159 sportwagon

Stop me from doing it. To add to my 55 plate 1.9jtd 156 I'm thinking of
buying a 159 jtd sportwagon lusso.

Anyone sure it's a bad idea??

I've had my problems with the 156 but I like it so much I'm willing to
overlook them. Will I feel the same of the 159.

And would two Alfa's in one household be more than a man can stand?

Jim

Jim > wrote:

> Stop me from doing it. To add to my 55 plate 1.9jtd 156 I'm thinking of
> buying a 159 jtd sportwagon lusso.
>
> Anyone sure it's a bad idea??
>
> I've had my problems with the 156 but I like it so much I'm willing to
> overlook them. Will I feel the same of the 159.
>
> And would two Alfa's in one household be more than a man can stand?

We had 3 Alfas at one point - a 156 saloon, 156 wagon and the 75.

Down to 2 now - 156 wagon and 75, because I have a Focus company shed.

IMHO, you should do it. I would, given the chance.

159s have moved the game on from the 156 in terms of build quality and
reliability.


--
SteveH 'You're not a real petrolhead unless you've owned an Alfa Romeo'
Alfa 156 TSpark Sportwagon Veloce Selespeed - Alfa 75 TSpark Lusso
Ducati 750SS - BMW R100RT - Company Hack Focus TDCI

SteveH wrote:
> Jim > wrote:
>
>> Stop me from doing it. To add to my 55 plate 1.9jtd 156 I'm thinking of
>> buying a 159 jtd sportwagon lusso.
>>
>> Anyone sure it's a bad idea??
>>
>> I've had my problems with the 156 but I like it so much I'm willing to
>> overlook them. Will I feel the same of the 159.
>>
>> And would two Alfa's in one household be more than a man can stand?
>
> We had 3 Alfas at one point - a 156 saloon, 156 wagon and the 75.
>
> Down to 2 now - 156 wagon and 75, because I have a Focus company shed.
>
> IMHO, you should do it. I would, given the chance.
>
> 159s have moved the game on from the 156 in terms of build quality and
> reliability.
>
>
Thanks for those words...even if I somehow wish you hadn't said them!
The noose is tightening!!

'moved the game on', it's going to be difficult to stop myself now.

Jim

Jim wrote:
> Stop me from doing it. To add to my 55 plate 1.9jtd 156 I'm thinking of
> buying a 159 jtd sportwagon lusso.
>
> Anyone sure it's a bad idea??
>

Nope

> I've had my problems with the 156 but I like it so much I'm willing to
> overlook them. Will I feel the same of the 159.

Dunnoe

>
> And would two Alfa's in one household be more than a man can stand?

Pah, we have 4. We're *fine*. We can stop, any time we like.
Seriously.


--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
116 Giulietta 3.0l Sprint 1.7 145 2.0 Cloverleaf 156 V6 2.5 S2
Triumph Sprint ST 1050: It's blue, see.
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

> Stop me from doing it. To add to my 55 plate 1.9jtd 156
I'm thinking of
> buying a 159 jtd sportwagon lusso.
>
> Anyone sure it's a bad idea??

No.

> I've had my problems with the 156 but I like it so much
I'm willing to
> overlook them. Will I feel the same of the 159.

"I wanna tell you a storee" [1]

About 6 years ago, mooching around to replace the car, we
were ambling around a huge used car supermarket in
Sheffield, and was getting just a little numb after looking
at and sitting in the umty-third car in a row, when I sat
inside one - and went "WOW! This is *fantastic*" - I
hadn't even noticed what it was up to then, and got out to
see it was a 156!

Next car, again still numb, provoked an even bigger whoop
of delight! - got out to see that it was a 166

Of all the hundreds of cars there, these two simply blared
out their appeal!

Sadly, the one I chose to test drive, the 166, had a
shagged clutch, and a mat who was at that time an Alfa
service manager warned of horror stories, so I didn't buy
it.

A month ago I went to look at the present 156 - with the
thought in my mind that it was just to prove to myself that
it would be impractical for use as a 3 dog taxi.

Then I sat in it!
Then I had a test drive!
Then I bought it!

Last Saturday I had occasion to visit the Alfa dealer in
Nottingham to collect a part[2] and I had a sit in the 159
sportwagon.

I have to say, from the outside I *really* like the looks -
the flared wheel arches and bulls-eye headlights make it
look completely different - although the basic shape and
look from the rear is very similar.

