Alfa Romeo Forum banner

What have you done to your 159/Brera/Spider today?

856K views 11K replies 922 participants last post by  gtv6sa 
#1 ·
Hi all,

This kind of thread works well on several other forums I use and often sparks some great discussions / ideas. Just post up what it is you've done and feel free to comment on others posts, but be nice :lol:

Today - tracking set to zero toe as recommended on here. Needed doing as it's taken the inside edges off the fronts.
 
#3,744 ·
Interesting past week... Monday, filled up, Tuesday last week, got a whiff of diesel on the way home from work. Many lorry's in front so didn't think too much on it.
Wednesday going for a blast up the A1(M) to Baldock services to get a coffee... stronger smell of diesel... oh dear.. guess it was coming from me. Quick look underneath... nothing to worry about. Drove home.. looked under again on the drive.. Drips of diesel... alot of drips! from underneath the tank.

So, car up, removed under protection. Fuel lines all looked ok, tank looked ok. drips stopped. Looked at schematic on ePer and decided to start it up to see if issue was with the return. Without the underbody protection very fast drips/trickle. No obvious place it was coming from. (somewhere higher up)

Try to get to the inspection hatch ontop of the tank, That rear seat is a PITA to remove in my early 159 with fixed rear seats, finally got in there. About 4 inches along the fuel feed from pump forwards was the split, just out of sight and not a job I could undertake at home.

To the local garage. Finally after having to wait for new fuel lines to arrive from Italy, they were fitted yesterday and (thankfully the car passed the MOT once this had been done).

I don't know if others have had this issue or if it is age related wear, Mine is an early 159 with almost 200k on the clock.

Possibly an issue for others in the future?
 
#3,745 ·
Sounds unusual TBH, I would advise you that the clips for the rear seats are single use only, so you might get to get some more to get the seat back in properly (under £5), glad you got it sorted though!
 
#3,751 ·
Took it to the Eastern Europeans for a wash, then home to finish it off (on street parking only) with a polish and wax (AG's SRP and poorboys Nattys was and wheel sealant). Even gave it a quick clay (frightening how much it picks up!)
First proper wash since the Eibachs and tinting, looks the right height now !
Land vehicle Vehicle Car Executive car Alfa romeo



Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App
 
#3,754 ·
Took it to the Eastern Europeans for a wash, then home to finish it off (on street parking only) with a polish and wax (AG's SRP and poorboys Nattys was and wheel sealant). Even gave it a quick clay (frightening how much it picks up!)
First proper wash since the Eibachs and tinting, looks the right height now !
View attachment 540818


Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App
that is one fine looking alfa, i bloody love alfa,s i do:thumbup:
 
#3,752 ·
puncture

having decided that me and the wife would have a weekend away and visit the inlaws in the midlands . we set off from the east coast quite early to beat the traffic and take the scenic route between uppingham and market harboro.

after a few miles on what can only be described as a perfect road , nicely surfaced , nice fast bends ( perfect on the bike ) we developed a strange noise , turned out to be a puncture near side rear on a relatively new tyre . b!"£%ks , there goes my stress free weekend . I put the space saver on ( looks ridiculous )and proceeded at 50 mph on the dream road ----damn .

tried 4 tyre places in market harboro no 235 40 19 in stock , one guy thought it was some sort of joke !!!.
after a very stressful tour round harboro in the usual Saturday traffic , we carried on into Nuneaton , where 1st tyre place I tried said yes how may do u want , but there was a big q so I tried another tyre place just around the corner , yes sir they also had tyres in stock and 3 quid cheaper too ( bridgestone £147 fitted and balanced ) no q so go for it .

had the tracking and camber checked and adjusted at the same time , this alone has transformed the handling (cant wait for the return trip on the dream road , if time allows )

the real bummer in this is that I have 2 brand new tyres bought at a bargain price in my garage loft .

if this happened in winter in the rain and in a more rural location like at home on the north Norfolk coast , I think the space saver would have been on for a week !!!!

so im on the look out now for a spare ti wheel , to use as a spare . it seems the tyre size for a ti sportwagon is not easily obtainable and is a very real inconvenience , to put it mildly .
 
#3,755 ·
Hey guys if anyone else wants the updated badges and since the last ones were such a hit I have managed to get hold of some more And put them up on eBay this listing is for two but I am also selling them individually just click on my other items. cheers, Ben.

(Hope everyone who bought the last bunch have got round to fitting them and enjoying their cars new look)

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/2X-Alfa-Rom...ia-159-Mito-Guilietta-Spider-Gt-/281770736090
 
#3,758 · (Edited)
Stone chip film

Does anyone have some pics of the stone chip protector film at the rear doors on their 159 ? I bought a set yesterday and need to see exactly where they go as I'm not intending removing them.
Took a punt and used the autoglym super resin and the clear protector on the black Ti yesterday (just to guarantee that it'd rain), and the result is spectacular !!
 
#3,761 ·
Changed my front discs and pads... Flipping caliper pins were a nightmare I ended up having to drill out all four of them, made two punches from screwdrivers as the one I bought snapped on the first hit.

Consequently had to bleed the brakes after refitting the caliper, got to my local factors for brake fluid and a bleeding kit.

I can recommend halfords professional socket adapters, my spline sockets are 3/8ths and the 1/2 to 3/8 bit aced it.

I then forgot to take out the locking nut tool and go on a test drive...what a tool:depressed:

But I found it 100yards up the road :thumbup: got a couple of lottery tickets after that bit of luck.

Finished off by swapping the wheels over, taking off the cycle rack and giving it a good clean for MITCAR tomorrow. If anyone is going I'll be in an orange hi viz parking Exotics and Lancias, come and say hello.
 
#3,762 ·
I then forgot to take out the locking nut tool and go on a test drive...what a tool:depressed:

But I found it 100yards up the road :thumbup: got a couple of lottery tickets after that bit of luck.


Ha ha, Similar happened to me miles from home, on the M27 (near Southampton), got a puncture, got the space saver on and off to tyre repair place 10miles away. No lock nut! Drove all the way down the m27 to junction before and back again, not at the side of the road, so drove back slowly to the garage in the vain hope, had given up, but the roundabout 70m from the garage I saw something shiny! It had stayed on 10 miles!!!



Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App
 
#3,768 ·
Just sold the my much loved Q4 Brera
good price as it went to an alfa fan.

So if someone has a LHD brera or spider for sale im interested please Im me if any one does or knows of such

Thanks
:biglaugh:
 
#3,772 ·
I washed off last week's weather to find a 16" scratch along my front bumper where the licence plate would be if mounted on the off side. I pick up more scratches when the car is stopped than when it's moving.

In this case, I park outside a café that is popular with the yummy mummy set. The level of the scratch suits my imagined scenario of pushing the chair with one hand whilst reading texts on her mobile without bothering to look where she's going. I see this all the time.

So, that's how I spent my morning: paint crayon, G3 scratch remover, black Turtle wax and buff up the whole front end with Meguiar's Kwik Detailer. You have to look really close at the right angle to see the scratch now, so I've relaxed a bit.

I've parked further up the road.
 
#3,779 ·
Put it on charge as not been used in over a week & the CTEK indicator light was flashing red.

Need to get it washed etc & away, filling the space left by the departed GT then decide if I'm going part with it:eek:
 
#3,780 ·
Took her to a bodyshop for booking in :( Some kn0b in a council truck had his reg plate duck taped on...it flew off and cut a sizeable gouge in my front bumper) :(

Thankfully all caught on my trusty dash cam so insurance co. agreed to pay out no problem - didn't even have to pay my excess.
 
Top