My 147 GTA just died
Discussion
sclayto2 said:
Alfahorn said:
Johnmor said:
Is Alfa really saying the repair cost is £3000 pounds!!!!
I agree I would be tempted to pay 10% but I think the repair is more likly a lot less than £3000 and you will be paying at least 50%.
If the car has had an electrical failure its likly to be a simple replacemnt of an ECU or reset of the CPU system. The costs will be in labour time to diagnose the problem.
If you snapped a cam belt or threw a con rod, then £3000 is a more realistic cost. But for a electrical glitch !!! Pahh
Still having fought with dealers before 300 is not huge bill but its the priciple.
The symptoms described by the OP are without doubt related to cambelt failure. I agree I would be tempted to pay 10% but I think the repair is more likly a lot less than £3000 and you will be paying at least 50%.
If the car has had an electrical failure its likly to be a simple replacemnt of an ECU or reset of the CPU system. The costs will be in labour time to diagnose the problem.
If you snapped a cam belt or threw a con rod, then £3000 is a more realistic cost. But for a electrical glitch !!! Pahh
Still having fought with dealers before 300 is not huge bill but its the priciple.
Honestly, thanks for the feedback, though I would like to pointout, that the car is still under warranty. Hence I'm a little confused by the "pay it now/bite their hand off" comments. Why buy a car with a warranty if you're going to pay towards getting things fixed, that shouldn't break as part fo the warranty.
Now I understand that I bought the car used and that it got a 33K service as a condition of sale. For the car to fail, so spectacularly prior to its next service, within the warranty, seems to me wrong. Alfa are stumping up 90%, I would of expected the dealer to stump up the rest. If the cambelt is such a weak point in the car, and needs to be changed at such a different frequency to the published figures, then check it and chnage it, prior to sale.
Seems to me Alfa are being gracious and kind, by stumping up 90% and the dealer is trying to duck their liability by passing the rest on to me.
Or am I still not getting it?
Hello together,
new to this forum...
had a similiar problem with my current Alfa GTV...it died 3 weeks ago and the dealer agreed to pay 80% of the repair costs, I agreed and ask them to do the service (which would had be done within the next 3000km anyway)...when I went there to pick ist up, he asked me for € 3500 !!! (total costs incl. service € 4500) ...he refused to hand my car back to me, he forced me to pay! So I payed and will now try to get it back through my lawyer...
Anyway,I think 90% is a great deal (as long as it stays this amount=) )
Good luck!
By the way, this happend in Munich, not in the UK...
new to this forum...
had a similiar problem with my current Alfa GTV...it died 3 weeks ago and the dealer agreed to pay 80% of the repair costs, I agreed and ask them to do the service (which would had be done within the next 3000km anyway)...when I went there to pick ist up, he asked me for € 3500 !!! (total costs incl. service € 4500) ...he refused to hand my car back to me, he forced me to pay! So I payed and will now try to get it back through my lawyer...
Anyway,I think 90% is a great deal (as long as it stays this amount=) )
Good luck!
By the way, this happend in Munich, not in the UK...
Well, that's the cambelt just gone on my 147 GTA too - what a great way to celebrate Easter.
It's a 2003 car with 51k miles and a full Alfa service history. Fingers crossed Alfa UK will make a good will payment, as the interval is still at 6 years / 72 k miles IIRC.
Ironically I was just about to have the cambelt changed at its next service in a couple of weeks time ; (
It's a 2003 car with 51k miles and a full Alfa service history. Fingers crossed Alfa UK will make a good will payment, as the interval is still at 6 years / 72 k miles IIRC.
Ironically I was just about to have the cambelt changed at its next service in a couple of weeks time ; (
Edited by Ecurie Ecosse on Saturday 22 March 10:09
Ecurie Ecosse said:
Well, that's the cambelt just gone on my 147 GTA too - what a great way to celebrate Easter.
It's a 2003 car with 51k miles and a full Alfa service history. Fingers crossed Alfa UK will make a good will payment, as the interval is still at 6 years / 72 k miles IIRC.
