Fiat Coupe Club UK
11 Hours and counting...
Posted By: Anonymous
11 Hours and counting... - 11/05/2006 14:47
... until I'm the new owner of a Moon Grey 20VT Plus
My membership form & cheque are in the post!
I've only a couple of questions to ask. The car I'm buying has a minor fault with the passenger window. When you wind the window back up, it starts off slow and then speeds up towards the top. The driver side is fine.
One of the wheels has a large scrape on a spoke. In fact every car I saw had the same scrape on at least one of the wheels. I'll post photos tomorrow as it may not be as bad as I remember, but how well do these Plus wheels come up when re-furbed? Is there a source of new replacement wheels anywhere (I only need one).
And finally, the cluster three buttons on the centre console to the right of the clock (A/C, Central locking and alarm light?) moves back in the dash when one of the buttons is pressed. Is there a simple guide to re-fitting these properly? Ooh, and on the topic of the centre console, has anyone had one sprayed up in Moon Grey? I'm really tempted to but would need to find a paintshop I really trust to get a perfect colour match.
Cheers,
DC
Posted By: chrissy
Re: 11 Hours and counting... - 11/05/2006 18:33
When you use a reputable company to refurb the wheels they will look as new, the window may need some grease on the guides as they can dry out, The cluster of buttons are simple, take the knobs off the heater and climate dials, undo the screws as under the ashtray and then pull the panel forward to reveal the problem - then reverse..
And as for colour coding the inside....... thats £2k off the value!
Chrissy..
Posted By: Anonymous
Re: 11 Hours and counting... - 11/05/2006 19:27
I'll get a spare centre console for colour coding then...
Posted By: Anonymous
Re: 11 Hours and counting... - 12/05/2006 00:52
I'm getting my Moon Grey Plus tomorrow as well...when I saw your post the first thing I thought was "please don't let this be the same car I'm meant to be buying"
Talk about Coop paranoia! Luckily I've had the confirmation today that it'll be ready for collection tomorrow
Phew!
Posted By: Anonymous
Re: 11 Hours and counting... - 12/05/2006 04:09
Oh my God it's fast
! ! !
From my drive home I've gathered a short list of things that need to be sorted.
1) The front cabin light doesn't work. The C-pillar one does though.
2) The passenger electric windows needs some sort of fixing. It's dead slow rising from the very bottom, but normal speed from halfway up.
3) The CD-changer doesn't appear to be connected to the head unit. Then again the head unit looks like it's seen better days.
4) There are some annoying creaks and rattles. One from the dash right around the instruments and some from the passenger side. A lot of it sounds like the passenger seat headrest rubbing on the grab handle.
5) The radio reception really sucks. I'll definitely be looking to do that aerial booster mod asap.
That's it really. Nothing major and all easily fixable.
One thing that became apparent on the country road section of my drive home was the torque steer. Surely that's just not right when you're in 4th gear.
Photos will follow on the weekend.
DC
Posted By: Anonymous
Re: 11 Hours and counting... - 12/05/2006 05:10
All of the above are usual probs creeks radio etc inc torque steer, u get used to it and hardly bat an eye lid.
Enjoy yer new whip
Posted By: bockers
Re: 11 Hours and counting... - 12/05/2006 10:56
what do you need the radio for? Get a good exhaust then you won't worry about that passenger window as it will always be down
Posted By: Anonymous
Re: 11 Hours and counting... - 12/05/2006 11:21
Gotta agree with bockers here, but for me its the induction noise rather than the exhaust.
Once u have an uprated air intake or start canabolising your air box then you'll be driving along with the passenger window open and staying in gear longer so u can hear the vacuum under the bonnet
Admittedly i'm still on he standard exhaust so maybe i'm just missing out.
Posted By: Anonymous
Re: 11 Hours and counting... - 12/05/2006 12:06
Nah, I'l leave the induciton and exhaust. I tried a car with a 57i fitted and really didn't like the sound at all. I'm one for genuine engine sounds rather than silly exhaust or induction noise.
And on that note....what an engine noise!!!!
Posted By: Anonymous
Re: 11 Hours and counting... - 12/05/2006 15:29
There is already an aerial booster in one of the rear pillars (passenger side I think), which many people don't realise is there hence it doesn't get connected up properly to the headunit, thus the poor reception.
Vaseline on the grab handles works a treat!
And a strut-brace for the torque steer - every Coupe should have one!
Posted By: Anonymous
Re: 11 Hours and counting... - 12/05/2006 16:37
Quote:
And a strut-brace for the torque steer - every Coupe should have one!
Shouldn't it already have a strut brace? Thought they were standard on the Plus?
Posted By: Anonymous
Re: 11 Hours and counting... - 12/05/2006 18:23
Yes, you're right! I wasn't paying attention to it being a Plus
Posted By: Anonymous
Re: 11 Hours and counting... - 13/05/2006 23:37
4) Take the cover off the grab handle and use a pair of pliers to bend the metal springy strip thing back so it doesn't rub anymore
Posted By: Anonymous
Re: 11 Hours and counting... - 13/05/2006 23:37
And your torque steer is probably wrongly inflated or worn tyres
Posted By: Anonymous
Re: 11 Hours and counting... - 14/05/2006 01:17
After a drive last night, I'm inclined to rip the head unit out tomorrow and try and find a good replacement asap. Damn this one is awful!!
