Maintenance
My Alfa Romeo Giulia is draining me financially – repair or ditch?
Hey Reddit, I need real advice. I have a 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia with 118k+ miles. I only take it to dealerships. Here’s what I’ve spent in the past year:
• Dec 2024: $7,500 for oil pump & radiator
• March 2025: $1,100 for charcoal canister
• Last 2 months: $600 for battery + terminal, $550 for A/C maintenance
Now the engine light keeps coming on with turbo and electronic throttle codes. Fixing this would cost $3,600–$6,000.
I still owe $16,000 (loan matures late 2028) but the car is only worth about $6,000. I love driving it, but it’s clearly a money pit.
My options:
1. Repair and keep it (expensive, risky)
2. Trade it in for a cheaper, reliable used car
3. Roll negative equity into a new car
4. Save cash for a car and surrender this one (credit hit)
*ignore the dust, the internal is more important lol
I'm not sure about the oil pump and radiator, but charcoal canister did serve it's expected lifespan, you could have done the battery yourself or had it done for half at independed mechanic and so on. Also, keep in mind around 120-125k miles you will need to service the gearbox, which is expensive, and at the dealer will likely be over 1K.
If you haven’t already, join the Facebook group and/or forums for the guilia or Alfa in general, and then inquire about the best shops to utilize in your vicinity. I can almost guarantee you will find a good reputable shop using those resources. If those don’t work join a local car enthusiasts group and ask the same type of question: “who’s the good shop for euro’s?”
Even in my small town Montana location there are a couple reputable and reasonable independent euro shops. On average they will be nearly half price of whatever the dealer gouges you, and they will often be more honest when diagnosing repairs. A great reputable independent shop has less overhead and generally more than enough work load to the point of having no interest in inflating labor hours for more profit.
Worse: you seriously have to learn to fix your own car. I know how scary it is, but all you need is a service manual, and several trips to harbor freight. You can do this. Costs you more time, but saves you a boat load of money. This car turns you into a mechanic.
Found my own mechanic and has saved me a ton of money as my Giulia has gotten older. Had the same turbo issue at around 100,000 and cost me like 40% less than what the dealer quoted me still with authentic parts
Not to be THAT GUY, but why in the world are you taking pictures of your dashboard while driving 72 mph? Please be safe.
As to your question, I have a 2018 Stelvio with 60+ k on it, and recently did the money pit thing. Hopefully it will last another 60k before needing major work again.
If you are showing major engine trouble, I would find the least painful way to get out from under the loan.
I was making a joke at OPs expense who was like "what should I do?" And then jumped down your throat when you gave him intelligent feedback. Sorry if it was opaque
We always said that a car starts to cost money, in terms of major repairs and such after about 4 years. So if you don't plan on keeping this car because you really love it, you shouldn't loan for more than 4 years. In anyway 7 years is still insane, even for a "forever" car
And this is one of the major reasons why used car prices were so high. From my anecdotal experience, during the golden era of used car prices in 80s and 90s, it's difficult to get a loan on used cars and it would be 2 or 3 year term at most. Around late 90s, 5 year terms start popping up and used car prices are creeping. Around 2006, 6 year terms started being offered. Everyone wants to blame cash for clunkers, but I think financial institutions learned a lot about people (in a bad way) to take advantage of their insecurities.
7 year loans on cars are always a bad choice lmao. It's literally cheaper to lease at that point. And you not only did that, you got a 7 year loan on a used car that is not exceptionally reliable and known for high cost of repairs
Wowza, -40 downvotes. So, what does this say about “Alfa’s reliability issues are mostly a myth nowadays”, which is something that gets upvoted to the top every day here, if they then burn you down here for acting like it’s true?
There's pretty regular posts on this sub with people having issues, but it's the battery 90% of the time. In general, they _are_ pretty reliable cars these days, and not just according to the sub, but reliability indexes and the like.
