I used to own a 2010 tbi ti in that same Stromboli grey. Lovely, metallic grey paint that looks champagne when the light catches it and mine had black leather. Best colour in my opinion. Just a shame mine was written off by another driver four years ago - and with Alfa depreciation being what it is, that doesn't take much of a collision. Loved that car so it's great to see one being brought back from the brink. It's basically a four door Brera - great looking car.
I had the same problem when my 159 was 11 year with the subframes, but the rest of the bottom was in good condition. Now the car is 16 years and I had to let do some welding on the doortresholds and change the springs. Although the car sleeps every night in a garage. These days on modern cars, you don't see anymore outside rust, but underneath is now a problem, not only bv alfa but also by other brands...(even Mercedes, but they repair it for free by the car of my brother in law, although the car was also 11 year).
My old Punto is more than twice as old as this Alfa and its like new in comparison all underneath.. Seems the 159 might have been stood in long grass for years. Yeah Vactan seems good stuff.
Thanks for another great video Neill. Really can't imagine what conditions caused this car to get into such a state. Despite the abundance of rust, the subframe, brakes & suspension all seemed to come apart quite easily. Looking forward to the next instalment of this rebuild! 👍
Another gem of a video Neil! I can relate to these rust issues as I live in Scotland and all of our old vehicles MX 5 mk2 and 3, Honda CR V mk 1 and VW New Beetle have all had severe subframe and under chassis rust problems (especially the MX 5s) that required extensive welding or replacement. And I have the same Dewalt Impact and they are a life saver!
tbf, bar the actual shell the 159 i refreshed looked very similar to this underneath - it lived by the seaside for 5-6 years, so i think by the sea is enough without an actual dip lol. Everything had a thick crust of rust on it just like this.. Have to say this all looks so much easier with a lift rather than lying on your back on the driveway using a plethora of jacks and stands lol For me only things i had issue with was the 4 front subframe bolts at the very front - tops of the bolts were so rusty it just deformed the little cages in the body and they just started spinning, which was fun to sort out haha
Caked every nook and cranny underneath mine in lanoguard . So far so good . Will be re applying next week ready for the winter . Live in mid wales so loads of salt/grit put on the roads in the icy conditions.
I tested several rust treatment products, bud definitely never will use again any acid containing materials. Some of them not telling you that it must washed away, after residence time. If that is not done properly, the rust comes back very soon and much more as before. Worst one I have used was Hamerit! Please let us know your experiences with all the rust treatments available, maybe in a special video?
Lovely Jubbly Neil great video, I had a Mazda 3 of this era, the suspension went the same way but it didn't live near the sea, I later found out it had been parked on a grassed driveway.
Each summer I pressure wash my cars underneath, rust convert where needed and then spray with Lanotec (it's sheep oil I believe!). A messy day but it really makes a different. Doing this in the summer means that the oil is very runny and gets into all the nooks and crannies. The stuff is OK on rubber and plastic as well as metal. Recommended.
Wow Neil...! Without you, would it even be viable to do all this work ? If I remember correctly, the 159's platform / drivetrains were developed in partnership with GM... so how can a global car age so badly ?
Looking good so far, FP puts first registration in Lincolnshire and the Fens. Good chance it was kept out on the coast and that would account for the rust.
Good job saving another. I always try and get some waxoyl on my cars suspension arms to stop them getting like this. The coating from new is just too thin, only lasts until warranty ends.
If you work on those cars on a daily basis, you really should start wearing protection gear... Especially your lungs suffer from all of this. Anyway always great Alfa content!
It looks like a seaside car to me. The rust is so evenly spread that is spray from the sea. I'm refurbishing a boat trailer that's lived by the sea and it all looks quite familiar. Neil you really should wear a mask when spraying anything. The cumulative damage to lungs is not what you want at all.
thanks for this brilliant video. what i dont get is that the owner allowed this beauty to get so badly rusted and then spends a load of money getting is fixed. what is this, A love / hate relationship with the 159?
