Alfa 159 Selespeed review ?

[Shouyi]

Hi,

 

is there any review on the Alfa 159 Selespeed ? I understand that there are reviews on the manual version, but could not the reviews for the selespeed version.

[Cbx750p]

Spoke to the sales guy at the SMS. His advice is to take the manual version if I expect high performance from the 159 and get the Selespeed if I am a casual driver with low demand from the 159. His logic is that the latter is made for modest driving and not high performance. The manual automatic transmission on the Alfa is rumoured to be pretty unreliable. Any 156 drivers here to confirm or deny this ?

 

CBX

[Felipe]

actually the selespeed shouldn't compromise performance if driven 'manually'. maybe it does lose abit in initial parts of drag racing. as for reliability, i noe alota alfa owners will disagree but let's just say there are more issues with selespeed than your typical manual transmission. but that's obvious isnt it? how wrong can a manual trans go? & also pay more when the selespeed goes wrong...after warranty i mean

[Normal_aspirated]

yup, hard to find selespeed review.........anyway check out here:

http://uk.cars.yahoo.com/car-reviews/car-a...ge-1004697.html

 

Here is summary of Alfa Romeo 159 specs:

FACTS AT A GLANCE

 

CAR: Alfa Romeo 159 range

PRICES:

Edited November 18, 2006 by Normal_aspirated

[Chickenbackside]

Damn it, when a car looks as good as that, who cares about the gearbox??

[Normal_aspirated]

it does...........manual tranny keeps you in charge.

Edited November 18, 2006 by Normal_aspirated

[Chickenbackside]

After owning RWD cars for quite some time now, it's very very difficult to convince me to switch to FWD. Not a single FWD car appeals to me, EXCEPT for Alfa Romeos.

 

For one thing and one thing only, the looks. They're untouchable in that area. The other areas, nothing special...

[Relagsingh]

Yeah! manual rules!!

 

Really getting less and less offered by other makes due to the local demand.

 

I think can start an exclusive club for manual cars soon!

[Felipe]

in most day to day driving conditions, does a RWD make alot of difference? its not like u take it to the track and push it to the limits and catch the car from drifting. how many aunties and uncles driving lexus, bmw, merc know wat the hell is RWD and maximise its ability? anyway, its not true a FWD loses out. youtube videos have shown a type R getting better track time than other RWD, 4WD and watever.

 

as for the gear system (gearbox is still manual), u better be concern because its not gonna be cheap to replace once your warranty expires.

[Felipe]

actually in SG wher cars and fuel cost a bomb, it makes more sense to drive manual. besides, u dun get power loss in a manual. but with local mentality, manual is like porno. ask how many married men have to buy auto becos of their other half.

[DarkLord]

Erm... No need to be married, also will kena!

[Darth_mel]

My left hand will always be resting on the gear-change handle even though it is an auto car. I guess old habits die hard.

 

I don't mind changing gears manually, but stepping on clutch every now and then is really stressing my knee. Stepping hard but releasing slow really is no joke.

[Chickenbackside]

Not everyday, but often enough that I have dedicated track wheels with semi slicks for track use only. I know about gearboxes. I had mine changed to an uprated one even when the original one was working perfectly fine.

 

I know FWD does not mean slower timing and vice vsersa. I like RWD simply because:

 

it's more FUN.

 

The things I can do with a RWD car, I cannot replicate with a FWD car.

 

The things I can do with a FWD car, I do not have a desire to replicate with any car.

[Normal_aspirated]

watch this short video clip:

What car is the best in handling in D segment?

 

check out here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgTsO6fkZjo...related&search=

 

Result:

1)Alfa Romeo 159

2)BMW 320d

3)Ford Mondeo/Merc C220 CDI

4)Honda Accord

Edited November 18, 2006 by Normal_aspirated

[Magfocus]

Actually the clip mainly shows like an elk test, doesnt exactly show 'handling'. Handling isn't just about swerving to avoid an obstacle, many other factors are involved as well, more intangible things too..

 

And the 'best' handling car might not be the most fun..

[Felipe]

i've posted this b4- the view that stepping on the clutch is tiring doesnt make sense. so if u go to a track er...lets say Monte Carlo Street circuit and do abt 60 laps....tat probably equates to 17000 gear changes which means yr left foot has to move 17000 times...u mean to tell me its more tiring to move yr left leg in a jam than 17000 times???

 

but to give u the benefit of the doubt, i guess wat u are saying is its less fun to drive manual in a jam rather than it being tiring for tat i certainly agree...but go to some winding road smwher w/o much traffic, and pretty soon, u'll forget yr left foot is tired.

 

just abit of tongue in cheek, no offense...men dun complain of tiredness when it comes to using their whole body for something, but when its just their left foot, they claim its tiring...if i were to hit the nail on the coffin, its just laziness lah

[Felipe]

yea tats true, similar to using a DSG to shift faster in millieseconds than a manual at least to me, ain as fun as driving a pure manual car.

[Chickenbackside]

May be better, faster...etc. But definitely not as fun, where the defnition of fun is defined myself only.

 

I do not speak for other people.

 

That's why life is so interesting! Everyone has different opinions and as long as these opinions do not cause death, they should all be celebrated!

 

I really appreciate your passion for Alfas and FWD. I can understand too cos I have owned an Alfa before, although it was RWD ; )

Edited November 19, 2006 by Chickenbackside