New source for bushes? - incl. rear subframe

[carcathan]

As a newbie on the site (who hasn't even bought a 166 yet! - seriously looking for a 3.0 manual lusso) i've been obsessively reading all of the posts on suspension issues.

In all the responses i haven't seen anyone refer to this company, Silentblocks (based in Portugal i think) - anyone used them yet?
http://silentblocks.com/en/71-166

They appear to be selling subframe bushes and possibly (Ken?) have an alternative to the compromised use of powerflex on the rear wishbone. But then again may be a little knowledge is a dangerous thing and i don't what i'm talking about!

What do you think - any use to anyone?

[paul.o]

Just when the cars on the road are going down, another source of parts is found, the rear sub frame bushes are interesting one for the future.

[GLPoomobile]

Shameless bit of plugging by me, but I'll be looking to get rid of my Minerva green Super soon. It's not a Lusso spec, but it does have cream Momo leather with electric heated seats, Sat Nav and 6 disc changer (both work) and built in phone, oh and wood steering wheel, gear knob and centre trim.

Obviously I'm quite some way from you, but I was actually considering paying a visit to London and Guildford at some point to look at some replacement cars.

[purple145]

an excellent find, thank you

[carcathan]

Originally Posted by GLPoomobile

Shameless bit of plugging by me, but I'll be looking to get rid of my Minerva green Super soon. It's not a Lusso spec, but it does have cream Momo leather with electric heated seats, Sat Nav and 6 disc changer (both work) and built in phone, oh and wood steering wheel, gear knob and centre trim.

Obviously I'm quite some way from you, but I was actually considering paying a visit to London and Guildford at some point to look at some replacement cars.

Thanks, but just had a trawl and having read some of your posts you've not had an easy time of 166 ownership. As i've only just started looking i think i'm going to hold out for a Lusso and see what turns up in the next few months.

[paul.o]

Busted

[Pomeo]

Originally Posted by purple145

an excellent find, thank you

Not really P.There was a Portuguese seller selling the merc knuckle on ebay for ages at massively inflated price wrt to here .Depends on qualuity tho.But the price of the rear swinging arm bush and knuckle a real genuine one with a bit of discount isn't much more and is a straight in oot as opposed to removing and replacing the stuff in the old arm.

Pomeo
So IMHO a good find .Athough I did suss oot a Polish webber a year or so back but enquiry fizzled oot when I saw a site selling new genuine wie nay grief.
Still searching tho for a Dickinsons reel deel.

[In_The_Pass]

I spotted the two 3 litre manuals on eBay lastnight and just had a search to find this as the black one reminded me of this discussion:

http://www.alfaowner.com/Forum/alfa-...-interior.html (Custom interior?)

[GLPoomobile]

Originally Posted by carcathan

Thanks, but just had a trawl and having read some of your posts you've not had an easy time of 166 ownership. As i've only just started looking i think i'm going to hold out for a Lusso and see what turns up in the next few months.

I expected that my posts would go against me at some point, but we'll see how much it affects the sale when I put a price on it.

Not that I'm in any way trying to recover a bad situation () but you need to put this in to perspective - there's very little wrong with my 166, and you'll have seen from my threads that it's had a fair bit of money spent in the last 6 months on new suspension and tryes etc. Just becuase I have a negative opinion of 166s is no reflection of my own car. It was the best of the 3 I viewed at the time, and I have no reason to think it's a bad egg (Mclellans garage will vouch for it). The simple fact is, the 166 was never the right car for me, we've never bonded, and I will never fall in love with one like most owners on here. Does that make my car a bad example and one to steer clear of? No, that would be stupid. I speak my mind, and if that affects any potential buyers, then so be it, but given the rarity of these on the 2nd hand market most of the time then anyone would be stupid to pass it up just because I personally don't think they are great cars. Given that you are at the other end of the UK though, I can understand why you wouldn't consider it to be worth the gamble.

[GLPoomobile]

Carcathan, you got me curious! I just brought up a list of my posts and went back through the last 3 pages (then got bored), and I'm at a loss to understand why you think I've had such a bad time of it.

If anything, my posts go to show the money I've spent on routine maintenance, which can only be a good thing for the next owner. Apart from that, just me *****ing about how I don't think 166s are particulary great cars

So I won't lose any sleep about people checking my posts when I put it up for sale

[carcathan]

Originally Posted by Pomeo

Not really P.There was a Portuguese seller selling the merc knuckle on ebay for ages at massively inflated price wrt to here .Depends on qualuity tho.But the price of the rear swinging arm bush and knuckle a real genuine one with a bit of discount isn't much more and is a straight in oot as opposed to removing and replacing the stuff in the old arm.

