Hi guys! I'm after a 156 manual (new front face would be nice), under 130k on the clock, budget is $8k max....... ::) I know, I know hens teeth and all that, may have to resort to jumping on a plane and going over east. Looked at gumtree etc. for a while now, not many and mostly old adds not removed. Please help, I trust you guys, true Alfa lovers look after their cars. So if you want to sell me yours I promise to look after it!! :)
You can't have mine - but keep looking - one will turn up eventually, they are out there. Though admittedly, I was probably extremely lucky to get hold of my '01 V6 6sp for $7k two years ago. It had been advertised on Gumtree for a couple of weeks and I took a chance and drove past the blokes house on my way home from work one dark rainy night. He'd been trying to sell it for some time. Went back with cash in hand a couple of days later, and drove her home. I have seen a couple more pop up at different times since then.
Ah well, worth a try, you never know your luck! I'm thinking I should be offering a grand less if the timing belt is due for replacement, I read that's what it'll cost? Am I being optimistic on the kms?.....
Quote from: BeddenS on January 24, 2014, 07:39:54 PM
Ah well, worth a try, you never know your luck! I'm thinking I should be offering a grand less if the timing belt is due for replacement, I read that's what it'll cost? Am I being optimistic on the kms?.....
I think if you are patient you should be able to get one in your price and km range (though maybe not a facelift). I think the important thing is to stay vigilant and be ready to move quickly when one becomes available.
You could probably go in harder for a timing belt changeover discount, especially if change is close to due. Changeover generally costs over $1k assuming you also have the water pump changed at the same time (usually recommended). As a failed belt can pretty much cost as much as the car to fix, a hefty "risk discount" is appropriate.
One thing you could do is call the guys at Cileberti Motors in Osborne Park and ask them to keep an eye out for one. They generally have a couple for sale too.
Should have added that if you get a car under $8k you are also likely to have to spend a couple of grand on other bits and pieces - just due to general wear/tear of certain components.
Poohbah, you are right about spending money on bits and pieces. The people that owned my 147 had spent $5,000 on it just before I bought it. It pays to shop around and find a car that has a good service history, receipts etc as you could easily spend close to what the car is worth on one that has not been properly maintained. :'(
Absolutely right. When I bought mine I had a total budget of about $12k in mind, so bought mine thinking that would cover near-term repairs and maintenance. Which is pretty close to what it has cost in the two years I've had it (belts, idlers, cooling system, cv joints, other odds and sods -inc towing!!!). But it was the right model, good history, and fundamentally sound. So as long as you recognise what real likely cost is upfront, you should be fine.
Thanks guys for your input, hmmm...potential costs are mounting.....I'm thinking the Cileberti way may be the right way. They will have checked it out fully and although higher cost initially, it may work out cheaper overall. I am fortunate in that I work at home and out seeing clients once a fortnight so I won't be running up huge kms and in turn high maintenance costs...having said that I may love driving the thing so much I'll make up some excuse to go out!!
Very sensible. Good luck with the hunt. I am envious - what can be more
fun than hunting for an Alfa, apart from buying and driving one!
There currently is a '02 model (twin spark) not JTS manual sportwagon (dark blue with tan leather) with around 120,000Km for about $4-5K on ebay right now, the only possible problem for you being it is in Queensland. It even comes with a sunroof, something my Sportwagon didn't.
I am still enjoying the practicality of my Sportwagon, though it has a few niggling problems which will be shortly attended to with its next service (next week). Mine only has 127,000 on the clock. I figured out in the last year I only added about 4-5,000 km to it.
Your budget is perfectly healthy to find a nice 156 for sure.
Thanks Davidm1750, plenty over east, haven't discounted buying and getting transported over but will be a last resort, need to look at in the flesh or it feels like a punt too far!
Check out www.cilebertimotors.com.au
They have a manual 2.0L, 2000 156 on sale now for $8k.
Worth a look, though I note it has 220km on the clock. Still, they will have given it a good top-to-bottom check.
Thanks poohbah, yes I saw that a while a ago, 220k put me off. Which begs an interesting question.....how many kilometres will a 4 cylinder alfa engine do before it dies, assuming it is well looked after? I'm thinking the v6 will last way longer......?
