83C Posted August 31, 2017 Share Posted August 31, 2017 I'm collecting a 159 next week for a friend. I shall report back on my findings! Cavcraft and Aston Martin 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tul66 Posted August 31, 2017 Share Posted August 31, 2017 Why do people like Alfas? They have weird, buck-toothed faces and break down all the time. [Checks what website he's on] Ah, OK... as you were.Says the man with a 1991 Maserati 222! Aston Martin and spike60 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cort16 Posted August 31, 2017 Share Posted August 31, 2017 You don't get a boost gauge on a diesel ford mondeo that's all I'm saying Lacquer Peel, Cavcraft, spike60 and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inconsistant Posted August 31, 2017 Share Posted August 31, 2017 I've got a Scalextric one. I quite like it. outlaw118, Dick Longbridge and Cavcraft 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Reverend Bluejeans Posted August 31, 2017 Author Share Posted August 31, 2017 When they came out, there was a twin car test to be done with a 320d (E90). BMW sorted us out a light metallic grey 320d, collected it from Bracknell for the day. Alfa GB were* fucking useless and we had to borrow a demonstrator from SGT in Taplow because none of the useless twats at Alfa would return a call, email or anything for that matter. The 159 wasn't a bad car. It seemed solidly built and the 2.4JTD really did go well, plus it had a very quiet idle. The handling was okay in isolation; it gripped and went where it was supposed to but they had that daft 2.3 (or thereabouts) turns lock to lock rack and all that did was exacerbate the feeling of heft and weight. The 320d flowed down a country road like quicksilver in comparison, fabulous thing to drive. 156's are alright I suppose but to me, a desirable Alfa is one without any Fiat input - the 75 was probably the last really good thing they made. Weird, but really, really good to drive.The 159 is like an Italian Mark 3 Mondeo tbh - for a grand it's okay I guess. pompei 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaseracer Posted August 31, 2017 Share Posted August 31, 2017 FPB7 is flogging his ex-Drum 147... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownnova Posted September 1, 2017 Share Posted September 1, 2017 I have to admit... the front end of a 159/Brera is a beautiful thing in my eyes.... I'm (just about) resisting the urge to search for cheap 159s as I need a car to commute in.... I've not resisted looking at 156s, even though I've been there and done that... and it was financially painful.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John F Posted September 1, 2017 Share Posted September 1, 2017 Says the man with a 1991 Maserati 222! Yep. That's how bad Alfas are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnthonyG Posted September 1, 2017 Share Posted September 1, 2017 To me, the 159 isn't anything like as special as the 156, it didn't even sell very well compared to the early days of the 156. Is it related at all to the Vectra C floorpan etc, or is it just engines? There was a sorry looking GT at the back of Leominster Car Auction's compound yesterday, I didn't realise these were a 147 in a sharper suit. It had crude patches on both sides of the rear sills which made me chuckle - 'heritage'. Mind you, it had survived at least 10 years. Lord Sterling and flat4alfa 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cort16 Posted September 1, 2017 Share Posted September 1, 2017 Someone told me it started a co development with SAAB but Saab pulled out after GM and Fiat fell out.As i said they're not amazing to drive. Just the same as any modern car but there are lots of nice touches to that make them nice to own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cavcraft Posted September 1, 2017 Share Posted September 1, 2017 Not been brave enough to try an Alfa yet I've run both Ivecos and P38s as dailys in the past... Remind me to never upset you. The Reverend Bluejeans 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Reverend Bluejeans Posted September 1, 2017 Author Share Posted September 1, 2017 Is it related at all to the Vectra C floorpan etc, or is it just engines? No, all different. The engine is the 2.2 GM block but with different internals and Alfa's own head. The floorpan was supposed to be the next Vectra but wasn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cavcraft Posted September 2, 2017 Share Posted September 2, 2017 The (front of the) 159 is still one of the best looking cars of this/that era, without doubt. Dick Longbridge and pompei 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John F Posted September 2, 2017 Share Posted September 2, 2017 ^ Subjectively, Billy. I think it munts competitively at International level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripped