Alfa Romeo Money Pit?
Discussion
anyone had a 147?
consider taking a punt at this bad boy
few hundred for new discs and pads
http://pistonheads.com/sales/3652703.htm
are they all money pits
has anyone had a 147 they have driven for a while and never had a problem
consider taking a punt at this bad boy
few hundred for new discs and pads
http://pistonheads.com/sales/3652703.htm
are they all money pits
has anyone had a 147 they have driven for a while and never had a problem
Apart from the noise he mentions it could be worth a go at that price, factor in cambelt changes need doing every 36k/3 years, unless you want it to go bang...
We have a late model 1.6 which has been flawless, and I've had 3 156's of the same era which have never let me down. My local indie has a 1.6TS with 140K on the clock and it's still going strong...
We have a late model 1.6 which has been flawless, and I've had 3 156's of the same era which have never let me down. My local indie has a 1.6TS with 140K on the clock and it's still going strong...
We ran a '02 2.0TS Lusso for a couple of years a couple of years ago.
All that went wrong was the alternator. We had the cam belt etc changed also.
Sold it for what we paid for it too. It was a lovely car but didn't feel like a 155bhp small car unless you thrashed it. I'm sure I could see the fuel gauge moving when I did thrash it though!
Would certainly have another one, but have heard horror stories from others. I think if you get something that has been looked after and isnt a dud then you will do well. We purposely looked for one with circa 40k miles with a single owner. If they've had as many owners as miles then you know to avoid.
All that went wrong was the alternator. We had the cam belt etc changed also.
Sold it for what we paid for it too. It was a lovely car but didn't feel like a 155bhp small car unless you thrashed it. I'm sure I could see the fuel gauge moving when I did thrash it though!
Would certainly have another one, but have heard horror stories from others. I think if you get something that has been looked after and isnt a dud then you will do well. We purposely looked for one with circa 40k miles with a single owner. If they've had as many owners as miles then you know to avoid.
I can't open the link for some reason.
When considering a 147 you've got to buy the best you can find for your money otherwise you're more likely to be caught with your pants down. They are great cars, I've had 2, and both of them cost me nothing in the time I owned them. Make sure you don't get the selespeed cos that's just another headache you don't want.
Just trawl eBay on auction format and you'll find one. Everyone is scared to death of buying one so no on bids. In 2008 I bought a nicely specced 2ltr TS, 54 plate with 22k on the clock for £3000! It was a lovely car other than being doom blue.
What's your budget?
When considering a 147 you've got to buy the best you can find for your money otherwise you're more likely to be caught with your pants down. They are great cars, I've had 2, and both of them cost me nothing in the time I owned them. Make sure you don't get the selespeed cos that's just another headache you don't want.
Just trawl eBay on auction format and you'll find one. Everyone is scared to death of buying one so no on bids. In 2008 I bought a nicely specced 2ltr TS, 54 plate with 22k on the clock for £3000! It was a lovely car other than being doom blue.
What's your budget?
You'll need circa 400quid for discs and pads for an Alfa front and rear and that's if you do them yourself and that's not accounting for possible seized calipers too -tempting though it is I would say in the long run you're better off finding a nicer one and spending a bit more on it
Why buy an Alfa when for similar money there are better, more reliable cars?
Unless you like getting your hands dirty on a regular basis whilst shelling out loads of cash on unplanned maintenance, I just can't see the point.
An Alfa is a brilliant drive when it is working properly but it is very difficult to keep it in good fettle without regular doses of TLC. Parts can be very expensive, check out how much a cambelt service costs compared to other cars and don't forget to factor in balancer shaft belt, buying special tools. Also look at airbag light, variator repair, oil consumption,expensive tricky to fit suspension bits etc. These cars are cheap for a reason and most have not been properly serviced, I don't think it's worth the risk.
Unless you like getting your hands dirty on a regular basis whilst shelling out loads of cash on unplanned maintenance, I just can't see the point.
An Alfa is a brilliant drive when it is working properly but it is very difficult to keep it in good fettle without regular doses of TLC. Parts can be very expensive, check out how much a cambelt service costs compared to other cars and don't forget to factor in balancer shaft belt, buying special tools. Also look at airbag light, variator repair, oil consumption,expensive tricky to fit suspension bits etc. These cars are cheap for a reason and most have not been properly serviced, I don't think it's worth the risk.
The twin spark engine is fairly easy to do a cam belt on, the locking tools are available for about £25 so not huge outlay. I had a selespeed 156 that everyone said would be a nightmare, it had general wear and tear items like bushes and shocks at 100k, also needed a clutch, but I did all the work myself and it didn't cost the earth.
That said, much better off spending the money it needs on repairs and getting a better car to start with, it will probably work out cheaper in the long run anyway and get you a better cared for car, maybe worth looking on the owners club website.
That said, much better off spending the money it needs on repairs and getting a better car to start with, it will probably work out cheaper in the long run anyway and get you a better cared for car, maybe worth looking on the owners club website.
Noisy said:
The twin spark engine is fairly easy to do a cam belt on, the locking tools are available for about £25 so not huge outlay. I had a selespeed 156 that everyone said would be a nightmare, it had general wear and tear items like bushes and shocks at 100k, also needed a clutch, but I did all the work myself and it didn't cost the earth.
That said, much better off spending the money it needs on repairs and getting a better car to start with, it will probably work out cheaper in the long run anyway and get you a better cared for car, maybe worth looking on the owners club website.
I can't understand people talking about a banger and saying it'll have to go to a garage for brakes etc. Discs and pads front and rear for my 156 were £143 from my local factors. Took an afternoon to do. Cambelt is the cost of parts + 100 quid cash to a mechanic friend if you can't face doing it yourself. Surely if you're a "petrolhead" you know a mechanic? That said, much better off spending the money it needs on repairs and getting a better car to start with, it will probably work out cheaper in the long run anyway and get you a better cared for car, maybe worth looking on the owners club website.
I bought a 2 owner FSH 147 1.6 TS (02 plate) for my o/h to drive around in last summer - she needed a runaround - and the price was very good.
It was, without a shadow of doubt, the worst car I have ever owned in terms of build quality...period. It was only showing 70k and it was completely f
ked. I won't list the things that didn't work (electricals etc). Having said that, it never broke down.......so fulfilled it's brief in that respect.
I part-ex'd it for a profit as well - one of the few cars where I have managed to make money - haha!
My advice, check the service history and make sure everything has been done. Mine had, but it made no difference, so accept that it will be a lottery purchase, and if it hasn't fallen apart on your drive in 12 months time then count yourself very lucky...
It was, without a shadow of doubt, the worst car I have ever owned in terms of build quality...period. It was only showing 70k and it was completely f
ked. I won't list the things that didn't work (electricals etc). Having said that, it never broke down.......so fulfilled it's brief in that respect. I part-ex'd it for a profit as well - one of the few cars where I have managed to make money - haha!
My advice, check the service history and make sure everything has been done. Mine had, but it made no difference, so accept that it will be a lottery purchase, and if it hasn't fallen apart on your drive in 12 months time then count yourself very lucky...
kev b said:
Why buy an Alfa when for similar money there are better, more reliable cars?
What a load of tosh. Everyone said the same to me a few years ago when I bought my 147, and the only time it's let me down was when the crank sensor went. If you buy a good one then you'll never have any problems.
Or you can be boring and buy a Golf.
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