Alfa 156 2.5 V6 Ti
Discussion
Said I’d throw up a thread for my latest project.
Its a 2004 Alfa 156 2.5 V6 in Ti guise.
For any Alfa heads, these are a pretty rare car and I believe less than 10 were ever sold in Ireland. I know if only one other one in Wexford. I’m not sure they ever made it to the UK either - interestingly.
This particular belonged to the last owner for 14 years and he bought it off the original owner himself in 2007 with 35,000 miles on it. Safe to say he used it as intended as its now sitting at 174,000 miles.
It’s been sitting for the last year or so so I’ll try and document in this thread getting it back to life and making it a nice example.
Its a 2004 Alfa 156 2.5 V6 in Ti guise.
For any Alfa heads, these are a pretty rare car and I believe less than 10 were ever sold in Ireland. I know if only one other one in Wexford. I’m not sure they ever made it to the UK either - interestingly.
This particular belonged to the last owner for 14 years and he bought it off the original owner himself in 2007 with 35,000 miles on it. Safe to say he used it as intended as its now sitting at 174,000 miles.
It’s been sitting for the last year or so so I’ll try and document in this thread getting it back to life and making it a nice example.
See a few 156 on the road around my way, sometimes you get a wave when I'm in my Giulietta. They all seem to be kept in excellent condition one is fairly early around 1998 or 1999.
Can't imagine they are the most sought after cars in the Republic of Ireland given the road tax for a pre 2008 reg 2500cc engine is over €1000.
Can't imagine they are the most sought after cars in the Republic of Ireland given the road tax for a pre 2008 reg 2500cc engine is over €1000.
I think you could be correct about the 156 V6 Ti never being a UK model. I've never heard of one.
I was quite interested in a pre-FL one that someone had put the 3.0 litre in. A chap in Ireland bought it. Then their circumstances changed and someone in England bought it and it returned to England for a specialist to find out that the floorpan was rotten and somehow I think they managed to source, possibly from mainland Europe, a new floorpan.
I'm glad I've driven a 156 V6 and 164 24V but I doubt I'll ever own an Alfa.
I was quite interested in a pre-FL one that someone had put the 3.0 litre in. A chap in Ireland bought it. Then their circumstances changed and someone in England bought it and it returned to England for a specialist to find out that the floorpan was rotten and somehow I think they managed to source, possibly from mainland Europe, a new floorpan.
I'm glad I've driven a 156 V6 and 164 24V but I doubt I'll ever own an Alfa.
I thought I was pretty clued up on Alfas have owned 6 of them and 3 of them being busso's but I didn't know that was A thing is it right hand drive?
I'm not even sure we hot face lift V6s in the UK? I remember there were some V6 with the facelift interior, but not the body tweaks.
My last Alfa was 156 sport wagon. I needed a run around at the time. I was trying to find a petrol TI wagon. But only found a couple of diesels, At the time.
Great looking car. I'll be following with interest
I'm not even sure we hot face lift V6s in the UK? I remember there were some V6 with the facelift interior, but not the body tweaks.
My last Alfa was 156 sport wagon. I needed a run around at the time. I was trying to find a petrol TI wagon. But only found a couple of diesels, At the time.
Great looking car. I'll be following with interest
I have had 2 156s, a 1.8TS that was my first Alfa, followed by a JTDM150 (2005 reg) so one of the very late ones.
The 150 is the car I miss the most...I bought it with 60,000 miles, had a hard re-map on at 90,000 and ran it until the chassis rails rotted out and it had to be retired ( to an Alfa specialist in Cumbria!) by that time it had done over 160,000...
I did a couple of track days at Croft in that car, and even a road trip to Monaco which was brilliant....120 leptons on the Autoroute in northern France ( very briefly.... then slowed to a more sensible 80 mph ...!!)
I do miss having a 156, and if I were to buy one now it would be the 2.5 V6 Busso, which some say is 'better' than the hallowed 3.0...
The chassis rails can be an issue ( as I found out) and also the rear spring lower cups which rust out as water collects in them....and they can fail causing the spring to cut into the inner tyre wall....ask me how I know that..!
Like a previous posterI though I knew about 156s...but I have never heard or read about a 156 Ti, so as has been said it is a very rare car indeed !
If you are an Alfisti, you will know about 156 front suspension wishbones ( now referred to as lower control arms I think !) that are consumable items...
But when you have a sorted 156 and it has been properly aligned ( the rears can be adjusted ) it handles so well.
Looking forward to your Alfa journey...with some envy it must be said...!!
The 150 is the car I miss the most...I bought it with 60,000 miles, had a hard re-map on at 90,000 and ran it until the chassis rails rotted out and it had to be retired ( to an Alfa specialist in Cumbria!) by that time it had done over 160,000...
I did a couple of track days at Croft in that car, and even a road trip to Monaco which was brilliant....120 leptons on the Autoroute in northern France ( very briefly.... then slowed to a more sensible 80 mph ...!!)
I do miss having a 156, and if I were to buy one now it would be the 2.5 V6 Busso, which some say is 'better' than the hallowed 3.0...
The chassis rails can be an issue ( as I found out) and also the rear spring lower cups which rust out as water collects in them....and they can fail causing the spring to cut into the inner tyre wall....ask me how I know that..!
