Alfa Romeo 166 (2005)

What to check before buying a 2005 Alfa Romeo 166

Practical pre-purchase checks for this age and model.

• 📋 Check the full MOT history. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. Enter the reg below for a full AI analysis.
• 🔍 Inspect for corrosion in person. Brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that's expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.
• 🛞 Check tyres and brakes. The most common advisory items at this age. Budget for replacement if they're near the limit — factor this into your offer price.
• ⚠️ 52.8% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded. Enter the reg below — the full MOT history will show exactly what was flagged and whether it was resolved.
• 📄 Run an HPI check. The MOT history won't show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status — an HPI check will.

Before you buy a Alfa Romeo 166

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Pass Rate by Fuel Type

Mileage Distribution

Most 2005 Alfa Romeo 166 vehicles sit in the blue band. If the car you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.

Half of all 2005 Alfa Romeo 166 vehicles fall between 53,840 and 91,346 miles.

2005 Alfa Romeo 166 — Still on the Road

Numbers are declining — 31 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025 (32% of peak).

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2014–2025.

MOT History Averages

Most Common MOT Issues — 2005 Alfa Romeo 166

Based on actual MOT test records for this model. Percentage shows how often each item appears across all vehicles in this cohort.

• 73.8%
  Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit
• 71.5%
  Parking brake: efficiency below requirements
• 67.3%
  Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit
• 51.9%
  Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit
• 46.3%
  Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit
• 42.5%
  Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components
• 34.1%
  Oil leak, but not excessive
• 30.8%
  Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2005. Counts include advisories and failures.

Found a specific Alfa Romeo 166?

Enter the reg to see its individual MOT history, AI Hunches, and how it compares to this cohort.