Faults:

Oil cooler cracked leaking oil into the coolant, but I bought it like that knowing there was a fault.

MAF sensor packed up; doubly annoying because it only did about 500 miles (new, genuine Bosch one!) and I only replaced it because I wasn't 100% happy with the old one. Original now refitted and still going strong.

Offside rear wheel bearing got noisy; easy replacement.

Plastic bushes on gear change linkage seized, making the change very notchy. Again, easy replacement.

General Comments:

In red with black leather and the Sport 3 body kit, it really looks the part. Lacquer is peeling only on the boot lid, and will get that resprayed soon.

As with many Italian cars, the driving position feels a bit odd, but it's still a comfortable place to be for a few hours before I need a break.

It can be surprisingly economical for what it is; a good run where you can keep it mostly in 6th gear at sensible motorway speeds, and you can get well into the low 30s MPG. But drive it round country lanes with a lot of gearbox use, and economy goes out the window!

The potential top speed is frankly way more than you are likely to be able to use in the UK, but it's nice to feel that it's cruising with so much in reserve. The acceleration is very good indeed, and the engine is so flexible that unless you're really trying, you don't need to be constantly changing gear. But I find that I do anyway just to hear the wonderful engine note!

Overall these cars don't cost much to buy, and if you get a good one, they can be as reliable as anything else of similar age and performance. But get a bad one and you could be reduced to a tearful wreck quite quickly! I am a mechanic and I own my own garage, so maybe I have an advantage over most people, but I would recommend finding a local workshop who love Alfa's, and leaving the main dealers alone as much as possible, as they seem to be a very mixed bunch.

I've owned more cars than I can easily count, but I honestly think that for the driving experience, this one is the best.

Faults:

Radiator replaced by dealer at time of purchase.

Noisy belt pulley replaced during routine service.

Aircon compressor replaced under warranty.

Usual consumables like tyres, exhaust etc.

General Comments:

Not a new design, but looks as fresh now as the day it was launched.

The 2.5 V6 sounds just amazing, and I often leave the stereo off just to listen to it rev. The extra weight of the V6 means this one is a bit nose heavy when you enter a corner at speed, but you soon get used to it.

This is my 3rd Alfa, and as per my previous GTV & 155, it gives me hassle free, reliable, fun motoring. I defy anyone to drive this car and not break into a smile, it just goes and sounds like no other four door saloon, and it even makes the morning commute (almost) a joy.

To anyone who is worried about Alfa reliability, I say take the plunge - even the Top Gear guys say you aren't a proper petrolhead till you've had an Alfa. Your Fords/Honda/Vauxhalls etc will never look the same again.

Faults:

Water leak around one of the rear doors.

Front brake rotors just under the legal limit, needed replacing.

Diesel-like rattle in the engine on start-up.

General Comments:

I've been able to compare the 156 with my old 155, and the difference is like night and day. Build quality is SO much better on the new one. It actually almost feels like a Golf in terms of solidity.

Inside is a lovely place to be. Beautifully trimmed seats, excellent Blaupunkt stereo, and gorgeous retro twin-binnacle gauges. Mine has the optional 'deluxe' pack which adds a mahogany Momo steering wheel and shift knob. However, the clearly fake woodgrain trim around the centre console is pretty horrible!

Performance is just fine. My only complaint would be a lack of low-down torque, and the high gearing doesn't help. But once the cam variator (similar to VTEC) kicks in at 3000rpm, off she goes, pulling smoothly right up to the redline.

Handling is as you'd expect from an Alfa. Pin sharp steering, which communicates exactly what the front tyres are up to. You get the usual front-wheel-drive understeer, but it's always manageable with a little throttle feathering. Mine comes on Dunlop Le Mans, which are OK, but just a wee bit slippery in the wet. I'm looking forward to wearing them out so I can replace them with a set of Bridgestone Potenzas.

The design is still wonderfully imaginative and well proportioned, and I'm predicting it will age pretty well over the years. It's fun to watch friends searching for the rear door handles. One even opened the front door and tried to tilt the seat forward so she could get in the back! You can't put a price on that kind of entertainment.

My old 155 has been, to put it bluntly, a disaster in terms of reliability. It's poorly built, using poor materials, costs a fortune to fix, and never fails to have something wrong with it. The 156 on the other hand, is a revelation. So far at least! But judging by the build quality, I can believe this car will be far less troublesome.

The 156 is much more civilised than the old Alfas, and doesn't have that oily mechanical feel that makes them so endearing, but it is a much more enjoyable prospect for daily driving. The solution - I've kept the old 155 V6 for weekends, and the 156 is my weekday car. I've definitely got the Alfa bug now. And it's incurable, so be careful!