RE: SOTW: Alfa Romeo 156 2.5 V6
Discussion
I bought an Alfa 156 V6 for £850 this time last year and ran it for 9 months.
I absolutely loved it! The engine really is great and worth the money just to experience it.
The car itself was nice with excellent steering and a not bad FWD chassis.
Looks wise I consider the 156 as a really special car and prefer it to the 159.
I would still have this car if it hadn't failed spectacularly on rust at MOT time.
So, my question to other 156 owners (lovers!), do these cars rust or was I just unlucky?
It was really bad and the only reason I sold on.
Special cars and no mistaking, they make more sense than most cars at this price point for a petrol head.
Has to be V6 though in my opinion
.
Duncan
I absolutely loved it! The engine really is great and worth the money just to experience it.
The car itself was nice with excellent steering and a not bad FWD chassis.
Looks wise I consider the 156 as a really special car and prefer it to the 159.
I would still have this car if it hadn't failed spectacularly on rust at MOT time.
So, my question to other 156 owners (lovers!), do these cars rust or was I just unlucky?
It was really bad and the only reason I sold on.
Special cars and no mistaking, they make more sense than most cars at this price point for a petrol head.
Has to be V6 though in my opinion
.Duncan
I had a 156 2.5 V6 Sportwagon before I got my 159. It was a great car but put some money to one side for when the electrics go mental. Remember it's an Alfa so if you don't use one of the gizmos for a week it will stop working.
The engine is fantastic but weighs a ton so the car understeers like a shopping trolley. Oh and it drinks like a fish.
Love these cars.
The engine is fantastic but weighs a ton so the car understeers like a shopping trolley. Oh and it drinks like a fish.
Love these cars.
Edited by jake15919 on Saturday 17th July 10:50
DuncanM said:
I bought an Alfa 156 V6 for £850 this time last year and ran it for 9 months.
I absolutely loved it! The engine really is great and worth the money just to experience it.
The car itself was nice with excellent steering and a not bad FWD chassis.
Looks wise I consider the 156 as a really special car and prefer it to the 159.
I would still have this car if it hadn't failed spectacularly on rust at MOT time.
So, my question to other 156 owners (lovers!), do these cars rust or was I just unlucky?
It was really bad and the only reason I sold on.
Special cars and no mistaking, they make more sense than most cars at this price point for a petrol head.
Has to be V6 though in my opinion.
Duncan
Rusty 156, never heard of that especially to MOT fail level. Certain it hadn't been crash damaged, where was the rust?I absolutely loved it! The engine really is great and worth the money just to experience it.
The car itself was nice with excellent steering and a not bad FWD chassis.
Looks wise I consider the 156 as a really special car and prefer it to the 159.
I would still have this car if it hadn't failed spectacularly on rust at MOT time.
So, my question to other 156 owners (lovers!), do these cars rust or was I just unlucky?
It was really bad and the only reason I sold on.
Special cars and no mistaking, they make more sense than most cars at this price point for a petrol head.
Has to be V6 though in my opinion
.Duncan
tr7v8 said:
DuncanM said:
I bought an Alfa 156 V6 for £850 this time last year and ran it for 9 months.
I absolutely loved it! The engine really is great and worth the money just to experience it.
The car itself was nice with excellent steering and a not bad FWD chassis.
Looks wise I consider the 156 as a really special car and prefer it to the 159.
I would still have this car if it hadn't failed spectacularly on rust at MOT time.
So, my question to other 156 owners (lovers!), do these cars rust or was I just unlucky?
It was really bad and the only reason I sold on.
Special cars and no mistaking, they make more sense than most cars at this price point for a petrol head.
Has to be V6 though in my opinion.
Duncan
Rusty 156, never heard of that especially to MOT fail level. Certain it hadn't been crash damaged, where was the rust?I absolutely loved it! The engine really is great and worth the money just to experience it.
The car itself was nice with excellent steering and a not bad FWD chassis.
Looks wise I consider the 156 as a really special car and prefer it to the 159.
I would still have this car if it hadn't failed spectacularly on rust at MOT time.
So, my question to other 156 owners (lovers!), do these cars rust or was I just unlucky?
It was really bad and the only reason I sold on.
Special cars and no mistaking, they make more sense than most cars at this price point for a petrol head.
Has to be V6 though in my opinion
.Duncan
The rust was very heavy down the sills and front driver's wing.
