Alfa Romeo thread - back from the dead!

[plastic penguin]

Mr Sheen

Funny you should say that. I remember as a youngster my dad used washing up liquid for the car bodywork, can't recall what car, probably Hillman Minx or Hunter. Very strange.

 

[12th Monkey]

Car in for MOT and service last week - all fine. Massive misbehaviour today - dropped it off again and hoping it just needs a new battery...

 

[12th Monkey]

Car in for MOT and service last week - all fine. Massive misbehaviour today - dropped it off again and hoping it just needs a new battery...

Poo. Electrical gremlins, so it's trial and error to find where the problem is. Going to be a good few days yet...

 

[Friesiansam]

Poo. Electrical gremlins, so it's trial and error to find where the problem is. Going to be a good few days yet...

I remember when electrical gremlins were fixed with WD40 or, squeezing a spade connector with pliers...

 

[12th Monkey]

I remember when electrical gremlins were fixed with WD40 or, squeezing a spade connector with pliers...

Bit worse than that these days - 3.5 hrs labour (I know it was more, but they're good guys) at £76p/h (Audi would be charging iro £300-350 p/h by now), plus diagnostic test, VAT and a relay coming in at a total of £410. Failed part itself was £23 pre-VAT...

But my car's back to fighting fit again and it could have been a lot worse.

 

[JDL]

I’m sure they have got much better over time.

I have a liking for French cars, especially Citroens on Hydropneumatic suspension. I have had four of those Citroens and they always had a reputation for complexity and unreliability. I never had many problems and the hydraulic system was always reliable.

Yeah. I love Citroen's with the Hydropneumatic suspension. I had no less than 5 BXs. The Xantia I think was better.I'd really like a 2011 or onwards C5 Exclusive Tourer. Hydropneumatic suspension, chain drive camshaft. Really nice car in my opinion.

 

[plastic penguin]

Love the old DS. It's like driving a water bed. One of my fav classics.

 

[JDL]

Yes. Me too. A very valuable car now.

 

[12th Monkey]

Love the old DS. It's like driving a water bed. One of my fav classics.

Ride quality is something that we seem to have gradually lost.

 

[Friesiansam]

Ride quality is something that we seem to have gradually lost.

Lap times matter more now...


I remember the first time I had a ride in a Citroen, a CX. I grew-up on The Mendips, in a village called Priddy. from the A39 to Priddy is about 3 miles and once, my mate and I were given a lift by a friend who owned a CX. that road has a long straight stretch that is so uneven, that in my Mini at 50mph, it felt like if I went any faster it would leap off the road into the fields. In that CX, at 80, it was like floating across a billiard table. I was a convert, then and there..

 

[JDL]

Yes indeed. There's no suspension type on any car that beats Citroen's Hydropneumatic set up. It' a almost addictive to me, once you've had a Citroen with that set up, everything else seems inferior. My Brother had a 2011 C5 Exclusive Tourer, that's estate to us ordinary people, with the Hydropneumatic suspension. What a lovely car that was. Unfortunately it got written off. 😭

 

[plastic penguin]

Ride quality is something that we seem to have gradually lost.

Indeed. Car makes nowadays are obsessed with dislodging your spine. The ma-in-law had a Peugeot 307, which was nice and comfy but the build quality and reliability was dreadful.

Those old Citreon DSs had seats like armchairs - fabulously sophisticated. The only issues were everything worked off the same hydraulic feed, incl the brakes. If that leaked you were in trouble.

 

[JDL]

Indeed. Car makes nowadays are obsessed with dislodging your spine. The ma-in-law had a Peugeot 307, which was nice and comfy but the build quality and reliability was dreadful.

Those old Citreon DSs had seats like armchairs - fabulously sophisticated. The only issues were everything worked off the same hydraulic feed, incl the brakes. If that leaked you were in trouble.

Living where I do and actually I think the roads are pretty unkempt in other places too, it amazes me to see people with lowered suspension and very low profile tyres. I always look for the opposite when looking for a car.😂

 

[12th Monkey]

Our roads are so crappy that it's telling that some of the manufacturers that are best at blending decent ride and handling are British - Lotus and Jaguar spring to mind.

And the likes of evo and Autocar usually add the caveat about rating a new car they've tested on smoother roads abroad (which is most of them, it seems) that final judgment is reserved until the car is tested here.

 

[Edbostan]

Cheers guys.

Just to confirm, my insurance company has not been told. The insurance company mentioned was the guy who hit the car. The specialist has now involved their insurance company as they are also legal advisors.

