[Closed] I'm in trouble. I've fallen for...

Far too many unfortunately
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If it wasn't so late I would grab some chocolate hob nobs and a cuppa, this could be a good one....

Will you make progress in it after? 😆

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Don't. I had the same urge to upgrade my mk2 focus RS. Remap, inter cooler, exhaust, wheels....seriously the list is endless and its throwing money at something which could break down, crash, get keyed, nicked etc. seen loads of guys spend £1000's on getting 500bhp and not having a car much faster than the standard model. The daft thing is that coming to sell the vehicle you won't recoup any of the money back.

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Anyone else bitten by this kind of bug?

To your list, I'd add some nice "street" coilovers to complement the Brembos

The daft thing is that coming to sell the vehicle you won't recoup any of the money back.

It will probably lower the value of the car, most people will assume a modified car has between thrashed within an inch of its life and stay well clear. I wouldn't touch one with a barge pole.

I know someone who has spent £17000 on a Peugeot 208 modifying it.

It's green.
It has black windows.
It has black alloys.
It does 30mph in a 30mph limit.
It does 70mph on the motorway.

It looks like all the others.

He's still single.

That Fiesta 😆

What car will you be 'chaving up' ?

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It will probably lower the value of the car,

It's an Alpha, it doesn't have a resale value

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bikebouy - Member
I know someone who has spent £17000 on a Peugeot 208 modifying it.

It's green.
It has black windows.
It has black alloys.
It does 30mph in a 30mph limit.
It does 70mph on the motorway.

It looks like all the others.

He's still single.

... 35 and lives with his Mum 🙂

Is that number plate legal kryton?

There's a very fine line

Personally I wouldn't buy a car that's been messed with too much

Black wheels are something that makes me think cheap refurb

Coilovers are awful, usually ruin the ride and if not set up properly, which 99% aren't, then handling is ruined too

Induction kit would also make me think the car has been ragged around its whole life, and carbon stick on bits look cheap

But, that's just my opinion. It's your pride and joy obviously, and it's a beautiful looking car. Alfas are lovely.

If they are reversible mods you shouldn't lose anything when it comes time to sell

I just think, forgive me here, that all the money you will waste pissing around with what is already a nice car (which during your meandering thoughts on what to get to carry bikes) will be chucked down the road when you could have potentially saved what you "intend" to spend on pissing about with your Alfa... On either a better bike or a better car in the first instance.

Though I do think you are in a honeymoon period with your car ATM and will forgive the excitement. I know what will cure it, throw your bike in the back after a long XC race whilst it's still covered thick in mud. And don't take the wheels off, don't put a blanket down in the boot to protect it, just haul that dirty bike in good and proper.. Then spend the next two weeks cleaning the mud out of the boot and back of the seats.. That'll take the smile off your face 😆

Some people pay 8k for a bicycle

Up to you, its your money 😆

That's why I said "potential" upgrade.

Fwiw the remap is slight - +35 Bhp and new filter changes the torque curve to be used flatter through the Rev range rather than a big lump between 2k and 3.5k revs givng a better driving experience and marginal performance increase. It's not going to be a 250hp monster. The tints are to hide the muddy bike bikebouy refers to as much as possible and are the rear and reaer passenger only. Wheels are aesthetic. Red brembo's would look great.

The carbon dash changes this Alu original:

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To this, which I prefer:

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If it's anything like my Alfa I'd save the money for when the cam belt snaps 🙁

We all did this Kryton... it's fine mate.

Soon as you get in your 20's you'll discover girls and you won't be able to afford to do it. Enjoy your youth while you can young'un

do you flash your lights at other Alfa's on the road?

do you flash your lights at other Alfa's on the road?

They are nice looking cars. In surprised by the high miles some of them on auto trader are on. Clearly more capable of big miles than I expected, or like my old vw, do folk just keep throwing money at them, to keep them going?

Well, well then I don't say if you have the money then spend it on bikes, just be weary as you are in this honeymoon period. T'is all. The window tints I get totally, the bhp I don't get but I don't know how it drives. As for the facia thing, nah.. If you want to do it get a matt black spray can of paint and DIY 😆 (don't do that)
Wheels.. Oh nooooo... Leave it standard, as was designed in the first place. I really do think you can not better the original designs of cars, no stupid upgrades. Original is best.

Clearly IMO.

Your £'s, your choice.

But I will add one thing, this bhp thing... Will it improve mpg? I only say that as a few threads ago you were complaining about your alfas mpg... Just sayin like.

Next thread - HOW MUCH IS MY INSURANCE!

We all did this Kryton... it's fine mate.
Soon as you get in your 20's you'll discover girls and you won't be able to afford to do it. Enjoy your youth while you can young'un

Ahahahahahaa ha ha ha hah ha ha ha Haaaa!

Sorry Steve 🙂

Lots of classic "I don't understand modifying cars or how its done properly so you'd be stupid for doing it" replies. I didn't expect anything less.

It will probably lower the value of the car, most people will assume a modified car has between thrashed within an inch of its life and stay well clear.

No. It'll reduce the your market come resale time maybe but if the mods are done well (ie, no cereal packets stuck on bonnets etc) then you'll definitely not reduce its value. I'm quite into the VW world (I refuse to use the word 'scene') and compare the price of a well modified mk4 Golf GTI for example vs a non modified version. You'll definitely not lose money (unless you modify something stupid like a Daewoo).

I doubt it'll be thrashed within an inch of its life. Cars which have money poured into them tend to be well looked after. Moreso than something which is driven by your average Joe to the works car park and home 5 times a week and gets nothing more than routine maintenance.

OP - do it. But do it well.

They are nice looking cars. In surprised by the high miles some of them on auto trader are on. Clearly more capable of big miles than I expected, or like my old vw, do folk just keep throwing money at them, to keep them going?

Not really. The major weakness are high miles on the dpf, DMF and clutch. Same as all cars of this era. The other one is the gearbox bearings which are soft, but is a vauxhall gearbox and therefore that affects same period vauxhalls as well.

Bike bouy with regard to mpg, probably by 1-2mpg based on the fact I wouldn't have to push so hard to get up to speed. However, I'm now used to the car and know my average is low 40's. I achieved 46mpg average from London to Norwich at the weekend at 70 ( not using cruise) and 38.5 mpg hammering it back in a rush into a 20mph WSW, carrying overnight gear and MTB in the back. According to the Alfa forums this is about right. The worst figure is still 20% more than my old car is how I see it, not really worried about it now tbh.

Should have just bought a Ti spec one. Other than the remap, the majority of what you want was standard on my 159 SW

My 156 had the carbon instruments surround,
It looked pish.

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"do you flash your lights at other Alfa's on the road? "

No , Alfa drivers give a little wave and a big smile.

Please look at barryboys website which has a whole load of terrible mods, quite amusing too what some people do with clearly very little money, truely chavtastic.

My 156 had the carbon instruments surround,
It looked pish.

Surely nothing looks classier than completely pointless carbon fibre - it's the walnut panelling of our age.

brembo 's
Remap
Tinted rear windows (bike security related)
K&n kit
Black carbon fascia
Stainless steel exhaust

6x9s for the parcel shelf
Sub & amp
Kenwood sticker
Kappa tracksuit
20 benson and hedges

weeksy
We all did this Kryton... it's fine mate.

Soon as you get in your 20's you'll discover girls and you won't be able to afford to do it. Enjoy your youth while you can young'un

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Please look at barryboys

The way some folk are going on you would be forgiven for thinking you already were.

Kryton - do as you please. You bought the car you wanted, if you want to tweak it to get it EXACTLY the way you want it then go ahead. We can't all be 100% satisfied when we get something.

Hardly a shopping list of chavvy "mods" anyway, I doubt the average person would even notice unless they were pointed out. And even then...

It's an Alpha, it doesn't have a resale value

*coughs* [i]Alfa[/i]

The 159 seems pretty respectable in terms of resale value. Since 2000ish, Alfas have ditched Magnetti Marelli electrics and have opted for Bosch instead so they're pretty much average in this respect. BTW, I've owned Alfas for twelve years after a long stint with VWs. Yes, dynamically they're not up there with BMW, Merc or Ford but then that's not the reason why you'd buy an Alfa.

I quite like the OP's 159 estate FWIW.

And my old 156 V6 Sport came with a carbon effect printed instrument surround which looked pretty naff up close...and that was from the factory.

Anything is better than fake walnut panelling though.

I doubt the average person would even notice unless they were pointed out. And even then...

