very lovely car. Good choice.
nice that