Bramz fleet. The ever changing procession of mediocrity. Disaster time....

[Wingz123]

Marea.....spoiler.....explain...

[bramz7]

Yeah it's off of a Renault 19 and it's being binned when i get the Marea....or sold. Actually, I dunno. 

 

Not sure my other half likes the Alfa, shes become accustomed to French cars and says its a bit bumpy! I've set the bar too high. Road sweeper this morning broke the mirror too, so it now just flaps about, great! Another thing to sort out before the MOT expires.

[bramz7]

Yeah still not gelling with the Alfa at all. I don't know why. The V6 156 is way more enjoyable. It's rapid and comfy but meh.

 

£575 as is, or swap for something diesel, comfortable and automatic.

 

Anyone interested PM me.

[Wingz123]

W210 e class - try one of those... go for a 320cdi

[skattrd]

W210 e class - try one of those... go for a 320cdi

 

I think the insurance might be a tad high for him if a BMW 318 was expensive.

[bramz7]

It was a 323i that was approx £1000 a year....in any case that policy is still going for the incoming Marea.

 

I would love to daily something like a Mercedes but I don't trust many sellers anymore. I'll probably just have to suck it with the Alfa and hope the MOT isn't too bad.

[Wingz123]

My 523i will be up for sale shortly as will my 58’ Avensis

[bramz7]

Potentially interested.

 

 

(In the E39...)

[skattrd]

If insurance isn;t too bad then, I'd suggest a W203 Merc, just avoid the 4-pots. The C240, v6 petrol aren't horrendous on fuel.

[wuvvum]

I have recently discovered that I rather like W203 Mercs.

[bramz7]

With the Alfa now likely to go to a member on here, has anyone got a nice diesel they want to sell me? Something comfortable and reasonably fast would be ideal...my budget is around £700.

[wuvvum]

I have a comfortable and reasonably fast diesel.  I'm not sure I'd describe it as "nice" necessarily though.

[bramz7]

I have a comfortable and reasonably fast diesel. I'm not sure I'd describe it as "nice" necessarily though.

Pray tell...I might be interested.

[wuvvum]

It's the C270 estate I got off Skattrd.  I was only semi-serious mind as 1) it's probably a lot rougher cosmetically than what you're looking for and 2) I'm still rather enjoying wafting around in it.  It will probably be going at some point soon though - unless I sell the 75 instead, but that could not by any stretch of the imagination be described as fast.

[bramz7]

It's the C270 estate I got off Skattrd. I was only semi-serious mind as 1) it's probably a lot rougher cosmetically than what you're looking for and 2) I'm still rather enjoying wafting around in it. It will probably be going at some point soon though - unless I sell the 75 instead, but that could not by any stretch of the imagination be described as fast.

Rough cosmetics don't bother me! To be honest both the incomers this weekend are going to be quite fast...in a shite sort of way, so I'm open to suggestions plus something new for me would be intriguing.

 

I've also enquired about Kringle's Xantia...

[bramz7]

It sounds alright. Not as good as the photos suggested but tidy enough. The leather is really comfortable...

[loserone]

Top work, I've lusted after one of these for ages.

 

In fact, whilst I'm on, will you please move to the North East so I can have a go in all these amazeballs cars you keep buying, like I try to with Jim Bell? Cheers.

[w00dy]

There's something very likeable about that! Must have been very rare new, let alone now. I'm looking forward to seeing it without the wing.

[wuvvum]

I had one of those, in a darker blue.  They do have rather a nice warble to them.  I always wondered how difficult it would be to fit the turbo gubbins from a Coupe and make an amusing sleeper.

[nigel bickle]

I run a diesel Marea weekend.

 

Competent, if a little dull, it’s a useful winter hack. Yours looks nicer..

[bramz7]

Well I got back about 30 mins ago. It's pretty fun to drive...it might just be me but the turn of speed on it is impressive, the 5 cylinder petrol feels completely different to anything I've driven before.

Some switchgear is showing signs of age but I'm happy with it. I'll never tire of that engine note!

[shedenvy]

THAT IS TEH SEKS!

[bramz7]

Okay where were we? 

 

Oh yeah, the morning after the day before I spent 12 hours taking one Italian down (further) south and bringing another up. Must be reasonably good seats in both as I don't ache today.

 

1999 Fiat Marea HLX 155 20v. by Sam Osbon, on Flickr

 

1999 Fiat Marea HLX 155 20v. by Sam Osbon, on Flickr

 

I don't know what to do with the rear wing. I know it's not original and is pretty lame, but at the same time it's been on the car for years. On the negative side, the paint is peeling pretty bad on it. 

