Hi all!

[Mingo]

Hi everybody.

My name is Ming and people call me Mingo as it sounds a bit western. I migrated from Shanghai to Brisbane last year. Before that, I was the finance manager of Fiat Powertrain Technology R&D Centre in Shanghai. FPT as you might know is the engine and transmission deparment of Fiat Group. It supplies powertrain units to Fiat, Lancia, Alfa Romeo models. It was a newly built R&D Centre, I was very glad to be very few people who started on the blank paper to build the R&D Centre.

Although I am no longer working for Fiat anymore after migrated to Australia, but I still remember the time I was in a Turin, I saw an 8C in the test centre in Mirafiori, beautiful, I immediately fell in love with it. I have always wanted an Alfa after that. Now I'm in a Baby Merc, but I will be switching to an Alfa soon as we are planning a baby.

I have got a lot of useful information of alfas, user manuals, workshop eLearns, I will be glad to share with ppl in real need.

Mingo

[wankski]

great! welcome to the board, will be great to pick your brains regarding fiat operations (and just what the hell they were thinking at times).

hope u get into that alfa soon... which one u planning on getting?

cheers!

joe

[Mingo]

Hi Joe.

Nice to meet you.

It sounds like a joke but in terms of the Fiat Operation... I think they are really living in their own world. They make the cars they like, not the target market likes. They price the car whatever they like, and usually, they forget to promote their best techniques. T-Jet Engine on Fiat Bravo for example, that is quite a powerful engine, very efficient too. Fire 1.4T is another example, who knows it has a power per litre ratio higher than the one on VW golf GTI? They invented the direct injection technique back in the 90's but they sold it to Bosch because they think it is useless... Now they need to pay to use the registered patten from Bosch. When they meet a barrier in the market, they don't look back into their fault often, more likely, they say its the fault of the market. And from what I have heard, after the break of JV with GM, the Alfas are the only hope they have for the Australian Market. Australia has the biggest Alfa market in the world they have except Italy. The V6 Engine now powering 159 is actually developed by Holden. I just have the fear that they are losing it because their lack of effort on the market.

Sometimes I think the top management are split. And there are so much nasty company politics in Fiat, it really reduced their efficiency. But it is their way...In their own words, from one of their chief engineer, we Italians are very good at making something genius out of a mess. But we have to work in a mess, cuz we are creative, and it means, there should be no rule, and when there is one, we will need to break it...

Cars... well, I would like to have a late year 156 V6, I like the shape of 159 but the old V6 engine sounds fantastic. The GT and GTA are a bit small for a family use. I know there are some known issue of the 156s, suspensions, timing belt and stuff. I am not an expert on cars, so... if there is something I should be aware of, please let me know. Thanks.

[wankski]

yep v6 156s are nice cars... the manuals are rare but do come up every so often...

Whatever alfa you get, make sure you take it to an alfa specialist for a pre-purchase inspection, they should be able to pinpoint any potential issues... but u got the major ones, timing belt including water pump, and the front wishbone assembly are likely to be the major issues on the v6... if you do get a 6 also keep in mind the stock diffs are pretty poor, and you may likely be up for fitting a new mechanical q2 torsen diff which are much better than the stock open diff anyway... if you are picking up one that may need the clucth done... smart money would be on having the shop crack it open, inspect, fit new clutch assembly including throwout bearing and installing a brand new q2 diff.

When the stock unit disintegrates it can take out the g/b..

Loved the fiat story... not taken as a joke, I'd expect no less.... love to hear more, company politics? as in alfa vs fiat? or internal to alfa and fiat branches?

No idea about Australia being the biggest foreign market, I would have thought the UK market was bigger than ours... they still had the 145/6 and 155 while AUS had alfa leave the local market entirely during that period... plus all the diesel models we are only just getting now...UK always had...

[rocklogic]

welcome! I had owned a 2000 156 - and boy was she not worth it!

Would love to get my hands on the workshop manual of a 147 if you have them!

[Davidm1600]

Likewise welcome, and I own a '03 156 JTS Sportwagon and it is worth it, everybit of it.  I enjoy it more than the 159 sedan I tried, which somehow felt less Alfa IMO.

Whichever Alfa you get, I hope you enjoy it and it treats you/your family well.