Alfa 156

jhegarty

Anyone have anything good/bad to say about them...

looking at a few in the 99/00 range, they seem to be very cheap for what you are getting ... around 4,500->6,000 with all the extras you would ever need..

Turner

Have been know to have experience alot of problems...

1. Leaking roofs (major problem)
2. Burn shítloads of oil
3. Boot sensor problems
4. crappy power when engine cold.
5. twin sparks sound like a diesel on starting up (variator problems)
6. Front suspension problems (wishbones)

Mind you a friend of mine has one and apart from burning alot of oil and the diesel sound he hasnt had any problems.

Chief.

Wolff

Was lookin at one myself a while back but my friendly mechanic put me off
the brother had one as a company car and it was never out of the garage

major gearbox and clutch problems

Leave well alone would be my advice unless it was a company car in which case Id jump at the chance

Lovely to drive

Cheers

Kersh

I have to agree - troublesome. I worked on car hire for a few years 97-01 and the 98 156 were literally thrown together to meet demand. Engine failures, interior disintegrating, and esp shocks wearing quickly.... nice looking though.

ds20prefecture

jhegarty wrote:

Anyone have anything good/bad to say about them...

looking at a few in the 99/00 range, they seem to be very cheap for what you are getting ... around 4,500->6,000 with all the extras you would ever need..

I ran a 2000 Alfa 156 2.0 Lusso. 45000 miles in 3 years without any problems whatsoever. Engine ran sweet and strong, sounded fantastic, quite economical unless you drive it like it begs to be driven. There is no finer handling front-drive car out there (well maybe the mini).

My biggest complaint was that I went through a headlamp bulb every 6 months or so.

My brother ran a '98 1.8. He sold it reluctantly with 95000 miles on the clock. He did have to replace the engine @ about 35000, but only after he submerged it in a flood! He had the issue with the diesely sound mentioned above. He was quoted €1800 for fitting a timing chain! (belt?) which seems a bit excessive to me. He got it done at a non-dealer for 850.

I know another guy had a terrible time with his 1.8, never out of the garage, blahblahblah but a lot of people are biased against Alfas based on their 80s reputation, rather than actual experience, and he put high & heavy mileage on his.

The engines are robust, the cars are assembled as well as any these days and they are galvanised to bejaysus. They are gorgeous, with nice interiors and a surprisingly good ride for such a scorcher in the twisties. The 2.0l is the pick of the bunch - avoid the 2.5V6, it's too nose heavy. The JTD is reportedly a cracker, BTW, if Diesel turns you on.

Debyaka

I have a 2001 156 Lusso 1.6 and i have had no problems apart from the odd bulb blowing in the interior..
They are cheap and look good but try to get one with very low milage (Mine has 30K), Also a alfa mechanic told me that after 37K get the timing belt checked out and as soon as the car hits 60K get rid of it!!
I paid 10K for mine, Bargin!!
The earlier models are supposed to be very troublesome and avoid the selespeed like the plague!!

Banjo013

Alfa is owned, designed and manufactured by Fiat. So basically you're buying a Fiat that's aimed at a different market segment. You'll notice that many things - such as the interior air vents - are exactly the same as the Punto. The same goes for most of what you can't see, ie under the bonet and chassis.

Honestly - I wouldn't touch an Alfa even with someone elses barge pole. The old mantra "Fix It Again Tomorrow" carries right over to the Alfa range. They look smashing I agree - very flash. But in general if you get a good one, then it'll last about 5 or 6 years relatively trouble free. If on the other hand you get a bad one, then it'll spend 5 or 6 years in the garage, costing you a fortune.

If you're the type who goes for looks above everything else and doesn't particularly care what the price is, then this car is ideal for you. If on the other hand you want to be reasonably sure it'll start and get you to work in the morning, then don't bother - reliability isn't and never was a strong point with Fiat.

Cyrus

i bought a 1.8 99 156 a month ago and im delighted with it, what i would say is, give yourself a budget of €7k and try get one with lowish mileage, a full alfa service history and thats had the timing belt changed before 50k miles

If it meets those criteria you'll be sorted!

I love mine to bits, its one of those cars you really take to

Turner

Aye agree with Banjo013..

For the same price youd pick up a good bmw maybe 96/97 which has more durable components, better technology, a better badge and an all round better quality car.

Also with many bmw's they have a timing chain which never need to be replaced.

