RE: SOTW: Alfa Romeo 156 2.5 V6
Discussion
This is a good looking engine. The Alfa has a couple of flat alloy panels and 6 shiny pipes.
Thats all they are, shiny pipes. I sometimes struggle to belive what magpies petrolheads can be, oooh look its SHINEY = instant love. Just fit some shiney pipes and forget about the infamous problems with this engine. f
k it, next time I build something I am going to put some really shiney pipes on it and not built it properly, and it seems some people will just forgive any faults.If you want your car to be as good looking, get the alloy intake polished up with a flapper wheel. But please don't think this engine is an incrediable piece of design.
And all those drooling about the sound, well, most all V6's sound wonderful with an intake and exhaust, sorry but the Alfa is nothing special. And there are beter V6s for your money that the Alfa.
ExPat2B said:
And all those drooling about the sound, well, most all V6's sound wonderful with an intake and exhaust, sorry but the Alfa is nothing special. And there are beter V6s for your money that the Alfa.
I'm glad someone else thinks so, following this post I checked out some clips on youtube, nothing my rep mobile can't do!! Don't all V6's sound good with induction & exhaust?10 Pence Short said:
Pommygranite said:
Majority of those who have had a modern alfa have loved them and had very few issues. Majority of those who have never had an alfa preach unreliability.
I loved my 156 and I wouldn't think £1000 on this is any worse than £1000 on any other car. In fact the v6 is the more reliable of the range.
Not sure the statistics work with you on that one.I loved my 156 and I wouldn't think £1000 on this is any worse than £1000 on any other car. In fact the v6 is the more reliable of the range.
Edited by Pommygranite on Friday 16th July 11:22
Also the v6's don't have many of the twinspark's issues.
Pommygranite said:
Majority of those who have had a modern alfa have loved them and had very few issues. Majority of those who have never had an alfa preach unreliability.
It's the maintenance that people don't seem to understand. You have to keep to the servicing schedule or else, like any other car, they will break down. Thing is, the BMW owners who give us all chapter and verse about Alfa reliability will no doubt lavish cost-no-object care on their BMWs, but treat Alfas like kickaround Fiats.In terms of catastrophic rusty breakdowns - they died when Alfa got in touch with Saab about reliability and rust-resistance. The result was the 164 and Alfas since then have been, generally speaking, as reliable and well-made (or not) as just about everything else.
But inevitably, someone once read a long-term test of an unreliable '73 Alfasud, or knew someone who knew someone who knew someone who once took a £500 punt on a 75 V6 that detonated all over a dual carriageway...
Twincam16 said:
Pommygranite said:
Majority of those who have had a modern alfa have loved them and had very few issues. Majority of those who have never had an alfa preach unreliability.
It's the maintenance that people don't seem to understand. You have to keep to the servicing schedule or else, like any other car, they will break down. Thing is, the BMW owners who give us all chapter and verse about Alfa reliability will no doubt lavish cost-no-object care on their BMWs, but treat Alfas like kickaround Fiats.In terms of catastrophic rusty breakdowns - they died when Alfa got in touch with Saab about reliability and rust-resistance. The result was the 164 and Alfas since then have been, generally speaking, as reliable and well-made (or not) as just about everything else.
But inevitably, someone once read a long-term test of an unreliable '73 Alfasud, or knew someone who knew someone who knew someone who once took a £500 punt on a 75 V6 that detonated all over a dual carriageway...
Pommygranite said:
10 Pence Short said:
Pommygranite said:
Majority of those who have had a modern alfa have loved them and had very few issues. Majority of those who have never had an alfa preach unreliability.
I loved my 156 and I wouldn't think £1000 on this is any worse than £1000 on any other car. In fact the v6 is the more reliable of the range.
Not sure the statistics work with you on that one.I loved my 156 and I wouldn't think £1000 on this is any worse than £1000 on any other car. In fact the v6 is the more reliable of the range.
Edited by Pommygranite on Friday 16th July 11:22
Also the v6's don't have many of the twinspark's issues.
At least change the oil!
BTW people often neglect the oil filter as it is a pig to get to. Its located at the back of the engine and is accessed from underneath, you have to undo 2 brackets holding air con pipes on and move them out of the way, then reach up and grip it.
This is, in my opinion, why V6s fail*, lack of clean oil, hence horror stories of heads being rebuilt. Probably from sticky oil clogging the pathways and starving the fine tolerance parts.
Mine has had 3 changes and is now run on some rather good quality Silkolene stuff. It revs freely and sounds fantastic!
Laziness, rather than poor design, is the cause of Alfa engines failing.
BTW people often neglect the oil filter as it is a pig to get to. Its located at the back of the engine and is accessed from underneath, you have to undo 2 brackets holding air con pipes on and move them out of the way, then reach up and grip it.
This is, in my opinion, why V6s fail*, lack of clean oil, hence horror stories of heads being rebuilt. Probably from sticky oil clogging the pathways and starving the fine tolerance parts.
Mine has had 3 changes and is now run on some rather good quality Silkolene stuff. It revs freely and sounds fantastic!
Laziness, rather than poor design, is the cause of Alfa engines failing.
- other than not changing the cambelt/waterpump!
Oilchange said:
At least change the oil!
BTW people often neglect the oil filter as it is a pig to get to. Its located at the back of the engine and is accessed from underneath, you have to undo 2 brackets holding air con pipes on and move them out of the way, then reach up and grip it.
This is, in my opinion, why V6s fail*, lack of clean oil, hence horror stories of heads being rebuilt. Probably from sticky oil clogging the pathways and starving the fine tolerance parts.
Mine has had 3 changes and is now run on some rather good quality Silkolene stuff. It revs freely and sounds fantastic!