Ironically I was just about to have the cambelt changed at its next service in a couple of weeks time ; (
That's rubbish luck. It's a 2003 car with 51k miles and a full Alfa service history. Fingers crossed Alfa UK will make a good will payment, as the interval is still at 6 years / 72 k miles IIRC.
Ironically I was just about to have the cambelt changed at its next service in a couple of weeks time ; (
Not sure if the GTA is different, but the service schedule for our '06 147 says 72,000 miles but "Irrespective of mileage, the timing drive belt should be replaced every 3 years if subjected to heavy usage (cold climates, town driving with long idling stops) or every 5 years".
If it's an '03 car then it's surely either inside or only just outside the 5 years.
This is lookiing bad and I feel sorry for you guys but...
If the car is from a dealer then I would be tempted to push for the full amount but a cambelt change would cost more than £300 so it's a very good offer, especially since you were going to get it done very soon. Just make sure it is going to be £300 you have to pay and no more, I would get it in writing so they can't ask for more afterwards.
Good luck with it and don't let it put you off the GTA, you have an amazing car that even Alfa haven't been able to replace, the Brera V6 doesn't even come close.
jamieboy said:
Not sure if the GTA is different, but the service schedule for our '06 147 says 72,000 miles but "Irrespective of mileage, the timing drive belt should be replaced every 3 years if subjected to heavy usage (cold climates, town driving with long idling stops) or every 5 years".
This is exactly what my handbook has in it(53 plate) and I have mentioned it before on here too. The belts need to be done every 3 years really in this country, the dealers are at fault for this as well because they're not changing belts on cars before selling them resulting in several cars getting to the 5 year mark with the original cambelt then snapping just before the service is due.If the car is from a dealer then I would be tempted to push for the full amount but a cambelt change would cost more than £300 so it's a very good offer, especially since you were going to get it done very soon. Just make sure it is going to be £300 you have to pay and no more, I would get it in writing so they can't ask for more afterwards.
Good luck with it and don't let it put you off the GTA, you have an amazing car that even Alfa haven't been able to replace, the Brera V6 doesn't even come close.
I think you should go for it, or at least try and play a face and get mangos to pay for the 105. Mainly cos if they gave you 33k service as condition of sale, this was most likely a 36k service in which case under the new guidelines they SHOULD HAVE CHANGED THE CAMBELT! Especially on a GTA where the belt would be under more pressure?
On the other hand, it would cost about 3k to change a 1.6 engine through Alfa, never mind a GTA engine. Dont think you'll find one of those in a scrap yard.
Ask Mango to pay the £300 as they should have spent that £300 when they sold you the car. It's their fault, they're lucky Alfa are paying up for their mistake. If they wont pay up, might as well pay the £300, and get the GTA back on the road.
Gotta say, excellent service from Alfa!
On the other hand, it would cost about 3k to change a 1.6 engine through Alfa, never mind a GTA engine. Dont think you'll find one of those in a scrap yard.
Ask Mango to pay the £300 as they should have spent that £300 when they sold you the car. It's their fault, they're lucky Alfa are paying up for their mistake. If they wont pay up, might as well pay the £300, and get the GTA back on the road.
Gotta say, excellent service from Alfa!
Its not just the belt itself necessarily. I just had the belt and tensioner replaced on my '04 3.2 Spider which has done 31k miles. Upon inspection the tensioner had worn and was allowing the belt to rub on the cover which eventually would have worn enough to allow the belt to jump off!
with 10,000 parts, any car can break down, new or old, low milage or high.. i'd say that you got a VERY good offer only having to pay £300 for that much damage...
as i'm very un trusting of cam belts, i had the cam bet changed on my Alfa 166 twin spark less than a week after buying it, and will be going with the 36,000 mile change i've been recommended rather than the 72,000 the book says..
as i'm very un trusting of cam belts, i had the cam bet changed on my Alfa 166 twin spark less than a week after buying it, and will be going with the 36,000 mile change i've been recommended rather than the 72,000 the book says..
Edited by philoldsmobile on Wednesday 26th March 20:13
flattotheboards said:
sclayto2 said:
Fair play to Mangos, they're stumping the rest of the cost and I should have my car back this week.
