Must be true petrolhead to say about these please>

[Jim Bell]

(Clarkson voice)

Youre not a true petrol head......(pregnant paws) untill youve owned an Alfa. (end Clarkson voice, look smug)

 

Hes not really in our world though so he can get fucked.

 

I would like some advice and remanicence from actual real world people, with real life lives, in real life places. 

 

On a Shitters budget, what would you spend your real world money on?

What are the pitfalls of these Itallic racing stallions?

 

I was thinking specifically of a 2.0 GTV, or 1.6 TS 147 as values seem to be currently clinically depressed.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Alfa-Romeo-147-T-Spark-Long-MOT-Excellent-Condition-Great-Drive-/251543495703?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item3a91292417#ht_101wt_1192

 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2003-ALFA-ROMEO-GTV-2-0-T-SPARK-LUSSO-IN-METEOR-GREY-MOT-TO-AUGUST-2014-/271509688606?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item3f373d111e#ht_914wt_1192

 

etc.

 

Anyone running one, or had the pleasure?

 

Do spill your knowledge out so it may be mopped up with a piece of fresh want-bread.

[Timewaster]

Funnily enough I have just been perusing old alfas on EBAY. Don't know why.

[Jim Bell]

Funnily enough I have just been perusing old alfas on EBAY. Don't know why.

 

Must be the time of the month. All our shite browsings are syncronising.

[eddyramrod]

Good move...  As general advice, but particularly pertinent to Italian autos (also French, I believe) I'd be buying the oldest thing I can lay my hands on as it's likely to be simpler in construction than younger models.  I'm thinking especially of the electrics, which can give Joe Lucas a good name.  I'd also say, pay as little as possible and just enjoy hooning it around your local streets until the MoT runs out, then weigh it in.  Unless you stumble on something exceptional, and/or can do all the work yourself, it's unlikely to be worth keeping a cheapo purchase alive.  Heresy on this site, I know, but a harsh fact.

[Jim Bell]

  I'd also say, pay as little as possible and just enjoy hooning it around your local streets until the MoT runs out, then weigh it in.  Unless you stumble on something exceptional, and/or can do all the work yourself, it's unlikely to be worth keeping a cheapo purchase alive.  Heresy on this site, I know, but a harsh fact.

 

This is all good common sense, cheers for being the voice of reason.

[TRW]

There is no common sense or voice of reason when thinking about purchasing Alfas

 

You know what to do

 

GIB.

[Jim Bell]

There is no common sense or voice of reason when thinking about purchasing Alfas

 

You know what to do

 

GIB.

 

Also gr9 advice.

[michael1703]

Must be the time of the month. All our shite browsings are syncronising.

That green junior in the spotted thread?

 

Gave me the alfahorn

[Spiny Norman]

They're a lot better than the pub bores would have you believe but they do need a regular injection of money to keep them sweet.
I had a 156 2 litre for about 4 years and apart from regular servicing it needed a battery and a door handle. It was one of the most all round great cars I've ever had, it did everything well and nothing badly.
A mate binned a Audi A3 for a 147 and proclaimed the Alfa by far the more reliable and eljoyable car over 100k hard miles.
The 1.6 147 isn't that fast due to the weight of the thing, the 2 litre is a far more Alfa-like experience, but I wouldn't kick a fit one off the driveway if the money was right.

 

Just do it man, stop faffing about.

[Rusty_Rocket]

Alfas are great.  We've never had it so good now they are worth so little!

 

After owning 2x 156 models (one T-Spark, one JTD), all I would really say is to avoid cars with a Selespeed gearbox.  Not only is it chronically unreliable, I also found it hopelessly unpleasant in traffic.

Otherwise, there really is nothing to put off a serial 'shiter.  Just suspension bushes/ hand brake cables etc which are as cheap as anything else.

