[robotrobo]

i am interested in fitting parking sensors to my wifes newly acquired 147 t/s , as anyone fitted the ones that fit inside the bumpers ? , if so do you not have to remove the bumpers , front & rear?, i am reasonably competent to attack the job!!, but would like to hear from anyone who as done the job & any advice would be most welcome.
thankyou.
mr bean

 

[zulu ferret]

I used the drill/bit, hole saw, that came with the Nikkai kit, a doddle to fit and still working A1 years on, :thumbs:

 

[robotrobo]

thanks for reply ! but i am interested in the ones that no drilling required + they can be removed to fit in next vehicle as well , pleased yours are ok.
thankyou

 

[robotrobo]

i have now fitted the pdi sensors that fit inside the bumper (no drilling ), there is a thread on here that tells you how to remove the rear bumper , all be it its for the 156 , the 147 which is the car i have is nearly the same instructions except there is no bolts in the boot to remove. The job took a good 4 hours to do, once the bumper is removed & cleaned & the exposed car under the bumper cleaned & undersealed.
i could not undo the bottom screws that hold the arch liner on both sides , so i cut round the liner screws then once the bumper was off i ground them off on the driveway with a angle grinder, i have refitted with bigger stainless washers holding the liner back in situ , all bolts removed were replaced with copperslip, i have tested the sensors on the driveway , & everything is working correctly , proof of the pudding will be in a day or two after a bit of use with the wife , never had them or used them before.
I purchased the front ones as well , not sure if we really need them or not i will decide in a day or two if i am going to use them or not , the rear bumper removal went very well except for the bottom liner retaining screws , I suppose if i was going to do the job again knowing how to remove things , then 2 hours work is all thats needed, but i like to treat the bodywork when i have things removed & stripped down . I can see a mechanic doing the job in about a hour without all the fussing & cleaning that i do
The sensors were not cheap at £150 for the pair inc p&p , but no drilling , i am haveing a rest now before i tackle the front ones if i decide to fit.
mr bean:thumbs:

 

[diddums100]

Front ones? Do you have to switch them on manually or do they just beep at you constantly when in traffic

[email protected]

 

[biffa]

Front ones? Do you have to switch them on manually or do they just beep at you constantly when in traffic

[email protected]

What you need is a time delay relay so that when you engage reverse the sensors energize whilst in reverse and the relay powers the front ones for a set period (e.g 90seconds) after the car is taken from reverse, this way they wont annoy you both with beeping and having to remember to switch them on whilst parking.

 

[GhostyDog]

i have now fitted the pdi sensors that fit inside the bumper (no drilling ), there is a thread on here that tells you how to remove the rear bumper , all be it its for the 156 , the 147 which is the car i have is nearly the same instructions except there is no bolts in the boot to remove. The job took a good 4 hours to do, once the bumper is removed & cleaned & the exposed car under the bumper cleaned & undersealed.
i could not undo the bottom screws that hold the arch liner on both sides , so i cut round the liner screws then once the bumper was off i ground them off on the driveway with a angle grinder, i have refitted with bigger stainless washers holding the liner back in situ , all bolts removed were replaced with copperslip, i have tested the sensors on the driveway , & everything is working correctly , proof of the pudding will be in a day or two after a bit of use with the wife , never had them or used them before.
I purchased the front ones as well , not sure if we really need them or not i will decide in a day or two if i am going to use them or not , the rear bumper removal went very well except for the bottom liner retaining screws , I suppose if i was going to do the job again knowing how to remove things , then 2 hours work is all thats needed, but i like to treat the bodywork when i have things removed & stripped down . I can see a mechanic doing the job in about a hour without all the fussing & cleaning that i do
The sensors were not cheap at £150 for the pair inc p&p , but no drilling , i am haveing a rest now before i tackle the front ones if i decide to fit.
mr bean:thumbs:

Well done,

I see you went with my suggestion, is this the strip based sensor that goes the full length and around the corner of the bumper?

Sean

 

[diddums100]

What you need is a time delay relay so that when you engage reverse the sensors energize whilst in reverse and the relay powers the front ones for a set period (e.g 90seconds) after the car is taken from reverse, this way they wont annoy you both with beeping and having to remember to switch them on whilst parking.

I wouldn't, imagine you're in a busy car park and you reverse out of a space and have to put up the beeping all the way out as you queue

[email protected]

 

[Flatcap]

Is your wife that bad a driver she needs parking sensors on a 147 or are you just being over cautious??

I could understand if it was a long wheel base Merc Sprinter

Daz.

 

[Grahameo]

Reverse parking sensors... thee bain of my life!... It's an opt out of true driving ability and gives a driver even less excuse to use wing mirrors!

