Alfa Romeo - how to drive?

[trippytipo]

Good Morning Everyone!

Silly question time again but one that I always think about - how would an Alfisti drive?

Given the unique nature of the marque and its adorable quirks, what exactly goes into ensuring that you don't hurt your bellissima in the process of having a good time with her?  A friend of mine who is well-versed in Alfa ownership has always stressed that the gearbox needs time to warm-up so jumping from first gear to third on a cold morning ensures gearbox synchro longevity.

So what do you gentlemen do while driving your Alfa that makes it different from other marques? Do you shift gears up at high/low RPMs? Stop on third gear rather than the second?

My 156 2.5 V6 for one, doesn't seem to enjoy being in second gear too much and always jerks. It also doesn't always shift into gears easily (particularly second gear and reverse) on a cold morning. Are these quirks common to all Alfa Romeo models? 

I might add that I'm also driving manual after 7 years of being spoilt in an automatic!

Thanks for your opinions and apologies for all the questions!

[Joe Garra]

I'm no expert, but my Q with the 3.0 V6 has just ticked over 200,000. I just drive it :-) I change from 1st to 2nd in the morning without hassles. Gears have always been ok (maybe I'm just used to her :-). I don't change down gears when stopping, just stop, and then engage 1st. Maybe I'm just lucky.
Joe

[wankski]

My 156 2.5 V6 for one, doesn't seem to enjoy being in second gear too much and always jerks. It also doesn't always shift into gears easily (particularly second gear and reverse) on a cold morning. Are these quirks common to all Alfa Romeo models? 

the 156 6sp does not have this trait... maybe something is up with yours or your g/b fluid went south a long time ago. Mine had original selenia in it, and i switched it to amsoil MTF gl4. Massive improvement. very slick shift.

go ahead and try it. you'll need 2 bottles (~2l capacity).

Is your clutch fully bled w/ clean fluid? are you sure your clutch is fully depressed? 2nd is a large jump so any issue will be exacerbated. Try replacing all fluids at your next service and see how you go.

[trippytipo]

My 156 2.5 V6 for one, doesn't seem to enjoy being in second gear too much and always jerks. It also doesn't always shift into gears easily (particularly second gear and reverse) on a cold morning. Are these quirks common to all Alfa Romeo models? 

the 156 6sp does not have this trait... maybe something is up with yours or your g/b fluid went south a long time ago. Mine had original selenia in it, and i switched it to amsoil MTF gl4. Massive improvement. very slick shift.

go ahead and try it. you'll need 2 bottles (~2l capacity).

Is your clutch fully bled w/ clean fluid? are you sure your clutch is fully depressed? 2nd is a large jump so any issue will be exacerbated. Try replacing all fluids at your next service and see how you go.

Hi wankski, thanks for the advice - I'm taking it for service at Mauceri Motors next week so will definitely ask about the above.

On a side note, I think some of these problems might be more to do with my unfamiliarity with the manual transmission rather than the car!

You know what they say about experience being the best teacher, but in this instance I hope that the fees aren't too high!

[Evan Bottcher]

Most likely a different gearbox so this might not be relevant... I'm surprised at how stiff the shift is on our '06 159 - especially in the morning when cold.  I think this probably seems worse to me because of the cable shift mechanism.

In general having driven plenty of different Alfas (mainly older ones) I think they are all very different and require a little attention to learn to drive smoothly.  This is a contrast to most of the modern generic-brand applicance-cars that I've driven (mainly rental) which all seem to feel the same and very detached from the driving experience.

[trippytipo]

Most likely a different gearbox so this might not be relevant... I'm surprised at how stiff the shift is on our '06 159 - especially in the morning when cold.  I think this probably seems worse to me because of the cable shift mechanism.

In general having driven plenty of different Alfas (mainly older ones) I think they are all very different and require a little attention to learn to drive smoothly.  This is a contrast to most of the modern generic-brand applicance-cars that I've driven (mainly rental) which all seem to feel the same and very detached from the driving experience.

That's an interesting point regarding the driving experience you raised, Evan. The Alfa feels like a thinking man's car. How do you deal with the stiff shift on your Alfa 159? I tend to go back to neutral, clutch out, clutch back in and try again - rather than force my way with her. 

[Jekyll and Hyde]

Most likely a different gearbox so this might not be relevant... I'm surprised at how stiff the shift is on our '06 159 - especially in the morning when cold.  I think this probably seems worse to me because of the cable shift mechanism.

159 manual boxes usually don't seem to have anywhere near as nice a change as the 156/147/GTV boxes (most of which also use cables).  Bit of a shame really...

[bix]

Maranello pur Sang changed our 159's gearbox oil for a lighter grade which seems to have made the shift a little easier.

[colcol]

I have always found that the oil used in the gearbox makes a difference, mineral oil is prone to a stiff and notchy change when cold, semi synthetic oil is better, fully synthetic oil makes for an improved change, the viscosity of the oils are different, common is 80-90 or lighter is 75-90 or heavier is 90-140, try using what Alfa Romeo recomend, and take it from there, Colin.

[tony8028]

its not a totally silly question.

because i have already lost my license once for speeding i tend to drive like a grandma these days.

147s are famous for drinking oil - Mine doesnt use any since my new driving style. People often say 'these cars loved to be driven hard'....come to think of it, its usually mechanics who tell you this - i wonder why!

Its fun to redline an Alfa, but it cant be good for them to drive that way all the time. I am just a mug driver, no expert.