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Have a bad day? Today was the absolute worst day ever And don't try to convince me that There's something good in every day Because, when you take a closer look, This world is a pretty evil place. Even if Some goodness does shine through once in a while Satisfaction and happiness don't last. And it's not true that It's all in the mind and heart Because True happiness can be attained Only if one's surroundings are good It's not true that good exists I'm sure you can agree that The reality Creates My attitude It's all beyond my control And you'll never in a million years hear me say Today was a very good day Now read it from bottom to top, the other way, And see what I really feel about my day. 😄 Something I read on Facebook.

Ok here goes. Was free in the afternoon today and was invited to test drive the brand new Alfa Romeo 159 2.2JTS 6 speed manual. The SE was an old boy from my school. External - Wa lau wei!!! The 159 is poetry in motion. Its gorgeous, well-proportioned, looks fabulous at all angles and when it moves, its absolutely stunning. Seriously, it even eclipsed a fully kitted, Seat Toledo lowered on 18s when it comes to aesthetic value. The 159 comes with 17s 225/50 tyres and double exhaust. At this point, I'm already salivating uncontrollably. Inside - Seats are bolstered and they are comfortable. More comfortable than my Astra Turbo's. As usual the dash is driver oriented and the whole layout reminds me of a 2002 Audi A4 interior but given an Italian flair to it. It has a PUSH START and STOP button. And yes, it works. No more jokes of after awhile, the push start button won't work, such that you have to PUSH the car to start (Viper's joke). The built quality is almost up to par with their German counterparts. Remember I say its almost. Climate control is standard and the manual even comes with cruise control ala Toledo!!!! Interior space is surprisingly spacious and the boot is practical and user friendly. Think its around 430 litres. It has the hill assist feature and the other stuff that all other cars would have like rain sensor wipers, esp, etc...... Drive - Drove along West Coast Highway and Pandan Loop. Insulation is very, very good and the engine note is gorgeous but is not intrusive. The amazing thing about the exhaust sound is that as you pile up the revs, the sound differs considerably. Macam woman going thru different levels of orgasm. The higher the revs, the higher it screams and what a SCREAM. Chassis is very tight, handling good for a FWD, mid-size car but the overall ride is comfortable and not compromised. Steering feel is good but as it hits 120km/h, it feels light. The SE mentioned that the wheel will tightened up at 160km/h and above. Huh??? Why 160?? Its gonna be dangerous at 120 or 130 when you lose control and you have no feel on the steering. Pick up is fast and the revs piles up until you hit the limiter at 6800rpm. If I really have to nit-pick, I don't like the clutch biting point and the throttle response. Too light for both and the biting point is too high. Others - OMV is S$35k for manual and $37k for selespeed. Manual price - S$115,800 and Selespeed - S$117,800. They are taking orders now and September will be the delivery date. 3 years warranty and free servicing and that includes one change of brake pads and tires!!!!!!!Wow!!!!! They bringing in the 3.2 Q4 manual and selespeed too. $160k and $167k respectively. Others 2 - Saw the Alfa Brera 3.2V6 Q4. The pics on the web don't do it justice. My nose bled when I saw the car. PCC!!!!! To the max!!!! Conclusion - Alfa Romeo has pull out all the stops to challenge their German rivals. Gap lines are smaller and the built's better. Engine and exhaust note, no need to say lah. Its an Alfa anyway. Would I buy one? Maybe when my Astra Turbo hits 5 years? And that's a maybe. Its reasonably priced for a 2.2 and with such a high OMV. Even the manual has cruise control!!!!! Its a friendly family car and it fills up the void of the family man who wants a manual and a great handling car too. Worth a look if you are looking for an upgrade or if you're sick of German cars that are so efficient and mechanical in their ways. Not that I'm saying that the 159 will give you problems, but that it has a little bit more character than the rest of the German marques combined.....