Cheap Alfa 156s ... bad idea?
Discussion
I'm currently on the lookout for a good Alfa 145 Cloverleaf as a daily driver, but finding one that's mechanically good and visually standard and yet not a full on show car is proving tricky. And perusing the Alfa classifieds has led to me thinking about 156s...
It's a bit bigger than I was planning to do and if I remember correctly the rear seats don't fold in the saloons, so I'd probably be looking at an estate. Also, it would seem a shame to pass on the last great Alfa V6 when there's one available in the range. Would a 156 V6 be ruinously expensive to run? Does the bigger engine and the estate body blunt the handling?
It's a bit bigger than I was planning to do and if I remember correctly the rear seats don't fold in the saloons, so I'd probably be looking at an estate. Also, it would seem a shame to pass on the last great Alfa V6 when there's one available in the range. Would a 156 V6 be ruinously expensive to run? Does the bigger engine and the estate body blunt the handling?
Chris71 said:
I'm currently on the lookout for a good Alfa 145 Cloverleaf as a daily driver, but finding one that's mechanically good and visually standard and yet not a full on show car is proving tricky. And perusing the Alfa classifieds has led to me thinking about 156s...
It's a bit bigger than I was planning to do and if I remember correctly the rear seats don't fold in the saloons, so I'd probably be looking at an estate. Also, it would seem a shame to pass on the last great Alfa V6 when there's one available in the range. Would a 156 V6 be ruinously expensive to run? Does the bigger engine and the estate body blunt the handling?
I've got one as a daily smoker, 100 miles/day come rain or shine or snow. They're fine. 140mph, 0-60 in low 7's, lovely lovely exhaust note.It's a bit bigger than I was planning to do and if I remember correctly the rear seats don't fold in the saloons, so I'd probably be looking at an estate. Also, it would seem a shame to pass on the last great Alfa V6 when there's one available in the range. Would a 156 V6 be ruinously expensive to run? Does the bigger engine and the estate body blunt the handling?
However:
They ain't big. Or practical. Back seats don't go down, rear seat, whilst it has 3 belts, is designed for 2. The saloon, iirc, is actually more spacious than the estate...
The V6 isn't ruinous - belts at 72k, fuel 27-30mpg (6spd manual). Oil changes at Kwik Fit, £45.
Handling is OK once you put decent tyres on it - I went for Uniroyal RainExperts (£72 ea) and the car has a billion times more grip in the wet/semi-wet than the P6000's that came off it.
I paid £2k for a 51-plate 48k miler, nearly 3 years ago. I've recently clicked over 82k miles. It will hit 100k without issue, I am sure. Leather, climate, kit, nice wheels, etc and I would imagine you can get one a damn sight cheaper now! Suspension parts are made out of chocolate, but not too expensive to fix. The only other problem has been sticky window regulators (£18 fix each), and the inevitable comments from idiots who think Top Gear is the gospel truth.
NEVER have I been left by the roadside in it. Unlike my Astra, Mondeo, Calibra, MR2, etc... It's had 2 very hard and icy winters, and it's coped with a 50-mile commute each way faultlessly. I've got a photo on my phone of the temp gauge showing -14, and the car started and ran fine.
I wouldn't have another though - the impracticality is really getting on my goat. I'm a kayaker, and ideally would have a bigger boot/foldable seats/AWD for my weekend fun, but as a cheap car, it's brilliant. When clean and polished, looks like it's worth 2 or 3 times what it is. And girls like it. And girls can never, ever open the back doors.
I've got a nine year old 156 2.5 V6.
Love it to bits.
Had it 18 months. Nothing has dropped off. Nothing has gone wrong. Oil, filters, front discs and a set of pads. That's all.
Bought at 39,000. Now at 54,000.
Not the sharpest of handlers. Brakes are crap. Turning circle is ridiculous. Ground clearance is poor.
Nicest engine I've ever driven. Revs, pulls, sounds amazing. Does 26mpg and I rarely get onto a motorway.
Doesn't drive as well as an E36 328 BMW, but much more style, charisma and charm.
Very nice if you don't drive everywhere on the limit, but gets ragged where the BMW really starts to impress.
Reputation for water pump and radiator failures, knackered suspension bushes and failed window winders. But I've not experienced any of them yet.