Inside though - it just didn't *do it* for me - it's all
very nice and all that, but there just wasn't that same WoW
factor to the view from the drivers seat. A bit too
clinical, a bit to BMWy.

> And would two Alfa's in one household be more than a man
can stand?

So long as you have a Jap car as a spare, no. ;^)

[1] Showing my age!

[2] After a week or so I noticed the little bit of trim on
the bottom of the centre console just above the ash tray
was missing. (remains of broken plastic lugs still in the
holes)

The replacement didn't quite fit properly (*what* a
surprise!) so I pooped it in the (empty) glove box.

This morning I opened the glove box and took out *2* pieces
of trim! - the new one, and one with broken plastic lugs!
I *swear* it had not been in there from when I collected
the car!

--
Rob Pearson
156 1.9jtd sportwagon (now)
164 V6 Lusso (gone)

On Mon, 06 Apr 2009 12:04:35 +0100, R C Nesbit > wrote:

>So long as you have a Jap car as a spare, no. ;^)

I'd suggest this is more a requirement from long, long ago.

I've had my 156 for 8 years now. It's the family's only car and I know
of jap car owners who've had a much worse time than me. Nevertheless,
8 years ago I was very nervous of Alfa's reliability reputation so I
chose the diesel, partly, as research suggested it was bullet proof in
comparison to the petrols. Well, it's been bullet proof in comparison
to anything else for 8 years..

--
Z
Scotland
Alfa Romeo 156 2.4JTD Veloce Leather
'Oil' be seeing you..
(Email without 'Alfa' in subject will be auto-deleted..sorry!)

Zathras wrote:
> On Mon, 06 Apr 2009 12:04:35 +0100, R C Nesbit > wrote:
>
>> So long as you have a Jap car as a spare, no. ;^)
>
> I'd suggest this is more a requirement from long, long ago.
>
> I've had my 156 for 8 years now. It's the family's only car and I know
> of jap car owners who've had a much worse time than me. Nevertheless,
> 8 years ago I was very nervous of Alfa's reliability reputation so I
> chose the diesel, partly, as research suggested it was bullet proof in
> comparison to the petrols. Well, it's been bullet proof in comparison
> to anything else for 8 years..
>
Too late now anyway. I'm glad nobody 'saved me'. I've done the deal.
There's no going back. I've never had two Alfa's together before. I've
had four at different times starting with a Sud in 1978. Oh well, let's
see what happens!

Zathras wrote:
> On Mon, 06 Apr 2009 12:04:35 +0100, R C Nesbit > wrote:
>
>> So long as you have a Jap car as a spare, no. ;^)
>
> I'd suggest this is more a requirement from long, long ago.
>
> I've had my 156 for 8 years now. It's the family's only car and I know
> of jap car owners who've had a much worse time than me. Nevertheless,
> 8 years ago I was very nervous of Alfa's reliability reputation so I
> chose the diesel, partly, as research suggested it was bullet proof in
> comparison to the petrols. Well, it's been bullet proof in comparison
> to anything else for 8 years..
>
By the way, how many miles you done in yours?

Zathras spoke:
> >So long as you have a Jap car as a spare, no. ;^)
>
> I'd suggest this is more a requirement from long, long ago.

that was a bit tongue-in-cheek.

> I've had my 156 for 8 years now. It's the family's only car and I know
> of jap car owners who've had a much worse time than me. Nevertheless,
> 8 years ago I was very nervous of Alfa's reliability reputation so I
> chose the diesel, partly, as research suggested it was bullet proof in
> comparison to the petrols. Well, it's been bullet proof in comparison
> to anything else for 8 years..

Indeed - my last Alfa, the 164 V6 did around 100k trouble-free miles.

--
Rob Pearson
156 1.9jtd sportwagon (now)
164 V6 Lusso (gone)

In article >,
says...
> On Mon, 06 Apr 2009 12:04:35 +0100, R C Nesbit > wrote:
>
> >So long as you have a Jap car as a spare, no. ;^)
>
> I'd suggest this is more a requirement from long, long ago.
>
> I've had my 156 for 8 years now. It's the family's only car and I know
> of jap car owners who've had a much worse time than me. Nevertheless,
> 8 years ago I was very nervous of Alfa's reliability reputation so I
> chose the diesel, partly, as research suggested it was bullet proof in
> comparison to the petrols. Well, it's been bullet proof in comparison
> to anything else for 8 years..
>
>

Me too. I had my 156 1.8TS from new in October 2000 and it let me down only
once, when the earth strap gave up the ghost.

--
Halmyre

That's you that is.