[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)