[AlabamaShrimp]

Lol very never personal owned one but a friend of my wife had 2 (a 147 and something I can't remember now) both were no problem but they sold them due to the stupidly high tax. Think the 147 was about £400 or so for a year

[Bren]

Every alfa owner should have the following -

 

MIG welder

 

Multimeter

 

Adhesive - for gluing trim back on.

[cort16]

Just keep away from the celeryspeed automatic ones and you'll probably be okay. I found parts to be very expensive. It was £120 for a small rubber engine mount for my 166, so I just flogged it.

I think the 2002+ 156's had an interior refresh and the interior is much nicer.

[Junkman]

I have never owned an Alfa, don't own an Alfa, and will never own an Alfa.

Hence I'm not a petrolhead (never claimed to be one, actually).

As usual, I totally disagree with Clarkson in automotive matters (interestingly not so in non-automotive ones).

My personal tenet is to steer clear of Italian chod (and food, while we are at it) on a general principle.

[cort16]

Do you eat any food or recipes invented after 1986?

[Junkman]

I'm unaware of any food or recipes invented after 1986. I don't eat GM foods, if that is what you mean.

[Jim Bell]

Pizza (not Piazza) is ittalic.

 

You poor (junk) man,

[cort16]

I'm unaware of any food or recipes invented after 1986. I don't eat GM foods, if that is what you mean.

 

You're missing out

 

[Junkman]

On what? Getting cancer?

[Asimo]

2.0 GTV would fit my bill(s), but I havn't considered one before this thread but now the idea is growing on me. Something fundamentally wrong about transverse V engines, in my eyes, so it would have to be a tool eater. A coupe, no love for ragtopness. A pub Alfa bore told me they don't rust. Seems unlikely, but...? I have long legs and short arms which has ruled out other Italian motors, can they be comfy for tall arthritics?

[Jim Bell]

From tinternet research, no.

By most accounts they are cramped. Which rules me out.

[forddeliveryboy]

I get the impression that for autoshiters, there are enough old 156s around to make them dirt cheap but not enough to make garages 156-friendly. Alfa specialists are out there, but they seem to be very specialist specialists, iykwim. Yet their pricing always looks vgvfm, due to the relative lack of trade and the cars' very low values. They will maintain a 156 for relatively little, then hope to ensnare you with a 60s car when you finally wave your wife bye-bye on non-motoring related grounds.

 

If anyone offered me a choice between an A4 and same-year 156, there'd be no difficultly in choosing. Everyone I speak to with a 156 adores them for their reliability.

[Rusty_Rocket]

Sadly they do rust a little.. but nothing like the local pub expert will have you believe.  Check the rear floor pans on 56/47's and silly bits like bumper mounts can dissolve into nothing.

Again, only typical of anything else of similar age though; a similarly aged Ford for example will undoubtedly be worse. 

[Bren]

Sadly they do rust a little.. but nothing like the local pub expert will have you believe.  Check the rear floor pans on 56/47's and silly bits like bumper mounts can dissolve into nothing.

Again, only typical of anything else of similar age though; a similarly aged Ford for example will undoubtedly be worse.

 

The 156 rots its floorpan - little or no protection.

[Ratdat]

I really rate our 156 Sportwagen. We've had it about 18 months now and it's been an excellent car in every regard. It's even good on fuel (1.8 TS) with it averaging around over 40mpg. Nice to drive and good handling...not as sprightly as you might expect but it goes if you work it. And of course they look great, especially for an estate.

 

It had clunky LH suspension on it when we got it so I fitted a new LH upper arm but it turned out the bottom one needed doing as well...which I still haven't done    Front arms are prone to wear on these but they are cheap and not too bad to do unless you have a lot of seized bolts.

 

I replaced the cambelt as a matter of course and also fitted a new variator and water pump while it was apart. It's had front pads and discs and is due rear pads and discs when I get time to fit them. I also fixed an airbag fault when i got it which has not re-occurred since (it was a bad connection in a plug). In fact the only fault it's had is it's consumed a few bulbs, three front side light, three number plate light and one headlight bulb which is quite a lot in 18 months.... but this may be more a reflection on the quality of bulbs I am buying! 

