29 replies to this topic

[Youngowner93]

Hi all,
After replacing the wiper blades on a customers car on Tuesday, an Alfa Romeo 159 i have fallen in love with them and want one real bad. I checked out the insurance on a 1.9 JTD (I will not settle for a petrol) and got some reasonable quotes considering im only 18 and had passed my test 3 weeks ago but I cant afford the car. has anyone ever owned one or driven one? What are they like? Any bad points?



Cheers!

[drewsargent1980]

I had one very similar to this one but in Red this was a Alfa 159 Veloce JTS, absolutly loved it for the 4 months i had it then some one drove into me and wrote it off, but because of the lose of the Alfa i bite the bullet and brought my current Mini, Hurrrah

[Youngowner93]

Bad luck mate. I want one as well as my Mini

[Tommyboy12]

Well my old boss had one. Went well enough. The JTD engine is a fiat engine and is the same as the one in the Astra H too. 150bhp in 16v spec too.

[Youngowner93]

Well my old boss had one. Went well enough. The JTD engine is a fiat engine and is the same as the one in the Astra H too. 150bhp in 16v spec too.

Just keeps better and better

[bruders 338]

not too sure if its only for the petrol but if you get one keep clear of selespeed gear box there known for breaking

[Youngowner93]

not too sure if its only for the petrol but if you get one keep clear of selespeed gear box there known for breaking

Oh dear that sounds expensive How will i know if the car has a Selespeed box fitted? I assume that the diesel will be pretty robust and parts cheap being fitted to Astra's?

Edit: With a bit of Google work seems if only Semi-autos with the paadle shifters have the selespeed gear box can anyone clear this up?

Edited by Youngowner93, 28 July 2011 - 09:25 PM.

[bruders 338]

not too sure if its only for the petrol but if you get one keep clear of selespeed gear box there known for breaking

Oh dear that sounds expensive How will i know if the car has a Selespeed box fitted? I assume that the diesel will be pretty robust and parts cheap being fitted to Astra's?

Edit: With a bit of Google work seems if only Semi-autos with the paadle shifters have the selespeed gear box can anyone clear this up?

before i owned my mini i had a 147 selespeed and also had a fiat schumacher but that was manual. anyway the selespeed is the flappy paddle gear box. thats the only thing on alfas and fiats that let them down really and maybe the cam vairiatour (bad spelling sorry ). but other than that their great cars.

as long as its a manual you cannot go wrong...

[new_zealand _minis]

we had on of them come into our work shop for service

our young boy mechanic ( im younger but anyways ) the egg put water in the gearbox oil.. he thought the bottle was for the window washers :

recked the valves and all the stuff operation the gearbox .. fixed that then it came back with wiring problems , then came back poping out of grear .. has been in and out the last 3 months

glad to say that he got fired that friday ...

thy do look preety cool tho

[andymini12]

where i used to work we had one to brake, with the flapy pannel gearbox as the transmission fluid pump or gearbox pump had broke, it is a common problem on them but the pump is somthing like £1300 or somthing stupid ! but they look ok i think, i wouldn't get one that is semi auto though.

Edited by andymini12, 29 July 2011 - 12:28 PM.

[Youngowner93]

The plan was to go for a manual anyway none of this auto or semi-auto carry on. All i need now is more cash!

[drewsargent1980]

The Selespeed i belive was a semi-auto gear box, lots of issues with them.

Parts are notoriously expensive i thought my right off would be easyily fixable, but it was quoted at £3700 to repair it and as it was only valued at £2500, body panels where not cheap.

Edited by drewsargent1980, 29 July 2011 - 04:40 PM.

[Youngowner93]

The Selespeed i belive was a semi-auto gear box, lots of issues with them.

Parts are notoriously expensive i thought my right off would be easyily fixable, but it was quoted at £3700 to repair it and as it was only valued at £2500, body panels where not cheap.

So the manual i should have no issues with? By parts are you refering to just body parts or all parts on the vehicle? I guessed switches and sensors would all be quite deer as they are on most vehicles.

[mike19]

iv got a 156 and love it

[minisilverbullet]

Ive a 147, and if i am honest although they look great and go great (when working), but i would not be getting another Alfa Romeo.

I have a huge list of things to work through before MOT time. Door handle came of in my hand just a couple of weeks ago!

Selespeed is indeed the flappy panel gear box, i have heard bad things about them.

Although i haven't seen the interior for the 159, you can guarantee it will be pretty classy.

Alfaowner.com is a great forum.