RE: Alfa Romeo 159 | Shed of the Week

RE: Alfa Romeo 159 | Shed of the Week

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Discussion

wal 45

831 posts

195 months

Friday 13th May 2022
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I had one of the very last 1750 TBi Ti Sportwagon a few years ago, they look great but really aren't as good (IMO) as people make out.

With this one all I'd say is check the front subframe isn't about to fall apart with rust and the usual gearbox woes, not for me thank you. Still driving an old Alfa but not one of these.

BlackPorker

390 posts

190 months

Friday 13th May 2022
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I had a 3.2 V6 Ti in 8C Red a couple of years ago which I ended up selling back to the previous owner:



It was utterly beautiful and very reliable.

86wasagoodyear

731 posts

111 months

Friday 13th May 2022
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Not bad, and not overpriced considering the current market. But having had and adored a 156 1.8 Veloce back in the day, and tested a 159 as a potential replacement, I’d look for another 156 for shed money today.

lb3nson

821 posts

104 months

Friday 13th May 2022
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BlackPorker said:
I had a 3.2 V6 Ti in 8C Red a couple of years ago which I ended up selling back to the previous owner:



It was utterly beautiful and very reliable.
Wow that is perfect clap

wpa1975

11,959 posts

129 months

Friday 13th May 2022
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Would look loads better on bigger wheels

Twoshoe

943 posts

199 months

Friday 13th May 2022
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lb3nson said:
BlackPorker said:
I had a 3.2 V6 Ti in 8C Red a couple of years ago which I ended up selling back to the previous owner:



It was utterly beautiful and very reliable.
Wow that is perfect clap
Yes, and those wheels are definitely the ones to go for.

Gareth9702

384 posts

147 months

Friday 13th May 2022
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Has there ever been a time when Alfa Romeo has not been in a "sink or swim" situation? Alfa is a brand that is continually searching for its market niche. Never built to a quality to challenge the Germans, never enough performance to set itself apart, and not quite enough style to overlook the other two.

deggles

662 posts

217 months

Friday 13th May 2022
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BlackPorker said:
I had a 3.2 V6 Ti in 8C Red a couple of years ago which I ended up selling back to the previous owner:



It was utterly beautiful and very reliable.
That is gorgeous cloud9 Confused by the late 2014 registration though? I thought they stopped production long before then.

Driveline Shunt

938 posts

157 months

Friday 13th May 2022
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BlackPorker said:
I had a 3.2 V6 Ti in 8C Red a couple of years ago which I ended up selling back to the previous owner:



It was utterly beautiful and very reliable.
Oh my, that's glorious.

Good choice of car this week, do enjoy Mr Shed's ramblings on a Friday commute!

Rumblestripe

3,517 posts

177 months

Friday 13th May 2022
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Yep, I'd have that.

With any "shed" there is compromise, that is the whole point of shedding. Last week it was if you want to walk out to your shed and have it start and get you to where you want to go in dull reliable efficiency. This week we have a beautiful thing to look at with the wrong engine and a wibbly wobbly boot lid, with the added excitement of the "will it let me down today" lottery every time you use it.

If you want the beautiful thing with the right engine and a shapely bottom, sorry boot, then you are going to have to find a few more beer vouchers down the back of the sofa than this!

georgeyboy12345

3,929 posts

50 months

Friday 13th May 2022
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The 1.9 JTD 16V motor in this shed can be remapped up to 212 bhp and 295 lb ft, which should make it a bit more interesting.

Great shed.

Nigel_O

3,307 posts

234 months

Friday 13th May 2022
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georgeyboy12345 said:
The 1.9 JTD 16V motor in this shed can be remapped up to 212 bhp and 295 lb ft, which should make it a bit more interesting.
Correct, but on the early versions, the gearboxes were made from chocolate and could fail with the extra torque

Both of my sons have had a 159 Sportwagon (as in one of them had it first for a few years, then passed it onto his brother). It has c. 190,000 miles on it and is still reliable and is a cracking workhorse with decent looks.

