Why I hate Fifth Gear

V AR 164 · May 13, 2015, 11:43:58 PM

Warning: Not for the faint hearted!

I almost cried during this.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QQHfQiGDciY

colcol · May 14, 2015, 09:05:39 PM

But Fifth Gear is better than Top Gear as its just got too silly for words, mind you Fifth Gear is heading down the Top Gear path with its quest for ratings.
Tiff Needal was a Grand Prix Driver, Jason Plato is a Touring car driver and Vicki Butler Henderson raced go carts in her teenage years against the likes of David Coultard, so they all know how to drive.
There was an episode a few weeks ago, where they raced a Porsche against an aeroplane, that was stupid, but see shows from a few years ago and it was good, just like Top Gear was good until it become a boys club.
Part of the problem with cars being in the blind spot of other cars/trucks/trams/buses/motor cycles is that if they are travelling at 100 kays, to pass them, you have to do 103 or so and then you get pinged by a money camera, so no one wants to go faster and no one is going to back off to 97 kays to let the other pass, as you will feel cheated out of 3 kays, which will mean someone starts tailgating you, Colin.

Paul Gulliver · May 14, 2015, 10:43:07 PM

Sad as it was for the 164 . At least it wasn't the usual suspect a 156 Selespeed. Are they (156 SS) getting thin on the ground over there???

colcol · May 14, 2015, 10:52:05 PM

The clip was made in 2007, so the price of a 164 would be rock bottom, if it was made later, they may have used a 156 that was [hopefully] a Selespeed, Colin.

Alfamania · May 15, 2015, 06:05:36 PM

I will miss Top Gear a lot, the three are irreplaceable. Just to add, the 164 platform is rock solid as it shares the same chassis with a Saab 9000 which I've had and it was a tank, shared with Fiat Croma and Lancia Thema. Anyway, my point is that if that crash was with a 156, instead of the 164 we wouldnt be able to recognise it since they are made from paper lol

V AR 164 · May 15, 2015, 06:41:59 PM

Hahaha,

Yeah Top Gear will be missed. Fifth Gear will never replace it. I find that show boring at the best of times.

colcol · May 15, 2015, 10:54:32 PM

Top Gear was quite good 10 years ago, but the ratings chase forced it into doing silly things.
I reckon Clarkson will be back after 12 months in the sin bin, once its all calmed down.
156 are made from paper??, they are quite a solid [heavy] car, the JTS weighs a portly 1380 kilograms, put it up on 4 jackstands and you can still open all the doors.
If 156 are made from paper, then what are 33's made of?, tissue paper, put them on jackstamds and you can't open the doors, due to body flex.
Fifth gear is a bit boring at times which means you are learning more and being entertained less, Vicki Butler Henderson is easy on the eye as well, Colin.

V AR 164 · May 18, 2015, 05:42:48 PM

Funny you should say that Colin,
I had my 164 on 2 jack stands under the front of the car and the front doors shifted. They caught a little when you would try to open them. Also you could see the top of the door was way out of alignment compared to the back door (about 5mm).

Andrew.

colcol · May 18, 2015, 09:19:35 PM

33's are so light, that the front rails crack on them, due to all the flexing, don't try to open the door when up on jack stands, as i will most likely break the door handle.
And thats with 4 jack stands firmly planted under the jacking points.
When the 33 came out a tester remarked that the electrical system was so bad, that when you drove it over rough roads the interior light came on.
Yes it did, but not due to bad electrics, but the body was flexing so much, the door was moving away from the door pillar, causing the pin switch to switch the light on.
Consider it an honour that it comes on occasionally, due to hard driving, as it should be in an Alfa Romeo, Colin.

Evan Bottcher · May 20, 2015, 01:04:59 AM

I do quite like that Vicki Butler-Henderson though...

Alfamania · May 20, 2015, 09:55:33 AM

I thought it was ok to make fun of our Marques every now and then Colin?

I do agree on Vicki Butler as well

poohbah · May 21, 2015, 12:09:21 PM

Yep, the 156 is stronger than people think. I had a guy come straight through a red light and T-boned the passenger side of my 156. Only damage was the outer door skin, and skirt. Even the electric window kept working.

VeeSix · May 21, 2015, 12:37:17 PM

Yes, was a nice 164, black with sunroof and Zender wheels, the best colours for a 164 would have to be in the order of black, red then white

Light 33, well I guess you have to remember they were the cheaper Alfa Romeo of that period, I had every model except the sport wagon and chassis cracks were a common thing, I remember that my Permanant 4 had bars added going down to combat this

Craig_m67 · May 21, 2015, 03:42:45 PM

I'm surprised about the 33flex comments. I had an '88QV Sprint and often marvelled at how rigid it was. Often when on a jack stand (front) the rear wheels would also lift off the ground. Opening the door was easy and it never jammed.

Maybe your 33 was toasty?

colcol · May 21, 2015, 08:34:52 PM

The Alfa 33 was light, but it wasn't for cheapness, it was to save weight, one of the best ways to save fuel, in the olden days, was to keep the weight down, but now its done with computers and cleverer engineering.
The 156 JTS weighs in at about 1380 kilogams, the 33 would be under 1000 kilograms, but the 156 JTS has a cleverer power unit that gets 25% better fuel consumption than the 33, Colin.