For £150 I could have got your wife a two hour lesson with Russ Swift...Russ Swift - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia She would be parallel parking with inches to spare and "J" turning at a high rate of knots..... Now that's exactly what an Alfa is all about:lol:

 

[Spacecadet]

Front ones? Do you have to switch them on manually or do they just beep at you constantly when in traffic

[email protected]

A switch is the way forward. On my CMax, there is a little switch where the parking brake switch is, simple in and off job. Easily to hand, on for as long as you want. No need to faf about with it.

The relays and time delay ideas are just extra wiring and complications and things to go wrong!

 

[robotrobo]

Well done,

I see you went with my suggestion, is this the strip based sensor that goes the full length and around the corner of the bumper?

Sean

hi sean,
yes the full strip , i did not continue all the way around the curve of the bumper as i did not want it buzzing on the sides , i fit to the measurements on the instructions, i have yet to start the front , i was or am a bit unsure going across the v grill front , but i suppose it will not matter as you have to be moveing for it to operate & they say on the tin that they are for alfas , will worry next week when i get the front off & have a gander.
mr bean

 

[robotrobo]

tounge in cheek you might be dead right , but 80 years driving between us without a scrape , no accidents, no claims , no parking tickets , i have told her i am not quite ready for that home yet!!!!!!!!, & she drove me around lake garda last year in the motorhome .

 

[robotrobo]

its funny you should say that , because she does not want them fitted on the motor home , but she has a camera looking for idiots.

 

[biffa]

A switch is the way forward. On my CMax, there is a little switch where the parking brake switch is, simple in and off job. Easily to hand, on for as long as you want. No need to faf about with it.

The relays and time delay ideas are just extra wiring and complications and things to go wrong!

Not complicated at all even simpler than running cables to the cabin for a switch, and a time delay relay will most likely out live the sensor system.

 

[Spacecadet]

Not complicated at all even simpler than running cables to the cabin for a switch, and a time delay relay will most likely out live the sensor system.

That may well be true, but surely it's an additional faff?

Assume you are going nose in, into a parking space with a low barrier in front if you. With a switch, you realise it needs sensor support, so, you flick the switch, the sensors go live, you park, done. With the time delay relay system. You take the car out if gear, put it in reverse, wait for a beep to show the sensors are in, back into 1st, edge forward etc.

Anyway, the speaker needs running into the cabin, so a switch is not a bit additional job?

Anyway, up to the installer.

 

[biffa]

Anyway, up to the installer.

yep or what the customer wants i supose...

 

[robotrobo]

not amused

i am interested in fitting parking sensors to my wifes newly acquired 147 t/s , as anyone fitted the ones that fit inside the bumpers ? , if so do you not have to remove the bumpers , front & rear?, i am reasonably competent to attack the job!!, but would like to hear from anyone who as done the job & any advice would be most welcome.
thankyou.
mr bean

Two months down the line & i have only just finished the job of fitting these non drilling parking sensors . the fitting of the front bumper went reasonably well untill i hit the corner retaining screws that would not come off & the front corners were well rotten & so i had to repair & did a good job & treated the area afterwards , but i must have had the front bumper on & off at least 3 or more times , eventually i got it up & working .So i had a few days rest before i started the rear , which i thought would be easy now i was experienced in the fitting , so after i fitted the rear & not many problems up to then i put the bumper back on & the dam thing would not work properly , so i removed the bumper again & again & eventually i rang pdi to talk to a fitter & he said to try the front ecu on to the rear & prove that that is working . which i did & it proved that the ecu was faulty, so they posted me out a so called new ecu which was also faulty , next they sent me one that was totally alien for my car!!. next they sent out a complete new boxed parking sensor with all the wires etc , which i did not want as the wireing i had installed was working correctly & that the ecu in this box was not compatible to my wireing , as you can imagine i am totally ****ed off by this time & feeling sorry for myself , i had been out in all weather giveing it my best shot & the girl in the office must have thought i was selling the blasted things on fleabay & it took some convinceing for her to send me the right part , while this was on going in the brochure it says that covering the foil sensor strip is optional ! with underseal , but talking to the fitter he said its essential that you cover it with underseal or it would drop off eventually , so guess what i had to do ?, take the fuxxing bumper off again , eventually i have both parking sensors fitted now , i am glad in one way that i found the only bit of rust on both corners of the bottom front bumper , that i replaced with some dexion & then painted , wax oiled , & will now survive the car.
I am pleased to say that this new car for my wife as passed the mot with no problems whatsoever . i have sent the remaining parts back to pdi another £4 , no courtesy call or postage return yet , i am glad that it is all finished now, would i do it again , answer NO , but i do know how to remove & replace bumpers on a 147 55 t/s you bet i do .
Now for all those that are interested to see if they work efficently or not you will have to wait & let me have a drive in it & i will give you a report back if you wish , its took best part of 8 weeks wih a 7 day holiday in between ,
We are very happy with the purchase of the 147 & i will post some pictures when i get sorted with the camera pixels , god loves a trier.