...is the point. I'm just making the car even more of a pleasant place to be for me than it already is. Maybe the Brembo's are overkill...

Everyone who's replaced a part on their bike because it's several grams lighter- leave the thread.

Mucking about with things is fun. I took a £2000 motorbike and spent probably £4000 and god knows how many hundreds of hours on it, is it worth £6000, no, is it better than a £6000 bike, no, but it was totally worth it. My scabby mondeo got a decat and remap, I spend a lot of time it so I made it better to drive, why not.

(it also got a stainless exhaust, because the old one broke in half, and very ugly alloys because they were cheap and had winter tyres on)

PJM1974 - Member

Anything is better than fake walnut panelling though.

Don't judge me! (it's actually pretty funny when Ford do it, you get about a square mile of grey plastic, and about one a4 sheet of fake walnut, it's such a crap effort it feels like a knowing in-joke)

Right, I'm off then 😆

Wait, the Alfa is a diesel??

[i]the Alfa is a diesel?? [/i]

I spotted that.

It'll be like putting Carlos Fandango wheels on a Transit 😉

Yes, so is this:

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Your point is?

Do it, especially a re-map.

Bets looking estate car around, bar maybe an RS6.

Personally if spending the cash I'd get the remap and K&N, purely because they usually improve engine efficiency (both MPG and BHP). And the filter will make the engine sounds a little naughtier :). Tinted windows in the rear could be practical from a bike security / passenger comfort point of view, and shouldn't affect resale massively.

Unless the handling is really gash I'd avoid touching anything else because doing it properly will cost a small fortune (and to what end); I would make sure you've got good rubber on there (which isn't cheap in itself).

My two penn'th. 🙂

the Alfa is a diesel??

[s]And the filter will make the engine sounds a little naughtier[/s] 🙂

Unless the handling is really gash I'd avoid touching anything else because doing it properly will cost a small fortune (and to what end); I would make sure you've got good rubber on there (which isn't cheap in itself).

Fair point. It has Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymetric 2's on it now. And yes at 235/45/18 they weren't cheap.

Good tyres.

As a 159 owner (2.4 jtdm) get the cam belt changed as soon as you've got it, and oil.
Save up for wheel bearings there alfa only and expensive.
Next get a obd to usb cable (£5) and a copy of mult ecu scan (free) for any faults and code reading.
Once the dpf problems have been sorted, you dont have to remove it, it a great car. Just dont expect mega mpg its heavy.

blader1611 - Member
Please look at barryboys website which has a whole load of terrible mods, quite amusing too what some people do with clearly very little money, truely chavtastic.

Brilliant Thanks for that. I may be gone some time..

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As a 159 owner (2.4 jtdm) get the cam belt changed as soon as you've got it,

That and the pump were done at 55k, it's on 77k now.

Mods can look classy...
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or chavvy...
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That Lotus can't be street legal !

We all did this Kryton... it's fine mate.

Soon as you get in your 20's you'll discover girls and you won't be able to afford to do it. Enjoy your youth while you can young'un

Or, in other news, when you reach Weeksy's age, you'll buy the dullest, blandest car you can find.

Cool car Kryton and go for the mods I say.

Some may say I have zero style, but at least I don't wear Tesco jeans and I didn't accept middle age when I hit 40.

I'd rather look like a Johnny Stunt than just give up!

That Lotus looks like it's been built for Time Attack. I also highly doubt you'll be finding a stock block in there either. That's the problem with Barryboys, they're all so far up their own backsides they don't actually know wheat from chav.

That top Alpha's interior could either look amazing or like the inside of Lily Savages handbag. Looks like a Jap VIP style which often sports a crystal dildo gear knob. No idea why.

Agreed on touching handling UNLESS you can get a set of approved springs for it (Eibach usually have something) that are designed to work with the stock dampers. Either that or save a grand for a set of Ohlins. After that get it all set up by someone who knows what they're doing.

EDIT: Yup, I was right, minimal googling says it's a time attack build using an Exige body on an Elise chassis. Can't find anything more than content aggregators though. Built by some guy Lee Connor, work won't let me view much else.

The only thing on your list that's worth doing is the remap and maybe the brembos.

Remaps normally cost between £100-£300 and net you 30-50bhp depending on the car. So you're potentially paying a couple of quid per BHP. In tuning terms that's an absolute bargain. You do need to bear in mind that increased power will accelerate the demise of your dual mass flywheel.

