RE: Alfa Romeo 159 JTDM | Shed of the Week

[das_funky_zeit]

Got one!!
In fact if you include the 939 Spider I've just sold, I had 2.

I bought my 159 1.9JDTm LE in 2013 to replace my Megane R26 which was no good for the distances I was doing.
I've put +70k miles on Silvio (the good ones always get nicknames).
I've taught both my sons to drive in the 159, and although it's needed a new clutch @ 95k, new front springs, a couple of new batteries and I broke the gear lever (!!) earlier this year, it's been very reliable.

The bad news is that my youngest had a small knock in it last weekend and I have been informed that it's going to be written off as it's not economically viable to repair.

We've gone from 2 Alfas to none in the space of a week.

Would I have another one?
I'm tempted with a Brera
But I'd be really interested in a 159 the same spec as the start of Quantum of Solice; my 159 can't keep up with an Aston Marton. It must be a very rare V6 Q4 version.

[cj2013]

I've become comfortable with autoboxes these days, and what has long put me off an auto-159 has been the fact that I was seeing the selespeed ones in the scrappers 10 years ago, never mind these days

[Don Roque]

BFleming said:

Try taking the bumper off an Astra H to change a headlight bulb.

I had heard that the wheel arch liner had to come out to change the bulbs on an Astra H. Funny that, because we used to use them at work and the driver handyman could change them from under the bonnet in five minutes.

[R Mutt]

ash73 said:

to3m said:

Everybody I know that's had an Alfa Romeo has had a terrible experience with it.

Mine was fine, no problems at all.

Same

I bought a 10 year old one and only needed a new hand brake cable, clutch and wiper motor rewelded in 5 years which I don't think is bad.

[Nefos]

This was my main choice before i found a bargain Alfa GT, great cars for the price, but electronics do break on them

[dandare]

ash73 said:

to3m said:

Everybody I know that's had an Alfa Romeo has had a terrible experience with it.

Mine was fine, no problems at all.

Mine too. Excellent car for the two years I owned it. It's still driving around 10 years later.

[8IKERDAVE]

I had a 159 a couple of years ago, it replaced my Passat. It caused me so many issues during my ownership I'd never consider another.

I think a lot of it was down to neglect by the previous owner but it just seemed to throw an issue up every few weeks. To drive it was OK, the engine was noisy and a bit sluggish but the handling was lovely and it was a nice place to be. As with any unreliable car though, you stop enjoying it and end up lying in wait for the next problem.

[crofty1984]

Gorgeous car. Well done Shed.

[soad]

Numeric said:

g3org3y said:

to3m said:

One man’s cat sick is another man’s... well... ok, you got me, I suppose I just like the colour of cat sick.

Looks a very nice interior to me. Good looking car

I think its come up a bit more Orange in the pictures - but yes I also seem to be a fan of cat sick.

I don’t mind it either.

[mikey_b]

I ran one of these for 5 years - I loved it. Bought it on 14k miles in 2010 as a 'dealer principal' car (ie used by everyone, no doubt) and sold it in 2015 when it had about 50k on the clock. In that time it had one failed rear parking sensor (free under warranty) and one dead battery, so basically nothing other than routine maintenance, and occasional need to thrash it up the motorway in 4th gear to clear the DPF. It was the later 2.0 model with the stronger F40 gearbox and the close-coupled DPF. Brought both my kids home from hospital (the eldest of which is peeking through the window in the pic below ) and served equally well as a family wagon for holidays in France, a dump run car, and for taking me suited and booted for work around the country.

Only sold it as I changed jobs to one in central London where driving to work makes no sense, so after two years of doing barely 1k miles a year, I couldn't justify the cost of keeping it. Losing £2 per mile in depreciation alone is just silly...

[Amirhussain]

remedy said:

Alfa 159 with those alloys just looks the business.

[Halmyre]

AnthonyWickenden said:

DrSteveBrule said:

michaeldouglas72 said:

The headlight arrangement is stunning (although changing a bulb is tricky!)

I thought it would be but it's a 5 min job? The back pops off with a twist, unclip the bulb holder, replace and refit. I've done it several times and I was dreading it the first time, I thought it would be a nightmare.

iirc, changing the side light bulbs on a facelifted 156 was an almost impossible task...i'm still missing the skin from my knuckles.

