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Servicing 156



 
 
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  #1  
Old July 31st 04, 07:54 AM
Graeme Cosgrove
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Posts: n/a
Default Servicing 156

The 36K service is due on my 2.0 156, and I have noted that there is some
variance over the timing belt issue.

The dealer (Caledonia in Preston), has given me a price of £360 for the
service, but told me that they only "check" the belt, as it is replaced at
the 76K service. If I "wanted" to have the belt job done, that would be
£440 on top of the service.

Question 1, therefore, is "should they be checking or changing the timing
belt at the 36K service?"

The car is still under warranty, so I would (naively?) thought that if there
was a problem with the tensioners/belt/etc it would at least be partly
covered?

Question 2 is "if they need to replace the parts, should some or all of the
cost be covered by the warranty?"

Question 3 is "isn't (potentially) £800 a lot of money to spend to service a
two and a half year old car?"

Question 4. This is the tough one. "How do I get "executive approval"
(e.g. the wife) to swap it for a GT?"

G


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  #2  
Old July 31st 04, 08:27 AM
Tony Rickard
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Posts: n/a
Default


"Graeme Cosgrove" > wrote in message
...
> The 36K service is due on my 2.0 156, and I have noted that there is some
> variance over the timing belt issue.
>
> The dealer (Caledonia in Preston), has given me a price of £360 for the
> service, but told me that they only "check" the belt, as it is replaced

at
> the 76K service. If I "wanted" to have the belt job done, that would be
> £440 on top of the service.
>
> Question 1, therefore, is "should they be checking or changing the timing
> belt at the 36K service?"
>
> The car is still under warranty, so I would (naively?) thought that if

there
> was a problem with the tensioners/belt/etc it would at least be partly
> covered?
>
> Question 2 is "if they need to replace the parts, should some or all of

the
> cost be covered by the warranty?"
>
> Question 3 is "isn't (potentially) £800 a lot of money to spend to

service a
> two and a half year old car?"
>
> Question 4. This is the tough one. "How do I get "executive approval"
> (e.g. the wife) to swap it for a GT?"
>
> G
>
>



  #3  
Old July 31st 04, 08:29 AM
Tony Rickard
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Posts: n/a
Default

"Graeme Cosgrove" wrote:

> Question 4. This is the tough one. "How do I get "executive approval"
> (e.g. the wife) to swap it for a GT?"


Choice of spend £800 and keep the car (cos it will go out of warranty in 6
months and you can't take the risk with the belts).

Spend a lot less and change it within 6 months

Change it now!

Hope this helps

Tony



  #4  
Old July 31st 04, 11:03 AM
Zathras
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Posts: n/a
Default

On Sat, 31 Jul 2004 07:54:41 +0100, "Graeme Cosgrove"
> wrote:

<Snip>
>Question 3 is "isn't (potentially) £800 a lot of money to spend to service a
>two and a half year old car?"


It is. However, it's not unusual with Alfas and Main Dealerships. My
third year service at 25000 miles cost this and there was nothing
unusually big in the work that was done (just stuff like bushes and
handbrake cable etc). Trouble is that, with a normal service being
more than 300UKP for me, any extra work quickly adds up to a very
large sum. Next year, it'll get the A/C regassed (add another 100UKP)
and I'd not be surprised if there's belts, more bushes or whatever.
I'm saving up a scary 1000UKP just to cover this possibility.

Before I bought it, research had shown me that the 156 was VERY
expensive to run. Nobody put proper figures to it but, in my case, my
car costs 0.10UKP per mile in maintenance costs ONLY. Frankly, it's a
dire figure (it's more than my fuel cost) and it will determine
whether my next car is an Alfa or not. Don't get me wrong, I love the
car but I can get a better pleasure/cost ratio elsewhere.This is
particularly so as the chances for having a fun drive in the UK
diminish with the quality of the roads (rapidly scraping the bottom
off my car), the dire state of British driving and speed cameras...

<snip>

--
Z
Scotland
Alfa Romeo 156 2.4JTD Veloce Leather
'Oil' be seeing you..
(Email without 'Alfa' in subject are auto-deleted..sorry!)
  #5  
Old July 31st 04, 08:13 PM
Graeme Cosgrove
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Don't even begin to get me started on the police - sorry "revenue men" for
that is what they have become. Car stolen? Sorry sir, nothing we can do!
33 in a 30? The FULL weight of the LAW (???) falls upon you.

Respect for law and order evapoulated the minoute they embraced the camera.
Aren't they a public service?

Soon to be even more skint (despite how well everytbing is going???)_

g
"Zathras" > wrote in message
...
> On Sat, 31 Jul 2004 07:54:41 +0100, "Graeme Cosgrove"
> > wrote:
>
> <Snip>
>>Question 3 is "isn't (potentially) £800 a lot of money to spend to service
>>a
>>two and a half year old car?"