Overall the paintwork looks reasonable, some fade noticeable close up, but the lacquer is good, and the sills don't look rotten. The wingmirrors have predictably gone funny, but there is little to no point even bothering painting them again. 

 

Marea interior. by Sam Osbon, on Flickr

 

The interior is a pleasant place to be, I was expecting some awful cheap material but they're both soft and well shaped. A little bit of age, but again, that was expected. Oddly they have manual back and lumbar adjustment, but the height controls are electric. Unfortunately I somehow broke the bonnet release handle off of its mount yesterday (how the fuck), but the release still works. 

I hate the stereo, the original ones are far better. 

 

There is of course some issues, it is approaching 20 years old and Italian.

 

-Does not like being changed down to first when slowing down at all, crunching quite badly. It doesn't do that in any other gears, and using the gears normally is fine. 

-Cambelt is probably due again. I had hoped it wasn't given the advert wording but it was done nearly 40k ago, bugger.

-Drivers door handle doesn't like to return to original position.

-New brakes are not bedded in at all, the brakes were a bit crap to begin with...

-Headlamp stalk is worn to buggery, the end bit which is used for the lights moves with the slightest touch. 

-Some of the interior plastics are melting, as per 90s Fiat products. 

 

The AC works though, as do the windows. 

I really like the sound it makes, and the way it builds speed pretty effortlessly. Fuel economy was better than expected, I reckon mid 30s?!

[Noel Tidybeard]

Dollywobbler will be along shortly to demand that you reseat that driver's side wiper arm.

 

 

you can't cos it WILL hit the bonnet edge!

[wuvvum]

Aye, now I've seen it "close up" the wing does look a bit wank tbh.

 

They are deceptively rapid, and that engine is still probably my favourite 5-pot in terms of noise.  A bit more urgency to it than the rather muffled, laid-back warble of a Volvo engine, but not as metallic and snarly as an Audi 5.

[bramz7]

It genuinely might be one of my favourite cars already. I feel like a pleb in the Alfa now...which even though is a 5 cylinder sounds like a muffled fart.

[nigel bickle]

There a Fiat specialist, north east of Soton ( Bishops Waltham?) that I use for 5 cyl cambelts. Ex main stealer, he found a way to sort it without extracting the lump.

 

Uses Fiat parts, he’s ok, and relatively cheap. Shout, if you elect to bite the bullet. I’ll dig his details out.

[greengartside]

Phwoar!

 

I had a little YouTube search for these 20v’s just now and that engine note is simply perfect. Great purchase!

 

The wing looks very out of place. It’s a shame Fiat didn’t do a proper spoiler for them.

[bramz7]

There a Fiat specialist, north east of Soton ( Bishops Waltham?) that I use for 5 cyl cambelts. Ex main stealer, he found a way to sort it without extracting the lump.

 

Uses Fiat parts, he’s ok, and relatively cheap. Shout, if you elect to bite the bullet. I’ll dig his details out.

Thanks! I'll probably get it done if I keep it more than a month...let's see first.

[bramz7]

Fucking hell, obviously something bad had to happen. Don't worry though, the Marea is still okay (despite me discovering the front mask is pretty oxidised, vactan time approaching....)

 

Took the 156 SW to my garage today for the front bearing. I also asked them to check it over as it was meant to be going to a new owner shortly...

 

Receive a phone call a few hours later.

 

'Hello, do you want to come down and have a look at the car please?'

 

Agh. Now obviously garages don't tend to ask you to come and look at a car with no issues, I was expecting floorpans and sills hanging off but....

 

Richard (of course i know his name) produces a list one full length of a size of A4. Oh fuck. 

 

-Both front discs are fucked.

-Many, many bushes and balljoints are dried up and toast.

-Track rod ends worn out.

-Passenger side rear tyre has worn down to the canvas on the inner edge. Looks like the rear suspension needs adjusting as well.

-BOTH front bearings are absolutely shot. 

-Diesel leak from the filter.

-All the coolant has vanished in two weeks, there is some residue on the outside of a pipe feeding into the engine.

-Heavy soot on the front of the exhaust, as I had wondered if there was a leak...

-Gearbox mount on its way out.

 

other items include wipers...not a huge fuss as i knew they were crap anyway.

 

Oh dear. Obviously I now can't sell it like this (sorry Colc, I didn't mean to disappoint you) but it's left me a bit meh about it now. Thing is, yes I could spend all this money on it, but is sinking what could be £1000 or more going to be worth it? Yeah it's nice enough to drive and cruises nicely, but that's a shit ton of money for something which could then blow up tomorrow. 

 

At least it's a nice colour?

 

FYI for anyone wondering, he showed me all the problems with the car on the car itself.

 

As it was lowered down on the ramp, a rear numberplate light fell out of its holder. Cool.