Alfa Romeo vs Subaru

[knightjp]

This is probably the dumbest question to ask or the dumbest combination for a comparison, but... I just couldn't help myself.

Where do we begin...

Alfa Romeo - OK... not that reliable. I did a testdrive the other day of a secondhand 156. It had the Q-system on board and boy was it brilliant. Alfa should keep that system going and work on it. I mean it can do alot better than any triptronic box. The ride was comfortable yet sporty. The handling.. .OK not that brilliant in the corners, but the steering was responsive and you could feel that you were on complete control of the car. The engine noise was really nice... a throaty growl... liken to something from a Ferrari.. (typical Italian - They know how to bring out your emotions)
Last but not least... the looks. Alfas are a rare sight on the roads here in Middle East. Ofcourse with the world reknowned rep of breakdowns and maintenance costs being high, the only people who would buy the car, are the ones who truely love Alfas (like me).
Anyways... as you passed people in traffic, you notice heads turning, just to get a glimpse of the coupe-ish looks of the 156. The one main feature that I do adore about it, is the fact that the rear door handles are hidden away... thus giving the 156 a sort of coupe appearance.. Seriously driving such a car, you will never know yo're driving a sedan... it has you convinced that you are driving a coupe.
The best part of the Alfa though... has to be the interior. Obviously since you are the one driving, it is important that you enjoy sitting inside the thing.
Looking at Alfas, it is no wonder that James May had a problem in holding on to his cash when he did the review of the 159. The words "Soul" & "Passion" cannot be left out of the equation. (anyone seen that review - you can download it from racingflix.com)

Subaru - I love the fact that the engine design is from the aviation indistry. Being an aviation buff, I enjoy driving a car that has got the feel. It doesn't surprise me too... Fuji Ind used the plant to make engines for the "Zero" fighters in WW2.
I love the fact that it is offer 4WD... good grip and handling... compared to other cars in its class, 4WD is alot better than FWD.
I love the noise it makes... a big throaty growl and the interior is pretty good. Doesn't feel Japanese...
If any of you are wondering which if the Subaru models am I describing... its the 2007 Legacy.
Which bring me to another really good bit... the Subaru is a Japanese car...which means... its as reliable as the German Train Service.

On that note... what would be the better choice???
Personally, I would go for the Alfa... I would even prefer it to its German rivals.....

[knightjp]

If anyone is wondering what the Q system is.... It is a sort of transmission seen only in Alfas. It works like a triptronic box, but with "H" gate shifting. So in other words, you could easily have a normal manual style of shifting gears without the hassle of having to use a clutch pedal.
Many have claimed that the reason Alfa Romeo dropped the Q system is because it had alot of flaws and would give way. Personally I think Alfa should have kept the thing. And so far, when I used the system on the car I test drove, it worked beautifully. Had so much more of an edge over using a triptronic box. Alfa Romeo should keep the idea and work at it
When Mazda initially decided to develop and use the rotary engine, it nearly put them out of business... but they kept at it and they can now proudly say that they are the only manufacturers with a rotary engine car.

[sickcallawayc12]

Originally Posted by knightjp

you could easily have a normal manual style of shifting gears without the hassle of having to use a clutch pedal.

What the hell is the fun in that? God I miss having a clutch. So much better than the brake pedal............................................. ....

[knightjp]

Originally Posted by sickcallawayc12

What the hell is the fun in that? God I miss having a clutch. So much better than the brake pedal............................................. ....

I would agree... but if you are the kind of person (like my bro) who considers a manual transmission useless and out dated when traffic is considered, then you will appreciate the Q system. If you are like me, someone who couldn't get the right balance of using a clutch and a manual gear, but longs to own a manual car, you will appreciate the Q-system.

If you are a good driver and someone who knows how to use a proper manual transmission, then you would prefer a normal manual gear.

I think the benefit of the Q-system is simple. Normal Auto when ur stuck in traffic. And simple manual feel, when ur not.

[VR43000GT]

Hold on, what V6 Legacy is this. There is a H4 n/a and a H4 turbo. Where is this V6?

[knightjp]

Originally Posted by SL3000gt

Hold on, what V6 Legacy is this. There is a H4 n/a and a H4 turbo. Where is this V6?

The V6 is the highest of the Legacy range.. 3.0R limited

[sickcallawayc12]

Yeah, that Legacy 3.0 Spec B looks sweet. Only as quick as a stock WRX though.

[drunken monkey]

Just so you know, the Q System is still "just" a four speed automatic, albeit with fancy H arrangement for (possible) manual command of gear shifting.
In my opinion, their Selespeed is much better, it being a proper sequential gearbox.

[knightjp]

Originally Posted by drunken monkey

Just so you know, the Q System is still "just" a four speed automatic, albeit with fancy H arrangement for (possible) manual command of gear shifting.
In my opinion, their Selespeed is much better, it being a proper sequential gearbox.

Perhaps that is why the Q-System hasn't survived and the Selespeed has. Being only 4 speed, I guess they couldn't figure out how to give us more than that with the 'H' style shift. Or maybe there was no room.
I hear that all new Alfas are coming with 'Q-Tronic'... which Alfa claims to be an improved system. But it lacks the H gate shifting style... It remains more of an ordinary Tripronic box.

Although it is only a 4 speed, the Q-system still remains a nice feature I will always like about the 156.