What has been your most EXPENSIVE REPAIR BILL

[lolo888]

Thought it'd be fun to hear stories of what repair had to be done on your Alfa and when the repair bill came (maybe even service bill), how much was it and how close were you to  having a heart attack... 

Assuming you've recovered now from the shock, it'll be fun to hear some stories 

[Paul Gulliver]

Its a toss up between a transmission failure in the 164 approx $3,000 circa 1992 or Timing belt failure & bent valves in the 156 $4,000 circa 2003.

"Suck it in Princess and just write out the cheque".

Thank god it was tax deductible

[stustustu123]

Hmmm, well Paul's 164 transmission expenses were about half what mine cost.  A reco tranny fitted & flex plate replaced at $6K.  Ouch.  I didn't know any better at the time & paid.  Never been back to that mechanic since (an Alfa 'specialist' in High St Thornbury)...

[Davidm1600]

Ouch Gully I bet those bills hurt.

Does spending $4-6k but spread out a little on the crap paint job on my Giulia Super restoration project count.  Or how about the $1.1K on the gearbox rebuild + $3700 on the superb interior restoration.  Damn restorations are expensive, suspect best not to remember too clearly those bills. 

Mind you in comparison to house restorations these are minor costs. 

[Paul Gulliver]

David, Its all in the mind those are investments , not expenses.

Cheers

Gully

[f1worldchamp]

David, Its all in the mind those are investments , not expenses.

If you can resonably expect the vehicle to be worth more once it's restored, it's an investment.
And not all expenditure on renovations improve the house value either.
But it is much easier to overcapitalise a car than a house. 

[Davidm1600]

For sure guys I agree, mind you the crap paint job can hardly be called an investment, rather a pain in the arse as it will need to be completely re-stripped and started again.  Grrr

I know from experience the concern about over capitalisation, in cars, houses, antiques etc all too well 

[Alfalfa]

6500 on an engine rebuild. on a 2 litre.

and no. it was not gold plated

[w47ty]

Well I almost cried when after about a month or so of ownership and whilst giving my friend and fellow alfisti a drive around town i was rudely rear ended.
The car was pushed in at the back and creased up on both rear wheel arches. Repair bill - $13,000
Thank god for Shannons although it was a close run thing between repair and write off!!

It was during this saga that my irritation with the cost of Australian supplied parts as opposed to going to the well known UK providers and having them shipped over at a significantly lower price was born. However thats a different thread!

[aggie57]

A friends current model Audi Q7 - $17,000 for a service and repairs.  I kid you not. 

Which reminds me of the time I paid $500 for a 1st oil change on a Golf we owned.  15,000 kms.  Regular service on Mercs, BM's etc at dealers can easily be $1k or more.  Pretty clear where they make their money.

[colcol]

Cannot confirm, but i have heard this story off a couple of people, to avoid any lawsuits it was a pretty rare and expensive Porsche, $35k, for new cam belts and tensioners, clutch, synchro rings and cones, water pump brake rotors and pads, front and rear, catalytic convertor, sort out computer and other miscellaneous bits, all parts genuine, but done at good independant Porsche dealer, the owner was quite happy to pay after a higher qoute at the factory service centre and it was a company car, so it was most likely a tax writeoff, Colin.

[bix]

I lost 2nd & 3rd gear in my GT Junior back at Uni days and it cost me (well actually mum paid up) $2k at the old Straightway Motors.

[Paul Gulliver]

(well actually mum paid up)

That might nearly be a thread in itself. What did your parents think of the first Alfa you ever bought. Or did you just buy it to annoy them because you knew better ??.

[Joe Garra]

Does divorcing my first wife to repair my mental damage but keeping the 164Q count?

[Paul Gulliver]

Joe,

I would hate to think what the "numeric answer" to that decision was.