Discussion
I've just made my fourth Alfa purchase. Previous to this car, I had a 164 V6 and two GTVs one of which has a 2.5 V6 engine!.. see this thread.. http://www.pistonheads.com/GASSING/topic.asp?h=0&a...
I really wanted another busso v6, so asked some Alfa groups if there were any for sale, and someone told me a guy had a 166 V6 Manual with MOT for sale, but based on the Isle of Wight. (I'm in Harrogate, North Yorkshire). Even so, due to a very good price, and following a phone conversation with the owner, I decided to pick it up the next day. I took the train down to Southampton (7.5hrs) and got the passenger ferry to West Cowes.
I picked up the car, got the ferry back to the mainland, and drove back to Yorkshire. It didn't miss a beat over 270 miles. So, what are the details?
- Alfa 166 3.0 V6 Super Manual
- Electric everything, including heated seats
- Cloth, not leather interior sadly.
- 6 speed gearbox (which has pretty close ratios for a motorway cruiser)
- 102k miles
- 10 months MOT
- £600
I need to get the cambelt done and an oil service sharpish, but other than that, the car doesn't really need anything. I can't believe you can get such a lovely car with one of the greatest 'real world' engines ever for peanuts. There aren't many of these beasts about anymore (there never have been really).
As I have had a 164 in the past, I roughly knew what to expect from the 166. It is a comfortable cruiser but with a sportiness under the surface. The car is very quiet when feathering the throttle, but as soon as you push your foot down a bit, there is a lovely growl from the engine, it sounds fantastic.
Here are a couple of rubbish pictures, but I will try and get some good ones soon and will update the thread.
Any 166 owners on here?
I really wanted another busso v6, so asked some Alfa groups if there were any for sale, and someone told me a guy had a 166 V6 Manual with MOT for sale, but based on the Isle of Wight. (I'm in Harrogate, North Yorkshire). Even so, due to a very good price, and following a phone conversation with the owner, I decided to pick it up the next day. I took the train down to Southampton (7.5hrs) and got the passenger ferry to West Cowes.
I picked up the car, got the ferry back to the mainland, and drove back to Yorkshire. It didn't miss a beat over 270 miles. So, what are the details?
- Alfa 166 3.0 V6 Super Manual
- Electric everything, including heated seats
- Cloth, not leather interior sadly.
- 6 speed gearbox (which has pretty close ratios for a motorway cruiser)
- 102k miles
- 10 months MOT
- £600
I need to get the cambelt done and an oil service sharpish, but other than that, the car doesn't really need anything. I can't believe you can get such a lovely car with one of the greatest 'real world' engines ever for peanuts. There aren't many of these beasts about anymore (there never have been really).
As I have had a 164 in the past, I roughly knew what to expect from the 166. It is a comfortable cruiser but with a sportiness under the surface. The car is very quiet when feathering the throttle, but as soon as you push your foot down a bit, there is a lovely growl from the engine, it sounds fantastic.
Here are a couple of rubbish pictures, but I will try and get some good ones soon and will update the thread.
Any 166 owners on here?
Keep us updated OP & Enjoy! 
strangehighways said:
As I have had a 164 in the past, I roughly knew what to expect from the 166. It is a comfortable cruiser but with a sportiness under the surface.
It'll be interesting to get your views on how the two compare. Some that liked the 164 didn't think the 166 drove the same. I've only driven a 164.Is the back end planted or do any of the bushes at the back need replacement?
carinaman said:
It'll be interesting to get your views on how the two compare. Some that liked the 164 didn't think the 166 drove the same. I've only driven a 164.
Is the back end planted or do any of the bushes at the back need replacement?
It was quite a long time ago that I had the 164 (mid-late 2000s) but bear with me as I try and remember..Is the back end planted or do any of the bushes at the back need replacement?
Engine wise, the 166 has a little more power according to the specs (226 vs 210), but they feel pretty similar in terms of poke. At a guess, their power/weights are probably identical. I imagine the 166 is a touch heavier than the 164. Though the 164 had a 5 speed box, the 166 has 6 and always feels 'on it' because of the closely stacked ratios.