Change the brakes if you find that the increased power is causing fade, and assuming it's easy (ie, you bolt on new calipers / carriers and don't have to mess about changing hub and hub carriers).

Both modifications are also easily reversed come car swapping time, and the brembos will sell on easily.

Anything beyond that is normally a waste of time and cash - exhausts and filters net single figure horsepower changes on most cars. You'd be much better off just selling the car and buying the proper V6. Or an old V6 GTV to enjoy on sunny days - values can only really go one way on these now.

And for the love of god don't add stick on carbon fibre to an aluminium Alfa interior.

I genuinely lol'd.
[url= ]exhaust.... ing[/url]
Kryton - the gauntlet is thrown down! 🙂

And apparantly the Elise is street legal!

(later pics have the canards covered)

TheArtistFormerlyKnownAsSTR

Or, in other news, when you reach Weeksy's age, you'll buy the dullest, blandest car you can find.

LOL I've just bought a completely non road legal Ducati just because it came up at silly money. Cars are just cars... they get you to work 🙂

Kryton, be careful - I stopped cycle racing in my twenties and took up circuit racing with a sportscar - ended up with no money for 10 years, never went on holiday but have some great memories. Have been working in the Motorsport Industry for the last twenty years and probably could not do a 'proper job' now!
You have been warned - bikes are cheaper!
Iain

Remap - yes
Tints and interior things - if you want them I guess.
K&N and exhaust - no, it's a diesel and will make it sound (more) like a tractor
Brakes - no, do better pads, discs and fluid if they're due though
Wheels - probably not. In black? Definitely not.

Generally though if you are wanting to modify then do it earlier and get the most from it.

simon_g - Member

K&N and exhaust - no, it's a diesel and will make it sound (more) like a tractor

K&N depends on the filter mostly- K&N are flakey, some actually flow less well than OE filters. Exhaust, well... If I run mine with only one silencer, it sounds pretty damn good- bassy, soft and nicely lumpy, and almost drowns out the cement mixer full of spoons under the bonnet.

Or you could always spend about £9K upgrading a £3k Fiat Doblo like someone I know!

No pix available I'm afraid...until I spot it in the car park again.

Now that's what I call a waste of cash.

"No. It'll reduce the your market come resale time maybe but if the mods are done well (ie, no cereal packets stuck on bonnets etc) then you'll definitely not reduce its value. I'm quite into the VW world (I refuse to use the word 'scene') and compare the price of a well modified mk4 Golf GTI for example vs a non modified version. You'll definitely not lose money (unless you modify something stupid like a Daewoo)."

you seem to have justified that to your self quite well.

too much wheeler dealers - Scene cars such as VAG/Landrover seem to be the exception.

mod the car if you want to kryton - **** knows ive modified enough cars over the years.

just dont expect to get your money back - you might hope to break even - esp as alfas get older folks expect to pay buttons.

the other issue with modified cars is that for uncommonly modified cars your forced to shady underwriters for insurance through brokers. can be ok but when it comes down to the nitty gritty its the underwriter that has the final say and when i googled some of the proposed insurers they came back quite unsavoury - its a nasty old world modified car insurance.

dont forget to get your engineers report that they will ask for to suppliment the modification form.

the other issue with modified cars is that for uncommonly modified cars your forced to shady underwriters for insurance through brokers.

I had this with my Golf V6, at the start Direct Line etc were fine, but each year less and less insurers would touch a modded car and the premium for insuring a modded car just went up and up and up....

Adrian Flux for insurance

personally I wouldn't bother declaring a chip

Yes you can insure anything through flux

Shame some of underwriters they use are awful.

Cars might be different but insuring my bike was always a laugh... Til one day, Carole Nash gave me the Form of Putting You In Your Place, which had questions like "is it turbocharged" "how many rocket boosters does it have" and "what's the range of the main cannon"

And for the love of god don't add stick on carbon fibre to an aluminium Alfa interior.

😆

+lots

Some interesting stuff here.

Bearing all that in mind I think I'll tint the windows for the security. I'm thinking I'll get a the mediocre remap which basically smooths out the torque and gives about 30bhp but that's it, just for a smoother drive. Reports of the big remap -to 195bhp- on this engine in the alfa forums point at exaggerated clutch and gearbox bearing wear.