***** Motors Chat - Round 5*****

Ardennes1944

http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/mini-cooper-s-for-sale/6133805

going to look at this monday if im colt-less. just think it'll be just as costly to run as the 325 though!

Stheno

Speaking of Alfa, right shower of robbing baxtards they are.

I've polyurethane bushes on my rear suspension, and the good old nct testers have decreed the bottom one on the bottom control arm is worn (fecking things not designed to wear)

So mechanic couldn't find the part in the motor factors, got onto Alfa, and the robbing feckers don't supply the bushes on their own, you've to buy the control arm.

€400 quid they charge!!

TI Autos sell the polybushes, (they fit the ones on now as the originals were not as good), so I've sourced them after a phone call with the guy in TI saying every two minutes "those polybushes don't wear", with me repeating that the NCT said so ergo it must be

challengemaster

Sticking with BMW so... :pac:

Stheno

challengemaster wrote: »

Sticking with BMW so... :pac:

Mechanic said he nearly had a heart attack when they told him the price

I may be going the german federation or whatever it is ye call yourselves at the meet.

challengemaster

Stheno wrote: »

TI Autos sell the polybushes, (they fit the ones on now as the originals were not as good), so I've sourced them after a phone call with the guy in TI saying every two minutes "those polybushes don't wear", with me repeating that the NCT said so ergo it must be

I've heard the NCT have also previously diagnosed braided brake lines as being rusted/corroded. Some of those lads must be having a right laugh.

Stheno

challengemaster wrote: »

I've heard the NCT have also previously diagnosed braided brake lines as being rusted/corroded. Some of those lads must be having a right laugh.

My mechanic is currently on a bit of a downer with the NCT after they decided a particular type of brake line that is also used in the airline industry was not suitable!

I was really annoyed when they came out and said it to me, but not point arguing with them tbh

Ardennes1944

could be onto something here! http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/soda-fabian-vrs/6141781

vrt is only 550

Stheno

Ardennes1944 wrote: »

could be onto something here! http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/soda-fabian-vrs/6141781

vrt is only 550

Looks nice, but omg the typos?

Scortho

Stheno wrote: »

Speaking of Alfa, right shower of robbing baxtards they are.

I've polyurethane bushes on my rear suspension, and the good old nct testers have decreed the bottom one on the bottom control arm is worn (fecking things not designed to wear)

So mechanic couldn't find the part in the motor factors, got onto Alfa, and the robbing feckers don't supply the bushes on their own, you've to buy the control arm.

€400 quid they charge!!

TI Autos sell the polybushes, (they fit the ones on now as the originals were not as good), so I've sourced them after a phone call with the guy in TI saying every two minutes "those polybushes don't wear", with me repeating that the NCT said so ergo it must be

I'd never buy a part new off alfa, way to expensive.
If you haven't already, you could try shop4parts?
Or for a used one there's a good few gtv's being broken on eBay. And as a last resort you could try dan in autolusso. He's a bit pricy though.

MetzgerMeister

People think that lower-end marques are going to have cheap parts prices. In my experience, BMW parts are much more reasonably priced than Mazda parts.

Scortho

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

People think that lower-end marques are going to have cheap parts prices. In my experience, BMW parts are much more reasonably priced than Mazda parts.

It's alfa...they're always going to have expensive parts.

Anyone want to guess where the oil filter is on the busso v6?

Stheno

Scortho wrote: »

I'd never buy a part new off alfa, way to expensive.
If you haven't already, you could try shop4parts?
Or for a used one there's a good few gtv's being broken on eBay. And as a last resort you could try dan in autolusso. He's a bit pricy though.

I don't need the new arm, now that I can get the bushes in TI that's all that's worn according to the NCT gurus

You can't buy the bushes seperately from Alfa, it's like on the 156, something on the on the steering rack were part of that too iirc and while on "normal" cars you could replace just those, with the 156 you'd to replace the entire rack

Supergurrier

Audi TT anyone ?

Scortho

Stheno wrote: »

I don't need the new arm, now that I can get the bushes in TI that's all that's worn according to the NCT gurus

You can't buy the bushes seperately from Alfa, it's like on the 156, something on the on the steering rack were part of that too iirc and while on "normal" cars you could replace just those, with the 156 you'd to replace the entire rack

You've to buy the full set of bushes?!?! :eek:

Or just for the arm?

How much did you pay? If I'd have known it was only the bushes I'd have sent you here: http://newalfaparts.co.uk/103-powerflex

Stheno

Jesus

pred racer

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

People think that lower-end marques are going to have cheap parts prices. In my experience, BMW parts are much more reasonably priced than Mazda parts.

Try buying parts off citroen....eye watering stuff!
Even the same parts from peugeot are cheaper.

Waiting for a new upper control arm for my yoke, only lasted 10k :eek:
If the next one is ****e too, I'm going to be looking for someones head:mad:

Edit: you cant buy the bushings seperate for this either, you need the whole arm.

Bpmull

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

People think that lower-end marques are going to have cheap parts prices. In my experience, BMW parts are much more reasonably priced than Mazda parts.

I think ford must be the worst when it comes to parts prices just comparing them to the likes of Opel, skoda, vw. Everytime I go into the main dealer to get parts I feel like there robbing me even with the 12.5. Percent discount but when I rang around to other dealers they were all charging at least them prices. A fuel filter for my car is 100 quid with discount 100 euro for a filter it doesn't even make sense. It's like 15 euro for the skodas .

Supergurrier

Ford parts are supercheap, thank you UK fanbase

Where else would you get a clutch able to take 450bhp for less than 650 sterling /smashes piggybank

Ardennes1944

i thought Ford and Fiat have the cheapest parts in general?

