NPoCP: Alfa Edition

"Mr. FiSTer of Team FiST Fetish" (mrfist)
11/26/2014 at 03:27 • Filed to: NPOCP, Alfa Romeo, LOL

1999 Alfa Romeo 156

Manual, needs clutch and tires, has exhaust leaks and rust too. No miles listed but it's only $500 OBO, what think you Oppo?

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DISCUSSION (23)

duurtlang > Mr. FiSTer of Team FiST Fetish
11/26/2014 at 03:41

Which engine? 1.6L i4, 2.0L i4, 2.5L v6 (FWD or AWD), 1.9L i4 diesel or 2.4L i5 diesel? All were available in the 156 in 1999.

Anyway, if it's solid enough, doesn't need much more than what's listed and assuming you can do the work yourself it's a nice price. Having said that, these aren't all that expensive with a proper clutch either.

Steve in Manhattan > Mr. FiSTer of Team FiST Fetish
11/26/2014 at 03:42

The wheels are worth $100 each, so you could justify the price. Part it out, front wings worth something, same for the steering wheel. The engine block would make a nice coffee table. Ugh - old Alfas. How to judge?

Mr. FiSTer of Team FiST Fetish > duurtlang
11/26/2014 at 03:56

That information wasn't provided.. I think it's close, it might be worth taking a look at.

Mr. FiSTer of Team FiST Fetish > Steve in Manhattan
11/26/2014 at 03:57

I do like the steering wheel and a wooden shift knob would be nice in the FiST.

Steve in Manhattan > Mr. FiSTer of Team FiST Fetish
11/26/2014 at 04:02

The question so often asked - is the car worth saving? Alfas are not easy to judge ....

Mr. FiSTer of Team FiST Fetish > Steve in Manhattan
11/26/2014 at 04:11

If I had some garage space I'd pick it up just for the hell of it. Take what I want and scrap the rest but I don't have that luxury..

promoted by the color red > Mr. FiSTer of Team FiST Fetish
11/26/2014 at 04:27

Is that a Momo wheel? You could probably sell the wheel and shift knob to an Alfa nerd for a pretty penny.

Mr. FiSTer of Team FiST Fetish > promoted by the color red
11/26/2014 at 04:41

It is in fact a Momo steering wheel. I actually like the shift knob, it'd be cool in the FiST.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > Mr. FiSTer of Team FiST Fetish
11/26/2014 at 04:56

Hmmm, which engine and where's the rust/how bad? I've got a 2.5l V6 one of these that I daily drove for a number of years and they're cracking cars. Probably the best all-round car I've driven so far.

My V6 has been thoroughly dependable, with a good (if not great) chassis and an utter corker of an engine. If it's a 2.0l T-Spark apparently that's the pick of the bunch. Engine's less of a peach but still good, but the added lightness at the front really helps the chassis balance.

In my mind, well worth fixing those minor issues (provided the rust on the underside isn't too bad). If you can weld, then hell yeah even if the rust is scary :)

pip bip - choose Corrour > Mr. FiSTer of Team FiST Fetish
11/26/2014 at 05:29

nice price! worth a punt if nothing else , why not use it in LeMons?

KatzManDu > Mr. FiSTer of Team FiST Fetish
11/26/2014 at 06:23

Will it pass TUV with all the deficiencies. There is a reason it's so cheap. It's why I spent 2250 Euro on the 520d.

Schaefft > Mr. FiSTer of Team FiST Fetish
11/26/2014 at 07:02

Ramstein? Thought it would be located in the states judging by the cars in the background, but Ramstein makes sense. It would have been np. Depends on how much TUV is left on it really. 156 are incredibly cheap and there are plenty around, just check mobile.de.

DipodomysDeserti > Mr. FiSTer of Team FiST Fetish
11/26/2014 at 07:03

Pretty much anything running with a manual tranny under $1k is a NP. Even if it ends up being a dud you can part it out and make your money back.

dmcspeedy > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
11/26/2014 at 07:50

TwinSparks like to eat themselves if the belts don't get changed when they should, and often suffer bottom end damage as a result too. The cam variators get old and rattly too, and plastic impellors on the water pumps get brittle and shatter.

The V6s are a lot more dependable.

dmcspeedy > Steve in Manhattan
11/26/2014 at 07:52

Those look like 16"s, which are ten a penny in that style. 17" teledials fetch good money though, people pay up to £500 for a set.

twochevrons > Mr. FiSTer of Team FiST Fetish
11/26/2014 at 09:15

Looks a bit rough, but I do like the 156. My parents back in NZ own a 156 wagon, and it's a wonderful car – great-looking, and a fun drive, with an interior that couldn't be more stylishly Italian if it tried. I've been meaning to post an Opporeview of it.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > dmcspeedy
11/26/2014 at 09:18

The V6s used to have plastic impellors as well, but if you take them into any garage that knows them they'll replace them with metal ones from the FWD GTV. Do the T-Sparks eat themselves before their scheduled maintenance? I'm not overly fussed if they're not tolerant of deferred maintenance. As far as I'm concerned if you leave a belt past its renewal interval then it's your own fault if it snaps :)

dmcspeedy > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
11/26/2014 at 09:38

The real problem with the T.Spark belts was that the stated service interval in the rest of Europe was 36k/3 years, but in the UK it was 72k/5 years. I think this was an effort to sell it into the company fleet market by reducing maintenance costs.

The upshot was tons of belts snapping on engines in the 40 and 50k's. They officially revised the interval down to 36k/3 years again as a result of that. Don't push it.

That reminds me of another 156 pitfall - do you know about the issue with the bonnet catch getting gunked up and not locking properly? Quite a few wrecked 156s due to that. I had my bonnet lifting a couple of times on the motorway, luckily the safety catch held.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > dmcspeedy
11/26/2014 at 09:45

Ooh dear :S I have had mine click shut but not lock once or twice. I lubed the mechanism though and it seems to have held.

Silly mistake with the service interval there. I wonder what the later JTS engines are like reliability-wise. To be honest I haven't done much research on those. Most of my Alfa-lust is drawn towards those of a 6-cylinder variety :)

dmcspeedy > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
11/26/2014 at 09:52

Have a look at this:- http://www.gtv6-156gta.be/bonnetcatch.pd…

I didn't need to take the grille off mine to sort it, just lots of WD-40 and poking around with a screwdriver from the top. Once you understand how the catch mechanism works (there are two parts that move) you can tell when it's freed up. Closes really easily after that, no need to slam it.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > dmcspeedy
11/26/2014 at 10:39

Sweet :) I'll do that next time I'm mucking about with it :)

Steve in Manhattan > dmcspeedy
11/26/2014 at 13:23

Nice looking wheels in either case.

dmcspeedy > Steve in Manhattan
11/26/2014 at 16:29

They are. The 4C has an updated take on them:

Kinja'd!!!