Its a bit hard for me to give you any meaningful estimate of engine life, as my V6 has only done 145ks (I've done 30ks in the two years I've had it). The answer will always depend on how it has been maintained. As long as the timing belt, water pump, idlers, oil filter and oil have been changed according to schedule (which is why getting one with good history is so important) I reckon you could expect a longer life than 220k for the 2L four. I suggest you pose your question on the 932 series (156) thread. There will be plenty of good advice from the broader Alfa community!
If you find a high miler that has been looked after, I suspect the biggest worry won't be the engine, but other things like electrics and cooling system as they "mature".
Thanks mate. Found this
http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/wangara/cars-vans-utes/2004-alfa-romeo-156-silver-seq-manual-auto-clutch-sedan/1037487293
nearly but not quite!!
Others may have a different view, but I would be wary of a selespeed. Keep looking, I'm sure that a proper manual will turn up eventually! BTW, have you thought of joining and contacting the WA chapter of the alfaclub? They are a good bunch, and may even know of a 156 that meets your spec.
Bingo - we may have a winner. This is in Mt Pleasant, seems to meet all your criteria.
http://www.carsales.com.au/private/details/Alfa-Romeo-156-2006/SSE-AD-2546662/?Cr=2&sdmvc=1
I know and I got all excited about it. Phoned the guy last week and he swapped a while back for a 1958 vespa....wtf!! When I spoke to him he said it had been over the pits because it was sitting in a friends property for three years. A service had been done and rear bearings sorted, but this is the kicker......he never got the timing belt done and never knew it needed to be done!!! Now I have found a manual 156 old style at a dealer.....170k on the clock but it has had a complete overhaul, belt, pump, wheel bearings, rings so nothing to spend. Really clean inside and out...8.5k seems a bit much though....I have offered him less, waiting to hear back.....thoughts?
Excellent - Definitely sounds worth a punt. With regard to the belt and pump, make absolutely sure you know exactly when they were changed. The belt has to be replaced every 50-60,000km (or three years) so if its not on it's fourth already, it may be due again soon.
And don't forget to try all the buttons (windows and aircon especially). Electrics and climate control can be a bugger to fix - so if anything isn't working properly, you could at least haggle further.
Apart from that, it sounds like it should be a good 'un. And if its a dealer and you wave cash in front of him, I reckon you'll get it for way less than $8.5k . He won't want an Alfa in his yard for too long - its a pretty small pool of buyers - so I reckon he will leap at a cash offer. You can bet he paid under $5k for it.
Last of all - and this is just my biased opinion as a Series 1 owner - I think the pre-facelift 156 is still the best looking. The Series 2 is very pretty, but I reckon it lost some of its unique style and attitude when it got all gussied up to make it look more like the 147 and 159!
Yes, the belt and pump were changed when they recently did the overhaul, actually didn't check all the buttons, should I turn it down if one window doesn't work?....probably not....... still haven't heard, so maybe it's not happening....told him my max. if he wants more, I ain't got it!
If you are convincing that you are prepared to walk, but have the cash to buy on your terms, I'm sure he will buckle! Good luck.
Quote from: BeddenS on January 29, 2014, 12:26:26 PM
Thanks poohbah, yes I saw that a while a ago, 220k put me off. Which begs an interesting question.....how many kilometres will a 4 cylinder alfa engine do before it dies, assuming it is well looked after? I'm thinking the v6 will last way longer......?
Our 4cyl 1.9JTD ('03 156 Sportwagon, manual, Nero metallico, leather, GTA speed lines, Bilstien B6s)** has done a very busy 185,000 K's flat out without any major issue. I consider her just run in :)
Maintenance is the key, they will last for ages (+300k seen in the UK) with the correct oil and sensible approach to preventative maintenance.
Re the car your looking at, when where the front upper and lower wishbones, drop links and ARB bushes LAST replaced??... These are chocolate consumables, I'm on my second set (OEM). Don't forget the trailing arms in the rears and shocks ALL round. These are all consumables, especially on a high mileage car. It might be cheaper to buy the lower k's facelift and just have it serviced correctly. Do the math.
