New: Looking at buying 156 V6 auto - Advice please

[flipch]

Hi!

I am new to the forum, and have been busy reading the posts.  Lots of help to me in my search for a car.  I have loved Alfas since I was a kid and made a plastic model Alfa... always loved the look.

I have test driven an 02 156 GTA, a 02 2.5 V6 and an 09 147 Twin Spark here in Tasmania this last week.   

I need some advice as I look to buy a 156. I  haven't been able to drive a 156 JTS.  How do they compare with the V6?  Am I correct in assuming that a V6 auto is a more reliable and better performing choice than a Selespeed on the 2L 156's?   

I gather I'd be better with a MY2004 than previous years.  02 models go for a lot less, but I don't want to save on purchase only to spend it on repairs.  There is a 2002 manual v6 in Launceston for $8995 but with 250,000km on it.  The local 02 GTA is in good nick with 100,00km for $20k, but probably more of a car and a bit more $ that suits me.  Would it hold value better and be easier to sell, being more of a collectors item in the next few years?

Will probably end up going to Vic, NSW or Qld to make a purchase.  There are two V6 autos with around 80,000km on Carsales for around $17k.  I'd initially thought I'd look for red, as it is a classic colour, but heard they fade.  Quite like the blue or lighter colours, not so sold on the black.   V6 manuals seem to require a lot of concentration to drive with the quick rev build up, and I drive 3 hour trips regularly (yes you can do that in Tassie without running out of road) so auto may be better for my use. 

Thanks for any help you can give!   

Phil

[branko.gt]

There is not much choice if you want auto. it will have o be 156 2.5.
166 is another option but 156 is much more fun and personally i think it is a nicer place to be in.
Selespeed is not great if you are not good friends with your mechanic and want to help fund their next holiday.
It is great fun when it works but it tends to be a source of some frustration when it does not.
I believe that price difference for 04 is due to two factors, facelift is one and the other is possibly the fact that you get finance easier for cars up to 7 years old.

[Davidm1600]

Hi Phil

I am in Hobart and have a '03 156 JTS sportwagon. I have had it for nearly 3 years now and it has been mostly very reliable.  I have only had two minor issues with it to date, being the dreaded engine management sensors (there are 4 of them) fail. 

Apart from that just normal servicing, and recently a new set of tyres.  The JTS is supposedly a little more powerful than the twin spark, it is economical but obviously doesn't have the torque and engine note of the 2.5 V6. 

I bought my Sportwagon in Sydney back in Nov '07 with 89,500km on the clock, for $20K.  It now has about 106,500 on the clock and is probably worth around the $14K mark perhaps at best.  Possibly less but that is the way car prices go.

Mine is metallic light blue with black leather and it is manual.  I am not a fan of either autos or the sillispeed, but perhaps that is just me.

If the GTA you mention is the metallic grey one, then I know who the first owner of it was, as he used to be a member/sponsor of our club (Club Motori Italia).  It wouldn't have been likely to have been driven all that hard.

Re the v6 vrs JTS/twin spark options, from my experience, when I was considering buying a 156, my mechanic and people I spoke to aimed me at the JTS as being the best option, the v6 is heavier, more thirsty and more expensive to service, while the JTS model 156s are newer than the twin spark options. 

As far as models holding their value, in truth, from what I have seen all 156 models are depreciating with early ones becoming extremely affordable.  But with age comes the likelihood of potential greater servicing costs. 

If you would like to try a JTS model, by all means get in touch with me, ph 0419 565 786 or PM me and we could work something out, assuming you live in the South of the state.   Regards Dave

[alanm]

Hi Phil

I bought a red 2001 156 V6 Q System Monza (only 26,000klms) for my wife nearly a year ago and the car has been brilliant - all joy, no problems what so ever.

I LOVE the car, its handling is sharp enough to entertain, the engine makes beautiful noises. I know its an awful cliche but the car really does PURR.
My only criticism? The auto is too cruisey in City mode, and too aggressive in Sport, though my wife does seem to get a kick out of fanging of the lights once and a while.

