Bravo trip to Italy

Just back of my hols to Italy in the Bravo. Had a great time. Did 3100 miles in two weeks, and averaged 50mpg on the journey there and back, which include an Alpine pass (San Gottardo). Went to MonteCassino which overlooks the factory where they are made, and saw loads of Lancia Deltas zipping around all taped up.

Also got the 18k mile service done whilst over there, the labour charge for just over an hours work was....(from an official Fiat dealer).....e18!!!

They did put a new fuel filter in which doesnt strictly need doing until 36k miles (which was e75) but came out much cheaper than getting it done here.

All in all the car was faultless and ran really well.

Yey!

Would love to have done this with my Bravo but it wouldn't get to Italy now without going through 18,000 miles! Might make the trip in time for the 36k service!

How difficult was it arranging for the service? Language problems? LHD/RHD issues?

No real problem, I speak Italian pretty well but took my uncle (who lives there) anyway, who knows the garage. I stood and watched the lad do the service, and he was excellent. Changed oil, oil filter, air filter, fuel filter, checked and topped up gearbox oil (it needed a bit but was ok anyway), checked the brakes, checked the tyres, plugged it in to the diagnostics and took it on a short test drive. The LHD/RHD is no issue.
Booking it in was a phone call the day before, he said bring it in tomorrow at 3pm.

By the way you have 1k mile buffer on the service so as long as it is done before 19k then you would be ok warranty wise.

Small Italian garages can be very good. I remember the professionalism they showed towards our broken down Datsun (sic) thirty-five years ago.

What's your Bravo look like? I don't think I've seen any other sports around the 'boro area.

Its a Maranello Red Sport, with the dark alloys. Its actually the GFs and is usually around Stokesley or commuting to Halifax! I drive a 156 GTA

I am only after booking my 1st service with the Fiat Garage in Belfast, £112 for standard service, if it needs an oil change the price goes up to £220, now is it just me or does a bottle of oil cost less than a tenner??

I was a "OK just get it done it will be worth it" but after reading this post I'm considering taking my car to Italy. ROAD TRIP ANYONE!! Not many people can say "Yeah I got my car service in Italy" good talking point when at the bar!

Bravo multijet I know uses Selina 'Pure Energy' which costs them £50 for 5 litres. Quite a big cost. Aparently the biggest jump in cost is antifreeze.... wierd no?

As for servicing in Italy.. The father in law needed the suspension changing on his Tempra. They went to Venice and booked the car into a garage. Saved on Venice parking and hundreds of pounds of suspension parts!

Without the fuel filter the service cost £100 (was £150 with the fuel filter, which I will not now change at the next service), and that included oil. They also used Selenia oil.

Another feature I noticed the Bravo has, is light sensitive dashboard lights, ie with headlights on in the daylight (which is the law in extra urban Italy + motorways) the dashboard backlight goes off (I only noticed as I went in and out of numerous tunnels, as the dash took a second or two to illuminate when entering the tunnels)

Does yours have daylight sensitive headlights?

No, which is why this surprised me! It needs direct sunlight onto the dials but it definitely works.

Sounds like a nice little feature added to the Bravo although you say it only works with direct sunlight on the dashboard,you sure its not just the fact the sunlight is directly on there that it looks like the dials dim or go out, I know when i had a VW Golf the beginning of last year which had auto switching lights,that the dials on the dash, dimmed as you go into darker places like a car park, and when you come back out it brightened up again,but was only because it had the auto switching lights fitted.

Yes because when we went into a tunnel the dash was in complete darkness for a second or two, then re illuminated.

goes in search of tunnels.. or will a blanket over the front windscreens work?

Just remember to cut two eye holes in it!