>
> It is. However, it's not unusual with Alfas and Main Dealerships. My
> third year service at 25000 miles cost this and there was nothing
> unusually big in the work that was done (just stuff like bushes and
> handbrake cable etc). Trouble is that, with a normal service being
> more than 300UKP for me, any extra work quickly adds up to a very
> large sum. Next year, it'll get the A/C regassed (add another 100UKP)
> and I'd not be surprised if there's belts, more bushes or whatever.
> I'm saving up a scary 1000UKP just to cover this possibility.
>
> Before I bought it, research had shown me that the 156 was VERY
> expensive to run. Nobody put proper figures to it but, in my case, my
> car costs 0.10UKP per mile in maintenance costs ONLY. Frankly, it's a
> dire figure (it's more than my fuel cost) and it will determine
> whether my next car is an Alfa or not. Don't get me wrong, I love the
> car but I can get a better pleasure/cost ratio elsewhere.This is
> particularly so as the chances for having a fun drive in the UK
> diminish with the quality of the roads (rapidly scraping the bottom
> off my car), the dire state of British driving and speed cameras...
>
> <snip>
>
> --
> Z
> Scotland
> Alfa Romeo 156 2.4JTD Veloce Leather
> 'Oil' be seeing you..
> (Email without 'Alfa' in subject are auto-deleted..sorry!)



  #6  
Old July 31st 04, 08:27 PM
SteveH
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Zathras > wrote:

> On Sat, 31 Jul 2004 07:54:41 +0100, "Graeme Cosgrove"
> > wrote:
>
> <Snip>
> >Question 3 is "isn't (potentially) £800 a lot of money to spend to service a
> >two and a half year old car?"

>
> It is. However, it's not unusual with Alfas and Main Dealerships.


It's not unusual for any prestiege brand to cost that much at 30 months.

Try pricing up that kind of service on an Audi, Mercedes and BMW and
you'll find out just how expensive it can be.
--
Steve H 'You're not a real petrolhead unless you've owned an Alfa Romeo'
http://www.italiancar.co.uk - Honda VFR800 - MZ ETZ300
VW Golf GL Cabrio - Alfa 75 TS - Alfa 155 TS Lusso - COSOC KOTL
BoTAFOT #87 - BoTAFOF #18 - MRO # - UKRMSBC #7 - Apostle #2 - YTC #
  #7  
Old August 1st 04, 06:03 PM
David C
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

"Graeme Cosgrove" > wrote in message
...
> The 36K service is due on my 2.0 156, and I have noted that there is some
> variance over the timing belt issue.
>
> The dealer (Caledonia in Preston), has given me a price of £360 for the
> service, but told me that they only "check" the belt, as it is replaced at
> the 76K service. If I "wanted" to have the belt job done, that would be
> £440 on top of the service.
>
> Question 1, therefore, is "should they be checking or changing the timing
> belt at the 36K service?"



Ask them how they intend to "check" the cambelt.

If they are only taking the cover off and looking at it, that will prove
nothing as the teeth (hidden by the pulleys) could be about to fall off.

If they take it off and examine it then they have already done all the work
required to change it and you should NEVER refit an old cambelt.

Get the job done properly, a cambelt failure could cost you £2000 and a lot
of inconvenience.
Make sure they change the balance-shaft belt and the tensioners too (and
maybe the variator as well.)
--
David C
156 Selespeed sp3 + Brembo conversion


  #8  
Old August 1st 04, 09:35 PM
Zathras
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

On Sat, 31 Jul 2004 20:27:53 +0100, (SteveH)
wrote:

>Zathras > wrote:
>
>> On Sat, 31 Jul 2004 07:54:41 +0100, "Graeme Cosgrove"
>> > wrote:
>>
>> <Snip>
>> >Question 3 is "isn't (potentially) £800 a lot of money to spend to service a
>> >two and a half year old car?"

>>
>> It is. However, it's not unusual with Alfas and Main Dealerships.

>
>It's not unusual for any prestiege brand to cost that much at 30 months.


Ahem..it would have cost more than that at 11 months if Alfa hadn't
picked up the bill for suspension work at 9000 miles. At 24 months it
cost a mere 450UKP. This car EATS suspension bushes front and rear
like they're made of putty.

The biggest service bill for servicing my Vauxhalls (eek!) 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.

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.." :-)

--
Z
Scotland
Alfa Romeo 156 2.4JTD Veloce Leather
'Oil' be seeing you..
(Email without 'Alfa' in subject are auto-deleted..sorry!)
  #9  
Old August 1st 04, 10:20 PM
SteveH
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Zathras > wrote:

> On Sat, 31 Jul 2004 20:27:53 +0100, (SteveH)
> wrote:
>
> >Zathras > wrote:
> >
> >> On Sat, 31 Jul 2004 07:54:41 +0100, "Graeme Cosgrove"
> >> > wrote:
> >>
> >> <Snip> >Question 3 is "isn't (potentially) £800 a lot of money to spend
> >> to service a >two and a half year old car?"
> >>
> >> It is. However, it's not unusual with Alfas and Main Dealerships.

> >
> >It's not unusual for any prestiege brand to cost that much at 30 months.

>
> Ahem..it would have cost more than that at 11 months if Alfa hadn't
> picked up the bill for suspension work at 9000 miles. At 24 months it
> cost a mere 450UKP. This car EATS suspension bushes front and rear
> like they're made of putty.


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.

> The biggest service bill for servicing my Vauxhalls (eek!)


Which part of 'prestiege' didn't you understand?

> 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.

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.

> 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.

What's so unusual about jacking up a car to change the oil? - that's
standard procedure, is it not?
--
Steve H 'You're not a real petrolhead unless you've owned an Alfa Romeo'
http://www.italiancar.co.uk - Honda VFR800 - MZ ETZ300
VW Golf GL Cabrio - Alfa 75 TS - Alfa 155 TS Lusso - COSOC KOTL
BoTAFOT #87 - BoTAFOF #18 - MRO # - UKRMSBC #7 - Apostle #2 - YTC #
  #10  
Old August 4th 04, 02:28 PM
Zathras
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

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!)
 




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