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Car Forum / Alfa Romeo Cars / October 2004missing wheel nut adaptors
I purchased a brand new Alfa 147 jtd lusso 14 months ago. Last weekend my boyfriend said I could do with the wheels rotating as the fronts are now worn. Upon lifting the carpet in the hatch (for the first time)and getting the jack out he noticed that there was no security wheel nut bolts.....so we cant even change a wheel in the event of a puncture. I contacted the dealer who said he would get back to either myself or my boyfriend....he didn't. They have now sent me a letter stating that they have spoken with Lythgoe Alfa Romeo dealership and they have advised that this tool cannot be supplied to me free of charge as the vehicle was sold approximately fourteen months ago, in which time an issue like this would have been noticed earlier by the owner. As the owner, I can assure them that I did not notice it was missing until I needed it. I have been advised that it may not even be as simple as obtaining the missing tool, I may have to have the existing nuts broken off and new ones fitted for which the dealer I purchased my car from feels I am laible for. I find it amazing that you can pay ?17,000 for a car and not have the tools necessary to remove the wheels. Could you please give me any advice on this problem. Mandy Edwards. I would suggest that it is the dealers duty to prove this tool was supplied. When I bought my 147 the dealer told me that the security nuts/adapter are not factory fitted but fitted by the importer/dealer. Therefore it should included on the paperwork. I f not, and they still refuse to playball take advice from the Trading Standards and threaten them with the Small Claims Court. Proof that these tools are fitted as a secondary item is that they are not included in the Alfa toolkit stored within the spare wheel.  SignaturePaul.Woodsford Remove **NOSPAM** to reply. >I purchased a brand new Alfa 147 jtd lusso 14 months ago. Last weekend my >boyfriend said I could do with the wheels rotating as the fronts are now [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] > > Mandy Edwards. >I have been advised that it may not even be as simple as obtaining the >missing tool, I may have to have the existing nuts broken off and new ones [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > >Could you please give me any advice on this problem. Firstly, IMHO, FIAT/Lancia/Alfa lock nuts are rubbish. I had problems on my Lancia where the key was such a loose fit, in cold weather it just slipped round. I therefore recommend the fitting of third party wheel locks such as those supplied by Halfords. I bought a set of Halfords locknuts months before I got my 156. I'll (try to) e-mail you the easy method for undoing FIAT/Lancia/Alfa existing locks. -- Max Reheat (:o) - deselect Part Throttle Reheat to reply. Alfa 156 2.0 JTS Selespeed Veloce Lancia Dedra 1.8i.e.SE > >I have been advised that it may not even be as simple as obtaining the > >missing tool, I may have to have the existing nuts broken off and new ones [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > I'll (try to) e-mail you the easy method for undoing FIAT/Lancia/Alfa > existing locks. Funny, I fitted a set of Alfa locking wheel bolts to my 147 and they tighten and slacken off perfectly. I bought them from the dealer in Glasgow [Reg Vardy, I think]. They cost me £11. Afterwards, I checked out a set at Halfords and they wanted something like £22/£25, you have to be carefull with Halfords as they work on a 70% mark up on most of their stock. John, UK. >> >I have been advised that it may not even be as simple as obtaining the >> >missing tool, I may have to have the existing nuts broken off and new ones [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] >their stock. >John, UK. First note that my opinion refers solely to the FIAT/Lancia/Alfa locks supplied to fit my Lancia and supplied already fitted to my Alfa 156. I don't have a problem with you being happy with your purchase. I base my opinion on two things, both to do with the performance of the wheel locks I had, rather than the cost: 1) The poor tolerances of the nut and the key meant that, at low temperatures, the key simply slipped round the head of the nut, preventing the wheel being removed when *I* wanted it removed. 2) Seeing how easily the dealer removed the locks *without* the key. It's clear that any tea leaf could remove the wheels with ease without recourse to the key. Basically, these locks provide next to no security, only inconvenience to the owner and a *false* sense of security. On the subject of mark-ups - do you believe your dealer doesn't have a mark-up? I wouldn't be surprised if it were 100% or more. You've got a set of GBP5.50 locks that will perform like, well, a set of GBP5.50 locks ... Yours cynically -- Max Reheat (:o) - deselect Part Throttle Reheat to reply. Alfa 156 2.0 JTS Selespeed Veloce Lancia Dedra 1.8i.e.SE > >> >I have been advised that it may not even be as simple as obtaining the > >> >missing tool, I may have to have the existing nuts broken off and new ones [quoted text clipped - 30 lines] > temperatures, the key simply slipped round the head of the nut, > preventing the wheel being removed when *I* wanted it removed. Hi Max, I checked my wheel bolts all at Low temperatures and they work fine. If they had not, I would be throwing them back at the dealer. > 2) Seeing how easily the dealer removed the locks *without* the key. > It's clear that any tea leaf could remove the wheels with ease without > recourse to the key. > Basically, these locks provide next to no security, only inconvenience > to the owner and a *false* sense of security. I agree totaly with you. A friend of mine got over this problem by fitting 2 different types of bolts to each wheel, mind you his wheels cost a fortune. > On the subject of mark-ups - do you believe your dealer doesn't have a > mark-up? I wouldn't be surprised if it were 100% or more. You've got > a set of GBP5.50 locks that will perform like, well, a set of GBP5.50 > locks ... > > I do believe the dealer has his mark-up and even if it were 100% costing £5.50. Doesn't that mean Halfords are ripping people off to a far greater extent? John,UK > Yours cynically > I find it amazing that you can pay ?17,000 for a car and not have the tools > necessary to remove the wheels. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > When I bought my 146 new the dealer made a point of showing me the wheel bolt adapters and the method of using them to be able to change a wheel. This was useful advice as I had never previously had dealings with alloy wheels and needed to know this. The dealer also confirmed that they had fitted the bolts themselves and showed me where they had placed the adapters in their box next to the spare wheel. They are separate from the Alfa jack used to raise the car. Clearly your dealer failed to do this for you. Your story would make an excellent local newspaper story and it would do the dealer no harm to be threatened with this approach if they refuse to help you. John Chapman Well yes I took them off on sunday....easy as pie....these locking nuts must be a thiefs dream....followed max reheats advice and he was spot on.....so easy to hammer a slightly oversize socket on to them 5/8th i think and they came off like they were tightened on originally by a baby. Will continue to hassle for replacement as a matter of principle.....no matter what it costs......have temporarily put them back on as they are so easy to manipulate....not too tight of course!....... I give customer service to the best of my ability in my job....because they pay my wages....Alfa have taken my money and WILL give me the same. Watch this space!! |
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