Viewing 18 posts - 1 through 18 (of 18 total)
  • Alfa 147 / 156 purchase – will I regret it ?
  • Raindog
    Free Member

    I’m aware (I think) of the things to look for, and to keep on top of, plus a friend is an Alfa specialist, but I’m interested in the experience of anyone who has owned either of these cars. The good times and the bad….most of all, would you buy another one ?

    wheelz
    Free Member

    I’ve had a 156 Ti diesel for the past two years and had no problems at all with it. When it comes time to trade it in it will be against a 159 or a VW T4.

    bigbloke
    Free Member

    I had a 156 1.8 Twin Spark,owned it for over 2 years. Only replaced tyres and a starter motor (£60 fitted myself) but the car was nearly 11yrs old so just wear and tear. Though you wouldn’t know it was 11 yrs old, exterior was great and interior wore well. They are great to buy second hand as the prices still reflect the old Alfa reputation that now is not correct.

    Rust wasn’t an issue as the 156 had galvanised body panels so the horror stories of the 80’s are a thing of the past. Definitely check the oil as a twinny is a user of oil and check water regularly. If your friend is an Alfa spesh then you are laughing.

    I only changed it as i needed a diesel (got a 307 of all things ), but when i PX my diesel it WILL be for a diesel 159.

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    Hairychested
    Free Member

    How thirsty are those diesels? Comfy for passengers? Loud or quiet inside?

    Rockhopper
    Free Member

    Rust is an issue on the 156, they do often suffer from rusty floor pans. Some 156’s originally destined for foreign markets were not even undersealed.
    The 147 was galvanised.

    I’ve had a 156SW and I currently have a 147. The 147 is far better equipped and more solidly built than the 156.

    TurnerGuy
    Free Member

    I’ve had 2 156s and now a GT, all 2 litre petrol.

    The first 156 was S reg, non-sports pak but SP width tyres.

    It gave me problems but was really nice to drive and a real mileage eater – drove from Surrey to Scotland with one break at a service station for a slash.

    The second was a V reg and apparently they were more reliable from this date onwards.

    It had the sportspak and was fantastic to drive with a great turn-in – had the feeling it would get you out of any corner/situation. When I picked it up from the garage I had face ache by the time I got home from the constant grinning.

    I think the camber on the front wheels was wrong as no other 156 I have driven turned-in quite as well.

    The only problem I had was when the clutch went toward the end of the time I had it – and I gave it away to a mate who has spent a fair bit on it doing it up and it is enjoying its retirement being suitably thrashed up near Birmingham.

    The GT is nice and has more grunt but does not have the road holding of the 2nd 156. I got the GT to fit the bike in the back, otherwise I would have spent more on the 156 keeping it going.

    The cam belt service interval is lower than Alfa originally said.

    They also use oil – 1 litre per 1000 miles is not unusual. Ferraris use oil as well…

    The petrol engines are nicer for me as they feel more like the car has a heart, but they are quite flat below 2.75k revs, whereas the diesel is obviously not. I would run V-Power petrol just to get better torque at lower revs.

    Hairychested
    Free Member

    147 will be substantially smaller inside, less boot space, less of a long-distance family car. I suppose if you drive 12k miles per year it’s not an issue but if it’s more like 50k than it will be.

    Raindog
    Free Member

    I should add we have an X-Trail for bike / dog / tip runs, so boot space isn’t really an issue. Just driven a 147 and was impressed, although it’s not the example I would buy. Thanks for the comments so far.

    surfer
    Free Member

    Fast, smooth, surprisingly well screwed together and great fun to drive (had a 147 and 156)

    Check oil religiously, keep it serviced and check inside of front tyres as they wear alarmingly quickly and still look new from the outside.
    Slightly thirsty but ime no more issues than any other cars I have owned and an absolute bargain second hand.

    JRTG
    Free Member

    I have a 2.0 147 03 plate. great car but a little thirsty, 32.5mpg normally and uses one hell of a lot of oil. I have so many halfords screwdriver sets i’m thinking of starting my own shop.

    Very comfy, drives great just watch out for the wheels, 1 of mine cracked and the other dented really badly, perhaps metal fatigue? then again i have no idea how the previous owner drove it.

    TurnerGuy
    Free Member

    http://www.performancealloys.com do decent replica alloys for a good price – from a decent quality company.

    avoid crap pirelli tyres – the dunlop sports I had on the 156 and the goodyear f1 asymetrics on the GT are far better than the pirellis I have tried (P6000, P7000, zero nero, etc). And Bridgestone aren’t much cop either.

    TurnerGuy
    Free Member

    And late 156s had the JTS engine I think – which doesn’t seem to rev as freely or sound quite as nice, but has much more torque and go to it.

    epicyclo
    Full Member

    Almost everyone I know who had an Alfa regretted it.

    But they had fun right up until the regrets started. 🙂

    TurnerGuy
    Free Member

    had three – slight regrets on the first one but after test driving other stuff like VWs I had to have another…

    stuboy2uk
    Free Member

    Superb cars, I’m on my second. Between the 2 I’ve covered 190,000 miles and never broken down.

    Dogsby
    Full Member

    RD,

    I bought an 03 Alfa 147 about six weeks ago and love it. I have had to get the top wishbones areplaced and a couple of other bits but nothing drastic. As the guy in the garage said: they are not expensive because they are Alfas and you really have to want one to have one. There will be frustrations but they will be offset by the pleasure that you will get from driving it. Ultimately, they are Italian so have good lines and style but they can be a bit quirky.

    Dogsby

    simon_g
    Full Member

    Almost everyone I know who had an Alfa regretted it.

    No regrets on my 156 wagon – put 40k miles on it, only got rid because I’m on a car allowance and we’re not supposed to be running cars over 5 years old / 100k and it was past both. Would have had another Alfa but the 159 was way bigger and the 147 was about to be replaced. Ended up with a Civic instead (I’m a sucker for hidden rear door handles!). Giulietta is top of my shortlist for next car.

    john_drummer
    Free Member

    I’ve had a 146 & a 156, both 1.6 petrol. The 146 had the old boxer engine, sounded great but was a bit thirsty, lasted until 133000 miles, would have gone on longer but I opted to have the clutch replaced at a moto save place near a well known DIY store in Keighley. Big mistake, within a week both drive shafts became disconnected from the gearbox. AA man said they hadn’t been fastened in – at all.

    156 was a 51 plate 1.6 T-spark & should have had the cambelt replaced at 36k, although the original plan was 72k. Of course it snapped at 59k. right outside the house, so the engine wasn’t too badly damaged, and was still in warranty. Got it repaired under warranty, within 6 months the head gasket went. Related? dunno, but the garage that did the cambelt repaired it under their own 12-month warranty, although the manufacturer’s warranty was out.

    Would I have another? Yes, if the boot of the 159 Sportwagon is big enough.
    Keep them serviced & oiled & they’re as good (or bad) as any other major brand

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