RE: SOTW: Alfa Romeo 166 3.0
Discussion
V8RX7 said:
I wouldn't dispute that it matches them for looks.
But build ?
Rubbish.
A mate who's a car dealer ran one of these for a few months and it had lots of little niggly faults.
Washers packed up, central locking was temperamental, displays didn't light up etc
Needless to say he went back to a 5 series which was great until it too started playing up but it was then at 210k compared to the 70k Alfa.
In my experience the 164/166 are just as good. I have had lots of cars over the years including 3 alfa's and 5 bmws, amongst lots of others, and the alfa's never left me stranded. I had a 5 series that did once and my last 3 series let me down once too. Maybe I was just lucky......(or unlucky with the others)But build ?
Rubbish.
A mate who's a car dealer ran one of these for a few months and it had lots of little niggly faults.
Washers packed up, central locking was temperamental, displays didn't light up etc
Needless to say he went back to a 5 series which was great until it too started playing up but it was then at 210k compared to the 70k Alfa.
To be honest most cars don't break down much these days mechanically, it usually electrics, but alfa's still seem to have a reputation with many people, especially ones who have never owned one or who have and not bothered to look after it and got upset when the belt snapped.....
big_boz said:
J4CKO said:
You havent quite got this "Shed" thing have you 
You dont buy a grands worth of old Alfa and then spunk a grand on it, couple of hundred to get it through an MOT, driven it until it requires a major spend, then scrap it or stick it on Ebay for bits, ultimate handling precision isnt in the Bangernomics ethos, you dont do the belts, if it snaps thats it, buy another one as spending £800 having the belts done is pretty much the cost of another one.
It is acceptable to polish it to death and get it looking nice, it has to be safe and have an MOT, perhaps an oil change but anything else doesnt make sense, the savvy shed purchaser looks for cars where some other poor sod has spent all the money and now wants rid, they absolutely dont spend it themselves.
"A couple of hundred to get it through its MOT".....You clearly have never owned an alfa.You dont buy a grands worth of old Alfa and then spunk a grand on it, couple of hundred to get it through an MOT, driven it until it requires a major spend, then scrap it or stick it on Ebay for bits, ultimate handling precision isnt in the Bangernomics ethos, you dont do the belts, if it snaps thats it, buy another one as spending £800 having the belts done is pretty much the cost of another one.
It is acceptable to polish it to death and get it looking nice, it has to be safe and have an MOT, perhaps an oil change but anything else doesnt make sense, the savvy shed purchaser looks for cars where some other poor sod has spent all the money and now wants rid, they absolutely dont spend it themselves.
"Drive it until it needs a major spend" - should read "pick it up and drive it home"
"scrap it and put it on ebay for bits" - what with the 000's of other alfas on ebay being broken?
"the savvy shed purchaser looks for cars where some other poor sod has spent all the money and now wants rid" - That will be every modern alfa on the market that works then? You spend £400 getting the belts done, then drive over a speed bump and that another £300 for a front ARB, do that and then drive back over the same speed bump and the front lower arms need replacing....never ending
My thinking is that brakes and suspension I generally do myself, as long as the parts are available and not ridiculous then its time to crack out the spanners, any older car like this can be a money pit, especially if you end up paying garage rates, the suspension arms are £59 each off Ebay + 3.50 postage so an £130 ish job if you really cant avoid it, ARB drop links are £13 a pair.
V8RX7 said:
I wouldn't dispute that it matches them for looks.
But build ?
Rubbish.
A mate who's a car dealer ran one of these for a few months and it had lots of little niggly faults.
Washers packed up, central locking was temperamental, displays didn't light up etc
Needless to say he went back to a 5 series which was great until it too started playing up but it was then at 210k compared to the 70k Alfa.
Awww diddums....But build ?
Rubbish.
A mate who's a car dealer ran one of these for a few months and it had lots of little niggly faults.
Washers packed up, central locking was temperamental, displays didn't light up etc
Needless to say he went back to a 5 series which was great until it too started playing up but it was then at 210k compared to the 70k Alfa.