Brilliant video! I thought I'd spotted a very simple reason it's that bad, compared to others. I expected when I watched again, to see S at the start of the plate. The rainfall in Scotland is 50% higher than down south. My only theory is, spent it's life right by the sea. Can't wait for the next one 😀
Rainfall in Scotland is much higher than 50% it's also a lot colder and more salt on the roads. It's a dreadful climate I lived on the East coast for one year and that was enough.
I wonder why they let it go this far. Did it never go to a workshop? My own workshop always does preventative rust proofing and other stuff that needs doing
Hi master, my 159 2.2 is building hot air inside the cabin, still coming I guess from the engine bay even when the car is parked in the garage (of course after a ride). AirCon is running good, fresh air and recirculating air is fine...what could it be? my guess is an air-trap of the heater stuck open so the heat from the small radiator flows up? I don't know.... is undrivable without aacc, I really appreciate some ideas I'm about to sell it for this.
Excellent work as always; perhaps if the factory took as much care in the first place at very little extra cost, Alfa would gain a lot more respect. Just sayin'. 🤗
This is the sort of Alfa needs dumping outside the Italian factory for them to go over and see how their cars end up in climates like the UK. Shocking.
Crikey. This is the sort of corrosion I'd expect to see on a 30 to 40 year old car, not an 11 year old one. This car is a great example of why it's beneficial to wax protect a vehicle from new.
What is it with Italian cars and rust? Iron doesn't oxidise in Italy or what? One would think that a country surrounded by the Med would have had rust prevention figured out by now
I'd say what's wrong with the northern roads. I've seen Audi, mercedes, Alfa, pegeout, bmw, subaru in very bad condition underneath, they were all coming from Germany and Switzerland. Probably also in some areas of the UK They use the same kind of salt during the winter. It seems that all cars, when they cross the alps, become biodegradable :D
The Alfa 159 is now notorious for rust. Front subframe, rear subframe, rear trailing arms all steel with poor protection from the factory. Latest issues also include rotting sills. It's a total disgrace from Alfa Romeo and there's no excuse for it.
That is simply not true. Yes, rear arms and both subframes are prone to rust, but otherwise 159 is really solid. Some 159s also had badly sealed sills from factory and that leads to rust. But it is easily noticable and repairable. Never had to do any welding on the actual bodyshell (except for accident repair). What is real disaster is 156, 147, 146, 145... and all those "Fiat Tipo" based cars. Same for Brava, Marea etc.
What I don’t quite understand, checking the MOT status of this Alfa, is that the car has passed its MOT for several years without even an advisory! As early as 2014, the front subframe has been noted as corroded, only 5 years after manufacture!
Now it's just a matter of time to get the first keyboard know-it-all to comment about facemasks and glasses. They have no practical clue in knowing that a deep breath and a safety squint is more than sufficient. The gloves are only there, because of the face that one prefers to look presentable later that day at the dinner table.
@@ItaliaAutos still doesn’t sell Alfa well does it? I like a 159 and would own a petrol version, but I didn’t think I’d have to search for rust before I buy one!
You are one of the best TH-cam channel for alfa romeo's , keep going with this good work
Many thanks
Wow, this car has been parked at the seaside for quite some time. A great job, a great rescue.
I used to own a 2010 tbi ti in that same Stromboli grey. Lovely, metallic grey paint that looks champagne when the light catches it and mine had black leather. Best colour in my opinion. Just a shame mine was written off by another driver four years ago - and with Alfa depreciation being what it is, that doesn't take much of a collision. Loved that car so it's great to see one being brought back from the brink. It's basically a four door Brera - great looking car.
