Alfa GT - Alfatex quality control problems?

Hi All,

I went to my local showroom to order a new GT in Sterling Gret metallic with
the Light Grey Alfatex and black/grey dash (UK colour code 127).

Turns out that although this option is in the brochures, Alfa are no longer
offering this colour combination as an option.

As an alternative, I said I would consider Stromboli Grey with the 127
interior, or Sterling Grey with the 160 interior (light grey alfatex with
grey/grey dashboard).

Now the dealer informs me all interior colour choices with the light grey
alfatex are currently unavailable from the factory because of "quality
control issues"!

Seems rather odd - has anyone else experienced this?

Thanks - Grahame.

> Now the dealer informs me all interior colour choices with the light grey
> alfatex are currently unavailable from the factory because of "quality
> control issues"!

I haven't experienced this and would be rather surprised - I have worked for
2 major suppliers of automotive seating and in the position of the supplier,
you supply to a fixed price contract, when the customer (eg Alfa, or in my
case Ford, Nissan, Toyota, Rover, BMW etc) wants the seating. In one of my
contracts the timing between the order arriving at the printer in the plant,
and the complete seating set leaving to go to Toyota was 110 minutes.

Suppliers HAVE to deliver the goods - no choice - if the fabric isn't any
good it is their problem. Maybe someone has boobed big-time and the fabric
supplier has been unable to supply - if so there will be so much activity
going on at the seating supplier that no-one will want to be involved!

Or we can look for problems elsewhere (purchasing, scheduling, etc......)

Can someone in Italy find out what the problem really is?

Adam H

My guess is that they are trying to find an excuse.
They are trying to sell a certain spec that they have already on order (or
on stock)
Alfa only has one general problem and that is that sales are double what
they expected.
I ordered mine (2.0JTS / Rosso Siena / Nature leather / black dash) end May,
delivery end December!!
--
Ciao from Holland
AlfistaGJ (Gert-Jan)
Alfa red 156 SW 1.8 Madeno tuned (2000)
Golden Montreal 1428700 (1973/4)

"Grahame" > schreef in bericht
...
> Hi All,
>
> I went to my local showroom to order a new GT in Sterling Gret metallic
with
> the Light Grey Alfatex and black/grey dash (UK colour code 127).
>
> Turns out that although this option is in the brochures, Alfa are no
longer
> offering this colour combination as an option.
>
> As an alternative, I said I would consider Stromboli Grey with the 127
> interior, or Sterling Grey with the 160 interior (light grey alfatex with
> grey/grey dashboard).
>
> Now the dealer informs me all interior colour choices with the light grey
> alfatex are currently unavailable from the factory because of "quality
> control issues"!
>
> Seems rather odd - has anyone else experienced this?
>
> Thanks - Grahame.
>
>

"Ex Alfa Adam" > schreef in bericht
...
>
> Suppliers HAVE to deliver the goods - no choice - if the fabric isn't any
> good it is their problem. Maybe someone has boobed big-time and the
fabric
> supplier has been unable to supply - if so there will be so much activity
> going on at the seating supplier that no-one will want to be involved!
>
> Or we can look for problems elsewhere (purchasing, scheduling, etc......)

Base of the problem will be the sales succes, double what they expected.
Alfa, like any other party, has contract with sub-suppliers for just in time
delivery for a certian quantity per day/week/monht/year
Alfa and their sub-suppliers are not able to scale up 100% in a short
period.
As far as I am informed, they are using the holiday month of August to
re-plan production from less selling models to the GT; they hope to get this
100% extra on the GT

Then they will have to decide what to do with those contracts they already
have for delivery in 2005
Will they use the extra capacity to pull delivery forward or will they use
it to sell extra cars to new customers and leave the old ones with the long
delivery!?
The old ones cannot pull out of their contract, so my guess is they will use
it for new orders!
--
Ciao from Holland
AlfistaGJ (Gert-Jan)
Alfa red 156 SW 1.8 Madeno tuned (2000)
Golden Montreal 1428700 (1973/4)

Hi All,

Thanks for the comments, it's intersting to hear your views. The dealership
is going to ring me on Friday with an update on the availability, so I'll
post the news here and let you all know what the story is.

Thanks,

Grahame.

