Life with a 156

Originally Posted by rickster

Back to your very first point about the poor economy I've got a 156, just had it converted to gas, it still goes like hell compared to my old diesel rover and I still have to laugh all the time I drive it but I get the equivilent of 45mpg, even more reason to laugh, that's what I used to get from the 95bhp rover.

What is the difference in performance would you say then from getting converted to gas?

Technically the calorific value of LPG 2.5% lower than 95unleaded so on a 200 HP engine you're talking 5 BHP. I can go between LPG and petrol at the flip of a switch on the dash and I can honestly say I can't tell the difference, it's still 100% on the smile-ometer.

Wow, it sounds pretty decent then, if I was keeping the car I may have thought about it but I am looking to upgrade to a 166 Super.

So obviously if I am getting a 3.0i Litre V6 I still might wanna get it converted, might be kinder to my pocket anyway, lol

Cheers,
Darren

What's to stop the government from taxing it at the same level as petrol though? That would be my luck, spend out for a conversion and then end up paying as much anyway
Of course Darren if your looking for a car try to get one that's already converted as an lpg cars resale value is about the same
Allan

The lpg is so much greener and there is such a small amount of conversions that there is no imeadiate possibility of the government raising the tax, if they did there would be no insentive for people to get converted.

I have just bought this 156 a couple of months ago and I wanted a V6 but knew of the poor economy, hence I took the cost of the conversion off the amount I was prepared to spend on the car, then got it done imeadiately. The initial running cost was scarey, I used to push it quite hard at the begining like you do because it's so much fun, and it was costing me a fortune. My little diesel rover, Which I have given to my wife, is great, you put in £10 and it just goes and goes, now my 156 does the same.

There aren't many converted, I never saw one whilst I was looking, but if you can then get a test drive in one, if it's a good conversion I guarentee you won't notice the difference.

Although I made the comment about poor economy, it was not a complaint, I do few miles a year and my increase in fuel costs over my Polo or Punto are about £7 a week, it wouldn't pay for me to convert to gas.
And Rickster it sure is fun to push these engines I find myself holding the gears just for the fantastic noise - bliss pure bliss. i often turn the climate off and wind down the windows just to hear that music from under the bonnet.
My big thing at the moment is keeping it clean - what products do you guys use, I swear by Autoglym, and good cloths but I use cheap shampoo .......I like their leather feed too - nice smell - plus its somewhere you can polish on a damp day........

Hey you get alot of those days in mid Wales you must be polishing your leather all the time!
I use Zip Wax shampoo, I find its good for Quality against price, used autoglyms wash n wax didn`t notice the difference, don`t like triple wax or that other stuff in a blue bottle mere? ( or something? Think its german)
Then I use what you use, the leather stuff is excellent has made a real difference to when I picked it up, thankfully we don`t have as much rain here so only wax the interior now and then.
Andy

I was driving home today, finished work for a week, and all is good with my world. Instead of my usual rev it in third 'cos it sounds so good mode I was savouring the directness of the steering, even on the twisty back lanes I hardly needed to take my hands from the wheel to get 'round even the sharpest bends, I'm wondering just how good a selespeed would have been. I would have gone for a sele in the four cylinder cars, but I liked the six speed in the 2.5 as well, has anyone driven both sele and six with a 2.5 and which was best?
Its going to be an intereesting week as I normally only use the 156 to go to and from work as we use the more economical Picasso for hauling our brood around, I'm planning to take the kids down to my folks in the week and maybe to a zoo somewhere in the week, I don't think that's a job for the Citreon, unless she'll drive....
Mind you it makes it all the better when I get back in the 156
I'm hoping to make it later in the month to meet up with some guys from South Wales, I am really keen to talk Alfas to real Alfistis, One of our suppliers at work has a 145 2.0 twin spark, thats a fair engine in a small car, Its probably a more suitable car for what I do but it don't look as good as my 156, t5hen what do's?

Hey Jason, I'm just like you, got my 156 in April and absolutely love it. I've spent about £900 quid on it so far (EGR valve, new key and clutch) and I still have to get the turbo sorted but I still love it. Mine is Cosmos blue with Tan leather. I find it a nightmare putting child seats in it though. The seat belt clips are always covered by the seats!! Easier sticking my daughter in the front seat! She tends to keep kicking the hazard warning lights or the ashtray open though!

