Hi Nick

I agree largely with what John says.  More so, since I actually have an '03 JTS manual Sporwagon.  I picked it up in Sydney for $20K last year.  I am the 2nd owner, has full Alfa service history with now 96K on the clock. Sweet car.

At the time there were not many to choose from and in general I have not seen too many come up for sale over the past year.

The cheapest one I have seen in recent times was a red one for $14K.  Interestingly enough I made an enquiry the other day from a 2nd hand car dealer in Melbourne to see what I might get as a trade in on my car for an '86 Porsche 944 they have for sale.  $10K at best plus a little less since I live in Hobart.  Go figure.  From my research on the usual car websites, a car like mine (except sedan and mostly sillyspeeds) goes for between $17500 to $19500.  Low km '03 156s seem to be still commanding up to as much as $26K.

So obviously the dealer is only looking at the Redbook which always seems to have lower values and is wanting to make much profit.  Not from me he won't.

While you should be able to find a sedan for $7k I doubt you will find a good Sportwagon for that kind of money.  I have heard of one wagon for that type of money but never saw it and suspect it would have needed quite lot of work/$ to have been spent on it.  You can have mine for $19K if you really wish.

As to the space difference, while John is correct re the boot of the sedan being a greater capacity than the sportwagon, that is only true while the back seat is up.  With it folded down the storage space is very generous.  I can even get my 7'6 mini mal surfboard into my car (just).  When we made our road trip down from Sydney, we had our two 6'6 surfboards, plus luggage, plus wine, lamps and other stuff bought along the way.  The sportwagon is extremely practical, oh and also economical.

Definitely if you are after a 156, go for the latest one you can find, with the lowest kms and the best service history, and especially check to see if the belts have been replaced. Goodluck with the hunt to find one.  Dave

Hi all

I too suffered from this problem recently with my 1750 GTV.  In my case as far as I can tell it was a combination of my stupidity in not tightening the leads to the battery properly but as well all four plugs, which are in fact brand new keep on fouling, with black carbon.  So I am assuming the engine is running a little too rich.  They don't appear to be wet with oil. 

Now I do have a supposedly new engine in my car (the PO of the engine) claimed it had been rebuilt, and I have hardly used it since I had it installed in my car, so perhaps the car just needs a decent Italian Tuneup, or alternatively I too might have a problem with the carbie balance, spark or something else.  I havn't yet figured this one out.   

Once I clean the sparkies the car runs cleanly and pulls fine but it doesn't take it long before the sparks are re-fouled with black carbon. 

Any other suggestions appreciated, as I don't wish to damage the engine. 

Ash good luck in sorting yours out.  Dave

yes i would definitely agree with the other comments, it definitely sounds like micro blistering due to moisture getting under the painted surface. From my experience there are a number of ways they can form including if during say the repainting of a car, the painter was slack in removing moisture from the paint lines, since moisture is formed by the condensation of air via the compressor.  There is a bleed valve to remove the moisture as it collects in the line but if not watched will get into the air/paint mixture in the spray gun. 

Also another way I have seen such bubbles form is due to sweating when car are left under car covers for too long.  This happened to me with my 1750 GTV.   The problem being that once you have such micro blisters in your paint there is the real risk that you will also get surface rusting and if that happens there is only one option stripping the affected areas to bare metal, derusting the metal and repainting.

I would definitely get it checked out by an expert spray painter, panel shop.  Good luck.  Dave

Gees Hammer, you poor bugger having to sit through Aussie Idol, which of course is another syndicated program world wide. 

As to the other recent comments, I too thought in overall terms that Aussie Topgear had improved as they progressed through the series.  Yes sure there were some awkward moments and I can't say I enjoyed every story but in overall terms I quite enjoyed it.

It was always going to be a hard task following in the footsteps of Clarkson et al, and I reckon the guys know it.  As I said from the outset of this thread, Warren is the natural in the team, he is talented, knowledgeable and a natural in front of the cameras, and yes he is also funny.  I still don't really like the little guy (Steve) and Charlie is a pain.  But they can drive, they do know something about cars albeit I don't think they are as critical of the cars as perhaps they should be.

And I am passionately disinterested in crapadores and chooks, in either bog standard or the HSV/FPV form.  Give me a decent Alfa any day.   I was also disapointed that in comming down to Tassie with the Lambo, Aston and Porsche that for comparative purposes they didn't exchange cars, let alone make any critical appraisal about them.  Left me feeling and yes what now......It was all a bit limp. 

I think part of the basic problem is that they simply havn't had the same level of experience in driving all sorts of exotica that the guys on UK Topgear have.  I also was starting to get a little tired of the Aussie Ute, 4WD thing. Hopefully if they get to do a 2nd series they might get to try out some more interesting cars, and hopefully also improve the camera work at the test track.  To see so much camera shake is crap, let alone it still seems like a dull track, with too many chicanes etc. 