I can never understand the total belief in crumbly old German barges some people seem to have. Have you looked at the sort or creaking chod you get for a grand if you want a blue propeller or a three pointed star on your bonnet? I have, frequently.
An Alfa is probably going to be in better nick than the average 5 series because it'll have been owned by an enthusiast, someone who WANTED one rather than the usual wannabes you see at the wheel of the average 10 year old Beemer.
I'd have a V6 manual 166 in a heartbeat.
big_boz said:
I always liked the 166, in fact i couldn't name one alfa that i don't like...but....having owned a 156 (2001 1.8 veloce..low miles, full service history) I will never again buy another one.
As many have said, the purchase price is utterly irrelevant. £10 or £1000 IT WILL COST several Thousands of pounds per year to keep going.
The mechanical design of any alfa of the last 10 years is appalling, Why make suspension bushes a service item but then build them into the suspension arms...? Annual spark plug replacement on a twin spark is £100 just for the plugs! The thermostat sensor requires replacement pretty much annually...but it is an integral part of the whole assembly and can not be replaced on its own...£50...the list is endless
I loved my 156, The tan momo interior was a high point, but my god it was comfortably the worst car i have ever owned for ongoing maintenance.
I cant imagine the 166 being any different, as such it should be stricken from the shed list!
What?As many have said, the purchase price is utterly irrelevant. £10 or £1000 IT WILL COST several Thousands of pounds per year to keep going.
The mechanical design of any alfa of the last 10 years is appalling, Why make suspension bushes a service item but then build them into the suspension arms...? Annual spark plug replacement on a twin spark is £100 just for the plugs! The thermostat sensor requires replacement pretty much annually...but it is an integral part of the whole assembly and can not be replaced on its own...£50...the list is endless
I loved my 156, The tan momo interior was a high point, but my god it was comfortably the worst car i have ever owned for ongoing maintenance.
I cant imagine the 166 being any different, as such it should be stricken from the shed list!
Spark plugs are 60k miles or 10 years. There are 8 and they do cost the thick end of £100 but they're not annual...
service schedule
I too have a 1.8TS 156 (99T) and it has been pretty trouble free, oil and filter changes, brakes etc all easily done by me with parts from local factors. Cam belt (vital) £75 cash + parts supplied to a mate as a foreigner.
I don't recognise your experience at all...
Had a 164 cloverleaf and a 166 3.0 and the 164 was superior in all ways bar the interior. The 164 interior was woeful though comfortable. The 166 was auto which didn't help and had the gearbox ecu issue along with bushes and exhaust issues. Great cars but flawed. We now own a 156 2.5 v6 so flawed as they were they did have something.
aarondbs said:
Had a 164 cloverleaf and a 166 3.0 and the 164 was superior in all ways bar the interior. The 164 interior was woeful though comfortable. The 166 was auto which didn't help and had the gearbox ecu issue along with bushes and exhaust issues. Great cars but flawed. We now own a 156 2.5 v6 so flawed as they were they did have something.
I loved my 164 - unbelievably comfortable. For me... Passengers never liked it as much though, the electric seat was stuck in a position that was not quite wrong enough to make me mend it but not quite right enough to make it comfortable 
big_boz said:
"A couple of hundred to get it through its MOT".....You clearly have never owned an alfa.
"Drive it until it needs a major spend" - should read "pick it up and drive it home"
"scrap it and put it on ebay for bits" - what with the 000's of other alfas on ebay being broken?
"the savvy shed purchaser looks for cars where some other poor sod has spent all the money and now wants rid" - That will be every modern alfa on the market that works then? You spend £400 getting the belts done, then drive over a speed bump and that another £300 for a front ARB, do that and then drive back over the same speed bump and the front lower arms need replacing....never ending
I feel your pain. Everything you have said is my gorgeous GT. Especially the suspension comments. Edam is harder than alfa suspension!"Drive it until it needs a major spend" - should read "pick it up and drive it home"
"scrap it and put it on ebay for bits" - what with the 000's of other alfas on ebay being broken?
