Alfa Brera 2.2 - bit slow?

[MrOrange]

Whilst umming and arring over the choice of my next car and have suddenly found myself with an 08 Brera on my drive. Odd really, coming from a RWD background. A sales guy at work has left and he had a rather mint Brera in red that was going spare.

I've been really surprised by it, achingly pretty, lovely cabin and well specced and some sort of fake alcantara interior but a really good driving position and drives pretty solid. Last Alfa I had was back in the 90's when I had a very troublesome but very characterful 155V6.

So thumbs up so far. Except ... it feels gawdawful slow, it's supposed to have 185bhp but feels really sluggish and sounds well, erm, a bit rubbish.

Do I pass it on or stick with it for a while?

[Fantuzzi]

Is it your for daily or fun? If for fun, id get shot, if its for more normal driving I think make the most of it unless you can think of a better car for the cash now you've got it.

After coming from vantage I'm not surprised you found it lacking!

[Pooh]

I had a 2.2 Brera S and loved it, I found that it ran much better on Vpower than on standard fuel it also seemed to gain a bit of power if I drove it like I stole it all the time, I think that the ecu learns how you drive and adjusts itself accordingly. My car had a modified induction and sounded superb. It will never be the fastest car in the world but speed is not everything.

[waynedear]

Stick it on a rolling road i bet it struggles to reach 160bhp

[Chimune]

i think its a bit heavy is the problem!

[Squadrone Rosso]

They don't make 185bhp, more like 165.

[Vitorio]

I'm not 100% sure on the GM based JTS engines, but the 2.0 JTS on the 156/GT had a habbit of getting the valves gummed up (due to the direct injection the fuel spray wouldnt clean the valves anymore) and losing power, instead of the claimed 165 bhp the 2.0 JTS usually makes <140hp unless some work is done on the engine. Also those early JTSses also had a pretty odd throttle response curve adding to a "slow" feeling, which is easily fixable with a remap.

Then there is the timing chain issue on the GM based JTS issues, which might cause a bit of off-timing if the chain stretches.

And as mentioned, the Brera is a bit heavy for a car of it's type/size, and the GM engines apparently arent the best fit character-wise anyway.

I take it this is a company car, so no personal financial consequences involved if you'd want to get rid, so i'd just give it a go for a month or so and see if the car grows on you, if not, then get rid of it and buy a 3.2 V6 GT

[MrOrange]

Thanks folks.

It's a company car but the company is mine hence the car is mine.

It's just thrown an engine light and the OBD code is showing a cam chain problem. Might also change the fuel filter and maybe get the top end looked at. It would be nice to get it working spot on as it s only got 30k miles and looks pretty mint and could be a keeper as a daily or a decent PX for something silly

[Chimune]

Can you put the Pro Drive suspension on it ?

[Vitorio]

MrOrange said:

It's just thrown an engine light and the OBD code is showing a cam chain problem.

Called it! (sorry to hear that though)

Honestly, if the car really is yours, might as well see if you can make something nice out of it, not sure about the remap scene in the UK, but in the netherlands/belgium, Squadra Tuning is pretty well known in the alfa-scene, and for the 2.2 JTS they have a map which supposedly almost entirely fixes the odd throttle response characteristics of the 2.2JTS, power gaines are marginal, but driveability should be much improved.

Autodelta do a supercharger/intercooler kit for the 2.2, but costs a whopping 5.6K (although on a company owned car perhaps you can buy without VAT, so it'd be yours for a mere 4.7K)

[MrOrange]

Nice call Vittorio. Now just need to find a good Alfa independant in Yorkshire, any suggestions?

[RicksAlfas]

Depends where you are, but these are usually well recommended:

http://www.bearingsaf.co.uk/

http://www.turinmotors.co.uk/

http://www.jjbmotors.co.uk/

http://www.goodgarage.biz/garages/huddersfield/hd1...

[Squadrone Rosso]

I lover our 2.2 Ti 159. Engine thrived on being thrashed but was a pig at low speeds / traffic.

As mentioned above, V power all the way.

JJB will remap it for you too

[Loaded1me]

Another vote for JJB in York. John used to service my 156 JTS when I lived up that way. Knows his stuff, and very reasonable.

[portabello]

had a spider 2.2 had it chipped ,made all the difference, smoother and a little quicker, but ask yourself this do i need to drive at 100 mph all the time, it looks cool and different to the rep boxes which are out there, but i will say the v6 is a different animal , got one of them now, even with this engine i cruise not bruise , and pose a little bit,lol

[portabello]

ps , has mentioned above vpower made a difference aswell

[portabello]

pss, if you do keep the car dont join aroc most of them will mock you for owning such a car

[Squadrone Rosso]

portabello said:

pss, if you do keep the car dont join aroc most of them will mock you for owning such a car

Two clowns on a forum isn't most of them, is it?

[portabello]

yeah you're right, but there is more than two, look at that thread concerning THAT star letter, i do hope aroc becomes more of a alfa friendly club which includes modern alfas aswell , then i may consider rejoining after my membership runs out, i know you have good intentions for the club but for me with my present car it does not feel like it,,,, ps enjoy your holiday

[herbialfa]

http://www.celtictuning.co.uk/?gclid=CLejjsOuurwCF...