Alfa Romeo 156 SW 2.5 V6 Impulse Buy....
Discussion
By the way, you will probably know this if you have owned a 156 before, but it is well worth getting a 4 wheel alignment check done; I had a 1.8TS ( my first Alfa) and the rear tracking was way out, causing the tyres to wear on the inner edges ( a common fault I understand).
I also had it done on my current facelift 156 JTDM.
In both cars it made such a difference to the handling....when a 156 is set up correctly they are amazing !
I also had it done on my current facelift 156 JTDM.
In both cars it made such a difference to the handling....when a 156 is set up correctly they are amazing !
Yup, I had an alignment done when I bought, two new tyres at the front.
Bit of greasing up seems to have sorted the rear windows (for now) but still suffereing from squealing brakes although bizarrely only in the evenings? Heat releated I presume.
Still a lovely thing to drive (that noise!) and to sit and it fufiled it estate role well last weekend shifting a load of rubble to the tip although I did actually feel bad for doing it to such a beautiful car, estate or not.
Anyway, lastest issue, VERY sluggish to start indeed, to the point of almost not starting so a new battery has been purchased and will be dropped in tonight and hopefully that'll be that one sorted.
Front bushes/mounted definitely need done in the summer too, all sorts of bumps and knocks on the speed humps at the moment!
Still, life is never dull when you run an Italian and the less said about the other one I own the better!
Bit of greasing up seems to have sorted the rear windows (for now) but still suffereing from squealing brakes although bizarrely only in the evenings? Heat releated I presume.
Still a lovely thing to drive (that noise!) and to sit and it fufiled it estate role well last weekend shifting a load of rubble to the tip although I did actually feel bad for doing it to such a beautiful car, estate or not.
Anyway, lastest issue, VERY sluggish to start indeed, to the point of almost not starting so a new battery has been purchased and will be dropped in tonight and hopefully that'll be that one sorted.
Front bushes/mounted definitely need done in the summer too, all sorts of bumps and knocks on the speed humps at the moment!
Still, life is never dull when you run an Italian and the less said about the other one I own the better!
|http://thumbsnap.com/jeD2Nonk[/url]Life with the Alfa continues to be anything but dull...
Unfortunately the issue with the battery persisted, even with the new one in, bit of research and checking online and it turns out there's a very odd (but common) fault with a circuit in the rev counter of all places causes lights to stay on and drain the battery. Bugger. Still needed a new battery (old one took no charge) but the rev counter has now been disconnected until I can source a new one.
Fitted new badges front and back to cover the faded ones and it made a huge difference to the look of the car. Until some f
ker snapped off the spinning boot lock one two days later. bd.
Apparently this is a bh of a job to replace the whole mechanism so I might hold off on this one.
And final joy, had a long run up the A38 the other day and managed to clonk both a large pothole and the chunk of tarmac that came out of it.
And it wrecked the bottom suspension arm :facepalm: ...
...so that was another £200 down the pan. Joy.
Still, it looks awesome, lovely to sit in and goes like stink. Imagine how boring life would be with a normal car!
Unfortunately the issue with the battery persisted, even with the new one in, bit of research and checking online and it turns out there's a very odd (but common) fault with a circuit in the rev counter of all places causes lights to stay on and drain the battery. Bugger. Still needed a new battery (old one took no charge) but the rev counter has now been disconnected until I can source a new one.
Fitted new badges front and back to cover the faded ones and it made a huge difference to the look of the car. Until some f
ker snapped off the spinning boot lock one two days later. bd. Apparently this is a b
h of a job to replace the whole mechanism so I might hold off on this one. And final joy, had a long run up the A38 the other day and managed to clonk both a large pothole and the chunk of tarmac that came out of it.
And it wrecked the bottom suspension arm :facepalm: ...
...so that was another £200 down the pan. Joy.
Still, it looks awesome, lovely to sit in and goes like stink. Imagine how boring life would be with a normal car!
I had 2001 SW selespeed for about 5 years, loved it, so good choice and hope you enjoy it.