Like a previous posterI though I knew about 156s...but I have never heard or read about a 156 Ti, so as has been said it is a very rare car indeed !
If you are an Alfisti, you will know about 156 front suspension wishbones ( now referred to as lower control arms I think !) that are consumable items...
But when you have a sorted 156 and it has been properly aligned ( the rears can be adjusted ) it handles so well.
Looking forward to your Alfa journey...with some envy it must be said...!!
TheConverted said:
I'm not even sure we hot face lift V6s in the UK?
I think I'd agree with that. There's those RHD from a Far Eastern market that got sold into the UK but I can't remember if those were FL 156s. I think there was a red estate Q-System auto V6 for sale a year or so ago and I think that was a pre-FL that was registered so late in the UK it was in the £585 or £600 per year road tax bracket.
Regarding the comment about 2.5 Vs 3.0 Busso, I think it's about the torque. I think the 12V 3 litre was more economical in the 164 than the 24V due to the torque characteristics.
Thanks for the kind comments from all.
Yes the motor tax here in Ireland is approx €1000 a year on a 2.5 engine rising to €1800 for a 3.2+ engine.
Unfortunately it’s just one of those things about living here so I just pay it every three months and forget about it.
Re the facelift 3.0, I remember that car. It inspired me to build my own one about 3/4 years ago - I may post some pictures. It was a 3.0 V6, Brembo brake kit, eibach suspension, wizard exhaust etc. It’s still being looked after by it’s current owners which is great.
Along with this facelift 156 I currently have another one in the shed - a 1998 2.5 with 68,000 miles, also a 2.5 V6, May get some pictures up of that one too!
Yes the motor tax here in Ireland is approx €1000 a year on a 2.5 engine rising to €1800 for a 3.2+ engine.
Unfortunately it’s just one of those things about living here so I just pay it every three months and forget about it.
Re the facelift 3.0, I remember that car. It inspired me to build my own one about 3/4 years ago - I may post some pictures. It was a 3.0 V6, Brembo brake kit, eibach suspension, wizard exhaust etc. It’s still being looked after by it’s current owners which is great.
Along with this facelift 156 I currently have another one in the shed - a 1998 2.5 with 68,000 miles, also a 2.5 V6, May get some pictures up of that one too!
So to carry on the story of the facelift 156 V6 - yes they are very rare!
I heard of this car through a contact but at the time didn’t know it was a facelift Ti - only that it was a V6 one.
Whilst the previous owner had it looked after mechanically by a local Alfa specialist he didn’t exactly maintain it cosmetically inside or outside which the following photos will demonstrate!
This was how I collected it…
A replacement carpet was going to be needed so €70 later and many hours of work, taking the old one out, cleaning and refitting we had made a great improvement!
I’ll post more photos of it later this evening!
I heard of this car through a contact but at the time didn’t know it was a facelift Ti - only that it was a V6 one.
Whilst the previous owner had it looked after mechanically by a local Alfa specialist he didn’t exactly maintain it cosmetically inside or outside which the following photos will demonstrate!
This was how I collected it…
A replacement carpet was going to be needed so €70 later and many hours of work, taking the old one out, cleaning and refitting we had made a great improvement!
I’ll post more photos of it later this evening!
Yeah it was in pretty bad shape inside I have to say.
More photos below show it better…
Old vs New carpet…
Once the inside was at least improved I set about just generally cleaning the outside - again it made a significant improvement just washing and claying it.
The paint work is largely straight and in decent shape under all the swirl marks - I’ll be giving it a single stage polish in the coming weeks to bring it back to a decent standard.
More photos below show it better…
Old vs New carpet…
Once the inside was at least improved I set about just generally cleaning the outside - again it made a significant improvement just washing and claying it.
The paint work is largely straight and in decent shape under all the swirl marks - I’ll be giving it a single stage polish in the coming weeks to bring it back to a decent standard.
Bravo! Love to see these old girls being saved...I think the V6 ti was for South Africa only so maybe Luigi put it on the wrong boat to Ireland one Friday afternoon 
Sounds like you know where you are with the 156 so all the best with getting it how you want.
My V6 is 21 today! They are a timeless design imo and get better looking as each day passes and the latest white goods blob of new car hits the market...Of course that Busso engine is now widely regarded as being a all-time classic too. With a few choice mods these things can be made to handle completely neutrally, stop brilliantly and sound delicious plus it will keep up with most things on the right roads as my mate in his Yaris GR found out on a spirited drive round the Yorkshire Dales recently!
Looking forward to your updates...
Sounds like you know where you are with the 156 so all the best with getting it how you want.
My V6 is 21 today! They are a timeless design imo and get better looking as each day passes and the latest white goods blob of new car hits the market...Of course that Busso engine is now widely regarded as being a all-time classic too. With a few choice mods these things can be made to handle completely neutrally, stop brilliantly and sound delicious plus it will keep up with most things on the right roads as my mate in his Yaris GR found out on a spirited drive round the Yorkshire Dales recently!
Looking forward to your updates...
Back at the end of 2002, when awaiting delivery of a new company car (Audi A4 1.8T Sport) I was given a 2-litre 156 as a stop gap. Nice car to drive but my head was up against the roof (I'm only just 6 foot) so had to swap the car with a colleague's company car until my replacement arrived. I don't remember but perhaps the 156 had a sunroof - the usual driver was a short-arse.
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff