Hey everyone, thanks for watching! If you fancy more Alfa content then be sure to check out my video featuring a Giulietta Quadrifoglio! ua-cam.com/video/dOYYSYzxUik/v-deo.html
This is definitly one of the best designed saloon cars ever. The designer Walter de Silva did a very fine job even after 23 years. The V6 is a real piece of art . Thanks for your very nice video Blee.
This is the car that got me into Alfas. I used to be a JDM lover but I'm currently on my fourth Alfa (including a Busso-engined GT) and I'm starting to not want anything else. For the money you pay second-hand I just don't see how you can beat them. They're beautiful, interesting, have excellent engines and they're pretty easy to look after. Try finding a 156 V6 for sale now though - hen's teeth!
How do you only have 3.3k subscribers. This is some of the best, in depth reviews ive seen on the internet. I love when you do not so popular cars, it makes your content more interesting then the other big car reviewers. Love your stuff, cant wait to see you with a couple mill!!!
These are great cars. I had one for over 10 years and loved it. Mine had the wooden steering wheel and gear knob, which I thought added even more individuality to it. The 2.5 V6 engine is amazing. The whole car feels smooth and fast and is great for both drivers and passengers. Performance is excellent. If you really need even more speed, check out the 3.2 GTA version which was launched later. It does have a much firmer ride though and is less comfortable generally. Awesome performance though. I later bought the 3.2 GT which is another great car.
The wooden steering wheel doesn’t look ‘weird’ chap. It’s the link to Alfa’s past and elegance that always tied its sporting heritage with luxurious elegant finishing from the 30’s through the 50’s cars as it went away from just track sports cars.
I have my 156 2.5 v6 for almost 7 years! I love it to bits! My vision is to buy as many more as I can since many are being neglected these days. Its not the fastest vehicle on the road but hey to me its a Gem, always puts a smile on my face. I'm sure the owner of this one can relate. I'm intrigued to see your country offered the sportspack with the Recaro seats and in cloth too. Here in South Africa there was a TI version which had those seats , leather only. The side skirts, wheels and carbon look centre trim were offered here too.
Sounds like a good plan! They are already starting to get rare on the roads, so if you can find a few decent examples im sure they'll be worth holding on to!
I had a red 2.5 v6 with the huge wing on the back and red leather interior it was so over the top I loved it!! I did have a problem with mine though apparently the 2.5 has got a plastic impeller in the water pump, the impeller cracked coursing the water pump to fail which ment over heating and the head warping. huge expensive job thankfully I had taken an extended warranty on it so it was covered. I still loved it though, the sound,the look Amazing. It's the only car I wish I'd never got rid of bit you know getting married, having kids, somethings got to go.
Nice video mate! I have a 156 2.5 V6 for two years now. I absolutely love it! The sound is just glorious. I will keep her on the road until petrol engines aren't aloud anymore haha.
I had three 156's, the first one, a '98 2.0L died, an ecu issue that could not be fixed. The 2nd one was a '00 1.8L, it was a total lemon. I let my heart rule my head with that one. The third was an '03 V6 with the face lifted interior, that one had a timing belt snap and destroy that beautiful engine. I was a glutton for punishment, but i still loved every one of them. I then moved to the states where they never sold them. I'm waiting for another 2 years when I can import one. I'll be scouring Europe to look for a nice '98 lhd model, hopefully I'll be able to find one. I test drove a giulia a couple of years ago, it didn't feel like the 156.
In the automatic if you peak it through the gears by the time it hits 4th it's doing 180k. Also If you always flush through new brake fluid on the annual services the brakes stay good.
Love the video. I have 2 156's. One 2 liter euro 4 norm with blown up engine, you want the euro 3 norm for reliability and for cornering much better than the busso. I also have the 2.5 and that sound never gets old. At 4000 rpm be aware of your right foot, great kick. Worldclass GT. I have driven a tuned sw with 3 liter engine swap, 250 bhp. That is another level.
Excellent video. I have a 2 litre 156 purchased new in 1998. Still going strong if a bit "tired". I absolutely love my 156 !! Note : 2 litre engine leaps into life at 3000 rpm. Steering rack is lovely - responds like a go-kart. Brakes require an act of faith in use (a common feature of 156s). I would buy another one tomorrow if I could :>))
@@BleeCarswell 105k miles. In the early days I was doing 10k a year, but now it's less than 2k a year. I nearly binned it about 4 years (rust issues), but got a load of welding done and it survived. It amazes me that the body panels seem to survive, whereas the sub-frame etc are very prone to severe rusting. It must be one of the oldest 156s still legally on the UK roads (1st Registered August 1998).
