Please excuse the long write-up but thought it might interest some from the older car point of view.
Collected Alfa on Sat, drove 5mls home resisting temptation to give it some stick until checked over. Nice to see 1/3rd of a tank of diesel rather than just fumes.Washed it which is a good way to see what the body is like. Totally free of rust and quite tidy. Boot has been painted in the past and finish not up to original and one bumper scuff that will touch in. All in keeping with age/price.
Did a full interior valet on Sunday. Nothing ripped or broken and looks years younger than nine.
Monday changed engine oil/filter and air filter. Removed battery to top up and bench charge (was dry in some cells no doubt as you have to remove from the car to get the top off). Examined tyres to find one front below legal tread and both fronts had splits in inner sidewalls.... lethal. Rear tyres 2mm & 3mm. Weird the guy had spent thousands on servicing and repairs as proved by invoices yet he’d skimp on tyres.
Guy had commented the headlamp beams were uneven and I found due to the difficult access both bulbs had been fitted with the tabs twisted round from their locating recess.
It had 3mths MOT (& tax) but decided a fresh MOT was the best way to check it over to see what its longer term prospects were. Had that done yesterday. The front tyres failed and one rear was an advise. Front brake balance passed but was a little more out than I like. Otherwise it is totally rust free underneath, excellent suspension (invoices for front and rear arms/wishbones not too long ago), exhaust with years of life, good driveshafts etc etc.
Greased the exposed brake linkage parts and set the headlamp aim while it was there.
Drove the few miles home even more carefully and ordered a set of four Dunlop tyres for fitting this morning. Decided against winters/all season on this car as another £80 for the set, if I sold it in 3-6mths some folks might prefer normal tyres and lastly we have one car on them already and that’s the only one that has to go out when its bad.
Took all wheels off last night to remove brake pads for checking and copaslip mounting/slider surfaces. Found the cause of the front brake imbalance as one nearside pad had a failing bond to its backplate and part had broken off. New pads going on this morning. Final job tomorrow is to fit new diesel and pollen filters.
So initial impressions are that it starts and runs well, seems like it will be responsive to drive and amazingly everything works inc all the things you might think wouldn’t on an old Alfa like the complex digital dual climate, elec windows, central locking, extensive HUD info/warning system and Bose CD/radio stereo etc etc.
Frustrating though the state of the tyres has prevented me unleashing it for the first four days.
No-one asked in the first thread what its mileage was or how much it cost.
Some might be surprised I took the risk of buying a car at 149,750mls but there was sound logic. Research on the Alfa forum indicated many for sale at the common 80,000 - 120,000 mileage would be heading for stuff like DMF/clutch, timing belt, expensive exhaust or suspension overhaul which their owners couldn’t afford on a £1k car.. Over the past 40,000mls the previous owner of mine has spent £3600 on these item and servicing so I hope to benefit from that.
I paid £700. Tyres, MOT and servicing £417 so £1,117 in all. Happy with that for something with a years ticket, fully serviced, brakes good for 20k and new tyres all round.
Oh and it’s red.
Last edited by: Fenlander on Wed 12 Dec 12 at 09:33
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*drool*
Sounds like a very canny buy, especially if it's just to play with for a few months. I'm most envious, I always fancied one of them with that engine...
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Proper car for bland box money. Hope you continue to enjoy it.
That 2.4 JTD engine sounds lovely when you give it the beans. Better than a lot of petrol engines, IIRC.
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Red eh ? Any chance of some photos ?
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Mega drool! Photos would be great!
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What about driving position Fenlander? Is it more comfortable than previously thought?
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>> Oh and it’s red.
My favourite.
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Must be a good one, several hours since the post was made and no reports of a break down :).
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>> Must be a good one, several hours since the post was made and no reports
>> of a break down :).
>>
He's probably stranded with his elbow trapped in the window which shut itself. My neighbours used to do that, along with a fuel flap which kept opening and closing even with the ignition off.
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Well played FL, reckon you done OK there.
Tyres?, not a hope in hell someone who spends £3000+ on proper maintenance would neglect them like that, he kept the old nackered set for selling and has the Gucci set in the shed for his next Alpha..;)
Hmm you've given me food for thought now for when the old MB goes pear shaped.
V6 159 estate (did they do them) on LPG?
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Sounds great - I'm sure you'll love it within weeks!
PS - I hope you've got a squirrel on hand to help when you need to change a sidelight bulb. If the tabs are snapped off the holder - mine were - you need it's teeny tiny hands.