I had the same problem when my 159 was 11 year with the subframes, but the rest of the bottom was in good condition. Now the car is 16 years and I had to let do some welding on the doortresholds and change the springs. Although the car sleeps every night in a garage. These days on modern cars, you don't see anymore outside rust, but underneath is now a problem, not only bv alfa but also by other brands...(even Mercedes, but they repair it for free by the car of my brother in law, although the car was also 11 year).
My old Punto is more than twice as old as this Alfa and its like new in comparison all underneath.. Seems the 159 might have been stood in long grass for years. Yeah Vactan seems good stuff.
Great work as always Neil, veliki pozdrav iz Srbije...
I ja volim da gledam, iz Srbije :)
look forward to next episode. I love these restorations. Even that is 159 still deserve this kind of care :)
You could've gone on and on with this one. Great job Neil.
Thanks for another great video Neill. Really can't imagine what conditions caused this car to get into such a state. Despite the abundance of rust, the subframe, brakes & suspension all seemed to come apart quite easily. Looking forward to the next instalment of this rebuild! 👍
Next installment coming soon
I was looking at a 4 year old Land Rover Evoque at work the other day,man was that rusty!!!
Another gem of a video Neil! I can relate to these rust issues as I live in Scotland and all of our old vehicles MX 5 mk2 and 3, Honda CR V mk 1 and VW New Beetle have all had severe subframe and under chassis rust problems (especially the MX 5s) that required extensive welding or replacement. And I have the same Dewalt Impact and they are a life saver!
tbf, bar the actual shell the 159 i refreshed looked very similar to this underneath - it lived by the seaside for 5-6 years, so i think by the sea is enough without an actual dip lol. Everything had a thick crust of rust on it just like this.. Have to say this all looks so much easier with a lift rather than lying on your back on the driveway using a plethora of jacks and stands lol
For me only things i had issue with was the 4 front subframe bolts at the very front - tops of the bolts were so rusty it just deformed the little cages in the body and they just started spinning, which was fun to sort out haha
and how did you sort that issue out?
Caked every nook and cranny underneath mine in lanoguard . So far so good . Will be re applying next week ready for the winter . Live in mid wales so loads of salt/grit put on the roads in the icy conditions.
You’re very good at your job, Neil.
Cheers.
I tested several rust treatment products, bud definitely never will use again any acid containing materials. Some of them not telling you that it must washed away, after residence time.
If that is not done properly, the rust comes back very soon and much more as before.
Worst one I have used was Hamerit!
Please let us know your experiences with all the rust treatments available, maybe in a special video?
Pleased you used my recommendation of the Vactan it's good stuff 👍
Always good to see an expert at work, road salt the main cause?
Lovely Jubbly Neil great video, I had a Mazda 3 of this era, the suspension went the same way but it didn't live near the sea, I later found out it had been parked on a grassed driveway.
Each summer I pressure wash my cars underneath, rust convert where needed and then spray with Lanotec (it's sheep oil I believe!). A messy day but it really makes a different. Doing this in the summer means that the oil is very runny and gets into all the nooks and crannies. The stuff is OK on rubber and plastic as well as metal. Recommended.
Do you just jack the car up ?
Really nice job so far, can't wait to see the finished product.
Great job Neil..
Wow Neil...! Without you, would it even be viable to do all this work ? If I remember correctly, the 159's platform / drivetrains were developed in partnership with GM... so how can a global car age so badly ?
Looking good so far, FP puts first registration in Lincolnshire and the Fens. Good chance it was kept out on the coast and that would account for the rust.
Probably from Skeggy!
Good job saving another. I always try and get some waxoyl on my cars suspension arms to stop them getting like this. The coating from new is just too thin, only lasts until warranty ends.
Excellent job thank you for sharing- more Abarths please - you are a truly amazing mechanic
Need them to be booked in for me to film them.😃
The amount of rust looks like the car may of lived in Scotland, salty roads are never good for cars 🥺 As always a great video 😊👍
Yep I see them all like that up here in Angus !!