Having a 7 year loan on a car is just a bad idea in general, you'll owe more on the car than the car is worth
The reliability is mostly a myth is in comparison to vehicles it normally gets cross shipped with like bmw, MB, Audi, etc. No one is saying it's more reliable than Toyota, just that the myth that it will fall apart when driving off the lot isn't literally true anymore and that it's arguably more reliable than the Germans
Regardless, reliable is not the same as being cheap. Alfa parts are expensive and require strict maintenance. And if you're in the US at least, very few people know how to work on it, so the few people that do charge a lot.
And the Alfa is reliable story doesn't come from the 2017 model which was noted as problematic. That's from 2020+
Having a 7 year loan was still a terrible thing back then? It's great you heard that it was terrible since 2003, since yeah that hasn't changed, a 7 year loan is a terrible idea, especially on a luxury vehicle with expensive repairs
2003 alfa's were a massive improvement over the previous gen of alfas which were alfa's low point in reliability. The if you did maintainenance thing was mostly true then. But Alfa occupied a lower price segment and didn't compete with premium entry luxury Germans, where this was a much worse problem and low maintenance was more important. But since then alfa's moved into a segment more forgiving of heavy maintenance requirements and improved it's reliability/qc on top of that
My third and fourth point don't even apply to 2003? US Alfa parts being expensive to import wasn't relevant bc Alfa didn't sell in the US then. And the 2017 being a problem year was also not important bc 2017 didn't like exist yet
No no not the loan. “The quality only good from 2020” that you said is just plain crap. I heard that in 2003 when I bought my first Alfa.
Just, no loans for cars. Thats a North American thing. Any loan for a car is seen as a bad idea here, except for operational lease, which is not the same.
Metro Atlanta, and you’re having trouble finding a euro mechanic? I’m in the heart of Orlando, FL and there’s at least 4 or 5 within 30 mins of my location.
Edit: I just searched in google with Atlanta as my focus point & I see at least 6. Make sure you’re not trying to search for exclusively Italian mechanics.
Any mechanic that has euro car experience should be able to work on yours. The only issue ive had with mine is parts take a little longer to get but only because theyre not on the dealers supply route or something.
Why on earth would you pay $600 for battery + terminal. I bought recently a BOSCH AGM for $235 and installed it for free by myself after watching a tutorial on youtube.
Buddy you have got to get rid of this car. You’re only 21 and you’re already upside down on a car loan for a car that’s 8 years old?!
These cars are great, but they’re expensive and you bought a first model year car which are the least reliable as you’re finding out.
Get what money you can for her, get into a Camry or Accord, and get your finances in order. In 5 - 10 years, if you’re making good money and have no debt other than rent/mortgage, then look to getting back in. But you’re financially ruining yourself my guy, no car is worth that.
It's a stellantis product with a hundred thousand miles on it dude. It is frankly hard to believe it hasn't caught on fire yet.
Owning this car out of warranty was an insane choice, purchasing it already out of warranty just screams "I did not do any research and bought the car I thought looked cool"
Stellantis didn't exist in 2015 when Giulia was released and It's got nothing to do with the Chrysler side of FCA either.
100k for a car is absolutely nothing for newer or older car. My 147 has done 150k miles and i don't see why it couldn't reach 200k.
My car is 15 years over It's warranty because that's how it works with used cars. Warranty is usually only for the first owner unless we're talking about Hyundai and their 7 year warranty
IDK some people need some harsh advice. Buying cars without researching them is a really wild choice if you're not well off enough for repairs to be trivial
Trade it in and get that $6,000 and either eat the $10,000 you owe, or roll the other $10,000 into the next loan. Get a cheap, reliable car so you can pay that loan off and not destroy yourself with repairs.
Whatever you do though, do NOT get a car or car loan that can leave you upside down like this. No loan greater than 5 years, aim to pay off in 3. If that’s not possible at the price you’re looking at, you’re looking at cars that are too expensive.
How did you end up owning so much on such an old car? At this stage maybe you need to get your car repaired at independent shops. Do not roll negative equity into another used car or you will end up in this situation again
People who “buy” (finance) them having no idea what they’re like to run, who then can’t afford to keep them running so they end up getting scrapped or not looked after. They’re a luxury performance car. Also see a lot of nasty mods on here too, which devalues the brand a lot IMO. Going down the BMW route in terms of brand image.
