Alfa Romeos..........the ones that are under the radar?

I know very little other than the v6 is one of the best looking engines in a family car.

Supposed to be the one to have too.

Brilliant, thanks for the feedback!
Ive got a Loads Of Trouble Usually Serious so I'm not to frightened of their reputation for causing owners to s**t a kidney out of sheer frustration.
I do fancy a V6 155 but the 145 seems to be a huge bargain, even in 2.0ltr form.

I think the thing is they are probably frustrating compared to an equal age Ford/Nissan/normal car, but they're no way in the same league of frustration as a Lotus would be, or my 70's Lancia was! It's more the fact that you can get hooked on their 'Alfaness' and then everything else seems like it's lacking a certain something

The 2.0L is stil a good engine, and should feel fairly spritely in the 145 which can't weigh that much?

There's a nice 155 v6 on ebay…. If Pandaselectas video doesn't sway you…. this is what my 155 v6 sounded like (in the hands of a previous owner), it's a good noise.

I have one. You should get one.



One thing I will say is that they are tricky to lower properly. I have had several sumps on mine thus far and it doesn't even look low.

Very reliable so far surprisingly. Mine's not a V6, in fact it's only a 1.8 but it goes like the clappers when it's on cam and sounds fantastic with the stainless zorst. Parts are not too much for these at the moment and other owners are really helpful.

Got one yet?

Hearing those V6s on full chat has made me go all moist......
EmDee, I haven't yet but, yeah, one will be the next car on the fleet.

As I own some examples of each of these, I'll wade in here....
The V6 engine sounds amazing, particularly with a decent Zorst on it... They can be a little thirsty when giving 'em the beans, but reasonable when at cruising speed... Belt changes are crucial, don't run 'em beyond the due date, it's a bl**dy expensive mistake even when you build your own engines (ask me how I know )
The 4 cylinder cars are fantastic to drive, but you have to rev them hard to get the best out of them. They rev to 7k, and my daily 1.8 Twinspark hits the redline regularly... As Emdee says, they go well on cam, but are very flat off cam, this is because although they make reasonable horse power, the torque is another matter. I would recommend either the eProm or Squadra chip, they improve the torque output enormously, without hurting fuel consumption.....
The 145 is based on the Punto floorpan, and both the 145 and 155 like to rust more than you would believe!! Check outer sills, inner sills where they join to the floorpan, inner wheelarches front and rear, rear chassis legs near fuel tank, bottom of wings etc, etc, etc.... You get the picture!! The most common colour is Rosso Red 130, nice colour but most are now various shades of pink (including my daily!!)
This sounds like I'm trying to put you off right? Only because it means there is one less potential buyer to compete with me, 'cos I'd buy every 155 left in existence if I could!!! I love 'em!! As said by goldnrust, if you buy one, and 'get' what it's about, you are trapped and doomed until the end of time.....
The 155 is a rare care these days, only 154 currently taxed on the road in the UK this year, 173 last year... There are a few off road in project conditions, but there are very few available for sale at any one time....
A clue as to how deep you will fall, I was offered a swap for a really nice E36 328i Sport for my daily 1.8 Twinspark, and I couldn't even consider doing it. The 155 is one of the few true drivers cars still available for sensible money.... My recommendation for you would be a 2.0 16V Twinspark, Squadra chip, decent exhaust and keep it nice and clean.... Join the forum (alfa155.org ) and enjoy. As Emdee says, lows are difficult to get right, especially if the car is to be a daily. Sumps take a beating, and the exhaust hangs quite low as standard so be careful...
I may have one available in a few months, but if you want one sooner let me know and I'll point you in the right direction.... Good luck....

Retroandproud and the rest of you, thank you for your views, experiences and great advice.
I'm in the throes of pulling some money together, its not a case of if I go hunting for one but when, that shouldn't be too long at all.
Always had a hankering for an Alfa, the two examples I gave seem to be tremendous value and, above all, a bit different. Just my kind of car.
Thanks!

I've had a 2.0 146, a 12v 3.0 V6 164 and 24v Cloverleaf, and two 2.5 V6 156s.
The 146 was very quick, it weighs nothing, and is a great little engine (the early twinspark) - so good that I still have this car, half stripped, so I can use the engine in something some day...
The V6 engines are lightweight so don't negatively affect balance although I do think all Alfas (that I've driven) have been very nose heavy and understeer a lot. I made the mistake of having a stainless exhaust fabricated for the 156 and it now throbs instead of singing, which is awful. It still feels special - I've been driving around in a stream of different faster, flashier, expensiver cars lately and they leave me cold compared to my old 156.
All of mine have been as reliable as anything contemporary; in many cases moreso. I knew an Alfa was for me the moment I sat in a rotten diesel 156 when looking for a new daily... bought the 156 wagon shortly after and still can't bear to part with it.

1,140–1,275 kg which is quite a bit for a small car...

*n