[Catweazle NZ]

Wow, did your dealer include that with the purchase or did you have to pay extra for it?

Standard warranty in Australia and New Zealand. We get no free servicing so the dealers will get some money from that.

Regards

Catweazle NZ

 

[Catweazle NZ]

@Catweazle NZ, what are some of your favorite New Zealand roads?

Our too-brief visit (which was before I got my first Giulia) included Bay of Islands, Rotorua, Queenstown, Franz Josef Glacier, the TranzAlpine train, and Christchurch. I want to return and see much, much more. I saw a lot of interesting cars including some older Alfa Romeos. Are there more Alfa dealers now than five years ago?

All the mountain passes in the South Island are good. Twisty mountain roads, well sealed and with limited traffic. Coastal roads are also twisty but require more precise driving skills when the road is following the hillside at the edge of the sea.

There are a few high road in the North Island with wonderfull scenery - for example Taihape to Napier. It is a sealed local road - so quite narrow. You need to take your time and stop frequently to take in the views.

Only five Alfa dealerships in New Zealand in the main cities. I also have an authroised Alfa service workshop 50 miles away.

The Alfa owners club has a very large following in NZ and is active in smaller groups across maybe ten sub areas of the country. I have joined but not been to any meetings yet - there may be an us and them situation between the new Giulias and Stelvios and the old guys keeping their classics on the road in good condition.

Regards

Catweazle NZ

 

[BevanBrook]

I'd agree with the original post that the lack of good dealers is holding this brand back. I used to have a good dealer very close to me, Autobahn in Evanston IL. Now they went out I've switched to taking the car back to Rizza in Orland Park even though its a long way (although with pandemic traffic only 1 hour instead of 1.5).
At least Rizza are good, competent warranty, recall and service work, they have alfa loaners, nice people. If you live in south suburbs of Chicago look no further.
I probably pass 5 BMW dealers on the journey there though.

Current situation is acceptable but marginal, Alfa must work to retain and ideally expand its dealer base.

 

[Chipshot]

FCA management lease their cars through the company and have them serviced at a company facility, so few get to "enjoy" the dealer experience as retail customers do.