Has anyone any experience of the 166. Is it the liabiliy it would appear. It seems to go through tyres like butter and any replacement parts seem to be extremely expensive.
I saw one today, about one year old, negligible mileage and in as new condition. It was gorgeous and was sold for £10999.
They have another coming in soon, same age an mileage.
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I think the Alfa 166 is an acquired taste. I love big cars but I would have the 156 every time over the 166. In my opinion, the 166 is ugly because the rear lights are too big and the front ones too small in comparison to the rest of the car.
Sorry that this post has been useless Machika as I haven't driven one and so can't speak from experience but I suppose 11 grand for what is essentially an executive car isn't all that bad.
Cheers
Adam
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"Ah...beer - my only weakness - my achilles heel if you will"
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Ugly is not a word that comes to mind, when I think of the car I saw today. You have a right to your opinion but the fact that you consider the lights out of proportion makes your view a little harsh on the rest of the car. I love the 156 but the cabin of the 166 is better and I think the restyling of the front end of the 166 has improved it.
There are even people who don't like the 156. I know someone who thinks the 156 is ugly, so there is no accounting for taste.
My main reason for posting this thread is not the look of the car, but whether it is a practical choice to run one. £11K for a car that is practically new sounds too good to be true but I know the depreciation is horrendous on this car. There are probably good reasons for steering clear of one.
However, looking at that car today, I wasn't surprised that someone snapped it up.
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Sorry - I didn't mean to sound so harsh and I'll admit - I've not had a proper look at one; I just saw one whilst overtaking it. The car itself does look nice but as I mentioned earlier - I just don't like those lights but other people would. I really don't know what the car is like depreciation wise either but 11 grand for it in as good a nick as you say does sound fantastic.
I should warn you that my taste accounts for Mondeo's as that's what I want next!
Thanks
Adam
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"Ah...beer - my only weakness - my achilles heel if you will"
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Clarkson was saying how good it was(depreciation apart) on Top Gear last week.
Most Alfa owners are great enthusiasts and defend the reputation
of the cars. However as almost everyone says how nice they are to drive, there must be a reason for the huge depreciation and that surely can only be poor reliability.
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How do I move my 17 May posting about this too here??
if you're interested, titled Alfa 166 Clarkson said...
VB
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Clarkson was saying how good it was(depreciation apart) on Top Gear last week. Most Alfa owners are great enthusiasts and defend the reputation of the cars. However as almost everyone says how nice they are to drive, there must be a reason for the huge depreciation and that surely can only be poor reliability.
Or the perception of such because people who don't actually know keep repeating it, as nauseum?
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Or the perception of such because people who don't actually know keep repeating it, as nauseum?
Or as it is a Latin car - ad nauseam! LOL
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I know somebody who's got a 166 sat in his garage after getting a Merc as a company car. I think it's a 2000 reg with 56000 miles. He initially had such low offers, he can't be bothered to put the effort to sell it. It's been there over 12 months. I've often been tempted to buy it and try to sell at a profit, but I've never been brave enougth.
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Does he go around with a pair of scissors up his nose in case his face spites him? Talk about short-sighted!
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This changed my opinion somewhat
www.konrys.com.pl/alfa/alfa166.php
but it doesn\'t look like a 166 I\'ve ever seen
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No Signature at Imagos\' Request
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I thin k it's just got the new style nose on it, a la 156 and GT
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As an ex Alfa mechanic, just have to put my two penny's worth in here.
Have the car inspected (A.A. or R.A.C.) before you part with any dosh.
Their (Alfa) quality control is woefull, I well remember a new 33 sportwagon that made it all the way to my old emloyers dealership with half the wiring loom missing!!!
Alfa are cabable of making some great drivers cars, but they have more than their fair share of lemons hence the trades attitude to residual values.
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How long ago were you an Alfa mechanic? You talk about a 33, they've moved on a long way since then. The 155 improved greatly on the 33, and the 145, then 156, then 147 have all taken it a step further.
Regardless, your advise is good, whether a BMW, Toyota, Alfa, whatever. Get any car inspected, what's a hundred quid or so when you're spending several thousand?
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As an ex Alfa mechanic, just have to put my two penny's worth in here.
Given that you are an "ex" I would say your 2 penny's worth is not worth the penny ;-) shall we say 1/2 penny's worth instead?
Alfa's build quality and reliablity are as good as any other in their sector these days, thye have their "friday" cars but a quick search will show that *ALL* bar none have "friday" cars.
Alfa residuals are based on a percetption some 20 years out of date.
FWIW, I'd love it if Alfa remains a well kept secret, I prefer being a wolf to the sheep that inhanit the roads of britain.
JaB
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Sadly JC's intervention is likely to firm up the residuals on the mafia staff car of choice for a while and bring it to the attention of the Ford Granada/Vauxhall Carlton/Rover 800 squad. I cringe at the thought of 6 pikey kids and an alsation with mange getting out of one of these outside their local KwikSave......
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Sadly JC's intervention is likely to firm up the residuals on the mafia staff car of choice for a while and bring it to the attention of the Ford Granada/Vauxhall Carlton/Rover 800 squad. I cringe at the thought of 6 pikey kids and an alsation with mange getting out of one of these outside their local KwikSave......
LOL...
I was at my local dealer on saturday discussing some business while watching 3 of the local "wide boys" (they rolled up in max power fiesta) eye up the 147 GTA.
Inside I was screaming "Oi! NOOOOOOOOOO!" :-s
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"I cringe at the thought of 6 pikey kids and an alsation with mange getting out of one of these outside their local KwikSave......"
You gettin rid of the old 156 and upgrading then ND?
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Oi! I defended Renault earlier!
Then Mark came along and deleted the post I had replied to so mine went with it. Swine......
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I've had lots of experience with a 166. I've had a 3.0 Sportronic for 4 years and it has done 145000 miles. It runs sweetly, uses no oil. Mine is just as reliable as any other exec car.
Positive comments: love the styling - the new model is even better;
Fantastic interior especially with Momo leather;
Practical as a family car yet great to drive.
Much more comfortable than a 156
Only negative comments are: parts supply can be awful (took 4 months to get a rear silencer from Alfa;
Suspension needed rebushing after 100k - this is quite expensive as Alfa don't sell just the bushes!
If you're worried about depreciation, buy one nearly new and run it into the ground
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It is the cost of replacement parts that worries me more than anything really. They have nearly new 166s in at www.availablecar.com quite regularly at very reasonable prices, so purchase price isn't a concern. We have run a Xantia 1.9 TD for over 10 years and it has cost next to nothing in terms of replacement parts, so it is hard to convince myself that it is sensible to replace it with a 166.
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Think carefully and take a deep breath!
£2350 recently bagged a 1999 T V6 166 at Manheim Shepshed with just over 100k. If it was over 10 grand at a year old thats an 8 grand drop over 4 years or £6 a day.
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Depreciation doesn't bother me, as I tend to keep my cars for a long time, so in the end they are not worth much anyway. It is the cost to running one that concerns me.
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It's a bit too late to be helpful I'm afraid, but both the parts you mention would probably have been better obtained elsewhere.
Silencer from a bespoke exhuast company and a company called powerflex make bushes which are apparently better than the originals (and you don't have to buy the whole wishbone)
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