Alfa 156 GTA (+ Car History)
Discussion
I did my last thread in readers' cars not too long ago but it's time for another one! Instead of just writing about the new one, I thought it'd be best to do a round up of everything I have owned since passing my test, aged 17, in 2011 (August 4th to be precise!).
My first car was a 1999 Ford Fiesta 1.3. I paid around £800 for this and it cost a whopping £2800 to insure. As good as a first could be really, it could be driven flat out at a relatively low speed.
With a mate's Arosa
Looks out of place with more expensive machinery though!
Come MOT time it needed a lot of work doing, with that problem and me getting 1 years NCB I decided to shop around for something else....
A Saab!
I absolutely loved this thing, 220bhp, which for an 18 year old was more than enough! Even with my limited driving capabilities, I noticed how useless it was around bends. Good fun in a straight line though.
The engine died on this about 3 months into my ownership. Having used a local Saab Specialist for the last 3 months getting various jobs done to the 9-3, they offered me one of their cars to buy.
Which brings me on to car number 3...
Another Saab! The Bus (as it was christened by my mates) cost me a whopping £400 and was worth every penny. Low mileage and the wad of history was huge. The Saab garage had known the car since 2002 and owned it themselves since 2008 (going from memory here so may be a few years out!).
It was a crap car for a 18 year old to have but it did the job for me. The heated cloth seats were the best thing on it.
The 9-5 was the longest I owned a car and after 19months of ownership I shopped around for something else.
I decided on this specific model early on but spent ages looking for the right one. I wanted a low mileage manual of which there wasn't many for sale. This one then cropped locally, and it was a....
330Ci!
I got this car around the end of May and it is in good condition. FSH and had the VANOS unit replaced too. After a few months ownership, I decided it's not for me and it up for sale (on PH etc if anyone wants a gander!).
This brings me on to car number 5 (which I have yet to collect).
I have wanted one of these for years and didn't think I'd get to own one so soon. The noise, the noise is f
king outrageous. I went to view it, heard it start up and decided there and then that I want it.
I'm picking it up Monday and i'm grinning like a Cheshire cat just thinking about it. It had a full engine rebuild (with a bill around £5k!!) a few thousand miles ago and hasn't been used a lot since. Belts and clutch all done. New front suspension and brakes.
Body work is a bit tatty; rust on the front wings (brand new wings supplied) and stone chips on the side skirts but that can be sorted.
Planning on keeping this for a bloody long time.
Thanks all
My first car was a 1999 Ford Fiesta 1.3. I paid around £800 for this and it cost a whopping £2800 to insure. As good as a first could be really, it could be driven flat out at a relatively low speed.
With a mate's Arosa
Looks out of place with more expensive machinery though!
Come MOT time it needed a lot of work doing, with that problem and me getting 1 years NCB I decided to shop around for something else....
A Saab!
I absolutely loved this thing, 220bhp, which for an 18 year old was more than enough! Even with my limited driving capabilities, I noticed how useless it was around bends. Good fun in a straight line though.
The engine died on this about 3 months into my ownership. Having used a local Saab Specialist for the last 3 months getting various jobs done to the 9-3, they offered me one of their cars to buy.
Which brings me on to car number 3...
Another Saab! The Bus (as it was christened by my mates) cost me a whopping £400 and was worth every penny. Low mileage and the wad of history was huge. The Saab garage had known the car since 2002 and owned it themselves since 2008 (going from memory here so may be a few years out!).
It was a crap car for a 18 year old to have but it did the job for me. The heated cloth seats were the best thing on it.
The 9-5 was the longest I owned a car and after 19months of ownership I shopped around for something else.
I decided on this specific model early on but spent ages looking for the right one. I wanted a low mileage manual of which there wasn't many for sale. This one then cropped locally, and it was a....
330Ci!
I got this car around the end of May and it is in good condition. FSH and had the VANOS unit replaced too. After a few months ownership, I decided it's not for me and it up for sale (on PH etc if anyone wants a gander!).
This brings me on to car number 5 (which I have yet to collect).
I have wanted one of these for years and didn't think I'd get to own one so soon. The noise, the noise is f
king outrageous. I went to view it, heard it start up and decided there and then that I want it. I'm picking it up Monday and i'm grinning like a Cheshire cat just thinking about it. It had a full engine rebuild (with a bill around £5k!!) a few thousand miles ago and hasn't been used a lot since. Belts and clutch all done. New front suspension and brakes.
Body work is a bit tatty; rust on the front wings (brand new wings supplied) and stone chips on the side skirts but that can be sorted.
Planning on keeping this for a bloody long time.
Thanks all
OOOooo that GTA is really a special bit of kit! Absolutely lovely
I had a 2.4 turbo diesel around 10 years ago as a company car whilst living in Italy and absolutely loved it. I remember that it ate suspension bushes and I think they all do, but I am sure you already know that.
Has it got the standard exhaust on it? If not, i'd recommend a bespoke back box set up to release some of that lovely V6 burble!
Enjoy it!
Simon
I had a 2.4 turbo diesel around 10 years ago as a company car whilst living in Italy and absolutely loved it. I remember that it ate suspension bushes and I think they all do, but I am sure you already know that.
Has it got the standard exhaust on it? If not, i'd recommend a bespoke back box set up to release some of that lovely V6 burble!
Enjoy it!
Simon
...mwstewart said:
That should do it! I personally found the 330Ci really very boring - I guess you did too?
Whilst it is a very good & capable car, it is quite refined. I don't need refined at the moment so I think the GTA will provide more smiles per miles. That said, it is a good car though.
griffin dai said:
Nice car that Scott 
Did you view that v6 Aero in the end mate?
Thanks mate! Did you view that v6 Aero in the end mate?
No, I didn't. I sent the seller an email and the reply sent some alarm bells ringing. Was an ex forces car and then imported, or something a long those lines.
Picking the GTA tomorrow afternoon! A few jobs to be done on the bodywork and thread will be updated in due course
carinaman said:
It's just the characters cast into the plenum. Functionally it's the same. It may matter to someone buying into the GTA legend, but if you're never going to sell it it doesn't matter.
It's a nice motor. I'll be interested to see how the ownership experience goes.
Ahh, OK. I understand what you're saying but as long as it functions the same, i'm happy. It's a nice motor. I'll be interested to see how the ownership experience goes.
Yes I plan on keeping for a bloody long time and will be sure to keep this thread updated.
Spoof said:
Wonder why it doesn't have a GTA plenum? Odd thing to change.
It may be for cosmetic reasons and probably came as a pair with the front cam cover.I don't know what the Alfa gurus that gave the Concours rating for this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Bx-FYilS_M
would make of such a non-original plenum?
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