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Yes the early 156 sidelight bulbs didnt have those tabs, they were annoyinig to say the least!
I have never had any electrical gremlins on any of the 1 Fiat and 3 Alfas I have had spanning a period of 17 years.
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All over the place yesterday since posting... sorting tyres, MOT pass cert, VRO, Eurocarparts for last of bits etc. All local runs but amounted to 115mls (110mls of it on the new tyres) and included the bumpy fens... no breakdowns so far Rattle. My feeling of trust is increasing but RAC card to hand just in case.
I did ponder on the tyre issue along the same lines as you GB but receipts in the file are for the same make/type and mileages seem to work out... odd Goodyears would split in just over 2yrs however there are a few reports on the net that the Excellence model could be prone to this.
Anyway what a nice car to drive... relief to finally have the new tyres and brake pads so it could be unleashed a bit. Suspension firmer than the C5 but well judged for a sporting car... it does crash on dropped manholes etc but I reckon it's better than the Ghia X Mondeo on 50 profiles & 17" wheels I had before the C5. One important thing the Alfa forum alerted me to is it’s very close to the ground and speed bumps/cushions need taking with care or the undertray/sump area will hit the road. Particular issue with the 2.4 diesel apparently as the engine’s height only just fits between the underside of that low profile bonnet and the tarmac.
Steering quite go-kart like compared with the C5 and no doubt it will be more rewarding to drive on the twisty bits than most cars I’ve owned in the last 20yrs.
As some have commented the engine is a delight. Loads of go from below 2000rpm and a surprisingly nice 5cyl growl between 2500 & 4000rpm. High geared doing about 1700rpm at 60mph so feels relaxed at speed. I’m not keen on a buzzy car and must admit the low gearing of the Honda HRV we considered was a concern, their 5th is the same gearing as 3rd in the Alfa.
Computer read 51.3mpg from the previous owner’s use of the past few thousand miles. Reset and so far my 100+ miles says 48.9mpg. Not accurate I know but gives an indication that the 45mpg I’d anticipated should be achievable.
Seat comfort is hard to explain. They are well made and shaped seats but there is something in the seat/pedals/steering wheel relationship that doesn’t suit me as well as the C5 or a Mondeo for example. Not a problem but just not an armchair cruiser.
New pollen filters (what a faff to replace tucked deep above passenger footwell), diesel filter and number plates to replace today then it’s in proper daily use. After yesterday’s shakedown trips just two “when I have time” jobs noted... bulb out on fuel gauge and seems to run cool on the temp gauge. Likely to be the thermostat which is integral with a complex housing and about £80 for the part.
Yes they do a 159 V6 Sportwagon GB... 150mph and 0-60 7sec. I’m not sure if the 159 is much larger than the 156 but the interior looks very similar. I don’t know if one would suit you as they are a small estate even without an LPG tank. Similarly footwell space is minimal and there is a shortage of stowage space. The large handbook takes up most of the glovebox, the door pockets are small, no cupholders and nowhere to stow CDs. I know we’d be very cramped for space with 4 travelling and 2wks holiday kit.
Photos in a few days.
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Sounds entertaining, Fenners, the five-cylinder bit especially.
I'd agree about the 159 Sportwagon: for once the marketing department's determination to avoid the word 'estate' is entirely justified. The one I know belongs to a friend-colleague in Germany, who met me in it at the airport. I was on my way further afield, so had a suitcase in tow, and there was an anxious moment when he opened the tailgate while I wondered whether it would even go in. My previous benchmark for uncapacious estates was the Audi A4, but this is several shoe-sizes smaller.
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My 156 GTA appears to run cool (cool = 75-80 ish), always has done from new. After 90k or so garage changed thermostat, it runs exactly the same!
Last edited by: PR on Thu 13 Dec 12 at 10:48
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I thought this had started as a temporary exercise in bangernomics, temporary car and all that.
Instead you have fallen into the enthusiast trap, you and the guy before you have probably spent three times what the car is worth in total.
Now the question is, will you enjoy it and keep it as an enthusiasts car? I hope so because its already robbed the previous owner blind and when you come to sell its gonna burn brightly in your pocket.
However I am jealous!
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You have a way of articulating thoughts Zero !
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>>>My 156 GTA appears to run cool (cool = 75-80 ish), always has done from new. After 90k or so garage changed thermostat, it runs exactly the same!
