>>>PROBLEMS 147 GTA<<<

[Barbalatte]

Hi Guys,
I live in Australia, Sydney to be exact. I am having problems with my Alfa 147 GTA. Is there anybody out there with similar or the same problems as I do? It doesn't matter where you are in the world.

I purchased my Alfa-Romeo 147 GTA from Alfa-Centro in Rushcutters Bay. It is the Blue color. The car is advertised as a ”Hot Hatch” or a performance car. I first noticed problems after 5000-6000km and mentioned it to them after approximately 7,500km. My problems are as follows:

1.After receiving the car from service, they told me my car, after 10,000km, has a problem with the clutch. Worn apparently. 10,000km?
Because this is a "Ware and Tare" item, I may have to pay for the labor involved in changing the clutch including the clutch. Let me tell you I have been driving these cars for a long time and I know how to drive.

2.After 7,900km all my tires were worn out. I went to see Steve at Bob Jane in Haberfield, as he has looked after me for a long time. Also with my previous car, an Audi S3.
The "Toe" of the rear wheels was both out by 5.9mm and 5.2mm respectively. The tires were shot to pieces and opted to do a front to back rotation and got away with approx. 10,000km.
I brought this up with Jason and the Service crew and is still being investigated. Up till now have denied any responsibility.
I thought the cars were supposed to have a "Wheel Alignment" before they left the showroom. They apparently get their alignments at Bob Jane Rushcutters Bay.
3.After a long day, I got into my car, started it and took off normally to the traffic lights ahead. As I released the clutch to move off, the car made loud clunking noises from under the bonnet! I was stunned. I turned the car off immediately and called a toe truck. Later that week, they found that the Differential had teeth sheared off. When they drained the oil, metal shavings came out with it.
All these problems happened in a short succession. I have absolutely nothing to hide. I DO NOT “Thrash” my car, I DO NOT ‘Ride The Clutch” and I DO NOT abuse my car in any way what so ever. This damage to my car is a real shock to me and am very disappointed with the Customer Service and the treatment that I have been receiving, implying that I abuse my car. I am get very offended every time they bring up “Drive Technique” as an excuse.
I have also had the problem with the VDC light. 2 times.
I just got the car from service yesterday and said that this time it was a sensor problem and this time it was fixed under warranty. I also had other cosmetic problems, which they will fix in time including the rubbing of the driver seat.
I am fed up and what my car back as I bought it. The car is still characterized as new and I want it that way.
My father bought one of the first Alfa-Romeo164 3.0L that landed in 1989 and had every problem under the sun literally!
There were so many problems that forced me to call Alfa-Romeo in Milano Italy. I spoke to the head engineer and told him about my problems.
He responded, "Is your car a red one, No. 9745…Etc?"
He knew my fathers car, from Italy!

[Sniady]

I don't have a clue abotu new alfas, but i'll tell you what I know from working in dealerships.

1. You don't know who owned that car before you. They could of abused the clutch. Technically a clutch is suppose to last the lifetime of the vehicle, but if abused, then it will wear.

2. Tires do wear out fast, especially on sports cars equiped with good tires. Your alignment was off, it could be because of the tire wear, or when you bought the car, they never aligned it.

3. The clunking noise. For and example. All the performance BMW's (m3, m5, z8, etc etc) Making a clunking noise all the time when you get in gear and out. It could be a numorus about of things, but it's normal on the stickshift bmw's, and again I don't know alfas.


VDC lights. They can come on anytime. It's the computer doing it's job right.


Have you tried going to another dealership? Maybe you'll get a better experience.

[quattrofoglio]

I am a new member of your A.R. society and i would like to give you my congratulations about your fantastic job you are doing here.
I am an owner of '03 Alfa 147 2.0t.s. kompressor and a '04 147 gta.

To be honest, i decided to register to your club the moment i read this topic.

My gta has 15000km and i had never faced this kind of problems... I'll try to find a sollution to your problem, by communicating with the nearby Service Area...

Don't worry my friend! Everything will be solved, and your "beauty" will show you her true spirit: The "Cuore Sportivo"....

[Barbalatte]

Thank you mate.
I need all the help I can get with Alfa-Romeo.
They know there is a problem and they don't want to admit it for some stupid reason!