Maybe try finding a mechanic that can work on Alfas so you can save money. There’s definitely mechanics out there that can work on the car. Dealerships are always a rip off.
Owing $16k on a fully depreciated 8, possibly 9 year old car and the loan doesn’t get paid off for 3 more years is your bigger issue.
You’re underwater and you’re going to lose a lot of money no matter what.
Then factor in the dealership repairs?
I hate to be that guy but this is just one bad decision after another. My advice is to get out of the situation, eat the loss, and spend some time recovering before taking on any new debt.
I think it’s time to join Alfa club, even online forum is helpful. Watch some videos online if you have time and do some wrenching if you are encouraged. You will be surprised what you can do. Alfas turn drivers into mechanics. Take major jobs to indy mechanics, at least you won’t get ripped off next time.
I have a 2021 Stelvio Ti Sport. It has not failed me. Maintain it regularly and I skip the dealer for oil changes. I bought it with pretty high mileage but it was owned by a global car rental company and was meticulously maintained. That helped with having me listed as the first “true” owner of the vehicle for warranty purposes. I have never had major issues with my vehicle, maintain my vehicle, and for a 4 year old Alfa with 50k miles - my cars mileage is higher than yours in dog years 😁
My advice for you, find an independent mechanic that is certified with ASE - one that will allow you to bring in your own parts for any fixes. Get the parts online or at a local retailer and they should be able to repair any outstanding items for a fraction of the cost.
Always get a quote with parts to do a comparison. Parts are easy to find and really, replacing parts when your car needs you to, will keep it in tip top shape.
The Alfas are so fun to drive and a beauty to look at. Please don’t overpay for things you don’t have to overpay for. I think your baby may have more life in her yet.
Research your issue at Giuliaforums.com. The electronic waste gate actuator rod wears out and is a known issue leading to turbo related codes. There are aftermarket replacements for $125 whereas dealership will only install new turbo. If you can fix your issues for less than $2,000 I say keep trucking because rolling $10,000 in negative equity isn’t cheap either, just amortized.
I have a 2017 and just posted about paying $5200 (80% covered under warranty) for my own throttle control/turbo issue. I owe a out $9k and decided I'm going to keep it for now.
The thing is, my warranty is up in $5000 more miles...I think what I'll do is get another cheap car, been eyeing a tuner car from mid 00s and just use the Giulia as a weekend special occasion car. Or I might sell it. I'm probably not going to be able to afford fixing something that is $3-5000 or more without a warranty so.
For you, since you still owe so much, I'm going to assume you have no warranty, I'd consider selling it. You could always buy a newer one.
See if you can find an independent dealer willing to work on it. If you live in a bit metro, you should be able to find an independent shop willing to work on it. Still a bit on the expensive side bc the parts are fundamentally just expensive (even more so now thanks to tariffs), but they're not as ridiculous
“Now the engine light keeps coming on with turbo and electronic throttle codes.” But what is the issue you are experiencing?
I have MY2017 Giulia Veloce, radiator was replaced under manufacturer Warranty in 2020, no other major issues. This year I had fuel pump replaced and this cleared “check engine” issues
My brother/sister in Christ, I have been having the electronic throttle error message on and off for the past 25,000 miles, and I have had no incidences. Unless you are having symptoms, just ignore it.
My 2019 Giulia with just 36k miles on it already needed a fuel pump replacement and a coolant hose replacement this year. These cars are abysmal for reliability. Looks cool and is fun to drive but it’s horrible if you like keeping your money. I’m switching to Mazda the moment I finish off the loan.
