New 08 159 due next month advice required

Evening All,

I have posted before re a Brera but I have been more of a lurker to gather info off this excellent forum. In the end I went for a 159 1.9d for a number of reasons mainly co car tax related. I am expecting the car middle of September through Mangoletsi who I have to say were very good and this is from a Lexus driver where customer service is tip top. Anyway I am digressing and wanted to ask about a couple of things I've seen mentioned on this forum and whether or not they were worth getting namely the exhaust tip and the autodelta remap. The spec of the car is a 1.9 diesel lusso in what my friends have called Don Johnson spec namely white with red leather. I have also ordered the car with 18" horseshoe wheels and am considering having these painted/powdercoated an anthracite type colour. I suppose the spec of the car is a matter of taste but I'm fairly pleased with how I expect it to look just wondering whether the exhaust tip is worth spending a few bob on and how effective the autodelta stuff is. I am coming from a lethargic feeling Lexus IS220D so I expect the standard perfomance shouldn't feel too bad but having had remapped cars in the past thought I'd see if it was the done thing with this car. I have used a company called Upsolute in the past who have done a lot of cars at our company and would happily do this vehicle for me if the autodelta remap isn't well thought of.

On a side note we also have ordered a GT Q2 1.9d for another employee and I'm sure he won't let me get any advantage over him with power so anybody with this car please feel free to pass on your thoughts on the remap.

Great forum by the way and some lovely cars. This will be my first ever Alfa after a few years of the usual germanic suspects albeit with a brief soujourn to Lexus.

Cheers Russ

White and red eh..... might look a bit like a tampon!!

Get the exhaust, its worth it - doesnt cost much and makes the back end look a lot better.

Haha Tampon - well I hope not! The combo looks good on a friends Maserati so I'm hoping that it doesn't look too bad on a 'slightly' cheaper Italian.

Thanks for the advice though and I will probably go for the exhaust tip thingy.

Cheers

I have the 2.4 Lusso in black with red leather. The chrome tailpipes really make a difference so I'd definitely go for the tip. I didn't have the balls to go for white with red but I reckon yours will look the nuts Make sure you post some pics when you get it

Oh, and if you can get the wheels done in anthracite, I'll be a very jealous boy!

Definitely get the exhaust tip, it makes a big difference - Click

Glad you approve Chris and I will certainly post some pics when I get it. I'm hoping the supplying dealer will do the wheels as they said they should be able to before I take delivery. Again thanks for the heads up on the exhaust. Yours looks lovely in black with red and was the only other combo I was considering. Wish I was getting the 2.4 but the Yorkshireman in me wanted to deprive the government any more tax of my hard earned. Should be decent though as I was more impressed than I thought I would be after a test drive. Roll on the next few weeks.

Thanks for the link

1.9 isn't a bad engine - I had the 2.4 and it is a beast but thirsty and with the new tax rules..............

get the exhaust tip - I am. Red and white..........hmmmmmm, I will wait and see your pics. Sounds interesting Good luck with it

Well done on a great car! Its what I aspire to.. and I am very jealous!

Have you seen the 19'' Brera S wheels on Parts World, I am tempted but would have them repainted in the standard alloy silver colour.
Also what are the dimensions of the Exhaust tip,you really want 100mm diameter IMO. Has any body used Parts World?

Great choice - I think a remapped 1.9 engine will give you the 2.4 performance without all the cost.

Glad you've found stylish cars at last - you'll never go back to dull

I have the black and red combo, looks great IMO...didn't do white when I ordered mine but I love it, I would have gone for the white and natural combo not as brave as you!

The exhaust tip is a must, I got mangos to do mine pre delivery. I can also suggest the Ti mirrors I had them fitted to my lusso and they look

Be careful with the 1.9JTDm, whilst it is very good and smooth and sufficiently powerful, it does have a tendency to lag from a standing start. A few of us 1.9 owners are now complaining about this, just be careful until you get use to the initial dead spot when pulling out in front of oncoming traffic.

That said it is a great car, and you will eventually get use to people looking at you! Weird at first, I have day running lights on so draw attention anyway but other drivers just stare without realising

If you are around the North West I will keep my eye out for Crocket & Tubbs!!!