The cassette in the CD changer is missing 3 of the trays (it's a philips changer). Any idea where I can get replacements? I've searched for the CDC's model number on google and ebay but found nothing
Cheers,
DC
Posted By: Anonymous
Re: 11 Hours and counting... - 14/05/2006 01:55
Got one in the end then David, hope I didn't over hype it too much on the Alfa forum
and it meets expectations, great car the Coupe.
Posted By: Anonymous
Re: 11 Hours and counting... - 14/05/2006 02:01
Well dont be temped to go for an second hand original spec Clarion, its the fiddliest pile of crap I have ever had in a car.
Posted By: Anonymous
Re: 11 Hours and counting... - 14/05/2006 02:06
Nah, I'm thinking about an Alpine CD/DVD /MP3 single DIN head unit. Or maybe a cheaper JVC one.
Posted By: Anonymous
Re: 11 Hours and counting... - 14/05/2006 02:25
Quote:
There is already an aerial booster in one of the rear pillars (passenger side I think), which many people don't realise is there hence it doesn't get connected up properly to the headunit, thus the poor reception.
I'm a little confused by this one. I've seen the FAW about the aerial booster but I don't see how it wouldn't be connected. Surely no one takes the C-pillar trim off and disconnects the booster when fitting a head unit??? I'd have though you just remove the old headunit (which really isn't secure in my car) un plug the aerial and then plug it into your new one. Why wouldn't this be the case?
Posted By: Anonymous
Re: 11 Hours and counting... - 14/05/2006 03:55
The booster is powered by the powered aerial lead from the head unit. Most people don't connect this wire up when fitting another head unit as they assume it doesn't have a powered aerial (which it doesn't).
Posted By: Anonymous
Re: 11 Hours and counting... - 14/05/2006 22:17
Aha, good to know as I'll be getting a new head unit this week. Upon closer inspection, it looks like this original head unit has been removed previously as the cage is damaged. I reckon the last owner took a decent one out and shoved this one back in quickly when he sold it. That'll be why the booster isn't connected.
Cheers
DC
It's pretty common procedure.
My coupe's last owner couldn't get the front speakers to work before he sold it to me so he bought some good quality Pioneer ones from halfords
however he didn't connect them to the radio
Posted By: Anonymous
Re: 11 Hours and counting... - 15/05/2006 00:57
here it is:
http://www.apqa74.dsl.pipex.com/my-coop1.jpghttp://www.apqa74.dsl.pipex.com/my-coop2.jpgBetter photos to follow soon.
That sticker on the rear window will be gone as soon as I've found the patience to spend an hour peeling it off.
Posted By: Anonymous
Re: 11 Hours and counting... - 15/05/2006 01:54
Nice, the best model in the best colour. But then I'm ever so slightly biased
Posted By: strike4A
Re: 11 Hours and counting... - 15/05/2006 02:07
agreed, wonder if mr supra next door will begin to develop an inferiority complex now?
Posted By: Anonymous
Re: 11 Hours and counting... - 15/05/2006 04:15
Not likely, the Supra is my dad's car. It's a non-turbo automatic.
Posted By: Anonymous
Re: 11 Hours and counting... - 15/05/2006 20:48
looks fabulous David, congratulations!
How does the Moon Grey look in real life? I've never seen one in the flesh!
Oh and David,
I saw a photo in a recent thread of a black (i think) Turbo which had the centre console colour coded. I can't find the post at the moment
but it really looked handsome. He had had it sprayed to look like exactly the same finish as the strip that runs across the dash, and it belended 'factory-style'. I personally think it's a wonderful idea, but would be be very nervous about having anything other than a totally professional job done. Don't know how the hell he managed to get it loking like the same finish and material, as the centre console is plastic, unlike the metal dash-strip! Clever people!
And of course, it may not look as natural in Grey, as it did in black, but I suppose it's a question of seeing one photo'd.
I expect there are forum members who would be clever enough to photshop one for you, if I could I would but i'm a useless computer - phobe i'm afraid!
Might be a bit over the top in brighter colours like speed red, or yellow, but the more subtle colours, it's very plausible to think that Fiat might have even talked about it as a design option when designing the car originally.
Posted By: Anonymous
Re: 11 Hours and counting... - 15/05/2006 21:10
I've seen one on eBay with the centre console coour coded but it was a red car. That looked shocking! Silver would look pretty normal though. I may get a spare console off ebay or a scrappy and have it sprayed up by a pro.
The moon grey looks more like a very very pale metallic blue. Really really good.
Posted By: zak
Re: 11 Hours and counting... - 16/05/2006 01:17
Nice car! Was the sticker already on the rear screen when you bought it? I'd rip it off to be honest.
Posted By: Anonymous
Re: 11 Hours and counting... - 16/05/2006 01:33
Yep, sticker was already on. I started to peel it off when I washed it on Sunday but it is stuck on pretty well. A lot of hot water, a sponge, credit card and about 15-20 minutes are required and I haven't got the patience tonight. Maybe on the weekend.
Posted By: Anonymous
Re: 11 Hours and counting... - 16/05/2006 01:34
Any tips for reducing the turbo lag?
Posted By: zak
Re: 11 Hours and counting... - 16/05/2006 03:34
Quote:
Yep, sticker was already on. I started to peel it off when I washed it on Sunday but it is stuck on pretty well. A lot of hot water, a sponge, credit card and about 15-20 minutes are required and I haven't got the patience tonight. Maybe on the weekend.
Get a hair-dryer onto it to soften the adhesive, it'll be off in no time.
Reducing the turbo lag - the realms of tuning, post the question in the tuning section.
