General Thinking about buying one

[Nino_1975]

Garage her with the hand break off and every week start her up and move backward and forwards, ensuring the breaks don;t bind. OR get a tempture controlled garage and dry store, but the rest of us just garage and start up once in a while over the winter, I have just garaged mine for the next 6mths. Boring 306 now!!! ZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

[alfa20v]

Thought I'd pop in here and say hi!!

A couple of you lot know me already from alfaowner.com

I'm running a beastie re-mapped (angel tuning) 2004 Alfa 156 20v ATM and ABOUT to buy one of those beautiful Barchettas!!

I'm looking at 2. One is an R reg LE, with 25,000km and cream leather for £4900 and the other is a yellow R reg, 60,000km cloth seats for £4100.

Looking at both this weekend.

Is there anything that you'd recommend to look at. Is the green a 'bad' colour??

We've been driving Italian cars for a good while, so know the basics, but is there anything specific to the B's that I should look out for???

Guys, I hope to be in possession of one VERY soon, so will be posting here more often!!

Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated peeps! Might also be useful for others too.

(Also might change my tag name and avatar!!! )
Catch you later,

Alfa20v

 

[Nino_1975]

Great news.

OK things to look out for:-

Variator - That desel sound, when was it changed. All B's before 2000 had a fault with them.

Exhaust, orignal Fiat or Bespoke, orignal exhausts are heavy and rot after 18,000miles or so.

Speedo - check the dials are lined up and the trip counter works.

Headlights - any sign of pealing.

LE model - make sure it has the Model No on the dash inside, this confirms it's pucka.

Full Service History a must, Cam belt must be changed at 35K.

Hood - Any signs of leaks, remember the window at the back is almost as expensive to fix as a new hood, so any cracked windows avoid or ask for £400 off.

Make sure the Barchetta engine is cold before starting it.

Check oil - check the lines of the body, is every thing ligned up and working. Pull the boot and bonnet release, check cables are still tight.

Then drive her. Your heart will tell the rest.

Good luck. Where you located in the UK?

 

[alfa20v]

Hey Nino!!

Cheers for the heads up! Will give it a good looking at and check all your points. What about the price? Does it sound ok-ish??

I'm based in Sheffield and live in sunny Yorkshire too!

Oh, btw here's a few snaps of my beloved 156....

 

[Nino_1975]

Nice to see you don't have any doggy "Boy racer" blood. That is really nice.

Price, LE's are 5% more than standard ones.

For 5K you should get a 51plate if your lucky, 3K anything from s reg upwards. Seach on Google for Barchetta Club UK. they have a for sale section. also search for DTR sports, then you will get a idea of prices. Never get a high millage model.

Oh if it has leather check the condition as Fiat can use cheap leather.

And also search on E-Bay under my ID, I see lots of Barchetta stuff. Roll bars for inside the car, badges on the back etc.

Send us pics when you can, oh here is my baby B,

 

[alfa20v]

Boy racer isn't my style!! lol!!

Anyway, your B looks beautiful!

I'm looking at an 'R' registered LE with 25,000km for £4900.....what do you think!?!?

Can send you the link via pm if you like.

I looked on the Barchetta owners club already and all but one are sold. The unsold one is the one I might also look at in Leeds this weekend.

Really cannot find ANY 51 plates for £5k!!! Where on earth are those Nino?? Any help right now from anyone would be great!!

 

[alfa20v]

Picking her up on Tuesday!!

Black, black leather, new mohair hood, new front tyres, new teledial (alfa) alloys with Abarth centre caps, CD stacker with remote control, xenons getting fitted tuesday afternoon.......I'm like a little kid again!!!

Getting roll hoops, wind stop and some decent mats soon!!

Will start a thread when she's polished and lookin fine!