Advices about buying a 156 V6, please
Discussion
Hi everybody, after two years owning a problematic BMW 328i E36 (I blame my car in particular, not all E36s), I think I´m ready for Alfa Romeo ownership 
What I would really like is a 164 V6 but they are very difficult to find in my country (Spain), and I´ve seen and ad about a 140,000 miles 156 V6 that could be interesting. The seller is an Alfa aficionado mechanic (he owns a 75 V6 and had another 156 V6 before), he bought the car with a broken engine (timing belt snapped), fitted an engine with about 75,000 miles, did a full service incluiding timing belt and clutch, and painted the car (its original Cosmo Blue). I know that provenance could be better, but not many 156 V6s appear for sale here, and most need a timing belt service. At least this has a lot of work ready.
The car looks very well in the pictures and videos sent by the seller. It´s about 200 miles from home, so I would like to go to see it with my homework properly done.
Apart from usual things, and bearing in mind that timing belt shouldn´t be a problem, what can fail in these cars? I´ve heard that sixth gear can get stuck...
The 156 has leather seats, 16" alloys, "carbon fiber" dash trim and red on black instruments. Will it have sport suspension?
In magazine road tests fuel consumption wasn´t good, but what is it like on real life? It would be my only car but not a daily driver.
Torque doesn´t seem too high, is it a sluggish car in traffic, does it need a lot of revs to perform?
Thanks a lot!
What I would really like is a 164 V6 but they are very difficult to find in my country (Spain), and I´ve seen and ad about a 140,000 miles 156 V6 that could be interesting. The seller is an Alfa aficionado mechanic (he owns a 75 V6 and had another 156 V6 before), he bought the car with a broken engine (timing belt snapped), fitted an engine with about 75,000 miles, did a full service incluiding timing belt and clutch, and painted the car (its original Cosmo Blue). I know that provenance could be better, but not many 156 V6s appear for sale here, and most need a timing belt service. At least this has a lot of work ready.
The car looks very well in the pictures and videos sent by the seller. It´s about 200 miles from home, so I would like to go to see it with my homework properly done.
Apart from usual things, and bearing in mind that timing belt shouldn´t be a problem, what can fail in these cars? I´ve heard that sixth gear can get stuck...
The 156 has leather seats, 16" alloys, "carbon fiber" dash trim and red on black instruments. Will it have sport suspension?
In magazine road tests fuel consumption wasn´t good, but what is it like on real life? It would be my only car but not a daily driver.
Torque doesn´t seem too high, is it a sluggish car in traffic, does it need a lot of revs to perform?
Thanks a lot!
floorpan rust is what usually kills an otherwise "nice" 156 - check everywhere really. other stuff is niggly although front suspension arms (upper and lowers) are readily consumed by all 156's.
the trim package you describe sounds like "veloce" - this would have had uprated and slightly lowered suspension from the factory, possibly a low level boot spoiler and side skirts.
input shaft bearings can fail but not heard of this box giving particular troubles otherwise. it's not interchangeable with other alfa 6 speeds so due dilligence. well, it is, but quite a bit of faffing is involved
can't say that i've ever found any of the V6's to be lacking on the road despite the published figures. the 2.5 version in my 155 was one of the most tractable combinations i've had.
paul
the trim package you describe sounds like "veloce" - this would have had uprated and slightly lowered suspension from the factory, possibly a low level boot spoiler and side skirts.
input shaft bearings can fail but not heard of this box giving particular troubles otherwise. it's not interchangeable with other alfa 6 speeds so due dilligence. well, it is, but quite a bit of faffing is involved
can't say that i've ever found any of the V6's to be lacking on the road despite the published figures. the 2.5 version in my 155 was one of the most tractable combinations i've had.
paul
paulmakin said:
floorpan rust is what usually kills an otherwise "nice" 156 - check everywhere really. other stuff is niggly although front suspension arms (upper and lowers) are readily consumed by all 156's.
the trim package you describe sounds like "veloce" - this would have had uprated and slightly lowered suspension from the factory, possibly a low level boot spoiler and side skirts.
input shaft bearings can fail but not heard of this box giving particular troubles otherwise. it's not interchangeable with other alfa 6 speeds so due dilligence. well, it is, but quite a bit of faffing is involved
can't say that i've ever found any of the V6's to be lacking on the road despite the published figures. the 2.5 version in my 155 was one of the most tractable combinations i've had.
paul
Thanks Paul.the trim package you describe sounds like "veloce" - this would have had uprated and slightly lowered suspension from the factory, possibly a low level boot spoiler and side skirts.
input shaft bearings can fail but not heard of this box giving particular troubles otherwise. it's not interchangeable with other alfa 6 speeds so due dilligence. well, it is, but quite a bit of faffing is involved
can't say that i've ever found any of the V6's to be lacking on the road despite the published figures. the 2.5 version in my 155 was one of the most tractable combinations i've had.
paul
The car has spent its whole life in the centre of Spain, that means little rain, hot summers and cold winters but almost no snow, so it mustn´t be rusty, although I´ll check it. I´ll check the gearbox, too.
I´ve read that the 2.5 V6 is not very economical, that isn´t the reason for me buying a V6 Alfa anyway, but what kind of mileage I can expect?
Being in Spain you'll avoid the worst problem, which is rust. But check the floorpans all the same....
Engines are tough as long as they are serviced. Change the oil every year or 12k, change the belts every 5 years or 72k and they will do 250k miles.
Gearboxes are fine.
Suspension is the weak point, unless it has been refreshed it will be shagged.
Interiors are tough, most of the electrics are reliable.
Original rads can corrode - watch this in Spain, overheating wrecks the head gaskets.
Fuel economy? In town and short journeys is pretty tragic. On a decent motorway run you'll get 30 mpg easily if you are sensible.
Getting one running OK is pretty easy. Getting one absolutely spot on is quite a lot harder and more expensive.
Engines are tough as long as they are serviced. Change the oil every year or 12k, change the belts every 5 years or 72k and they will do 250k miles.
Gearboxes are fine.
Suspension is the weak point, unless it has been refreshed it will be shagged.
Interiors are tough, most of the electrics are reliable.
Original rads can corrode - watch this in Spain, overheating wrecks the head gaskets.
Fuel economy? In town and short journeys is pretty tragic. On a decent motorway run you'll get 30 mpg easily if you are sensible.
Getting one running OK is pretty easy. Getting one absolutely spot on is quite a lot harder and more expensive.
I can squeeze 32 if i am very careful. Suspension can be tweeked and I have fitted polybushes at every opportunity. If you can get one with bilstein/eibach, a Q2 or Quaife diff and a strut brace it will handle miles better and not wear out your front tyres in 15 minutes.
I swapped out the factory speakers with uprated ones as they were crumbling, now it sounds amazing inside.
Bit of welding to get through its mot but having just fitted an amazing new cat back system, the noise outside makes me smile from ear to ear.
I swapped out the factory speakers with uprated ones as they were crumbling, now it sounds amazing inside.
Bit of welding to get through its mot but having just fitted an amazing new cat back system, the noise outside makes me smile from ear to ear.
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