Old and New as the title says. Well, with a 2011 reg, obviously the Giulietta is new, in fact this photo was taken the day after I picked her up. But can you tell what the old refers to? It could be the rock to the right of the car, as according to the owner of Roughgrange Farm B&B where these photos were taken, the rock is millions of years old and is naturally rounded like that. Apparently, it first started out as the remains of a fossil and over the millenia, layers of sedimentary rock wrapped around it leaving what is seen today.
But that’s not what I’m talking about. Look a bit closer in this photo and see can you spot the reference. How about now? It is of course Newgrange. At over 5,000 years old, it might not be as old as the rock, but definitely more impressive looking. The Neolithic farmers who built it certainly had good taste, I think the finish is Ghiaccio White, just like my Julie…
Many thanks to Mr. McDonnell for allowing me take the photos from his fantastic property and the impromptu history lesson! If anyone is looking for accommodation in the Boyne Valley, definitely check out Roughgrange Farm.
The Giulietta is one of those cars that you just want to drive. I’ll take any excuse for a spin, which is how I unexpectedly ended up in the Boyne Valley that day. It’s very comfortable and capable on Irish roads and the Lusso spec makes it a great environment to spend time in. Anyone looking to buy a car in this segment and not considering the Giulietta, does so at their own loss. Alfa has a proper class contender
So, it’s old news to most people at this stage that we eight Real People contestants received new Giuliettas during a very memorable evening at Alfa Romeo HQ. I have to admit, it was with a heavy heart that I handed the keys to Julie over. I didn’t realize how attached I’d become until I saw her being taken away. However, settling into Julie2 soon made up for it. Not only did Alfa give us brand new cars in the colours of our choice (I went for Ghiaccio White – not surprisingly – my last post), but we got upgraded models, in Lusso specification. Fantastico!
The original Giuliettas we drove home in over four months ago, were entry level Turismo specs. While they weren’t low on equipment, they were lacking a couple of desirable features, BlueTooth and USB connectivity in particular. Not only does the Lusso specification address this, it offers even more bells and whistles to enhance your Giulietta ownership.
What I most like about the Lusso is the Blue&Me system. It’s a fully integrated BlueTooth system for your phone which can be controlled via steering wheel buttons, the Sat-Nav unit or even voice control. The voice control takes a bit of getting used to, but once I figured out the tone of voice to use, it’s one of the handiest features I’ve come across in a car.
Say for example I’m driving from Limerick to Cork and need to call home, I press the voice control button on the steering wheel, say “Call Home” in a clear and slow manner and the system will repeat it to verify it’s correct. I then say “Yes” and it dials home. You don’t have to take your hands off the wheel at any stage and it is pretty intuitive after a few goes.
The other gem of this system is that it will control your media player if you have one attached. I have an old iPod with a dodgy earphone connector that doesn’t really get used anymore. So, I now have it connected via USB in the glovebox and have a full library of songs for driving. The Blue&Me system lets me browse Playlists, Artists or Settings simply by calling out three commands, once again without having to take my hands off the wheel.
I do a lot of mileage on a weekly basis, so this system has transformed my time in the car. When driving Julie1, I often had to pull in for phone calls, which wasn’t always possible on some of the dodgy roads I travel on. As I work for myself, I need to be contactable during the day, and when driving, this often wasn’t the case. Now, with Julie2, I can take and make calls on the road safely and comfortably. And as a music nut, having the ability to plug in my iPod is a really nice bonus.
What I’ve also found useful over the past 12 days, are the Cruise and Climate Control. Having already made two trips from Mitchelstown to Dublin and trips to Cork, Limerick and Wicklow, the Cruise has been a godsend on the motorway. No need to watch the speedometer to see if you’re creeping over the limit, just set it and sit out the boring part of the journey. The Climate Control is also a fine feature, I’ve found 18 degrees with the fan set at 1 to be the optimum setting! It keeps the interior at a nice steady temperature and is simple to use.