Cam belt change turns into quite an expensive job, because you invariably do the water pump at the same time.
I like mine so much that I am on the look out for a 3.2 Alfa of one flavour or another. It's all about that engine.
Don't pay too much for one. Mine looks and drives like a ten grand car, but is worth about a hundred rupees.
Love it to bits.
Had it 18 months. Nothing has dropped off. Nothing has gone wrong. Oil, filters, front discs and a set of pads. That's all.
Bought at 39,000. Now at 54,000.
Not the sharpest of handlers. Brakes are crap. Turning circle is ridiculous. Ground clearance is poor.
Nicest engine I've ever driven. Revs, pulls, sounds amazing. Does 26mpg and I rarely get onto a motorway.
Doesn't drive as well as an E36 328 BMW, but much more style, charisma and charm.
Very nice if you don't drive everywhere on the limit, but gets ragged where the BMW really starts to impress.
Reputation for water pump and radiator failures, knackered suspension bushes and failed window winders. But I've not experienced any of them yet.
Cam belt change turns into quite an expensive job, because you invariably do the water pump at the same time.
I like mine so much that I am on the look out for a 3.2 Alfa of one flavour or another. It's all about that engine.
Don't pay too much for one. Mine looks and drives like a ten grand car, but is worth about a hundred rupees.
When I changed jobs about 6 years ago I wanted a reliable car that would do the 120 a day journey so I opted for a 156!! Wasn't brave enough for the V6 though. Drove awesome, momo leather in tan looked the dogs and it never ever let me down.
It was a 2000 V plate and cost me £1700 with 79k on the clock.
2 years later with 125k on the clock I sold it for £1300.
It cost me a crank sensor!!
It was a 2000 V plate and cost me £1700 with 79k on the clock.
2 years later with 125k on the clock I sold it for £1300.
It cost me a crank sensor!!
My old man's got a 2.0 SportWagon and it does his 60 mile commute to work everyday, and its done a 2500 mile trip on holiday to Poland in May. He's had it for 6 months and it hasn't broken down yet. The only things that have gone wrong in that time (9000 miles) are;
Top Wishbones
Failed MoT on rotten floor
Alternator
Top Wishbones
Failed MoT on rotten floor
Alternator
Good cars - and don't question your decision, as Clarkson said, you're not a petrolhead without having owned an Alfa Romeo! 
Just DON'T waste your time/money with Alfa main dealers, try and find a specialist with a good reputation. I don't know where you're based, but if you're in the South East/London, I recommend PowerItalia (http://www.poweritalia.com iirc) in Basildon. They used to look after my Fiat Coupes (which they also do) and could never fault their work or prices (especially on cambelt changes).
Just DON'T waste your time/money with Alfa main dealers, try and find a specialist with a good reputation. I don't know where you're based, but if you're in the South East/London, I recommend PowerItalia (http://www.poweritalia.com iirc) in Basildon. They used to look after my Fiat Coupes (which they also do) and could never fault their work or prices (especially on cambelt changes).
Not owned a 156 but toyed with the idea and looked at a few - my advice would be to make sure the water pump is a proper metal-impeller one rather than the original plastic ones, and then you should have no terminal problems. As people have said, they consume suspension components pretty effectively, but that V6 is magnificent, the seats are perfect and I reckon it'll make you smile every time you get in it.
Re specialists, I heard good things about Autodelta too.
Re specialists, I heard good things about Autodelta too.
Oh yeah, I forgot about the seats. They're very comfortable. I've got momo leather, which I believe was a very common option. The arm rest is one of those perfect little things that makes all the difference. I have done a 6 hour non stop journey, and no complaints from me or my 3 passengers.
They really are a lot of car for the money - try finding a Golf with similar spec and mileage for anywhere near the same price...
They really are a lot of car for the money - try finding a Golf with similar spec and mileage for anywhere near the same price...
otherman said:
The reliability record is terrible though. I've heard it said its cheaper to run a Rolls.
Wrong and wrong.Reliability is only an issue if you neglect 'must do' jobs like checking the oil and changing the cambelt, and my experience is they cost no more than any other 'mainstream' car to keep on the road.
Good to see all the 'experts' who've read Honest John's column in the paper have come out of the woodwork, as usual.
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