Oh well at least next Monday it is back to what we all love. 

Its fine mate, there is always another one to tempt you, and yes I am sure there is never a perfect timing to these things.  Always seems to occur when one can least afford it.   

Now as to your father in laws vino, if it is that strong, I am thinking you could probably market the stuff,  or alternatively I could probably use some for paint stripper !! 

Good luck in not needing and/or resisting another toy for the collection.

I saw that one Sheldon, but wasn't tempted to look too closely.  What a shocker.  I would definitely need more than a couple of glasses of red, let alone some of Pep's old man's vino and a pair of dark sunglasses to hide that one from my eyes.  It would be possibly like seeing a great chick at the pub through beer vision and waking up next to her the following morning and thinking, how could I have.  Not that I have ever done this of course, I hasten to add !!

Pep, indeed there is nothing like a couple of reds to lubricate the wallet opening ebay, but then again, when it comes to parting with hard earned spindooli, I too am a little careful, especially, when I really can't afford it or justify it.  Mind you there is nothing too wrong with a aquiring a BC for the collection (I already have a red AC), was it the red one?  It didn't look too bad for the dosh. 

My reluctance though to part with the last of the folding stuff left in my ever dwindling account might go a little to explaining how some of the recent bargains I have seen on the Bay havn't come my way.  Probably just as well, since I am not sure how I might have explained it to the missus.

Hey I know we could start a new thread along the lines of the most stupid pig ugly steering wheel or alloys you have seen fitted to an Alfa.  I certainly have seen some absolute rubbish fitted by uninspired owners over the years !! I remember this 1750 GTV that had a huge hit up its bum, but worse still were the wheels and steering which would have loked better on a Fully Sick Hyundai !!

BTW Pep, I had only had a glass or two of red... honest !!!  Dave

Hi Dan

You might also like to have a look at www.alfaholics.com.  Max Banks and his father (Richard) in the UK have built up quite a number of twin spark 105 stepnose GTA replicas.  I think, given the level of parts etc they sell for 105s and especially for racing purposes, they are probably some of the best placed experts to provide advice on this setup.  Dave

Most succinctly stated Pep. Definitely too the point.

Not sure John, but to my reckoning it is so damn ugly that in itself makes it inherantly unsafe.  I would be trying to find a way to get out of the car as quick as possible, so as not to have to stare at it. Not that I could ever be tempted to put such an ugly wheel on my 156 in the first place.

Yikes why would you.  I thought I must be drunk when I first saw it.  Think I will stay with what I have already.

Sheldon's chocolate fish - what are these ??

Hi Barry et al.

From memory my trimmer charged me I think $90/100 to re-do the dash top for my Giulia Super, I am still waiting for the new door cards and parcel shelf.   He charged me $1100 for re-building and recovering my seats (front & rear) in Connolly leather, the leather cost another $1100 for the two hides.

I would have thought though that the dashboard for say a 1750 would be more like $250-400 given its greater complexity compared to the Giulia Supers.  Thanks Barry, I thought it might have been Dashboard Doctor but then thought no that couldn't be the correct name.  I will have to send over my GTV's dashboard one day to get it done properly.  Cheers Dave

Add also Classic Alfa on your shopping list, since some of their parts are cheaper than the other UK suppliers.  Perhaps also EB Spares in the UK.  Lastly re the dash, if you have a cracked one, what about getting it recovered. There are some specialists who do this, I just can't think of their names right now.  Some-else probably will remember this detail and indicative costings. 

You can buy original carpet sets but in truth you are probably best getting a local trimmer to do this and the gearstick boot.  All you need is a pattern (eg your old ones) or alternatively a picture of what it looks like.

Just for the record, Milano Spares don't just have 2nd hand parts they also do have a lot of new stuff for 105s.  Ask Mario and the guys there.

I think their base is in NSW as this is where SBS is based from ?? I know they have used Wakefield Park for one of the tests (Ford GT).  So is Wakefield in NSW or Vic?  Obviously though they have already filmed from Tassie to SA, as well as Vic/NSW.

Re who is the Stig.  Buggered if I know, but then who is UK Stig   Plenty of suggestions - no confirmation.

Loved the idea of car lawn bowls and as for the horse and a tracker vrs a GPS.  As for the 7L Commode, what was wrong with it, 250Km/H is that all !!  What sort of "Supercar" is that?  My cousin's 1 day old '05 Audi A8 V6 Turbo Diesel easily did 230 on the autobahns with heaps more to go.  I know I was there beside him as we used up all 4 lanes of the road from his place to Weimar in Northern Germany, and it didn't have some stupid arial thrashing itself to death on the roof.     

I think we need photos Pep of the hot chick in the A3 from the Westgate !!

Sure not a problem Pep.  No idea when that will be but will be over sometime.  Would be good to catch up. 

There is this red 159 sportwagon on ebay for $39K, 6 months old.  Damn it looks good.