1998 ALFA ROMEO 156 TWIN SPARK VELOCE
Car addict Keith looks back at his best – and worst – classic buys. This week, an Alfa Romeo 156 bought for commuting
WHY DID YOU WANT ONE?
I wasn’t really looking for one – it came to me when I needed a family car that I could also use for commuting from my then-home in Northamptonshire to the office in Peterborough. I’d always admired the Alfa Romeo 156 from the moment it appeared on the scene in 1997, mainly because of its beautiful styling. So I couldn’t resist having a look when a former colleague mentioned that he was selling one for my kind of money (£700 was a bit of a self-imposed upper limit for me back then). The car in question was an unusual Burgundy metallic (instead of red or silver) and powered by a 2.0-litre Twin Spark rather than the Busso V6 that enthusiasts tend to flock towards. I also found out later that it was a former Alfa Romeo press car – not that I’m sure that that’s necessarily a good thing!
WAS IT A JOY – OR A NIGHTMARE – TO LIVE WITH?
I may have bought it as a stopgap but I ended up keeping it for quite a while (which for me means more than a year). Although it wasn’t my first Alfa Romeo it was certainly the best to this point, not least because the thing never missed a beat during the time I owned it; it was as dependable as a Swiss watch and a whole lot more exciting. The 156 was the first of a new generation of Alfa Romeos that proved to be reliable, relatively well made and resistant to rust (on the surface anyway). I did the general servicing on it and found oil and plug changes to be a complete cinch (unlike the V6, as I’d find out later) but ended up entrusting a specialist with the cambelt and tensioner service, which would
Keith, a former editor of Classic Car Weekly, has owned more than 250 cars over the years – and is always on the look-out for more classic buys.
prove to be annoyingly regular. In short, it proved to be a joy to live with, which just goes to show how far Italian cars had come by the end of the 1990s.
WHAT’S YOUR ABIDING MEMORY OF IT?
Mine was one of the very earliest 156s to make their way to the UK, being a 1997 R-plater. It had more than 100,000 miles on the clock when I bought it and felt like it had bags of life left in it – which it would subsequently prove. My lasting memory has to be the super-quick steering and sharp, sports car-like handling. With fewer than two turns from lock to lock it steered responsively and rapidly and in no way did it feel like a family car to drive. Being a Veloce-spec car, it wore a subtle body kit and gorgeous teledial alloy wheels and inside it boasted figure-hugging sports seats, making the most of its lovely styling. Mind you, I remember being taught one lesson – I bought the car without properly looking around it so my two sons struggled to fit in the rear when I took it on its first shopping trip with the family and the boot was smaller than the glovebox that you’d find in a Rover 75. I’d been so seduced by its sultry looks that I hadn’t bothered to check the practicalities; despite that I ended up living with its impracticalities for far too long. In the end I sold it to a work colleague, replacing it with a far more practical Citroën Xantia Activa – he was young, free and single and ended up running it for years. Lucky boy.
WHAT ARE YOUR TOP TIPS FOR BUYING ONE?
That Alfa 156s have suddenly become quite rare – most of the bad ones have been scrapped – has had a positive effect on values. Survivors are looking very appealing now, if not exactly cheap, so you can afford to be picky if you’re looking for a Twin Spark. These are rugged as long as the cambelt, tensioners and water pump are done every 36,000 miles (yes really!) and it’s had regular lubrication services with quality oil. Suspension creaks are almost to be expected but bushes are straightforward to replace. The main worry is corrosion, with the floorpans and front and rear subframes being a major concern.
WHAT I PAID £700 IN 2004 PRICE NOW £15004500