RE: Shed of the Week | Alfa Romeo 166

RE: Shed of the Week | Alfa Romeo 166

Author
Discussion

aarondbs

843 posts

145 months

Friday 20th March 2020
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Had a 3.0 166, the one with the droopy face. I liked it but it was hampered by a miserable Alfa Auto.

Never quite lived up to my previous two, a 156 2.5 V6 and my favourite car of all time a 164 3.0 24V Cloverleaf. Why did I ever sell that! You don't know what you've got until you don't have it..


Nuppy

95 posts

161 months

Friday 20th March 2020
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Love these, one day a Busso 166 will be mine

AC43

11,435 posts

207 months

Friday 20th March 2020
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Top sheddage.

You always get great Alfa stories as bonus.

All those mixed up emotions.

LOL.

BVB

1,097 posts

152 months

Friday 20th March 2020
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Handsome car, elegant.
Reminds me of a Quattroporte mk1 somehow.

V6Alfisti

3,305 posts

226 months

Friday 20th March 2020
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Always been a fan of these, particularly this facelift version.

As with most people, it would have to be the V6 flavour

Rafeabrook

104 posts

128 months

Friday 20th March 2020
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Counting up the number of Busso owners claiming their cars don't/didn't burn oil.

It's Italian.

Some will, some won't.

I've had two Busso cars. One did. One didn't.

That's what makes them so characterful. And effing annoying.

Even a decent looking, well looked after car like this will not go headache free.

Alfa also decided that Europe's senior management didn't need cupholders

Usget

5,426 posts

210 months

Friday 20th March 2020
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Lord.Vader said:
Thats (was) mine!

Sold for £800.

Such a shame, absolutely no interest what so ever, even on the shed / barge thread.

Would certainly have another but 3 other cars and a bike on the way enough.

Edited by Lord.Vader on Friday 20th March 08:37
So it's gone already? That's a shame for the purposes of this thread.

I can't believe such a lovely looking car can only be worth £800, I'd happily smoke about in that for a year.

cerb4.5lee

30,189 posts

179 months

Friday 20th March 2020
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I remember having a real soft spot for the Alfa 164 V6 years ago and I thought it would make an excellent luxury cruiser. I need to own an Alfa one day for sure.

Arese1973

51 posts

85 months

Friday 20th March 2020
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An irrational addiction that convinces you the next one will be better. Had three Busso V6 engine Alfas, none used any oil, all were glorious. The also used to drain the blood from my face on MOT day without fail. Many years of joy and pain, all because I had a ride in a sud when I was a boy and I was hooked!

anonymous-user

53 months

Friday 20th March 2020
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Usget said:
Lord.Vader said:
Thats (was) mine!

Sold for £800.

Such a shame, absolutely no interest what so ever, even on the shed / barge thread.

Would certainly have another but 3 other cars and a bike on the way enough.

Edited by Lord.Vader on Friday 20th March 08:37
So it's gone already? That's a shame for the purposes of this thread.

I can't believe such a lovely looking car can only be worth £800, I'd happily smoke about in that for a year.
Yes, gone for just £800.

Great car, not a single thing broke, much cheaper than any BMW / MB I’ve had!

knebworth01

160 posts

119 months

Friday 20th March 2020
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Great looking cars, always did look stunning in period and stand out even more now against the current crop of white goods.
Interesting comment about self distorting body panels. I had a new Alfa GT back in 2006 and that developed a mystery dent in the top of the wing. I had a hugh row with the Alfa garage (worst customer service ever) and accused them but never got to the bottom of it! I wonder if it could have been self distorting!

Earl of Petrol

485 posts

121 months

Friday 20th March 2020
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Proper shed, owned 6 Alfa’s including 1 Busso V6 (75 3.0) and can concur with pretty much everything written above in my experience. Looking for a nice V6 GTV or Brera now....,

AlfaManc

198 posts

170 months

Friday 20th March 2020
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That was mine until 2017, when I sold it to an Alfa enthusiast. It was my first TwinSpark, after two pre-facelift 3.0V6 166s. These are undoubtedly my favourite Alfas (never owned a 164), with the build quality and comfort a class above both my 156 and 159. The TwinSpark is a sprightly engine, and more than capable for everyday driving. I’d have another but the best of these are 15 years old now so you need to have the time/space for some spannering.

anonymous-user

53 months

Friday 20th March 2020
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mrpenks said:
Reminds me of my 159. Lovely and horrible all rolled into one. As a thing to look at though, perfection.
Perfect description.

waftycranker

223 posts

59 months

Friday 20th March 2020
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Great shed.

I had the same seats in my 156 and they wear really well. Had just over 100k on the clock when I sold it but the seats looked like they had only been sat in for 20k.

Defo would have, especially with a V6.

Touring442

3,096 posts

208 months

Friday 20th March 2020
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Nice looking car, utterly average to drive - like an Italian Mondeo tbh. That Fiat based TS engine was never that great either on sound or reliability. These really need the V6, even the 2.5.

But it's 1200 quid so........

Touring442

3,096 posts

208 months

Friday 20th March 2020
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Nearly 2 pages and nobody yet has used the word 'soul' when describing an old Alfa. laugh

alorotom

11,908 posts

186 months

Friday 20th March 2020
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cant believe thats 15yrs old! cant believe its near worthless!

Alfa interiors always look so wonderful and inviting - much nice than the standard german fare of the same era.

Never had an alfa, for no particular reason, I must at some point!

anonymous-user

53 months

Friday 20th March 2020
quotequote all
I think these go through many owners that may not spend what is needed and try to run them on a shoestring to correlate with the low asking price.

These need to survive though, would be a shame if they were all scrapped.

boyse7en

6,671 posts

164 months

Friday 20th March 2020
quotequote all
aarondbs said:
Had a 3.0 166, the one with the droopy face. I liked it but it was hampered by a miserable Alfa Auto.

Never quite lived up to my previous two, a 156 2.5 V6 and my favourite car of all time a 164 3.0 24V Cloverleaf. Why did I ever sell that! You don't know what you've got until you don't have it..
I had a 1999 manual V6 with the manual 6 speed and loved it to bits

A failed flywheel finally killed it. Was just too pricy to replace the clutch and flywheel. So it was in my garden of 2 years while i had a think about what to do with it and then a guy offered £250 for it as he wanted the gearbox. Charged the battery up and it started first turn of the key. Was really sad to see it go.

It was generally reliable and was a great drive. The engine is a real gem (not tried the TS). The front suspension needs to be treated as a service item and replaced every couple of years. The leather interior is really good quality, the seats still looked really good on mine after nearly 20 years.

I'd buy another in a heartbeat, but V6 manual left-hookers are hen's teeth rare now.