[Dames156]

Hi guys.

So some of you may know I own a facelift 146 that needs a LOT of work. I've decided to keep it, after considering selling for a while, as it is really one of a kind in SA AFAIK. Engine, gearbox, suspension and body all need work. With the interior being the least of my worries with minimal work.

I've decided to start with suspension. I'm not sure if this is wise, but I'm going to try doing it myself with the help of a friend, so easiest place to start? Or should I go motor which I don't feel I have the experience for yet. Tappets are noisy and so is variator. Gearbox is missing a few bolts and is extremely loose and dry. Car is my daily and runs hardcore all the time.

My question is. Called masterparts today and got a parts list:
-CV's outer only
-lower control arms
-upper control arms
-upper wishbones
-rack ends
-tierod ends
-wheel bearings all round
If memory serves, all of this plus maybe one other item at a cost of R6500.

Then I phone the stealers (which I've never called them, until today) thinking maybe they'll come in at a slightly higher price, but I did not expect this:
-CV's outer only R2000 each! 8k all round.
-CV's inner only R1000 each! (That's 12k on just CV's.
-front bearings R650 each (reasonable)
-rear bearings only sold with hubs R1500 each
-tierod ends R600 each
-shock mounts like R600 each as well.
-Control arms 2k each

Then out of interest quoted a couple of other things:
-power steering pump R3500
-rack ends not available seperately, complete steering rack R12500!
-stabilizer bar R3000

The complete quote I got from them came to about 40k (will give exact figures tomorrow) suspension bits alone! 20k if matched to what masterparts could provide. R13500 more!

Now my question is are these things going to last a lifetime?! That's why some of them, actually, almost all of them.. Cost 10 times the price of masterparts? I'm no stranger to Alfa but this knocked me back as it's more expensive than the 156's suspension, which we all know to be superior to that of the 146.

Of course, I am going to have to buy certain things from the stealer that master parts doesn't stock, but my next question is about the quality of the masterparts items? Are they going to give me decent service? Or have to be replaced again next year? As I am certainly not down to spend 12gran on CV's. Even the person on the phone laughed at me laughing at those prices.

 

[veez156]

Contact Teknosa for most of your suspension parts/cvs etc. I've purchased outer cvs for my 156 for around R300 a set. Its not any crap like cheap brands found at local spare shops. I've done tons of burnouts, launches and they handle well. With regards to the boots they're not strong and yes i fittes them properly. Many may assume the cvs are weak due to weak boots. My dad also bought complete upper and lower arms 4 his 147 and paid R2300 for everything. All this was end of 2014 so prices will b up abit. They do many other components. Google Teknosa and checkout their categories...

JOHANNESBURG
5 Faraday Street,
Wemmer, Salby
Tel: 011 334 3432 / 3433 / 3434
Fax: 011 334 2932
PRETORIA
110 Mitchell Street
Pretoria West, 0009
Tel: 012 327 4077 / 6822
Fax: 012 327 3212

 

[alastpa]

Don't believe the dealers when they say 'not available seperately'. I needed a small part for the roof on my Spider. They told me 'not available separately' and wanted to sell me a whole new roof at something like R40k. After checking EPER I discovered it was available seperately for something like R800. My suggestion is check EPER for yourself before you buy.

Another thing...my PAS pump was leaking, the dealer wanted to sell me a new pump at R5000. However I found on EPER that a genuine rebuild kit was available for less than R400. The dealer didn't even know about the kit.

 

[Gertie]

Uhm 146 upper control arm? It has ordinary McPherson struts...

I have a 146 gearbox for you. I'm coming to CTN end June

 

[juniorgtar]

If you're in CT, try Giorgio - Auto Azzurri - 0219112075. He' kept my 155 happy for at least 15yrs. He keeps stock of most of the service parts for 145,146, 155 which are similar and some instances the same. His prices are reasonable and he stocks things like drilled front and rear discs for these cars - and work. He also has some second hand spares. He's worth a try if you are stuck.

 

[Dames156]

Thanks for the advice guys. I'm going to try and ensure getting my parts I. CPT unless something is stupidly cheap in JHB.

