[Glen155]

Hi,

I've got my 166 for sale, not had it too long but I'm buying a house so better behave myself for a bit...

here it is:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/111766758177?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

 

[ScottT1974]

Pretty sure this is Unkle Munkles old motor - I recognise the Novitec front spoiler and reggie plate! Good luck with the sale.

 

[Pomeo]

Pretty sure this is Unkle Munkles old motor - I recognise the Novitec front spoiler and reggie plate! Good luck with the sale.

:teacher: It is Unkle's. Get in there Unkle and buy hur back.


Pomeo

 

[ScottT1974]

It's looking the worse for wear now - when UM had it that was one pampered motor. Surprised to see the rot to the sill but a few older 166s seem to be going that way.

 

[Unkle Munkle]

Yes, just seen this. Quite saddened by it to be honest. I sold it just after the cam belt change with approx 113,000 miles on the clock. Looks like it's had a hard life over the last few years (originally sold to Moynessy or someone with a similar name on here). He didn't even haggle when I sold it for £2,600 as it was in such good condition. The car was near mint and stunning to look at. No faults whatsoever. As for the sill repair - that is quite shocking. There was not rot on the car when I had it and it sailed through MOTs.

Funny how things happen in such a short space of mileage/time. It had a beautiful and subtle stainless exhaust system on it when I had it with a really nice single-exit tailpipe yet the replacement has a leak! Oh dear - I'm sounding all precious. Am sure the car could be really nice again. The engine was absolutely superb - didn't miss a beat or use any oil.

Definitely too far gone for me to have this one back plus it's miles away in Manchester now. Well, maybe if it was £500 and I could bring her back to her former glory as it would need much spending on it! A shame really....

 

[paulnicklin]

Yes, just seen this. Quite saddened by it to be honest. I sold it just after the cam belt change with approx 113,000 miles on the clock. Looks like it's had a hard life over the last few years (originally sold to Moynessy or someone with a similar name on here). He didn't even haggle when I sold it for £2,600 as it was in such good condition. The car was near mint and stunning to look at. No faults whatsoever. As for the sill repair - that is quite shocking. There was not rot on the car when I had it and it sailed through MOTs.

Funny how things happen in such a short space of mileage/time. It had a beautiful and subtle stainless exhaust system on it when I had it with a really nice single-exit tailpipe yet the replacement has a leak! Oh dear - I'm sounding all precious. Am sure the car could be really nice again. The engine was absolutely superb - didn't miss a beat or use any oil.

Definitely too far gone for me to have this one back plus it's miles away in Manchester now. Well, maybe if it was £500 and I could bring her back to her former glory as it would need much spending on it! A shame really....

This links to the "Why are 166s so unloved" thread...

I guess there's just a very small number of people wanting a old, fast "executive saloons"

Then remove all those buying BW E39s or Ai A6s because there's big 6 cylinder 3.0 diesel and/or estate versions...

 

[boyse7en]

Looks lovely.
But seems to have quite a long list of niggly faults that will end up costing quite a lot to repair.

I'd buy it if it was a chunk cheaper, but at that price it seems expensive as my V6 has none of those faults. Trouble is it looks a dogs dinner because of faded paint and lacquer peel.

 

[Chris Cousins]

Helped me enormously when deciding on the price for mine.....

 

[Alan Walker]

It's a lovely old thing, isn't it? I have a real soft spot for the pre-facelift 166 especially with the V6 and the manual box. Lovely colour too. These are going to be classics in the future - a bit like the old Fiat 130 coupe is now.

Good luck with the sale.

 

[goremohekan]

the rear sill is a weak spot on 166es. It starts at the join, and actually behind the wheelarch splashguard where three pieces of metal join together.
Once there is a hole (not just the visible bit from the outside...but from inside the wheelarch)...then water gets into the box and ....

Such a shame as now it will be a task to repair that properly.... The car deserves it though....but the thing is, what about all the other bits that need sorting on a 16 year old chassis? I know because I have a 1999 Super and I've spent a lot of time to keep the rust at bay...

Realistically there are probably better options at that price, but even so it is still a nice car for somebody with a heart to restore it...

 

[ScottT1974]

Yep, same story with my old Zendered 166. The guy I sold it to traveled 400 miles to buy it off me and paid £2250 for it (it was around the same time UM sold his). He offered it back to me last November with no MOT for £250 but it needed about £1500 spent on it. I thought long and hard about taking it back but it was too far gone also. Really sad.

 

[paulnicklin]

Yep, same story with my old Zendered 166. The guy I sold it to traveled 400 miles to buy it off me and paid £2250 for it (it was around the same time UM sold his). He offered it back to me last November with no MOT for £250 but it needed about £1500 spent on it. I thought long and hard about taking it back but it was too far gone also. Really sad.

What does the Zender kit add? Is it just a few bolt-on transferable pretty bits, or more "technical stuff" too?