Have you got your car back yet? Will it get the planned service whilst its in then?The chap in the Service dept, Paul, has been quite good at keeping me up to date with the progress. Which makes a change from having to chase a garage.
Yes I'm getting the planned service whilst there.
The 72K cam belt interval for the old twin-spark engines was reduced to 36K retrospectively by Alfa because of all the breaks they had (usually at about 55K). I just caught mine before it broke despite paying the previous dealer to change the cam belt a few months previously. He did, but hadn't changed the balancing belt or tensioner. Basically, if you own an Alfa and hear a rythmic 'ticking' coming from under the bonnet at idle, stop the car and call Mr AA to take you to get the belt changed. I did, and they found a 4 inch bit where the teeth were missing!!
Give me an old chain cam any day- it may have rattled and rubbed away a bit of aluminium from the inside of the engine, but it didn't break!
Give me an old chain cam any day- it may have rattled and rubbed away a bit of aluminium from the inside of the engine, but it didn't break!
I was under the impression that if you purchased a car from a main dealer, the 'premium' you paid was to give yourself 12 months warrnty, plus usual dealer backup.
therefore I would be extreamly ****** off to be asked for the £300.
I am currently looking to buy a 159 diesel, and if he would have been forced to pay the £300, I would have certainly been walking away from Alfa and definitely Mangol.
Instead I will be visiting in the next few weeks for a chat, the impression I get is Alfa has improved since my last Romeo in '99 I know it takes time to lose the old Alfa tag, but with stories like these they are on the right track.
My old boss had 2 engines in his BMW a couple of years back. No fuss courtesy car - lets keep this quiet - job done, just the expected service from a 'premium' brand.
therefore I would be extreamly ****** off to be asked for the £300.
I am currently looking to buy a 159 diesel, and if he would have been forced to pay the £300, I would have certainly been walking away from Alfa and definitely Mangol.
Instead I will be visiting in the next few weeks for a chat, the impression I get is Alfa has improved since my last Romeo in '99 I know it takes time to lose the old Alfa tag, but with stories like these they are on the right track.
My old boss had 2 engines in his BMW a couple of years back. No fuss courtesy car - lets keep this quiet - job done, just the expected service from a 'premium' brand.
Pinger23 said:
I was under the impression that if you purchased a car from a main dealer, the 'premium' you paid was to give yourself 12 months warrnty, plus usual dealer backup.
therefore I would be extreamly ****** off to be asked for the £300.
I am currently looking to buy a 159 diesel, and if he would have been forced to pay the £300, I would have certainly been walking away from Alfa and definitely Mangol.
Instead I will be visiting in the next few weeks for a chat, the impression I get is Alfa has improved since my last Romeo in '99 I know it takes time to lose the old Alfa tag, but with stories like these they are on the right track.
My old boss had 2 engines in his BMW a couple of years back. No fuss courtesy car - lets keep this quiet - job done, just the expected service from a 'premium' brand.
Agreed that was my belief. I guess in this case, the Service Team just contacted me directly, rather than speaking to anyone else. Perhaps they didn't know it was a warrantied vehicle.therefore I would be extreamly ****** off to be asked for the £300.
I am currently looking to buy a 159 diesel, and if he would have been forced to pay the £300, I would have certainly been walking away from Alfa and definitely Mangol.
Instead I will be visiting in the next few weeks for a chat, the impression I get is Alfa has improved since my last Romeo in '99 I know it takes time to lose the old Alfa tag, but with stories like these they are on the right track.
My old boss had 2 engines in his BMW a couple of years back. No fuss courtesy car - lets keep this quiet - job done, just the expected service from a 'premium' brand.
Speaking of Alfa UK improvements, my missus had so many problems with her GT, from a different dealer, she wrote to Alfa UK. The reply came from the Chairman, with his mobile number. When she next took the car in, she was to call and he would have the Head of Technical on the line to talk them through the solutions.
It was this level of service that made me buy an Alfa. I guess the £300 was a small blip, because otherwise it has been superb.
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