2005 Alfa Romeo 166 Turismo 2.0 Twin Spark from UK and Ireland

Summary:

The 166 is great to drive and has real charisma- something that is increasingly rare in modern cars

Faults:

Minor rattles.

Vibration of steering wheel when braking above 70mph.

The brakes judder when slowing.

General Comments:

I have just bought a black Alfa 166 2 litre Twinspark Turismo with 19k on the clock from an Alfa dealer.

This car looks a million dollars. But cost £8,500!

The Alfa 166 represents astounding value for money second hand. My car has a year's manufacturer warranty remaining.

Styling gorgeous, interior comfortable and distinctive.

Honed driving experience combined with generally sound, but occasionally flawed packaging- space in the rear is minimal, indicators are positioned too low and the 'Integrated Control System' is not as logical as it could be.

But the driving position is great and highly adjustable, the steering is beautifully weighted and precise and the engine is typical alfa.

The 166 is one of the few cars I can fit in- I'm 6ft5 and can get confortable- I have just enough leg room and head room.

The dealer is about to sort out the brakes (I picked up the issue on the test drive and they were meant to have sorted these before I picked the car up but hey ho).

I will provide a full review in a few months time once the brakes are fixed (suspect new discs needed) and I've done a few thousand miles.

But so far, love the car... have spent a long time trying to find a distinctive car thats great to drive that I can fit in, and the 166 certainly fits the bill.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 5th April, 2005

8th Apr 2005, 00:57

Your discs must have warped. I had the same problem in my 147. Have them changed as soon as possible, else vibrations will ruin the steering rack.

9th Apr 2005, 15:08

Thanks mate... I had the front discs and pads replaced this morning- the garage paid for this as I had pointed out on the test drive before I bought the car they needed sorting and they had agreed to address. They failed to do it before I picked the car up, but have done a fine job now they finally have got around to it. The handbrake is still very stiff- something else I asked them to address following initial test drive- they tried to adjust it again and have told me that it needs a pair of handbrake cables and 'that it isn't a Saturday morning job'. Apparently this repair is needed because the car had been sitting on the forecourt for 7 months before I bought it (having knocked 2000 quid of their original asking price). Again, they have promised to do this work under warranty. Now the front discs and pads have been replaced the car drives more sweetly than ever- a 250 mile round trip today proved enjoyable, relaxing and I arrived at my destination fresh as a daisy. So, other than the various teething problems with brakes I am thoroughly enjoying my 166. And with its sexy looks and great handling I am forgiving of minor niggles, especially if they aren't costing me anything to fix.