New (to Alfas) 147 owner

[biggerrich]

Hi,

I've just bought a 2002 five door manual 147, that's very, very red.

Been up through the hills and out to the GOR and I love it.

I also feel proud of myself for fixing the cruise control with fridge magnets on the pedals!

[colcol]

Welcome to the Forum, biggerrich, looks like my a rello of mines 147, he loves it too, join the Alfa Club in Victoria and come on one of our cruises, and do a driver training day, polish your 147 and enter in the wash n shine at the display day in November, come along to a club night at South Melbourne and talk to other 147 and 156 owners to find out where to get it serviced and where to get spare parts from, is it a manual or selespeed?, Colin.

[biggerrich]

It's a manual, I don't get on with automatics.

how do I join? I like the idea of training days!

[colcol]

You have a look at the commitee members for Victoria, and talk to life club member and membership secretary Anothony Sharp, you may wish to come along to the Alfa Romeo Owners Club 6 hour Relay race at Winton the weekend after Bathurst and see a red 147 diesel and a 156 competing there, how did you fix the cruise control with fridge magnets on the pedal?, Colin.

[biggerrich]

there are switches that register the position of the pedals (i.e. on when the pedal is up) and the spring didn't push them far enough out, so I stuck the magnets to the contact points, which lessened the distance between the switch and the pedal. Worked a treat.

[colcol]

What a great idea, no adjustment on the switches?, see you continuously learn from this Forum, Colin.

[twistybits]

Welcome to 147 ownership and the Forum biggerrich.
Your car looks as neat as a whistle, no wonder you love it.
The Great Ocean Road is an awesome place to get to know your pride and joy. Happy motoring

[biggerrich]

i greatly fear getting addicted to the noise it makes over 4000 revs will lose me my license!

[colcol]

You most likely know this... BUT, cam belt change 3 years or 50,000klms, engine oil 10-40 fully synthetic racing oil, brand of your choice, change it on schedule, check oil every week, they like a drink, if needed, take it to Alfa Specialist, who know these cars, as they work on them all the time, you pay for their experience, not for someone to learn, stay away from Great Ocean Road, club member who should know better clobbered a pot hole there on a club run earlier in the year, and spent 3-1/2 hours at the side of the road rebuilding the right hand front strut, serves him right for not looking ahead, as taught on defensive driving days, Colin.

[biggerrich]

this is spot on:

http://reviews.ebay.co.uk/Alfa-Romeo-147-Thinking-of-buying-one?ugid=10000000021573142