New car or fix up Alfa 156

Ferris

My wife has an '04 Alfa Romeo 156 1.6 Ti which runs very well (no Alfa bashing please, this is the most reliable car we've ever had). She loves the look of the car and she only uses it as a runaround so it does not have to cover big miles. Currently the car is overdue a timing belt, this of course means nothing to herself but it needs to be done. It has a current NCT.

She is more concerned with appearances and this is what she loves about the car. In recent times however the paintwork has suffered and now in my opinion the bonnet (peeling), and bumpers (damage) need to be refinished to give it some lustre. Also the alloys need to be refurbished.

I think that the refurb costs would stack up as follows:

Timing Belt 500
Service 200
Paintwork 600
Wheel refurb 350

Total 1650euro

This is probably more than the car is worth but in saying that it would obviously cost a lot more to buy a new car which could have other issues costs associated with it. An issue is that the only car that she would consider swapping for is a 159 (proper Alfaholic), but I don't like the thoughts of the petrol versions other than the 2.2jts which are rare and pricey to tax. (1.75tbi excluded, way too new/rare)

Interslice

Ferris wrote: »

My wife has an '04 Alfa Romeo 156 1.6 Ti which runs very well (no Alfa bashing please, this is the most reliable car we've ever had). She loves the look of the car and she only uses it as a runaround so it does not have to cover big miles. Currently the car is overdue a timing belt, this of course means nothing to herself but it needs to be done. It has a current NCT.

She is more concerned with appearances and this is what she loves about the car. In recent times however the paintwork has suffered and now in my opinion the bonnet (peeling), and bumpers (damage) need to be refinished to give it some lustre. Also the alloys need to be refurbished.

I think that the refurb costs would stack up as follows:

Timing Belt 500
Service 200
Paintwork 600
Wheel refurb 350

Total 1650euro

This is probably more than the car is worth but in saying that it would obviously cost a lot more to buy a new car which could have other issues costs associated with it. An issue is that the only car that she would consider swapping for is a 159 (proper Alfaholic), but I don't like the thoughts of the petrol versions other than the 2.2jts which are rare and pricey to tax. (1.75tbi excluded, way too new/rare)

700 euro for a tb and service seems very high. What mileage is on it?

Ferris

Interslice wrote: »

700 euro for a tb and service seems very high. What mileage is on it?

I'm amping that up a little as I think the variator needs doing. I got a quote for 450 for the T/B and variator off TI Autos in dublin a while ago. Also you never know what else they'll find. Thanks.

Edit: about 70k on the car.

fancy pigeon

Ferris wrote: »

I'm amping that up a little as I think the variator needs doing. I got a quote for 450 for the T/B and variator off TI Autos in dublin a while ago. Also you never know what else they'll find. Thanks.

Have a chat with Don Baker instead

quadrifoglio verde

fancy pigeon wrote: »

Have a chat with Don Baker instead

Plus one on this .

Labour is cheap too. That being said, I've found ti competitive when it comes to timing belt changes, it's everything else that they're pricey for.

I'd try hang onto the 156, the 159 while more refined isn't anywhere near as fun as the 156 to drive

MTBD

I'd do the jobs that need doing. I had a 04 156 ti and I loved it. They have soft suspensions so they will probably need doing at some point soon too but things like arb links are easy and can be a diy job in 30 mins.

I have a 2.2 159 ti now and I really like it but the 156 was more fun to drive. The 159 is a much bigger car which you realize when you get back into a 156. It's got premium car quality which the 156 didnt and its faster although it doesnt feel it. Id imagine the 1.8 is terribly slow feeling. The 156 always felt fast and I think it was one of the best fwd cars ever. So much fun to drive.

I'd still say the 156 was the car I would prefer out of the two.

I always regretted selling it.

166man

I'd fix it anyway. Relatively speaking it's not a massive amount of money over a few years and it should keep giving you good service.


I'd use Don Baker quite a bit myself as some of the chaps on here know, he's a top top chap and really knows his stuff. He seems to have a very good guy for bodywork too which could be an option.

Any petrol 159 you look at apart from the 1.8 will have timing chain potential issues. I'd avoid.

Toyotafanboi

From an enthusiasts point of view it'd be more exciting and more fulfilling to keep an old, increasing more obscure car like that on the road.

As pointed out too, €1600 isn't that much, it's the price you pay for a service on a new car :P

I'd keep the Alfa going. Top Gear challenge it, see just how long it lasts!

Notch000

sound like ye love the car, get it fixed up

biko

I'm with everyone else on this, hang on to the old car.

Ferris

Thanks for the replies folks. I was already leaning towards doing the work and keeping it.

Thanks for the info on Don Baker, I had not heard of him, Johnstown is a bit away from me (Ti are a lot closer / handier) but I'll ring for prices.

Might do a refurb thread....

H3llR4iser

First of all, very well done man - you married the right one

Second, keep the car.

Third, 450 for a timing belt and variator job is not bad at all - the variator spare alone is around the 100 Euro mark (at least it was the last time I did it on the 1.8TS some 10 years ago). If the car has 70k miles, it definitely needs to be redone. If it's kilometers, it might still be good...but you probably want to do it anyway with the belt job.

Ferris

H3llR4iser wrote: »

First of all, very well done man - you married the right one

Big time, not that I'd actually tell her that of course

Actually I have a reciept for the belt and variator being done at 45k miles but it was 4-5yrs ago and I think it definitely needs done. The variator doesn't seem too noisy but I think its prudent to do it anyway.

Here's the car soon after we got it (not a great pic).

kenon

She's a beaut! Keep hold of it! Variator is non critical. Just a noise machine when it wears out.