Thanks PR... reading between the lines on the Alfa forum I got the impression lots of folks had dived in with a new stat for no improvement. Before too long I'm going to run it into one of the Alfa specialists for a routine diagnostic and that will give the true temp as seen by the ecu.
>>>you and the guy before you have probably spent three times what the car is worth... when you come to sell its gonna burn brightly in your pocket.
Fair argument but... you fail to seperate the previous owner's decisions and mine. Over the past 15mths alone he's spent £2,918 with his workshop on servicing plus added big ticket items.... over 4 times what I paid for the car. He kept it too long and should have sold before that expenditure.... except he was not short of a bob and liked the car.
For my part though I offered and paid a price that allowed me to do all this work within the budget I was prepared to pay for a car of that age for the current "bangernomics" purpose. Added to that my own work is producing huge value. Fresh MOT & all filters service inc front pads for £167 is peanuts compared to his bills.
Four tyres at £275 might seem excessive but again the car was knocked down to include them... anyway tyres are required consumables on any car and I never begrudge spending out for grip.
Whatever the age of car I get far more satisfaction knowing all these basics are sorted then you are not risking self-inflicted failures. Then any further issues that crop up can be treated on their merits.
Last edited by: Fenlander on Thu 13 Dec 12 at 14:18
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I'm sure we're all going to follow this relationship with great interest. Will the Italian be better behaved that some people expect, leading to something more longterm... Will the Italian behave a bit badly, but be forgiven? Will the honeymoon period come to sudden end and it all get a bit nasty... Place your bets now!
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Well its not going to be mundane and boring now is it.
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Really pleased for you Fenlander ! Sounds like a peach of a car. You may well find it becomes a longer term thing than originally planned. To get anything as pleasing to replace it might be challenging without eviscerating several piggy banks. Red too. Nice.
Forgive me if you've already mentioned it ( I'm a bit tired ) but is it a saloon or is it the useful version?
:-)
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We'll see Paul... at least I'm testing a Golf sized vehicle. There'll be no tears even if it all goes wrong... never bet more than you can afford to lose was in the back of my mind.
Thanks Humph. Saloon not a Sportwagon. Neither version is a load carrier. Just enough luggage space in either for Mrs F's handbag and that's your lot.
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Don't forget you are driving a little bit of history, yours was the first model ever to be fitted with a common rail engine...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_rail
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There are good Alfas out there. A friend put 100k on a V6 Sportwagon of a similar vintage to yours with very little outside of routine servicing. Just the usual front suspension bushes at about 60k. I think that was literally it.
The V6 engine is automotive pornography. Visually and aurally.
Last edited by: DP on Fri 14 Dec 12 at 08:49
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OK pics as promised.
s245.beta.photobucket.com/user/SealgairC420/library/Alfa%20156%20JTD%20Veloce
Full car shot slightly flattering... and it's not that pink shade of red in real life. Interior looks better than the slightly washed out images. Underbonnet area as-is wiped over not steam cleaned (red is correct on that shot). Tyre is one of the 4 new Dunlop Fast Responses.
BTW I know there are loads of other images on that photobucket account. They are all already linked from various websites and nothing private.
Last edited by: Fenlander on Mon 17 Dec 12 at 19:13
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Which of us is prepared to say we're not jealous?
Looks like an excellent purchase, best of luck with it (can I have a drive?).
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>> Which of us is prepared to say we're not jealous?
I've already confessed.
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See! I warned you! one of the wheels has dropped off already.
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At least you can see I resisted the temptation to paint the brake calipers red.
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.....for now.....
Lovely car....jealous.com
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The trendy phrase is " Well jell"
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That is lovely. Really, really lovely. Congratulations.
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....and what is wrong with red calipers on a 156?!!? ;)
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Well just that I'm a mild mannered non-bling sort of guy.
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Mine came from the factory with them painted bright red....look good on 330mm Brembos though :)
PS if you are registered on Alfaowner pics here...
www.alfaowner.com/Forum/motoring-images/247774-gta-images.html
Last edited by: PR on Mon 17 Dec 12 at 20:41
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Nice car. I had a 2.0JTS for a few months around ten years ago. The car is a bit small but it was good fun compared to the Passat 1.8T it was temporarily replacing.
Enjoy it whilst you decide to keep it. Now a V6 would be something but the 5 cylinder 2.4JTD must be quite good. Maybe not as much fun as the 2.0JTS - similar power but more weight over the front axle.