 

It's done near 25,000 miles in the last 18 months and as you can see, most of what I've done it it has been just routine stuff. I reckon that pretty good going. 

[castros_bro]

I had an Alfa 33 sport, acquired in  the usual cost free manner, it was left in a friend's mother's  driveway by some Aussie after their tour of Europe still on Italian plates but managed to get it registered C284TMO despite lack of paperwork and it not being coloured red.   Fantastic but annoying car with a large dollop of random failure to proceed for unknown reasons.  Steering offset one way (LHD) but pedals offset the other.

[spike60]

I'm a serial Alfa perv, in order

Alfasud Sprint Veloce 1.5 which was a badly flawed hooligan, amazing crisp flat 4,

155 TS 16v best of the lot despite clunky front suspension and Italian electrics.

Alfa Spider 2.0 which was cheap and pleasant but just needed too much £ spending.

I then bought a 2.4 JTD 156 which was a shocker, in the 8 months I had it I spent minimum £100 a month on bits alone. The last straw was the £223 engine mounting. A well designed but badly built car with a good engine, strong box as well if you stick to 5 speeds. 

The 16v twinspark engine need belts at 36 months or 3 years whichever comes first, usually with the variator as well. Most cars with this engine for sale need the belts doing. DIYable for the confident.

I'd like another Spider but can't see the logic in kicking a reliable 2.8 Z3 out for more Italian style, randomness and probable expense.

[Guest Breadvan72]

ORL ALFAZ R FABBIHS.

 

I loves them, and have a super duper 156 Sportwagon with the yummy V6 pez, and had a 1977 Spider with the 2 litre twin cam once upon a time.  I have driven various other Alfas over the years, all ace.  I have never found Alfas to be any more or less prone to going kaboom than any other type of car.

 

 

I have had my 156 for 9 years and driven it about 70,000 miles.  It has needed the front suspension bushes doing twice, had a radiator punctured by a bolt, needed a new alternator last year, and had its original clutch burned out by me ex wife riding it.   The window winders are a bit rubbish, and the fusebox cover has fallen off.  Cambelts are an arse as engine has to be hoicked out, but maybe that is not so on two litre ones.  Interior has worn very well.  A bit of scabby on the cloverleaf alloys.  Otherwise it looks and drives like new.  It makes a fab noise and is ace fun to hustle about.  It is uber fast on a motorway at 3 AM, allegedly.  The boot is not huge but it is big enough for a bit of stuff.  The aircon has stopped working just recently, not sure why.   It's a fab car in my book.

[J-T]

I've got a GTV, though it's not my daily. I've never driven the 2.0 but as has already been said they have a short cambelt interval and it'll cost about £350 a time. The back seats are useless as is the boot, especially if it has a spare wheel. They rot on the floorpans (though no worse than most other cars of that age, I think the bodies are galvanised but not the floorpan). The rear suspension bushes can wear and in severe cases eat into the subframe. Other than that it's just usual stuff, rear calipers sticking etc. Airbag lights are usually connectors under the passenger seat.

 

alfaowner.com is quite a good site for them (and most other alfas it would seem).

 

I've always liked the 145 cloverleaf (has the same 2.0 engine). They're quite rare now, I reckon if you found a nice one and kept on top of it you'd sell it for at least what you paid.

 

And I know I'm biased but I'd say if you're getting a GTV just get the V6. They're pretty good on fuel, mine does about 27mpg driven with a fairly lead foot, you won't get much more from a twinspark and I'd much rather just bung in an extra £10 a week to have that engine, it turns it into an event each time you drive it. They cost a bit more to service (and you need to see plenty of evidence of it!) but no alfa is ever cheap to service, twinspark included.

[purplebargeken]

156's rule! Beautiful looking cars.