ready to set it on fire! 159 selespeed!!!!

[phat400]

   

 Alfa 159, Brera & 946 Spider

ready to set it on fire! 159 selespeed!!!!

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phat400

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2007 alfa 159 2.2 jts selespeed

Joined 6 d ago 

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1 Posts

 Discussion Starter • #1 • 6 d ago

ok so basically i live in melbourne australia, and i thought id try something different and buy something out of the ordinary for myself, so i found myself a 2007 alfa romeo 159 2.2 jts selespeed with 130,000kms on the clock with logbook, roadworthy certificate and rego, now buying off an older bloke i thought id scored a decent deal whilst leaving in my new car.... boy was i wrong....

3 weeks down the track the car decides to do a lil shudder and stall mid traffic, placed back in neutral and a press of the button it starts first go...

only this time when put back into drive it still shows neutral on the dash, placed in reverse and the same thing. leaving me to push the car off to the side of the road.

so after afew phone calls and finding the "specialist" that had previously been servicing it i decide to have the car sent to him on a tow truck.

now after being told that it shouldnt cost anymore than $1250 i thought id have it back within the week only for the price to rise 3 times to a sum of $3300 for labour and parts being

-clutch slave cylinder
-clutch replacement
-new accumulator? $1250?

now after paying the final payment i receive a call an hour later from the "specialist" stating that now the car goes into drive but 2 minutes later returns to limp mode and that he cant figure out why its doing it. when i asked what my options were i was told "not sure" and that he can try replacing more parts... with the heated conversation resulting in my car being sent back to me on a tow truck.

now after a quick inspection i noticed that the sensors on the front of the selespeed had fluid on the connections after cleaning these a thrn noticed that the module that sits behind the brake pedal (brake switch)? was just hanging down and not in its mounted position.

now after trying to recalibrate the gears and do EOL using multiecuscan the car does not come up with any gearbox or engine errors on the dash and selects drive and reverse almost straight away when being placed in said gear.

although when i take it for a drive the car does not shift up gears by itself, so i try to paddle shift up and dash says operation not admissable, i try gear lever up and same thing. if i lightly press foot on brake pedal and shift to neutral and back to drive it shows second gear on the dash and has actually shifted to second. now when i slow down to turn it shifts back to first a little delayed but purely by itself.

although now im completely lost.

is it the fact im trying to use a wifi elm327 to fix issues through MES?

or could it be a faulty sensor even though aparently the new module had new sensors on it.

bad earth?

if anyone in vic south east suburbs would be able to assist me id be forever in your debt..

due to covid and loss of job and my "specialists" great job on the car. ive almost paid what the car cost me and have almost run out of funds. and with the intention of moving back to south australia and this car changing my opinion of ever buying euro again. im left to seek help out of good will.

if i dont get anywhere with it ill most likely rip the running gear out and replace it with a twin turbo 1uzfe later down the track. but i genuinely do like the alfa especially the way it shifts, when it shifts...... thankyou in advance...

[Ascari32]

Sorry to hear about your problems, not least because you lost your job too. Being "Old" myself, I know age does not exclude the elder generation from unscrupulous behaviour and you need to bear in mind, their age means they have had more practice.

It is sad that garages seem to compound the issues that surround Alfa Romeo - notably as they have always been fragile. More so with their latest offerings.

I suggest you find a run around for the moment because these cars are money pits. Come back to it when things are less stressful, whilst at the same time, the hacks on the forum get their collective heads around your problems. There are plenty of these cars around and it may also be helpful if you join the UK Forum as, there too are some well informed members who could point you in the right direction.

Good luck with getting back into work. That's the most important thing - the car can wait!

[bazzbazz]

Sorry, but I will tell you now, the UK forum will most likely have you running around in circles, wasting more time & money, and drive you crazy. (I spend a lot of time on there advising owners just like yourself)

I work on these cars daily, and from the information you have given I could not advise you with any certainty whatsoever, as to what the cause could be, there are too many possible causes to name. But if I were there in person, to carry out my own assessment/diagnostic, it may be a completely different outcome.

Trust me, you NEED to take it to somewhere that specializes in Alfa Romeos and Selespeed fitted cars. It could be something so simple/easy/cheap to fix for someone who knows the 159 Selespeed system and can take a hands on look. Otherwise, you are just rolling the dice.

And Alfa Romeos are no less reliable than any other car on the road, you just need someone who knows them properly. My work vehicle is an Alfa 156 selespeed wagon, it is 100% reliable and has NEVER let me down, and has only needed the usual/regular maintenance. And trust me, the Selespeed on the 159 series is a marked improvement over the 156/147 versions.

As for reliability in comparison to other cars, ask anyone who owns a 330D series BMW about timing chains . . . . if you dare.

[Ascari32]

One sees Alfa's through a different pair of spectacles, especially if one is both an enthusiast, and are well versed in how to maintain them. But on the basis that Bazzbazz is a visitor to both sites - UK and Aus, it confirms there is at least one expert on the UK Forum.

However, this does not help resolve your problems - unless you Parachute Bazz in.

Quote:- "And Alfa Romeos are no less reliable than any other car on the road, you just need someone who knows them properly." - BazzBazz

And therein lies the rub. It is possibly less of an irritation when one's car breaks down, if the after sales service is good at what they do. With nearly forty years; actually - I lose trace of decades and it is nearer to fifty years experience with Alfas being my sole mode of transport, they have never cut the mustard. At a time when Skoda's were scorned a friend continually bought them, his car passing to his wife, whilst he got another Skoda, and that has continued for the forty years I have known him.

I can't think of any Marque that has been less interested in the cars they made, once they have secured a sale, than Alfa Romeo!

[As the day goes]

Ship the car to Bazz?

[bazzbazz]

However, this does not help resolve your problems - unless you Parachute Bazz in.

Being ex-RAAF, I have an aversion to jumping out of perfectly serviceable aircraft! 

[lombardi]

I have many years in Dealing with sic. Specialist's

     I FEEL YOUR PAIN . and damage to your wallet

[Colin Edwards]

Hi phat400,

Given your in the SE suburb of Melbourne, try contacting either Alex at Alfa Donini Repairs - 03 9571 7431 or Sebastian at Mauceri Motors 03 9543 6466.
Both are club sponsors /advertisers / members.

Regards,
Colin

[bazzbazz]

Understand, the Selespeed unit fitted to the earlier GT/156/147 cars are completely different that that fitted to 159/Brera.

Take our advice and give one of the places Colin mentioned a call.