Anyone own a 166 3lt?

SteveH > wrote:

> Zathras > wrote:
>
> > >On the other hand, it's a bit, well, brash, in a Dell Boy or even Homer
> > >Simpson kind of a way and some of the trim materials are shocking
> > >quality. Tortoise-shell effect plastic 'wood' is never good. Especially
> > >on steering wheels.
> >
> > Which is all exactly as 5th Gear described. In mitigation, it was
> > always a severely cheap car compared to the opposition. How did you
> > find it did in the corners (allegedly a slight weakness)?
>
> And it still is a very cheap car. 56 plate estates at a main dealer are
> under £16k. I've even seen an independent with an 07 car for £14990.
>
> It's not the greatest handling barge in the world, but it's good enough
> for the kind of car it is.
>
> I really want to like it and I will be tempted to buy one, but I'm not
> entirely convinced I can live with some of the cheap trim materials.

Well, that didn't go well.

Volvo dealer, who agrees tests in both the S60 and S80 didn't have
either available when I arrived and offered me a drive of the dull as
ditchwater 2.0 low-pressure turbo, with a manual box. (Which will be
nothing like a D5 auto to drive).

Saab dealer called me to cancel as his MD had taken the HOT for a
weekend away.

Argh!

Oh, and Alfa haven't called me back about the 159 Sportwagon they were
supposedly putting on their demo fleet....

The *only* dealers who have been helpful have been Jaguar and Chrysler.
At this rate, I'll be buying the bling mobile.
--
SteveH 'You're not a real petrolhead unless you've owned an Alfa Romeo'
www.italiancar.co.uk - Ducati 750SS - Hongdou GY200
Alfa 75 TSpark - Alfa 156 TSpark - B6 Passat 2.0TDI SE

On Sun, 3 Aug 2008 10:03:46 +0100, (SteveH)
wrote:

>I really want to like it and I will be tempted to buy one, but I'm not
>entirely convinced I can live with some of the cheap trim materials.

After seeing the 5th Gear report, the key was *never* to look at the
70s ashtray steering wheel and *never* touch any of the internal
plastics. From what I saw, budget far-eastern makers do it better!

--
Z
Scotland
Alfa Romeo 156 2.4JTD Veloce Leather
'Oil' be seeing you..
(Email without 'Alfa' in subject will be auto-deleted..sorry!)

On Sun, 3 Aug 2008 14:26:29 +0100, (SteveH)
wrote:

>The *only* dealers who have been helpful have been Jaguar and Chrysler.
>At this rate, I'll be buying the bling mobile.

Don't forget to get the 22 inch chrome alloys - they help distract the
eye from some of the uglier aspects. Apart from money (when I last
looked they were holding 105% of their purchase price on the
second-hand market!) the main problem for me was that the Chrysler
looks a bit ugly, to me, from certain angles. I'm spoilt by,
currently, having a car that looks good from all angles.

My *real* trouble is that my Wife picked my current car and she
*really* fancies the Chrysler (presumably as a radical change from
beauty) so don't tell her they're affordable now please! ;-)

--
Z
Scotland
Alfa Romeo 156 2.4JTD Veloce Leather
'Oil' be seeing you..
(Email without 'Alfa' in subject will be auto-deleted..sorry!)

In article >,
says...
> On Sun, 3 Aug 2008 14:26:29 +0100, (SteveH)
> wrote:
>
> >The *only* dealers who have been helpful have been Jaguar and Chrysler.
> >At this rate, I'll be buying the bling mobile.
>
> Don't forget to get the 22 inch chrome alloys - they help distract the
> eye from some of the uglier aspects. Apart from money (when I last
> looked they were holding 105% of their purchase price on the
> second-hand market!) the main problem for me was that the Chrysler
> looks a bit ugly, to me, from certain angles. I'm spoilt by,
> currently, having a car that looks good from all angles.
>
> My *real* trouble is that my Wife picked my current car and she
> *really* fancies the Chrysler (presumably as a radical change from
> beauty) so don't tell her they're affordable now please! ;-)
>
>

I always think the Chrysler looks as if it was based on the car from hokey
70's horror movie 'The Car'.

--
Halmyre

That's you that is.