Check out this website all.

http://www.alfaowner.com/Forum/forumdisplay.php?f=61

[BigSwede]

If I had a USD for every time I heard about a diff failure in a FWD Alfa...

Sounds like the previous owner liked to show his coolness by smoking the tyres. Toe out in the rear sounds like a way to mask the obvous understeer problem the front heavy over powered car has.

I hope you can work it out with the dealer.

[Barbalatte]

Thank you Big Swede,
I was actually in your country on my birthday, August 12, Stockholm to be exact!
Could you give me more information on that Toe in and out theory?
I've heard you guys have had about 4 147GTA Diff. failures! Is this acurate?

[BigSwede]

I have no idea about 147 GTA diff failures but it is a quite common problem on the other cars like 164, 155, 156 and 166. A friend of mine busted his diff just a couple of months ago on his 164 3.0 24v. The metal remains showed clear signs of fatigue.

Toe in in the rear gives better grip in steady stat but the car can feel a bit slow in reactions, toe out gives great initial turn in but removes grip. rear end grip is maybe not the 147 GTAs biggest problem, that heavy front end and the powerful engine is the perfect way to create understeer problems (very often forced by the driver I might add).

[PSk]

My only comments are:

- Clutch. No manufacturer will stand by their product on this one. This is totally a wear and tear item. I was listening to my neighbour back is new (to him) Porsche out of his property on the weekend ... lets just say flywheel and clutch will be toast if he keeps that up!

- Tyres. Modern FWD cars have very aggressive wheel alignment. Many of these cars now have negative camber on the rear wheels for example and to make them handle they specify performance tyres ... which are soft. My advise is to buy a BMW, a company that understands that if you want a performance car it has to be RWD. FWD are great for family cars or shopping vehicles but you cannot feed 250hp through the front wheels with out MASSIVE compromises elsewhere ... you have just discovered one.

- Clunking noices ... well I would not have worried about this myself except for the teeth breaking off the diff. Manufacturer defect. This would have been sorted out under waranty and sounds like it was ... thus why the grief?

So in the end you have one single issue with your car (ignoring the VDC which sounds like it is behaving normal) and you are bashing the company and yet they fixed that under waranty. I say either cool off and think rationally or sell the car.

Many brand new cars have issues and unless the manufacturer does not fix them you have nothing to complain about. Cars are complex.

Now the big question is: Why the heck did you buy an Alfa Romeo after your fathers experience?

I never advise any friend of mine to buy an Alfa Romeo. I love them, but I fully understand that you are playing Russian Roulet and that every 5th car is a dud. Also trim quality is appalling ... you knew this and yet you still bought one and expected it to be like a German car. Facts are facts, they are built just as poorly as any other Italian product. Quality does not equal Italian, plain and simple.

But in conclusion I really think you are being a bit hard on Alfa Romeo. So the clutch is worn out, as are the tyres and the diff is stuffed ... hmmm, lets see previous owner was a hoon, which makes perfect sense as if I bought a 147GTA the front wheels would be spinning every day ... and I'd be smiling like the cat that got the cream. Yep I'd have to replace tyres ... but you cannot have it both ways.

Good luck, mate ... but I suggest you start complaining when Alfa Romeo stop fixing the issues not while they are ... fairs fair .

Pete

[BigSwede]

I bet all Mitsubishi Evos in the world had a clutch change before 10 000Km... :|

[Barbalatte]

PSk,
That's the whole point. My Diff. blew and they didn't cover it under new car warranty. I had to fork out $3,200.

[PSk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barbalatte PSk, That's the whole point. My Diff. blew and they didn't cover it under new car warranty. I had to fork out $3,200.

[evilgidget]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigSwede I bet all Mitsubishi Evos in the world had a clutch change before 10 000Km... :|

[BigSwede]

Incidentally I have a shaft + 1st gear with a couple of teeth missing from a Delta Integrale lying around...

[Barbalatte]

Big Swede,
By the looks of it, you own a few race cars, is this true?

[BigSwede]

Nope, just one, the -77 GTV. I do have a 75 shel though but it is just in the way right now. Check out This Thread for info on the shell.

The 75 is my daily driver in the summer, I'm riding the bus now.
4" of snow now and loads of salt on the roads.