What to do with the 156 V6

[aarondbs]

I have an Alfa 156 V6 sat in my garage at the moment and really dont know what to do with it. There are very few for sale anywhere, it has decent leather interior, Cambelt was done 20,000 miles ago and its currently on 112,000 miles.

The wife got fed up with putting fuel in it and so we parked it up and she now drives a Swift Sport. The Alfa was a great car, sounded great, went extremely well but it is thirsty. I have since changed various front suspension arms, fitted new disks and pads to the front too.

I suppose the question is; is it a keeper? Alfa probably made far too many for it to appreciate any. It's probably not worth tracking as there are better cars out there for that and I'm not sure I will ever use it as my daily.... It could, I suppose be stripped and sold in parts but this seems a waste of a decent car in some way.

Finally I dont really have the time myself to consider using it as a donor for a kit car though that engine would surely sound even better rear mounted in something.

Suggestions on a post card...

[trickywoo]

ebay it.

[Dog Star]

aarondbs said:

The wife got fed up with putting fuel in it

No help to you OP, but I can see where your wife is coming from. OH has a V70 2.5T AWD and it appears to me that we get in it, drive it and then need to put £80 of petrol in it. It's a total pain in the arse as every time you get in the thing it's on fumes

[ianisnt]

It's the sort of car that is going to be worth far more to you than it is to anyone else.
There are enthusiasts out there who will appreciate a decent one but don't expect to get big money for it.

If you've got room I would keep it for those early Sunday morning drives.
Maybe a limited milage insurance policy and SORN it for the winter and enjoy the V6 again next summer.

[aarondbs]

Dog Star said:

No help to you OP, but I can see where your wife is coming from. OH has a V70 2.5T AWD and it appears to me that we get in it, drive it and then need to put £80 of petrol in it. It's a total pain in the arse as every time you get in the thing it's on fumes

Sounds about right, I even gave up popping out in it as the OH always looked so happy when I did knowing full well that I dont like driving with the orange light on... particularly if the point of popping out was for a little fun...

It saying something about my truck that it is so much more economical, though somewhat less fun.. (unless it is snowing of course)..

[aarondbs]

ianisnt said:

It's the sort of car that is going to be worth far more to you than it is to anyone else.
There are enthusiasts out there who will appreciate a decent one but don't expect to get big money for it.

If you've got room I would keep it for those early Sunday morning drives.
Maybe a limited milage insurance policy and SORN it for the winter and enjoy the V6 again next summer.

A good suggestion thank you, and one I have considered. My thoughts were maybe even to use the money I get for it (and no more), whether together or in parts, to purchase something a little more Sunday morning...

[Dids444]

Is an LPG conversion an option OP? Or will I get flamed for that

If the cost of fuel is the big issue then at least that would be addressed and you could use the car regularly again

[aarondbs]

Car probably not worth it. By the time I had spent money doing this, which I certainly wouldnt get back, I could have bought something different/better for a third car option. My BiL has a RR P38 LPG and, in that, it seems somehow far more appropriate.

[HorneyMX5]

Flog it, buy MX5. Job jobbed.

[aarondbs]

HorneyMX5 said:

Flog it, buy MX5. Job jobbed.

That is not a bad idea... a worthy if slightly less 'alfa V6 vocal' option

I need another RWD in my life

[12v3pot]

aarondbs said:

Finally I dont really have the time myself to consider using it as a donor for a kit car though that engine would surely sound even better rear mounted in something.

Is it the 3.2 24v one? If so, this - and the 3.0 which preceded it - has become the de facto engine for Lancia Stratos replicas.

[LordLoveLength]

Difficult one - is the wife a keeper?

[aarondbs]

12v3pot said:

Is it the 3.2 24v one? If so, this - and the 3.0 which preceded it - has become the de facto engine for Lancia Stratos replicas.

Its the 2.5 V6, Still with 190bhp though (or at least it had 190bhp when it left the factory).

Edited by aarondbs on Tuesday 8th October 16:44

[aarondbs]

LordLoveLength said:

Difficult one - is the wife a keeper?

The wife is!

[crostonian]

Sell it and buy a GTV 3 litre. At least you'll be throwing money at something you could have more fun with, will always have a value and may go up a little, oh and a Busso V6!