Alfa Romeo 159 3.2 V6 Q4 ti

[bruciebonuz]

Nice to be back in an Alfa after 7 years of E46 M3 ownership. Growing family and desire for a change left me looking at various more expensive options. Until I saw this and had a flashback to my GTV V6 days. Lovely car. Rare in the U.K.

[ITP]

Rare is an understatement. I've owned a few alfa's, current one is quite rare, a 147GTA, only sold about 350 here, had a 166 3.2, very rare, at only 40 sold in U.K.
These take the prize though, only 5 sold. 5!!!
Must be one of the rarest cars on the road! Very nice too.

[robbo 2006]

Yep a TI spec 3.2 Q4 is rare! I had a 1750 TI SW and thought that was....but pretty much all 3.2s were lusso spec in this country.

[bruciebonuz]

2 for sale on eBay! Thats pretty much half of them!

[tom77]

Wow! That rare?

I have one too - an early SW.....

[anonymous-user]

I've got one slightly rarer

159 3.2 V6 Q4 Ti Qtronic - one of 2 (or 3 if How Many Left could categorise properly) on the UK roads.

Look after it!

[velocerosso]

Very nice looking, as with most Alfa saloons/Sportwagons.

Keep a close eye on those timing chains.

I test drove a 3.2 JTS (2008) a few months ago. Very powerful in a straight line but found the corning was more like a tug boat. Didn't feel as agile as my 156.

If I was changing my car I would look at a 1750 TBI.

[anonymous-user]

velocerosso said:

Very nice looking, as with most Alfa saloons/Sportwagons.

Keep a close eye on those timing chains.

Regular, decent oil changes should stave off timing chain woes. Keeping the narrow oil gullies that feed the chain free of muck is important (I was told).

velocerosso said:

I test drove a 3.2 JTS (2008) a few months ago. Very powerful in a straight line but found the corning was more like a tug boat. Didn't feel as agile as my 156.

They are a heavy car, escpeically in V6 / 4WD spec. The 156 is regarded as far superior in terms of driving experience.

velocerosso said:

If I was changing my car I would look at a 1750 TBI.

Same here!

[bruciebonuz]

Serviced. All good. Front subframe guard removed and subframe checked and all fine (garage showed me a rotten one....blimey these can rust there!)

[velocerosso]

DrSteveBrule said:

velocerosso said:

Very nice looking, as with most Alfa saloons/Sportwagons.

Keep a close eye on those timing chains.

Regular, decent oil changes should stave off timing chain woes. Keeping the narrow oil gullies that feed the chain free of muck is important (I was told).

velocerosso said:

I test drove a 3.2 JTS (2008) a few months ago. Very powerful in a straight line but found the corning was more like a tug boat. Didn't feel as agile as my 156.

They are a heavy car, escpeically in V6 / 4WD spec. The 156 is regarded as far superior in terms of driving experience.

velocerosso said:

If I was changing my car I would look at a 1750 TBI.

Same here!

I wouldn't say the 156 is superior, but I do believe the 159, Brera etc was over engineered by comparison. I think that Alfa, along with Vauxhall Insignia-based engines, wasn't a good move for Alfa - much better for GM motors, though. That said, some of the gremlins inflicted the 156 were largely eliminated (sometimes iffy suspension/anti-roll bar buses, minor electric issues etc etc).

As regards driving experience the older 156 does trump the newer models IMHO (having driven 159 2.2 JTS and 3.2 JTS).