[MikeyRules]

yeah yeah... Money where your mouth is my office buddy

So far i've bought a Brera from Piccadilly Motors in Knaresborough and David and the car were spot on, and I'd have no quarms at all from highly recommending them. Nothing was too much trouble and just goes to show people buy people and not just the products.

Then there was Palmers Alfa Romeo in Hemel Hempstead... Oh dear... great at sales, totally crap at car preparation, and the customer service was appauling! Needless to say i'll never set foot in their dealership again! The fact that the showroom shares its space with Peugeot's should have been enough of a visable warning!

Then in Feb I bought the GT from a little dealership plot in the BOC car showroom in Bolton. This was a family run, father and son concern and a pleasure to deal with, with an absolutely immaculately presented car, well prepared and ready for me to drive away... What more could you ask for!

More recently I bought a 147 for the misses from a rural countryside garage in the middle of Lincolnshire who's preparation, attention to detail and customer service was outstanding! Just goes to show that you don't need to be a multi-million pound dealership to get the good old fashioned basics right...

Which brings us neatly to this week... It will be interesting to see whether the Mangos experience of collecting your new-used car on handover day lives up to their reputation! Watch this space as I will say exactly how it is :thumbs:

 

[MikeyRules]

Well I collected the ti yesterday from Mangoletsi, and had a really enjoyable handover which made for a great experience! Nothing was too much trouble (I can be demanding ) and I have to say they do have a great team down there who really care, and it was a pleasurable morning! :thumbs:

The car was like a shiny penny sat in the showroom, taxed and ready to go! Luke had even given me 7 days free insurance just to make sure all was complete, and John swapped the mods so that I didn't have to live with basic 1.9 power . What more could you ask for!!

Anyway enough waffle...

 

[mehdi76alfa]

Mikey, dunno if it's a photobucket or AO error but pics not coming up...getting a "Read Error" on all links except for the last one....basically it's timing out...

 

[MikeyRules]

Mikey, dunno if it's a photobucket or AO error but pics not coming up...getting a "Read Error" on all links except for the last one....basically it's timing out...

Yeah it's Photobucket being gaaaaaaaaaaaaaay! I think they're working on it, as it took ages to upload them!

The pics are FB fella, if you want a nosey :thumbs:

 

[mehdi76alfa]

Yeah it's Photobucket being gaaaaaaaaaaaaaay! I think they're working on it, as it took ages to upload them!

The pics are FB fella, if you want a nosey :thumbs:

Me likey....me likey A LOT!! Except for one thing....the sticker on the back...right hand side, ruins the look...take it off!

 

[mehdi76alfa]

Mikey, the car looks awesome and have to say, I'm a teeeny weeeny itsy bitsy bit jealou! LOL!!

Cannot wait to see it in the flesh and take it for a spin.

 

[stoencho]

i really gotta get me those ti spec side skirts for mine, make all the difference for a red 159 ....


lovely car, mate, greetings from bulgaria


im looking into swapping my puny 1.9 jtdm for a 3.2, but the mpg is really a bad thing cause i drive like 40-50 000 km/year....


here is some herecy - a buddy suggested i get a 3.2 and covnert it over to LPG

 

[MikeyRules]

i really gotta get me those ti spec side skirts for mine, make all the difference for a red 159 ....


lovely car, mate, greetings from bulgaria


im looking into swapping my puny 1.9 jtdm for a 3.2, but the mpg is really a bad thing cause i drive like 40-50 000 km/year....


here is some herecy - a buddy suggested i get a 3.2 and covnert it over to LPG

Thanks fella :thumbs: I'll be in Bulgaria near Sofia soon as a friend of mine is buidling a house... It's a beautiful country!!

Yes the ti spec from a cosmetic and spec perspectic is pretty impressive! I'm not sure how much the skirts would be from the dealers, but would imagine like most OEM parts that they'll be expensive...

Not convinced with LPG as the initial purchase and install costs are prohibitive, and it would take a few years to break even!

I change cars like my undercrackers lol so for me if wouldn't be worth it! :cheese:

 

[MikeyRules]

Mikey, the car looks awesome and have to say, I'm a teeeny weeeny itsy bitsy bit jealou! LOL!!

Cannot wait to see it in the flesh and take it for a spin.

'ti's are NOT for Watford girls

No seriously fella you can take her out on Tuesday lunchtime and see how it compares to your gorgous Lusso! :thumbs:

 

[Graham P]

Superb looking motor fella

 

[MikeyRules]

Well the games have started lol... I knew it wouldn't be long before I got itchy fingers!!

I've just ordered a subtle rear boot lip spoiler, the type which is just on the leading edge and not too obtrusive, which will hopefully be here sometime next week.

I've just won a bargain Kenwood double din Sat Nav on fleabay at starting price because the muppet listed it to finish at 01.05am doh, so no one else bid!! :lol: and then I stumbled across a nice simple reg plate on DVLA select...TI 6LFA

I just need to get my *** to the DVLA office so I can put it on :thumbs:

 

[jbsmith1]

Well the games have started lol... I knew it wouldn't be long before I got itchy fingers!!

I've just ordered a subtle rear boot lip spoiler, the type which is just on the leading edge and not too obtrusive, which will hopefully be here sometime next week.

I've just won a bargain Kenwood double din Sat Nav on fleabay at starting price because the muppet listed it to finish at 01.05am doh, so no one else bid!! :lol: and then I stumbled across a nice simple reg plate on DVLA select...TI 6LFA

I just need to get my *** to the DVLA office so I can put it on :thumbs:

hehe let the modding commence (evil laugh)!! Cool plate.

 

[Hunter]

Sounds like we're going to be owning twins Mikey... :evillaugh:

Only you chose the chug chug engine...