Welcome and enjoy.

The exhaust tip is NICE... I managed to get my 159 MY08 in the Oltremare Blue I ordered before they stopped that colour and the tip looks really good.... Not sure what the remap will do to the MPG.....it's been gone over so many times on this site, but my 1.9jtdm has averaged 36mpg over the first 3k miles (mostly motorway cruising as well !!!) which is 10mpg down on the German frumpenfrau I got rid of for my Italian Bella....
but hey, I can help but smile every time I return to my car and see it's the best looking 4 door saloon money can buy....

Morning, thanks for all those other comments and glad you all approve of my switch to an Italian Model. Not too concerned about the slight lethargy as the Lexus I currently drive has serious low pull issues and doesn't feel anything like 180 bhp until you get onto the motorway. In fact I expect the Alfa if anything to feel a bit nippier round town. Especially after the remap. Good call on the TI mirrors, I might get them put on - how much are they by the way? The fuel consumption thing isn't a massive issue especially as the Lexus only does 30 - 35mpg. If it does more than this I'll be reasonably happy. I am based in Warrington so the poor mans crocket and tubbs will be lurking round those parts although I also spend a bit of time in Manchester too. Thanks again for all your help.

I had a 1.9 loaner the other week, returned 35-40mpg on the mway (with pretty hard driving too), so you should be happy

Originally Posted by Russ35

Morning, thanks for all those other comments and glad you all approve of my switch to an Italian Model. Not too concerned about the slight lethargy as the Lexus I currently drive has serious low pull issues and doesn't feel anything like 180 bhp until you get onto the motorway. In fact I expect the Alfa if anything to feel a bit nippier round town. Especially after the remap. Good call on the TI mirrors, I might get them put on - how much are they by the way? The fuel consumption thing isn't a massive issue especially as the Lexus only does 30 - 35mpg. If it does more than this I'll be reasonably happy. I am based in Warrington so the poor mans crocket and tubbs will be lurking round those parts although I also spend a bit of time in Manchester too. Thanks again for all your help.

Warrington...me too

So will defo see you around in your Miami sound machine

I will be in the black 159, day running lights (doesn't help if its night) easier if I give you a flash...

[quote=Russ35;1981904]Good call on the TI mirrors, I might get them put on - how much are they by the way?

Speak to Pete in service/parts at Mangoletsi he will know exactly what to get for you, he and I went through a bit of saga to get the right ones. They worked out to be around 20 quid each with the vat added.

Hi Russ

I'm picking up a 1.9 jtdm 159ti from Mangos on 16 August - will be interested to see if you go for the remap. I saw the white one in the showroom and really liked it. I'm also in the NW and travel to Mancheste 2/3 times a month - l'll look out for a white /red Miami Vice 159

Cheers

Russ sounds a nice spec - I have a 1.9 JTDm SW in Stromboli with Beige Leather and 18" Horseshoes.....When I bought the car (Used) the only blemish was the wheels were kerbed. Took it to:
Alloy Wheel Refurbishment - Refurb - Refurbishing - West Midlands
They recommended a certain finish that would be darker than the original due to the damage that had been done as the lighter colour - close to the factory finish might show any imperfections. In the end they came out darker than standard - not quite anthracite but defo darker and look sooooperb...............
Recommended! - probably look lighter here cause of the flash....
http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u...lli/159001.jpg

Thanks for posting the pics of the horseshoes with a darker finish - they look good but I am looking to go even darker, possibly as dark as the wheels on the Brera S. I will make sure piccies are posted when i get the car. I'll pop piccies of my colleagues car too (GT Q2) as I think he is going to get his wheels refinished in black. Thank you all for the great feedback and advice.

You mention you went for the 1.9 due to company car tax reasons, so is it safe to assume it, and the GT, is a company car?

If so then it might not be a good idea to remap these cars unless your employer is fully aware of it and happy for you to do it.

There are threads elsewhere on here giving the reasons why it might not be such a good idea, but basically it comes down to invalidating insurance.