From our three lemons, mine is the most logical to receive a 'Klokje Rond'-check up.
It's an Alfa, it has done over 350.000 kilometres and it has an LPG- installation. Normally, Nic would lose his mind with an application like this.
However, today I'm going to Soesterberg voluntarily. And I'm going with a lot of confidence, because it feels surprisingly good to drive.
Even after a week of testing a brand new car, I don't mind changing to this Alfa. The steering is good, the engine does what it needs to do,
and it even changes pretty well. Not very fluently, but that's an Alfa-thing. So yeah, nothing wrong with it.
Or so it would seem, because there's always something wrong with cars like this. And it's time for some honesty from my side,
so here I go. First of all, the airbag-light is on. On the other hand, if it's an Alfa without any lights on, it's not a true Alfa.
Something a little more serious than that is the thermostat. Or whatever that dial shows me, because it's always around 50 degrees.
You have to be stationary for some time to get it to return to the middle position. That's something which seems typical for the thermostat.
Then there's a small rattle in the front axle. Something typically Alfa again and you hear it most in the morning. When it needs to warm up.
It's gone when it's warm but still, it's there. But then, important and painful;
I boasted about it having an LPG-installation, but it doesn't work.
So the tank is filled, but when I press the button to switch to LPG, the car just dies on me.
So I'm driving on petrol. I don't know if Joep is going to mind, but if I'm honest, I think it's too bad.
Right. Alfa Romeo's. A lot has been said and written about the brand. If you've never owned an Alfa, you're not a true petrolhead.
Or so they say. Because you don't know the fear if you're going to reach your destination. It's kind of an image thing.
I've never owned an Alfa to be honest, so I don't know if they're really that unreliable. From a mechanics perspective I can say there are some...
things wrong with Alfa's. Just like with other cars. And this 156 is no exception.
It has done 350.000 km over seventeen years, so you can expect it to have some flaws.
In short, it's quite bumpy during the drive, it has trouble changing gear, it shakes a lot when braking, it feels very shaky to begin with even.
At constant speeds mostly, and when you release the throttle, the shaking decreases. The engine doesn't reach its temperature,
there's not a lot of power, I can hear a lot of tire noises, clicks and clacks coming from the front, the right mirror is loose,
the windscreen wipers only work in modes 1 and 2, but not in interval mode. If I stop them, they stay in the middle of the windscreen.
There's an airbag warning light... And I think there are lots of other things to worry about. But that's what you get for a €500 car.
Especially if that car is an Alfa Romeo 156 which has lots of risky parts. A difficult suspension, a tricky engine, lots of tricky technology.
And of course, you can't expect it to be perfect for €500.
On the other hand, you do get an Alfa Romeo 156.
So much grip!
There it is, the beast. A 1747 cc block producing 140 horsepower, so the performance should be pretty good.
These engine aren't just renowned for their performance, but also for their oil consumption. It was last checked 1000 km ago?
Back then, it was at its maximum level, but now its at its bare minimum. So there's quite some oil being used.
Within the margins of course. - Yeah, within some margin maybe.
It's dealer spec!
Also, when you use so much oil, your catalytic converter can break That could lead to a car not being able to lose its exhaust fumes,
Also, what doesn't come out, doesn't come in. So your power level will drop.
If you ask me, this car doesn't feel like it produces more than 100 horsepower.
So it uses oil, petrol but no LPG. - Nope, no LPG. Because that installation doesn't work.
- He does pay additional taxes for it. He does actually. Unfortunately maybe.
That it has an LPG-installation doesn't only show in the button, which doesn't work. But also in all of these extra wires and tubing.
- It sure looks professional. Does it? You could disconnect it to see what happens.
- No please don't! As if you'd notice anything. No chance.
This is the LPG-computer and there's a wire dangling here. It all looks a little pieced together.
It once had xenon as well, but it isn't connected anymore. The headlight covers at the back are gone as well,
so you can just grab the bulbs. I'm surprised there isn't water in here. - Yet, there isn't water in there yet.
Anyway, it feels like a homemade botch job. You shouldn't spend more than a few hundred Euro's on it if something goes wrong.
Like a faulty thermostat. You shouldn't even try to fix it, because it's constant between 50-70 degrees.
If it starts heating up to 100 degrees again, the oil becomes thinner as well. You might be using twice the oil after that.
This is Jan's free repair. - From now on, we'll keep track of the oil.
I'm just adding a litre, and I'm not measuring it anymore. Usually, if it's between the maximum and minimum, a litre is enough.
In your case, an additional drop wouldn't be a stupid idea.
It's just an optical thing. - Superleggera!
It's a real Alfa. - And I'm happy with it.
There's some spots here. - It's not too bad right, Joep?
Absolutely. I've seen ones in which I could fit my hand. - That's how good this is.
Let me get the proper tools, hold on. I don't think it's bad for 156-terms, but here...
Ow, ow, ow, please stop doing that. Oh no...
So Jan, what do you think. - Well, Nic said I was able to put my head in every hole under here.
You might be able to fit over here. - No way my head fits there... But alright.
- It's not incredibly rusty but everything is broken. Well, it has some holes in it, but it's not too bad if you ask me.
After all, it's 17 years old. - And it has done 350.000 km, oh yeah.
It also has a new bearing arm, two new handbrake cables, so someone has invested some money to get it through the MOT.
It almost doesn't leak. But it would be too easy to say that's because there's not a lot of oil in it.
- So we're not saying that. No, instead it's remarkable to see that the oil filter is almost rusted through.
Originally fitted by Alfa? - An authentic detail!
But if your car uses a lot of oil, and boy do I sound like an Alfa-driver, you never have to replace your oil, right?
Yeah lots of people say that, but it's not true. Because, and here we go, if you use a lot of oil, a lot of fumes get in it as well.
So the oil you have keeps getting dirtier. You can keep pouring additional oil in, but the remaining bit gets dirtier and dirtier.
So you oil quality decreases even quicker if you use a lot of oil. You should replace it even more often if you want to extend the lifetime.
Driving this car is becoming pretty difficult... - It's getting expensive huh? Despite your LPG-thingy.
And it already was expensive. - Don't forget using 'good' oil, because they like that.
Do they have that at Action? - Only the best...
Right, what can I say. That didn't go well really. The beautiful body hides away a lot of other problems.
But I still think it drives pretty well. The problems? Well, the oil consumption is the most important and the state of the tires...
is the most urgent. Tomorrow, it's Michiel's turn. If his boat fits on the bridge, that is.