Oooh, the tan leather is great looking in Alfa Romeo's. Only goes with darker colours I find though, wouldn't go with silver I don't think.

Originally Posted by lepopester

Hey Jason, I'm just like you, got my 156 in April and absolutely love it. I've spent about £900 quid on it so far (EGR valve, new key and clutch) and I still have to get the turbo sorted but I still love it. Mine is Cosmos blue with Tan leather. I find it a nightmare putting child seats in it though. The seat belt clips are always covered by the seats!! Easier sticking my daughter in the front seat! She tends to keep kicking the hazard warning lights or the ashtray open though!

Now you can see why we have a Picasso as well, thats our family car, and its designed as a family car. But my kids love the Alfa, my eldest tells me about every Alfa he see's in the village.
the 156 is a good mix tho. It has a fair boot and loads of space, do you find the kids seats sliding on the leather? My two also love the rear armrest and the "secret" boot acsess mind you we've had a few arguments one wants it up the other wants it down they love the rear door handles too (so do I)
Oh make sure you turn your passenger airbag off if you have a child in the front, should be a keyswitch by the front door hinges on that side.

Originally Posted by Green Cloverleaf

Just caught up with this thread...... you guys have got it bad!!!



Jason - Cosmos Blue is one of the best colours for the 156 - have you got any pics you can post up?

Comp clean car.jpg (39.9 KB)
comp clean car 2.jpg (41.0 KB)

I hope this works.....

As I've noticed uneven tyre wear on my Bella, I've booked it in for a four wheel alignment check.
This was quoted as a £30 job, I have already got premature tyre wear due to the wheels being misaligned, Why, when the previous owner had a full set of Dunlops on, costing over £360, did he not get the wheels re aligned ?
I may also have some of the tyres swopped to try and even out the tyre wear (the fronts will always wear on the outside with enthusiastic cornering)
Next one is a question. My car is a 2.5 24v V6 Black leather carbon trim and 16" alloys - How do I tell what the trim spec is ? I see people saying their car is a Lusso or a Veloce, etc. WTF is mine?

I dont think the 2.5 V6 is anything mate, I am pretty sure they just come as a stamped V6 and thats it.

Although I could be wrong, I think the Veloce / Lusso etc only stems toward the T-Spark versions of the 156.

Am I talking crap or right here guys?! lol

Jason I believe your's is a sp3 (sport pack with leather) which became veloce in 2001.

Allan I'm sure someone will correct me if I am wrong.

Originally Posted by jason156

Next one is a question. My car is a 2.5 24v V6 Black leather carbon trim and 16" alloys - How do I tell what the trim spec is ? I see people saying their car is a Lusso or a Veloce, etc. WTF is mine?

easy way to check, enter your reg plate when getting an insurance quote on confused.com, it will then display your model and trim spec.

What the hells mine then?! lol

Mines a pre face lift 98 with 15" wheels and red leather MOMO interior.

Basic? I hope not! lol

Originally Posted by Darren156

What the hells mine then?! lol

Mines a pre face lift 98 with 15" wheels and red leather MOMO interior.

Basic? I hope not! lol

Don't Know dude, I guess lusso? the sport pack is side skirts and lowered springs.

mine is originally a lusso, also on a 98, and i also have red momo leather. i would guess yours is a lusso. check on the confused.com website.

Ok I just lifted this from the Autotrader review site;
There are five trim levels: the base TS model, Turismo, Veloce, Lusso and Ti. Even the entry-level cars have air-con, electric front windows, a CD player and remote central locking. Turismo adds alloy wheels and a leather steering wheel. Veloce gains sport suspension and climate control. Lusso models get leather trim and cruise control and Ti cars have sports suspension and leather.
I have Climate not A/C and a leather steering wheel, but not CC and I don't know about the sport suspension?
Is it a Veloce?

that autotrader info is wrong, i think it is based on the later models.

if you have climate control you have a/c and vice versa, they never fitted a/c on a 156 where you could not select a certain temperature (hence the temp figures on temp knob)