When looked after, the engine will go forever. I had the same lump in an Alfa GT and I part-ex'd it at 268,000 miles and the dealer is now using it as a customer loan car.

As mentioned though, it's a completely different car to the 156. Heavier, but more "solid-feeling" - definitely more refined.

Having seen a lot of 159/Brera V6's pulled apart, I'd avoid them in favour of the much better 1750 turbo, but I doubt those will ever get near Shed's grasp...

rxe

6,700 posts

118 months

Friday 13th May 2022
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Ours is a 2.4 estate, diesel. Now on 150K miles. It’s been reliable, and the interiors are very robust. Ours is used to cart around two large German Shepherds - they are generally filthy and the interior takes a beating. 2 hours with a scrubbing brush, and you’d never know it had such a hard life.

They eat front tyres - on 19” rims Acceleras are fine at about £50 a go. Don’t put them on 18” rims, they’re terrible.

This is Mrs rxe’s car and she really doesn’t know what to get next. She’s had it for 10 years, if Alfa made a Giulia estate we’d have one. She wouldn’t be seen dead in anything German and doesn’t want an SUV. Bit stuffed really.

nismo48

5,275 posts

222 months

Friday 13th May 2022
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Agree biggrin very tongue in cheek...literally!!

cerb4.5lee said:
I really enjoy reading the article thanks Mr Shed! thumbup

This looks decent for the money(boot aside), and I feel that I've missed out having never owned an Alfa. This would make a great shed I reckon.

Dog Star

16,973 posts

183 months

Friday 13th May 2022
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I like these a lot; I bought this …



… a few months ago. 11 plate 2.0 JTDm with 130k on it. Lusso with tan leather. £3k. It’s our shopping/tow car so it was meant to be just something to hack around in, park at the shops etc but it’s just such a nice looking and driving car it’s become my little hobby; had the wheels powder coated, Michelin Crossclimates, loads of fettling and replacement of sensors, towbar, CarPlay head unit, resprayed front end and machine polish, new arb links front and rear and new discs all round. In retrospect I could have just bought a sorted C class estate, but I have to say that these 159s look so amazing (especially the estate) that front end, the stubby shape with the bulging arches yum

It does have a few cosmetic issues though - scabby (waxoyled) subframes (I’m keeping my eye on them), dinks and little scratches (bright red is very forgiving though) and the odd bit of rust which I’m working my way through.

anarki

794 posts

151 months

Friday 13th May 2022
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Great shed - I'd happily have that.

Dog Star

16,973 posts

183 months

Friday 13th May 2022
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BlackPorker said:
I had a 3.2 V6 Ti in 8C Red a couple of years ago which I ended up selling back to the previous owner:



It was utterly beautiful and very reliable.
Er.... how come that's on a 64 plate? Old-new stock? Import? I thought a 61 plate might be the newest that would ever be seen.

Halmyre

11,931 posts

154 months

Friday 13th May 2022
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Had two 156s and nearly a 159 1750 if the idiot salesman hadn't "forgotten" about the test drive I'd arranged and sold the car in the interim and didn't let me know before I drove the 60 mile round trip.

1.8 TS Veloce


2.0 JTS Veloce


Traded the 2.0 for a P*ss*t... paperbag

Although the design of the 159 was, like the facelifted 156, a bit nose heavy. Also a pity Alfa bowed to market pressure (supposedly) from sales reps who couldn't get to grips with the hidden rear door handles.

aestivator

256 posts

45 months

Friday 13th May 2022
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Dog Star said:
Er.... how come that's on a 64 plate? Old-new stock? Import? I thought a 61 plate might be the newest that would ever be seen.
Registered November 2014 apparently.... and an advisory on the very first MOT for rust, so it's definitely legit hehe

valiant

12,303 posts

175 months

Friday 13th May 2022
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One of the best looking mainstream saloons of modern times.