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Post by PetrolEd on Aug 7, 2024 14:58:38 GMT
![]() For those that have been on the forum through the various iterations ,may well remember at one stage maybe 4 of us had a 130i's which Martin I think started that craze. Well maybe as I am now the proud owner of a Giulia Quadrifoglio it might become the car of choice. I shall be using QV for Quadrifoglio Verde rather then QF however. I don't think we have 2 of the same car currently do we? Anyway, Alf very nearly put me off buying, considering all the joy he has had in his ownership but its a car I have been promising myself for a long time. In fact before I bought the 997 four years ago I was looking at QV's so I had to bite the Bullitt at some point. In fact buying the missus a Mito over 10 years ago is my only Alfa ownership previously so I was due another dose but to be fair in the 4 years we had the car it was faultless. The 997 having done the large 4 year service it was in a good place to sell and knowing it may well need some money spending over the next year it was either sell now or invest and keep for a few years more. I placed it for sale on AT and Pistonheads and had a few enquires as it was the cheapest manual on the market. I sold the car to a guy who had a 997.1 but wanted to upgrade to the 997.2. Selling a car privately is still difficult as it seems everyone wants a tip top car for trade money but luckily the buyer was sensible I was very open with what needed doing at got about 3K more then trade. The 997 gone I then looked at AT for the right Giulia and nothing was on the market. I then put out the feelers on various owners pages on the Gram and Facebook and was offered a few cars but I was quite determined to have one in Comp Red or the light blue and luckily I made contact with someone who had a facelift car in the right colour and spec. I hoping the facelift few of the faults ironed out. I got a car that was well under trade but I do need to carry out the 4 year service which I budgeted 2K for and possibly breaks soonish as its currently on 27,000 miles. I have had a minor result as a helpful chap on one of the Alfa boards let me know of a service package deal for services 4 & 5 for £1500 which is cheaper then the 4 year service alone. I have the remainder of the 5 year warranty so hopefully it has the same cover as buying from a dealer. Early impressions are a car that is bloody fast but not as engaging as the 997. I guess it’s not that type of car. The steering feel is of course not in the same league and the brakes just feel like they are either on or off with little modulation. It makes a lovely noise but I am yet to brave the full Race setting. Its stunning. People actively come up to you and want to chat about it. I have never had that with a car before. If you stop for petrol prepare to be in conversation for 10 minutes with someone else. Most importantly the pride of ownership is off the scale. I can't help but keep staring out of the window to look at it. |
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Post by PG on Aug 7, 2024 15:10:19 GMT
Nice one!
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Post by alf on Aug 7, 2024 15:15:17 GMT
Bloody hell! My £1 per mile SMR costs have not put you off!!! It is indeed a vry different car to the 997, which is why I am struggling to not keep the 987. But it is indeed bastard fast - I went for a pointless blat earlier and it took my breath away, it just punches so hard out of bends. Nearly a year in I'm a long way from fully being able to exploit it, but warm dry conditions are the time to try!
If you recall, the first forum car might have been a 130i, but it was then a 156GTA. Who will I tempt to the dark side next???
I don't really understand the QV designation. It was discussed as a possible designation before the car came out, but not used, and Alfa themselves use QF. Since then, various Quadrifoglio internet bores bang on about how it should be QV not QF, but those people themselves don't know the build model differences so I question their sanity.
Great work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PS - pics or it didn't happen!
PPS - the various build differences are as follows - the best version I've yet found! In practice they look basically almost identical up to the 23 model which has the digital dash and eyelids on the lights:
• The original series was just a "Giulia" (project codename 952). 4 seatbelts and non folding seats, DI-only engine. 2016 springs very low, slightly higher for 2017.
• Giulia series 1 is the 5 seater etc upgrade (mid 2018) - heated electric folding seats, carplay, Android Auto. All 2018 have higher springs (pre and post series 1)
• Giulia series 2 (20 or 21? can be spotted by the new gearshift surround with the italian flag) is the improved build. Port as well as direct injection engine, improved electrical systems, revised scuttle to stop water ingress, improved centre console, thicker glass, touchscreen infotainment screen and new colors (eg Montreal and Ocra GT)).