the right airbag cover clip is broken, it's a 5£ part on e bay, it's quite common, plastic goes brittle with time and vibrations+ heatexpansion due to sun exposure break them
I wish these were sold to the USA. We never get the cool "everyday" cars from Europe. Original BMW 1-Series, mid-2000's VW Scirocco, VW Polo, Peugeot 208 GTI (or any Peugeot) etc. Sigh.
i had a 156 2.5 a few years ago, black, cream leather and some sort of body kit on, not an auto delta or gta, but like a mix? bought for £600 a friend had bought a scirroco 2.0t same week, the alfa was quicker and better in pretty much every way, he wasnt very impressed XD it was amazing. i very nearly cried watching it drive off after i lost my job :(
I've owned my V6 for 6 years, the suspension parts are essentially consumables although I've only had them done once in 20k or so miles. Rust? Well it's finding a good example, mine has had a fair bit of welding over the years. Good luck finding a V6 as they are increasing in value as all the bad ones have died off. Apparently there's only a few hundred V6s in the entire UK that are roadworthy... I'll be forced to sell mine at some point and will get a Giuliuetta, I don't even like them that much but any Alfa is better than an ordinary car.
Its been 4 years since i did my front suspension (upper and lower arms) plus fitted cobra coilovers. The car rides absolutely awesome even set quite low and its absolutely rattle free. They're really not a headache to maintain. Every bit that you improve on will always excite you
There are a few rust issues, it isn't "that" bad compared to older cars but it still has weak spots that will corrode over time. Even the youngest 156 is probably 15 years+ so you need to be aware when buying at this stage. The sills and floor have been done on mine.
I have a very good friend of mine who has a 156 2.5 for about 18years now. He fitted a 3.2 v6 from the GT 3.2. What a combination with the 2.5 gearbox. His car is absolutely quick and rides comfortably on a Koni Coil setup. The front suspension was redone complete a few months ago.
It’s a Unicorse back box. Which was the actual exhaust used to be a template for the wizard exhausts that followed. I bought it off Dan Cunningham second hand (and even then it was ridiculously expensive!). The exhaust system is original apart from the back box change. So it’s not mega loud but just right.
It makes me nauseous seeing people drive on the left side of the road with the wheel on the passenger side. Anyways, are Alfa Romero’s better in Europe? They’re terribly expensive in the US and horribly unreliable. Falls apart very quickly. It honestly applies to any and all Italian designed vehicles though.
Old Alfas are cheap over here. Not sure why, I'd guess people are put off by the reliability issues. I'd argue most old cars are gonna cost a few quid to keep in top shape though.
Meh... I've ran Alfas for years including one of these for the last 5 years. No major issues. In fact no issues at all with my V6 156. I find Americans were whinging about Alfa reliability long before the new Giulia ever even arrived. I use some American forums and they are full of "experts" who go on and on endlessly about how unreliable they are. Despite the fact that the Giulia and Giulietta have both proven to be very reliable cars. Americans can't seem to get over stereotypes.
@@BleeCarswell Absolutely no problem understanding you on my part. This is perfectly fine English in my opinion? I've heard much worse in terms of accents that are difficult for foreign viewers. Keep up the good work, love the car!
Hey everyone, thanks for watching! If you fancy more Alfa content then be sure to check out my video featuring a Giulietta Quadrifoglio! ua-cam.com/video/dOYYSYzxUik/v-deo.html
This is definitly one of the best designed saloon cars ever. The designer Walter de Silva did a very fine job even after 23 years. The V6 is a real piece of art . Thanks for your very nice video Blee.
They have aged well. No worries, thank you for watching!
This is the car that got me into Alfas. I used to be a JDM lover but I'm currently on my fourth Alfa (including a Busso-engined GT) and I'm starting to not want anything else.
For the money you pay second-hand I just don't see how you can beat them. They're beautiful, interesting, have excellent engines and they're pretty easy to look after.
Try finding a 156 V6 for sale now though - hen's teeth!
Thanks for watching. I think I need to put An Alfa on the list of cars I need to own.
How do you only have 3.3k subscribers. This is some of the best, in depth reviews ive seen on the internet. I love when you do not so popular cars, it makes your content more interesting then the other big car reviewers. Love your stuff, cant wait to see you with a couple mill!!!
These are great cars. I had one for over 10 years and loved it. Mine had the wooden steering wheel and gear knob, which I thought added even more individuality to it. The 2.5 V6 engine is amazing. The whole car feels smooth and fast and is great for both drivers and passengers. Performance is excellent. If you really need even more speed, check out the 3.2 GTA version which was launched later. It does have a much firmer ride though and is less comfortable generally. Awesome performance though. I later bought the 3.2 GT which is another great car.
The wooden steering wheel doesn’t look ‘weird’ chap. It’s the link to Alfa’s past and elegance that always tied its sporting heritage with luxurious elegant finishing from the 30’s through the 50’s cars as it went away from just track sports cars.