If it were me, I would buy a manual V6, especially if I lived in Tassie. Never mind about MP3 connectivity, just wind down the window and soak up the sound.
It might not be for the rear wheel drive purist (and I have a 116 series GTV6) but I reckon it would be a ripper car!

Cheers
Alan

[flipch]

Thanks everyone for all the really helpful advice.

Dave, thanks for the offer, yes I am in Hobart, and will give you a call.  Good to have a local contact.   Do you know of many other 156 owners in Hobart through the club etc.?  The GTA was black, but it did seem very well looked after.  The previous owner was a medical professional.

Talked to the local Alfa service agent, and was told both the 2L and V6 are good engines.  He recommended the manual, as many have done.  Said the Selespeed is ok if it has been well serviced, but it is hard to really know in most cases.   Recommended a belt change unless I can be absoultely sure it has been doen recently.  Quoted $1300 for the V6 ($990 for the 2L).  Ouch...  That didn't include water pump.

The V6 auto sounds good, but have heard some comments like Alan's on the spacing of the gears.  When I drove the local 2.5 manual I found it revved up so fast that you had to move through the gears quite quickly.  With only 4 gears in the auto it would seem you would lose some performance.  I quite like the idea of the two modes though, depending on road conditions and driver mood, manic or layback

Just have to figure out if I can get used to a manual after decades of lazy habits formed with autos.  I guess once out of the city the gear changes are much less anyway.   I was a bit concerned about the manual being more expensive to maintain, as I read of owners having to do the clutch on a regular basis, but the service mgr. said it is like brakes etc., clutch wear varies very widely depending on the driver. 

The Purrr of the two V6's I've driven in was awesome.  Too bad they are so well sound insulated inside 

I gather the V6 especially chews tyres fairly fast.  The GTA was going through them in 20K km.   What are you fellows getting?  What tyres and cost?

Thanks again for all the helpful advice!

Phil

Hi Phil

I am in Hobart and have a '03 156 JTS sportwagon. I have had it for nearly 3 years now and it has been mostly very reliable.  I have only had two minor issues with it to date, being the dreaded engine management sensors (there are 4 of them) fail. 

Apart from that just normal servicing, and recently a new set of tyres.  The JTS is supposedly a little more powerful than the twin spark, it is economical but obviously doesn't have the torque and engine note of the 2.5 V6. 

I bought my Sportwagon in Sydney back in Nov '07 with 89,500km on the clock, for $20K.  It now has about 106,500 on the clock and is probably worth around the $14K mark perhaps at best.  Possibly less but that is the way car prices go.

Mine is metallic light blue with black leather and it is manual.  I am not a fan of either autos or the sillispeed, but perhaps that is just me.

If the GTA you mention is the metallic grey one, then I know who the first owner of it was, as he used to be a member/sponsor of our club (Club Motori Italia).  It wouldn't have been likely to have been driven all that hard.

Re the v6 vrs JTS/twin spark options, from my experience, when I was considering buying a 156, my mechanic and people I spoke to aimed me at the JTS as being the best option, the v6 is heavier, more thirsty and more expensive to service, while the JTS model 156s are newer than the twin spark options. 

As far as models holding their value, in truth, from what I have seen all 156 models are depreciating with early ones becoming extremely affordable.  But with age comes the likelihood of potential greater servicing costs. 

If you would like to try a JTS model, by all means get in touch with me, ph 0419 565 786 or PM me and we could work something out, assuming you live in the South of the state.   Regards Dave

[Davidm1600]

Hey Phil, not a problem and happy to help.  Yep give me a call and we can catchup sometime if you would like to have a drive of my JTS.

There are three other 156 owners in the club, one has a JTS sedan same year as my Sportwagon, another one has a 2004 sedan (both manual) while the other has an auto 2.5 V6 sedan.  I know the owners.   A black GTA, wow, I don't recall seeing that one.  The one I know of was originally owned by a Real Estate Agent.  I also know the owner of paint shop in town who has owned a twin spark selespeed and his car has been really reliable.  I believe his son also has a selespeed V6 sedan.

