IMO the belt reputation is something of an urban myth.
Yes , they must be changed at the correct intevals , maybe a little sooner , but the reason the 156 has the reputation has more to do with the "belt gone / belt replaced /top end damage cheaply fixed / bottom end not checked" school of vehicle maintenance..
There's more to it than just slapping another belt on , apparently.
And its the disparity in oil consumption that led owners not keeping a very careful eye on the levels "cos my mate's never uses any".
Thanks , Fiat !:
