Alfa GT 1.9JTD.. as good as it sounds?

My basic question is: should my next car be a GT 1.9JTD? :-)

I've driven Alfa's all my life. My current car is an Audi TT though..
(I can hear you all think that's just a souped up Golf and nonsense
like that..) Prejudices aside: the TT is a joy to drive and I'm truly
enjoying it. But there's something I miss in it, which all my previous
Alfas did have: razorsharp steering. The TT has a bit of a dead-zone
in the steering mechanism which is annoying at speeds over 120 km/h...

So now I'm looking at Alfa again for my next car.. and the GT looks
like it's a beauty on wheels. Strangely enough most reviewers seem
to prefer the JTD version over any of the JTS engines or even the V6..
what's the deal with that?

Have any of you driven the JTD.. is it really as good and as fun
to drive as they say it is?

Cheers!

The JTD is definitely a better drive than the JTS version and its got more
torque than the V6. All the power is in the low revs where you need it and
so overtaking and cornering is joyful. It holds the road really well
particularly with the optional 17" alloys although the ride can be a little
bumpy. (it's no Audi in this respect!)

To be honest as far as looks go the TT is a great design that has become
tired by the fact that every hairdresser and estate-agent in the land seems
to own one. In this respect the Alfa GT is much cooler and, for now at
least, much more individual.

I would really recommend you test drive it, then you can judge for yourself.

"Bram" > wrote in message
om...
> My basic question is: should my next car be a GT 1.9JTD? :-)
>
> I've driven Alfa's all my life. My current car is an Audi TT though..
> (I can hear you all think that's just a souped up Golf and nonsense
> like that..) Prejudices aside: the TT is a joy to drive and I'm truly
> enjoying it. But there's something I miss in it, which all my previous
> Alfas did have: razorsharp steering. The TT has a bit of a dead-zone
> in the steering mechanism which is annoying at speeds over 120 km/h...
>
> So now I'm looking at Alfa again for my next car.. and the GT looks
> like it's a beauty on wheels. Strangely enough most reviewers seem
> to prefer the JTD version over any of the JTS engines or even the V6..
> what's the deal with that?
>
> Have any of you driven the JTD.. is it really as good and as fun
> to drive as they say it is?
>
> Cheers!

Bram wrote:
> My basic question is: should my next car be a GT 1.9JTD? :-)
>
> I've driven Alfa's all my life. My current car is an Audi TT though..
> (I can hear you all think that's just a souped up Golf and nonsense
> like that..) Prejudices aside: the TT is a joy to drive and I'm truly
> enjoying it. But there's something I miss in it, which all my previous
> Alfas did have: razorsharp steering. The TT has a bit of a dead-zone
> in the steering mechanism which is annoying at speeds over 120 km/h...
>
> So now I'm looking at Alfa again for my next car.. and the GT looks
> like it's a beauty on wheels. Strangely enough most reviewers seem
> to prefer the JTD version over any of the JTS engines or even the V6..
> what's the deal with that?
>
> Have any of you driven the JTD.. is it really as good and as fun
> to drive as they say it is?
>
> Cheers!

I have a 1.9JTD 156 Sportswagon with 17" alloys, and I have to say it's
fantastic! It's the first Alfa I've bought that I've no complaints with
- everything works! aircon, the fuel guage, the alarm etc. No annoying
dashboard noises either! On top of all that, Monza Sport can chip them
up to 170bhp. I've done 5k in mine so far, and have had decent fuel
economy out of it. Certainly doesn't feel like a diesel either.

I dumped a Merc 320SLK for it and I have to say it was a great decision.

The only problem is the price. I originally wanted a 1.9JTD GT, however
I couldn't get a discount anywhere on the list price. I've been stung
before on Alfas with depreciation, so I ended up going for a fully
loaded Sportswagon which was pre-registered and thus was going for a
good 5 grand under the list price.

"Bram" > schreef in bericht
om...
> My basic question is: should my next car be a GT 1.9JTD? :-)
> is it really as good and as fun to drive as they say it is?
>

YES!!!!
--
Ciao from Holland
AlfistaGJ (Gert-Jan)
Alfa red 156 SW 1.8 Madeno tuned (2000) (soon: GT 2.0JTS)
Golden Montreal 1428700 (1973/4)

"Bram" > wrote in message
om...
> My basic question is: should my next car be a GT 1.9JTD? :-)
>
> I've driven Alfa's all my life. My current car is an Audi TT though..
> (I can hear you all think that's just a souped up Golf and nonsense
> like that..) Prejudices aside: the TT is a joy to drive and I'm truly
> enjoying it. But there's something I miss in it, which all my previous
> Alfas did have: razorsharp steering. The TT has a bit of a dead-zone
> in the steering mechanism which is annoying at speeds over 120 km/h...
>
> So now I'm looking at Alfa again for my next car.. and the GT looks
> like it's a beauty on wheels. Strangely enough most reviewers seem
> to prefer the JTD version over any of the JTS engines or even the V6..
> what's the deal with that?
>
> Have any of you driven the JTD.. is it really as good and as fun
> to drive as they say it is?
>
> Cheers!