-Reduced steering feel from less Ackermann in the steering, and less engine noise - some swear the engine feels sightly less potent and has worse MPG from this model onwards.
- Alcantara seats from original Giulia to series 2 had higher quality Nappa leather (as Sparco option still does)
- two-done dashboards ended before 2021 along with choice of stitching and matching stitching on dashboard and doors (now all grey, unless you option Sparco that come with white/green stitching still, but on seats only)
- 2020 brought new colors like Montreal Green tricoat (replaced in 2024 by the metallic from Tonale). Springs back to 2017 spec.
• Giulia series 3 is the stripped model during the pandemic (standard painted steel roof and lower grade full leather trim, the same as the 4 cylinder cars) 22 MY?
• Giulia series 4 (2023) is the dynamic pinnacle and easily spotted with digital instruments, new LED lights and a mechanical LSD, but also revised, GTA-derived suspension hardware and tuning
- only EU, UK and China get the retuned extra power from 2023 (but 0-100km/h time is the same and you only gain 1km/h in max speed)
• Giulia series 5 (the current series as of 2024) has reduced paint options but improved Level 2 autonomous driving
• General:
- the (forged) "light" Trofeo/Tecnico wheels are made by Fuchs Germany and the heavier (cast) Alfa teledials in Thailand
- the 100th Anniversary and Super Sport models are trim specials that you can't add options to (limited numbers, but not individually numbered like the NRING for example)
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Post by Martin on Aug 7, 2024 15:44:19 GMT
Blimey Ed…how many Weetabix did you have on the day you left home and decided to end your relationship with Porsche, then spend your own money on an Alfa….from a private seller…..with outstanding finance?  Joking aside, I know you’ve wanted one for a while and you can’t beat that sort of ownership pride! Nice one. I hope it’s a good one and we do need pics! I don’t think we’ll ever have another forum car like the 130i (you’re right I had the first one, an ex demo 3 months after launch). |
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Post by johnc on Aug 7, 2024 15:48:56 GMT
Congratulations on what looks like a lovely car. I am sure it will be loads of fun especially when you get it in to Race mode (having said that, I seldom turn mine up to 10 because it is only appropriate on a track and it makes smooth progress on the road almost impossible)
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Post by alf on Aug 7, 2024 15:55:02 GMT
I don’t think we’ll ever have another forum car like the 130i (you’re right I had the first one, an ex demo 3 months after launch). Really? At one point at least four of us - including 3 still active - had a 156 GTA, concurrently! So two more of you need to get into a Quad, sharpish!  |
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Post by Martin on Aug 7, 2024 16:13:01 GMT
I don’t think we’ll ever have another forum car like the 130i (you’re right I had the first one, an ex demo 3 months after launch). Really? At one point at least four of us - including 3 still active - had a 156 GTA, concurrently! So two more of you need to get into a Quad, sharpish! I’d forgotten there were 4 x 156s! OK. So I don’t think we’ll ever have a forum car like either the 130i or 156 GTA! |
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Post by Boxer6 on Aug 7, 2024 18:07:28 GMT
Nice write up ed .. .. looking forward to seeing the pics!
As for multi-owned car models; there are at least 3 MINIs, 3 5-series BMWs (very different models and ages, granted, but still) and 2 (or 3?) RRs I think. A few to choose from anyway!