The Clown Man

I bought mine knowing it was a company car beforehand, timing belt changed at 59k, gearbox replaced at 40k (:o) and brakes replaced twice. It was serviced every 6 months but had 70k on the clock. (Motorway miles I was assured and I'd say I was right to believe him.) I have it a year and have put on 22k miles of fairly heavy driving and the only trouble I've had with it was the odd light needing replacing.

And my god it's a wonderful car to drive.

Check the history and make sure all the main issues that pop up with these cars (gearbox, clutch and shocks mainly I think) have been sorted and you should have yourself a bloody beautiful car! Get a trusted mechanic to check it out as well. And avoid getting servicing in Alfa dealers unless you really need to - they charge a fortune.

And don't mind Chief--- all he knows is how to spew "BMW" at everything else that has a motor! I've driven his and it's not a pick on the Alfa!

Turner

The Clown Man wrote:

I
And don't mind Chief--- all he knows is how to spew "BMW" at everything else that has a motor! I've driven his and it's not a pick on the Alfa!

Haha mines a 1992 model just remember. Plus mine has 160,000 miles on it. Will yours see that ?

No comparison between a post 2000 BMW and a post 2000 Alfa/(Fiat)
BMW technology far superior..

Hence why BMW supplied the engine for the F1 Mclaren. Nobody else had the technology to do it.

Chief.

The Clown Man

See?

OfflerCrocGod

Chief--- wrote:

Hence why BMW supplied the engine for the F1 Mclaren. Nobody else had the technology to do it.

Expect for an actually winning team; Ferrari - who are by coincidence owned by FIAT.

Alfasudcrazy

As I may have mentioned before I have a 05 GT - which some people :mad: say is just a two door 156 and I have had no problems with it and my two previous cars were BMW's (318iS & 530D) and I have never enjoyed a car as much as my GT. *(I promise not to mention the GT for a least another six months)

ds20prefecture

Banjo013 wrote:

Honestly - I wouldn't touch an Alfa even with someone elses barge pole. The old mantra "Fix It Again Tomorrow" carries right over to the Alfa range.

See? It was only a matter of time before this garbage gets spouted. This particular mantra was first heard in the 70s when Fiats were indeed the bags of sh1te that popular legend has them to be. Banjo - have you owned or serviced an Alfa? If not, then repeating ancient prejudices helps no one. If so, then what specifically went wrong with yours?

How would you rate Toyota, Nissan or Mazda's reliability? They were all crap in the 70s and early 80s, but all of these companies have made huge strides in reliability, surpassing many so called "quality" brands.

And what is this garbage about some BMWs never needing a timing chain? It's a mechanical part so it wears, stretches, and goes out of alignment. It may not need one every 60000 miles like most modern multivalve engines but don't say "never". My '72 Citroën is still on it's original timing chain @120000 miles but SO WHAT?!!! The idea that this somehow makes my Citroën more reliable is frankly laughable.

Back on topic - I didn't mention, but my company ran 5 156s (1 x 1.6, 3 x 2.0, 1 x V6), all from new, each up to about 50,000 miles. Not one fault with any of them. We also had a Marea which behaved faultlessly, but was a bit of a pig to drive. We ran 2 new Mercs, both had problems (primarily electrical) both were eye wateringly expensive and both were dull as dishwater.

The 156 is not an intrinsically unreliable car. Get one with a complete and regular service history, no accident history and as low a mileage as you can afford. Make sure all the important work is done on it and your laughing. Buy from a dealer and get a guarantee if you want to manage the so called "risks". This applies to ANY car, not just the 156.

ds20prefecture

Apologies in advance for off-topic rant.

Chief--- wrote:

No comparison between a post 2000 BMW and a post 2000 Alfa/(Fiat) BMW technology far superior..

Really? Which bit, in particular? Fiat invented the common-rail injection diesel (BMW pay them royalties for the use of it on their fine engines)

Fiat invented the modular floorpan concept that allows many variations on the same chassis in terms of length, width, wheelbase, etc. This method has since been copied by pretty much everyone (except BMW, who have so much profit in their product they can afford a bespoke floorpan for each model)

Fiat produced the first fully robot-built engine

Fiat (as Ferrari) have absolutely dominated Formula 1, widely regarded as the showcase for automotive technology.

Hence why BMW supplied the engine for the F1 Mclaren. Nobody else had the technology to do it.
Chief.

