Hi,
I'm taking a look at an Alfa 147 from 2001 (Y-reg) this weekend. It's a 3-door with approx. 60k on the clock and leather trim. It's on the market at £3k.
Just wondering whether anyone has any tips for what to look out for or any other useful suggestions?
Thanks!
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It'll shortly be due another cambelt, they're every 36K, ensure that the 36K one was done, that's assuming it's a petrol, change interval on the diesel is 72K. If it's a 2L check it doesn't rattle on start up which will be the variator. They do like a drink of oil, quiz the owner about how often he checks it & how much it uses. Check their are no clonks & bangs from the suspension & if they are it'll need investigating. Check the gearbox gets all gears & no that their are no synchro issues & clutch operation although not massively expensive. Otherwise check it all works, no dodgy warning lights etc Oh & get over to www.alfaowner.com where their wil be hundreds of others of a like mind.
Everyone should own an Alfa at some point in their driving career, I've had two & loved both to bits!
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No need to feel left out if it's a 1.6 - they can drink oil and have rattling variators too, so it's still worth asking!
Check for wear on the inside edges of the front tyres. 147s seem to come with their front wheels aligned inwards. If the previous owner's had the tracking adjusted, the tyres'll last a bit longer.
The power steering fluid pipe started to corrode and leak around 65000 miles on my 147.
Look for red fluid coming from under the middle of the engine, or a whining/screeching sound when on full lock at low speed.
Have fond memories of my one, they feel a bit special inside, particularly with leather.
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The advise above is excellent, especially the cambelt and oil.
If there's no evidence that the cambelt hasn't been previously changed, then get it done immediately. In fact looking at the age, it's already overdue another change unless it's had one in the last year (every 36k miles or 3 years, whichever is SOONEST).
I'd get it changed. Maybe as a condition of sale if buying from a dealer?
Oil - asking the previous owner about this gives a clue as to how well looked after it has been.
If you buy it, then check the oil level every week yourself, until you've got a good feel for how much it uses.
Contrary to popular belief these are actually very strong engines, and will go forever as long as they're not starved of oil, and the cambelt is changed as required.
If people buy them and never open the bonnet, then that can cause issues (due to their previously mentioned propensity for using a bit of oil)
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Maybe as a condition of sale if buying from a dealer?
Personally speaking, and after a bad experience of this, I would always ask for money off, so I can get the work done somewhere reputable of my own choosing. I made this mistake before (with a Mondeo diesel) and found that while the job had been done as promised, it had been done badly, with tensioners re-used and the belt ridiculously over tensioned. Had the water pump not started leaking, prompting investigation and discovery of this bodgery, I might not have even found it before the belt ultimately failed.
From what I know about Alfas, I suspect they are far less tolerant of sloppy workmanship than the barn door engineering under the bonnet of an Endura diesel Ford.
Cheers
DP
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