He's not a fan of the wooden steering wheel and integrated rear door handles into the window. Bizarre! each to their own
You just have to love that exhaust note
That sounds absolutely magnificent.
It did sound mint!
I have my 156 2.5 v6 for almost 7 years! I love it to bits! My vision is to buy as many more as I can since many are being neglected these days. Its not the fastest vehicle on the road but hey to me its a Gem, always puts a smile on my face. I'm sure the owner of this one can relate. I'm intrigued to see your country offered the sportspack with the Recaro seats and in cloth too. Here in South Africa there was a TI version which had those seats , leather only. The side skirts, wheels and carbon look centre trim were offered here too.
Sounds like a good plan! They are already starting to get rare on the roads, so if you can find a few decent examples im sure they'll be worth holding on to!
I love 156....stunning looks with winning technology👍🏾
I had a red 2.5 v6 with the huge wing on the back and red leather interior it was so over the top I loved it!! I did have a problem with mine though apparently the 2.5 has got a plastic impeller in the water pump, the impeller cracked coursing the water pump to fail which ment over heating and the head warping. huge expensive job thankfully I had taken an extended warranty on it so it was covered. I still loved it though, the sound,the look Amazing. It's the only car I wish I'd never got rid of bit you know getting married, having kids, somethings got to go.
Awwwww! The sound of a petrol heads dream right there! Lovely cars!
It did sound so good! Thanks for watching pal.
The sound of the Busso V6 could pass as a V12. Not like a shrieking Ferrari V12 but a luxury Gran Touring V12 like in an old Jaguar or Mercedes.
It is such a beautiful sound! Noise is the biggest thing I'll miss when we're all in electric cars.
Nice video mate!
I have a 156 2.5 V6 for two years now. I absolutely love it! The sound is just glorious.
I will keep her on the road until petrol engines aren't aloud anymore haha.
Thanks for watching! Sounds like a good plan 👍 Hopefully they'll figure out how to give electric cars some character
Nicely done Blee - battling the elements is the videographers curse! Thats a nice original looking V6 and sounds great too.
Yup, never ideal! Thanks for watching.
I had three 156's, the first one, a '98 2.0L died, an ecu issue that could not be fixed. The 2nd one was a '00 1.8L, it was a total lemon. I let my heart rule my head with that one. The third was an '03 V6 with the face lifted interior, that one had a timing belt snap and destroy that beautiful engine. I was a glutton for punishment, but i still loved every one of them. I then moved to the states where they never sold them. I'm waiting for another 2 years when I can import one. I'll be scouring Europe to look for a nice '98 lhd model, hopefully I'll be able to find one. I test drove a giulia a couple of years ago, it didn't feel like the 156.
In the automatic if you peak it through the gears by the time it hits 4th it's doing 180k. Also If you always flush through new brake fluid on the annual services the brakes stay good.
Try and find a Alfa 33 to test first and second generation , Alfa 33 1.7 8v , 16v or even better a sud ti ., you will love it and get hooked , like me
Oo i'll see what I can do. Thanks for watching!
I wish the Giulia Veloce would sound the same. Beautiful sound
I own 2 of those. Both with the v6 engines in. Amazing.
Love the video. I have 2 156's. One 2 liter euro 4 norm with blown up engine, you want the euro 3 norm for reliability and for cornering much better than the busso. I also have the 2.5 and that sound never gets old. At 4000 rpm be aware of your right foot, great kick. Worldclass GT. I have driven a tuned sw with 3 liter engine swap, 250 bhp. That is another level.
Thanks for watching! The sound is to die for and I bet the 3litre was mad!
I have the 1.8 TS and it's not the busso but is very fun to drive... And around the corners, it goes very very well
I've heard good things about the TS 👍 Thanks for watching!
Excellent video. I have a 2 litre 156 purchased new in 1998. Still going strong if a bit "tired". I absolutely love my 156 !!
Note :
2 litre engine leaps into life at 3000 rpm.
Steering rack is lovely - responds like a go-kart.
Brakes require an act of faith in use (a common feature of 156s).
I would buy another one tomorrow if I could :>))
Wow from new thats some loyalty! How many miles does it have?
@@BleeCarswell 105k miles. In the early days I was doing 10k a year, but now it's less than 2k a year. I nearly binned it about 4 years (rust issues), but got a load of welding done and it survived. It amazes me that the body panels seem to survive, whereas the sub-frame etc are very prone to severe rusting. It must be one of the oldest 156s still legally on the UK roads (1st Registered August 1998).