I hope you mean the McLaren F1, rather than the F1 McLaren which was powered by Mercedes. Incidentally, the McLaren F1 uses a warmed over V12 from the 7 series saloon. Hardly high technology.

ds20prefecture

Alfasudcrazy wrote:

As I may have mentioned before I have a 05 GT - which some people :mad: say is just a two door 156 and I have had no problems with it and my two previous cars were BMW's (318iS & 530D) and I have never enjoyed a car as much as my GT. *(I promise not to mention the GT for a least another six months)

WILL YOU STOP SHOWING THAT PICTURE!!! Another achingly pretty Alfa.

The Clown Man

Chief I hope your still following this thread!

Eoin

As usual, people are coming up with the standard preconceptions of Alfa Romeo 156s, but when you ask the people who actually own one, there are very few bad reports.

Because I am selling mine on boards, I am even more biased than the other Alfa owners, but I may as well say it: The 156 is a totally different breed of Alfa, it is a lot more reliable than previous models (a lot more so than my previous car - the supposedly dependable Golf) and an absolutely pleasure to drive. My dad bought one of the first ones in 1998 and has not had one days problems with it.

nellieswellies

I have a 99 1.8 156 and have never driven anything better to drive, granted I did have the clutch done a couple of weeks ago 860 Euro (at an Alfa Dealer) I doubt a mechanic could have done it very much cheaper and I had to get it done in a hurry.
That aside everyone has an opinion on an Alfa and only some people actually own or have owned one (a 156) and the vast majority of them are satisfied. Value for money in my opinion.

ds20prefecture

jhegarty - any decisions? I'd be interested to know if you went for one in the end.

Chief--- wrote:

Have been know to have experience alot of problems...

1. Leaking roofs (major problem) - Never heard of this, is it on cars with Sunroof?
2. Burn shítloads of oil - Not in my experiece
3. Boot sensor problems - Huh? What sensor in the boot?
4. crappy power when engine cold. - Again, not in my experience
5. twin sparks sound like a diesel on starting up (variator problems) - I have heard of this, but it might be confined to the 1.8. I've never heard it on a 2.0
6. Front suspension problems (wishbones) - Yes it is a wishbone suspension, just like numerous other cars, e.g. Honda. I haven't heard of anything basically wrong with them though. What part is it that fails?

Mind you a friend of mine has one and apart from burning alot of oil and the diesel sound he hasnt had any problems.
Chief.

Well there you have it. I'd be worried if it burned oil, though. Does it smoke from the exhaust? What sort of mileage is on it?

jhegarty

ds20prefecture wrote:

jhegarty - any decisions? I'd be interested to know if you went for one in the end.


1. Leaking roofs (major problem) - Never heard of this, is it on cars with Sunroof?
2. Burn shítloads of oil - Not in my experiece
3. Boot sensor problems - Huh? What sensor in the boot?
4. crappy power when engine cold. - Again, not in my experience
5. twin sparks sound like a diesel on starting up (variator problems) - I have heard of this, but it might be confined to the 1.8. I've never heard it on a 2.0
6. Front suspension problems (wishbones) - Yes it is a wishbone suspension, just like numerous other cars, e.g. Honda. I haven't heard of anything basically wrong with them though. What part is it that fails?



Well there you have it. I'd be worried if it burned oil, though. Does it smoke from the exhaust? What sort of mileage is on it?

decisions..decisions....decisions... i am going to start looking for one with a dealer warranty , (6 month minimum , 12 months if possible) ....

not going to touch a private sale after all the horror stories...
not going to touch high mileage...(there seem to be alot just below 45k (just due the timing belt change))
going to check the timing belt has been changed...if its over that millage...
going to get the extra money together for a late 01 / early 02...

unkel

Great car to drive, as good as FWD gets in a saloon. Great looks still imho after being around for 7 years. JTD Diesels are fantastic and let themselves be chipped very well

jhegarty wrote:

decisions..decisions....decisions... i am going to start looking for one with a dealer warranty , (6 month minimum , 12 months if possible) ....

