1999 Alfa Romeo 156 TS from UK and Ireland - Comments

Stereo failed, electric door mirror failed, engine management failed two weeks after I bought it. Leather seat stitching ripped under little stress, speaker panel hanging off, dashboard rattle, poor finsh to interior in parts.

Power steering hose leaked (very dangerous if unnoticed).

This car has given me a lot of trouble and it's only done 7000 miles. My most recent and still unsolved problem is a noise from the engine which has not been fixed by the dealership, three visits later! Still I love the car but be warned, it's well known that the Alfa dealership network is well below par, don't expect good service, I didn't get it and many others don't too. You don't think about this much when you buy a car but believe me when things go wrong, you are at the mercy of the dealership and if they let you down, you are stuffed!

Yes, after 8 weeks of ownership of a used (Alfa approved) 156 Selespeed I've had my first bad experience with the local dealer.

They are entrusted with looking after the Alfa Romeo brand image and unfortunately some of them are letting the side down!

To all those who are dissatisfied, make sure you complain to Alfa HO and eventually the customer views will sink in!

I really think someone high up at Alfa should look at this site and see that just about EVERYONE is unsatisfied with the dealers!!

My worst experience was where after a service the dealer claimed that my lease car company didn't pay for the services, and I was told to pay the bill myself. I couldn't afford the bill (a few days before payday), so I was told I couldn't have the car back, despite my protestations that the lease company payed the bill. Caught a taxi home. When I got back in work I got our company car person to ring them. When I rang again, they had changed their mind - apparently now our lease company did pay for services. They did not apologise to me after embarrassing me at their dealership.

I asked for the car to be dropped off at my house. They said they could not do this, they had no staff available, in the end I had to get another taxi to go pick it up... all because of their mistake. When I started to rant at the service receptionist she actually denied that they had said the lease company would not pay, and claimed it was my fault... I will never return to them.

Not unfamiliar. I imported mine through a relative directly from Italy, excellent saving financially. The car was presented in a red felt cover and looked magnificent. However problems emerged within the first day, the fuse box cover was falling off. After 16,500 miles, almost 1 1/2 years of ownership, the engine gave up the ghost and needed it was eventually diagnosed by Alfa as needing replacing. Cost of replacement quoted at £4000 which did not include replacing the variator, cam and timing belt which AlfaRomeo thought was the original problem, another £800. In anger I wrote to Alfa HO who promptly ordered the free replacement of the engine. 1 month later I'm still waiting to pick up a repaired car. Dealerships were unwilling to repair any prior faults (broken sender unit, fuse box etc) under the manufacturers standard 1 year warranty. Generally disappointing from a range of vehicles pupporting to be in competition in the same range and standard as the BMW 3 series. Although I love the car I would be reluctant to replace it with another Alfa.

I have an Alfa 156 2002 with 44,000 miles on it. my main concern is that Alfa don't seem to be resolving the prolem with the variator, why let it continue. I bought the car second hand with fsh and they have already installed one variator yet 20,000 later it needs another. what are they doing. why do they fail so quickly. Alfa get your act together.