On Sun, 1 Aug 2004 22:20:40 +0100, (SteveH)
wrote:

<Snip>
>Bushes are a once-only fix. Replace with poly bushes and they'll last a
>lifetime. And it's not only Alfa that suffer with this. Mondeos do, too.

If it's that straightforward, why don't Alfa fit poly bushes?

>> The biggest service bill for servicing my Vauxhalls (eek!)
>
>Which part of 'prestiege' didn't you understand?

The 'e' before the 'g'! I think 'prestige' is hyping the 156 a bit
too far. How can a 156 that is bought new for the same money as a 2
litre Vectra be prestige? I don't consider low to medium spec BMWs as
prestige motors either BTW. In my books prestige starts at about
35000UKP! YMMV.

>> in 12 years
>> (double eek!) of driving their top of the range models came to less
>> than my smallest Alfa bill. Alfa have not made the 156 a low labour
>> quick fix car. IME, cheapest VX service = 70UKP. Cheapest Alfa service
>> 315UKP both from full dealerships within miles of each other.
>
>Vauxhall make cheap **** cars for numpties. They're mechanically very
>crude, hence the cheap servicing.

I disagree.

They're not that cheap when you factor in the depreciation from new.

As for 'numpties', IME, there are vastly more people that think *I* am
a numpty for buying an Alfa. I feel like a total numpty when I see the
cost of the work done on a low mileage car. I always felt cleverer
handing over 70UKP for a service than 800UKP.

They're not all crude..the VX 220 and the development 1.9TT engine are
quite interesting. The idea of a 1.9 diesel Vectra repmobile tagging
along with a GTA on the motorway doesn't immediately suggest
'crudeness'.They also had a V6 with a higher output (similar power,
much better torque) than the Alfa 2.5 about 3 years ago. IMO,
crudeness has its place.

>Try looking at the cost of servicing an equivalent 3-series BMW. Let me
>tell you it's not cheap servicing a VANOS BMW 6-cylinder lump.

Is that comparable to a 10V (manually adjusted tappets) JTD?

In any case, I don't care for most over-rated German cars and am
unimpressed when Alfas are compared to them either because it's
avoiding the real issue. The REAL competition for quality,
reliability, and sophistication comes out of Japan. My folks have had
pretty fancy Hondas for years and they're not simple or crude. Strange
how their wallet has never been emptied at service time..since 1990!
Why didn't I get one then? I don't like the way they drive!

>> Even the simplest Alfa maintenance tasks are miserable (e.g. change a
>> headlamp bulb with big hands?!). I need to jack up my car to change
>> the oil..etc..etc. I asked one of the dealer mechanics (who was on a
>> home visit recently to replace a leaky fuel filter) if anything was
>> easy to fix on these. "NO" he replied. "Great engine though.." :-)
>
>Headlamp bulbs are increasingly difficult to change on lots of cars -
>it's not unknown for bumpers to have to be dropped to change stuff like
>that.

...that doesn't make it a good thing though!

>What's so unusual about jacking up a car to change the oil? - that's
>standard procedure, is it not?

I've never had to do it before. I've always managed (with scraped
knuckles admittedly).

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