@@savamac Nice one! Its cool that its still a live. One of the oldest so therefore possibly the oldest one owner car? :)
the right airbag cover clip is broken, it's a 5£ part on e bay, it's quite common, plastic goes brittle with time and vibrations+ heatexpansion due to sun exposure break them
Alfa 156 was the first car to use hidden rear handles
Interesting to know, thanks for watching!
I've got one of the very last Busso Q-system Sportwagons in the UK. Thirsty beast.
Cool looks cars those Sportwagons, thanks for watching!
Ain’t they just
Great video Blee. :) x
Cheers mother
"The Violin" 😍
I wish these were sold to the USA. We never get the cool "everyday" cars from Europe. Original BMW 1-Series, mid-2000's VW Scirocco, VW Polo, Peugeot 208 GTI (or any Peugeot) etc. Sigh.
That is a shame, I guess some models might feel a bit tiny over the pond
No, but instead you get ridiculously cheap cars!
i had a 156 2.5 a few years ago, black, cream leather and some sort of body kit on, not an auto delta or gta, but like a mix? bought for £600
a friend had bought a scirroco 2.0t same week, the alfa was quicker and better in pretty much every way, he wasnt very impressed XD
it was amazing. i very nearly cried watching it drive off after i lost my job :(
Thanks for watching! Shame you had to get rid of it :/
I want one. I want one badly. The only real issues I've heard of are the suspension which seems to be made of cheese and the underbody rust.
I've owned my V6 for 6 years, the suspension parts are essentially consumables although I've only had them done once in 20k or so miles. Rust? Well it's finding a good example, mine has had a fair bit of welding over the years. Good luck finding a V6 as they are increasing in value as all the bad ones have died off. Apparently there's only a few hundred V6s in the entire UK that are roadworthy... I'll be forced to sell mine at some point and will get a Giuliuetta, I don't even like them that much but any Alfa is better than an ordinary car.
Its been 4 years since i did my front suspension (upper and lower arms) plus fitted cobra coilovers. The car rides absolutely awesome even set quite low and its absolutely rattle free. They're really not a headache to maintain. Every bit that you improve on will always excite you
There are a few rust issues, it isn't "that" bad compared to older cars but it still has weak spots that will corrode over time. Even the youngest 156 is probably 15 years+ so you need to be aware when buying at this stage. The sills and floor have been done on mine.
I have a very good friend of mine who has a 156 2.5 for about 18years now. He fitted a 3.2 v6 from the GT 3.2. What a combination with the 2.5 gearbox. His car is absolutely quick and rides comfortably on a Koni Coil setup. The front suspension was redone complete a few months ago.
What kind of exhaust do you have there, is it original?
No, it’s not the original exhaust. I think it’s a fairly rare aftermarket one (not the most useful information 😅)
It’s a Unicorse back box. Which was the actual exhaust used to be a template for the wizard exhausts that followed. I bought it off Dan Cunningham second hand (and even then it was ridiculously expensive!). The exhaust system is original apart from the back box change. So it’s not mega loud but just right.
I had one of those, same colour with a red leather interior, it was going to get me a term in prison unfortunately ....
Oh dear, sounds like you enjoyed it though!
Noisy starter, to be fixed ;)
Well technically... it's a four door and not a five door saloon :D
Haha oops! Thanks for watching.
@@BleeCarswell Anytime!
Well it wouldn’t be a ‘saloon’ if it has 5 doors!
It makes me nauseous seeing people drive on the left side of the road with the wheel on the passenger side. Anyways, are Alfa Romero’s better in Europe? They’re terribly expensive in the US and horribly unreliable. Falls apart very quickly. It honestly applies to any and all Italian designed vehicles though.
Old Alfas are cheap over here. Not sure why, I'd guess people are put off by the reliability issues. I'd argue most old cars are gonna cost a few quid to keep in top shape though.
Meh... I've ran Alfas for years including one of these for the last 5 years. No major issues. In fact no issues at all with my V6 156. I find Americans were whinging about Alfa reliability long before the new Giulia ever even arrived.
I use some American forums and they are full of "experts" who go on and on endlessly about how unreliable they are. Despite the fact that the Giulia and Giulietta have both proven to be very reliable cars. Americans can't seem to get over stereotypes.
No offense but you look like Elon Musk's long lost brother!
Non taken! I've had that a few times haha, can't see it myself!
Thank god for the 156. or would you like to drive a boarIng BMW or Audi ?
Try to talk more English and less with accent. It is hard to understand you.
Thanks for watching. I appreciate what you're saying but it'll be impossible for me to talk without my accent haha
@@BleeCarswell Absolutely no problem understanding you on my part. This is perfectly fine English in my opinion? I've heard much worse in terms of accents that are difficult for foreign viewers. Keep up the good work, love the car!
@@nielsvandenkieboom5034 Glad to hear it! Thanks for watching.
Turbos are boring its n/a or nothing