O no, really, my guilietta is in Scotland. I'm always washing the underside. :(
If you work on those cars on a daily basis, you really should start wearing protection gear... Especially your lungs suffer from all of this. Anyway always great Alfa content!
Nell nice 👍 video for a lazy Sunday morning 👍…bring on the next one
It looks like a seaside car to me. The rust is so evenly spread that is spray from the sea. I'm refurbishing a boat trailer that's lived by the sea and it all looks quite familiar. Neil you really should wear a mask when spraying anything. The cumulative damage to lungs is not what you want at all.
He’s a real bloke he’ll probably say it’ll put hairs on ya chest.
I agree his future health down the line needs protection
Thats exactly how my 55 plate was except I had the weld a couple of plates in where the brake hoses mount to. looks way easier on a lift haha
Wonder if it spent time in a flooded field? Nice recovery job !!
Great job so far with one quarter done and subfame out
Parking on grass/mud will do that
Mustn’t of been MOT’d for a while because it’d never of been left that long before now.
great vid bit of underseal when new / be interresting to see how the gulia stand up to uk weather over time
This is giving me flashbacks to doing the front subframe on mine. Essential job for any 159/Brera/Spider after 10 years on the road unfortunately.
That's got to be quite an expensive job, but I guess once you're going that far you can do a bunch of preventative stuff as well
Neil, I've never seen anyone assisting you in your videos. Its amazing what you can do by yourself.
Are you a one man band operation?
i work all on my own.
The good thing is with the speed Neil works at the labour costs won’t be too high ;)
Looking forward to following this
If I can edit it all there should be another next week.
thanks for this brilliant video. what i dont get is that the owner allowed this beauty to get so badly rusted and then spends a load of money getting is fixed. what is this, A love / hate relationship with the 159?
This looks like the car has been im a saltwater flood or has been driven on the beach.
Brilliant video! I thought I'd spotted a very simple reason it's that bad, compared to others. I expected when I watched again, to see S at the start of the plate. The rainfall in Scotland is 50% higher than down south. My only theory is, spent it's life right by the sea. Can't wait for the next one 😀
Thanks. Looks like your right.
The reg says it was registered new in Nottingham.
Rainfall in Scotland is much higher than 50% it's also a lot colder and more salt on the roads. It's a dreadful climate I lived on the East coast for one year and that was enough.
I wonder why they let it go this far. Did it never go to a workshop? My own workshop always does preventative rust proofing and other stuff that needs doing
Will never know as the customer purchased the car like this.
HOWDY NEIL, I'D BET THE OWNER LIVES CLOSE TO THE BEACH SOMEHOW!! 🚣🏻♀️🚣🏻♀️⛱️🎣🧜♂️
I LIKE YOUR TASTE IN BACK GROUND MUSIC TOO 🥳🎷
It's half way wild west saloon and Driver 2
some awesome job that neil
Thanks
Really enjoy your videos Neil, I think a lot of cars now are going to struggle to make 10+ years now, Fiat 500 is a great example
Hi master, my 159 2.2 is building hot air inside the cabin, still coming I guess from the engine bay even when the car is parked in the garage (of course after a ride). AirCon is running good, fresh air and recirculating air is fine...what could it be? my guess is an air-trap of the heater stuck open so the heat from the small radiator flows up? I don't know.... is undrivable without aacc, I really appreciate some ideas I'm about to sell it for this.
I have no idea I'm afraid.
Just shows how salty roads spell disaster for cars. I just dont turn up for work if the roads have been salted.
Can't make it boss, I'm salted in.
Is it better to leave the front undertray off?
Definitely. Without delay if your 159 still has one.
u are the greatest
Lol thanks
Excellent work as always; perhaps if the factory took as much care in the first place at very little extra cost, Alfa would gain a lot more respect. Just sayin'. 🤗
If you think the rust is bad on this alfa after 11 yrs you never owned a alfasud
I'd say it's about as bad as an alfa Sud and I owned three of those.
@@ds1868 the sud was worse most were scrapped at this age and less but that's bad for this day and age
Quite like the countdown lol 🤣
The creepy crawlies are fun in 159's...
Must have been a Friday afternoon build....
How much is a new subframe for a 159?
Has alot of 159's disappeared due to rust?
@Jensen Hammond It's purely down to maintenance but you had no chance with much older Alfa Romeo's
How much did all these parts and labour run the customer?? And who does your exhausts?
Customer purchased all the parts. Labour was 6 days.
Good morning alfa fans...
😲 what a rust!! 159 Restauration 🤣🤣
that's what i was asking for:)
Parked on grass?
How much is something like this costing ?? IS it Genuinely worth it on the value of the car ???
Prob 6-7 days labour plus parts cost. So lots
@@ItaliaAutos got to really want to keep that car on that basis alone 😁
I bet those sills will be gone soon too 😬 especially with ti side skirts on
From Scotland or Ireland ?
Could be a Scotish car;)
This is the sort of Alfa needs dumping outside the Italian factory for them to go over and see how their cars end up in climates like the UK. Shocking.
You must really love the smell of that stonechip stuff, yeah?!
My godness... 😱
Where are you based ?
Walsall West midlands
It might have been a big job but it's cheaper than buying a new car.... 😉
Crikey. This is the sort of corrosion I'd expect to see on a 30 to 40 year old car, not an 11 year old one. This car is a great example of why it's beneficial to wax protect a vehicle from new.
What is it with Italian cars and rust? Iron doesn't oxidise in Italy or what? One would think that a country surrounded by the Med would have had rust prevention figured out by now
I'd say what's wrong with the northern roads. I've seen Audi, mercedes, Alfa, pegeout, bmw, subaru in very bad condition underneath, they were all coming from Germany and Switzerland. Probably also in some areas of the UK They use the same kind of salt during the winter. It seems that all cars, when they cross the alps, become biodegradable :D
MIGHTY JOB
The Alfa 159 is now notorious for rust. Front subframe, rear subframe, rear trailing arms all steel with poor protection from the factory. Latest issues also include rotting sills. It's a total disgrace from Alfa Romeo and there's no excuse for it.
That is simply not true. Yes, rear arms and both subframes are prone to rust, but otherwise 159 is really solid. Some 159s also had badly sealed sills from factory and that leads to rust. But it is easily noticable and repairable. Never had to do any welding on the actual bodyshell (except for accident repair). What is real disaster is 156, 147, 146, 145... and all those "Fiat Tipo" based cars. Same for Brava, Marea etc.
@@vojtara well it's true in the UK. It may be better where you are but here it's not good at all.
What I don’t quite understand, checking the MOT status of this Alfa, is that the car has passed its MOT for several years without even an advisory!
As early as 2014, the front subframe has been noted as corroded, only 5 years after manufacture!
Non of the rust was at the point of it needed to be welded.
@@ItaliaAutos
Fair enough, the car is in great shape then 😬
Now it's just a matter of time to get the first keyboard know-it-all to comment about facemasks and glasses.
They have no practical clue in knowing that a deep breath and a safety squint is more than sufficient.
The gloves are only there, because of the face that one prefers to look presentable later that day at the dinner table.
scrap it
Wtf is wrong with Alfa? A late TBi and it’s a nail?
Literally unforgivable. I’ll stick to my 916 survivor.
I really wanted one of these aswell.
To be honest it is rare that it’s this bad. More of a location problem not an Alfa problem
@@ItaliaAutos still doesn’t sell Alfa well does it? I like a 159 and would own a petrol version, but I didn’t think I’d have to search for rust before I buy one!
@@rezaq1 Put any car where that came from and I'm sure it'd be just as rusty, if not, even worse. Corrosive seawater is no joke
@@j4m875 where did it come from?
@@rezaq1 Presumably a coastal region or far north where there's plenty snow and rain.