2.0 156 Sportwagon selespeed

cantdecide

Is the selespeed box the total disaster I hear it is?

I test drove a 00 156 Sportwagon with this box and found it quite nice to drive. The car has 97k and is being sold without warranty by an alfa specialist. He’s done tons of servicing and repairs including trails arms/ wishbones etc. Parts alone were almost €1000. He said he can get a spare selespeed box and actuator for €150 from someone at work. I would want to find some 17s and lower it. It needs to get a machine polish and valet. It needs both bumpers painted.

He’s a very capable and experienced alfa technician but he told me that that when he did the timing belt, he made a schoolboy error that resulted in it needing 8 new exhaust valves. It runs slightly lumpy and I don’t know if it’s as a consequence.

Is €2k an unreasonable figure?

Maruney

Hi cantdecide,

I would be nervous because of the selespeed box, I currently have a 156 1.8 sportivo and €1,000 on parts is not a hell of a lot on this car.

Im just wondering if he is so capable why is there no warranty, why did he make a schoolboy error (and tell you about it) and will the spare selespeed box be included in the sale, I would really push for that, as much as i hate to admit it the selespeed seems to give plenty of trouble often in city (automatic) mode.

Price is not unreasonable and probably why no warranty included. If you dont really need a wagon there are plenty of good manual saloons out there at a bargain as long as you know what to look for.
The selespeed you are talking about seems to have all the usual wear & tear parts replaced.

Henry Ford III

Run away and hide. At the very least it should be running ok. Gearbox is not great even when it's 100%.

p.s. I like the 156 Sportwagon btw.

Anan1

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Run away and hide. At the very least it should be running ok. Gearbox is not great even when it's 100%.

p.s. I like the 156 Sportwagon btw.

Reluctantly, I have to agree with the above.

unkel

Run, run, run, run, runaway!

These days you'd get a near perfect '00 156 from an enthusiast for not much more than that. Anyway, are you sure you want an Alfa? Even if you buy a very good one, average yearly maintenance is not going to be cheap.

Anyway, you didn't buy that Opel Signum then, did you?

mickdw

You would be mad to touch it. Get one that is perfect and then hope it doesnt start costing money. Selespeed is trouble but I always fancied having one cause it is nice when its working.
A schoolboy error that wrecked the engine? I wouldnt trust him to change my oil.
Walkaway.

cantdecide

unkel wrote: »

...you didn't buy that Opel Signum then, did you?

Another case of dragging their feet for a fortnight and "we can't find anything wrong and we can't even hear that clanging you're on about". Coupled with a little "if something is wrong with it, we'll fix it if you bring it back to Dublin".

Buying cars for under 5k is absolute knackersville isn't it. I certainly can't find any of those bargains the lads down the pub keep talking about...

L-M

unkel wrote: »

Anyway, you didn't buy that Opel Signum then, did you?

Actually, on that note, I saw three Signums in the space of five mins of each other is West Clare the other day. Couldn't believe my eyes.

On the note of the Alfa, I'd run as well. The sister was going to buy one a few years back. Black with red leather. One of the nicest cars I've been in, but you just know it's going to cause you trouble.

Guy:Incognito

cantdecide wrote: »

Buying cars for under 5k is absolute knackersville isn't it. I certainly can't find any of those bargains the lads down the pub keep talking about...

Buying certain cars cheap can be but it can also be good.

I bought a 00 Xantia last year for under €2k (with FSH and only 60k on it). Everythign works as it should and the car is A1.

I bought a 93 Safrane a couple of years back off a boardsie and again it was tip top. My last Safrane came in a €4k and everythign was fine.

The right cars are out there.

JHMEG

A friend has a 2.0 TS with the Sellafield gearbox. It's actually embarassed him on several occasions as it has "shut down" on him in traffic, apparently due to over-heating. He even got a mention on AA Roadwatch on the radio for holding up the traffic on the Quays one Tuesday evening rush hour as he waited for it to decide to work again. Also, 3rd gear is missing for over 4 years now.

Tropheus

Bought a 00 156 new with the Selespeed box. It would have been one of the first in the country. It was a nightmare and eventually resulted in me getting rid of the car after 10 months.

On delivery, buttons on the steering wheel didn't work - new steering wheel solved it.

After 6 months, it kept skipping 3rd gear and a couple of weeks later, it wouldn't select any gear. Car was in and out of an Alfa dealer for the next 2 months and had every part of the Selespeed system replaced except for the gearbox itself. Still had problems with 3rd gear. Fiat Ireland basically told me that they could do no more.

Needless to say, I threatened to sue which resulted in them taking the car for 2 weeks. Eventually they found a problem with the gear box. Turns out it wasn't the Selespeed system at all. They replaced the gear box and all was fine.

I didn't take any more chances and traded it. My advice would be to steer clear. Besides problems, the Selespeed gearbox was jerky and slow. Much better off with a manual.