I test drove the 2.0 JTS and the 1.9 JTD - and bought the 1.9 JTD!

To be honest, it's a bit of a no-brainer, the JTD is cheaper to buy, run and
insure, handles just as well as the rest of the range (brilliantly) and has
loads of torque (more than the 3.2 V6!) with a fantastic surge of power
above 2000rpm.

The build quality is very good, with no annoying rattles from the trim
(apart from one around the rear parcel shelf which I am determined to find
and silence!).

The only minor criticisms I could make are that it's a bit flat below 2000
rpm and, although the suspension absorbs bumps well, smaller irregularities
tend to get transmitted into the cabin through the firm suspension.

You MUST test drive the JTS and JTD for yourself though. Some drivers love
engines with loads of revs and may not like the JTD. Others (like myself)
enjoy engines with loads of "low down grunt" and prefer the diesel - it's
horses for courses really!

Whatever you decide - hope you're happy with your choice!

I am not as sure as you about the 1.9JTD 150. As I said in my preceding
message " Alfa test drive day ", the noise of the engine is very typified
diesel, a little too for a car of this style. The engine 2.4 JTD 16V 175 HP on
the other hand is a truth and pure happiness, very powerful, with much more
torque than the 1.9 (40m.kg) and a sound typified more pleasant sport. For me
the ALfa GT should be sold with the 2.4JTD and not the 1.9. Does somebody know
if Alfa plans to do it? And by the way, yes, i prefer the 1.9JTD than the
2.0JTS for the torque but the silence in the JTS is much appreciable on
highway.
Bruno.
2001' 156 1.6TS

"Alfistagj" > wrote:

> > My basic question is: should my next car be a GT 1.9JTD? :-)
> > is it really as good and as fun to drive as they say it is?
>
> YES!!!!

I'll take that as a yes

Sorry to be picky, but you can't say that there is a flat-spot below
2000rpm - you can't expect any drive below that as the turbo is probably not
spinning fast enough!


"Grahame" > wrote in message
...
> "Bram" > wrote in message
> om...
> > My basic question is: should my next car be a GT 1.9JTD? :-)
> >

>
> The only minor criticisms I could make are that it's a bit flat below 2000
> rpm and, although the suspension absorbs bumps well, smaller
irregularities
> tend to get transmitted into the cabin through the firm suspension.
>
>

I have a GT JTD for 3 weeks and 4000+ kilometers.

I haven't driven the JTS.

The JTD is a great car, with lots of torque. Very fast.

The car is very silent on the motorway, in 6th gear.

The car has one downfall, that's the noise from wind. You can turn up the
stereo (the bose system is great!), but test this also. I don't care much
about this "feature", but some drivers go nuts about this.


"Bram" > schreef in bericht
om...
> My basic question is: should my next car be a GT 1.9JTD? :-)
>
> I've driven Alfa's all my life. My current car is an Audi TT though..
> (I can hear you all think that's just a souped up Golf and nonsense
> like that..) Prejudices aside: the TT is a joy to drive and I'm truly
> enjoying it. But there's something I miss in it, which all my previous
> Alfas did have: razorsharp steering. The TT has a bit of a dead-zone
> in the steering mechanism which is annoying at speeds over 120 km/h...
>
> So now I'm looking at Alfa again for my next car.. and the GT looks
> like it's a beauty on wheels. Strangely enough most reviewers seem
> to prefer the JTD version over any of the JTS engines or even the V6..
> what's the deal with that?
>
> Have any of you driven the JTD.. is it really as good and as fun
> to drive as they say it is?
>
> Cheers!

"Richard Fantom" > wrote in message >...
> Sorry to be picky, but you can't say that there is a flat-spot below
> 2000rpm - you can't expect any drive below that as the turbo is probably not
> spinning fast enough!
>
>
> "Grahame" > wrote in message
> ...
> > "Bram" > wrote in message
> > om...
> > > My basic question is: should my next car be a GT 1.9JTD? :-)
> > >
>
> >
> > The only minor criticisms I could make are that it's a bit flat below 2000
> > rpm and, although the suspension absorbs bumps well, smaller
> irregularities
> > tend to get transmitted into the cabin through the firm suspension.
> >

I own a 156 16v JTD and compared to the GT JTD it has more torque
under 2000 rpm. The GT liked to rev more than the 156. Perhaps the
difference between the 140 and 150 bhp motors?