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Post by Martin on Aug 7, 2024 18:52:46 GMT
Nice write up ed .. .. looking forward to seeing the pics! As for multi-owned car models; there are at least 3 MINIs, 3 5-series BMWs (very different models and ages, granted, but still) and 2 (or 3?) RRs I think. A few to choose from anyway! You’ve ruined Ed’s thread title now! You’re right about the Mini, 3 x ‘F series’ 1.5 Cooper’s, although only 2 are 3 doors. I’m excluding the One, JCW and Clubman as they aren’t quite the same. Back to the QF/QV/QVC….. we do need pictures, but in the meantime what about the colour, wheels, interior, age etc. |
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Post by Boxer6 on Aug 7, 2024 20:18:59 GMT
Nice write up ed .. .. looking forward to seeing the pics! As for multi-owned car models; there are at least 3 MINIs, 3 5-series BMWs (very different models and ages, granted, but still) and 2 (or 3?) RRs I think. A few to choose from anyway! You’re right about the Mini, 3 x ‘F series’ 1.5 Cooper’s, although only 2 are 3 doors. I’m excluding the One, JCW and Clubman as they aren’t quite the same. Back to the QF/QV/QVC….. we do need pictures, but in the meantime what about the colour, wheels, interior, age etc. So I have! Sorry Ed .. .. |
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Post by Roadrunner on Aug 7, 2024 21:30:22 GMT
Good work, Ed! Looking forward to the pics.
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Post by alf on Aug 8, 2024 7:58:58 GMT
Nice pics! There is something very "right" about a red Alfa.... One of the best colours!!
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Post by Alex on Aug 8, 2024 8:50:50 GMT
Nice one Ed. Live the colour too, it really suits it and sets it out from the sea of greys and blacks in most car parks these days. Hopefully you have got a good one. I dont think it's a case of swallowing a brave pill in getting into one of these over any other performance car. It sounds like it's more specialised than an M3 so could be more costly to run and maintain but BMW M cars also have a lot of specialist parts that come with an M tax so probably not and to be fair it's probably more exciting (it also looks a lot better than any BMW/Merc/Audi too - I'd look back at a Giulia in the driveway much more often than I would a 3 series).
I know you've had a hankering for one of these for a while so I'm glad it's living up to your expectations now you've finally got one.
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Post by Big Blue on Aug 8, 2024 12:38:32 GMT
Well done for taking a brave pill and allowing your true petrol headedness shine through. Right colour too.
Let’s face it: any car with super-car performance is going to be insane costs to run. Remember that E34 M5 Touring I looked at? It had had about £12k in ordinary service items in the three years prior to me looking at it. And never forget over 5 years I spent £1300 more in servicing than in petroleum on the Gorilla - a car that regularly saw sub-10mpg trips.
Enjoy it. We’re only here once and I’m not sure it’s getting any more pleasant so take whatever fun is available.
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Post by LandieMark on Aug 8, 2024 13:11:11 GMT
Ooh, that's gorgeous. Hope it treats you well.
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Post by PG on Aug 8, 2024 13:46:36 GMT
Now the pictures are up let me say "really nice one". Red on an Alfa is just "right".
And even if you don't drive at 10/10ths (or even 7/10ths) all the time, with a high performance car it is the fact that you could, which makes it have that utterly over-engineered feeling all the time in normal use. Which still makes it special every day.
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Post by alf on Aug 8, 2024 14:24:01 GMT
Well done for taking a brave pill and allowing your true petrol headedness shine through. Right colour too. Let’s face it: any car with super-car performance is going to be insane costs to run. Remember that E34 M5 Touring I looked at? It had had about £12k in ordinary service items in the three years prior to me looking at it. And never forget over 5 years I spent £1300 more in servicing than in petroleum on the Gorilla - a car that regularly saw sub-10mpg trips. Enjoy it. We’re only here once and I’m not sure it’s getting any more pleasant so take whatever fun is available. Indeed! That's a major reason I didn't panic with mine. I'd been watching videos on every flavour of M3 from the E46 onwards, with some big bills on a regular basis. There was a 991 video from someone that's been vlogging about Porsches for years, thought he had a good one and - it cost him over £12k in year 1. And plenty more besides - none are problem free, and running costs have rocketed. Might as well just have what you want and be done with it. There are always people that have bought cheap parts from Europe and do work themselves as well, to save money. Especially brakes on the Quads. I don't want to take that route, or buy a car from them! Just in the last couple of weeks there have been people on the QF FB group with recently bought cars with missing undertrays, plenty of stuff that hasn't been updated, cars that are chipped and they didn't know...... Low volume performance cars are best bought from people that know them really well, and have had them a while, with a big sheaf of bills! |
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Post by Martin on Aug 8, 2024 16:18:42 GMT
I can see the pictures now, looks really good 👍
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Post by Boxer6 on Aug 8, 2024 18:37:37 GMT
That is a truly lovely thing!
