Date: Sun, 11 Jun 2006 09:14:24 -0400
Reply-To: Mike Bucchino <mbucchino@CHARTER.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Mike Bucchino <mbucchino@CHARTER.NET>
Subject: Re: alfa romeo (friday friday friday)
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Back in '81, I was working at a VW- Fiat dealer as a mechanic. I was
responsible for all the dealer-prep of the new cars, and did many VW's
(including a diesel Vanagon), and some Fiats (including an X1/9, which the
service manager closed the overhead door onto, as I was pulling it in the
garage, badly scratching the removable hardtop).
The VW dealer prep book time was an hour, IIRC, but only took 1/2 hour
(including test drive!), while the Fiat book time was 8 hours, and you
needed every bit of it. Any wonder why? Quality control for one thing.
For example, the Fiat's cyl. head bolts, suspension bolts, etc. all had
to be checked for proper torque, the coolant had to be discarded and
replaced with some real antifreeze, the keys were cut so poorly and the
locks were so bad that one could easily break the key in the lock, if it
even worked at all. Many things that should have been done at the factory
weren't.
It was a good thing that the VW's sold so well and the Fiats didn't. My
job was easier that way. It's no wonder Fiats left me (and probably many
owners) with a bad taste in my mouth, and I would give you a plug nickel for
a top example of thier best one today. Do they have a best one? I doubt
it.
Mike B.
----- Original Message -----
From: "David M" <covrambles@YAHOO.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Sunday, June 11, 2006 2:15 AM
Subject: Re: alfa romeo (friday friday friday)
> Years ago I had a Fiat X1/9, the dealer also handled
> Alfa Romeo and Maserati.
> Italian cars are fickle and fragile. Parts wear out
> and break easily. The window handles on my Fiat all
> broke off on the first frosty morning when the windows
> froze closed. The engine compartment cover was
> carefully designed to deposit water directly on the
> distributor. The stitching on the seats all failed at
> the same time leaving the component parts floating on
> the seats. Parts cost a FORTUNE and if not in stock
> take a long time to get. Mechanics and parts are hard
> to find, if you can find them at all. A large
> percentage of the Alfa is Fiat parts.
> Now buy it and weep...
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> Date: Fri, 9 Jun 2006 22:49:21 -0500
>> From: Jeff Palmer <jpalmer@MTS.NET>
>> Subject: alfa romeo (friday friday friday)
>>
>> Evening ladies and gents,
>>
>> My good friend has suddenly fallen in love with a
>> 1990 Alfa Romeo
>> convertible (Spider I think is the model). 65,000
>> miles. I did a
>> little googling but didn't come up with a whole lot
>> of information.
>> Does anybody have any experience, maintenance wise
>> etc. with this
>> model? I feel partly responsible as I dragged him
>> over to see it so
>> i don't want him to get in over his head.
>>
>> Thanks as always
>> Jeff
>>
>> 85 Westfalia GL (with great new springs from
>> Busdepot)
>>
>> ------------------------------
>>
>> End of vanagon Digest - 9 Jun 2006 (#2006-484)
>> **********************************************
>>
>
>
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