Laziness, rather than poor design, is the cause of Alfa engines failing.
But surely locating the oil filter where it is isn't exactly great design, is it?!BTW people often neglect the oil filter as it is a pig to get to. Its located at the back of the engine and is accessed from underneath, you have to undo 2 brackets holding air con pipes on and move them out of the way, then reach up and grip it.
This is, in my opinion, why V6s fail*, lack of clean oil, hence horror stories of heads being rebuilt. Probably from sticky oil clogging the pathways and starving the fine tolerance parts.
Mine has had 3 changes and is now run on some rather good quality Silkolene stuff. It revs freely and sounds fantastic!
Laziness, rather than poor design, is the cause of Alfa engines failing.
- other than not changing the cambelt/waterpump!
'Sold as Seen' jumped out at me in the ad - we all know to put that on the receipt but seems like he's trying to cover his guilt by putting it in the ad as well.
Interesting that Riggers refers to the 156 v E36 test and the seller's kindly put an E36 on his drive for comparison purposes too!
I'd love to take a punt on it and probably will do one day. Had a 1.8 T-Spark a few years back and other than the regulator issue (not worth bothering with as the car stood me £1100) it was a very nice car to own for the year I had it.
Interesting that Riggers refers to the 156 v E36 test and the seller's kindly put an E36 on his drive for comparison purposes too!
I'd love to take a punt on it and probably will do one day. Had a 1.8 T-Spark a few years back and other than the regulator issue (not worth bothering with as the car stood me £1100) it was a very nice car to own for the year I had it.
Oilchange said:
At least change the oil!
BTW people often neglect the oil filter as it is a pig to get to. Its located at the back of the engine and is accessed from underneath, you have to undo 2 brackets holding air con pipes on and move them out of the way, then reach up and grip it.
This is, in my opinion, why V6s fail*, lack of clean oil, hence horror stories of heads being rebuilt. Probably from sticky oil clogging the pathways and starving the fine tolerance parts.
Mine has had 3 changes and is now run on some rather good quality Silkolene stuff. It revs freely and sounds fantastic!
Laziness, rather than poor design, is the cause of Alfa engines failing.
Hmm, fine tollerence parts, why do Alfa's seem to drink oil then? I can't remember what my friends ramblings were on the V6 but I seem to remember him saying the oil needing checking/topping up at every petrol fill up on the 2L!BTW people often neglect the oil filter as it is a pig to get to. Its located at the back of the engine and is accessed from underneath, you have to undo 2 brackets holding air con pipes on and move them out of the way, then reach up and grip it.
This is, in my opinion, why V6s fail*, lack of clean oil, hence horror stories of heads being rebuilt. Probably from sticky oil clogging the pathways and starving the fine tolerance parts.
Mine has had 3 changes and is now run on some rather good quality Silkolene stuff. It revs freely and sounds fantastic!
Laziness, rather than poor design, is the cause of Alfa engines failing.
- other than not changing the cambelt/waterpump!
Still didn't stop it lunching it's crank.
& you don't think having to unbolt A/C pipes to change a consumable item is not piss poor design?!
The twinnie does but then so does a mates S2000 and another mates RX8. In fact if you don't watch those rotaries they will drink it dry! Then BANG
The Alfa V6 doesn't drink oil. Well mine doesn't anyway.
Anyway, when a car is serviced for an oil change it goes up on the ramp to access the sump plug, well most times. This makes the location of the filter not much of a problem if you have a spanner handy.
If you scrimp on servicing or do it yourself without a ramp, you will have problems without ramps. If a car maker makes it difficult to change something in its design then Alfa wont be the first will they? Just look at some of the threads about changing headlight bulbs. Horror stories of bumpers coming off and allsorts.
The Alfa V6 doesn't drink oil. Well mine doesn't anyway.
Anyway, when a car is serviced for an oil change it goes up on the ramp to access the sump plug, well most times. This makes the location of the filter not much of a problem if you have a spanner handy.
If you scrimp on servicing or do it yourself without a ramp, you will have problems without ramps. If a car maker makes it difficult to change something in its design then Alfa wont be the first will they? Just look at some of the threads about changing headlight bulbs. Horror stories of bumpers coming off and allsorts.
Edited by Oilchange on Friday 16th July 13:58
I've had two of these, both the V6, my present one I got from a Jag dealer that took it as a trade in. I currently have the Alfa as a daily drive and a Chimaera for the weekends. Neither have let me down in 2 years.
They are a steal for the price if you can get well cared for example, nothing else even comes close for the money. Trick is to find a good independant and get them to help verify the cars condition.
Superb SOTW - definately worth a punt.....
They are a steal for the price if you can get well cared for example, nothing else even comes close for the money. Trick is to find a good independant and get them to help verify the cars condition.
Superb SOTW - definately worth a punt.....
Had two 2.0 twinsparks, one was a sportwagon.
Both 156's were more reliable than the A4 2.0T Cabrio and S2000 that have followed.
Maybe a V6 156 or GTV will be next?
Dont take them anywhere near a stealer tho' but then you could say the same about the Alfa and Honda.....
Anyone who hasnt had an Alfa has really missed out.
Both 156's were more reliable than the A4 2.0T Cabrio and S2000 that have followed.
Maybe a V6 156 or GTV will be next?
Dont take them anywhere near a stealer tho' but then you could say the same about the Alfa and Honda.....
Anyone who hasnt had an Alfa has really missed out.
Oilchange said:
If a car maker makes it difficult to change something in its design then Alfa wont be the first will they? Just look at some of the threads about changing headlight bulbs. Horror stories of bumpers coming off and allsorts.
Yes, forgot about that. No one with normal fingers can change bulbs (esp the front side-lights) on a 156 without immense difficulty.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff