On the hunt for...... another Stilo!

[ABZSTILO]

Only this time....... a 3 door Stilo 150 Sporting, with Skyroof.

Still *****-footing around the idea of a new set of wheels, working & living (most of the time) in Inverness means renting a flat plus having the house in Aberdeenshire until 'we' can relocate to the capital of the highlands.
The upshot is that will be a few months away and the Brera I had been sniffing around at buying has now been sold, so now I look at things with my sensible hat on.... perhaps spending £15+K on a new motor wasn't one of my better ideas.... no matter how tempting.
So I've had a think about it and I've come to the conclusion that I genuinely like the Stilo (thousands didn't, but they're all idiots :tosser: ) but it's at its best when 'tweaked' a little bit. So why not try and find one of the very last and give it pretty much the same treatment as the silver beastie.
Seems like a plan With around 150bhp as standard and a six speed 'box the late model Sporting is pretty desirable for a Stilo

So what I'm sort of (no immediate rush) on the hunt for is a low mileage (sub 25K) Stilo Sporting 150 which must have a skyroof. The skyroof makes it a tough thing to find, as few of the 150s had them. Colour unimportant so long as it's not silver - she who must be obeyed says my last 2 cars have been silver and it's time for a colour change. More than my life is worth to argue with her

So folks - if you come across one.... drop me a line :idea3:

And in case anyone asks the answer is no, I'm not going to go petrol and buy a Schumacher edition or an Abarth. They're too slow

And yes, this does mean that I will be selling the silver beastie.

Also.... the Fiat Coupe I've located may also be added to my shopping list. But more of that another time

 

[M21MFS]

Only this time....... a 3 door Stilo 150 Sporting, with Skyroof.

Still *****-footing around the idea of a new set of wheels, working & living (most of the time) in Inverness means renting a flat plus having the house in Aberdeenshire until 'we' can relocate to the capital of the highlands.
The upshot is that will be a few months away and the Brera I had been sniffing around at buying has now been sold, so now I look at things with my sensible hat on.... perhaps spending £15+K on a new motor wasn't one of my better ideas.... no matter how tempting.
So I've had a think about it and I've come to the conclusion that I genuinely like the Stilo (thousands didn't, but they're all idiots :tosser: ) but it's at its best when 'tweaked' a little bit. So why not try and find one of the very last and give it pretty much the same treatment as the silver beastie.
Seems like a plan With around 150bhp as standard and a six speed 'box the late model Sporting is pretty desirable for a Stilo

So what I'm sort of (no immediate rush) on the hunt for is a low mileage (sub 25K) Stilo Sporting 150 which must have a skyroof. The skyroof makes it a tough thing to find, as few of the 150s had them. Colour unimportant so long as it's not silver - she who must be obeyed says my last 2 cars have been silver and it's time for a colour change. More than my life is worth to argue with her

So folks - if you come across one.... drop me a line :idea3:

And in case anyone asks the answer is no, I'm not going to go petrol and buy a Schumacher edition or an Abarth. They're too slow

And yes, this does mean that I will be selling the silver beastie.

Also.... the Fiat Coupe I've located may also be added to my shopping list. But more of that another time

Superb :slayer: Good luck with the car hunt!

 

[muppet42]

Sounds like a great plan, though as you say, finding that spec may be difficult.

Have had a go of that engine (though it was in a humongous Vectra SRi), it does pull rather nicely. Still can't get used to diesels personally, but each to their own I guess

Good luck with the search

 

[muppet42]

http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-u...cleYearOfManufacture=2007&vehicleRegLetter=07 ...no skyroof, but it does look rather decent. Not sure on location, but the distance listed is from Glasgow

 

[ABZSTILO]

Ta, I had spotted it before and the price is good - but no skyroof
Once you've had a skyroof there's no going back
Possibly have made a rod for my own back trying to find what I'm looking for, but the search continues

 

[M21MFS]

Any joy so far mate?

 

[ABZSTILO]

A wee update..... no joy finding the 150 sporting Stilo with the bits I want on it, but I knew it would be tricky

In the meantime the silver beastie has been treated to new timing belt and bits, in fact I've spent over a grand (including 2 tyres, MOT, services x2 and aircon and replacement wiper assembly and..... well, it just goes on) on it this year
So you can imagine I'm not just the happiest as it should be running fine but since the belts and bits were done she's losing coolant. Not a lot, but enough. I made the point to my garage that it didn't do it before it went in to them, so they'll be sorting it and the troublesome smoking that the car has been doing since I got it back. I have a bad feeling that the turbo may be ready to go..... we'll see, but I'm dreading bad news

Anyway, having bought some nice new genuine Fiat discs and pads on eBay the old girl is off to my local garage to try and get to the bottom of the coolant loss and one or two other niggles.... and to have nice new brakes on the front. The front discs have done 87k miles now, although they've worn evenly they are worn and would be marginal come next MOT so for £46 (mucho cheapness) genuine Fiat discs and pads arrived from Desira. Nice

However, as I'm leaving the Stilo with the garage (in Aberdeenshire) for all next week, that means I'll be off (back to Inverness) with my wifes Fabia 1.2 Sport.
Hmmmmm..... nice 3 cylinder 'buzz' but boy could it do with a turbo

Which reminds me, I'm still negotiating over a Fiat Coupe that I've found in Inverness. It's not a turbo, it's engine is largely in bits, but it looks tidy apart from that.

