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Parked at the roadside in Windemere a T plated 2.5 V6 in green with a beautiful cream leather interior.......£1250. Mrs P wouldn't let me is the short version, but I could see myself blasting down the M6 in that......foolish ?
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Probably....but would you care if you got to drive that?
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Not at all.
See earlier thread on 999 pound XJS.
1250 isn't much for up to a year's throwaway fun, methinks. And who knows? They aren't all disastrous...
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I should nip back on your own and take a closer look at it PU. It's green though.
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You'd better be quick. How long does it take to get from Reading to Windermere by train, via my bank? And what is the M6 like southbound on a Friday night?
;-)
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What I liked (fickle thing car desire) was the embossed Alfa badge in the Momo leather headrests - 12 months MoT according to the sticker and a genuine 55k.
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I've just read the CBC on it - risky but potential fun. Mrs P, had she been minded, would have mugged him for £250.00 though.
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Find out when the cam belt was last changed and do it if it was more than 36k or 3 years ago. If it is the 24v version then they have a serious habit of throwing the belts. If anything expensive goes wrong at that price you can weight it in for scrap....plus it being on a T plate means cheap tax rather than being stung. Buy it. The 156s are lovely cars and that green with leather interior is a nice combo.
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Go for it - you know you wnt to. Lovely to drive, well made - despite the reputation. Just be more vigilant ion the maintenance and all should be ok. Bound to be a good independent specialist somewhere near you, and alfaowner.com is a superb resource and source of info.
I bought my 156 just over a year ago and haven't regretted it at all. The only car I have ever had that gives me a warm glow when I drive it and look back at wheen I park it. Do it, just do it . . . . . .
It has recently been joined by a little 20 year old 1.7 Sprint too . . . .
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Lovely car - if you still have that £5k burning an itch in your pocket, look for a GTA, with some basic suspension upgrades that get rid of the damping issues, and only £400 for the Q2 differential - a massive improvement on a very good car.
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P.S the Alfa embossed seats in the GTA look even better than the normal leather seats.
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I saw an S plate one the other day that looked as good as new and still quite contemporary.
£1250 is not really much of a risk though it would be worth £250 more in silver and £500 more in red, or rather £500 less in green from the buyer's perspective ;-).
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A friend of mine had 80,000 very reliable miles from a T registration 2.5 V6 Veloce Sportwagon, and was very sorry to see it go when he emigrated last year. Just had a couple of minor electrical problems, but didn't miss a beat mechanically. Still looked and felt good at that mileage too.
Very quick car, and made a fantastic noise. Also one of the best looking engines ever to grace a mass produced car. Crackle finished cam covers with embossed logos, and a nest of beautiful chrome intake pipes. It needed a perspex bonnet!
Cheers
DP
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Sorry, I meant as an easily swappable option.
That engine deserves to be on show. It's been styled!
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Sounds like a nice car PU. I quite like green cars. Although the only two significant accidents I have ever been caught up in were in green cars...........Still can't believe the witchcraft about the colour mind. I know the Alfa shade you mean and with the cream interior......scrummy. Friend of mine had a 156 with that engine, he still becomes maudlin when he thinks of it. Best engine he's ever had and so on...
I've had a similar emotionally confusing few days automotively speaking. Drove to Dusseldorf on Thursday with a friend. Left my car at Folkestone and continued the journey in his 3.0d X5 auto with every conceivable extra. 20" wheels, television, leather everything, sports everything, full length sunroof and so on etc. Blingety bling.
Got through the Chunnel at lunchtime just before that all went pear shaped. we got back late last night with a bit of a delay as we had to transfer on to Sea France and there was "a bit of a queue". Got chatting to some guys on the dock who had been messing about in the Italian lakes in an assortment of Exiges and Elises. Don't you just hate some people ?