There are many more cool touches and features which distinguish the Lusso from the Turismo, which I’ll detail in future posts. Thanks for reading!
I posted a Poll on the blog a while back to see which colours people preferred the Giulietta in. Results are in and may be controversial. Drum roll please…
Out of a whopping 16 votes, in joint last place, we have
Alfa Silver,
Antracite Grey
and Etna Black.
I’m surprised that Antracite Grey and Etna Black didn’t get more votes as they both look great in the flesh. Etna Black has a slightly red metal flake running through it which gives it a cool tint in the sun. Alfa Silver, I’m not surprised by as it is the least dramatic colour of the bunch. However, after having a Giulietta in this colour for four months, I have to say it really grew on me. It highlighted the curves and creases on the bodywork and best of all, was simple to keep clean, it really hid the dirt well.
In second place with 24% of the vote is
Ghiaccio White
Ghiaccio White was the colour I voted for and the one I thought would come out tops. I’ve never been a fan of white cars but think the Giulietta looks fantastically modern in it.
And out front by a long way is
Alfa Red
Alfa Red, well it’s said that all Ferraris and Alfas should be red and maybe there’s something in that judging by the way the votes went.
You can see the results here
Thanks to everyone who voted and if anyone else would like to cast their vote, I’ll leave the poll up a bit longer for those that didn’t realise it was there. If you’d like to vote, go to any of my blog entries and you’ll find it down the right hand side of the page (see below).
Monday was the final day of the trip and the long hours on the road seemed to have taken their toll, as everyone was tired and disjointed that morning (nothing to do with the beer the night before, honest…). So, the pre-arranged start time was delayed for a couple of hours. The plan was to head directly to Youghal, Co. Cork as the Cork City Marathon was on, meaning the city was off limits to cars.
As one of the Alfa Romeo staff reminded me lately, patience is a virtue, and one that at times I perhaps lack. Instead of waiting around in the hotel lobby, JT2 and I decided to make a break for Youghal by-the-sea ahead of the pack, as my good friend Tony Buckets lives there and could recommend somewhere good to go for lunch. If it wasn’t for Tony and his magic Mac, I wouldn’t have gotten to drive the Giulietta for the year, thanks to his help with my entry video.
So we hit Youghal, parked Julie and went for lunch in Aherne’s Seafood Bar. I had scallops with spinach and bacon in a creamy butter sauce and it was quare tasty, as they say in Tipp, highly recommend it.
As luck would have it, walking back to the car, we spotted the ATWR convoy so took off after them. We crossed the bridge in Co. Waterford and followed them across the county into Co. Wexford. It was somewhere after New Ross that a wrong turn on my part led to us getting separated. Even though everyone had walkie talkies, we became so far out of range that we could barely pick up a signal. So we carried on regardless, up the east coast through Co. Wicklow, before eventually returning to the O2 where we had originally started from.
Back to where it all began
Everyone was there waiting, as my detour meant that we were an hour behind the last car to finish… I thought it said a lot about the spirit of the group of people to hang on for the last car when they were all no doubt wrecked and dying to go home.
The finish line nearly 60 hours after we started - Photo courtesy of Donal Rafftery
All in all, Julie covered 1,823kms from when I left Mitchelstown Friday evening and returned back Tuesday morning. She did not skip a beat all weekend and was supremely comfortable. JT2, who was co-driving, commented on how at the end of each day, he never felt sore or uncomfortable thanks to the supportive seats. The car averaged 5.7 l/100km over some very mixed routes and only required two fills, fantastic fuel economy considering the pace and mixed variety of roads we encountered. The air-con and sound system meant the cabin was an enjoyable environment to be in at all times and the chassis dynamics and DNA system provided thrills and refinement when required.