 

[robotrobo]

I wish i had listened

Two months down the line & i have only just finished the job of fitting these non drilling parking sensors . the fitting of the front bumper went reasonably well untill i hit the corner retaining screws that would not come off & the front corners were well rotten & so i had to repair & did a good job & treated the area afterwards , but i must have had the front bumper on & off at least 3 or more times , eventually i got it up & working .So i had a few days rest before i started the rear , which i thought would be easy now i was experienced in the fitting , so after i fitted the rear & not many problems up to then i put the bumper back on & the dam thing would not work properly , so i removed the bumper again & again & eventually i rang pdi to talk to a fitter & he said to try the front ecu on to the rear & prove that that is working . which i did & it proved that the ecu was faulty, so they posted me out a so called new ecu which was also faulty , next they sent me one that was totally alien for my car!!. next they sent out a complete new boxed parking sensor with all the wires etc , which i did not want as the wireing i had installed was working correctly & that the ecu in this box was not compatible to my wireing , as you can imagine i am totally ****ed off by this time & feeling sorry for myself , i had been out in all weather giveing it my best shot & the girl in the office must have thought i was selling the blasted things on fleabay & it took some convinceing for her to send me the right part , while this was on going in the brochure it says that covering the foil sensor strip is optional ! with underseal , but talking to the fitter he said its essential that you cover it with underseal or it would drop off eventually , so guess what i had to do ?, take the fuxxing bumper off again , eventually i have both parking sensors fitted now , i am glad in one way that i found the only bit of rust on both corners of the bottom front bumper , that i replaced with some dexion & then painted , wax oiled , & will now survive the car.
I am pleased to say that this new car for my wife as passed the mot with no problems whatsoever . i have sent the remaining parts back to pdi another £4 , no courtesy call or postage return yet , i am glad that it is all finished now, would i do it again , answer NO , but i do know how to remove & replace bumpers on a 147 55 t/s you bet i do .
Now for all those that are interested to see if they work efficently or not you will have to wait & let me have a drive in it & i will give you a report back if you wish , its took best part of 8 weeks wih a 7 day holiday in between ,
We are very happy with the purchase of the 147 & i will post some pictures when i get sorted with the camera pixels , god loves a trier.

PLEASE READ UPDATE BELOW






Well its a few months now that i fitted the ( hidden ) no drilling stick on parking sensors on my 147 , haveing never needed them on a car before & the 147 being a present to my wife , i thought i would put the finishing touch to it all.
I said i would report back & give a report on there usefulness!, can i say that i had a hell of a job getting them sorted front & rear as they kept sending me faulty e.c.u units & also cotinually sending me the wrong ones to fit the alfa!, the bumpers were on & off more times than the wifes knickers!!, & for a considerable time the car was out of commision on the drive , bumper off waiting for the right part to fit, ok i had use of another car but was very frustrating .
I have spent a total of £158 & i am very angry within myself that i did not listen to other people about the sensors.
If i had relied on the sensors then i would have bumped the car a few times before now & i now do not trust or take any notice of there warning & they will be disconnected or wires cut before to long.
I have just returned after takeing the car out in the rain & getting false readings most of the time & buzzing when it should not , there is a warning that this did happen on some of the earlier sensors , but now its cured , what a load of rubbish!!.
So the question is my good helpers can i get my money back from this company ?, it does not do what it says on the tin, i am leaving them on in case some one wants to check that i have fitted per supplied instructions , they in my opinion are not fit for purpose , i am going to contact this company very shortly & point out my dis satisfaction with them .
Can you lads (lassies) advise me the right way on to take this action forward so that i can go about getting a refund in the right way.
I even returned all the wrong fittings they sent me by recorded delivery with no reimbursement or acknowledgement that they had recieved the items that i promised to return through there mistakes.
It hurts when i think of all the trouble & expense that i have gone through £158 would keep me warm for a few months or give it to the grandchildren & a bit to charity ! , anything except them blooming not fit for purpose reversing sensors from that company i have not yet named untill i have had a word with them. please advise.:thumbs:

 

[Spacecadet]

The company won't refund any postage and insurance unless you for them to agree it before hand. They should return the cost of the original product if they agree its a fault. Thing is that all sensors have a rider about not detecting properly in rainy, wet, cold, hit conditions. It's standard back covering. They may just point at the rider and say tough.
A set of drill the bumper sensors from Euro Car Parts is about £20. Locally colour matched is maybe another £30