Alfa Romeo 156

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DaveK - 28 Sep 2003 22:08 GMT

Son just bought one, 1999 model, 4 door. 2 litre.
Supposed to be something fancy and quite fast he says.
Any one got one, driven one?
I told him they are just another branch of Fiat- Italian government -
subsidised by taxpayers, owned car plant.
DaveK.

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SteveH - 28 Sep 2003 22:29 GMT

> Son just bought one, 1999 model, 4 door. 2 litre.
> Supposed to be something fancy and quite fast he says.
> Any one got one, driven one?
> I told him they are just another branch of Fiat- Italian government -
> subsidised by taxpayers, owned car plant.
> DaveK.

Nice troll.

*plonk*

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Steve H 'You're not a real petrolhead unless you've owned an Alfa Romeo'
http://www.italiancar.co.uk - Honda VFR800
VW Golf GL Cabrio (carb broken) - Alfa 75 TS - Alfa 33 1.7ie
BoTAFOT #87 - BoTAFOF #18 - MRO # - UKRMSBC #7 - Apostle #2 - YTC #

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DaveK - 28 Sep 2003 23:29 GMT

> I told him they are just another branch of Fiat- Italian government -
> > subsidised by taxpayers, owned car plant.
> > DaveK.
>
> Nice troll.

No honest, genuine enquiry.
DaveK.

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SteveH - 28 Sep 2003 23:33 GMT

> > I told him they are just another branch of Fiat- Italian government -
> > > subsidised by taxpayers, owned car plant.
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> >
> No honest, genuine enquiry.

I waited to see if you came back with anything before putting you in the
k/f......

Erm, yeah, they are owned by Fiat, but are now 'spun off' as a group
with Ferrari and Maserati. (Fiat / Lancia being the 'parent' company).

They're also based on highly modified Fiat floorpans, with Fiat engine
blocks with Alfa developed heads.

Reliability is worse than it ever was.

But they look lovely, sound lovely and drive well.

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Steve Firth - 28 Sep 2003 23:47 GMT

> Nice troll.

Are you on the blob?

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Mathematicians, please don't drink and derive.

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Steve Firth - 28 Sep 2003 23:37 GMT

> Son just bought one, 1999 model, 4 door. 2 litre.
> Supposed to be something fancy and quite fast he says.
> Any one got one, driven one?

Got one no, driven one, yes. The 2.0TS is probably the best in the
range, given that the larger engines make the car feel a bit nose-heavy.
TBH I prefer the 156 to the BMW 3-Series with the inevitable exception
of build quality (I had the exhaust fall off one that only had 56km on
the clock) and depreciation and of course the fact that it's FWD and
life's too short for FWD.

> I told him they are just another branch of Fiat- Italian government -
> subsidised by taxpayers, owned car plant.

As is Ferrari.

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DaveK - 28 Sep 2003 23:44 GMT

> > Son just bought one, 1999 model, 4 door. 2 litre.
> > Supposed to be something fancy and quite fast he says.
> > Any one got one, driven one?
>
> Got one no, driven one, yes. The 2.0TS is probably the best in the
> range,

Thanks for the inf. Sounds like it might be fun. He's been lucky with motors
so far- things I've warned him off like the big Audi, the Cavalier with rear
end damage (which he sold for more that he paid, and another bundle for the
reg number), the high mileage K reg Prelude -now to be sold.
DaveK.

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Steve Firth - 29 Sep 2003 00:02 GMT

> Thanks for the inf. Sounds like it might be fun. He's been lucky with motors
> so far- things I've warned him off like the big Audi, the Cavalier with rear
> end damage (which he sold for more that he paid, and another bundle for the
> reg number), the high mileage K reg Prelude -now to be sold.

Tell him to look after this one carefully. Alfas are "keepers". Firstly
becuase they are fun cars to drive and secondly because they depreciate
at about the same speed as a stone dropped from the Empire State
Building. You need to keep it for a long time because if you get rid of
it after a year or so you take a big hit in the wallet.

There's a nice apres-drive experience with Alfas as well. The dealers
have always been pretty good IMO and if he's lucky he will find the
local Alfa dealer offering more than just the servicing. The one I used
to use held track days and other events for Alfa owners which all made
the cars feel more special than the usual tat.

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