yng_750 247 Report post Posted June 14, 2014 looking at this for the mrs. http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-cars/alfa-romeo/auction-741340361.htm need to get her upgraded from a telstar I have had an alfa 75 and 155 in the past so know what to expect for the most part from italian motoring. but has anyone had any specific experiance with a 156 or against all odds know this car? thanks Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rowans17 19 Report post Posted June 14, 2014 Looks awesome in blue! dont see many in this colour! You hear horror stories about those transmissions though.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gaz 1056 Report post Posted June 14, 2014 You hear horror stories about those transmissions though.... This is proper manual so no selespeed problems here. The ex had a 147 which is practically the same. Fun wee car but the interior is pretty cheap which bugged me as it scratched pretty easily. Otherwise no different from any other Alfa. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mark 178 Report post Posted June 14, 2014 This is proper manual so no selespeed problems here. Nope. that's a selespeed. Essentially a hydraulically controlled manual... horrendously complicated system. Buy a proper manual or simply don't buy an Alfa. Matt will probably chime in here at some point... he had one and it spent more time on the side of the road that it did driving. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
twisted 45 Report post Posted June 14, 2014 Nice car. Qsystem auto pwns sillyspeed hands down. Only comment I have its cambelts are 60k items in the v6. Am rather partial to Alfas myself, and a 156 it on my to own list. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
twisted 45 Report post Posted June 14, 2014 Nope. that's a selespeed. Essentially a hydraulically controlled manual... horrendously complicated system. Buy a proper manual or simply don't buy an Alfa. Matt will probably chime in here at some point... he had one and it spent more time on the side of the road that it did driving. no. It's a q system auto. completely different from a sillyspeed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yng_750 247 Report post Posted June 14, 2014 I was under the impression the q system was just a standard tiptronic auto. Wouldnt go selespeed. Would love a 6 speed manual but this colour really looks good. Good to know about 60km cambelts Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gjm 3258 Report post Posted June 14, 2014 We had a 147. Gorgeous - black with tan leather. Bought ex-dem, serviced regularly, never gave any problems. A friend in London had a 156 he couldn't kill. He tried. My only other experience is with Alfas from the 70s and 80s. They had their own problems of course, but as usual - look after them properly and they're not so bad. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KwS 2421 Report post Posted June 15, 2014 Owned one, manual 2.5 V6 156 is amazing car to drive, great engine, great noise, great power and handles well (used to love the Summit Rd in CHCH in it). Had to sell due to rust in the floor pan. Would own another, although would be a 3.2 GTA next time. Havent driven the auto/sillyspeed ones, but have heard all the horror stories, so make sure it has a good history and well serviced. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cheyne 17 Report post Posted June 15, 2014 If you can I would spend a couple of grand more and go for the face-lifted 156 (2004 onwards). The interior is a put together better and you avoid most of the niggles that came with the earlier models (warping airbag covers etc). As the others have said make sure that you get one that has been well serviced - most people don't do the cambelts at 60k so watch for that, and definitely avoid the selespeed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yng_750 247 Report post Posted June 15, 2014 Agree. If this one goes really cheap might grab it otherwise budget abit more and get a facelift 6 speed at some stage Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jeff002 23 Report post Posted June 15, 2014 Just go to bmw,don't buy Alfa ,too many trouble. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Red Dwarf 136 Report post Posted June 20, 2014 (edited) Don't buy a 156 (or 147)... they're too much trouble, even the facelift models... There are some big bills hidden beneath the pretty exterior if it all goes pear-shaped on you)... And finding someone competent to look after it for you will be a complete nightmare!! If you don't believe me, check out the avatar and signature! As 3-Pedals said... The 75 was the last real Alfa ( I'm hiding one of the very few 3.0 V6 75s that made it to NZ in my garage!) Edited June 20, 2014 by Red Dwarf Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Palazzo 474 Report post Posted June 21, 2014 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ +1. Was quoted $3k for a cambelt on a v6 and $1500-2k on a 4. Every 3-4 years. Apparently they can break prior to time frame making change intervals even closer for piece of mind. Then there's the rest of it. Pity, because that v6 is one of the nicer sounding engines I've ever driven. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
