Alfa 159

[adrian]

http://www.alfaromeo.com/cgi-bin/pbrand.dll/ALFAROMEO_COM/models/models.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@0893749384.1127292482@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccccaddfkfdlmhlcefecejgdfiidgnm.0&categoryOID=-1073751245

Just look at that styling. I love it..... not an alfa fan but that would convery me!

[CJ]

I can't help but agree on the styling front, the 159 has great road presence.

CJ

[Myfeckin FTO]

Have always been a fan of Alfa - right from the Alfasud upwards.
159 looks like a good evolution of the 156 - they don't seem to have done much with the back though.

While we're on Alfas - GF has a new black facelift 147 with a full MS design kit - 17's + SS exhaust and red leather. Really nice car to travel in - performance wise its no FTO - but its a nice alternative to your average 2 box saloon.

[Danny Kierans]

They might look good but there all scarp.

[soc]

GF has a new black facelift 147 with a full MS design kit - 17's + SS exhaust and red leather. Really nice car to travel in - performance wise its no FTO - but its a nice alternative to your average 2 box saloon.

Quick word of warning - watch the timing belt!! I've a mate who had his timing belt changed at 10k miles becuase of some other work that had to be done under warrenty - 26k later (car has 36k on the clock) the timing belt went pop taking a load of valves with it.... 2.5k to fix and alfa only aid the bill after a lot of argy-bargy with the dealers (barrible motors) Barribles said that his was the 6th 147 they'd sold which broke it's timing belt early and the 6th time they had to argue with alfa for payment....

[Mustang]

I was going to start this thread myself. I quite like the 159. I really like the agressive front (reminiscent of the galant in some ways).
Alfa now have a German (ex BMW I think) in charge of the quality control. Apparently, he is ruthlessly dotting the i's and crossing the t's!
If they could achieve German reliability with Italian style they realy would be on to a winner.
The 1.9L petrol will be producing 160bhp which raises the stakes in terms of specific output -for a mainstream saloon (as did the 155bhp 2L TS when it was originally launched).
Like myfeckinFTO, I'd consider myself a fan of Alfa Romeo.



Soc wrote

Quick word of warning - watch the timing belt!! I've a mate who had his timing belt changed at 10k miles becuase of some other work that had to be done under warrenty - 26k later (car has 36k on the clock) the timing belt went pop taking a load of valves with it.... 2.5k to fix and alfa only aid the bill after a lot of argy-bargy with the dealers (barrible motors) Barribles said that his was the 6th 147 they'd sold which broke it's timing belt early and the 6th time they had to argue with alfa for payment....

T belt is an issue with the TS engines. The original interval was specified at around 70k miles (perhaps 72k). When the belts start snapping the interval was quickly revised downwards to 36k miles (damn short, inconvenient and expensive!).
The problem was failure of the tensioner which in tern caused the belt to snap.
This particular case, is unfortunate. I'd image that the orignal job done at 10k was a bit of a botch! Or at least I'd say that they replaced only the T belt and not the tensioner at that point.

Mustang

[Mustang]

I saw one of these in the flesh for the first time over the weekend.
I still very much like the agressive front snout. In side profile it does look like a very long sleek saloon. They could have done a bit more with the rear I think, looks a bit too much like the 156/166 -not a bad thing in itself but a distinct change might have been nice. They seem to have gone to great lengths to drop the pseudo-coupe styling of the 156. Gone is the compact cosetting cabin, the 159 interior looks much bigger with a much more expansive dash board layout. While it is a bigger car than the 156 I expect that it would feel like a much bigger car to drive.
Irish prices will be starting out at ~ €36500 for the 1.9.

[Muad_dib77]

GF has a new black facelift 147 with a full MS design kit - 17's + SS exhaust and red leather. Really nice car to travel in - performance wise its no FTO - but its a nice alternative to your average 2 box saloon.

Quick word of warning - watch the timing belt!! I've a mate who had his timing belt changed at 10k miles becuase of some other work that had to be done under warrenty - 26k later (car has 36k on the clock) the timing belt went pop taking a load of valves with it.... 2.5k to fix and alfa only aid the bill after a lot of argy-bargy with the dealers (barrible motors) Barribles said that his was the 6th 147 they'd sold which broke it's timing belt early and the 6th time they had to argue with alfa for payment....

Well.. I don't think anybody buys Alfa for their excellent reliability record. Their electric have gotten better over the years.. (Anybody remember the AlfaSud)..also apparently they don't rust quite as much as they used to do. (never realy saw a rusty Alfa myself). Alfas just feel nice to drive and a good few of them look smashing.

[Mille]

Havent seen one of these in the flesh yet. Fantastic looking family saloon from the pics ...........nothing else compares looks wise
But I dont understand why they done away with the hidden rear door handles which made the 156 look more like a sleek coupe!

[ronbyrne]

alfas are the only remaing true blooded car drivers cars, others turn out 1 or 2 drivers models , i think alfa romeo get a lot of bad stick like an earlier post about timing belts, i don;t think alfa romeo make the timing belts !! before i bought my fto i was looking at a dark green 2ltr 156 with black leather upholstery it was a beaut and very cheap too, jeez even the 156 estate looks great

[Mustang]

alfas are the only remaing true blooded car drivers cars, others turn out 1 or 2 drivers models ,

Agreed

i think alfa romeo get a lot of bad stick like an earlier post about timing belts, i don;t think alfa romeo make the timing belts !!

I would like to point out that I come from a three alfa household, two of which are 156's so I feel reasonably well qualified to speak on the matter . The criticism of the timming belt issue is not unreasonable. They over estimated the change interval, by a factor of two! and a lot of owners ended up with snapped belts. Not that it matters but the issue was with tensioner failure which in turn caused the belt to fail.
It doesn't matter who makes the belt or the tensioner, once alfa fit it to their car it becomes their product.
That said once you know the correct intervals and change the belt on time it's not an issue, apart from the expense!

(Ron I'll do you a deal on a red 2L TS with black leather if you're interested, timming belt just done ) [/b]

[Myfeckin FTO]

........Ron I'll do you a deal on a red 2L TS with black leather if you're interested, timming belt just done )

Have you something to tell us Mustang?

[ronbyrne]

(Ron I'll do you a deal on a red 2L TS with black leather if you're interested, timming belt just done ) [/b]

no thanks ! . alfas are great but they are for people whos family has outgrown the FTO . when i get back on my feet its an FTO again for me..