Alfa GTV......

[Levislude]

Typical Italian

hahaha yep!!

'tis true - they can be sensitive but if you get one that's been looked after and you continue to look after it I've found they're as reliable as anything else out there. I think a lot of problems with them come from the poor residual values leading to them falling into the hands of folk who don't have the cash or inclination to look after them.

They're not cheap to run once neglected - a bit like my Mrs really.

I've run a few Alfas and never had a major problem with any of them. The interiors are really nice places to be.

[Nik_L]

Yeah they are a love/hate kind of car. Its decent enough tbh, drives good and is a nice place to be.

Cambelt is due actually.

I called up the garage who have serviced it since 25k miles and he knew the car straight away when i told him it was a woman from Loanhead. He was more than helpful, told me all that had been done (inc cambelt in 2009 @80k miles) and said ive got a good un. Said he spotted it up for sale also and asked how much i paid. Said what she was asking for it was a bargain for what i was getting and anything less was a bonus lol.

Can only hope it dosn't go tits up on me though It dosn't feel like the car you want to just jump in and rag it. Its quite nice to just sit back and take it easy tbh.

[bb1boy]

Yeah you need a specialist to do the timing belt as the cam gears need to be locked off with a special Alfa Romeo tool, if you attempt to do the job without this tool, death of the motor will shortly ensue.

[Nik_L]

Ive never done a belt in my life (only a chain) and from reading the guides online, i wouldn't want to try it on this.

The Alfa specialist who has looked after it quoted me around the £300 mark for a belt change. Then the cost on top for parts if it needed a balancer belt and water pump which i thought was quite reasonable considering.

[wurlycorner]

That reminds me of the cambelt I did (as a side-line to the head gasket!) on the missus's V40 before we sold it.

The service manuals said you needed to use a special cam locking tool or "...the timing of the engine would be irretrievably lost".
I took the cam and belt covers off, couldn't see why on earth it was saying that and proceeded to dismantle further.
I still couldn't understand the problem when I reached the point where you can't lift the top half of the head off without undoing the vvt pulley from the end of the cam shaft. So I undid the vvt pully from the end of the cam shaft and then discovered why! (The bloody thing isn't keyed on at all and there are no alignment marks or any way of putting alignment marks on it either)

All the people on the owners forums (including some Volvo mechanics) said I was screwed.

A lot of swearing, then a night of beer followed, then a bit of head scratching and I reckoned I'd sussed out how to recover the situation

I got a mate to bring his diagnostics thing round after I'd finished putting it back together, ran it up and watched the timing live and it was all absolutely spot on

[bb1boy]

Get on!! That's pretty good Wurly!! ...but then Volvo are made in the very sensible Sweden, Alfa's are not..

[Donald]

Didn't know that one. Those things really are uber sensitive

Typical Italian

I concur. Mine doesn't like it if I run too far past her service interval.

[4thgenphil]

Didn't know that one. Those things really are uber sensitive

Typical Italian

I concur. Mine doesn't like it if I run too far past her service interval.

i'll be round tomorrow

[Donald]

At you own peril

Her grandmother is staying with us at the moment, could probably do with a fluid flush and change

[wurlycorner]

Phil gets 2 for the price of one, then!