[Old Timer]

I'm a three-time Alfa owner in Sydney and after time away with a Ford XR6 and a Holden Statesman, I'm getting ready to buy #4. My big problem is the quality of the air conditioning. The Alfa people say it's terrific, but I've also heard murmurings from a few owners too. Frankly, over about ten years of alfa ownership, the aircon was not the equal of either the Ford or the (just out of date) Statesman; In city traffic in summer with the heat at 30+ degrees, you need heaps of cool air so you can talk on the phone while you inch along. Traffic in this city mostly means being stopped or doing less than 20 km/h. The aircon has to work. Has anyone any experience of this in real life?

I'm an old Timer; I was a timer at Bathurst when Alfa was strutting its stuff

 

[AndrewO]

Hi old timer,

I've had a 164 and never had a problem with it. Not really powerful but I don't like it freezing anyway. Also had a 147 and it was fantastic. Set the temperature and just forget about it.

They won't be as strong as the local stuff but for all but a day or two they don't struggle. Modern cars are built for the world market so the days of a gentle cool breeze made for the alps are long gone.

Enjoy the forums.

 

[Old Timer]

Thanks, AndrewO; as before, getting in and out of the car in hot city wx whilst wearing a suit has made me love my Falcon/Holden aircon; it sure uses fuel, but I'm sure cool. I'd love to hear how this works for others. The Breria and the GT are sure saying 'hello sailor' to me.

 

[AndrewO]

Hi again,

I can't speak for the new cars. Maybe ask the question in the new production section of the forums. One thing I really liked about the 147 (and you should find out if it still continues on the new ones) is that when you held in the button to unlock the doors all of the windows and the sunroof opened. They all also closed when you held in the lock button on the key fob in case you forgot to close a window.

On those really hot days when the car had no choice but to sit in the sun I would just wait in the shade and press a button, all the windows opened to let the hot air out. When it was bearable enough to put my arm in the open window I'd turn the ignition and wait a few minutes before I got in. I had a factory Alfa alarm fitted so this might have been part of that system but it was great, also on "fun" days when the weather was great - press one button and the car was ready for a balst in the hills.

 

[Old Timer]

Thanks, AndrewO; this morning I bailed up a new GTV owner in my car park. He said his V6 gave out a blast of cold air and the he was like me - doubtful about buying another Alfa because of the need to have proper a/c in slow-stop Sydney traffic, but he's happy with it save for it hopping about in the rear on dirt roads. I appreciate your comment about the A147; it's a smart city car and the benefit you say about auto lock/unlock sounds good.

 

[capricorn01]

Our 156 2.0 JTS's air con was a bit ordinary. It never cooled the car after it has been sitting in the sun all day. The problem is air volume. Typically Italian design: great looking air vents, but too physically small in vent size to pump out useable cold air.

However, our new 159 3.2 is the best air con I've felt in any Alfa: Both cold and lotsa volume!

 

[Old Timer]

Thanks, capricorn01. Today's 30 degrees means that you must be doing OK with cool. It makes wearing a suit possible. Talking with one of my friends yesterday who has succumbed to a new Commodore SS 6ltr V8, his xenophobia forced him to remark that the Alfa V6 is in fact built from an Australian made block by GM-H in Melbourne. Maybe they've shipped a few pointers about aircon to Italy too. It looks like Alfa is entering the picture for a serious city/country driver.