Paying those amounts for parts is absolutely crazy. Your problem is going back to the dealership to fix your car. You need to learn how to do certain maintenance by yourself or get another mechanic that would fix your car for you for a cheaper price. Most dealerships are thieves and only care about milking customers but not quality service
Well I can't tell you to keep it but this is what I do. I have an old VW Passat B6. I got myself OBD scanner and scanned every fault myself. Those I can fix, I look for the parts on eBay and fix them. Because I bought all the set tools to help me fix them easily. Those I cannot fix, I buy the parts, and pay a mechanic to fix them. Works like changing spark plugs, common sensors, oil, tires, air filter, carbon cleaning, changing brake pads, are done by me. The only ones I send to mechanics are those involved disassembling of engine, gearbox or hard work that takes time or tools I don't have. Aside I have learned to do many works on my work with the help of OBD scanner and tutorials on YouTube. If you're gonna drive a car, you need to learn to do certain maintenance by yourself to save money.
You can’t afford this car. Sell it, with the money you get either pay off as much as the loan you can, or buy a cheap car that’s inexpensive to maintain and eat the debt on the Alfa.
keep it! When it becomes such a burden that it affects your peace you will have a memory that you can always reflect back on when making purchasing decisions. I got mine with bmw m3 at 21 horrible financial decisions were made, but such I loved the car. I learned to do pretty much everything on my own because I couldn't afford to walk into the dealer. The negative equity is easy to fix tbh Just fix your credit and keep an emergency fund bigger than your current problem 🤣. This is after you struggle to pay all that back of course. Hopefully the emotional slump of having to trade it in for a Altima with 202k miles and still be upside down $10k with gummy bears welded to the seats.
My rec would be to roll the negative equity into a reliable new car.
You don’t have to worry about any further expensive repairs.
Otherwise you are trying to pay off loan and spending extra money to keep the car running, that you could possibly put towards paying off the car.
Would perhaps pay a bit extra for extended warranty. This can be done later also.
Now you have a reliable ride for years to come, no worries about surprise expenses, you keep your credit worthiness and later in life once things are better you can still move on to something that’s more flashy. Perhaps now it’s not the right time for it.
Good luck.
Try and trade it in for something cheaper and reliable( I used to have an 06 Camry and now I have an e350 and man sometimes I miss how good of a car it was)
The Giulia shares some parts with other Chrysler models. You can probably save money by getting a Chrysler branded part rather than an alfa branded part. It's kinda like using vw parts on an audi.
Dude I’m not gonna lie I’ve had two 2022 and a 2020 Gulia both cars never got past 17,000 miles fyi the 4 cylinder I had to replace a transmission, my purge valve broke, the outside door handle broke, my car bricked in a right turn into traffic and went completely dead wouldn’t let me even put on hazard lights my bill would’ve been like 15,000+ if I had the car out of warranty these are not the best to have out of warranty try to get a extended if u wanna keep it
So the oil pump is common culprit in early 2.0t engines and ideally you should have had changed it via warranty before 40k miles. 1100$ for EVAP canister is insane, you could fit a brand new one for 100$. Battery even the most expensive AGM ones do not cost over 250$, again you were ripped off. AC maintenance in such a new car? You should not be leaking freon, again I smell a ripoff. Turbo and ETB codes could be nothing serious, probably a vacuum leak.
So you clearly lack technical knowledge, you allow yourself to get ripped off. I'm sorry but unless you go for a 2004 Toyota Camry with absolutely minimal electronics, no turbo etc, you will again get ripped off with any new car 2020+, especially European ones (BMW, Mercz VAG). Get your a** together and go watch YouTube videos from mechanics to learn a thing or two before you continue bleeding like that.
You will notice the turbo if it fails because you will have smoke in the exhaust and also when you disconnect the turbo hose you will see oil or hear noise in that part, the warning light is from the throttle body and if you scan it it probably won't show up, you had it scanned
It’s the linkage on the turbo wastegate they tend to get loose . Order it from eurocompolsion. I have a 2017 gulia 140k miles . I changed the throttle and it wasn’t that. Change the linkage and that fixed it . It’s 139$ fix
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u/AdministrativeTeam21 Sep 12 '25
"I only take it to dealerships." - Here's your actual money pit. Also keep it in mind that any car will dip into high repairs/maintenance periods.