Alfa's

So I have always been a BMW girl but am thinking of trying an alfa.any experiences! Things to watch out for! Looking at a 2003-2005 wagon. Thanks (p.s I know euro cars are expensive for parts yada yada yada)

Actually Alfa's are very good for part pricing.
I wouldn't get too uptight about the year unless you have to have the "facelift" version. The cars are really much the same from about 1998 so you are better to buy on condition and value.
What sort of running are you doing, can it be a manual, does fuel cost factor!

Buy a manual one, or a proper automatic, not the Selespeed. If you get a V6 model they are quite thirsty compared to a similar sized BMW six also make sure its had its cambelt and tensioners done because its not a cheap job on the V6 Alfas.

In saying that, the sound alone makes the extra cost of the V6 worth while.

Work is really close, just running kids to sport etc.we have a captiva also.so more just a second 'soccer mum' car. The one I'm looking at is a facelift model.

sw20 wrote:
Buy a manual one, or a proper automatic, not the Selespeed. If you get a V6 model they are quite thirsty compared to a similar sized BMW six also make sure its had its cambelt and tensioners done because its not a cheap job on the V6 Alfas.

In saying that, the sound alone makes the extra cost of the V6 worth while.

Thanks, will look out for a manual, the one I had seen was a Selespeed. Thanks for your advice

O.K well just bare in mind you often pay twice the price just to have the different grill. If that dosn't bother you then fine.

For knocking around the 2.0 twin spark is good. All 2.0 engines are twin spark and any listed as "selespeed" "tiptronic" or "Automatic" with that engine are selespeed. What that means is it has a normal manual gearbox but there is a robot that pushes the clutch in and makes the changes.

Unlike VW's DSG which uses two clutches and is a terrific transmission the selespeed is prone to annoying issues and is a bit slow to change gear. Its not end of the world to own one, most problems are overhyped but manual is still preferable and much easier to sell when you are done. You can't get a regular auto with the twin spark engine so ignore those who tell you it really is an auto. The regular auto comes with the 2.5 only.

You can pick up a tidy non-facelift version in manual for around 6K so use that as a price point.

The other thing to be aware of is the Twin Spark does require regular timing belt changes (3 years/60K) but its an easy and affordable job for a good third party garage with the right tools. They MUST use the proper tools or you will lose performance and economy.

Other than that they are great cars, economical and great fun to drive.

Its also imperative that the variator is changed when the timing belt is changed. Otherwise you will likely have to do the job all over again. If the variator is not yet noisy you can use a variator repair kit which is nice and inexpensive.

Thanks a lot thejazzpianoma.really good advice.have saved that one to etch list.was looking to spend $15 ish.

My advice is don't spend that much depreciation may be killer, you only need to spend just over a third of that. You would be better to buy a 6K Alfa, do the timing belt etc properly and then upgrade again once the new models are in your price range.
It would be different if the newer model was in your price range or you were looking at a VW etc where its worth spending the extra.

If you don't mind possibly losing a bit when you sell then go for gold but you are buying the end of an old model (a very good model) and I really fail to see the value . but then thats me I always look for the value in things.

Another common Alfa fault is the Airbag light. Also the immobiliser and key code can give problems and generally need diagnostic gear to reset. The Selespeed gear changes are made by an electric hydaulic system which is usually OK on mostbut the occasional one has issues. The real hassle is the Cambelt and tensioner change that is factory recommended to be done as jazz says every 60K or 3 years. The parts alone come to about $900.

If you live close to work.walk or ride a bicycle.

so much good advice given already in this thread - yep, the Selespeed *can* be made to work ok, but definitely go for a decent drive in the same sort of area/conditions you would use the car in. Personally, having driven them, there's no way I could live with a Selespeed - I really like DSG-type boxes, but the Selepseeds I've driven have been annoying [as was the "robotised manual" box in a Lambo I did some hot laps of Hampton Downs in]. Airbag warning lights, etc etc are a pain too.

How do you mean a pain! I'm very interested in the wagon that was mentioned in this thread but don't know too much about alfa's. Does it come on often!

Its a reasonably common fault. However its not usually a big deal to fix. Usually its just the connector under the seat which can be easily fixed by soldering the connection. Sometimes its the squib behind the steering wheel. Definitely not a reason to avoid buying a 156. I mean think about it say there is a 1 in 10 chance of your having that fault during ownership and then an 8 out of 10 chance that you can fix it in a couple of hours with minimal or no cost. Its not worth worrying about.

The thing with these 156's is the expensive fundamental stuff i.e engine, transmission, bodywork is really tough and reliable. If you do have a fault its usually just something like that which can be DIY'd without much hassle with basic tools and limited skills.

Where people go wrong is they take these cars to the fancy pants prestige dealerships who are busy selling Ferrari's and then wonder why they have paid a fortune for repairs.

Alfa's are fantastic for DIY and you can even get free software for diagnosis/adjustment so resetting the airbag light after repairs etc is easy so long as you have a laptop and spend a few dollars on a cable.

Overall, I find them as reliable as any other car of similar sophistication and age. I think we are just more mindful of problems with Alfa's because they are Italian and everyone is hypersensitive and just waiting for the axe to fall so to speak. Toyota's etc have these problems too but people just fix them and move on without giving it further thought.