Regarding the Rev counter battery drain, I had this issue recur a number of times (you can identify when it fails by the head/sidelight being on dim if I recall correctly).
It only stayed fixed when I bought a full set of clocks and replaced them all but only because the new set had a small chrome bezel, so more by luck than judgement.
Regarding the Rev counter battery drain, I had this issue recur a number of times (you can identify when it fails by the head/sidelight being on dim if I recall correctly).
It only stayed fixed when I bought a full set of clocks and replaced them all but only because the new set had a small chrome bezel, so more by luck than judgement.
crostonian said:
jonah35 said:
Hungover after a stag do, no MOT (hence no insurance) and 'it went like stink' on the long drive from london to Portsmouth?!
This is a public forum you know. Police officers are on here.
Since when does no MOT equal no insurance?This is a public forum you know. Police officers are on here.
However, it seems thousands didn't get killed to death in a spectacular Alfa inferno, so thinking best we move on maybe...?
Nearly 3 years later and I finally fixed the badge!
My favourite "Alfa moment" so far? The remote bit of the remote central locking ceased operation last summer and I'd just been living with it.
Yesterday, for absolutely no reason, it kicked back into life.
It's the little things with Alfas isn't it?
My favourite "Alfa moment" so far? The remote bit of the remote central locking ceased operation last summer and I'd just been living with it.
Yesterday, for absolutely no reason, it kicked back into life.
It's the little things with Alfas isn't it?
MiniMan64 said:
Nearly 3 years later and I finally fixed the badge!
My favourite "Alfa moment" so far? The remote bit of the remote central locking ceased operation last summer and I'd just been living with it.
Yesterday, for absolutely no reason, it kicked back into life.
It's the little things with Alfas isn't it?
Fixed the badge on my 147 a year after purchase My favourite "Alfa moment" so far? The remote bit of the remote central locking ceased operation last summer and I'd just been living with it.
Yesterday, for absolutely no reason, it kicked back into life.
It's the little things with Alfas isn't it?
ordered a GTA-style bootlid spoiler while i was at itMy alfa has an intermitten lambda fault, itll b
h and whine for a while, then whole weeks of nothing. It behaved itself perfectly for the MOT, then 20 miles after picking it up the check engine light went back on.. These are just great cars, and with some tactical suspension upgrades, the handling can easily match the engine.
Only downside with a V6 is the thirst. I've recently picked up a (temporary) 140 mile a day commute which was costing about £160 a week in the 3.2, so I got a diesel 10v SW for £380. It has dropped the weekly fuel bill to about £60, and will officially pay for itself next week (man maths, not including tax and insurance). I'm just amazed that a £380 Alfa is coping with 750 miles a week with no obvious signs of distress.
Only downside with a V6 is the thirst. I've recently picked up a (temporary) 140 mile a day commute which was costing about £160 a week in the 3.2, so I got a diesel 10v SW for £380. It has dropped the weekly fuel bill to about £60, and will officially pay for itself next week (man maths, not including tax and insurance). I'm just amazed that a £380 Alfa is coping with 750 miles a week with no obvious signs of distress.
rxe said:
These are just great cars, and with some tactical suspension upgrades, the handling can easily match the engine.
Only downside with a V6 is the thirst. I've recently picked up a (temporary) 140 mile a day commute which was costing about £160 a week in the 3.2, so I got a diesel 10v SW for £380. It has dropped the weekly fuel bill to about £60, and will officially pay for itself next week (man maths, not including tax and insurance). I'm just amazed that a £380 Alfa is coping with 750 miles a week with no obvious signs of distress.
MPG isn't too bad in the 2.5, I averaged 27mpg over 2 years, and was over 30mpg on a motorway run. A slightly longer 6th gear would do wonders. Only downside with a V6 is the thirst. I've recently picked up a (temporary) 140 mile a day commute which was costing about £160 a week in the 3.2, so I got a diesel 10v SW for £380. It has dropped the weekly fuel bill to about £60, and will officially pay for itself next week (man maths, not including tax and insurance). I'm just amazed that a £380 Alfa is coping with 750 miles a week with no obvious signs of distress.
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