All you needed was an extra, fully-reversible, knuckle joint in each finger.

I had two 156s, one from new in 2000, traded it in 2007 for a two year old face lift model, traded that in 2012 for a Passat. Only once had to call out emergency rescue (rusted earth strap). Servicing costs no worse than the Passat.

Both cars disappear off the MOT register when they're 11 years old (105,000 miles and 88,000 miles) so they soldiered on for a few years after I passed them on.

[drewos]

remedy said:

I've got a 2.4 TI with the auto box remapped to 260 and I've had no real probs in 2 years. For my first Alfa, it's been great. Only 76k on it too.
It's going into Autocasa in Cov at the end of the month for a service and front brake change as its had a very squeaky wheel/brake since I've had it but that's it.
Oh, my brake lights stopped working but that was just a connector opening up. I crimped it back together and it's been fine since.

Pulls like a train, looks awesome and drives lovely. Not frugal on fuel though but I don't drive it enough to care.

That is pure filth. What a stunning looking estate!

[Rozzers]

sgtBerbatov said:

Had the chance of one of these for £250, as it's fancy electro-automatic gearbox was kaput.

And I still don't regret not buying.

They dont exist, must have been a 156 Selespeed.

[CornedBeef]

That does look really good, and I've got to admit I've always lusted after a 159 Ti.

However, in balance against the positive reliability reviews I hate to say it, I used to have a Gt 1.9 Jtd and it was a nightmare. Lots of issues, and some stupid design decisions - but of course, very pretty and with lovely red leather.

[ecs0set]

Walshenham said:

A manual 2.4jtdm TI estate would be perfect, but they are seemingly like rocking horse poo. Still really covert them from a looks perspective.

FWD 2.4 Ti estates with the manual aren't too rare. Our 2.4 Ti manual with the rear-biased Torsen Q4 system on the other hand was the only one I ever saw in Nero Carbonio (metallic black). Only 4 Q4 diesel estates in the country apparently. I do miss it.

If you're going diesel, it has to be the 5-cylinder: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8VjaE3-u6E

[pSyCoSiS]

That looks lovely. I really like the look of the front lights, rear lights look evil at night and that is the best colour combo (although red with cream or black leather also looks decent).

[joema]

A red 159 Ti Estate would be lovely.

I had a 2.4jtd 156 and it ate through wishbones but the engine was cracking for a diesel. Pulled like a train

[anonymous-user]

AnthonyWickenden said:

iirc, changing the side light bulbs on a facelifted 156 was an almost impossible task...i'm still missing the skin from my knuckles.

Ah, I wonder what changed; mine is pre-facelift. I know the post-cars were a little lighter and they bother to put a handle on the boot but i don't know what else changed. Apart from making the headlights awkward to change.

mikey_b said:

I ran one of these for 5 years - I loved it....

Love that colour! Never seen one in that shade before.

das_funky_zeit said:

It must be a very rare V6 Q4 version.

From what i can gather the V6s are all Q4 but I did read that towards the end they did do a 3.2 FWD; it was unclear whether it was sold in the UK or not. As I mentioned earlier, the one I bought (and found completely by chance) is a VERY rare V6 Q4 Qtronic TI with paddle shifts. I didn't know how scarce they were until I checked How Many Left which shows that only 7 were ever sold and only 4 are on the roads.

Edited by DrSteveBrule on Friday 10th July 15:37

Edited by DrSteveBrule on Friday 10th July 15:38

[Halmyre]

ecs0set said:

Walshenham said:

A manual 2.4jtdm TI estate would be perfect, but they are seemingly like rocking horse poo. Still really covert them from a looks perspective.

FWD 2.4 Ti estates with the manual aren't too rare. Our 2.4 Ti manual with the rear-biased Torsen Q4 system on the other hand was the only one I ever saw in Nero Carbonio (metallic black). Only 4 Q4 diesel estates in the country apparently. I do miss it.

If you're going diesel, it has to be the 5-cylinder: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8VjaE3-u6E

I saw a 156 Crosswagon in Italy last year. It doesn't even show up on Howmanyleft. Don't know if it made it to the UK.