Pomeo
So IMHO a good find .Athough I did suss oot a Polish webber a year or so back but enquiry fizzled oot when I saw a site selling new genuine wie nay grief.
Still searching tho for a Dickinsons reel deel.

Hi Pomeo, i agree that in comparison to the cost of the powerflex option the rear wishbone options look expensive - but if it gives the rear better flexibility as intended by AR then maybe that's worth it - but i'd probably still be swayed by price!
- when you start totting up the costs of all those bushes....
I thought the 'find' was the subframe mount bushes as although they are an eye watering 180euros the posts i'd previously seen suggested a new frame at £700ish from AR was the only option, other than second hand .... unless you have Ken's talents (his posts certainly do make you realise the limitations of an amateur mechanic compared to an engineer!)

[carcathan]

Originally Posted by GLPoomobile

Carcathan, you got me curious! I just brought up a list of my posts and went back through the last 3 pages (then got bored), and I'm at a loss to understand why you think I've had such a bad time of it.

If anything, my posts go to show the money I've spent on routine maintenance, which can only be a good thing for the next owner. Apart from that, just me *****ing about how I don't think 166s are particulary great cars

So I won't lose any sleep about people checking my posts when I put it up for sale

You certainly shouldn't read into it that i think yours is a bad car! - but i do think that owners who participate in the forums probably reveal more about their cars than most buyers would detect in a sale. So perhaps you do put yourself at a disadvantage unless you've really sorted every item that's come up. There is another 3.0 on ebay at the moment and having read the owners posts i'm looking at it with a concerned eye towards the clutch ..... which is ridiculous as i'm starting to look at 166 clutches like consumables in a way i haven't before. I'm hopeful (if not certain) that it's better to buy a car from a forum member than not.

[paul.o]

Have you had the chance to actually drive a V6 166 yet?

[GLPoomobile]

Carcathan - forums are a wonderful way to get a bit of background on a car. Even though I didn't buy mine from a member on here (I got it from a trader down in Leicester), I did find out that it had been owned by a member on here shortly before, so I of course did some digging before I bought it.

But you need to be open minded. Being able to read about every little problem can make a car seem terrible, but at least you are getting some background in a (usually) unbiased way, whereas with a non-forum car you have to go along and view it as best you can and the seller could tell you anything. You are considering buying an Alfa, so of course it will have had plenty of problems, and in forum-world people tend to write mostly about their problems.

It is of course your prerogative to be picky in your decision, but given the scarcity of 166s, let alone 166 Supers, and then 166 Super Lussos, you can't really afford to be too picky unless you are a very, very patient man.

I'll reiterate, none of this is meant to defend my own 166 and make it more saleable. It's not ready to go yet, and you are at the other end of the UK, so it's neither here nor there to me. It's just a bit of friendly advice

[carcathan]

Originally Posted by paul.o

Have you had the chance to actually drive a V6 166 yet?

Had a long test drive in a 2.5 V6 manual - liked it. But just a bit too sensible knowing that the 3.0 existed too - much like my LPT 5 cylinder Volvo against the full T5.
Really must sort out a test drive - but don't like to mess people around so hoping i'll find the right car at the same time - no great rush. Thought that i'd found one recently but ironically i think the vendor had forgotten what a good car it was - so i didn't even get a test drive.

[niallmoran]

i think GPL is right in that a "cheap" 166 can end up costing many many times more than it's value in sorting so you are far better getting one that's had the big stuff done already....big stuff is probably cambelt/water pump, clutch (and flywheel) and suspension (front and rear!) - apart from that just routine stuff

[Pomeo]

Originally Posted by niallmoran

i think GPL is right in that a "cheap" 166 can end up costing many many times more than it's value in sorting so you are far better getting one that's had the big stuff done already....big stuff is probably cambelt/water pump, clutch (and flywheel) and suspension (front and rear!) - apart from that just routine stuff

Well my first two I thougght were cheap but not as cheap as the CF3 Super Lusso.Howver MOT next month and will take it from there...but I do have spare spares.
Pomeo

[carcathan]

Well buying a car with all the big jobs done for a great price is obviously the perfect scenario.

But actually at the moment i could afford to take on a cheap project so long as it could be turned around within 3 or 4 weekends - might be a way of getting a good car that's just tipped its owner over the edge, knowing that once i've done the key jobs i'm starting as good as i can get. I keep seeing references to 3.0's being broken for spares - seems a real shame as i bet most are repairable on a DIY basis under a grand.