Alfa Romeo Stelvio Can Become an Endless Money Pit, Says Known Auto Mechanic

Although Alfa Romeo introduced the brand-new Tonale (also known as the Dodge Hornet) with a distinct exterior design and fresh interior, the Stelvio kept the same clothes as last year. It's even weirder when you learn that Europeans have access to the redesigned version. But alas, the auto industry's decisions don't always make sense to journalists or customers.

While the looks may have remained unchanged for the 2023 model year, the price did not. The MSRP of a Stelvio in the US starts at $46,575 for a rear-wheel-drive Sprint trim unit, while a nearly similar but better-looking 2024 model-year example with front-wheel drive is cheaper - $44,775.

But the unit used as an example by the mechanic-turned-YouTuber Scotty Kilmer isn't brand new. This Stelvio was bought used for around $29,000 from Texas and now lives its life in New Jersey.

The man praises the ZF eight-speed gearbox that's found in these crossover SUVs but doesn't spare any moment and returns to criticizing its weak points. Kilmer says the V6 engine found on high-performance variants of the Stelvio (mainly the Quadrifoglio) is terrible and "falls apart." However, he argues that the four-cylinder powerplant is the one to go for on pre-2024 Stelvios.

But the mechanic says owners and prospective buyers should only plan on driving this Alfa Romeo occasionally, even when the smaller turbocharged engine is found under the hood. He believes driving it more than 30,000 miles (48,280 kilometers) per year would result in "endless money pit bills."

In support of his claim, Kilmer gives as an example the owner's challenge regarding the replacement of a headlight unit. Despite him saying that the engine "certainly would fail" when the Stelvio is driven for more than 30,000 mi a year, he chose to underline that changing this specific part is expensive. More precisely, it cost $2,300.

In traditional Scotty Kilmer fashion, the mechanic may have missed that Alfa Romeo scored higher than Honda in a What Car? reliability report from last year, coming in fifth place overall. Consumer Reports was unable to rank Alfa Romeo because of insufficient data. The brand sold around 13,000 vehicles in the US last year, representing a 30% downfall from the 2021 sales results.

The mechanic recommends that interested parties consider buying an extended warranty when they get a used Stelvio because parts and service labor might quickly become a headache. This owner purchased the necessary fluids and parts from an authorized dealer and paid nearly $900 for them, which Kilmer considers to be an expensive acquisition. He also points out that few technicians know how to work on Alfa Romeos, even though the Italian brand is part of the Stellantis group.

Finally, the well-known technician goes beyond the internal combustion engine-powered Alfa Romeos and claims he wouldn't buy any all-electric vehicle made by Italians because the electric systems are "their downfall, and if they're completely electrical… Pooh hooh!"

Knowing all this, would you still buy an Alfa Romeo Stelvio? Let us know in the comment section below. We'd love to hear your take!