Alfa - Audi comparison

[Keith Walker <100662.3423@domain.elided>]

>> Also, from the Europeans I have talked to
over here, rust is still an issue for Fiat-Alfas. The
fact is that until the quality issues are addressed
these cars may not sell in the US<<

If your modern Fiat / Alfa rusts then go looking for
the bodged accident repairs. The 75 did a bit, as
did the 33 even at the end (but not as bad as a Ford
Escort of the same age), but the 145/146/155/164
onwards are fine.

There still are niggly problems, but all manufacturers
have these, including BMW. Everyone has now forgotten
that the 3 series launched in the early 1990s had loads
of quality control problems. BMW is thought of as
a quality manufacturer so the problems got forgotten.
Same for Mercedes now and there rapidly dropping
quality standards. Probably the biggest advantage
is a dealer network who are some use, unlike most
current UK Fiat / Alfa dealers.

On the dealers, for example, a friend bought a 1993
Fiat Punto from a Fiat main dealer. In 6 months it
has been back to the dealer 9 times, for faults such
as blow head gasket, failed cam belt (just after the
head gasket was done), rear bulbs blowing (which
the mechanic who dealt with claimed he did not
know how to change a bulb, yes they let the incompetants
talk to the customers), and finally cracked fuel pipe
dumping a few gallons of petrol onto the road while
driving. They claimed to have changed the fuel filter
at the last service, yet if they had they would have
seen the pipe was a total mess (worst piece of fuel
pipe cracking I have ever seen). OK it is a fairly
old second hand car, but many of the problems
would have been avoided by any half competant
dealer

In comparison the only Audi we have had was a
1983 100CD. By reputation in the UK not a bad
car. Having driven and worked on it my best
compliment would be to called it an appallingly
engineered heap of junk, with a totally gutless
engine (certainly when combined with the 3 speed
autobox).

All the best

Keith
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