RE: Shed of the Week: Alfa Romeo 156 V6

[mikal83]

I just cant get around the front number plate positioning in these feckin cars. It ruins it for me

[Denorth]

mikal83 said:

I just cant get around the front number plate positioning in these feckin cars. It ruins it for me

So, you can't buy any Alfa Romeo since around 1998-2003?

Edited by Denorth on Friday 4th January 10:43

[Mr E]

We ran a 156 V6 wagon for 6 years. With a very nice interior.

It was replaced by a Saab 9-5 aero. The saab wa a better car in every measurable way other than engine noise.

I miss the Alfa. I don’t particularly miss the saab.

[Turbobanana]

Denorth said:

mikal83 said:

I just cant get around the front number plate positioning in these feckin cars. It ruins it for me

So, you can't buy any Alfa Romeo since around 1998?

Or, you know, just move it...

[Nigel_O]

mikal83 said:

I just cant get around the front number plate positioning in these feckin cars. It ruins it for me

Eh? So you'd prefer to be like 99% of cars on the road and have the plate in the "normal" position?

For me, the Alfa grille and the subsequent off-centre number plate is all part of the Alfa image - sets them apart from the crowd

In common with other comments above, I bought my Alfa GT as a temporary stop-gap when I was doing 30,000 miles a year. I still have it five years later, now with over 250,000 miles on it.

They definitely get under your skin a bit, but you have to be prepared for a bit of tinkering / fettling - you can't own them as "white goods" like some German and lots of Jap stuff

[Denorth]

Turbobanana said:

Denorth said:

mikal83 said:

I just cant get around the front number plate positioning in these feckin cars. It ruins it for me

So, you can't buy any Alfa Romeo since around 1998?

Or, you know, just move it...

just two questions: why? and where to?

[Arese1973]

I've had three 156 V6's. They feel special and make a lovely noise. The majority will now need lots of money to keep on top of ,including suspension bushes by the dozen and probably welding at every MOT. Mine would often consume around £400-600 every MOT but to be fair were mechanically reliable.

I foolishly thought I'd let my last 156 V6 go and buying something newer (a 1.9 GT) this has now got a broken gearbox. The paradox of Alfa Romeo, you regret it when you've got one and regret it when you haven't

[Denorth]

found a link to one with the licence plate in the centre

https://www.alfaowner.com/Forum/alfa-147-156-andam...

[J4CKO]

£995 for that is marvellous, they look right from every angle, nice that these days of stratospheric prices for a lot of stuff you can still get something quite special for the price of a half decent telly.

[RicksAlfas]

Denorth said:

mikal83 said:

I just cant get around the front number plate positioning in these feckin cars. It ruins it for me

So, you can't buy any Alfa Romeo since around 1998-2003?

It goes back a lot longer than that! Here's one from 1958:
https://www.southwood.co.uk/showroom/78/Alfa-Romeo...

[Denorth]

RicksAlfas said:

It goes back a lot longer than that! Here's one from 1958:
https://www.southwood.co.uk/showroom/78/Alfa-Romeo...

of course it does, but there was a big gap from 60s till 1998 when licence place was placed in the centre IIRC. I remember AR saying that 156 was reviving an old Alfa's tradition of having the front licence plate not in the centre. And it took till 2003 to phase out central position completely.

[greenarrow]

Early contender for shed of the year 2019? An awful lot of loveliness for £995

[carinaman]

That's a cracking photo. I'm not a fan of Vela blue on the GTV and Spider as I prefer Atollo blue, but those wheels in that colour and Vela look really right to me. It looks very classy and tasteful. I am not bored of looking at 156s yet.

[dinkel]

For the classic magazine I found 2 156 high milers - one 1,9 and one 1,8 - both with well over 400k kms on the clock and still daily used. A 156 / 147 well cared for is a joy.

[BlackPorker]

I know who bought that! It has gone to a good home.

[carinaman]

BlackPorker said:

I know who bought that! It has gone to a good home.

Knowing that it's not being sold on for a profit is good news.

[AC43]

Utterly gorgeous. That's my SOTY right there.

[Denorth]

can't resist, but posting mine. Bought in 2013. Still have it. (but it's a wrong engine...1.9... enough said)

[robsco]

Hi all. I am the buyer and the car does indeed have a good home. The car has had money spent in all the right areas but the bodywork needs some attention. At £995, it seemed rude not to; for the engine alone its worth the money.

[s m]

J4CKO said:

£995 for that is marvellous, they look right from every angle, nice that these days of stratospheric prices for a lot of stuff you can still get something quite special for the price of a half decent telly.

They do feel decently quick as well for a 190bhp 4 door saloon weighing 1.4 tonnes.

If second gear had stretched to 60 I'm sure they'd have been in the sixes for the all important benchmark sprint.

Not bad for a fwd with 'skinny' tyres