My overall feeling on the trip? It was a great weekend in a great car with great people for a great cause. Grrreat
So far, we have raised almost €3,000 in aid of Barretstown.If you would like to donate, please head over to http://www.mycharity.ie/event/allthewayround2011/ and click the “sponsor me now” button, any amount no matter how big or small is very welcome and much appreciated.
I have more pics uploaded from the trip on my Giulietta FaceBook page. If you want to take a look, just visit http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jonathans-Giulietta-Page/112028355541267 Thanks for reading!
An early morning rise in Bundoran to heavy rain and dark clouds meant we didn’t hang about too long. The convoy hit the road and headed south. Upon arrival in Sligo town, we made our way to the Sligo Community Centre, where a very kind Boards.ie member had laid on a slap-up feed for us. Many thanks TequilaMockingBird!
Courtesy of Tallon
Co. Mayo next, passing through Ballina, Castlebar and Westport on the N59 which eventually brought us to Leenaun, the setting for The Field, on the shore of Killary fjord. I had been to that area previously by bus, but driving it was a completely different experience. You’re surrounded by amazing scenery on both sides and the roads are (mostly) well-surfaced and winding. From Westport to Clifden, I had Dynamic mode engaged, and the Giulietta soaked it all up with ease.
Leaving Galway, we entered Clare and headed directly to the Burren in search of Father Ted’s house. After a couple of U-Turns, we made it and, thanks to the owners, lined up our cars in front of what is surely the most recognisable house in Ireland.
Final stretch of road for the day was to make our way to the Strand Hotel in Limerick where we’d kip for the night after another long, but very enjoyable day on the road which highlighted the beauty of the West and the Giulietta’s ability to mix it with the rough and the smooth.
If you want to put your hand in your pocket and donate, just head over to http://www.mycharity.ie/event/allthewayround2011/ and click the “sponsor me now” button, any amount no matter how big or small is welcome.
So, it’s two weeks since Julie, JT2 and I completed the All The Way Round charity drive and the dust has well and truly settled. It was a fantastic weekend in aid of a worthy charity and I would recommend anyone interested, to get on board next year. We are still fundraising, so if anyone would like to donate to the Barretstown fund, it would be much appreciated and can be done online here. Any amount from a euro upwards can be gifted and only takes a couple of minutes to do if you have a Debit or Credit card.
So this day two weeks ago in the early hours of the morning, we all met outside the O2, many for the first time, had our quick introductions, applied the ATWR decals and hit the road North-bound.
Photo courtesy of Donal Rafftery
After a good few hours driving and with counties Dublin, Meath, Louth, Armagh and Down safely dispatched, we ended up on the Antrim Coast Rd, a fantastic driving route that winds along the base of the cliffs, adjacent to the sea. A perfect road to have Dynamic engaged and Julie ate up the miles with ease.
Courtesy of Donal Rafftery
Courtesy of Donal Rafftery
After a brief, scenic detour (got lost), the convoy met up at Ballycastle, a nice wee harbour town. If you’re ever up that direction, I highly recommend the Jumbo Cod from the small chipper beside the harbour, it alone was worth the trek up North.
Once we had all regrouped, we hit the road again, leaving the fantastic scenery of Co. Antrim for a quick blat through Co. Derry. Only one pit-stop was made in Derry and that was for some to take advantage of the cheap beer in the offie!
Next up, Co. Donegal where once again we found some great driving roads as we made our way to Bundoran, our refuge for the night.
And if you’d to put your hand in your pocket and donate, helping Barretstown, just head over to http://www.mycharity.ie/event/allthewayround2011/ and click the “sponsor me now” button, any amount no matter how big or small is welcome.
Here’s hoping that last week’s minor interruption won’t repeat itself anytime soon as a major road-trip is planned for the June Bank Holiday weekend. As part of a convoy of about 20 other cars, Julie, my mate JT2 and I, will be driving around Ireland to raise money for Barrettstown in a sponsorship drive named All The Way Round. Ballyhoura Country, home to Ireland’s best Mountain Biking facilities, have very kindly agreed to sponsor my entry with all their donated money going directly to Barrettstown.
