2000 Alfa Romeo 156 Reviews - Page 18 of 18

Nothing so far (I know this is tempting fate!)

After hearing what most people say about the dealer that they bought their 156 from, I am pleasantly surprised to find that Alan Gibson (Basingstoke) are always ready to help, and are genuinely interested in the car.

On delivery: Stiching loose in the seat, front bumper mark, paint problem on a door, security etch poor.

Since: Selespeed oil problem, has been in twice, still not fixed!

Plus other annoying problems.

Have very little faith in the dealer's ability to resolve my issues!!

Heard of another owner having taken her car in 6 times for Selespeed issues...

Also my brother in law has had Selespeed issues...

Great car, looks good, drives well, all round great car to drive. If it could be more robust it would be even better.

Sticky switch for the air-con system.

Absolutely superb driver's car that feels solid and well built. The engine loosened up at around 6000 miles and performance improved noticeably. I cannot recommend this car highly enough - drives and looks brilliant.

I do worry about something major going wrong although this is based more on reputation than evidence. The only disappointments have been the lack of practicality (ie. cramped rear seats that do not fold) and fuel consumption (although this varies dramatically with driving style).

Nothing at all so far.

Really need to spend the money to add the leather seats, spoilers, skirts, sunroof and metallic paint to get the all round luxurious feel and comfort.

Great driving, really holds the road. The F1 gears on the steering wheel take a bit of getting used to but give you unbelieviable control and acceleration especially on secondary roads. On motorways you have to watch your speed as 90 normally would feel like you're only doing 60.

For price and performance, well worth considering with Irish car prices.

Certainly above all its competitors and the normal 156.

Absolutely nothing! (Yet!)

I live in abject fear of something going wrong with this aesthetically stunning car. This is not due to any worrying noises or vibrations but solely due to the constant whining of dissatisfied 156 owners.

Touch wood, after 6 months my Alfa Red 156 moves me in exactly the same way as it did when I first turned the key in the dealership. Everything about this car screams style with performance. If you like the look of the thing, buy one! It's as simple as that. If you want a massive dealership network then go buy a Ford or Vauxhall. To be honest, if you are really that concerned with servicing, repairs and the like, you are not an Alfa driver. I hear Volvo do a marginally exciting car these days.

Nothing (yet!).

Comfort on Veloce suspension better than anticipated, especially if tyre pressures lowered to 2 bar (29psi). Roadholding first class and refinement likewise.

Engine freeing up nicely, but no match for my Mk1 Golf GTI at low revs.

Leather seats more comfortable than alternative Recaros.

Selespeed system takes some getting used to - very clever, but not as clever as a human brain/hand/foot!

Radio/CD unit has nasty little buttons & the display cannot be read in daylight. The red dash analogue clock pointers are also bad to see. Nasty passenger vanity mirror.

The car could do with more toys (like a trip computer). Otherwise, all's fine so far. Despite the quibbles, you want to drive it just for the sheer pleasure, which is how an Alfa should be!