fred Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 I feel I've got the 'everyone must own and Alfa' out of my system with the two 156's I had. The first 10v 2.4 was better as needed less looking after and was a reliable old thing that only died recently when my ex wife cracked the sump on a kerb. She loved that car. The second 20v 2.4 facelift version needed regular spending but I may have been unlucky acquiring it when things went wrong together, dmf, suspension and wheel bearings mainly. It wasn't cheap to run and if I'm honest looked better than it drove although it was very quick. I just think it wasn't for me as too small for my needs. I have no wish to upgrade to a 159 as I can see them being a money pit especially as I would need to use a garage to do the work. Might be cheap to buy but not to run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
83C Posted September 23, 2017 Share Posted September 23, 2017 Bit late but I collected an Alfa 159 from Leicester earlier this month for a friend. No pics sadly as I was trying to get back as quickly as possible. First impressions: it was a 159 Tourer in dark metallic grey, in 'Lusso' spec. It looked very nice, the colour suited the shape very well. Sitting in it, the black leather was comfortable, the dashboard pleasant to look at, except for the double din radio which looked like it was trying to fill a space much bigger than it needed to. Propulsion came from the 2.4JTD lump married to an auto. I think it was a 5-sp, I never bothered to count. It has to be said, i'd rather buy one with a manual based on this experience - the auto is jerky and definitely scores a B- for appropriate gear selection at times. On the move, I found most of the controls came to hand fairly easily, though the trip computer had me foxed for a few miles - there are controls for it on both the indicator and wiper stalks. I filled up at Leicester Services on the M1, reset the tripmeter and average MPG, set the cruise control at 70 and aimed for Cornwall. I never felt the need to stop, nor did I get uncomfortable. For taller folk the car can feel a bit 'small' at times, and if you sit behind a tall driver you might want to consider leg amputation in order to fit - with the seat all the way back there is no rear legroom at all. It took just over 4hrs to cover the 275 miles to where I was dropping the car off. Over those 275 miles the car averaged 36.8mpg, which I thought rather poor given the lack of performance. It was only at this point that I discovered it had a 2.4 - from the way it drove I had assumed it was a 1.9. To put it in perspective my E61 525d returns nearly 45mpg in similar circumstances over near enough the same roads, and has plenty of get up and go despite being bigger and heavier. Aside from taking manual control on slip roads etc, nearly all of the journey was with the cruise set at 70. The ride quality was good, though I didn't really push it - I just wanted to get back with no fuss. I did think it felt rather nose heavy though. Would I have one? Possibly, but not a diesel auto. If I wanted a diesel of similar age and size I'd be hard pressed to look past an early E91 325d Touring, which will handle better, is more practical (the boot opening is poor on the 159 Tourer, and there's quite a drop down from the boot sill to the boot floor), will hold its value better, will be quicker (if speed isn't a priority a 320d would be just as good), and there's far more choice out there. I'd like to try a V6 petrol manual, but really i'd be buying it just for that glorious noise that the V6 makes, in which case there's no need to buy an estate at all. All in all I was a bit underwhelmed. flat4alfa, Cavcraft and pompei 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Reverend Bluejeans Posted September 24, 2017 Author Share Posted September 24, 2017 A good 2.4 JTD should march away from a 320d............something amiss with this particular example? They're not a bad car - I liken them to prettier Mark 4 Mondeo tbh. The E90 is far better to drive. flat4alfa 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pompei Posted September 24, 2017 Share Posted September 24, 2017 Insurance company loaned me a 2.4 Selespeed a few years ago. It was nearly new but guess what? The Selespeed was borked. I do have a prediliction towards Italian stuff, especially Alfas but this particular one just didn't do it for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
