My Alfa Romeo Brera is NOT a pup!

For the last month I've been panicked that the Brera I bought is a disaster zone. Finally, I took it to Torque Automotive for a full going over and here are the results!
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[@joannaatkins822]

All those "Turn to Camera" moves are straight out of early 2000s BBC, I love it

[@julianevans9548]

Dominic Raab ruined it for us all, though.

[@Mandrak789]

Still one of the best looking coupes.

[@sambo7499]

And one of the most unreliable ones!

[@TekAutomatica]

939 chassis was destined for Saab under GM management but ended up as quite a heavy Alfa. However the 159, Brera and Spider are solid cars overall and last in the series much lighter. Diesel improved with 2.0 jtdm over predecessor. 1750tbi rarer and not that efficient but most Alfa of the engines. Alloy block version in 4C.

[@thomastalks3841]

Agreed! My friend owns an Alfa Romeo Brera S by prodrive. (1 of 500 in the UK) Here is a link to the video, kzbin.info/www/bejne/pKqVhXmIm8agatk

[@lash9400]

Mandrak789 Agreed. It’s stunning

[@a.b.6233]

@@sambo7499 No it's not!

[@1183newman]

Doing the honourable thing and getting the car fixed before selling it is what i would have done. Can't keep it and i wouldn't be comfortable with selling a potential death trap. Respect for making the right choice.

[@JayEmmOnCars]

+sam newman Thanks!

[@malcolmhardwick4258]

More service history and reciepts !

[@hallquiche]

The Brera is just so incredibly beautiful to behold that anything else regarding reliability or performance doesn't matter. I really want one to shove a Busso V6 in.

[@seanbyrne6641]

I owned a Berra some years ago and absolutely loved it Proper stunner Looking to get another soon

[@23Piccolina]

Had to dig back years, but finally found this review. Terrific looking car.

[@saab900classic6]

The love of Alphas and women. Both will turn your head with their beauty and both can break your heart at some point in the relationship . But oh the joy of those brief moments in between if only just for a short while. Who was it who said" better to have loved than to never have loved at all".

[@sarahwebster8927]

Think yourself lucky! My 159 has just had a complete rebuild! Been in bits for the last 3 months! Nothing to do with it being an Alfa, just poor maintenance & neglect! It now looks and runs like a brand new car! 👍🏻

[@tifthetif6567]

Still? :)

[@tomyg2766]

I LOVED my Brera but it was a shocker in the wet and the drivers seat was a bit hard work on a long journey. That said I love Alfa's and would always get another given half a chance.

[@gosportjamie]

Nice job, a sorted and properly working Brera should be a shoe in for a speedy sale, once the weather gets a bit nicer. Personally I prefer the GT, the Brera looks a bit portly for my taste but it's still a damn nice car if it's a good one. A good reason for the fairly harrowing fuel consumption figures is the need/desire to keep it in a lower gear at higher revs to really make the engine sing. It's not really a car for sensible stuff like MPG, that's why they make diesels, they're much more about smiles per gallon...

[@giddesk]

These more edited videos are much more enjoyable to watch, great work!

[@JayEmmOnCars]

+giddesk I do my best to keep the running time down but it is always a struggle between duration and content

[@ravingmad765]

That shirt: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

[@davidecamuffo3757]

La Brera e bellissima, con ottime sospensioni e telaio, da prendere con il potente tbi mappata ha le prestazioni del V6 e con la turbina maggiorata td04 arriva a 300cv senza perdere il suo tiro a bassi regimi ma guadagnando agli altri regimi...

[@SuperibyP]

I very recently picked up a daily driver Giulietta, but I'm definitely gonna pick up a Brera someday. What a devastatingly beautiful car.

[@jamesward7425]

That shirt deserves a 75 3.0 V6.

[@nicwilson89]

God yes

[@sxrory]

Strong shirt game 😉

[@sparky4878]

Been subscribed for a while now, somehow never seen this. Never knew you had a Brera. Had one a few years back. Never let me down, only costs were usual servicing and consumables. Have to admit not the most dynamic car but the looks and styling leave me missing it. Monte Carlo blue with blue and tobacco interior. As it’s disappeared from the MOT history site, and seen a blue and tobacco interior on eBay with signs of passenger airbag having gone off, I fear it could have been my old car written off and sold for parts.

[@AdAstra78]

Beautiful machine...

[@BojanBojovic]

There is no fault free cars. Nothing wrong with Alfa Romeo.