Looking forward to seeing it mate :thumbs:

 

[wynne71]

Looked at the side skirts yesterday, around £340 with fittings but not sprayed to match. Gulp. Maybe leaving those....
A cracking looking car indeed. Red is the way to go for me next time. Have my eyes set on either a 2.4 or 1.8tbi in Ti spec. Red with tan interior......hmmmm......tan leather.......drool....

Hope this one is a good 'un for you.

 

[MikeyRules]

Sounds like we're going to be owning twins Mikey... :evillaugh:

Only you chose the chug chug engine...

Looking forward to seeing it mate :thumbs:

Nah mines still Red H! :cheese:

Well we'll see about chug chug lol... I have a few plans for this little whipper snapper 1.9, which should hopefully see about 240bhp if it goes as I think it will! :thumbs:

JB can we have a chat about sharing Intercooler development costs??

 

[MikeyRules]

Looked at the side skirts yesterday, around £340 with fittings but not sprayed to match. Gulp. Maybe leaving those....
A cracking looking car indeed. Red is the way to go for me next time. Have my eyes set on either a 2.4 or 1.8tbi in Ti spec. Red with tan interior......hmmmm......tan leather.......drool....

Hope this one is a good 'un for you.

Yeah the skirts are a tad expensive... It might be worth keeping a look out for a ti being broken on Ebay...either that or buying them in installments One this month etc... painting the next?

Yeah 2.4 for me all the way after the power John got my Spider to put down, I really miss the surge and wharp like speed that engine can offer if tweaked properly! As for the tan leather :inlove: Mehdi's has it in his lusso and it's gorgeous!!

 

[wynne71]

Yeah the skirts are a tad expensive... It might be worth keeping a look out for a ti being broken on Ebay...either that or buying them in installments One this month etc... painting the next?

Yeah 2.4 for me all the way after the power John got my Spider to put down, I really miss the surge and wharp like speed that engine can offer if tweaked properly! As for the tan leather :inlove: Mehdi's has it in his lusso and it's gorgeous!!

Even the Mrs would notice the addition of the skirts!

Had my 1.9jtdm tweaked by Angel. Really does change the delivery. Don't know why it wasn't done from new, better economy, MUCH better power and delivery. Almost makes me a happy diesel owner.

Got this one intil it hits 90K, in 12K time, so about 8/9 months should do it. Then looking for the red beast. Although I think my Stromboli Grey looks well on the 159, the red just fits it like a glove.

Well done on a cracking car!

NB: 240bhp out of the 1.9? Really?! Some serious physical mods needed there I would imagine, intercooler, turbo, exhaust, ecu..... Let us know when you do! :thumbs:

 

[MikeyRules]

Even the Mrs would notice the addition of the skirts!

Had my 1.9jtdm tweaked by Angel. Really does change the delivery. Don't know why it wasn't done from new, better economy, MUCH better power and delivery. Almost makes me a happy diesel owner.

Got this one intil it hits 90K, in 12K time, so about 8/9 months should do it. Then looking for the red beast. Although I think my Stromboli Grey looks well on the 159, the red just fits it like a glove.

Well done on a cracking car!

NB: 240bhp out of the 1.9? Really?! Some serious physical mods needed there I would imagine, intercooler, turbo, exhaust, ecu..... Let us know when you do! :thumbs:

I love Stromboli Grey and it was a real toss up between an 09 plate with 9k at Alfa in Amersham in Stromboli and this 58 plate with 10k in Red from Mangos... I'm still not sure I've picked the right deal or car for that matter, but as Mangos have looked after me so well over the last year it kind of seemed the right thing to do...

The grey certainly looks very smart and more up-market, while the red is hot and a bit more in your face so to speak...

Yeah 240 isn't an easy meal by any means, but it is achievable by getting a few basics right. I built an OPC (Think Opel Diesel VXR) back in 2007 with the same engine as ours and achieved these numbers, which merrily did 80k in the two years I ran it without any issues.

I'm not looking for NOS/Methanol solutions like JB has done with his beautiful Brera, as they're more for quick squirts of power. I'll be looking for something more sustainable to use constantly, so possibly a custom Intercooler, Hybriding the turbo, a better induction kit, free flow exhaust and a custom map.

See my gallery pics of the OPC... I think it's in there...

 

[wynne71]

Just checked out you gallery, please don't tell me that the 220 is in the garage as a weekend "toy"! That will actually make me cry for real....

The Opel looks the business, really love that coupe style/shape, looked at a few while back, just couldn't get on with the interior.
Sounds like an exciting prospect, will look forward to the developments as it builds.
What are you running at the moment in the 159? Which mods were swopped over?

I was toying with an air filter/induction set up to complement the remap, but wasn't sure as to the effect on the diesel engine/ecu.
After years of playing with Saab petrol turbo engines I'm just beginning to see this diesel malarchy for what can actually be achieved!

 

[MikeyRules]

I wish it was still alive lol... Alas it bit the dust when the offside front splitter decided to part company with the front bumper at just under 90mph!

It did survive after a heavy rebuild, but in the end I had to sell it unfortunately. The record is still on my insurance lol when they say... ''Have you had an accident in the last 5 years'' and I say...''yes and it was my fault and the claim was for 27 grand!

Basically I span off the track hitting an Exige on the way and took out about 6 pieces of Armaco :lol:

The 159 only has the boost mod and a AutoDelta tuning box at present, although John owes me an Induction kit which hopefully has arrived by now. Because it's a heavy car it still feels lethargic, especially top and bottom end, so hence more power is needed. The Spider managed 274bhp and 427lbft with a bit of modding, so everything seems weedy in comparison!