Then again, I've been looking at a Bravo Sport 165. Hmmmmmmmmmm :juggle:

 

[Stuart]

So, i guess you wont be using that garage again?:surprised:

 

[M21MFS]

Fingers crossed it's not the turbo mate...can only imaging that'll help rack up the bill a bit yet

 

[muppet42]

Indeed hope it's not anything expensive. Given the remap you had/have, would that perhaps be a contributing factor in putting excess wear on the turbo and the like? Just I've heard issues like that cropping up

But window shopping for cars - it's always fun

 

[ABZSTILO]

Stuarty - it'll keep going there with it, on the whole I've had excellent service with the plus point that the bills come about 2 months after the work has been done. Nice

Mupet - I've considered the remap as directly being part of the issue, but to be fair the latest batch of gremlins isn't directly attributable to the remap. However, that doesn't mean I've dismissed it out of hand as being the principal cause of woe. So the plan is to get the car back next weekend with the main things attended to then get it back to Fiat in Inverness to have a 'conventional' map put back on the car. No idea what that's going to cost......

Post conventional map the car will be put through the diagnostic process to make sure all is ok. If it is, and everything is tickity-boo, then I may go for an alternate map or (as you muppet know via FS.OC) one of crosshairs box thingmys. Or I may just leave it alone and live with 119bhp..... now that is unlikely :nutter:

Or.... the window shopping will become real shopping for a new motor. That in itself brings issues as if I don't bond with the new Bravo there's nowt left in the current Fiat range I'd have GP is too small...... Panda too small..... so 500 is out and so is the Sedici as it doesn't like corners. Hmmmmmmm.

Alfa perhaps :idea3:

Or maybe a nice ........ ahhh, now that would be telling

 

[muppet42]

156 2.4 JTD perhaps or one of the newer 147 JTDs with the Q2 diff

Personally, I just couldn't get a diesel. I prefer the torque factor, but I like the drivability of a petrol. Driven the Vectra with what is essentially the later Stilo 150 diesel engine and just didn't like it. Could've just been the gloomy, claustrophobic cabin, dull dynamics or the sheer weight of the thing that influenced me, but I just didn't like it. Kept hitting the rev limiter as well, but guess that's just my inexperience with such an engine

 

[ABZSTILO]

The late model Vectras are just pants - plain and simple. Hateful things it's replacement is a whole lot better. The Astra is a different kettle of fish but.... it's an Astra. On the whole I've never really been a fan of GM stuff bar the Omega and the trick 'old-school' Cavaliers and a one off mid-engined Astra V6 I drove once in about '92. Now that was uber quick and entirely bonkers:nutter:

Alfa 156 sportwagon has always been on the wish-list, but finding a good 'un in the right spec is tricky for the right price. I've not driven a 147 for a while and the Ducatti limited editions have appeal - mind you, so does the GTA.... which eats front tyres quicker than Stilos do
And I still fancy a Brera even (as Rachel points out) if it's as practical as a Gucci handbag (looks good.... carries sweet f*ck all).

I don't have to get a diesel again, but I do like the wall of torque and despite it's foibles I like the Stilo. I've yet to try any of the 'next generation' smaller capacity petrol turbos fitted in all sorts of cars but that has some appeal... especially as I got nailed by a sticky badge go-fast MitO recently
Jeeez, that thing was genuinely quick in a straight line..... not so hot through the windy stuff though :surprised:

Ho hum decisions decisions - let's wait and see what the garage finds :idea3:

 

[ABZSTILO]

Well, no news from the garage - can't make my mind up if that's a good or a bad thing :juggle: my father in law drove past the garage yesterday and says they were shut which would explain the no answer when I rang them several times..... should have called on thursday - doh:banghead:

Ho hum. It must be good news :thinking:

In other related news it looks like I've done a deal on a Schumi front bumper (at last) for the silver beastie. Unless the garage give me seriously bad news, the plan is to keep it over this winter and make a decision on its future in the spring.
The schumi front bumper is a gamble on good news but will make a nice addition and gives me an excuse to get the front of the car tidied up with a bit of a respray at the same time.

Jeez - I must be nuts, any sane person just wouldn't bother :nutter:

 

[ABZSTILO]

Well it's back, but it's not all good news methinks

Nice new genuine Fiat discs and pads on the front are bedding in nicely, which is the good news.

The bad news is that it still doesn't feel right, somehow it just feels 'all or nothing' when you press the loud pedal and pick up in 4 and 5th just isn't what it should be at all. Cane it through the gears and it flies, but on-boost pick up in 4 & 5th is poor..... and I suspect it's still leaving a smokescreen behind I just couldn't see it as we picked the car up last night in the dark after I'd fixed my 'outlaws' other PC :computer:

So, off to Fiat in Inverness next week (perhaps). If I have the time, might take the MAP sensor off for a clean first..... you never know, that could be it.

I've been toying with the idea (well, pretty much a certainty in truth) of reverting to a standard map on the engine anyway and unless we can get to the bottom of the latest woes quickly I think that's going to be the best way forward. After all, it's easy enough to get it remapped again if I have to..... won't be Red Dot next time mind On the other hand, an offer of a tuning box has been made on another forum and that peaks my curiosity more than a smidgen.

My garage couldn't find the coolant leak, we have an idea what the cause might be but the good news is the system is holding pressure and any leak is very minor. I am a perfectionist though, so it still rips my knitting something chronic that it's happening at all :thinking:

Now that I have a laptop I'm seriously toying with the idea of getting my hands on the diagnostic programme and appropriate lead to allow me to interrogate the ECU and clear down error codes myself :idea3: Something of a dark art is the way I've looked at that technology before, but right now it seems like a cunning and worthwhile plan which, fortunately, does not require turnips.