[@konsta6367]

This video gave me flashbacks of ricing this thing in Nfs: Carbon.

[@malcolmpritchard4882]

Great channel and glad you got the Alfa sorted such a great looking car 👍

[@ctrmint]

Glad the car is much better than first feared, did feel for you in the first video.

[@JayEmmOnCars]

+ctrmint Ha cheers. Partially self inflicted but really glad to know there is a good car in there

[@SayWhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat]

I have OBD2 reader too in my alfa.. I use it to see parameters, air amount, boost pressure... errors is there any. Also YOU CANNOT DELETE ERRORS IF PROBLEM IS NOT FIXED. Error will pop up again the moment you start driving. It clears errors but if problem exists - they will appear again, and again and again...

[@RetroKingOG]

This car is the most beautiful hatchback ever. Wish they had made it in the north american market.

[@gooo1762]

Love the brera. Thanks for the video!

[@itznsdominator3521]

Need for Speed Carbon

[@ltvddvtl]

James, do you ever intend to revisit the Brera to do a proper review on a properly sorted Brera V6 Q4?

[@fiatlux1725]

Alfa's are for people who like to cherish not perish

[@georgehopkins]

I never used to like these, but they've grown on me considerably over the years! Have you sold it yet?

[@JayEmmOnCars]

Yes it's gone

[@georgehopkins]

Fair enough, how much did you get for it if you don't mind me asking, and how was the ownership experience overall? I was thinking one of these may be a viable replacement for my MX5. Looking to replace it with something that isn't a convertible and has either fewer or more than 4 cylinders.

[@tahsin28]

Shut up, u don't need to drive it, just keeping it in garage wud melt me, the best looking hatch in the world it is period.

[@Screamifyoumeanit]

All good...Nice one. Now enjoy it as it is... A GT tour of Wales?

[@bloodreighn]

he will go past everything but the bank and fuel stations ( bank for a loan for the fuel its using)

[@matthouston2622]

She’s a looker though right?

[@JayEmmOnCars]

+Matt Houston Yup

[@woodlandowl]

It's one of those cars you really want to love, but just can't

[@michaelfrancisaustralia3124]

Funny thing .. he wants to change the exhaust to make it sound like an Italian V6 should.. only problem the engine is an Australian produced Holden engine..Go Aussies

[@DavidM-mb1vx]

A real crap box

[@Chefcouchon]

Really want one of these

[@tombonk2932]

Go to Classic Remise in Berlin - AWESOME!

[@DavidM-mb1vx]

I think that V6 is a GM unit

[@drincogni]

The catastrophe scenario are bmw drivers passing incognito and venting there fustration by making things up. Lol

[@MrKeyboardCommando]

Just because a car wags its tail, that doesn't mean it's a dog‼️🐕🐶👍🏼

[@NaNa-wj8tw]

£1000 beckons if you’re lucky for a clutch and new flywheel (both now seem as standard maintenance items) Another telephone number repair for the cam belt and it’s add-ons and just to pile on more woe Alfa introduces 2 newbies- a steering rack fitted at the factory with the wrong fluid and rotting subframe coming in around £500 plus fitting. Anyone who pays more than £2k for a nice low mileage example of either this or a 159 should see a therapist and I’m an Alfisti by the way.

[@sparky4878]

Did the V6 have a belt? I had the 2.2 JTS which had a chain. I believe used the same block as the GM Z22SE. The one Lotus helped develop for GM and ended up in my VX220. The Lotus designed car with a Lotus developed engine and no Lotus badge.

[@celt67]

Maybe throw a bucket of water over it ?

[@Pus1]

You got yourself a new sub :) quality video

[@GOLDDYNACO]

Brera drives best with light engines. Stay away from 6 cyl and diesel!

[@citic101]

GREAT VIDEO ............ THANKS

[@JayEmmOnCars]

+citic101 Thankyou;)

[@dee106ful]

why was it pulling....just wheel alignment or,,,,,,,,,,,

[@jeffallinson8089]

Car pornography. I simply drool over those things.

[@lolakyle8]

Googling problem for your cars is like asking your doctor to perform general checkup to your body :D

[@JayEmmOnCars]

+Serpentina Yup. Google I've got a headache, ten minutes later you have bubonic plague and brain cancer

[@moviebod]

Nice car, but if you are selling it, not everyone wants to buy a (an even mildly) modified car. Why spend the money when someone wants a true to factory spec example? I look forward to seeing what you get next.