I'm guessing the Zender kit doesn't make a £750 car worth £1650, just rarity?

I think he's just spent £400 on tyres, £250 for the wheels + £1000 for the rest of the car=£1650...

..I hope he's not reading the thread!

 

[goremohekan]

Yep, same story with my old Zendered 166. The guy I sold it to traveled 400 miles to buy it off me and paid £2250 for it (it was around the same time UM sold his). He offered it back to me last November with no MOT for £250 but it needed about £1500 spent on it. I thought long and hard about taking it back but it was too far gone also. Really sad.

It's not only the 166's. It is hard to come by a well kept 156 V6 now...much easier to find a good 156 GTA...and Alfa sold over 3000 156 V6's in the UK...

Expensive to run, and, unlike the GTA...pretty much worthless...so why waste money on looking after it?

(That is not my opinion, but the general way of economics)

 

[paulnicklin]

It's not only the 166's. It is hard to come by a well kept 156 V6 now...much easier to find a good 156 GTA...and Alfa sold over 3000 156 V6's in the UK...

Expensive to run, and, unlike the GTA...pretty much worthless...so why waste money on looking after it?

(That is not my opinion, but the general way of economics)

I saw the same argument in a Shed of the Week post against a 166 shed - Scorn poured on the idea of spending another 600 quid on belts and fluids - "just hope for the best and buy another of it goes bang"

I'm giving mine a 1000 mile "shake down" see what problems show themselves before spending the £600 on the belt.

So far so good, only niggle is the weak synchro on 3rd. I don't think there's anything wrong with the clutch, it's a bit low and heavy (compared to my E36, Alhambra, Mrs Citroen Sponge etc) but there's no dragging and now it's had regular use the gearchange is good and light.

The ICS screen is a bit dim (can't read it in sunlight), but I intend to practice on a supposedly dead one I picked up for 99p before going near my nearly-perfectly-working one.

Reading the thing about the sills I'll dust off my waxoyler from 1992 (GT6 restoration) and get oozing..

 

[paulnicklin]

And with a whole car for the price of a belt change... it's hard to fault the economics

https://www.gumtree.com/p/alfa-romeo/alfa-166-2.5-v6-10-months-mot/1132832418

..the 2.5 v6 is the unloved version of the unloved 166...

 

[goremohekan]

I took a screwdriver to mine underneath and found all the places where the original underseal was lifting...mainly on all the spot welds and seams, and also rust had perforated the rear of the inner integral chassis rails.

Then another job was to take all the spashguards from the wheel arches and stop the rot in those otherwise hidden places....rear turrets are a weak place too.

I did need my mig welder in one or two places....

Then...bilt hamber products, http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181191937689?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

and then..http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181191937227?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

followed by Dinotrol...http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/321015247232?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

and...http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/221311855560?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

no point in doing the timing belt after 16 years if you neglect the above...which actually is listed as a service check in the Handbook....not that many garages seem to be thorough when it comes to this...

 

[goremohekan]

And with a whole car for the price of a belt change... it's hard to fault the economics

https://www.gumtree.com/p/alfa-romeo/alfa-166-2.5-v6-10-months-mot/1132832418

..the 2.5 v6 is the unloved version of the unloved 166...

True....although the 2.5 is good in a 156 though imo, but they are still mostly trashed rusting bangers now....

 

[paulnicklin]

I took a screwdriver to mine underneath and found all the places where the original underseal was lifting...mainly on all the spot welds and seams, and also rust had perforated the rear of the inner integral chassis rails.

Then another job was to take all the spashguards from the wheel arches and stop the rot in those otherwise hidden places....rear turrets are a weak place too.

I did need my mig welder in one or two places....

Then...bilt hamber products, http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181191937689?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

and then..http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181191937227?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

followed by Dinotrol...http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/321015247232?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

and...http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/221311855560?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

no point in doing the timing belt after 16 years if you neglect the above...which actually is listed as a service check in the Handbook....not that many garages seem to be thorough when it comes to this...

Thanks for the ready built shopping list!

Hopefully won't have to mig - another skill I learnt on the GT6 (basically everywhere) and haven't needed since apart from to mend the builder's favourite trowel..

 

[Unkle Munkle]

The Zender kit is just for styling and shouldn't attract rust yet won't stop it either. I cleaned the car once a week and regularly waxed it so, on the surface of things, it was near mint all over. It had not one niggling problem and a beautiful exhaust tone that wasn't too loud. A fantastic Stainless system. Can't see why it's been changed for a 'Loud' one but each to their own!

The trouble is, I'm fussy to the nth degree and anyone who buys a car off me is very lucky!

 

[ScottT1974]

The trouble is, I'm fussy to the nth degree and anyone who buys a car off me is very lucky!

Ha ha - I'm the same! I spent £450 on a service before I sold my blue Zendered one, which wasn't necessary but ensured the car was perfect for the new owner. I guess that's one of the reasons why someone travelled 400 miles to buy it.