"the savvy shed purchaser looks for cars where some other poor sod has spent all the money and now wants rid" - That will be every modern alfa on the market that works then? You spend £400 getting the belts done, then drive over a speed bump and that another £300 for a front ARB, do that and then drive back over the same speed bump and the front lower arms need replacing....never ending
But I still love it
fat freddie said:
Awww diddums....
I can never understand the total belief in crumbly old German barges some people seem to have. Have you looked at the sort or creaking chod you get for a grand if you want a blue propeller or a three pointed star on your bonnet? I have, frequently.
An Alfa is probably going to be in better nick than the average 5 series because it'll have been owned by an enthusiast, someone who WANTED one rather than the usual wannabes you see at the wheel of the average 10 year old Beemer.
I'd have a V6 manual 166 in a heartbeat.
I answered a question about how one car breaks and another doesn't - silly me for not overlooking crappy electrics - but wait - look how many Alfas sold compared to BMWs - it is you who is deluded most of us WANT the things we paid for to actually WORK.I can never understand the total belief in crumbly old German barges some people seem to have. Have you looked at the sort or creaking chod you get for a grand if you want a blue propeller or a three pointed star on your bonnet? I have, frequently.
An Alfa is probably going to be in better nick than the average 5 series because it'll have been owned by an enthusiast, someone who WANTED one rather than the usual wannabes you see at the wheel of the average 10 year old Beemer.
I'd have a V6 manual 166 in a heartbeat.
Yes I know exactly what kind of BMW you can get, my Dad bought 2 528 BMWs last year as loaners - both were under £600 with leather, AC etc everything worked and they were tidy cars - one has had zero problems the other has needed the water pump changing - at 140k
I just sold my 51 plate 3.0 super lusso for a trifling £1250 with 90k ish on the clock. Had it almost 8 years and was v sorry to let it go. No heater matrix troubles, all the electrics worked most of the time, the momo leather really is glorious (esp in Black) and it's so flexible to drive you only really need 5th and 6th once under way. Yes, it does eat front tyres if you're in a hurry, but mine had a Novitech body kit & stainless exhaust and sounded glorious (my Q2 Alfa GT 1.9 diesel DOESN'T)so you couldn't really drive it slowly. Sold to a colleague and he's loving it after a 3.2 XJ6. Might buy it back when he's finished with it, although by then I guess the Rosso Alfa will have turned from the current Raspberryto embarrasing girlie pink
I suppose it is luck of the draw, but I had a 1999 156 2.0TS from new which I sold to my FiL a few years ago. He is a serial car wrecker - takes absolutely no care over his cars and never spends money on them.
It was diagnosed three years ago with a knackered radiator, but he never got it fixed and it still just keeps going.
Prior to the Alfa he had a (very) old shape Passat which he wrecked, so in my experience Alfas are not quite the prima donnas so many (German) car enthusiasts claim!
I fancy a 159ti next, so no doubt that will prove to be terrible!!
It was diagnosed three years ago with a knackered radiator, but he never got it fixed and it still just keeps going.
Prior to the Alfa he had a (very) old shape Passat which he wrecked, so in my experience Alfas are not quite the prima donnas so many (German) car enthusiasts claim!
I fancy a 159ti next, so no doubt that will prove to be terrible!!
george123 said:
ajb85 said:
The 164 ignited my love of Alfas. It's where it all began.
I used to a nurse a semi over these wheels...
Big, brutish saloon cars like this were amazing. They're the ones that really used to impress me. We'll never see its likes again.
Now that is a beautyI used to a nurse a semi over these wheels...
Big, brutish saloon cars like this were amazing. They're the ones that really used to impress me. We'll never see its likes again.
Dr Mike Oxgreen said:
GranCab said:
Viz would call it a BOBFOC.
... or an Aswad, being the term for a woman who is much more attractive from behind than from the front. Named after the reggae band who had a hit with "Don't Turn Around".I really, really, really, really love this shed. It's got Me written all over it, would park up jolly nicely alongside my 75ts - but then so would that (admittedly slightly crashed) gtv...
... not that I'm in a position to buy either.
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