Stheno

pred racer wrote: »

Try buying parts off citroen....eye watering stuff!
Even the same parts from peugeot are cheaper.

Waiting for a new upper control arm for my yoke, only lasted 10k :eek:
If the next one is ****e too, I'm going to be looking for someones head:mad:

Citroen parts were lethal alright I'd the suspension pump fail on mine, sweet mother of the divine, they were looking for some mental money for it.

That was another thing about the NCT, having had suspension problems in my 156, I knew pretty much straight away something was wrong, there isn't a peep from the back of the gtv to indicate any issue with it, and my mechanic is scratching his head trying to figure out how they decided it's worn, especially given they marked the bottom bushing as the culprit.

TI were the same as well, I reckon as I got it tested late in the evening (and it passed the slip/side test bit, passed every test on the sheet, but failed due to the alleged wear) they hadn't hit their number.

Supergurrier

Part prices are related to the volume of them being produced and to what standard.

If the car's aren't that popular then 3rd part companies that are subcontracted to make the parts won't make them in the numbers to make them cheap.

Alot of Fords parts which share the same part numbers are actually made by 2-3 different companies.

In the case of Fiat though it's probably because they well fall to bits /hides from dgt

Stheno

Ardennes1944 wrote: »

i thought Ford and Fiat have the cheapest parts in general?

Never had a ford, fiat parts were dirt cheap when I'd a punto.

OHs old E200 parts so far have been very reasonable.

Pred, have you checked if the polybushes will do for your car?
Might be worth giving TI a call?

Bpmull

Supergurrier wrote: »

Ford parts are supercheap, thank you UK fanbase

Where else would you get a clutch able to take 450bhp for less than 650 sterling /smashes piggybank

Maybe it's just me. The spurious parts prices don't seem to bad. But I always just find the price of basic filters very expensive. It cost me 100 euro for a piece of intercooler hose and that was a main dealer only purchase. Genuine service parts for astra compared to focus air + oil filter both double the price fuel filter 10 times the price.

Stheno

Supergurrier wrote: »

Part prices are related to the volume of them being produced and to what standard.

If the car's aren't that popular then 3rd part companies that are subcontracted to make the parts won't make them in the numbers to make them cheap.

Alot of Fords parts which share the same part numbers are actually made by 2-3 different companies.

In the case of Fiat though it's probably because they well fall to bits /hides from dgt

There's a weird irony there with alfa, there is a whole subindustry in alfa parts. The bushes I am talking about are not OEM, and were made first by someone for the gtv as the original bushes iirc were metal and damaged subframes, so some enterprising person came up with the polys, but they are a fecker to find as they are not listed with most motor factors.

MetzgerMeister

Supergurrier wrote: »

Audi TT anyone ?

Looks like:

Supergurrier

Bpmull wrote: »

Maybe it's just me. The spurious parts prices don't seem to bad. But I always just find the price of basic filters very expensive. It cost me 100 euro for a piece of intercooler hose and that was a main dealer only purchase. Genuine service parts for astra compared to focus air + oil filter both double the price fuel filter 10 times the price.

Thats why you don't buy form a main dealer but a distributer

Scortho

Stheno wrote: »

Never had a ford, fiat parts were dirt cheap when I'd a punto.

OHs old E200 parts so far have been very reasonable.

Pred, have you checked if the polybushes will do for your car?
Might be worth giving TI a call?

Autolusso developed a set with powerflex for the upper arms.

Speaking of polybushes, in tempted to put strongflex on mine....a third of the price of powerflex

pred racer

Supergurrier wrote: »

Ford parts are supercheap, thank you UK fanbase

Where else would you get a clutch able to take 450bhp for less than 650 sterling /smashes piggybank

A clutch and dmf for mine supplied and fitted is only €1100;)

Stheno wrote: »

Citroen parts were lethal alright I'd the suspension pump fail on mine, sweet mother of the divine, they were looking for some mental money for it.

That was another thing about the NCT, having had suspension problems in my 156, I knew pretty much straight away something was wrong, there isn't a peep from the back of the gtv to indicate any issue with it, and my mechanic is scratching his head trying to figure out how they decided it's worn, especially given they marked the bottom bushing as the culprit.

TI were the same as well, I reckon as I got it tested late in the evening (and it passed the slip/side test bit, passed every test on the sheet, but failed due to the alleged wear) they hadn't hit their number.

Just lash it in again in a different centre.

Stheno wrote: »

Never had a ford, fiat parts were dirt cheap when I'd a punto.

OHs old E200 parts so far have been very reasonable.

Pred, have you checked if the polybushes will do for your car?
Might be worth giving TI a call?

Powerflex bushes are more expensive than the bloody arm, and are multi adjustable, thats just what I need more adjustment! The monkeys with their lasers cant adjust it properly as it is:mad:

Stheno

pred racer wrote: »

Just lash it in again in a different centre.



Powerflex bushes are more expensive than the bloody arm, and are multi adjustable, thats just what I need more adjustment! The monkeys with their lasers cant adjust it properly as it is:mad:

I am lashing it into another centre

How much is the arm versus the bushes? I was €400 versus €60 I suspect there is a wording issue here given different cars

Bpmull

Supergurrier wrote: »

Thats why you don't buy form a main dealer but a distributer

I wouldn't even know where to start. If the car is getting serious work done then the mechanic sorts out parts and obviously doesn't but of main dealer unless there seals or something like that. So really the main parts I buy are just filter plus oil. Oil isn't an issue as when the Mobil ford spec oil goes on offer I buy it in halfords. So that just really lives filters. I'm probably really only complaining over nothing as I service it every 10k km so 3 services a year. So the price of filters doesn't really amount to much. Anyway the cost of servicing it never bothers me it's all the other stuff. Anyway it seems to be running well at the moment so fingers crossed it will stay that way.