To return loosely and belatedly to the subject of unexpected and unjustifiable automotive desire, we split the driving over the three days giving me ample opportunity to form a view of the X5. Now , in advance I have to say that I am not a fan of SUVs. I am not a fan of automatics. I am not wild about over blinged and over specced cars with huuuuuuge wheels. I have to confess though, that having um......tested it a bit in Germany................waaaaant oooooonne !!!!!
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£1250 sounds like a bargain- worth that in parts alone surely? Ignore your missus and at least test drive it- you have lost that figure in depreciation alone on the skoda roomster.
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Mrs P rubbed salt into he wound today - a blue one passed us on a Dual Carriageway and remarked "Isn't that the one you were looking at in the Lakes - nice car." She'll be back after soon I'm sure.
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But just think that £1250 V6 is now worth what ? less than £800 now thanks to recent happenings...why not go out and buy what you want if it is to be a retirement toy ? You're not really going to be doing the mileage to wear it our before ten to fifteen years or, like me, are you really wondering what is going on in Westminster and how they are going to screw the motorist in the next five to ten ?
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There was an ad for a Subaru Forester diesel in this month's Car ....:-(
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BUT, it's not an Alfa !!! and I bet it costs a bit more than pocket money...
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I know but its like " common sense"
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Highly overated these days...
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"common sense" has been replaced by cost/benefit anlaysis which pretty much renders anything on wheels a waste.
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There was an ad for a Subaru Forester diesel in this month's Car ....:-(
That would indeed be a sensible choice.
However, for similar money it would/should be possible to buy, say, an Alfa 159 Sportwagon 2.4 diesel with the Lusso trim which of course includes the leather interior. 200bhp. Looks to stop traffic and the possibility that it might not break down very much.
Especially pleasing in metallic black with the tan interior or perhaps the red leather option.
Sense or sensational that is the question.....??
Heh heh !
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possibility that it might not break down very much.
Mmmm, whereas the Subaru would never break down.
Guess Mrs P will need new shoes when she gets back, its about 25 miles away where I opted for her to walk.
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I had a 2.0TS 165PS version (or whatever the bhp) was for a few months years ago. It was fun. I did not want the Passat 1.8T Sport back. Barge vs. fun. Longed for the day the Passat was replaced ;-) So the 2.5 V6 would have been even better.
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But just think that £1250 V6 is now worth what ? less than £800 now thanks to recent happenings...
Pre-2001, large engine? I wouldn't be surprised if it hasn't depreciated at all, thanks to recent happenings.
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I have owned 3 2.5 v6 156's . I would totally recommend buying one. Never had a breakdown in any of them. Find a good independent Alfa specialist to service it and enjoy that V6 gurgle and the gorgeous looks. You have got me thinking I should return to Alfa ownership.
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This thread is disturbing. It is giving me thrilling, unrighteous thoughts.
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Earlier this week I spotted a 156 estate, silver, 2.5 v6 on the side of the road. £995. Think it was an X reg. I cant tell you where tho......
(cos I cant remember - not cos I care for your sanity)
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my mate has had his 156 02 reg from new, and other than being littered inside with dried child vomit, empty bags of crisps etc it is doing reasonably well. Having 110k miles under its belt and almost a dent in every panel hasn't helped it's looks. It's 15k overdue for it's cambelt change and soon the exhorst will drop off and the clutch will go.....
But most disapointingly however was when it started misfiring in Sept, the local garage cleared the faults, told him to come back next day so my mate did, diagnosed misfire on 2 cylinders, suggested replacing all 4 coil packs and HT leads & plugs (all 8 of them as TS) at a cost of £500. I said not to bother, he agreed, and then said "I'll bring it round your house Stu and we can have a look at it" :-(
fished all the oil out of the spark plug holes, cleaned everything plug-related up and annoyingly, its running fine.....but will he get that cambelt changed.....no.
so, amazingly, his is doing quite well, even if it has cost him about £2k depreciation (it must be worthless now, maybe a grand max)
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