I must say I bought it on a whim and notice the rust but didn't realise how severe it was.
If you're saying that these cars don't typically rust then I think they are hands down the performance bargain in the SOTW sector
.I'm kinda glad I had lots of fun with mine and sold it on though as I have a fond affection for them rather than what could have been big bills and misery (only bought as a runabout).
Duncan
I own a '02 2.5L V6 Lusso (in Alfa red ) - the one with the slightly changed v6 unit before they went GM. Had it for 2 years and done nearly 20k and i love the car; great engine, fun to drive and comfortable on long trips. The sound as you go from 2,500 to 7,000 and eat up the tarmac is just wonderful. Driven a lot of mid range cars similar to this through work and nothing has made me smile like this one.
However.
I have replaced (apart fom perishables like tyrs, oil etc at regular yearly services):
Clutch
Radiatior
Front anti roll bar
2 rear trailing arms
FR drop link
RL top mount
3 hub bushes
Rear ABS sensor
New aircon hoses
And the clip for the front fuse box trim.
(Should be noted that I suspect most of the suspension replacement is due to the piss poor roads near where I live, some of the potholes get to be 0.3m deep).
It has, however, never mechanically broken down and always starts. They just need the time and money spent on them, and a good independant Alfa garage you can trust. And as for rust: not a spec of it.
) - the one with the slightly changed v6 unit before they went GM. Had it for 2 years and done nearly 20k and i love the car; great engine, fun to drive and comfortable on long trips. The sound as you go from 2,500 to 7,000 and eat up the tarmac is just wonderful. Driven a lot of mid range cars similar to this through work and nothing has made me smile like this one.However.
I have replaced (apart fom perishables like tyrs, oil etc at regular yearly services):
Clutch
Radiatior
Front anti roll bar
2 rear trailing arms
FR drop link
RL top mount
3 hub bushes
Rear ABS sensor
New aircon hoses
And the clip for the front fuse box trim.
(Should be noted that I suspect most of the suspension replacement is due to the piss poor roads near where I live, some of the potholes get to be 0.3m deep).
It has, however, never mechanically broken down and always starts. They just need the time and money spent on them, and a good independant Alfa garage you can trust. And as for rust: not a spec of it.
Kitchski said:
And I'll get flamed for it, but the seats in the ST200 piss all over the Alfa's.
I won't be flaming you for moaning about the Alfa's seats.They may look pretty, but they have little support and are uncomfortable. They are almost as bad as the seats in the GTV, which were truly awful.
But the 156 2.5 V6 is both lovely and inexpensive to buy.
The cambelt and waterpump service is a bit dear, the steering lock is woeful and the ground clearance is considerably poorer than my Esprit.
But as you say, they are worth the money just to enjoy the engine. And the fact that the engine is wrapped in a gorgeous car that has oodles of character is just a bonus.
I've owned cars with Lotus Twinks, Rover V8s, Ford V6s, a V8 Ferrari, the BMW six and all sorts of others. The old Alfa V6 is the nicest by a margin.
You can potter about at walking pace in 3rd gear, or hammer it up to 7000rpm. It is lovely however you drive it. And the way the sound hardens at 4000rpm at changes from a warble to a howl is just magnificent.
Here's mine:
here you go by far the best sounding exhausts of any exotica car check them all labos and all.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTFpQFPQJ7U alfa 156 2.5 v6
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTFpQFPQJ7U alfa 156 2.5 v6
I've been lurking on here for some time but had to sign up to comment on the Alfa V6.
I was introduced to Alfas in my early teens when my uncle bought a 164 V6 24v manual in the mid/late 90s. At the time the car was 3 years old or so. I remember him driving on the dual carriage way between Bicester and the M40. I could not believe how good the car sounded.
When at university a few years later, I decided to buy a 164 V6 remembering that noise from years ago.. I picked up a 49k mile L reg example for £1000 on ebay (in 2006). I took a total punt on the car as it had no service history. The car had 1.5 years of fault free motoring before I sold it on and I have regretted it ever since. Nothing I have driven has come close to the Alfa in terms of engine sound and throttle response.
I am definitely going to get another Alfa soon. There is something about the way they affect the senses!
To the chap who mentioned that the Alfa V6 sounds like any other...I wholeheartedly disagree. I currently drive a '96 Audi A4 V6 and the engine sounds so much worse compared to the Alfa.
