Hi All
I am new to the disc group and could do with some advice about a sick Alfa 156 which has had the following faults. I'll try to be brief but here goes with a brief history:
1. Purchased Alfa 156 2.0 TS with Leather Sport Pack from AutoAalbers and imported it into the UK Jan 2000.
2. 19 months old and the car started to suffer from engine breaking problems: i.e. when changing gear it was very difficult to get a smooth change, often if left in neutral and the car was going down a hill or on the flat it would decellerate to a stanstill.
Went to dealer and they cleaned throttle pot and reset the ecu, seemed to improve for 1 week and then back to normal.
3. 19 months old took car back with above problem and a squeeky front suspension especially when going over speed bumps.
Checked again and diagnosed failed rocker cover gasket, causing oil leak/loss of compression. Squeek diagnosed as failed front wishbone arms. Took 3 months to order in parts by which time car tended to understeer and vibration developed at all speeds through front of the car, (also changed tyres to Potenza S03's from Pirelli's wished I had put Michelin on).
4. 22 months old, dealer finally fitted new front wish arms, repaired rocker cover gasket and the engine braking improved but the suspension did not. Main problem was car vibration all the time, through the front of the car and instability at speed.
Dealer agreed with problem and decided to 4 wheel align the car 4 times, no improvement. Ordered replacement front and rear shocks.
5. 24 months old fitted front and rear shocks.
No improvement.
6. 26 months old another 4 wheel alignment and replaced failed rear bushes (one was hanging off apparently - which would explain the occasional knock at the rear).
No improvement, the tech ordered another set of rear shocks even though I disagreed and said if replacing once made no difference how would another?
7. 27 months, replaced shocks again, no improvement, tested wheels (after having em balanced 5 times) and diagnosed 2 out of true alloys (the ones from the rear where bushes had gone).
Garage wanted me to fork out for the alloys but the tyre place was not convinced. Used 2 more alloys from the garage and it helped but did not solve problem.
8. Finally last week, garage tryed last through of the dice and 4 wheel aligned car and released nuts on all suspension components and they hear a big "clonk". After this the car drives much better and the only vibration I think is due to the out of tru alloys.
My questions for help are as follows: could the incorrectly setup suspension/failed rear bushes have caused both rear alloys to fail (and therefore allow me to claim on warranty). As there is no sign of kerbing on them and it would be difficult to damage both of them simultaneously.
Secondly I am getting more concerned as the engine breaking has not really gone away (just had more pressing problems to concentrate on). Do other 2.0TS drivers have the same problem. I am sure that when I first had the car it drove much better and was less erratic/jerky at low rev's/speeds, more smooth in gear changes. If this is a problem, what could I suggest the tech to look at, my guess it throttle pot/ecu....
Thirdly the car has in the last 3 weeks developed a squeek from the front of the dash in front of driver, any ideas?
Apologies for the long email but I refuse to sell this car as when it works it is fantastic, and having solved one fault am eager to sort the others out. The local alfa dealer have been ok (i.e. they could have told be to f*@!#$ off as it is in an import with an extended UK warranty), but they struggle to diagnose advanced faults...
On another note anyone with an import in the UK, must take out an alfacare warranty, as the dealer principal mentioned they are getting return rates on alfa's of more than 25%, and with labour rates at £50 p/hour, it could get bloody expensive.
If anyone could help it would be well received......I am getting desperate.
James Nelson
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The car must really be good to put up with so much , i would have dicthed it long ago my primera is on 50k and 5years with wearing problems just starting.
Have you enquired about a sympathetic trade in for another?
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It is an import, so would be worth about £8 to £9 K, and I still need a car which when reliable works ok. For what it is worth I think the problem lies with the dealer not being able to diagnose faults as opposed to the car having recurrent faults. Also the way the car driver after 4K revs is excellent although I must admit my patience is wearing thin.
J
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I am sorry, but your problems are NOTHING to do with it being an import.
Alfa Dealers have an (infamous) reputation for NOT sorting out the MANY reliability problems with the 156.
The only consolation I can offer is: just be glad that you did not go for the Selespeed option - check ongoing sagas here using "Search".
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That was not the point I was trying to make. All alfa's have the potential to go wrong (UK or Import), if u buy a UK car u get 3 yrs std cover. I had the foresight to extend my Factory warranty into yrs 2-3 (as imports only have 1yr pan Euro warranty) with a UK topup offered by Alfa Mastercare.
Without this I would have needed to pay approx £1500 - £2000 in alfa fees to diagnose and repair the fault..............Also it is worth noting that after yr 1 with no yr 2 or 3 factory warranty ure only recourse for merchantable quality sales of goods act claims are against the importer where the vehicle was purchased. Like most people who personally import cars mine was from Holland and my Dutch is not that good.
