Alfas...

[Adam_W]

Sold my car and am looking around for something reasonably cheap to buy. Saw a 156 for less than £1000 and it got me thinking.

Alfa's appear to be reasonably priced for spec but what are they like to live with? Do they really break down as much as they say?

Cheers

[edo]

a £1k Alfa?

[marcosgt]

Judging by the very nice looking GTV in the office, yes...

M.

[DamienB]

Bangernomica fantastico!

Presumably well above the 100K or 10 year mark at that price, and a petrol one, in which case the only real worry would be how long the cambelt's got and which suspension bits will fail the next MOT. Might cost you the purchase price again in keeping it on the road next year, might not.

[DjSki]

DamienB said:

Bangernomica fantastico!

Excellente postico!

[anonymous-user]

Which engine?

[tamore]

Symbolica said:

Which engine?

and for christ's sake, not a sillyspeed!

[_Batty_]

tamore said:

Symbolica said:

Which engine?

and for christ's sake, not a sillyspeed!

agreed. almost as bad as Audi Multitronic.

[Adam_W]

Looking at the v6 of course

How much to get a cambelt changed? im guessing a lot?

Something i can do at home? i have done plenty of DOHC 4 cylinder engines but never a v6

[callahan]

Adam_W said:

Looking at the v6 of course

How much to get a cambelt changed? im guessing a lot?

Something i can do at home? i have done plenty of DOHC 4 cylinder engines but never a v6

See here Jimmy: http://www.alfaworkshop.co.uk/alfa_romeo_156.shtml

[uncinquesei]

edo said:

a £1k Alfa?

My 156 (1.8TS 99 T one owner 60k) cost me £900 2 years ago. Admittedly I'd taken it in p/ex so was on the cheap side. Since then I've serviced it, done the cam belt (absolute must) and used it regularly without any trouble at all. (touch wood ) They are cracking cars and it still looks great after all this time.

[Adam_W]

Yikes! well id definitely consider trying to change it myself at that price.

[robsco]

Adam, go for it, you won't regret it. Just make sure you get the belts changed. Alfa's official intervals never changed on the V6 (72k or 5 years), but you'd need to be changing them far earlier than that IMHO.

[TheDetailDoctor]

I always see buying an Alfa as a bit like meeting a bird who bangs like a champ, but is known to have certain, non fatal std's, you still go home with her, even though you probably shouldn't.

[waynedear]

Just bought an Alfa 155 for £500. 2.0 8v, chain driven 71,000, 12 months MOT never welded, no rust all electrics work just fine, runs like a dream and because it has been looked after and will continue to be, i expect it to give years of pleasure..

[TheDetailDoctor]

waynedear said:

Just bought an Alfa 155 for £500. 2.0 8v, chain driven 71,000, 12 months MOT never welded, no rust all electrics work just fine, runs like a dream and because it has been looked after and will continue to be, i expect it to give seconds of pleasure..

EFA

[alfa pint]

v6 engine is more reliable and stronger than the twin spark, but you need to look very carefully at the suspension on an old 156 as the bushes etc go early and damage the subframes. If you can get one with receipts for recent suspension components and the key electrics work, then you're quids in!

[anonymous-user]

If you can't find a good V6 I'll probably be selling my TS towards the end of the year

[waynedear]

TheDetailDoctor said:

waynedear said:

Just bought an Alfa 155 for £500. 2.0 8v, chain driven 71,000, 12 months MOT never welded, no rust all electrics work just fine, runs like a dream and because it has been looked after and will continue to be, i expect it to give seconds of pleasure..

EFA

???????????????..lol

[Nero601]

edo said:

a £1k Alfa?

Both Alfa's i have owned (155 , 145 ) both cost less than £1k , and they were fantastic , 100% reliable ! don't knock it till you have tried it.

I now have a saab vert and am already thinking about another Alfa , they are unlike any other car i have driven , god i miss my alfa