RE: Shed of the Week: Alfa Romeo 159 Sportwagon

[crostonian]

Blackpuddin said:

It is entirely possible/probable that used cars will be targeted, though.

But the fact is they aren't and it would be political and economic suicide if they were, hence why they haven't.

[MXRod]

I know the thread is being hijacked , but having now looked at the DVLA web site ,
At least for my daughter , her VED band remains unchanged ,so I suspect will all others , that is not to say there is not a general increase in line with inflation . at least hers will only go up from £0.00 to £0.00

[PoopahScoopah]

Wow, amazed that these have now dropped in to shed territory!

I often yearn for a Ti. It would have to be a Ti. As striking as the 159 is, I just find all the lesser models look a bit.........cack. But the Ti just looks absolutely right. Aside from not actually ever having the cash sitting about to buy one (a trivial matter!) whenever the head gets involved it pushes the heart aside and reminds me that 159s are just too heavy and the economy Vs performance Vs the tax etc doesn't really stack up.

[anonymous-user]

Opening line made me laugh out loud. Mostly because that happened to me too

[BFleming]

Blackpuddin said:

Every diesel (new or used) goes up a band from next year (I think). By my reckoning our '02 Golf goes up from £150pa to £190pa.

Maybe if your Golf was on sale new now. The tax rate hike doesn't affect older cars.

Edited by BFleming on Friday 24th November 09:21

[Blackpuddin]

BFleming said:

Blackpuddin said:

Every diesel (new or used) goes up a band from next year (I think). By my reckoning our '02 Golf goes up from £150pa to £190pa.

Maybe if your Golf was on sale new now. The tax rate hike doesn't affect older cars..

Aye, I've already got me coat

[jumare]

I don't know whether to feel proud or sad to have the same car as shed of the week, even the photo looks similar to one I took of mine...




Although mine does have less (not no) faults, higher spec (leather) and lower mileage. They're a great car for a day to day workhorse while looking more stylish than most alternatives..


For the record I have glow-plug problems, doesn't affect the running though.

[givablondabone]

Sorry, but swirl flaps and clogged egr valves can be an issue with ANY 'old' modern diesel. In fact, egrs can be an issue on relatively new diesels if not used properly. Only last week I diagnosed a clogged egr on a 24k Leon.

Swirl flaps can be removed and blanked easily and if egr valves are cleaned at service as they should then problems should not arise.

Tut Tut

[BFleming]

Blackpuddin said:

BFleming said:

Blackpuddin said:

Every diesel (new or used) goes up a band from next year (I think). By my reckoning our '02 Golf goes up from £150pa to £190pa.

Maybe if your Golf was on sale new now. The tax rate hike doesn't affect older cars..

Aye, I've already got me coat

No worries; mine is always ready too ;-)

[jas xjr]

wormus said:

I had one of these when new and it was rubbish, looked nice but it was riddled with electrical faults. After numerous attempts to get it fixed I gave it back to the dealer and got a refund. As a replacement they found me the Monaro (they were an Alfa/Vauxhall dealer) which I still have 11 years later.

do you play the lottery ?

[Omaruk]

Everything is great about these cars, apart from the pile of poo diesel engines

[BFleming]

only1ian said:

Is it me or does it look like Diesel engined cars are going to replace large displacement barges as SOTW common fodder.

It's not just you. There will still be the odd blip of eurobarge or JDM 'exotica', but the sheer amount of diesels sold over the last 15 years will see an ever-increasing wave of them coming forth for shed money.
As the government is losing money on VED collection, they have revised their policies, and are currently brainwashing the public that petrol is the healthier option. So expect to see a succession of petrol engined SOTWs again in 10 years or so - albeit smaller petrol engines with turbochargers attached.
Now before the usual suspects come along with their 'diseasal' chicken licken rants, your petrol either isn't that great either - so unless you've bought a bike, think before you take your stand on the pulpit!

[MadDog1962]

Provided you could trust the reliability, this might be quite a nice winter shed.

Hopefully, engine parts should be reasonably priced if the power plant is shared with GM and Fiat products.

If this was a "Selespeed" I'd have just ignored it completely.

[TooLateForAName]

shed said:

Sometimes, things are not what they seem. When Shed first met the future Mrs Shed, he thought she was a kind, caring and attractive person. It was only later, one day after the wedding in fact, that he discovered she was actually a spiteful, vindictive and ugly old bag.

Seriously, who thinks this sort of crap is funny or acceptable in this day and age? Is it 1950 again?

[peteygt]

TooLateForAName said:

Seriously, who thinks this sort of crap is funny or acceptable in this day and age? Is it 1950 again?

Agreed. These articles don't flow well and they're difficult to follow. More annoying than anything!

[BricktopST205]

Saab 9-5 Estate or Volvo V70 would be where my money would be going. Not on something like this.

[exgtt]

Had one for about 4 months, the headlight switch on the left hand stalk has a habit of going wrong, check the lights actually turn off when requested. As you'd imagine Alfa want £300+ for a brand new plastic piece of tat light stalk. EGR's are a non issue, 10 minutes to change or bodge.

Odd mix of quick steering but heavy front end, great mway cruiser. 1.9 needs a remap. Am holding out for a 2.4ti in red, gorgeous.

Edited by exgtt on Friday 24th November 09:57

[BeastieBoy73]

Great shed. Still fresh looking over 10 years on. Don't think I'd be put off by any potential mechanical issues this car could throw at me. I have a 2008 Passat Diesel Estate. In recent months it's had the front wings replaced due to rust (warranty), parking brake button replaced. Calliper replaced due to seizing and one of the rear windows sticks... My car, as with this Alfa, is knocking on a bit so things are going to need addressing sooner or later.

As for the Mrs Shed stuff, that's lost on me... Much prefer SOTW when she gets no mention but I get some like it and it's easy to ignore. Bit like "Mrs Browns Boys"...

[BFleming]

MadDog1962 said:

If this was a "Selespeed" I'd have just ignored it completely.

The last Selespeeds sold in the UK were in the 147/156/GT. The 159 Selespeed (only available with the 2.2 JTS, and also in the Brera & Spider) luckily never made it this far.

[sgtBerbatov]

Blackpuddin said:

MXRod said:

Blackpuddin said:

tim-jxv5n said:

I thought used diesels had come away unscathed in yesterdays budget?

Every diesel (new or used) goes up a band from next year (I think). By my reckoning our '02 Golf goes up from £150pa to £190pa.

Not sure that is correct , all I have read ,ie BBC web and daily papers indicate only new cars affected, not existing
Well I hope not , my Daughter has a zero rated Seat Ibiza ( £0.00 road tax) and that would be a strain on her limited budget if it came into tax bands .
I stand to be corrected , But hope not

Hope you're right on that, I'll have a dig about.
EFA looks like you might be right on that, that's a relief. Sure I read it somewhere that all cars were affected but that could have been an error by the writer or panic by me.

Edited by Blackpuddin on Friday 24th November 08:42

New tax rates only apply to cars registered this year and onwards. Cars older than that escape it.

For how long, who knows. I've a 2010 diesel and a 1998 petrol car. So I fully expect some sort of tax hike for these two motors at some point.