Alfa 156 V6 i'm going to get one
Discussion
Hi guys i have a vectra v6 at the min and as expected its ready for the scrap bin and only 6 years old. Things breaking so fast i cant fix them quick enough before another breaks.
Any way i want another V6 for around £3K, i'm travelling round Europe next year so it has to be relatively reliable.
Are the V6's reliable or are they fragile? i've read loads of reviews including parkers and all seem to be very good about the V6. So my main question is are they good, quick, reliable? any thing i should look out for, iread the cam belt is expensive to get changed.
Any advice greatly recieved.
Any way i want another V6 for around £3K, i'm travelling round Europe next year so it has to be relatively reliable.
Are the V6's reliable or are they fragile? i've read loads of reviews including parkers and all seem to be very good about the V6. So my main question is are they good, quick, reliable? any thing i should look out for, iread the cam belt is expensive to get changed.
Any advice greatly recieved.
I bought my 2000 w reg V6 about 2 years ago. I was seduced by the good looks and noise. Unfortunatly the previous owner must have run her on a shoe string so i ended up paying for loads of work - Radiator, maf, cambelt/waterpump, both upper arms, clutch, disks and pads all round and other odds and sods totalling about £2k. Since then i have not had any trouble and the only thing on the cards are a plug change and upper wishbones (again) They are a lot of car for the money, just buy the best example you can and only buy a car that has FSH and has evidence of recent work. Check the clutch bites in the middle. Check there are no squeeks/knocks from the front end (signalling upper wishbones, common and about £120 to fix both sides, they wont squeek on a wet day though) Check the temp stays just below or on 90. The rads last 6 years and look ok in the bay but fall apart when you change em. Check all electrics. They all like a drink of oil so check the dipstick, if its low walk away, all owners of 156's should check the level on a regular basis. The above sounds alot, but they are good cars and i have had a trouble free two years so far. Don't veiw one with your eyes closed! Ps avoid a selespeed, it may not give you trouble but you will have trouble trying to sell when the time comes... Ps good websites to use are shop4parts.co.uk & buypartsby.co.uk, Alfa bits can be bought for a good price here. The 2.4 JTD engine is a peach with a 5 cylinder warble, and potential for an easy 190bhp! One pulled away from me once and they get 45 MPG. Consider one of these if your budget is £3K, they are awesome.
Ps Cambelts need doing every 40k to be safe @ £500 including an uprated waterpump (metal impellor). Check the clutch is nice and bites where is should (in the middle) as this will also set you back about £500. All the other jobs are pretty much on par with your Vectra V6. The engine and gearbox are STRONG!
Ps Cambelts need doing every 40k to be safe @ £500 including an uprated waterpump (metal impellor). Check the clutch is nice and bites where is should (in the middle) as this will also set you back about £500. All the other jobs are pretty much on par with your Vectra V6. The engine and gearbox are STRONG!
Edited by exgtt on Tuesday 30th October 19:34
wow thanks for that mate sounds good to me. I'm really stuck between a rock and a hard place at the min, do i sort the vec out as really it isn't to bad a car and does sound awesome but i think the 156 is the way forward but like you said there are so many things to look out for and i could end up with a complete lemon.
aaaaaagggggghhhhh i don't know what to do.
aaaaaagggggghhhhh i don't know what to do.
Ordinary Bloke said:
Loved my manual 156 2.5 V6 (but I heard horror stories about Selespeed). As mentioned in other threads, the hifi is lo-fi and the aircon is disappointing, but still one of my favourite cars. Do it!
Love my 2000 X reg manual V6 wagon. Engine is bombproof and gear box too I've heard - unlike the Sele........Edited by Ordinary Bloke on Tuesday 30th October 20:16
My HiFi is great - standard Clarion and the quality is great (coming from a car that had Alpine everything, subs, amp, uprated speakers) so no probs there for me.
Aircon has been mentioned a few times recently about how poor it is - think mine's fine and very quick at heating up/cooling down, especially as mine is used predominantly for short journeys.
hi guys thanks for all replies, i'm changing my pads rear bearings, abs and speed sensors this weekend. If after i've done this everything goes smoothly i'll keep the vec. (i know its a bloody vectra but to be fair its a nice engine) As soon as more things go wrong it will be sold and an Alfa will be bought.
Alfa will deffo be next car though. If i'm really honest one of the reasons im holding back on getting new car is my private plate needs transferring and its a bloody faff! (200 mile round trip for a start.)
Thanks again
Alfa will deffo be next car though. If i'm really honest one of the reasons im holding back on getting new car is my private plate needs transferring and its a bloody faff! (200 mile round trip for a start.)
Thanks again
exgtt said:
Ps Cambelts need doing every 40k to be safe @ £500 including an uprated waterpump (metal impellor). Check the clutch is nice and bites where is should (in the middle) as this will also set you back about £500. All the other jobs are pretty much on par with your Vectra V6. The engine and gearbox are STRONG!
Does this apply to the petrol version though?Edited by exgtt on Tuesday 30th October 19:34
If you have access to some prescription brave pills you can get the same engine for less money, with more car attached see Alfa 166. The 166 prices start at a grand. 
Once you get used to the alternative looks you won't go back. The 156 is undeniably the prettier car, but for touring round europe.......check the boot sizes. Welcome.
Once you get used to the alternative looks you won't go back. The 156 is undeniably the prettier car, but for touring round europe.......check the boot sizes. Welcome.rs48635 said:
If you have access to some prescription brave pills you can get the same engine for less money, with more car attached see Alfa 166. The 166 prices start at a grand. Once you get used to the alternative looks you won't go back. The 156 is undeniably the prettier car, but for touring round europe.......check the boot sizes. Welcome.
I hear the 166 is also better built, certainly worth considering, i have been looking at these to replace my 156 v6.. Once you get used to the alternative looks you won't go back. The 156 is undeniably the prettier car, but for touring round europe.......check the boot sizes. Welcome.Hear the 3.0 auto's like a drink though!!
exgtt said:
I hear the 166 is also better built, certainly worth considering, i have been looking at these to replace my 156 v6..
Hear the 3.0 auto's like a drink though!!
The 166 is the best built recent alfa, could even have been built on a separate line. The interior is hugely improved over any other Alfa, only bettered by those made around the Modena region, seriously. The audio is pretty good, using a becker system underneath the alfa badging. Fuel econ is ok, easy get 27 in a run, once eked out 35 mpg when running out of fuel, auto 20% worse. Drives very well for a big car, and no trouble finding it in a crowded car park. Do it Hear the 3.0 auto's like a drink though!!
i have a 166 3.0v6 super.. not a bad motor, but can easily throw up big bills.
pretty much all of the suspension components will give up the ghost at the same time, resulting in a potential bill to equal the cars value. the radiators also tend to go, as do the cambelts (so make sure they have been replaced). the headlights are also absolutely useless on dipped beam.
they do look good though (mine is in nuvolo blue.... or however you spell it).
pretty much all of the suspension components will give up the ghost at the same time, resulting in a potential bill to equal the cars value. the radiators also tend to go, as do the cambelts (so make sure they have been replaced). the headlights are also absolutely useless on dipped beam.
they do look good though (mine is in nuvolo blue.... or however you spell it).
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