6 weeks and 4 days....

..... is how long the Alfa's lasted before I have to take it in to have it
looked over as it's making a fucking terrible noise from under the bonnet
(no, not the sound of the diesel engine).

I reckon it's the power steering about to die......

Ho hum.

Best get the NS400 dusted down so I've got some sensible, reliable transport
over the festive season, eh?

Dave

 

Have you not got a KH750 triple running on original suspension for God's
sake.

 

Crosses Alfas off the list of cars to buy when I opt out of the car
scheme in May.

 

I'm surprised an Alfa lasted so long.

 

You don't buy two strokes? What? Never? I think you've missed out on one
of life's delights. I had an X7 many years ago and it was reliability
itself - for two thousand miles. Every two thousand miles without fail,
could set your watch by it, it would blow itself up and hole a piston.

Took out the big end on one episode when a tiny piece of piston got blown up
the narrow oil inlet pipe. That was - interesting. Nearly got lobbed over
the handlebars at 80mph. Saw my reflection a bit too closely in the front
mudguard.

I eventually got a fix for it but then became a poor student and it had to
go to make way for a Z200. A very reliable little bike but with nothing to
recommend it otherwise. It was dull, dull, dull.

And that was the thing with the X7. An unreliable bastard but I still don't
think I've owned any bike that's put a huge smile on my face time after
time.

Two strokes. I seriously mourn their demise.

 

<fx: Nostagic>
I used to have a KH250. When hot it wouldn't run on the middle
cylinder until it hit the "power band". Couple that with some
virtually square profile tyres and a clutch like an on/off switch.
</fx>

What a *hairy* winter that was ...

 

<sees your KH250 and plays a Neval 125 that would actually stop quicker by
shouting "Whoa bike, whoa" than using the so called brakes>

 

My 350 Power-Valve wasn't unreliable, just short-fused. The crank went
at 14k. There again, a mate has one, which he bought new, and it's done
30k and is still on the original rings, I think.

My Kawasaki H1 wasn't.... well, wasn't unreliable as such. There were
just some days when it wouldn't pull the tits off a newt and other days
when it went like a dingbat. Days when it would start first kick, and
days when it needed a bump. Days when it seemed to handle OKish and
days when it was the most evil bastard imaginable.

I think Dodger's going through this scenario with his, and it seems to
have afflicted every single H1 owner I've ever met.

That said, I was *so* tempted to bid on this

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=4511931063&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT

but I see it went for 3k, which was over my limit by a grand. worth it,
IMHO.

I've never really owned anything badly unreliable. I've owned some (OK,
many) horrible bikes, but nothing that I didn't really trust.

 

On 23 Dec 2004 03:20:54 -0800, TOG@toil,

**** me, that is *gorgeous*
--
Please add "imo" to above post.
Champ
GSX-R 1000, GPz 750 turbo, ZX7RR Endurance Racer x 2
GYASB#0 BotToS#2 BOTAFO(T|F)#35 WG*#1 DFV#8
Team UKRM Racing : www.team-ukrm.com

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Champ

Isn't it? If it's as good as it looks, it was a bloody good buy at three
grand.

Thank **** I didn't see it before the auction closed...

--
Nigel - Manufacturer of the "Champion-105" range of rearsets

WS* GHPOTHUF#24 APOSTLE#14 DLC#1 COFF#20 BOTAFOT#150 HYPO#0(KoTL) IbW#41
ZZR1100, Enfield 500 Curry House Racer "The Basmati Rice Burner",
Honda GL1000K2 (On its hols) Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager "Oh, Oh, It's so big"

 

Suzuki GT 185. If it did start I wouldn't trust it to get to the end of
the road and other days it was an absolute hoot. Unfortunately it did
this when I didn't need it and, of course, vice versa.

 

It *is* the power steering.....

Apparently there's a copper washer somewhere in the hydraulic line which has
decided to spring a leak (how do copper washers 'spring a leak', eh?) and
they need to 'order the parts' to repair it. And it may be next week, or
even the week after before they get 'the parts' they need because of the
Christmas break.. What parts do they need for ****'s sake?

Until then I've been given a bottle of power steering fluid and the advice
"check the level every time you go out"... Great customer service eh? In
fact, it was better than that - I told 'em it's possible I may be driving
200 miles a day after the weekend if I do some work and therefore I thought
that having to stop to check the fluid regularly was a pain. The
idiot-bitch on the desk said "Well it *is* under warranty. just keep driving
it and if anything actually breaks it all gets replaced for free so what's
the problem?" Errr... the problem is that I might be 100-odd miles from
home when it breaks you dopey cow....

Dave

 

sweller says...

I loved my GT185, it was my first real bike. Eleccy start, ace bars and
matt black spannies...

The only bike I never trusted was an RD400 tuned to the bollocks and
running TZ pistons. Briiing,BRRInnng BRRRRIIIINNNGGG, clunk.

 

WavyDavy wrote:

ISTR Fiat garages tend to score really low on the customer satisfaction
charts. How old is the car, anyway?

 

6 weeks and 4 days I thought.
--
Alex

"I laugh in the face of danger"
"Then I hide until it goes away"

www.drzoidberg.co.uk
www.sffh.co.uk
www.upce.org.uk

 

As others observe, it's done well for an Alfa, then.

 

ISTR there's a known issue with the PAS on these things. However, I'd
also say that Alfa have never really got PAS right. Both the 155 and 75
leak PAS fluid - the 75 doesn't make a noise, just gets notchy steering,
but the 155 makes a horrible noise when it's running low.

Doing 500 miles / week, I was topping up every couple of weeks on the
155 - the 75 goes a fair bit further before needing anything.

If you're waiting for parts, don't worry about it, just add it to the
weekly oil level check.

 

Bear says...

 

SteveH wrote:

Does Dave check his own oil?

 

Given that he drives a new Alfa, I'd hope so ;-)