The car had trade plates on when hit. It happened over 20 miles from my doorstep. Consequently I'm left in limbo. I want to keep the car because of its condition, rarity and all our family really like the car: family holidays, and mundane stuff like shopping, taking my daughter to University etc etc.

If it has to go to scrapheap-on-the Wold, then I demand compensation for a suitable replacement, which will be far more than the cost of the repair.

When insurance companies write off cars they may not go to the scrapper. My son's Ford Fiesta was written off and he was paid accordingly. A salvage pick up came to take the Fiesta away to auction. A few months afterwards I looked on the DVLA website and the car was back on the road. Who is kidding who?

 

[plastic penguin]

When insurance companies write off cars they may not go to the scrapper. My son's Ford Fiesta was written off and he was paid accordingly. A salvage pick up came to take the Fiesta away to auction. A few months afterwards I looked on the DVLA website and the car was back on the road. Who is kidding who?

I forgot all about this.

 

[plastic penguin]

Been told by Alfa independent specialists that Alfa Romeo are now recommending one particular oil: Petronas Syntium 10W 60. I've tried getting and that's hens teeth. Phoned various independent specialists I use and they buy it from a company Alfa Shop. They are having supply issues. Euro car parts no longer supply Petronas oils of any sort, Halfords don't sell 10W 60.

Joys of owning a specialist car.

 

[Al ears]

Been told by Alfa independent specialists that Alfa Romeo are now recommending one particular oil: Petronas Syntium 10W 60. I've tried getting and that's hens teeth. Phoned various independent specialists I use and they buy it from a company Alfa Shop. They are having supply issues. Euro car parts no longer supply Petronas oils of any sort, Halfords don't sell 10W 60.

Joys of owning a specialist car.

Would have thought the 10W 40 wouldn't be a bad substitution
Surprised they don't suggest Eni Oils as they are Italian....

 

[WayneKerr]

Been told by Alfa independent specialists that Alfa Romeo are now recommending one particular oil: Petronas Syntium 10W 60. I've tried getting and that's hens teeth. Phoned various independent specialists I use and they buy it from a company Alfa Shop. They are having supply issues. Euro car parts no longer supply Petronas oils of any sort, Halfords don't sell 10W 60.

Joys of owning a specialist car.

That's a racing spec oil grade, are they sure? Can't find Petronus online but plenty of other brands available.

 

[WayneKerr]

Do you do your own servicing, PP, or purely keep a can for top-ups?

 

[JDL]

Would have thought the 10W 40 wouldn't be a bad substitution
Surprised they don't suggest Eni Oils as they are Italian....

My Chrysler 300C diesel, has a Mercedes OM642 engine in it. This engine has to have a particular Mercedes Synthetic Ash Free Oil and you have to be careful when buying, to get the specification numbers exactly right. I accidentally ordered the wrong oil because the correct oil is something, something, something, .3 and I ordered .2. The cans look identical.
The Chrysler's been at my local mechanic for about 3 months now. He's getting old, he's overwhelmed with work and he can't find any young men who know what their doing to work with him now. Add to this the fact that his diagnostic machine doesn't work with the Chrysler.
Luckily now he's found a mechanic in the next village with the same car as me and the correct diagnostic machine.
Simon's (my identical twin bro') Alfa Mito, is at the other local garage, with very little wrong with it, but because they can't get it running, they can't be bothered to find out what's wrong with it. I don't know why but it always seems to be us that get put on the back burner, even though we're instant payers and I always payed my mechanic more than he asked for. I'd say "Oh, is that all? That's not enough, here take this and bung him an extra £20 at least.
I'm considering buying an old Morris Minor🤣 except I don't like them much and their probably worth too much.

 

[Al ears]

That's a racing spec oil grade, are they sure? Can't find Petronus online but plenty of other brands available.

It's Petronas that's why...
Malaysian oil company.

 

[plastic penguin]

Would have thought the 10W 40 wouldn't be a bad substitution
Surprised they don't suggest Eni Oils as they are Italian....

Always used 10W 40 until I had the car serviced a couple of weeks ago. Recently Alfa Romeo are recommending 10 60, especially for my 2.0 JTS engine. Had that confirmed by other specialists.

Pretty sure Alfa like making things difficult for owners.

 

[plastic penguin]

That's a racing spec oil grade, are they sure? Can't find Petronus online but plenty of other brands available.

They used to recommend Petronas Selina, which is outright racing oil.

 

[WayneKerr]

It's Petronas that's why...
Malaysian oil company.

I'm well aware of who Petronus are, being an avid F1 follower