After two glorious years the time has come for me to leave wide open road of
newly laid tarmac on a long sweeping left right-hand bypass and pass my
belovied Alfa 156 onto a new (hopefully) happy owner.

I bought my Black 156 1.9 JTD two years ago this August and had Cream
leather trim fitted throughout. I waited four long weeks from sigining for
the leather to be fitted, but it was worth it.

The first drive down the M60 from Stockport to Ashton a mere 5 miles was the
most blissfull and tranquel in my driving career. Keeping the revs below
2500 all the way. The sharp brakes, the ultra responsive accelarator and the
smooth transition of the gear level made me feel like I had put my pen to
the correct paper.

I have never had a single problem with my Alfa, I was warned of rust, dodgy
cambelts, squeaky brake pedals, knocking suspension. But my lovely lady has
produced none of these problems.

We have been through thick and thin, been stared at by the envious and the
wishfull, and been flashed by the 'Blue lights of doom' on a jam sandwich
vectra 3.0 V6 along the M1 when the right foot got a little free from
control, and the revs the crepped up into the 4000-ish region.

New brakes and discs were this babys 1st birthday present, and she has been
looked after through cold winters inside a garage and been allowed to strut
her stuff late on the summer evening down the local B&Q car-parks next to
the mutton dressed XR3i and old German slags like the Audi and Beemers...

No she stood tall, flashed her long 17inch wheels and left a bitter taste of
cooked diesel in the mouth of many executive girlies in her class. Always
getting looks, always getting beaten but never really trying...

But the time has come where the company will no longer pay my precious the
40pence a mile she deserves on company business, no they seem fit to only
offer a measly 13pence a mile now if I wanted to keep her. They have offered
me a GoDrive Vauxhall motor, taxed, insured, and maintained by them to which
I cannot refuse - it makes sense... but the days of Alfa will soon be gone,
and so I shall wander on downstairs soon to take her out for her last
weekend... maybe a trip to Blackpool and maybe to Wales up into the long
winding country lanes is in order... for old times sake.

There will be a box of mansize on my passenger seat -- just in case

Thanks for reading...