156 V6 - Servicing History Checks & Specific areas to look?

[Righty]

Hey Guys & Gals,

I've had a bit of a hunt around here and have come up with some good information so far. It seems there are quite a few people in the same boat as me with the desire to own an Alfa but the looming past of their mechanical/electrical woes lingering over our shoulder.

The model I'm looking at specifically is the 04-06 156 V6 Automatic.
First things first; is my reasoning for this model:

• I'm lazy and drive in traffic a lot, I really don't want a manual as my daily driver.
• I currently drive a 3.5lt V6 (Mits Verada) so i'm reluctant to drop to a 4cyl considering i want more power than what I have currently.
• I've head that the V6 has a great note too it
• I dislike the front end of the pre-04 models.
• The V6 engine bay is sexy
• I can't afford the GTA model

My current car, '99 Mitsubishi Verada, has lasted me a solid 6 years so far, however with it's 230+ on the clock and sluggish performance I think it's time for me to upgrade. It has been a fantastic car and essentially trouble free since I've owned it.
Similar to Alfa, the Mitsubishi Magna/Verada range got hit with huge depreciation, and a myth of unreliable transmissions etc. However I never experienced any issues.

So my quest for a new car was to find something newer than what I have now, more 'zippier' than what I've got, similar or superior luxury elements, and not too expensive. Enter: Alfa 156 V6.

I've had absolutely zero experience with Alfa's before so everything about them is completely alien to me, I have read on these forums that the Salesespeed models had issues, and that the cams need changing every 30,000km or so, but aside from that there aren't too many issues with the 156? I also remember reading something about replacing a plastic fan with a metal one somewhere, but forget what that was about now.

So the things I need to know are; when I'm looking at second hand 156 V6's what are some things that I'll be able to check for myself? What should I look for in the engine bay? What questions should I ask the owner?
Also, as the S/H kms on these vary considerably, does anyone have a chronological list of the servicing requirements & rough cost from new?
EG:
15,000 - general service - $200
30,000 - cams need changing - $400
60,000 - timing belt - $900
etc.

This would be very handy to have so I could ensure ones I look at have been serviced correctly, and so I know what expenses to expect post-sale.

I've read a lot of people talking about their positive experience with the JTS engines on here, but I'd also love to hear from some V6 owners and your thoughts on the engine/car as a whole.

Any help, advice or general comments would be greatly appreciated.

[alanm]

Hi Righty,

I have owned a 156 V6 auto for a couple of years now and I have enjoyed the experience.

The auto gearbox has no vices and the Q-System is a bit of fun though not as good as a manual of course!
It makes wonderful noises, looks great inside and out and drives well. It has been thoroughly reliable, only scheduled services no nasty experiences. The car has, however, only covered 40K.

Only negatives that I am aware of:
Cam belt/tensioners are pricey when they are changed (every 3/4 years or X klms)
Air conditioning is less than 100% efficient and struggles with high temperatures.

Cheers
Alan

[colcol]

Over 100,000 the front suspension starts to knock, and it is usually upper control arms, or sway bar bushes or next sway bar rose joints, there were 3 different 156 series, let call the series 1, 97-02, then series 2, 02-04, and lastly series 3, 04-06, the series 1 had poor airconditioning, due to small vents in the centre, the series 2 had larger vents in the centre and a digital display in the centre of the dash, the airconditioner was slightly better, and it was a duel climate control with a better twin pollen filter, the series 3 or facelift had pretty much the same interior, but the front and rear were facelifted, the cam belts have to be changed more regular than normal cars, the duration depends on who you talk to, and driving conditions, this will cost between $1500- $2500, depending on the quality of the job, the V-6 is sexual, as it is a true Alfa motor, the 4's are Fiat based, but they are good too and because they are smaller, the cars understeer less than a V-6, make sure the 6 has a metal fan in the water pump as these were an issue, check some other threads in this 932 forum as this subject has been done to death, Colin.

[bix]

Righty, my advice is to ensure the car has done all the regular servicing at an Alfa specialist, and the documentation is up to date. We all recommend replacing the oil every 6 months rather than the 12 months I believe specified in the manual. The v6 is an awesome engine!

[John Hanslow]

Mr Righty, above is all good advice.

My point I would make is that it is imperrative to get the car checked by an Alfa Specialsits in your area - refer club web page in your state or do a seach of the forum.

A pre purchase inspection may cost you $100 but may save you thousands. 

You want confirmation on what has NOT been done besides evidence of what has been done.

Cheers