What Alfa to get
 

Hello.
I'am currently looking to buy a secondhand AR 156, but I am a bit lost in
what engine to opt for.
The alternatives (in my head) are a two litre with the selespeed gearchange,
or the larger 2.5 litre V6.
The price of the two are aproximately the same, and I would appreciate
opinions on what's good or not so good on these models.

Thanks
TorO

Well I like my 2.0 JTS - 10% more power than the 2.0 TS. Not at powerful as
the v6, but also not as heavy! It needs at least 20,000 miles before it has
loosened up nicely tho. So you would be getting one that is already run-in,
which is ideal.


"Tor Ove Kolltveit" > wrote in message
...
> Hello.
> I'am currently looking to buy a secondhand AR 156, but I am a bit lost in
> what engine to opt for.
> The alternatives (in my head) are a two litre with the selespeed
> gearchange,
> or the larger 2.5 litre V6.
> The price of the two are aproximately the same, and I would appreciate
> opinions on what's good or not so good on these models.
>
> Thanks
> TorO
>
>

> > I'am currently looking to buy a secondhand AR 156, but I am a bit lost
in
> > what engine to opt for.
> > The alternatives (in my head) are a two litre with the selespeed
> > gearchange,
> > or the larger 2.5 litre V6.
> > The price of the two are aproximately the same, and I would appreciate
> > opinions on what's good or not so good on these models.

Well, even though I'm Alfa-less at the moment, I thought it through and came
up with my answer to the dilemma:

Grunt v. thrash?

That is the question - go for the 2.0 if you like thrashing the car, go for
the 2.5 if you like solid grunt. Either way a 156 is a great car. (And we
don't buy Alfas to sit at 50mph or drive slowly now, do we?

Anyone agree/disagree, or have I missed something? (I've only driven a 2.0)

Adam H

"Ex Alfa Adam" wrote:

> Grunt v. thrash?
>
> That is the question - go for the 2.0 if you like thrashing the car, go
> for
> the 2.5 if you like solid grunt. Either way a 156 is a great car. (And
> we
> don't buy Alfas to sit at 50mph or drive slowly now, do we?
>
> Anyone agree/disagree, or have I missed something? (I've only driven a
> 2.0)

Owning a 2.0TS GTV and a V6 2.5 156 I can speak for both engines

The 2.5 provides both attributes, reasonable low down torque with a love for
high revs "thrashing" too. However, there is a price in terms of economy
with the V6. It is a great engine, very smooth, sounds great and good power,
though the economy is poor by modern standards (22-23 mpg typically)

I recently drove a Laguna 3.0 V6 and it made me realise just what a great
engine the Alfa V6 is!

The 2.0 can feel a little more underpowered than it really is, as it produce
power in a very linear fashion, there is no sudden surge, it just keeps on
revving right up to 7000. The V6 has you working hard with the lower gears
to keep it off the 7200 rev limiter... The 2.0 has little low down torque,
but is happy to rev and sounds good too.

I do like the 2.0TS engine in the GTV, but given the opportunity I would go
for a V6.

The curious thing is on the motorway the economy of the two are close. I
have recently been doing a lot more motorway miles and took the GTV to
compare. The V6 will do over 30 on a motorway run the GTV not much more -
YMMV.

Note that the selespeed can be costly to repair in an older vehicle out of
warranty.

Hope this helps.
Tony

>> Hello.
>> I'am currently looking to buy a secondhand AR 156, but I am a bit lost in
>> what engine to opt for.
>> The alternatives (in my head) are a two litre with the selespeed
>> gearchange,
>> or the larger 2.5 litre V6.
>> The price of the two are aproximately the same, and I would appreciate
>> opinions on what's good or not so good on these models.
>>
>> Thanks
>> TorO

You could look at it this way .. both cars are good, the V6 comes with a
(reliable?) manual 6-speed box, the selespeed with a (possibly not so
reliable?) selespeed, the V6 comes with a really fun fast engine, the TS with a
fun but not so fast engine, the TS apparently corners better due to less
weight, the TS is rumoured to have a better MPG around town, but not so hot on
the motorway compared with the V6.

In my book, the V6 wins, but then I'm biased. But I did test drive both engines
(not selespeed admittedly) before deciding. Test drive both yourself, then
decide.

Phil 156 V6

Well 2.0 TS is a pretty good car, it's more relaxing than the V6. The V6 is
very nervous, in every condition simply want your foot down on the
accelerator. And it's not nice, exp. in the traffic. It has a really hard
clutch.
The Selespeed is a nice gear, very confortable yet sporty, but the first
cars (1999) has a lot of problems, they may have been resolved by uploading
the new software, there was an official recall by Alfa Romeo for this
problem in 2001 I think. Recent cars don't have this problems.

--
Jacopo
Prato, Italia
--
Sportwagon 2.5 V6 24V Distinctive
Join the Club!
www.alfasport.net
--

"Ppelectron" > ha scritto nel messaggio
...
>>> Hello.
>>> I'am currently looking to buy a secondhand AR 156, but I am a bit lost
>>> in
>>> what engine to opt for.
>>> The alternatives (in my head) are a two litre with the selespeed
>>> gearchange,
>>> or the larger 2.5 litre V6.
>>> The price of the two are aproximately the same, and I would appreciate
>>> opinions on what's good or not so good on these models.
>>>
>>> Thanks
>>> TorO