I guess re the difference between seles and manuals is really how well the car has been maintained.  I am unaware of anyone I know having problems with manual gearboxes and/or clutches but then again like all things, mechanical problems can and will occur.

Re belt changes, yes certainly the V6 will cost more than a JTS, my mechanic previously quoted me around $800 for mine.  I will need to do it in the next 5000km or so.  Mine was documented as having been last done on time and by an Alfa service agent in NSW, however, for peace of mind I won't be waiting until the car clocks 120,000km.

I am afraid I have no real first hand experience with the 2.5V6 but yes most definitely that motor has a nice note.  

As for tyres, well I am pretty sure that when I replaced mine they were probably only the second lot of tyres that had been on the car since new.  The previous ones were Michelin Pilots, I now have Pirelli P7s which feel superb and are wearing fine so far, but it is early days for them given I only put them on the car in April and probably have only done approx 2000 km since doing so.  The cost fitted, including more accurate balancing and a free rotation/extra warranty was about $940.

The next thing I need to do my car is replace the front swaybar suspension bushes, they are at times a little squeaky/clunky and some new shocks (at least for the front), I am they are the original ones.  Konis would be nice.  

Hope that helps.  Dave

[alanm]

Hi Phil

Our car is also fitted with Pirelli P7's. I have just rotated them because I have started to notice edge wear. I suspect my wife does not factor in wet weather traction and does not has any empathy for tyres. Not going to tell her that though, I know what the response would be!!!!!

Cam belts change every 3 or 4 years on V6, twin spark and JTS. Ask for documentation of last belt change and factor in 1-2K including tensioners, and water pump (maybe).

Cheers
Alan

[flipch]

Thanks for all the help with my quest for an Alfa

After lots of searching and helpful advice, including the recommendation from one seller of a 156 auto (who owns a GTA) that I'd be better off with a GTA...  I ended up with a GTA.

It was a great price, though it does have just over 140,000km on the clock, especially compared with the price of current V6 manuals and other GTA's ($25-35k).   It had lots spent on it, looks like the Alfa service agent charged as much as they could for parts and labour.   Didn't bother to replace the water pump when they did either of the cambelt changes, and then when it went and caused great inconvenience, they charged a packet to replace it (thankfully from my enquiry, with a metal impeller).   Too bad that at the times they did a clutch and later a gearbox repair they didn't sell him on the idea of a Q2 dif.   That's on the top of my shopping list, perhaps followed by new Koni FSD shocks.

Now to fix up some insurance and book flights to go and drive it back and cross the strait on the Spirit.  BudgetDirect looks the best deal so far.  Any other suggestions?   Shannons and APIA were more. 

Thanks again for all the help.   I will try and post some pics when I've picked it up 

   

[Davidm1600]

Hi Phil.

Well done, and I look forward to seeing your GTA.  Even better still bring it down to our club display which will be in November.  I am not sure of the date yet, but keep in touch and I can let you know when it will be.  We have a club committee meeting this week, so will be confirming the date of a number of club events. 

Cheers Dave

[flipch]

Hi Phil.

Well done, and I look forward to seeing your GTA.  Even better still bring it down to our club display which will be in November.  I am not sure of the date yet, but keep in touch and I can let you know when it will be.  We have a club committee meeting this week, so will be confirming the date of a number of club events. 

Cheers Dave

Hi Dave;

When is the display on?

Further to the original question, I really enjoy the manual.  So glad I took the majority opinion and went with it, and the GTA.   So much fun to drive, and didn't take too long to get used to a manual again.  Makes you feel much more involved with driving.   

I'm looking for someone that could fit a Q2 at a reasonable price, any ideas??

Regards,
PHil

[wankski]

display is on this sun from 10am onwards at como park sth yarra.

Joe Beninca is the man to go to for q2 diffs. the man is an alfa performance legend.

[flipch]

Thanks, but Dave and I are a bit far south (Hobart )

[wankski]

ahh ffs i missed that...