Comments for AROnline blogs

Comment on SD1: Now we’re motoring by Ayd

Ayd — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 19:26:27 +0000

Why no skeletal bonnet badge?

Comment on SD1: Now we’re motoring by Jemma

Jemma — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 14:09:24 +0000

Yeah – I have had the SD1 dying problem – sort of my own fault – the distributor rotor gave up – on a sunday *sigh*. Then I thought the cam was binding – turned out to be cold engine and squealing fan belt.

It was quite an image to watch my ex-gfs grandfather (at 82 years old) attempting to push said vehicle into the drive. He got into so much trouble over that!

Comment on SD1: Now we’re motoring by Darren Branagh

Darren Branagh — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 02:57:43 +0000

Ahhh, Its just magnificent. Reminds me of my Dads 2300S from 1984. Take care of it keith, its a beauty.

Comment on SD1: Now we’re motoring by Shep

Shep — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 23:38:55 +0000

Replace the Trafic with a Transit or Sherpa in the third pic, and it could be a period shot from 1977

Joking aside, what a wonderful car the SD1 has become

Comment on SD1: Now we’re motoring by James Ruppert

James Ruppert — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 23:17:02 +0000

Well done Keith for getting her back on the road. Beautiful.

Comment on SD1: Now we’re motoring by Brian

Brian — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 22:42:47 +0000

NICE! All you need now is a headlining, and a set of correct rubber door mirrors

Comment on SD1: Now we’re motoring by MajorGav

MajorGav — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 21:40:06 +0000

A great example in a very 2010 colour! Any chance that this particular example may have been associated with the police force at all?

Comment on Metrobus : The end of an era by Patrick Perry

Patrick Perry — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 11:07:57 +0000

More developments. Saturday working now seems to have finished, none being noted the last two Saturdays. The Stratford College routes 220 and 221 and various workings on the 11 and 37 after School work remained at least last week. There were 6 working again but 2835 and 2871 had problems at the end of last week. 2832, 2849, 2988 and 3022 were out. For 11A try 15.30 with seats usually from Bordesley Green East to Acocks Green and for 11C try 15.20 Acocks Green to Kings Heath. Various 37s Solihull-Acocks Green-Birmingham possible later in the evening peak.

Comment on The new 75? by Scott Hutchings

Scott Hutchings — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 21:25:37 +0000

I am now on my third Alfa. Each one I have had has been better than the last and my current one, a late model 156 JTD Sport, is probably the best car that I’ve ever owned. Indeed, the current range of cars that Alfa has are probably the best line up of cars it has had in its long and illustrious history.

However, the problem – as far as UK sales are concerned – I feel at present is the lack of dealers. It used to be the case that every FIAT dealer had a small Alfa section tacked on to it. Now this was probably not the image that Alfa wanted – If you think about it its probably the sae as every MINI dealership having a small BMW bit tacked on or what you could so at a BL dealership in the 70’s in so much as buying everything from a Metro right through to Rover 3500. Same company but aimed at different market segments. Also, when the salesforce had to sell everything from a FIAT Panda to an Alfa 166, it meant you were buying a car aimed at a premium part of the market but not getting the sales (and particularly the aftersales) to match.

So, FIAT (nee Alfa) took the decision to prune its dealers and sell them from only Alfa dealers. Correct thinking but it has pruned them too far. You can struggle to find one now. I mean in Scotland, until a small one opened in Glasgow recently, there was only three covering the entire country.

So I hope that when considering Alfa’s future, the FIAT boss takes a look at their own actions. If FIAT truly has ambitions of being a global car company, it cannot afford to not compete in the BMW/Audi/Lexus/Jaguar sector. It cannot move Ferrari or Masterati down market into that segment and at the same time FIAT is too mass market to move it up and Lancia is not even selling cars in two of the major markets for those types of cars. As for Chrysler/Dodge – could they really be seen as an aspirational choice over a BMW?? So that leaves Alfa. I just hope FIAT realise that before doing anything rash.

Comment on Oh bugger! by Simon Woodward

Simon Woodward — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 20:20:43 +0000

A very good friend of mine has just had a similar experience in a late XJ40. The insurance wanted to write it off due to the cost of a new back bumper costing £170 + fitting etc.He only paid £500 for the car and the transmission and self levelling suspension was on the way out so sadly he accepted the offer. So he was surprised when they gave him £950 so a quick trawl on E bay got him a later X300 type XJ6 for £1200. Its a smart motor but its sad to see the old Jag go to the crusher because some berk behind him couldn’t drive properly.