And don't forget the auctions ... http://www.pickles.com.au/cars/item/-/details/CP-04-04--Built-10-03--Alfa-Romeo--156--JTS--Wagon--5-Seats--4-Doors/103279976
**proud brag :)
Found this and looks good but begs some questions....
http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/warnbro/cars-vans-utes/alfa-romeo/1037598646
2002 seems wrong, I thought the facelift was late 2003, 75k on the clock looks good, I'll have to ask but thinking the timing belt hasn't been done, what's the cost for this and pump $1200?
I think you are right about facelift date - from 2002 Alfa did release a cosmetic update (colour coded wing mirrors, different dash etc) but the full redesigned front was later (I thought 2004).
So maybe they don't know much, or care much, about the details? (Which can be good and bad). I guess you can only ask about the history, that will tell you how much they really looked after it.
Dollar wise $1200 should be reasonably close for belt and pump. I note that it looks like quite a ding in the rear door, but no idea what that might cost. But definitely looks worth a look.
Is the 2003 black 156 in Middle Swan still available? (http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/middle-swan/cars-vans-utes/2003-alfa-romeo-156-sedan/1036628834)
Higher kms (120k) but serviced at Cileberti's, so history should be okay, and Leo should be able to give you an honest opinion about it.
Phoned him last Friday night he said it hadn't gone, then texted me Sat morning to say it had....... ::)
Quote from: BeddenS on January 31, 2014, 09:26:34 PM
Phoned him last Friday night he said it hadn't gone, then texted me Sat morning to say it had....... ::)
Bugger!
Oh well, you should check out the red one in Warnbro. If mileage is true, it might be that the owner simply doesn't want to spend the moolah on the belt/pump (and dent).
If it hasn't had the belt changed, and you do buy it, folks on here will recommend you get it transported straight to the workshop for replacement rather than risk driving it home and wrecking the motor, which will cost several grand to replace. And regardless of mileage - if it is still on the original belt, it has gone way past its use by date age-wise and would need to be changed.
Don't fixate completely on the belts, there are other "consumables" which will need replacing and are not on a service schedule; clutch, shocks, wishbones & bushes, rotors, pads, gearbox linkages, engine mounts, etc.
Very true Craig. Though if the stated mileage is authentic, most of those (pads &rotors aside) should be fine, shouldn't they? (But obviosly still need checking, for sure.
Ok guys...here she is...thanks for all your help with this ;D
Quote from: SimonB on February 04, 2014, 04:47:07 PM
Ok guys...here she is...thanks for all your help with this ;D
Bewdiful, congratulations Simon. Enjoy.
You'll like this.....so I'm driving back home for the first time, put down the driver's window to let the wind blow in my hair (or what's left of it) and then would you believe it the switch wouldn't let me put it up again!!......you know what I did........just smiled ;D...the true alfa lover way...!!
Actually went up after a bit of twiddling ::)
hope it gives you years of service, and fun 8)
May your window button be the only gremlin!
prob just the connectors on the bottom of the switch, loose or dirty.
The power switches are a known minor fault. I previously replaced the drivers' window switch (I think the cost was around the $80-100) or you could purchase a whole new unit (4 switches) for I think around about $300. I recently had the drivers' side passenger door switch fail. Window would go down but not up. An auto sparky sorted that out, but I was advised I really needed to get a complete new switch unit (the panel on the driver's door). Just don't have a idle spare $300 at the moment, so it can wait.
Glad to hear you found the 156 you were after. In terms of belts, water pumps etc, check out EB Spares in the UK. Ditto for suspension parts etc. I have bought all I have had to replace on my Sportwagon from them, delivery fast (3-5 days) tracked and best of all for a decent price (better than locally). I have replaced the top control arms, still need to do the lowers, sway bar bushes (have them already) and drop links. I also put on a set of Bilstein B4s (rather than B6s) for about $400 ish delivered to Aus. Huge difference with just these changes.
I just had my car serviced ($145) as it had reached 127,000km and was slightly overdue for a service, the pads are still ok, ditto the rotors but I will need to replace them at the next service in about 5000 km.
As all have said keep on top of the maintenance and it should treat you well. All the best with your 156.