"Alfistagj" > wrote in message
news:w5qSc.5311$vH5.268@amstwist00...
> My guess is that they are trying to find an excuse.
> They are trying to sell a certain spec that they have already on order (or
> on stock)
> Alfa only has one general problem and that is that sales are double what
> they expected.
> I ordered mine (2.0JTS / Rosso Siena / Nature leather / black dash) end
May,
> delivery end December!!
> --
> Ciao from Holland
> AlfistaGJ (Gert-Jan)
> Alfa red 156 SW 1.8 Madeno tuned (2000)
> Golden Montreal 1428700 (1973/4)
>
> "Grahame" > schreef in bericht
> ...
> > Hi All,
> >
> > I went to my local showroom to order a new GT in Sterling Gret metallic
> with
> > the Light Grey Alfatex and black/grey dash (UK colour code 127).
> >
> > Turns out that although this option is in the brochures, Alfa are no
> longer
> > offering this colour combination as an option.
> >
> > As an alternative, I said I would consider Stromboli Grey with the 127
> > interior, or Sterling Grey with the 160 interior (light grey alfatex
with
> > grey/grey dashboard).
> >
> > Now the dealer informs me all interior colour choices with the light
grey
> > alfatex are currently unavailable from the factory because of "quality
> > control issues"!
> >
> > Seems rather odd - has anyone else experienced this?
> >
> > Thanks - Grahame.
> >
> >
>
>

On Wed, 11 Aug 2004 16:31:49 +0200, "Alfistagj"
> wrote:

=>My guess is that they are trying to find an excuse.
=>They are trying to sell a certain spec that they have already on
order (or
=>on stock)
=>Alfa only has one general problem and that is that sales are double
what
=>they expected.
=>I ordered mine (2.0JTS / Rosso Siena / Nature leather / black dash)
end May,
=>delivery end December!!

Nope,
they are indeed reviewing tand changing the options offered, compared
to what announced at the model's launch. The GT colour combination
offer has been a bit of a mess. The luxury leather interior package
has also been reconsidered... I think it won't be available. Have to
check this last one...
Neuropean

"Grahame" > wrote in message
...
> Hi All,
>
> Thanks for the comments, it's intersting to hear your views. The
dealership
> is going to ring me on Friday with an update on the availability, so I'll
> post the news here and let you all know what the story is.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Grahame.
>
> "Alfistagj" > wrote in message
> news:w5qSc.5311$vH5.268@amstwist00...
> > My guess is that they are trying to find an excuse.
> > They are trying to sell a certain spec that they have already on order
(or
> > on stock)
> > Alfa only has one general problem and that is that sales are double what
> > they expected.
> > I ordered mine (2.0JTS / Rosso Siena / Nature leather / black dash) end
> May,
> > delivery end December!!
> > --
> > Ciao from Holland
> > AlfistaGJ (Gert-Jan)
> > Alfa red 156 SW 1.8 Madeno tuned (2000)
> > Golden Montreal 1428700 (1973/4)
> >
> > "Grahame" > schreef in bericht
> > ...
> > > Hi All,
> > >
> > > I went to my local showroom to order a new GT in Sterling Gret
metallic
> > with
> > > the Light Grey Alfatex and black/grey dash (UK colour code 127).
> > >
> > > Turns out that although this option is in the brochures, Alfa are no
> > longer
> > > offering this colour combination as an option.
> > >
> > > As an alternative, I said I would consider Stromboli Grey with the 127
> > > interior, or Sterling Grey with the 160 interior (light grey alfatex
> with
> > > grey/grey dashboard).
> > >
> > > Now the dealer informs me all interior colour choices with the light
> grey
> > > alfatex are currently unavailable from the factory because of "quality
> > > control issues"!
> > >
> > > Seems rather odd - has anyone else experienced this?
> > >
> > > Thanks - Grahame.

Well, its official. We're back in the days on Henry Ford - you can have any
colour you like as long as it's black!
It seems following the "quality control" issues with the grey Alfatex, Alfa
are currently only accepting orders for Alfatex interiors in black.
Apparently this is under review and they "may" be able to offer grey Alfatex
again from late next week (but that's what they said last week!)
Watch this space...
Grahame.