If anyone's interested....
It's valeted with leather treatment, all filters/fully syn oil serviced, running on 5 mint replacement OE alloys and new Dunlop BluResponses. Also sporting essential new cupholders, a mirror glass, rear wiper, driver's door seal and 4 new anti-roll bar droplinks. So a pretty comprehensive mid-life(12yrs & 112,000mls) checkover.
Working on it there is no doubting the materials quality and engineering thoughtfulness that has gone into the mechanical aspects, ease of routine maintenance is impressive too.
I like the leather, burr walnut(ish) and softly carpeted interior which has a nice ambience with a nod to the cars of my childhood. It seems large, very large, inside after the Alfa but we needed that and it has already enabled a larger item deal that could not have happened with just the Alfa boot for space. The flat and intrusion free (due to the air rear suspension all being underfloor) loadspace is so so useful. Great rear legroom causing Mrs F to comment she may choose to be driven lounging in the rear reading a broadsheet of her choice.
Incidental stowage in the boot area is brilliant too. A huge spare wheel well (for a full size alloy some will be pleased to hear),underfloor oddments tray and stowage behind side panels means all the clutter I carried in a large plastic box in the Alfa boot can stow away unseen leaving the full loadspace for stuff.
After the Alfa's obvious diesel noise at idle and throaty bark mid range this BMW 6cyl is so smooth and muted. Throttle response is much more restrained with the BMW but when wound up (skirts and all) it will pull strongly. I'm guestimating fuel consumption increased over the Alfa... from my usual upper 40s or more to perhaps mid 40s.
Ride and refinement are much better than the Alfa and slightly better than our modern C5 Tourer before it. Ice cold dual climate and very smooth quiet elec windows. 6CD Stereo only good after the Alfa's excellent Bose system.
It has to be said country road handling is ponderous after the nimble Alfa, don't get me wrong it does grip and roll is fairly well controlled for a large car plus steering is quite heavy in a good way so you feel you know what's going on. But a tight B-road funster it isn't. Brakes are absolutely superb, one area where you had to watch the Alfa. The 156 is known for being able to outperform its braking capabilities and that really needed care.
Colour is safe silver, Not a stand out look but very kind to the inevitable small blemishes after 12yrs and easy to touch in.
Private purchase of course and I don't mind saying it will top out a whisker over £2500 with the work which just about matches Glasses high end private sale price. Happy with that knowing there's a lot more useful work/parts gone into the car to make that price as opposed to a dealer at that money doing nothing useful bar a valet and throwing on a worthless 3mth warranty.
VED £50/yr more than the Alfa, insurance £42/yr more.... nothing in the scheme of things.
Overall very positive outcome for current needs.
Last edited by: Fenlander on Sun 18 May 14 at 20:48
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