Another newbie

[Lanciaman]

Hi all. Get my 2015 rcz this weekend. It's on 33k miles. Just the 156gt. Wasn't looking for one but the stars seem to have aligned.

I am aware of the Prince engine nonsense but having delved on here the nerves are now notched up big time!

I've run various 3.0 subarus mostly over the past 10 years. Still have one so the rcz is only going go be for the local country road commute mostly, 15 mile round trip. But going from an engine which is one of the best in terms of reliability to what looks like the opposite could be interesting.

I do like the maintain my cars so the correct oil (seemingly a topic of debate as usual!) and 5k change intervals will happen. May slow down what appears to be the inevitable.

Anyway, this looks a great forum with much advice and experience available. Look forward to contributing and hopefully not sharing tales of woe.
Cheers

 

[Verminator]

Hi there and welcome to the forum and nice RCZ you have got yourself there enjoy your drive and all the rubber neckers as you pass them on the road
Drive safe and stay lucky
Les n Co

 

[Lanciaman]

Let's hope they're not rubber necking passing me as I wait for a recovery truck!

 

[Lanciaman]

So, 2 months in and I must have done maybe 100.miles in it. Aberdeenshire winters not ideal and why bother when I have the outback. Thoughts so far...

Utterly paranoid about cold starts! Is it noisy, or is that the norm. No idea.

Haven't driven it hard at all. But I'm beyond that these days anyway. Ride quality? Rubbish! Handling? Glorious. Beautifully flat and lovely steering.

Only thing so far is the tpms warning. Looks like a replacement needed. No big deal.

Have done the bumper gel trick with the arches. Thanks to verminator for that hint.

It'll be used a whole lot more once winter done but after 40.odd years of driving and 70 odd cars, few of which were mainstream bores, the rcz has ignited a spark of enthusiasm I thought was long gone. Sure it's only the base 156 gt, but that suits me. It's currently in the shed on a trickle charger, avoiding the mud and salt.

I got it for a very good price. 15 plate with 33k miles for less than £4k. Drives like the 33k miles too. So tight and a surprise to me is the solidity of the build. No rattles or shonky trim. I did think I'd just try to make a bit on it, but I like it too much.

Yes, it may bite but I'll be all over it in terms of oil changes and treating it well so it will have the best chance to behave.

Summary. Surprising love for it.

 

[Kyemin]

Oh! The paranoid! How I know it well!
It's normal. The car starts at 1000+ RPM and after a minute, less, goes under the 1000 RPM and the pointer slighty moves, the sound gets back to normal, if making almost a diesel sound is normal anyway. LOL Yeah, it is.
But it's an experience, isn't it?
The car is solid as a rock, the engine a lot better than we all claim it to be, just needs care and love, that's all. As any other car, some pocket money for the unexpected, but will the oil changes every 6 months, it goes well beyond the projected 300K kilometers for the engine. There are some out there with more than that.
Tell me another car that goes to the red line, time and time again, and it's like nothing happened?
Yeah, that's an RCZ, Sir. It's a dream machine with goosebumps and chills. And I know you not caring to drive it on the red line, so you should be confident with it.
Take it out of the garage, enjoy it. You gonna love it anyway, so why fear it?
The 156 is the most troubled of all, that's for sure, but unlike many claims, there are thousands that never had a problem. At least, not more than any other car.
Bottom line is, you can have it in your garage and go there admire it every day, or you can take it out and let the world admire it with you.
Either way, it's a special car for special people like you, because if it being in the garage draws love and excitement from you, then you are an RCZ lover, my friend. It will never go away.
Trust me, it's the only car I want and if I had the money to buy a Ferrari, I would spend it all on my RCZ and buy a couple more in different colors just for the fun of it!

 

[lfe]

I agree !

And if the timing chain rattles when cold, changing only the tensioner can probably improve it.

Many chain changes could have been avoided by changing just the tensioner, which is usually the main culprit.

 

[Lanciaman]

I read that by 2015 there was a modified tensioner design, but don't know if this has cured the issue, delays the issue, makes no difference to the issue.

Also, because I'm listening for it Ive no idea if the engine is noisy on start up. To me it is a little, but then I'm from a time when peugeot had the simca engines which always sounded like a bag of bolts. I'm going in the assumption the noise will be obvious should it arise...

 

[RCZKam]

Welcome to the forum

The paranoia usually starts on the net anyway, there is an untold amount of 156’s out there who’s owners are not having any issues

But it’s best to be paranoid yes

My 2012 had the updated tensioner, started sounding like a diesel on start ups and had a definite “rattling” type sound near the back left (standing in front), I changed the tensioner as Ife said above and all gone, so did the paranoia

Enjoy