Finally...

[Bing]

Fantastic news - that first wash in return must have been a real pleasure. Let the fun begin again

[RickRob]

Great that you're back. Here's hoping that you have years of trouble-free fun now.

[mmm-five]

Well, after a 6am start, 7am train and then 5 hours before getting off for a 90 minute bus ride, I finally have my car back.

Got to take it careful as I’m running in the new diff for 1000 miles (only 2 weeks).

Everything else feels nice and tight, but the cabin feel so claustrophobic after a year in the Alfa, and I miss my DAB radio

I was a bit worried that everything would be strange to me, and for the first few minutes it was. 20 miles later I was happily flicking the cruise controls on/off, running through the OBC screens, and adjusting my seat memory back to how I had it.

Strangely the 2nd key that has been in a drawer at home for 12 months opened and started the car without issue. Although I only did it to wind up my mate as he didn’t see me arrive and then heard someone starting the car up

I still need a bit of time in it to be completely comfortable with how it handles, and to set up the suspension to how I prefer. The Bilsteins are set to 6 all round, but I prefer the front a bit softer to counteract the strut brace and Eibach ARBs.

Hopefully I’ll be comfortable enough to take it to the Ring at the end of October, it if not I’ll fall back to the Alfaxp-beast.

Didn’t manage to get the Alcons fitted (they are HUGE 4-pots) as there’s a bit of metal on the calliper for locating the Ferrari brackets that really needs to be machined off, rather than hacking away material from the custom bracket for the Z4M and potentially weakening the mounts.

[bmwaddict]

Wow what a journey! Congrats on having it back, and I hope you get plenty of enjoyment to make up for lost time. Great taste on the colour combo by the way

[markos]

I had no idea this was still ongoing... If it now feels new and tight I think you've got many more years ahead together!

[mmm-five]

It’s never going to be my daily driver again, but it won’t be a garage queen either.

It will be doing 500+ miles a week between Liverpool and London over the next 4 weeks, and then it will be over to Germany for 6 days at the 'Ring.

So about 3000 miles in its first month back on the road

Still need to sort some cosmetic stuff out that I kept putting off. It’s relatively minor stuff, but potentially expensive & time consuming. I want to remove the seats and give it a deep clean, and whilst the seats are out I might get them re-Connollised/retrimmed/replaced.

Of course I’ve also got to pay for the Alcons (calipers, discs, pads, brackets & pipes) when they’re ready.

My first 'mod' once the car is back home (it's currently at the hotel near the office) will be to put the Gruppe-M back on. Hopefully before a Christmas I’ll also have a new carbon spoiler to put on too.

[Beedub]

your in love with the ////M, .... you can just tell!!!

[mmm-five]

Safely back at home.





Noticed that not all the PDC sensors are working, as it beeps when I reverse towards something large/solid, but not when I edge towards ballards...so I assume the side-rears are working, but the rear-rears aren't

Also opened my sunglasses holder to put my sunglasses back in...and the clip pinged out and is now somewhere behind/below the seats

[BMWZ4MC]

I'd keep it in the garage if I were you
It's so frustrating finding the little things that have been either missed by the body shop (or perhaps busted then hidden by them).

[Beedub]

I'd keep it in the garage if I were you
It's so frustrating finding the little things that have been either missed by the body shop (or perhaps busted then hidden by them).

every single time ... your totally bang on, if it isn't the panels that NEVER line up back as good as it did, they just don't even if they are removed and theirs no damage they never line quite back up properly, its the other stuff they break, scratch or damage in general on the route to repair, i HATE my cars going for repair work, and even general servicing now as no one looks after your Pride and joy like you will... its just not possible.

m5 those little bits id fix them myself if i was you! do not send it back.

[mmm-five]

It’s definitely not going back to the bodyshop

I’ll be doing the little things over the course of the next couple of weeks, and some bits with the aid of ducklakeview.

Then, after the ring trip (and depending on contract extension) I’ll take it off the road to get the seats either reconnolised or retrimmed, and then want to get a front end respray.

Whilst the seats are out, I think I’ll remove the rails and given them a good scrub & paint as they’re showing a bit of corrosion...although I might just simply replace them if they’re cheap enough.

The Alfa will do for the commute between London & Liverpool...especially in the current s**t weather we're having.

[mmm-five]

I'd keep it in the garage if I were you
It's so frustrating finding the little things that have been either missed by the body shop (or perhaps busted then hidden by them).

It wouldn’t fit...even when there wasn’t a step up. The 'garage' is storing something a little older (not mine). Anyway, I’m not 'precious' about the car...it’s made to be used.

[BMWZ4MC]

I'd keep it in the garage if I were you
It's so frustrating finding the little things that have been either missed by the body shop (or perhaps busted then hidden by them).

every single time ... your totally bang on, if it isn't the panels that NEVER line up back as good as it did, they just don't even if they are removed and theirs no damage they never line quite back up properly, its the other stuff they break, scratch or damage in general on the route to repair, i HATE my cars going for repair work, and even general servicing now as no one looks after your Pride and joy like you will... its just not possible.

m5 those little bits id fix them myself if i was you! do not send it back.

I agree completely. It's even worse in Sydney - the main dealers for premium European brands simply don't show any respect for your car and yet charge far more than they do in the UK for parts and labour. The assumption seems to be that if you own an expensive car then you should be able to afford to pay whatever they ask for any work and then replace the car before it needs anything more than routine servicing. I don't let my fiancée take her car to Mercedes even for servicing, insisting that I should take it in. They tend to behave a little better when I make it clear I won't stand for their bullshit.

The trouble is that maintaining a main dealer service history is even more important in Sydney as the alternative independent shops are usually inexperienced with European cars and many of them create problems to fix expecting the customer to be naive to their antics.

[BMWZ4MC]

I'd keep it in the garage if I were you
It's so frustrating finding the little things that have been either missed by the body shop (or perhaps busted then hidden by them).

It wouldn’t fit...even when there wasn’t a step up. The 'garage' is storing something a little older (not mine). Anyway, I’m not 'precious' about the car...it’s made to be used.

I was being facetious - I assumed your garage had been converted into a room in your house

[mmm-five]

I'd keep it in the garage if I were you
It's so frustrating finding the little things that have been either missed by the body shop (or perhaps busted then hidden by them).

It wouldn’t fit...even when there wasn’t a step up. The 'garage' is storing something a little older (not mine). Anyway, I’m not 'precious' about the car...it’s made to be used.

I was being facetious - I assumed your garage had been converted into a room in your house

It’s still a garage - we’ll the front 18 foot is - the other 30 foot is a room and downstairs toilet/shower. It’s just that the front part has some old British bikes in it (Triumph, BSA, Ariel).