RE: Shed Of The Week: Alfa 156 Sportwagon
Discussion
Mine is a 2002 half-facelift model and I disagree on some of your points there. I find the seats very comfy indeed, although I'm relatively short and modest of frame so ymmv.
Getting 50mpg on a mixed commute from the 150hp 2.4 diesel, using all the performance regularly (not just a granny run). This would be even better if there was a 6th gear to bring the revs down at motorway speeds.
Getting 50mpg on a mixed commute from the 150hp 2.4 diesel, using all the performance regularly (not just a granny run). This would be even better if there was a 6th gear to bring the revs down at motorway speeds.
Alfa have a rather wonderful habit of making the mundane, glorious.... or at least to look at. It's a eurobox by any other name - you can count off the Vectra/Mondeo/Primera contemporaries of the time as very ordinary cars. But the Alfa looks special - like it was designed by people who cared how it looked. And it's a funny thing but I can forgive a car a lot if it encourages me to turn around a take another look at it as I go about my business.
I wouldn't call it a 3 series/A4 contender but for shed money, I'd be tempted...
I wouldn't call it a 3 series/A4 contender but for shed money, I'd be tempted...
Cracking write up, of a crap shed. I mean crap, in that the gearbox is going to kick you in the balls sooner or later. I like the car, I like the shape, I just don't think there's enough brave pills in the jar for me.
Can't see that in the top ten sheds at the end of the year somehow.
Can't see that in the top ten sheds at the end of the year somehow.
Had one of these for three years and put over 60k miles on it. Never had a problem except when key split once and immobilised it. Really liked the Selespeed gearbox once I got used to lifting off on change up - decent control hooning on B roads but could stick it in auto when in traffic. Sweet engine too. Boot space can be made larger by pulling the cover up to clip into the ceiling IIRC.
chrisga said:
Whats going on with the ride height on this shed though? Looks like a moon buggy.
Normal. If yours is lower and you haven't lowered it I bet your rear shocks have collapsed. They normally go on SWs at about the 100k mark. Expensive to replace the self levellers that SWs have too... Though you can get standard ones instead.Maybe i'm just tired, but I found that write up incredibly confusing to read.
As for the car, if I didn't rely on it as a sole means of getting about and I had space, time and money I'd quite like to give one of these a punt - the selespeed goes down on my list of cars that are ultimately crap but I quite fancy owning for the quirkiness, the list includes, The volvo 340 variomatic, the wartburg 323 and/or trabant and the MG Maestro 1600
The other model I fancied was the V6 Q-System with its Ferrari mondial style clutchless manual change or full auto - also crap mainly because a) it was a 4 speed only and b)it didn't work very well as "synthesised" manual box
As for the car, if I didn't rely on it as a sole means of getting about and I had space, time and money I'd quite like to give one of these a punt - the selespeed goes down on my list of cars that are ultimately crap but I quite fancy owning for the quirkiness, the list includes, The volvo 340 variomatic, the wartburg 323 and/or trabant and the MG Maestro 1600
The other model I fancied was the V6 Q-System with its Ferrari mondial style clutchless manual change or full auto - also crap mainly because a) it was a 4 speed only and b)it didn't work very well as "synthesised" manual box
morgrp said:
Maybe i'm just tired, but I found that write up incredibly confusing to read.
Same.The 156 is a lovely looking car. I do want to get one at some point. I can't remember where I read it but with the twin spark engines someone mentioned that the earlier 'metal engine cover' versions are a lot more raspy at the top end compared to the later plastic engine covered ones. I remember my Grandmothers 146 sounded amazing (1.6 metal engine cover) whereas my friends old GTV sounded rubbish (plastic engine cover).
We used to have a 1.6 156 Sportwagon years ago and it was a gem. Never actually had any mechanical or electrical failures either (apart from the engine eating itself when it sucked in some water from a road puddle!!).
This advert is dodgy though. It's definitely the 2.0 petrol, but its long MOT runs out in April and I don't like the idea of 0 seats!! lol
This advert is dodgy though. It's definitely the 2.0 petrol, but its long MOT runs out in April and I don't like the idea of 0 seats!! lol
The 2.0 TS has been known to seize on #3 as the exhaust cuts through the sump under that big end and can cook the oil out of it when parked, if the oil used is cheap stuff or if it has been left to run low/out at any point (for example, by the immediate previous owner). Sadly, there's little way of telling if this might be the case until it goes bang.
Go on, ask me how I know
Go on, ask me how I know
defblade said:
The 2.0 TS has been known to seize on #3 as the exhaust cuts through the sump under that big end and can cook the oil out of it when parked, if the oil used is cheap stuff or if it has been left to run low/out at any point (for example, by the immediate previous owner). Sadly, there's little way of telling if this might be the case until it goes bang.
Go on, ask me how I know
Blimey!Go on, ask me how I know
Interesting info
Corranga said:
At <£1k with those low miles, I don't really see why you need a brave pill to buy it, there are plenty more risky buys out there, and it's not exactly a lot of coin to loose.
Could easily be the prettiest winter shed out there!
Agree'd. it's managed to survive the last 13 odd years so chances are it'll survive a good few more. Could easily be the prettiest winter shed out there!
Markgenesis said:
Corranga said:
At <£1k with those low miles, I don't really see why you need a brave pill to buy it, there are plenty more risky buys out there, and it's not exactly a lot of coin to loose.
Could easily be the prettiest winter shed out there!
Agree'd. it's managed to survive the last 13 odd years so chances are it'll survive a good few more. Could easily be the prettiest winter shed out there!
In today's money this is probably less. I wonder how much it would be worth for spares if the DSG did fail expensively?
V8 FOU said:
Selespeed is OK. I have had 2. Main problem is that they don't get adjusted properly plus people using them like a conventional auto. The "lift" on gearchanges makes them almost seamless.
Isn't this the type of excuse that all bad designers make though? - Claiming the problem is the user, when in actual fact the problem is that the poorly designed product is not meeting the average user's expectations of how it should work. Almost got a 156 JTS pre-facelift instead of the Coupe and in some ways it might've been a better, more practical option but that engine won over my head
Have always liked the 156 though, apart from when they slap that big Supra style wing on the back. I know some folk like them but to me it looks crass and unnecessary. 2.5 v6s have been thought about as a "practical" replacement for the Coupe but I'd love a GTA. In blue please
Selespeeds though, I just don't know why folk would bother with the hassle of them instead of a normal manual. Fiat fitted them to the 2.4 Stilos as standard for the first few years then realised their mistake and brought in a 5-speeder - who knows why they didn't bring the 6-speed they'd introduced on the Coupe later in its life, I imagine there was some technical design issue but I miss having that extra ratio in my Coupe. For those who do like Selespeeds though, each to their own. I've just never been a fan of autos in general even if they're wearing a manual disguise.
Have always liked the 156 though, apart from when they slap that big Supra style wing on the back. I know some folk like them but to me it looks crass and unnecessary. 2.5 v6s have been thought about as a "practical" replacement for the Coupe but I'd love a GTA. In blue please
Selespeeds though, I just don't know why folk would bother with the hassle of them instead of a normal manual. Fiat fitted them to the 2.4 Stilos as standard for the first few years then realised their mistake and brought in a 5-speeder - who knows why they didn't bring the 6-speed they'd introduced on the Coupe later in its life, I imagine there was some technical design issue but I miss having that extra ratio in my Coupe. For those who do like Selespeeds though, each to their own. I've just never been a fan of autos in general even if they're wearing a manual disguise.
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