Got my new 166 - yippee!

Well, I got my hands on my new 166 this weekend - yippee!

The car is a 2001/Y 3.0 Sportronic in grey with CD changer, sat nav, and sunroof. It's a high miler (108k) but seems to have been looked after - only two owners, the first took it to 104k by end 2006; the second barely drove it in the year he had it.

My car before last was a '99 Super in silver which I sold 3 years ago - here's what it feels like to be back in the saddle...

Good things:
- The soundtrack (obviously)
- The handling: it's easy to forget the 166 is a pretty big car
- The Sportronic gearbox: I am genuinely impressed at how smooth this auto box is, even when shifting gears in Sport mode at highish revs. My wife has a W210 E-class estate (yes, I know...) and the Alfa box is MUCH smoother than the Merc - amazing.
- The looks: I'd forgotten what a gorgeous car the 166 is. And in grey, it looks super discreet, too.

Bad things:
- I'm sure the cabin in my old car was bigger...
- Why is the edge of the driver's door lower bin (where you rest your right leg) not padded? I'm bruising!
- Non-Xenon lights: on unlit roads - yikes, where did the road go??? Solution: use foglights.
- Ride: a bit crashy; somewhat at odds with the super-smooth Sportronic. However, the car is floating and bouncing a bit over bumps so I guess the dampers are probably past their best.

Projects:
- 108k service: booked in for Friday - fingers crossed they don't find anything hideously wrong with it. The car is going to Palmer & Philips in Cowley, Oxford - Fiat/Alfa specialists and pretty decent in my experience.
- Wheels: the car has the standard 16" wheels. My Super had the horseshoe 17s, but I'm not sure they look right with the grey paintwork. In any case, on the slightly rubbish roads I drive on, I'm grateful for the extra half inch of sidewall betwen me and the road... Anyway, the wheels were sandblasted by the previous owner and lacquered - ie not repainted the normal silver colour. In a funny way the look quite cool (matt grey) but I'm tempted to get them restored to their original state.
- DSP: my old 166 had DSP and I loved it. This one doesn't but I picked up a DSP amp on eBay a few weeks ago and so have my fingers crossed that the DSP loom is present in the car along with the CD changer and sat nav. I'm not hopeful as the extra speaker cables in the parcel shelf (and the speakers themselves) are not there - but you never know, eh?
- Interior: the car has grey velour seats. So will be seeing Marco at the weekend to switch to black leather. Can't wait!

Amazingly, my spend on the car so far has been a mere 10 quid (headlamp bulb, number plate bulb, tax disc holder, reset tyre pressures - how do people not get that right???). Oh, apart from the SIXTY QUID it took to fill the tank...

Finally - went over for lunch with friends on Sunday. Parked up behind their new grey 3-series coupe (quite pretty) and grey VW Touran. When we left, my 4.5 year old son - completely unprompted - threw his arms over the bonnet of the 166 and started kissing it!!! What a star!!! Which meant I could shrug and say to our hosts, "Well, you know, that's the effect these cars just have on people..." Marvellous.

Anyway - that's enough rambling from me... it's just good to be back in a 166...

Congrats Jeremy

Nice one Jeremy

Keep an eye on your son

great news Jeremy - she sounds a good one

Bad news on the DSP though, the loom definitely won't be there as it's totally different to non DSP cars. Same with satnav probably....

JeremyG or should I call you JeremyC.

Excellent report and news on your purchase BUT I take issue with 1 or 2 points.

1 A high miler at 103K....No just normal or a bit low.The car has been used.And 1 owner really just like mine.
2.The sportronic interior is 3cubic cms smaller to accomodate the larger gear lever I am surprised you noticed OR have you grown
3.Never noticed the right hand leg problem just the excellent space at the left hand leg. (So you must be JC..Jeremy Clakson)
4 ah the cool sleak slanty eyed headlamp ,looks neat BUT in the dark yeh the problem...See signs miles ahead but the road....nil.zilch.

5 What a star...Youngsters always tell the truth.


ENJOY>

P me

Finally - went over for lunch with friends on Sunday. Parked up behind their new grey 3-series coupe (quite pretty) and grey VW Touran. When we left, my 4.5 year old son - completely unprompted - threw his arms over the bonnet of the 166 and started kissing it!!! What a star!!! Which meant I could shrug and say to our hosts, "Well, you know, that's the effect these cars just have on people..." Marvellous.

Congrats. and I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoy mine. The boy obviously has good taste! I bet the others with the M3 etc. looked sick.

Originally Posted by JeremyG

My Super had the horseshoe 17s, but I'm not sure they look right with the grey paintwork.

They look right with any colour, in my opinion . However, the 16s will provide a better ride over the dodgy surfaces which seem to be everywhere these days...

Nice purchase, good colour (same as mine)

a set of better headlight bulbs (like osram silverstars) will make a big difference....

Thanks guys - got a few jobs to do on the car so will no doubt be in touch shortly.

Pomeo - sorry, not J Clarkson. Though liked the Top Gear piece on the 166 a few years ago...

Niall - thanks for the tip on headlight bulbs - anything's worth trying...

I'm going to try the bulbs as well, might as drive with my eyes closed at the moment.

Originally Posted by JeremyG

Thanks guys - got a few jobs to do on the car so will no doubt be in touch shortly.

Pomeo - sorry, not J Clarkson. Though liked the Top Gear piece on the 166 a few years ago...

Niall - thanks for the tip on headlight bulbs - anything's worth trying...

I would suggest a hid kit , they sell for like £100 on ebay, easy to fit

I wouldn't. Will fail MOT, you'll be "randomly selected" for roadside checks all the time, etc.
Proper xenons should have washers and self-levelling system. For Ł100 you'll get nothing just boy-racer lights and probably a shock when you try to install them.
also, if you have a proper, nice car, I wouldn't ruin it with some cheap stuff
just my 2 cents.

IIRC they won't fail the MOT, as long as they pass the beam test. Self levelling and washers are only needed for factory fitted gear.

To be honest, HID kits would probably work fine in the 166 as the bubs will be behind the projector bitty and would look standard. I've a feeling somebody has already fitted a kit (probably Marco!)

Originally Posted by klapanciusz

I wouldn't. Will fail MOT, you'll be "randomly selected" for roadside checks all the time, etc.
Proper xenons should have washers and self-levelling system. For Ł100 you'll get nothing just boy-racer lights and probably a shock when you try to install them.
also, if you have a proper, nice car, I wouldn't ruin it with some cheap stuff
just my 2 cents.

lets not take things to the extreme..cause it might as well an asteroid be drawn by the xenon gas in the bulbs and destroy the nice car. .. all i m sayingis that it would be very easy to install them , and only an idiot can get a shock while installing them. and if you look at the 166 ' headlights you will notice that the design prevailed over functionality, and a hid kit will only improve things, not to mention safety . and safety is quite important imho. I m not an expert, but i think that the beam pattern will remain unchanged , and when the car is fully loaded you can adjust the beam using the switch inside the car.

Originally Posted by Marco166

...and only an idiot can get a shock while installing them.

I didn't know you know me :-)

Originally Posted by klapanciusz

I didn't know you know me :-)