Barrettstown, for anyone unfamiliar is “a specially-designed camp that providesTherapeutic Recreation programmes for children with serious illnesses, and their families. It was founded by Hollywood actor Paul Newman in 1994 and modelled on his renownedHole in the Wall Gang Camp in Connecticut, USA. Excellent, unobtrusive medical supervision helps children with cancer and other diseases forget illness, learn to have fun and rebuild their confidence and self-esteem.”
Here’s some more info on ATWR if you’d like to know more and/or donate.
ALL THE WAY ROUND
What happens when a group of motoring enthusiasts get together on the internet? They drive around the coastline of Ireland raising money for charity. During the three day event last year, 13 brave souls took to the Irish roads covering 1300km in 9 cars. Nearly 7,000 Euro was raised in aid of Barretstown.
‘This year we hope to raise much more than that!’ says Donal Rafferty one of the organisers of the charity event. ‘Our target this year is 10,000 euro.’
The three day event starts this year in Dublin, Day one is Dublin to Donegal town via the north-east coast and across the northern roads of Northern Ireland.
Day two is Donegal town to Limerick taking in the west of the country as far as Clifden.
Day three then concludes with a trip from Limerick down to Cork and then back to the finish line in Dublin.
If you want to put your hand in your pocket and donate, just head over tohttp://www.mycharity.ie/event/allthewayround2011/ and click the “sponsor me now” button, any amount no matter how big or small is welcome.
I’m hoping to blog and tweet over the 1,300+ kilometers so if you’d like to follow our progress, keep an eye on this page, Jonathan’s Giulietta Page and my Twitter feed @AutoMyMind.
The past week has seen trips to Kilbeggan in Westmeath for an American Car and Vintage Show and Blarney, Cork for the BMW-Driver.net meet which was also attended by some of the guys from AlfaOwners.com. At the show in Kilbeggan, Alfa Romeo was represented by Gerry and his splendid ‘Sud whilst at the Blarney event, four of the Alfa heads showed up.
Mysterio's 156 and Me Julie (photo courtesy of Mysterio)
Dermo's 166 and Damo's 156
Even though it was mostly a BMW event, the Giulietta got her fair share of attention attracting many questions and compliments from some devoted Beemer fans. Despite being amongst some very impressive (and expensive) machinery, quite a few photos of Julie were taken so keep an eye out for that distinctive silver Alfa snout popping up on the web.
On Tuesday evening however, she wasn’t looking her best. At a friend’s house, one of our mates, Cav, called over and asked what was wrong with the car. The same guy is a bit of a joker so I thought he was just trying to get a rise out of me. “One of the front tyres is punctured” he said, I didn’t believe him as I’d only come back from the shop less than 20 minutes before he arrived. Unfortunately he wasn’t messing, the front left tyre was as flat as a flounder which meant a wheel change was in order.
Out with the spare, wheelnuts loosened, time to start jacking up the car. I don’t know if it’s a design flaw or I wasn’t doing it correctly but the supplied jack was tricky to use, being slow to initially raise the car. So, Al stepped in to give it a shot since I seemed to be making hard work of it, but he found it just as tricky as I had. In any case, it did the job and we removed the offending wheel, replacing it with the not-so-attractive-spare which you can see me modelling below… Most modern cars now carry these space-savers to reduce weight in the rear of the car and increase boot space. They’re a good idea but look rotten so a visit to the tyre-centre first thing in the morning was on the cards.
At 08:30 the next day, I dropped it off at Daly’s Cross Service Station (Limerick) as they have a tyre bay and helpfully open early and close late. After work that evening I called back to collect it, apparently a nail had worked its way into the tyre so a repair was done on it, only costing €7. Good service from the guys there and a reasonable price.
