2004 Alfa Romeo 156 JTS Veloce review from UK and Ireland

Air conditioning failed at 4,000 miles.

Broke down completely at just over 6,000 miles. Faulty air mass meter diagnosed. 4 week wait for the part!

Rear suspension banging and knocking from 10,000 miles. After the third attempt, the dealer has quietened it massively, but it's still there over sharp bumps.

Erratic idle developed around the same time. This took four attempts to fix and the magic cure was simply to clean out a stepper motor. No parts needed.

Heater temperature adjustment dial stopped working.

Gear linkage has needed adjusting twice.

Clutch judder just rearing its ugly head.

Drop dead gorgeous and fantastic to drive. Makes a frankly trouser-stirring noise, goes like stink and provides its driver with a sense of occasion that 3-series and A4 buyers simply wouldn't understand. Unfortunately, it is still too unreliable and flaky to be a serious prospect as an everyday car and the dealer and spares backup is truly appalling.

The car is worth much less than the outstanding finance on it, and I refuse to continue to shell out for another 2 years on a terminally unreliable and freefall depreciating car, so I will be returning it to the finance company as soon as the payments are half over later this year and walking away.

If this were a second car I would probably live with the problems, but encouraged by a friend with an utterly reliable 156, I let my heart rule my head and bought this pristine ex-demo model. I can honestly say I've regretted it from the moment the problems kicked off.

As another reviewer has said on this site, I didn't expect Germanic reliability, but neither did I expect 12 dealer visits in the first year (several for the same thing!), and a total of 11 weeks off the road waiting for parts! I also expected a bit more than 4,000 miles before things started crapping out. I know not all 156's are like this, but it's somehow more worrying that they vary so severely. At least if they were all dogs, people who bought them would be prepared.

Despite all this, I don't dislike the car. As I said, for a second car cum weekend toy type thing, it's superb, but you can't rely on it to do anything else. Very disappointing.