[@gosportjamie]

+moviebod An Alfa Romeo fan will probably appreciate the tweaks. It's very rare that you'll see an Alfa owned by a fan that is totally standard, unless it's a show and shine or concours car...

[@JayEmmOnCars]

+moviebod This is not going to be a car that people who want a pristine original example are going to buy

[@Fee.1]

There’s some recent English supercar looking thing, a vauxhall I think? Ever driven one ?

[@JayEmmOnCars]

Are you thinking of the VX220?

[@Fee.1]

JayEmm on Cars that’s it, I’d never heard of it and then saw a video of a drive by and fell in love with the looks, I recall being disappointed by what I found on google about its origins/price/performance/engine maybe but that’s about all I recall of it

[@ukvamp]

VX220 was basically an Elise with a turbo engine, i like them, very quick but they are quite rare now (not all were turbos i should point out too, turbo was the best)

[@Infigo96]

When the title said V8 Lotus elite I was like...whut!?...A V8??...in that little car. It only weighs 500kg that would be amazing. I of course thought of the old 60s type 14...not the new one.

[@JayEmmOnCars]

+Hampus Baaz Haha yeah a V8 in a Type 14 would be crazy

[@Infigo96]

How did my comment land at this alfa video....

[@JayEmmOnCars]

+Hampus Baaz Ghost in the Machine

[@KC2Lucky]

The Brera’s and the 159 are plagued with some really nasty gremlins :( shame as they are so beautiful. Every time I walk past one I always cry. Such beautiful pieces of kit ruined by some really weird electrics and expensive and delicate mechanical parts too.

[@a.b.6233]

Only those who belong to idiots that never service them properly. A friend of mine never changed the oil to his Suzuki and one day the engine gave up. Guess who he blamed.

[@KC2Lucky]

@@a.b.6233 electrical gremlins my guy. Best alfa mechanic in my country told me how horrible they are to work on and how the electricals always go wrong.

[@a.b.6233]

@@KC2Lucky And yet the worst mechanic in my country can easily work on them. I guess you never owned an Alfa.

[@KC2Lucky]

@@a.b.6233 funny joke

[@a.b.6233]

@@KC2Lucky It actually came out just like that, brand new, original material. I think I'll put it in my repertoire.

[@ZxRx7]

With the exception of the one where you foul the e46 M3, I Love your videos and being an Alfa and BMW owner myself, I can sympathize with all you say.

[@mattfazzari5707]

can anyone tell me which engines you can get with the Q4 system (other than the 3.2l) thanks

[@tristanvdj]

As far as I know the 3.2 v6 is the only one with q4

[@oremilic136]

You can get Q4 with 2.4 jtdm, but they are quite rare

[@drifteryr]

Hi

[@boots_n_coots]

What the hell is a Brera? 🤔 Your faithful but baffled American fan, T. Howard

[@JayEmmOnCars]

+T. Howard Do you guys have the Alfa Romeo 159?

[@boots_n_coots]

JayEmm on Cars : No, the last Alfa us poor slobs in the USA got was the 164 sedan in 1995. I don't believe we got any of the FWD cars at all. I remember a long, long dry spell, which only ended quite recently with the current models...

[@MajorKlanga]

It' was a 2+2 coupé version of the 159 saloon, there was also a spider.

[@davidmacdonald1695]

Brera is a posh suburb of Milan

[@Dahoon]

+T. Howard that's because US laws demands the turn signals in the headlights MUST be in the corner so it can be seen from both the front and the side. Well, here's the result.

[@pete3897]

Ha :) 4:08 - Do you really think that's aluminium? I guess the design team did their job well then.

[@Defectedinthehouse89]

It has a layer of brushed aluminium pressed to a resistant layear of plastic. That component, original, not new, costs around 200 gbp

[@entropy5431]

Interesting.

[@diogovieira3362]

Hey Jay, what would be things to look out for in a used diesel brera? Also, is it a good choice for a daily/fun/putsmileonface car?

[@JayEmmOnCars]

Awful daily. Would look elsewhere for a good all rounder

[@diogovieira3362]

@@JayEmmOnCars Aww, such a shame... Thanks for the tip! Keep it up.

[@JayEmmOnCars]

I'm currently selling a Saab which shares platform with the Brera and is a lot more car for the money

[@diogovieira3362]

@@JayEmmOnCars but it does lack the obvious, doesn't it? It's probably fantastic, but it just isn't that good looking Brera that probably breaks adult knees in the back... Hey, like a true mafioso!

