Alfa 156 1.6 T spark (serious shedding!)
Alfa 156 1.6 T spark (serious shedding!)
Author
Discussion

TAHodgson

Original Poster:

875 posts

200 months

Thursday 21st June 2012
quotequote all
So after selling all of my cars (except the ongoing mini project) I found myself needing something to keep me mobile. I had a decent budget but wanted to spend less than £1k if I could while I save more for something I really want/find interesting. So, after calling around a few of my dads' trader friends, on had just taken this 156 in P/X. Done 64k, 2 owners from new, history/receipts up to 57k, un-marked leather and air-con that works! So after handing over the sum of £300.00! the car was mine.


Aim is to sort out the couple of niggles it has, and see if it'll keep going for 6 or so months. If it breaks, i'll just bin it and not worry. If it keeps soldiering on, it's promised to my mum. Such a nice car, so comfortable too!

ambuletz

11,734 posts

210 months

Thursday 21st June 2012
quotequote all
Absolute bargain! Any pictures of the leather interior? Such alot of car for the money, never understand why these go for so cheap.

TAHodgson

Original Poster:

875 posts

200 months

Thursday 21st June 2012
quotequote all
ambuletz said:
Absolute bargain! Any pictures of the leather interior? Such alot of car for the money, never understand why these go for so cheap.
When I was told it had leather (before seeing it) I was expecting holes and scuffs everywhere, but it's mint! Even the drivers bolster, will get some more pics later

S10GTA

13,771 posts

196 months

Thursday 21st June 2012
quotequote all
Lusso spec. Very smart, and for £300, a bargain. Watch out for holes in the floor tho.

TAHodgson

Original Poster:

875 posts

200 months

Thursday 21st June 2012
quotequote all
S10GTA said:
Lusso spec. Very smart, and for £300, a bargain. Watch out for holes in the floor tho.
Well, it's MOT'd until September, but it did have advisories on the last one (however the sheet is absent....) will be getting it up on a ramp sometime next week and having a good look around myself. As I say though, for this sort of money I can use it 'til if and when it is no longer roadworthy and then just sell it for bits or bin it.

ajb85

1,124 posts

171 months

Saturday 23rd June 2012
quotequote all
Looks like a Veloce to me... teledial wheels and side skirts. What an awful lot of car for £300... literally scrap money! T.S. actually a very hard wearing engine. If you're lucky you'll only get niggly things like an iffy MAF to cause you some grief. Any idea on the state of the cam belt? Might be an idea if it's going for an MoT to have the cam cover removed and inspected, in case you don't know already.

If you manage to keep it for the log haul, you'll find yourself going through suspension arms on an annual basis. Otherwise assuming the car is healthy (I'd assume so with those nice low miles) there shouldn't be much else to report. Good luck!

Manicminer

12,566 posts

226 months

Saturday 23rd June 2012
quotequote all
TAHodgson said:
Well, it's MOT'd until September, but it did have advisories on the last one (however the sheet is absent....) will be getting it up on a ramp sometime next week and having a good look around myself. As I say though, for this sort of money I can use it 'til if and when it is no longer roadworthy and then just sell it for bits or bin it.
you can get the advisory sheet online.

http://motinfo.direct.gov.uk/internet/jsp/ECHID-In...

Might give you an idea of what to look at to keep it going.

Alfahorn

7,825 posts

237 months

Saturday 23rd June 2012
quotequote all
Bargain, great cars these, then again I am biased!

As has been said check for holes in the floor, I recommend getting the car wax oyl'd if you're going to keep it over the winter.

tbc

3,017 posts

204 months

Saturday 23rd June 2012
quotequote all
300 quid is a bloody bargain

can;t even get a set of those alloys on ebay for £300

S10GTA

13,771 posts

196 months

Saturday 23rd June 2012
quotequote all
My apologies. Veloce, not lusso.

HeatonNorris

1,649 posts

177 months

Saturday 23rd June 2012
quotequote all
Cambelt. Cambelt. Cambelt.

I'll say it again.

Cambelt.

Because you can guarantee it'll be needing one.

Ignore the handbook, it's due on 36k miles or 3 years.

Ignore either measure at your own risk!

ajb85

1,124 posts

171 months

Sunday 24th June 2012
quotequote all
HeatonNorris said:
Cambelt. Cambelt. Cambelt.

I'll say it again.

Cambelt.

Because you can guarantee it'll be needing one.

Ignore the handbook, it's due on 36k miles or 3 years.

Ignore either measure at your own risk!
..And pulleys, and tensioner, and variator, and water pump.

rhysenna

689 posts

215 months

Sunday 24th June 2012
quotequote all
You put your cambelt in....cambelt out....in...out....in....out shake it all about

You change your variator and your pulleys too....that's what it's all about..oh!!


Couldn't resist sorry.

HeatonNorris

1,649 posts

177 months

Sunday 24th June 2012
quotequote all
ajb85 said:
..And pulleys, and tensioner, and variator, and water pump.
I'm with you on the pulleys, tensioner and water pump - but I wouldn't bother with the variator.

ajb85

1,124 posts

171 months

Sunday 24th June 2012
quotequote all
rhysenna said:
You put your cambelt in....cambelt out....in...out....in....out shake it all about

You change your variator and your pulleys too....that's what it's all about..oh!!


Couldn't resist sorry.
Haha! And if only it was that simple with Alfas...

rhysenna

689 posts

215 months

Sunday 24th June 2012
quotequote all
ajb85 said:
rhysenna said:
You put your cambelt in....cambelt out....in...out....in....out shake it all about

You change your variator and your pulleys too....that's what it's all about..oh!!


Couldn't resist sorry.
Haha! And if only it was that simple with Alfas...
Had mine(V6) booked in for aux tensioner and a few days before it decided enough was enough. No damage done thankfully. Love mine. smile

TAHodgson

Original Poster:

875 posts

200 months

Sunday 24th June 2012
quotequote all
Cambelt talk. The infamous variator has gone, so while that's getting changed I might aswell put a belt on it.

Quick question re. service history, there's not a lot with the car, anything I do to it, if I keep parts receipts do we think that will suffice to a buyer when i'm getting rid of the thing a bit later on in the year?

rhysenna

689 posts

215 months

Sunday 24th June 2012
quotequote all
TAHodgson said:
Cambelt talk. The infamous variator has gone, so while that's getting changed I might aswell put a belt on it.

Quick question re. service history, there's not a lot with the car, anything I do to it, if I keep parts receipts do we think that will suffice to a buyer when i'm getting rid of the thing a bit later on in the year?
It would to me. I keep every receipt for everything I buy for mine and also take some photos of any DIY work I do. Anything to show its been well maintained.

Alfahorn

7,825 posts

237 months

Monday 25th June 2012
quotequote all
TAHodgson said:
Cambelt talk. The infamous variator has gone, so while that's getting changed I might aswell put a belt on it.

Quick question re. service history, there's not a lot with the car, anything I do to it, if I keep parts receipts do we think that will suffice to a buyer when i'm getting rid of the thing a bit later on in the year?
Do the water pump at the same time, otherwise you could still end up with cambelt failure if the water pump fails.

PhilipAlfa

359 posts

203 months

Monday 25th June 2012
quotequote all
Nice car and just 300 Quid!

Here's an alternative view - don't bother with the cambelt, tensioner, waterpump, etc. Even if you do this yourself you will spend nearly the same as the purchase price again on parts.

Might be worth going the bangernomics route and simply drive it until it breaks? As others have said the leather interior and alloy wheels should get you most of your 300 pounds back.