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>>>the 5 cylinder 2.4JTD must be quite good. Maybe not as much fun as the 2.0JTS - similar power but more weight over the front axle.
Agreed engine weight has to be a factor and I've seen it commented on... but it still feels far more nimble than most cars I've owned over the last 10+yrs.
The fun with this 2.4JTD comes with the 50% greater torque than the 2.0JTS at 1400rpm lower down the rev range. It pulls out of roundabouts as if attached by a bungee to the distance.
Apparently it is the torque plus weight that makes this diesel model more prone to going through tyres and suspension wishbones as frequent consumables.
BTW nice car PR... is that the GTA you have now?
Last edited by: Fenlander on Mon 17 Dec 12 at 21:08
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Thanks Fen, it is indeed. Its a 2004 model that Ive had since 2005 and is now on 126k or so.
The tyre "problem" on the Veloce (and earlier sport pack) models was worsened by inner wear due to toe in set up. It meant they gripped like hell but wore the inner edges. If your old tyres were worn evenly then that shouldnt be an issue but its worth keeping an eye on your new tyres...
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Oh that's interesting. The old tyres were quite evenly worn with slightly greater outer edge wear both sides no doubt from moderate under-inflation... but the inner edges were the most worn being almost smooth. However the centre tread was below the legal limit so I'm guessing if they'd been changed at the 3mm I usually go for the edges would still have had tread.
The tyre centre who fitted the new ones had a fab 4-wheel laser setup and they wanted to check the tracking for free with a £30 charge if it needed changing. I said no but the offer is still open for a few more days.
Anything to watch with the figures/methods they use to set 156 tracking?
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Im not sure to be honest, as the GTA doesnt have this toe in setting. Just ask them what it should be (they should be able to look it up) and then ask their advice about the inner wear, they should know what to do...
EDIT check this out..
www.alfaowner.com/Forum/alfa-147-156-and-gt/341658-156-steering-geometry-tolerances.html
Last edited by: PR on Mon 17 Dec 12 at 22:09
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double post
Last edited by: PR on Mon 17 Dec 12 at 22:09
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>> The fun with this 2.4JTD comes with the 50% greater torque than the 2.0JTS at 1400rpm lower down the rev range.
Which is why I drive a 170PS diesel. But for my current annual mileage the 210PS petrol model would have been better. But a lot more because of BIK and fuel consumption (mostly BIK). Next time around I bet the petrols are producing less CO2 for similar 200+PS outputs. Well here's hoping :-)
In fact Audi had detuned 2.0T engines in the Audi A5 that would have been great in a VW.
Next Golf GTI 2.0T with stop start might be fun. I had the Golf GTI 1.8T (so not a proper GTI and only 150PS and hard suspension).... but it was stolen within 6 months.
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That's a real beauty, Fenlander.
I've got (amongst several others) the latest Guilietta catalogue, as I'm looking at potential replacements for my 10 year old barge.
It's very tempting indeed as I've always liked Alfa Romeo's, but I believe their 5 year warranty will no longer be available from the end of this month.
A lifetime warranty, though, would probably clinch the deal!
Last edited by: Clk Sec on Tue 18 Dec 12 at 07:33
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Thanks for the tracking link PR. Too busy before Christmas but I'll get it checked afterwards. I'll make a prediction that if it is out it will be minimal.
>>>very tempting indeed as I've always liked Alfa Romeo's, but I believe their 5 year warranty will no longer be available from the end of this month.
Working on this car and looking at the full history file of invoices indicates that it has never been unreliable as such just that the planned maintenance has been a little more intensive than some vehicles once the miles piled on. It has obviously got through tyres plus discs/pads as reqd, the clutch and DMF lasted to 135k, suspension wishbones/joints needed front/rear between 100k & 130k, three timing belts so far with a water pump on the last two.
The only real failures seem to have been an airflow meter at 47k and again at 63k followed immediately by an overboost valve, map sensor, battery and finally a new turbo... all to cure excessive boost. Reading the invoices with a degree of understanding (the previous owner seems to have been a little too trusting of his mechanic) this looks like diagnosis by random stabbing in the dark and many of those parts may not have been required.
So my building impression is that I'll always have the Alfa reputation in the back of my mind but like decades of reliable Citroens and Land Rovers before you just trust they'll be fine and they will be.
Last edited by: Fenlander on Tue 18 Dec 12 at 09:53
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Alfa Romeo 156 - 2.4JTD Collected, driven, MOT & Serviced. - oilburner