My best mate has had a series of Alfa 156's. He buys them from the main dealer at 2 or 3 years old with full history from same dealer and trades them in after 2 years. He always takes out a 2 year full warranty at surprisingly low cost, leaving him totally risk free

Over the years he has had no major difficulties, just some fairly minor electrical issues. Better safe than sorry though with Alfa

That's in the Netherlands though. Dunno if you can get 2 year warranty on second hand motors here...

jhegarty

unkel wrote:

That's in the Netherlands though. Dunno if you can get 2 year warranty on second hand motors here...

didn't ever hear of there over here... but it would be just the job if it was available... anyone ever hear of it ?

bazz26

I'm sure you can get an extended warranty from a garage but knowing this country it would cost an arm and a leg.

jayok

As usual, people are coming up with the standard preconceptions of Alfa Romeo 156s, but when you ask the people who actually own one, there are very few bad reports.

I suppose that I no longer own an Alfa becuase it went back after I threatened to take them to court for selling my wife such a crap quality car (gearbox failures, oil leaks, coolant leak), means that I truely know nothing about the quality of Alfa products. :rolleyes:

Nice to look at, just like a plasma stream, touch it though and you will get burnt.

Waylander

I asked the exact smae question about 3 months ago and got similar mixed replies. Bought the car anyway and am as happy as a pig in sh*-te with it. No problems thus far, and it is a lovely drive.

Eoin

jayok wrote:

I suppose that I no longer own an Alfa becuase it went back after I threatened to take them to court for selling my wife such a crap quality car (gearbox failures, oil leaks, coolant leak), means that I truely know nothing about the quality of Alfa products. :rolleyes:

Nice to look at, just like a plasma stream, touch it though and you will get burnt.

OK then - the majority of people who own or have owned one then. Sorry if I wasn't specific enough for you. :rolleyes:

I am sure that there are many people out there who can tell exactly the same story but for nearly every other make out there.

Out of interest, was it the 156 your wife bought?

ando

well from an outsiders point of view, I dont have an Alfa, I dont know anyone that has an Alfa but when I think of Alfas, I think its a lottery when you buy one

py2006

What about an Alfa 147?

ciarsd

2002 Alfa 147 Lusso owner here, and a very happy one.

I've had one fault with my car which was the Variator recall - I had Alfa call me, take my car, replace the known production faulty part, give me a replacement car for the day and I got my car back all fixed up FOC - and rightly so. The courtesy car even had 3/4 tank of petrol

When I was choosing what new car to go for a couple of years back, sure I did some research myself, sure I listened to similar complaints in similar threads - some of which proved very useful (i.e. the variator issue). At the end of the day, if you do your homework and are not a badge snob (in the sense that - its an alfa, its a fiat etc, sure they just break down) and find yourself a good Alfa that you like, there is no reason why you wont be happy with it - there are some good deals out there. I cannot think of any other car of similar range and value that can touch the Alfa's for their looks, their interiors and their level of equipment.

bmoferrall

I've had two Alfa 156's. A '98 2.5 V6 and now the 3.2 V6.
The only problem I had with the former was a leaking sunroof - only noticed after a heavy downpour. Dealer admitted it was a known issue with early 156's and fixed it under warranty.

For my current car I had to replace the front left wishbones to solve a 'creaking' sound.
Application of a little switch cleaning fluid to pin contacts was required to get rid of an airbag warning light.
Battery replaced after 20K miles.
Apart from that I've had no problems.
My brother has owned a '98 2.5 V6 for 4 yrs. The only major problem he has experienced was with the air-conditioning system after 3 1/2 yrs of use.

Oil consumption on both my cars has been comparitively low, no more than a top up every 5000 mls.
Petrol consumption on my current 156 is ~25mpg and all my driving is in and around Dublin; admittedly, I don't have a very heavy right foot.
Service costs on the 3.2L V6 are no worse than a regular 156: e180 and e400 so far.

Spoke to an Alfa specialist about the two issues which seem to recur a lot: front suspension and timing belt.
Suspension-wise he said the bushings were the weak point; apparently, Alfa only supply each wishbone as a unit, making it a relatively expensive issue to deal with (about e400 to buy and fit both arms).
He showed me two timing belts, one with around 60K mileage, the other with around 35K mileage. The latter had worn to the point where it needed to be replaced, the former was still in good condition. The only explanation he could think of was different driving styles.

Maybe Alfa's are not ideally suited to our 'roads' and need to be driven more sympathetically than more robust alternatives.
Find a well-looked after example and, with a bit of TLC, you won't have any regrets.
I'd be surprised if there's a better-handling, better-looking, better-sounding, FWD saloon.