James
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It just shows how a company can be spoilt by stupid main agents and disinterested company. Since Fiat has been almost taken over by GM the service throughout Germany has disintergrated with many agents closing .Alfa was voted the worst car to own in Germany last year why anybody buys a new one I will never understand
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> Andy Bairsto wrote:
> Alfa was voted the worst car to own in Germany last year why anybody buys
> a new one I will never understand
It's coz they look nice.
Steve
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And drive far better than anything else for the £15K I spent on it at the time in its class.
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Apart from Proton GTi - but then it has no glamour from former glories, and just goes!
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Hopefully Alfa will go the way of Lancia in the UK and clear off to just con the poor old Euro suckers.
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The two best cars I ever owned (from the driver's point of view) were an Alfa and a Lancia. They weren't that unreliable either (the VW that followed was worse). The Italians have an ability that seems to escape other nation's car makers - the same is true of motorcycles - and owners will put up with almost anything for the pleasure of driving them. Of course, if you don't like driving...
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Whenever there is a Alfa post the responses are SO predictable. Straight away i thought T.Lucas will mention Lancia and how Alfa should follow suit ;-)
James you have done well to put up with these problems. I have owned many different Alfa models and have basically given up on Franchised dealers. Fortunately there are some excellent specialists around who will offer good service,although i do most of the maintainance myself (could'nt afford an Alfa otherwise).
The suspension faults you mention are known problems on the 156 particular rear bushes.I cant see how how the alloys could be damaged.Its more likely to have caused uneven tyre wear or play in the wheel bearings/axle shaft.
The front wishbones are a well known fault on the 155 so Alfa did not solve this on the new model it seems.
I dont understand your description of the engine problem. Do you mean the idle speed is erratic ?
Squeek behind the dashboard ? Its in the Alfa Romeo brochures options list !
Like you say when everything is working well there is nothing to beat an Alfa but when you need help on fixing problems you start to question your own sanity.
Try www.alfaowner.com forum for more Alfisti comment.
Good Luck
Steve
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The best way to describe the engine breaking thing is that when accelerating, if I take my foot of the throttle pedal the car lurches (and slows down). It is as if the brakes are binding (and they are not). The garage tech mentioned that the engine breaking is due to high compression, and I have driven a 1.6 which behaved similarly but is not as bad i.e smooth deceleration and no lurching.
I am sure it never used to be like this.
U are right about if being an ownsership thing. I have in the past driven a Peugeot 405, and felt like I needed a change from a petrol driven wheelchair . The alfa is jaw-droppingly good when it works and it makes u feel likeu want to drive a carrrr.
The downside is that so many people have poor experiences, but hey when demand increases and the Italians can't cope something gives.
Thanks for the tip re independant dealers. I may take it to Autodelta... whilst still under warranty and make the dealer carry out any repairs.
James
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It is a damned shame, the 156 is so nearly a good car. I have driven RHD and LHD versions of most variants and they vary so much in quality, fit and finish.
UK dealers seem to be either enthusiasts or morons - that's the bottom line to Alfa's troubles.
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I may well be predictable,but the Alfa brand has for a very long time,(i go back to Suds and Alfettas)been nothing better than total unreliable,poorly built,shoddy serviced cr*p.If you are an Alfa enthusiast,OK,but please warn ordinary punters that buying an Alfa will allways end in tears.I repeat,the British motoring public will be far better off when Alfa do the decent thing and clear off from our shores.Can you imagine if any of the far east companies dared to market something as cra**y as an Alfa?
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Have you owned or driven a Alfa T.Lucas ?
I completely agree with your points on Alfa's build quality and reliability but how many posts do we see on this forum about Vauxhalls and ECU lights/sensor failures ... ??? Its not just Alfa who sell cars which fall below acceptable standards.
I guess i'm a sucker for good looking cars with character and a racing heritage something which the far eastern brigade will never acheive. The new Hyundai coupe is case in point, they copy a Ferrari and still design a car which has the appeal of a Vauxhall tigra or Ford Probe. ;-)
James , hopefully Autodelta can test your car and sort out your problem.
Keep us informed !
cheers
Steve
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Will do.
Off to buy some new alloys first to ensure that the handling problems have totally gone, then off to another dealer.
Cheets
James
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Er, wouldn't it be worth getting them balanced first...? Apologies if you already have, but I've never heard of an undamaged alloy wheel being out of true.
As for T.Lucas, the man obviously has no soul.
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The best things in life are often a bit temperamental and need regular servicing. Women, for instance? :-)
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They have managed to balance them off the car but apparently they machine was shaking all over the place once it had got it to within 10g. So god knows what the wheel is doing to the hub/bearing. Am off back to the dealer tommorrow to ask about replacement wheels and a deal whereby if the wheels solve it I'll pay, if not they can have em back with the car (cannot see it somehow).
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