2012 alfa 159 3.2

[bazzbazz]

Still believe the ONLY marketing thing they have gotten right in Australia so far is sponsoring Masterchief, now when the SUV comes out they will actually have a car that can appear on the show to cart them all around.   

[fgv]

i think i'm reconsidering the 3.2 Q4, as long as its the slightly lighter 2009 version.. i'm just thinking that for the long term would it make more sense to have a non-turbo engine for simplicity, +/- longevity.. although i don't know if that tends to be true in reality.. anyone have any thoughts on this? (i.e if you intend to keep the car for a very long time).

i drove behind a grey 159 last weekend - and i actually think it looks really nice in this colour as well. i feel the 159 is the type of car that looks better in person than it does in photos.. i'm still impressed whenever i see them drive by!

[bazzbazz]

Just remember, modern Turbo cars are very different from those of past. These days the Turbo itself causes no more problems and requires no more maintenance than most other engine components. this is mainly due to the improvement in bearings and lubricants than anything else.

These are just my opinions and thoughts, others may, and are quite welcome to, disagree.

Baz

[poohbah]

I say yes, think about the turbo. And then choose the V6. No replacement for displacement...

[kaleuclint]

I used to be concerned about turbo longevity.  Without any conscious effort or selection my driveway is now occupied solely by turbopetrol cars.  No worries at all. 

Yes, Matty has shown me a stuffed turbo at Alfa Men.  So worst case, you replace one.  With religious adherence to quality engine oils (Penrite Premium 5; Mobil 1 Protection Formula) and warm up / idle down procedure I don't plan to. 

As for the polo, was planning to give Junior an L-plater treat today and let him get in some manual shifting practice taking the 159 down to Balnarring.  Then realised there will be 600 Audis full of the linen suit set heading down to Portsea.  Looking skyward I note that only one load of the wannabe aspirational types has sprung for the helicopter option.  Might have been Lindsay Fox anyway.

[bazzbazz]

No worries at all. 

My . . . we DO love to tempt fate . . . don't we 

( yes, it's too hot to go outside and I'm bored! )

[As the day goes]

I have turbos in my diesels.  Never think about it.  No warm-up or cool-down procedures.

Maybe petrols are different?

[fgv]

so it sounds like both are reasonable options.. so will just have to wait until a well looked after one is on the market (and that the sellers don't flake).

i do wonder whether newer cars can potentially last as long.. i like how some people i know have cars that are over 20 or even 30 years old.. over 400k kms etc.. and that would be something id like to do ideally.
or maybe at this point i sound like one of those guys who go "they don't make things like they used to in the old days.." lol

on another note.. both the white and red alfa colours are non-metallic right? does the 159 alfa red have paint fading problems like some non-metallic red cars.. or is it too early to tell?

another question.. would it be an unreasonable job (and require recallibration etc) to change a 19 wheel to a 17 or 18 wheel size? (for a more comfortable ride, less pothole damage risk, cheaper tyre replacement over time, etc). and how much would that cost?
it seems almost all post 2010 cars that come up on the market are with 19 wheels.
thank you

[kaleuclint]

I have turbos in my diesels.  Never think about it.  No warm-up or cool-down procedures.

Maybe petrols are different?

No they're not.

Warming up / idling down diesels one of the first disciplines instilled before the army lets you operate a truck or tank.  Doing this serves a number of purposes.  Getting the oil toward operating temperature and onto engine components at start up is one, obviously.  At shutdown you are trying to minimise thermal soak / shock by letting exhaust gas temperature in the turbo housing to drop gradually.  More critically it keeps oil pumping through the turbocharger bearings until it cools substantially even in 30 seconds.

If you see a piece of plant in camo paint being floated on a low loader you might notice the sandbag placed over the exhaust.  I kid you not, this is to prevent air entering the exhaust and spooling the turbocharger without oil feed. Whether this is needed I don't know but it's a practice that's observed.

[kaleuclint]

another question.. would it be an unreasonable job (and require recallibration etc) to change a 19 wheel to a 17 or 18 wheel size? (for a more comfortable ride, less pothole damage risk, cheaper tyre replacement over time, etc). and how much would that cost?
it seems almost all post 2010 cars that come up on the market are with 19 wheels.
thank you

That question isn't silly.  19" wheels can be a pain to own.  There is a car visibly identical to mine routinely parked in the adjoining street.  But the wheels on it are trashed.  Mine have the odd tiny ding on the lip because I drive with a degree of care and attention to this.  I suspect the 18" Ti wheels would have been far more practical.

But -- putting 17" wheels on a Ti??  No.  It'd look daft.  I suspect it wouldn't handle either; the suspension is set up for bigger wheels.  Ti suspension won't give you a comfortable ride anyway.  As I am getting older I can tell you I am really noticing the difference between harsh Ti ride and the supreme comfort of my Benzes.  If you are after comfort then look away from the Ti, maybe a 'normal' 159 is what you want??  As for the 19" tyres (often discussed here) yes they cost more but if you go for 245s on special you can get quality rubber for under $900 the set.  That is still more that what 17"s cost of course.

[As the day goes]

I think no matter what the solid red colour is, on any make and model, it will fade quickly.  Mind you I have se A LOT of silver metallic 159s where it is obvious the rear bumper is a shade different. I suspect this is because of the different paints they had to use plastic vesus metal. Now after 10 years or so the effects are showing.

[bazzbazz]

Either that or 159 rear bumpers just attract a lot of parking lot trolleys.   

[fgv]

thanks for all the info guys!

kaleuclint - what you're saying makes sense. are the 18 wheels suitable for the ti-suspension, and do they require a re-callibration of the speedometer?
i've read in certain articles that in general 18 wheels are the 'sweet spot' for sedans - in terms of performance, comfort and longevity.
if it's not too much hassle / expense - i might consider that change.
by the way i'm not sure if you've mentioned what colour your 159 is?

bazzbazz and poohbah - are you guys considering getting a 159 at some stage? i note you both use 156s

as the day goes - how does your car look like a few years on, and how often do you do waxing / paint protection?

i think in the end i want to be realistic with my search; with a used car you might never get the perfect setup!

[fgv]

so what i've learned so far from this thread and other websites

1. the late 2008 onwards production are a bit lighter (?50kgs) and updated from the initial production
2. somewhere in late 2010 the 3.2 became front-wheel-drive
therefore a more balanced 3.2 is the late 2008 to ?early 2010 Q4, which is still all-wheel-drive, but less weight in the front
3. the 1.75 TBI feels more balanced than the earlier 4/5 cylinders because of reduced weight in the front
4. in Australia, most post-2008 cars that were sold were in ti spec
5. production of the 159 ceased in late 2011 - therefore any 2012/2013 models are actually 'imported in that year' rather than produced in that year.
6. most later year 159s sold in Australia are either black, alfa red, stromboli grey, or alfa silver.. with a few white ones at some stage
7. both the 3.2 and the 1.75 engines are generally reliable engines - with no particularly bad known recurring issues. so they are both good choices for long-term use.

would you guys say that the above summary is fairly correct? thanks

[As the day goes]

as the day goes - how does your car look like a few years on, and how often do you do waxing / paint protection?

For various reasons of the heart, just prior to Spectaccolo (grrrr) last year, I had my car resprayed  and then after a few weeks had Opticoat applied.  Should see me through the next 5 years.  The Opticoat means I only have to 2 bucket wash the car and use terry towels to wipe dry. If I feel like it, I will go over with a good quality detailer.