Something I haven't spotted on Alf's though, although that may be due to the overall blackness .. .. single foglight in the grille? What's the reason for that?
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Post by PetrolEd on Aug 8, 2024 18:41:48 GMT
That is a truly lovely thing! Something I haven't spotted on Alf's though, although that may be due to the overall blackness .. .. single foglight in the grille? What's the reason for that? It’s the radar cruise control plate. It’s the part of the car that the criminals access to steal the car!! |
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Post by Boxer6 on Aug 8, 2024 19:02:26 GMT
That is a truly lovely thing! Something I haven't spotted on Alf's though, although that may be due to the overall blackness .. .. single foglight in the grille? What's the reason for that? It’s the radar cruise control plate. It’s the part of the car that the criminals access to steal the car!! Aahhh!!  Makes a bit more sense now! The reflection of the chuckies in the top pic looks like glass to me!! Which is why .. .. |
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Post by Martin on Aug 8, 2024 19:14:56 GMT
Which tyres does it have?
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Post by PetrolEd on Aug 9, 2024 21:41:25 GMT
Which tyres does it have? It’s on Goodyear super sports which I am rather impressed with certainty in the dry. I haven’t given them a real workout as yet and in the wet it took a while for the traction control to calm down when pulling out of a junction so I’ll see how the do over the winter. The car is on 285 rears which aren’t a popular size so most go for 295 which opens up a much bigger range of performance tyre options. |
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Post by Tim on Aug 12, 2024 9:17:51 GMT
That looks absolutely lovely.
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Post by Martin on Aug 12, 2024 9:31:16 GMT
Which tyres does it have? It’s on Goodyear super sports which I am rather impressed with certainty in the dry. I haven’t given them a real workout as yet and in the wet it took a while for the traction control to calm down when pulling out of a junction so I’ll see how the do over the winter. The car is on 285 rears which aren’t a popular size so most go for 295 which opens up a much bigger range of performance tyre options. That's the one thing I didn't like about the 750 and would stop me buying a powerful RWD saloon car. I know you can let the electronics do their thing, use less throttle or queef your way out of the junction/roundabout exit, but I'd rather have better traction. It's different if it's a sports car / not your daily driver and maybe the same if you don't do so many miles. Back to tyres...had a look while there isn't a huge choice, you can get PS4S in the right size or save £100 a rear tyre and keep ALF happy! Wouldn't changing the tyre size to a non standard width potentially impact the insurance? |
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Post by alf on Aug 12, 2024 11:06:19 GMT
Yep! Insurance would potentially not be valid with tyres that are not officially supported, 295 are not. It seems a less common change now, at one point it was more common as MP4S were not in stock anywhere in the stock size and everyone on the internet seem to be such freaking MP4S fanboys even though it always comes 4th of the 4 current UHP tyres in tests There are also regular issues with these cars wearing through the arch liners, I would not go wider personally. Potenza Sports, Conti SC7 and the GY SS have all at least caught up with the venerable MP4S by now, and my favourite tyre testers don't rate the latter for feel (not in standard form anyway, the BMW and Porsche marked ones are heavily modified). This does seem a car that needs a tyre that has a solid feel, especially on the front axle. The GY Asym 5's on the front of mine were lacking feel, I'm halfway through swapping to Potenza Sports courtesy of the wheel and tyre warranty and its already better. I know what you mean Martin - there are months and months in the winter where you simply can't accelerate really hard in this sort of car. You can still make rapid progress but harsh low speed acceleration is not on the cards. I was spinning up the GY SS's in Reading one day I recall, rainy and about 5 degrees, even in N mode and driving very sensibly. Winters made it a LOT better - this is the only car I've driven on Winters (the Michelins it pains me to say, a relatively sporty hard compound winter tyre) that feels fantastic and is still really fun to drive. I