The 166 interior is much more user friendly and this one looks in pretty good condition. The 164 interior... well the pre-facelift interior is laughable to my eyes, but the post-facelift, which is what I had (1994), was really cool in an 80s kinda way and I loved it but the 166 one makes much more sense. There is a main screen where radio/nav/trip/hvac is all controlled by. The display looks awesome in that solid old-skool aircraft flight management system kinda way...
I haven't pushed the car at all yet in terms of handling, but it feels smaller than its size. It is certainly no sports car, but isn't too much of a blobbery mess either.
I'm not really that bothered about the fact that it is front wheel drive. It makes itself known if you are trying to pull away quickly in 1st or 2nd in wet conditions though. Most of the time so far, I have been cruising about thinking I'm 'the man' and occasionally dropping a cog and getting that busso to sing.
The gearbox can't be rushed, the throw is quite long but is satisfying.
Not sure what else, I'll check in again with better pictures soon!
Chunkychucky said:
I assume this is the one that was on Retro Rides? Looks tidy fella good buy, look forward to seeing future progress 
And the Velour on these is lovely, so soft and yet grippier than leather if you want to get a move on through the twisties!
Yes, it was the one for sale on retro rides. I'm astonished it was unsold for a couple of months. I didn't actually see it on retro rides, I posted on a closed group on facebook and someone told me it was for sale.And the Velour on these is lovely, so soft and yet grippier than leather if you want to get a move on through the twisties!
I quite like the velour really, and the heated seats are awesome.
Very nice, I bought one for similar money in 2008!
It might have needed some work though!
http://forum.alfa156.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID...
It might have needed some work though!
http://forum.alfa156.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID...
strangehighways said:
It was quite a long time ago that I had the 164 (mid-late 2000s) but bear with me as I try and remember..
Engine wise, the 166 has a little more power according to the specs (226 vs 210), but they feel pretty similar in terms of poke. At a guess, their power/weights are probably identical. I imagine the 166 is a touch heavier than the 164. Though the 164 had a 5 speed box, the 166 has 6 and always feels 'on it' because of the closely stacked ratios.
Do they drive similarly?Engine wise, the 166 has a little more power according to the specs (226 vs 210), but they feel pretty similar in terms of poke. At a guess, their power/weights are probably identical. I imagine the 166 is a touch heavier than the 164. Though the 164 had a 5 speed box, the 166 has 6 and always feels 'on it' because of the closely stacked ratios.
Back in the day the 164 was getting compared to hot hatches in terms of chuckability, like an enlarged hot hatch. I think someone advertised a 164 24V in the last 3 years or so describing it as a 'hot hatch'.
As the 166 used Lancia Kappa underpinnings does it drive the same as a 164?
I'd have thought that if it was as much fun to drive as a 164 then the magazines would have said so at the time.
If think if the 166 was a fun to drive as a 164 then we'd know about it and they'd be more revered and sought after and worth more?
I'm not knocking the 166 as I've only driven a 164, but I get the impression that they're quite different to drive. The 166 seems more like a high speed express with a dash of sportiness, where as the 164 was more lively and fun.
Regarding the retro ICS computer, I remember seeing that in a perspex display stand at the NEC the year the SLK and Boxster concepts were doing the rounds, though I could be confusing the years.
I spotted the Nuvola Aurora TS for £1K on eBay last night. Shame about the dent by the scudetto. 170,000 miles for a Twin Spark is going some.
OP, that looks lovely, and what a bargain at £600.
Here's my old 3.0 Super. Bought the car in 2007 I think, loved it, made a fantastic noise, and comfy and fast. Was on Eibach/Koni low-ish suspension setup. Raped my wallet something horrendeous tho.
Here's my old 3.0 Super. Bought the car in 2007 I think, loved it, made a fantastic noise, and comfy and fast. Was on Eibach/Koni low-ish suspension setup. Raped my wallet something horrendeous tho.
Edited by PowerslideSWE on Friday 22 January 13:36
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