‘The handling has the smile factor’
Your tales of the latest classic car deals. This week, how one reader was rescued from reliability woes… by a modern classic
What made you want an Alfa 156?
My everyday 2015 BMW 520d Touring had been a constant battle against fault warnings. A few days before Christmas I had a misfire…suspect injector. I couldn’t get anything done until the new year so I needed a cheap replacement. I already own three classics but they weren’t usable at the time, so I thought I’d try something more interesting.
Tell us about this one.
I wasn’t looking for any particular car, just something different that appealed. I have had various Alfas from the mid 70s onwards but never a 156. This example has 92,000 miles and was with its previous owner for 18-and-a-half years. It has a full service history with every invoice. They kept on top of it and it is rust-, chip- and dent-free. I paid £995.
Why did you pick this specific example? Did you see any others?
This was the only car I viewed being fairly local to me in Plymouth. I was able to view the car and meet the vendor, and with it being just before Christmas there were no restrictions. This one has the sports pack, so it has nice unmarked alloys, side skirts and Alfa Romeo embossed on the seats.
Has it been a joy to own?
The car has proved every bit as good on close up inspection, so I’m very happy. It’s in everyday use at the moment, but in the spring that usage will get shared with my other cars. I’ve cleaned up the brakes, as they were squeaking and replaced two exhaust rubber mounting rings. I paid £16 for proper Alfa ones. I’ll take that after 1000 miles of use!
What are your plans for it now?
I will get the faded rear quarter sprayed in the near future, but that’s the only area I can find. The previous owner had the roof and boot re-sprayed but these have been the only areas needing attention. The Alfa drives really well. It’s only the 1.6 Twin Spark, so not the quickest from standstill, but on the open road is acceptable. The handling is excellent… very well balanced, so it also comes with the smile factor.