think its a must. And I'm prepared to give the nod to Michelin there as the Pilot Alpin suits UK conditions well. Since 4WD doesn't make you brake or corner any better, I'm not sure I want traction that's too amazing in the winter as the roads just need more respect then. And while modern 4WD has got better, most 4WD systems don't give you any adjustability at sensible speeds in warm dry conditions, its just fast but inert, I'm happy trading fun for winter pace as I'm always a bit cautious in winter. In all bar full winter conditions, the Potenza Sports on the rear of the Jag were a transformational change in terms of getting power down in cooler greasier conditions. The GY seem to need more warming up and hate the cold. The GY SS is however the best normal road tyre for (dry) track work, grippy and (relatively) long lasting. Its all a balance |
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Post by Martin on Aug 12, 2024 12:07:20 GMT
I'm pretty sure the PS4S was rated just behind the SC7 in the latest tests I read when I making a decision on what to get a couple of months ago and seemed to be the best all rounder with better comfort and noise than other similarly capable tyres, which is important when you do a high % of motorway driving and have more of a GT than sports car. Just checked my facts and it was second in both the 2024 Autobild and 2022 Tyrereviews test and 3rd in the 2023 Sport Auto one, so not always 4th!
I'm pretty cautious in winter as well, even on the right tyres and I use Winters as a safety margin driving to the conditions as if I was on summer tyres. It's not just low speed traction issues that's the real problem / annoyance, the 750 would light up the TC at much higher speeds if you weren't pointing 100% straight eg exiting a roundabout on a dual carriageway. That was on Bridgestones....S001 though, so not an UHP tyre.
Traction isn't an issue with my current car, you have to try really hard to break it with only 450hp, 4WD and Porsche sticky compound 275s at the front / 325s at the rear. The rear is exactly the same size tyre as the 992 GT3, a touch of overkill for a hybrid saloon.
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Post by alf on Aug 12, 2024 14:11:56 GMT
True, I suppose I read them with a bias towards what I care about Wet grip, dry grip, feel. The Tyre Reviews guy on YouTube is superb, and as he says, the results order (at the sharp end) depends very much on how you weight the areas. I saw a few tests (2022 Evo being one I think) where the MP4S finished well behind the SC7 and the Potenza Sport in nearly all the performance metrics. However it had good refinement, rolling resistance and wear (despite costing loads also) and high weightings were given to this. I personally have been pleased with all three of these "non performance" areas in all the premium brand tyres I've had in recent years so don't weight them highly. I can also get crazy high MPG if I want to, on any tyre even at low pressures, so don't rate how much difference this makes either, MPG is mostly aero and driving style. Bringing this back to the Quad, it's an unusual performance car in being developed (and still sold) on P Zero Corsa tyres. It's discussed as a strength of the car (for a modern one it is) but I feel it lacks steering feel a bit, probably because it expects those focused tyres, and old Porsches spoil you. The MP4S being reported by people I trust as a comparatively low-feedback and soft tyre, may not help in this regard. I also find the GY SS can spin up really easily exiting junctions even in normal driving until I've been driving a bit, and always when its wet or cool (right now they are superb in this heat) so being a tyre spotter I am interested to try the Potenza Sports all round, as indeed I would love to try the Corsas. I have two sets of wheels/tyres already and if I was ever tracking it (which I think its just too fast a car for me to want to unless I win the lottery) I'd have three |
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Post by johnc on Aug 13, 2024 8:32:22 GMT
My P Zeros are great at this time of year with plenty of feel and huge grip. Roll the clock forward 2 months when the temperature falls and they are lacking in grip whenever it is damp and I have little confidence in grip levels. Put the Michelin winters on and I am back to full confidence.
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Post by racingteatray on Aug 26, 2024 9:46:16 GMT
I can’t see the photos? Or are they on another thread?
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Makes a bit more sense now!
