Hi everyone,

I'm a new member.  I am looking at buying my first Alfa, a 159 auto 1.9 Diesel.  I have looked at a number of cars and the 159 is stylish, practical, solid and potentially very economical.  From what I have gleaned from this forum is that quality and reliability are spot on these days too.

I have owned a Subaru Liberty for 3 years and it has been a disappointment, tin-foil thin sheet metal, high fuel consumption and a surprising number of quality control issues.

If any forum member has one of these with an auto transmission, I'd be interested in the car's real-world city fuel consumption.  Also, does the diesel use a timing chain like the 2.2 petrol?

Many thanks!