I've unfortunately written off my Alfa 159 2.4, and need to find a new car. With kids space was always tight in the Alfa, and I've always fancied a 4x4. The reviews are pretty positive about the car.

Any one had one of these? I'm thinking about a 2.4 183bhp diesel maybe a 2006 model. This won't be for driving pleasure but for carting kids around and traveling down to my folks. Still got the Coop for thrills

Very practical car for the family, especially if you have 3 children! I have had two now and the engines are very reliable, things to check for:

- 4WD working (common problem for the angle gear splines to wear giving no RWD)

- water sloshing underneath or signs of wet carpets. This is due to sunroof drains getting blocked, easy fix.

- electrics working, such as sunroof, rear parking sensors etc.

- dash clocks, these commonly fail, but permananent fix is available.

They are a very comfortable and well specced , good enough performance and mpg (I remapped mine and the gains are very good). Really nothing bad against them, hence why so popular the world over.

Thanks for that Flea, very useful information When test driving the car how can I check to make sure the 4WD is working? Also did you have the Diesel 163bhp version? Should I go for the 185bhp one? I've found a very good 163 version, but not sure - only because its the 163! Can that be remapped well? I take it you remapped it yourself?

Thanks

Well it was easy for me to test the 4WD because I have a dyno! However, for you the best way is to put the front wheels on something slippy e.g. wet grass or mud, and then hit the loud pedal. The fronts will spin, but the rears will suddenly kick in (Haldex 4WD) and move you along!

I have had two 163bhp versions, and yes I remapped them both myself with the current one a little over 200bhp. It's really all about the extra low down/mid-range torque that get's used, rare to rev it beyond 3000rpm.

We tried one and even my wife found it dull. I've found it slow - even towing my race car, my Merc is at least as quick. Do you need 4x4?

I have a Grand Cherokee V8 4.7L with Quadradrive (2001). If you want power and power to pull like you are pulling nothing I recommend these. I have had no problems with it (my wife drives it and I drive it when home). All I have done is service it twice (£220 and £190 respectively, including plug change each time) over the past year (being cautious as I want to make sure there are no problems when I am away) and replaced the power steering pipe (from top of engine to bottom) as it was weaping a little - see the driveway on the photo.

It is an effortless cruiser, it goes like a rocket if you push on the loud pedal or is a fantastic cruiser on the motorway.

V8 power and torque is incredible, pulling away is like you are no even going above idle and its so quiet, the feel of power is also nice and reassuring. Easy to drive too as its auto.

The quadradrive is a fantastic system, it will drive on one wheel if it needs to. Being a Jeep, they are made for huge mileages - the states is big!

I went to Blackpool (well, near Blackpool) this past week and at 70 mph it was on 1500 rpm and I made it there using just over a quarter of a tank (from Worcester). Although, sometimes I was doing 60 as we wanted a lazy quiet cruise with no effort, and that's what I got.

It was extremely comfortable. I loved it actually.

Cheap enough (around £3000.00), mine has 68000 miles on it. At this price you can't go wrong. Of course it will eat fuel if you cane it, but, it has never bothered us.

Left field choice, but well worth it.... read some reviews!