[@2702simmo]

Bummer I’d just been thinking of one of these as a daily as I have an Alfa itch

[@2487mpobor]

the wheel in the video are 17inch?

[@JayEmmOnCars]

18 I think

[@ImBarryScottCSS]

So the misfire was? Plugs?

[@JayEmmOnCars]

+ImBarryScottCSS Basically, yep

[@nevetsreyd4688]

Last vid it was a piece of junk. This vid it’s a really really good car!! Stinks like you’re trying to increase your chances of selling it on. You should sell used cars for a living.

[@JayEmmOnCars]

+Sarah Jones Lol, it is not a perfect car but evidently was nowhere near as bad as I feared. It still has a couple of bits to sort, but I am trying to do the honourable thing with getting it sorted

[@grahamfarleck6377]

I never look on forum sites on google they always talk shit especially fiat sites.

[@fabrynascar1188]

Fantastic car Alfa Brera 😍

[@hieronymus..bosch8532]

This is my dream hot hatch but I can't figure a safe way to import one to Canada, so i settled for a volvo c30R

[@ltvddvtl]

Except it is not a hot hatch. ;)

[@hieronymus..bosch8532]

@@ltvddvtl 😪ya kinda

[@ltvddvtl]

@@hieronymus..bosch8532 It's a could through and true. ;)

[@hieronymus..bosch8532]

Whats one go for £ ?

[@unknowntm1724]

You can buy a rough one in the UK for a couple of grand, but for a nice example in a desirable specification you’d probably want to spend at least 5k, up to about 10k at the top of the market. They are exceptionally beautiful machines, but even in their sportiest guises they are somewhat underwhelming in terms of speed thanks to a curb weight in excess of 1500kg. And there’s the famed reliability issues. (window regulators, poor radio reception, rear light clusters susceptible to fogging, alarms that like to test themselves at random etc)

[@unknowntm1724]

I would personally go for the 2.4 JTDm engine as it not only makes great power, especially after a remap, but it is a fairly reliable and economical unit too.

[@marquise9b]

Lesson one get a PPI first before buying a car. He rest is drama.

[@STEKiE]

Biggest mistake people make with twin spark engines are fitting the wrong spark plugs...

[@JayEmmOnCars]

+Be Kap It's not a Twin Spark though

[@dolguldur4706]

I buy this car,and put LS in it...problem solved

[@ThatGamerGuyNL]

the front of this car looks sooo good, but the back end looks fat and bulky

[@Dahoon]

Then get the 159 or Spider.

[@Jake-st2qj]

ThatGamerGuyNL The fat back makes it look better just like the Supra.

[@colmfarrel4742]

Why are you selling it?

[@JayEmmOnCars]

+Colm Farrel I need something a little more practical for a daily

[@colmfarrel4742]

JayEmm on Cars have you got a replacement in mind yet or have you not considered that yet?

[@JayEmmOnCars]

+Colm Farrel I know what I want

[@colmfarrel4742]

JayEmm on Cars good to know! 😊

[@TekAutomatica]

Obd reader can't clear major faults

[@fredsalfa]

Never really a fan of the Brera. Hopefully the end of the fwd era for Alfa

[@vladimirart758]

Not 1oo% true

[@seanoriley8784]

A cam chain change on the v6 will bankrupt you. Terrible engines. Holden block.

[@jamesspeytebroodt7237]

is that a holden yeah?

[@mickadatwist1620]

"pup"…? that's a small dog. This car isn't a small dog...logically

[@Dockhead]

i think anyone could tell you dont bother risking money on a alfa

[@Dahoon]

Anyone stuck in the past, yes. This was made by the former chief of BMW M and is at least as reliable as the average car.

[@timhancock6626]

I've owned five Alfas. Two new, two second hand runners and one I rebuilt ( with help ). Do you know something.....they were all nice reliable cars and I must have covered not far off 400,000 miles in them in total. If you maintain an Alfa Romeo properly they are no problem and a great pleasure to drive. I don't have one now, but they are the only cars I miss.

[@keyboarddancers7751]

Achingly pretty basic GT car with (by all accounts) slightly weak engine.

[@kalvarsaad]

Ugly rims

[@jqassam]

Should be at least 18" or 19". Prodrive design if possible.

[@benpowell4668]

Italian cars look good, but are absolute junk, unreliable thrash