83C Posted September 24, 2017 Share Posted September 24, 2017 A good 2.4 JTD should march away from a 320d............something amiss with this particular example? They're not a bad car - I liken them to prettier Mark 4 Mondeo tbh. The E90 is far better to drive. Possibly, though it had no warning lights on, made no odd noises nor did it make smoke. I think the gearbox might have to take some of the blame, and the car had been sat in a dealer's compound for a couple of months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripped fred Posted September 24, 2017 Share Posted September 24, 2017 It should feel pretty quick and I'd also have thought it would be more mpg's than that. I think both the 156 and 159 are good looking but too small inside. The dash on the 156 I had wasn't ergonomically great either. They do feel a bit nose heavy as that 2.4 lump is heavy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lacquer Peel Posted September 24, 2017 Share Posted September 24, 2017 Handsome but a bit rubbish, is that the consensus? stripped fred 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flat4alfa Posted September 27, 2017 Share Posted September 27, 2017 Avoid the 1.9 dervs as their GM-supplied gearbox is chocolateThe swirl flap ingestion problem prevalent to 320D is there too The local Alfa specialist buys up MOTd 1.9 cars and just breaks them as soon as they arrive The ones to have are the 2.4 derv or 3.2 V6 Apart from the fact they look like nothing else on the road, they are great drive. Folks ought not compare too much as you can't get much of an equivalent BMW for this money Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John F Posted September 27, 2017 Share Posted September 27, 2017 Handsome but a bit rubbish, is that the consensus? I'd go for "not even handsome"... the interiors are OK, but that gormless buck-toothed face Alfa foist on their modern cars looks desperately shit IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Reverend Bluejeans Posted September 27, 2017 Author Share Posted September 27, 2017 Avoid the 1.9 dervs as their GM-supplied gearbox is chocolateThe swirl flap ingestion problem prevalent to 320D is there too The local Alfa specialist buys up MOTd 1.9 cars and just breaks them as soon as they arrive The ones to have are the 2.4 derv or 3.2 V6 Apart from the fact they look like nothing else on the road, they are great drive. Folks ought not compare too much as you can't get much of an equivalent BMW for this money The GM gearbox is iffy. E90 swirl flap issues are nothing like the E46 because the revised flaps are too big to fall down the inlet ports. They were plastic and not metal on these. Great drive? They're okayish, but nothing like as good as an E90. These later 3 Series are as common as muck, have an uninspiring interior (and exterior) but to drive, they run rings around the heavy, barge like 159. Not even in the same country, never mind ballpark. The 159 was hampered by that stupid quick rack and all that does is emphasise the weight and body heave in fast corners as well as the '50 pence a corner' dampers. £2500 buy a decent 2006 320d, a better idea all round. A few niggles but not the long list of the 159 with the gearbox, timing chain woes, subframe rot and so on. A 159 for a grand though? WTFN? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cavcraft Posted September 27, 2017 Share Posted September 27, 2017 The 159 is like an Italian Mark 3 Mondeo tbh Never before has there been a better reason not to buy a car. flat4alfa and The Reverend Bluejeans 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flat4alfa Posted September 27, 2017 Share Posted September 27, 2017 £2500 buy a decent 2006 320d, a better idea all round.....A 159 for a grand though? WTFN? Yes, that's my point. Immediate comparison with a much more expensive (new or old) BMW. You'd never get a worthwhile year-11 BMW for a grand. Well, ok, not unless it's in vomit yellow, has starship mileage and got lost in Bradford for a few months. By 'great drive' I meant 'a great drive for a grand', which it probably is, given as it's another big barge at Omega money. Agreed, WTFN? *goes off and looks for a £750 one, as the original thread has been open a few weeks* The Reverend Bluejeans 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cort16 Posted September 27, 2017 Share Posted September 27, 2017 In sure the 3 series is a better car to drive but they look dreary and the interior is about as inspiring as A romantic weekend in Clyde bank. flat4alfa 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flat4alfa Posted September 27, 2017 Share Posted September 27, 2017 Not only that, You are hated on the roadKeyed in car parksGobbed on by teenagersLook like saggy melted jelly with a massive pair of nostrils on your face Probably. The Reverend Bluejeans 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Reverend Bluejeans Posted September 27, 2017 Author Share Posted September 27, 2017 Better than being an Alfisti(ng) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cort16 Posted September 27, 2017 Share Posted September 27, 2017 Does a 3 series have a boost guage? NoThat's all you need to know Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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