Gertie how much do you want for the box? Please pm me and I'll definitely let you know. By then I would know if the missing bolts are the problem or my actual box. I'm not too clued up but I also found it strange that he spoke about uppers. Hoping to gain more experience with this little project

I will try Giorgio but doubt he will be much cheaper than the dealers with regards to parts? This is why I'm wondering if anyone's had issues with masterparts. They are by far the most cost effective

 

[alastpa]

Have you tried a costing exercise on www.shop4parts.co.uk by any chance? Worth a look although the Rand has taken a steep dive against the Pound this week (affected my EBspares order badly:depressed::furious

 

[Ian Lusso]

Outer CV's R2k each = R4k all round not R8k
Inner CV's R1k each = R2k all round.

Total for CV's = R6k. There. I saved you R6k... :jester:

Seriously though. Someone advised me once to try http://www.sydsuspensionparts.co.za/ in Gauteng for spare parts and they are DIRT cheap for quality parts. I would even strip my suspension and cv's and send it through to them for refurbishment and courier it back if I ever need to because they are that cheap.

 

[alastpa]

Ian I was also wondering about why there where 4xouters and 4xinners. I thought it was one of each per side not two.

 

[MartinS]

Seriously though. Someone advised me once to try http://www.sydsuspensionparts.co.za/ in Gauteng for spare parts and they are DIRT cheap for quality parts. I would even strip my suspension and cv's and send it through to them for refurbishment and courier it back if I ever need to because they are that cheap.

Details stored for future reference

 

[Stevotevo]

Hi everybody, i bought a alfa 147 2L Selespeed on the 2nd of may from Norman Bent owner of Bent Italia Auto.. So since i bought the car from him, The battery was dead the next day got stuck at a shopping mall, bought a new battery, then a day later the fan was staying on and idling at over 2000rpm, 2 days after that the selespeed had problems changing gears due to no oil in the system, topped it up and still would not work past 2nd gear and realized there was a load of silicon on the side of the selespeed where it was still leaking which i had fixed, then plugged a computer in and it said clutch speed sensor faulty so the car was in limp mode and can not rev above 4000rpm and could not change past 2nd gear, now today i was going to take the car to my mechanic, to replace the sensor, he lives around the corner from me, on the way about 1km from my house the piston shaft goes through the block and the samp under 4000rpm.. anybody have any advice what i can do as now i have no car and norman is not interested, he says all these problems are mine??

 

[Giorget2]

Small claims court?

Or just write it off as school fees and warn as many people as possible about this.

 

[Dames156]

This Norman Bent is being mentioned too much! Boycott time!

It's 2k per side though Ian. And there are 4 sides? Is my logic wrong?

 

[Dames156]

Will definitely give syds a call. I'm just worried that recon parts won't last. Worried that masterparts won't last either.

 

[juniorgtar]

It's 2k per side though Ian. And there are 4 sides? Is my logic wrong?

It would be most unusual for you to need all 4 cv joints (left, inner and outer and right inner and outer) unless you car had been rallied or it was driven with all 4 cv boots broken for an extended period of time. So check which are really stuffed before buying parts. You may be able to get away with a clean, grease repack and new boot on some or more of them. Also why would you need a stabilizer bar unless it has integrated rubber bushing? Giorgio would have a plan for that. These car tend to go through front lower control arms (they do not have uppers as they have macpherson fronts. What actually happens is that the rubbers go on the control arm so if you had the time and space you could just these rubbers with p/urethane rubbers as opposed to the entire arm.

 

[Gertie]

It's 2k per side though Ian. And there are 4 sides? Is my logic wrong?

If the car was 4wd then you might have had a point. Fwd has 2 drive shafts ... each one with one inner and one outer cv

So that is 2 X R2k + 2 X R1k .

Gtar has a point... if the CV is still ok. A boot kit cost in the order of a hundred to two hundred rand

 

[Dames156]

It's 2k per side though Ian. And there are 4 sides? Is my logic wrong?

If the car was 4wd then you might have had a point. Fwd has 2 drive shafts ... each one with one inner and one outer cv

So that is 2 X R2k + 2 X R1k .

Gtar has a point... if the CV is still ok. A boot kit cost in the order of a hundred to two hundred rand

Sorry guys I'm not too knowledgable so thanks for the advice it really is needed. One more question then. I should then be able to buy a masterparts outer with an OE inner from the dealer...? Even 4k is too much for CV's imo. The inner should fit perfectly in the outer even though it's not an original outer right?