I was introduced to Alfas in my early teens when my uncle bought a 164 V6 24v manual in the mid/late 90s. At the time the car was 3 years old or so. I remember him driving on the dual carriage way between Bicester and the M40. I could not believe how good the car sounded.
When at university a few years later, I decided to buy a 164 V6 remembering that noise from years ago.. I picked up a 49k mile L reg example for £1000 on ebay (in 2006). I took a total punt on the car as it had no service history. The car had 1.5 years of fault free motoring before I sold it on and I have regretted it ever since. Nothing I have driven has come close to the Alfa in terms of engine sound and throttle response.
I am definitely going to get another Alfa soon. There is something about the way they affect the senses!
To the chap who mentioned that the Alfa V6 sounds like any other...I wholeheartedly disagree. I currently drive a '96 Audi A4 V6 and the engine sounds so much worse compared to the Alfa.
Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.
My kind of shed. I so want to swap my wife's Clio for one of these or a 2.0 TS
The V6's remind me of blasting through Glencoe behind the wheel of 2.5 GTV6 back in the early 80's. Had the radio off all the way to Mull and back to Edinburgh.
The TS reminds me of the old twinc's in the various Spiders, Alfetta GT's, GTV's and Guiliettas my amd my mates used to tool about in.
Shed tastic
My kind of shed. I so want to swap my wife's Clio for one of these or a 2.0 TS
The V6's remind me of blasting through Glencoe behind the wheel of 2.5 GTV6 back in the early 80's. Had the radio off all the way to Mull and back to Edinburgh.
The TS reminds me of the old twinc's in the various Spiders, Alfetta GT's, GTV's and Guiliettas my amd my mates used to tool about in.
Shed tastic
jamcam23 said:
Also if you're keeping up with a GTA in a standard RX8, then the GTA driver needs to be shot or shown how to drive..
What happens when a 147GTA meets a well sorted, healthy RX8 on track (the Japanese A-Spec has similar suspension upgrades to our PZ)...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbIwXN4UHI0
You'll see, at the end, that the lap time was a staggering 4 seconds faster.
Ali_T said:
What happens when a 147GTA meets a well sorted, healthy RX8 on track...
I had an Alfa GTV with the 3.2 V6 and it was a pretty nasty thing to drive on the limit.The understeer was bad and the brakes weren't up to the job.
In a straight line it was wonderful and it made a lovely GT car. But it had too much power for its chassis and that made it a all a bit ragged if you tried really hard.
The 2.5 V6 in my current 156 makes for a more pleasant motoring experience, as the power/handling/braking compromise is better resolved.
The 156 is more of a comfortable saloon with mild sporting pretentions. It suits its FWD platform, but there is no doubt that the BMW E36 and many other cars provide a more satisfying drive when you are really trying.
I use my 156 as a daily driver and it performs this task faultlessly. It is a charming and relaxing car that feels far more special than the modest cost of admission.
But unless it had fairly major chassis surgery, I think it would make a crap track car.
It doesn't surprise me that an RX8 can give a GTA a pasting on the track.
the thing i always liked about these is the little design touches! Like hidden rear door handles so as not to spoil the lines:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/56...
The V6 is a darn site more realiable than the Twin Spark. Ive never owned a 2.5 but have had the twin spark and the V6. It might require more maintainace than some cars but once your on top of it its epic and I was never let down by an Alfa! Although my 145 cloverleaf came close. Fords, Saabs, Citroens, Rovers and even 2 Toyota's have all managed to leave me stuck on the road side!
GREAT SHED!!!
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/56...
The V6 is a darn site more realiable than the Twin Spark. Ive never owned a 2.5 but have had the twin spark and the V6. It might require more maintainace than some cars but once your on top of it its epic and I was never let down by an Alfa! Although my 145 cloverleaf came close. Fords, Saabs, Citroens, Rovers and even 2 Toyota's have all managed to leave me stuck on the road side!
GREAT SHED!!!
The "beauty" of Alfas completely passes me by.
Aesthetics is a very personal matter of taste, but I've never seen an Alfa I would describe as good looking or desirable. And given that their reputation for reliability and longevity makes TVR look like Rolls Royce, I can see lots of reasons to steer well clear of this.
Aesthetics is a very personal matter of taste, but I've never seen an Alfa I would describe as good looking or desirable. And given that their reputation for reliability and longevity makes TVR look like Rolls Royce, I can see lots of reasons to steer well clear of this.
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