BTW there is nothing hard about doing a timing belt on a twinspark. A genuine timing belt kit will only set you back about $200 delivered if you order online. The variator rebuild kit is sometihng like $50 from memory and I do a waterpump every other change. A good quality waterpump will set you back around $130 online from memory. So you are hardly breaking the bank. Factor in the power/economy and low purchase price and the extra few hundred dollars spent on one extra timing belt change every 10 years (3 year changes vs a regular 5 year change on most other cars) is absolutely nothing.

If you are not mechanical enough to do your own timing belt changes there is no harm in getting all the parts together along with the tools and getting a friendly general mechanic to do the change for you. There is nothing hard or mysterious at all about doing a twinspark timing belt change, its very easy but you do need to use the proper tools as its designed to be set up with real precision to make sure you get optimum power/economy.

The bottom line is if you are someone with a little bit of common sense andcapable of doing a few minutes of basic research before handing over your cash an Alfa 156 can be a source of surprisingly economical motoring. Plus they are a HUGE amount of fun car for the money so the benefits are more than just economic. However if you are someone who just "dosn't want to know",or chooses to ignore basic maintenance then the Alfa is not the car for you at all.

Just one other thing. If you don't fancy ordering parts online you can get pretty much everything in NZ at really competitive prices from the likes of Dino Enterprises or Italian Auto Centre. Both these places will happily courier overnight to anywhere.
Don't quote me on this but I suspect Italian Auto Centre may even loan you the timing belt tools if you don't want to spend $200 on your own.

Get one of the earlier Alfas.

Without the apostrophe.

They're better.

(They're less incorrect.)

Thank you so much for your extensive input mate! My partners dad used to work for Citroen and he has worked on quite a few alfas so I'm not too worried about the labour side of things just on the price of parts. I'm actually in love with that 156 now haha. Going to take a look soon. Anything I should be especially aware of! Btw sorry OP for hijacking ya thread

I wouldn't be the least bit worried about the price of parts. Alfa parts are really as competitively priced as any other car in NZ. Just stick to Italian Auto's or Dino Enterprises and you can't go wrong. Or as mentioned you can order online and save even more.

Just make sure your partners Dad dosn't get ideas of doing the timing belt without the proper tools. So many mechanics try this and because they thing they have got away with it they keep doing it (the car will run but you will almost always lose some power/economy)

There is an excellent video on youtube showing the timing belt procedure.

If you think you love that 156 now just wait until you drive it!

In terms of what to look for, the thing with Alfa's is there are plenty around that have been "enthusiast owned" so you may as well get one that has been well cared for and in great order.

Listen for a knocking sound in the engine (especially at idle) if it has that its most likely the variator. So many people don't change that with the timing belt and its very common to hear them knocking. This is not an issue if you are changing the timing belt straight away just make sure that is the source of the knock.

Check all the electrics are working properly, and look for signs of unusual tyre wear. Its fairly easy to upset the wheel alignment on them if someone slams them into the curb when parking.

They are galvanised so in general rust is not an issue but do check the door windowrubbers (the bit you can rest your arm on when the window is down). These have a non galv steel bracket that clamps them to the door. They can rust (which will make the rubber swell and bubble) and if really bad can damage the door underneath.

Check the alarm and door remote is working properly.

Make sure the gear change feels O.K (its possible to break the nylon bushes that guide it).

Like any car of that age the MAF sensors can give trouble so if its stalling or running a bit rough it would be worth getting it scanned or doing some check on the MAF.

Other than that just do all the normal checks you would with any car. Be fussy because as I said there are lots of very nice examples around and its always better to spend a little bit more on a really nice one than trying to polish a turd.

With those checks I suggested, none of those problems on their own are a reason not to buy the car at the right price. As mentioned usually the sorts of things you find with Alfa's are fairly easy and inexpensive fixes. Just make sure the price reflects any work that needs doing.

Good luck, I think you are going to love it!

Thanks! Also one more thing on that 156 I'm going to give him a call tomorrow especially regarding the rear shocks. Would they be very hard to replace!

I have never replaced rear shocks on a 156. I wouldn't expect anything particularly unusual or difficult though. Why not call Italian Autos or Mal at Dino's for a price and rundown on whats involved.
Failing that shoot over to one of the Alfa forums, there may even be a "how to" for changing them. At the very least they will tell you if there is anything unusual about changing them.

Also, be wary shocks are something that can vary a lot in price. I would have thought you would be into something like $180 each for them so if you are getting quoted anything eye watering then jump online and compare.

Appearance wise, the only thing I don't like about certain Alfa's like that is they way the put the rear exterior door handles above thedoor skin .

To me it makes them look like they have joined two cars together.

Well said.

The best art is often controversial. I think they were gorgeous when they came out and still really like the shape today. Especially in that wonderful alfa red.

Would you say that about the similar set -up on a Nissan Terrano/Pathfinder!

I agree it dosn't work on the pathfinder, it has nothing to do with the badge on the front but fails for two reasons.

1. It dosn't achieve the Coupe type look which suits the sporty Alfa
2. The Handle is not camouflaged like on the Alfa so instead of looking stealth its just in a different position which makes it look congruent.