what could possibly go wrong - 156 V6?
Discussion
just found an early 156 V6 for sale at a low volume dealer, relatively local to me.
it's got MoT to next july but no idea of history (although MoT history is encouraging) so assume belts etc are way overdue.
nice colour but poverty spec alloys, white dials, pale leather and the wood trim. don't know which trim level but it's certainly not a veloce.
that lot needs swapping out immediately and i have all the necessary bits, apart from orange on black V6 speedo/tacho, but can't really see anything else. it's not even battered to bits unlike some of it's age
i know i'm going to have to buy it - it's cheap. very cheap. 3 figures cheap.
i'm expecting a total catastrophe but watch this space
paul
it's got MoT to next july but no idea of history (although MoT history is encouraging) so assume belts etc are way overdue.
nice colour but poverty spec alloys, white dials, pale leather and the wood trim. don't know which trim level but it's certainly not a veloce.
that lot needs swapping out immediately and i have all the necessary bits, apart from orange on black V6 speedo/tacho, but can't really see anything else. it's not even battered to bits unlike some of it's age
i know i'm going to have to buy it - it's cheap. very cheap. 3 figures cheap.
i'm expecting a total catastrophe but watch this space
paul
Good luck, I have fond memories of mine. It was one of the first in 1998 and I did around 60k faultless miles in two years. Mine had the wooden stuff on it and corded fabric seats but cant remember what the spec level was. What an engine and a six speed box was unusual back in those days.
Go for it, I love these cars, Im pretty sure anything with a Alfa V6 will go up in value soon so potentially its an investment too. Check the floorpan for rust. Suspension maybe knackered but you can buy it all next day delivery from Amazon these days.
Edited by davebem on Monday 26th September 12:47
One word: rust. I should know, I have three 156s, and a GT. All V6s.
Check the floorpans, by the seat belt mountings and the rear footwells. And the jacking points at the front. Check it by poking with a screwdriver, not by looking at it. If it is good, scrape the whole lot off, paint it and underseal it properly. If you are unlucky, it will be going in the front wheelarches as well, behind the struts.
Other than that - suspension and brake pipes. Suspension is chocolate (good excuse to poly bits of it and get some Konis on...), the brake pipes are of an age where they are rotting and are hell to replace. The rear ones need the fuel tank out and one of the front ones needs the engine out to do properly.
Engine and interiors are tough. As long as the oil has been changed, the V6 will take pretty much anything. If the belt is due, change it (5 years or 60K). Belt failure = £2k rebuild.
Other than that, they aren't hard to work on, and the diagnostic software is free for pretty much everything you need.
Get a good mappgas blowtorch, perfect for seized bolts, and there will be many of them. Induction heater is better.
Alfaowner is the place to be, there is a how to for pretty much every job you might need to do on one of these.
When properly set up and tweaked (ARBs, quaife LSD etc...) they are remarkable for any car, let alone a 4 door saloon that goes for a few hundred quid.
Check the floorpans, by the seat belt mountings and the rear footwells. And the jacking points at the front. Check it by poking with a screwdriver, not by looking at it. If it is good, scrape the whole lot off, paint it and underseal it properly. If you are unlucky, it will be going in the front wheelarches as well, behind the struts.
Other than that - suspension and brake pipes. Suspension is chocolate (good excuse to poly bits of it and get some Konis on...), the brake pipes are of an age where they are rotting and are hell to replace. The rear ones need the fuel tank out and one of the front ones needs the engine out to do properly.
Engine and interiors are tough. As long as the oil has been changed, the V6 will take pretty much anything. If the belt is due, change it (5 years or 60K). Belt failure = £2k rebuild.
Other than that, they aren't hard to work on, and the diagnostic software is free for pretty much everything you need.
Get a good mappgas blowtorch, perfect for seized bolts, and there will be many of them. Induction heater is better.
Alfaowner is the place to be, there is a how to for pretty much every job you might need to do on one of these.
When properly set up and tweaked (ARBs, quaife LSD etc...) they are remarkable for any car, let alone a 4 door saloon that goes for a few hundred quid.
Good shout with the brake pipes, where it curves around from wheel arch into the engine bay are plastic clips, I think they wear the coating and it rusts on the curve bit you cant easily get to, it doesnt help that the scuttle panel draining channels drip water right over this area!! You'll need a good torch and eyesight to check them from the engine bay, look down the side of the engine, if they are shiney copper, its already been done. My 2001 is fine, but ive seen a lot of them to know they could potentially be a death trap, also on safety grounds, check the rear strut spring seats, if they are very rusty then will snap at some point.
I run a v6 as a daily, it has been perfectly reliable. Starts, runs, goes and with a stainless back box sounds fantastic. 32 mpg I manage if I'm reasonable with the loud peddle. Leather is nice too.
People seem to love it as well!
I have looked after the (amazing) engine, first job was a metal water pump and belts/pulleys/sparks. Big job but worth it.
I have also tweeked it slightly with a GTa front roll bar with poly bushes, front strut brace and GTa Eiback springs and Bilstein shocks. It sits a little lower I think but with the stiffening stuff it handles rather well.
Braking is not epic. I've improved it with Ferodo2500 pads but could do with a better setup altogether.
I have had to deal with rust though, nothing Optima in Wootton Bassett couldn't deal with. Front sidelights are a b
h to change but not impossible.
People seem to love it as well!
I have looked after the (amazing) engine, first job was a metal water pump and belts/pulleys/sparks. Big job but worth it.
I have also tweeked it slightly with a GTa front roll bar with poly bushes, front strut brace and GTa Eiback springs and Bilstein shocks. It sits a little lower I think but with the stiffening stuff it handles rather well.
Braking is not epic. I've improved it with Ferodo2500 pads but could do with a better setup altogether.
I have had to deal with rust though, nothing Optima in Wootton Bassett couldn't deal with. Front sidelights are a b
h to change but not impossible.Gassing Station | Alfa Romeo, Fiat & Lancia | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff