I'm going to test drive an Alfa 164 V6 Auto this week - as yet the mileage is unknown, but that's not a big issue to me as the 12v V6 goes on forever if it's serviced properly.
However, I'm not all that clued-up on slush-boxes. My Golf has one, and it works, but that's about all I know about it.
What's the prescribed method for checking out the functionality of an auto? - I was thinking along the lines of booting it to see if kickdown works, revving against the handbrake to check for burning......
Sorry haven't a clue but if my experience with a 164 clover leaf is anything to go by try to avoid one with electric seats. Driving along when the seat back decided to recline all the way very quickly isn't a nice experience. Other than that I still rate the V6 as the best engine I have ever had the pleasure of driving (if not the biggest or most powerful).
I only know what I have learned from my carlton which is 150bhp, 166lbs/ft,
6 cylinder but RWD and I6 as opposed to V6. It's J reg and has, as I understand it, an electronically controlled 4 speed automatic transmission. Sorry its not alfa specific, but I believe a lot of slushbox principles are similar as long as they arent CVT (read small nissan/ford) or robotised (like selespeed or whatever)
Here goes:
Check the fluid level on the autobox. A lot of weird autobox behaviour I have experienced has been due to fluid levels not being spot on. On the carlton there is even a hot level and a cold level indicator on the 'box dipstick - fluid level is that important. Fluid level check is done on my car in park with the engine running, either cold or after a 12-15mile run for hot.
Running very low or out of fluid can f*ck the gearbox royally quite quickly I believe. This happened to me one dark and stormy night, but thats another story.
Recon 'boxes arent cheap. (for my car was £1500 exchanged from Vauxhall or ~£700 - 900 to recon my box at a greasy jim's transmission shack).
Automatic gearboxes have a finite lifespan which is generally less than manuals. it'll depend how the thing has been driven and I dont know the specifics but when I was hunting for a gearbox for my 170,000 miler, various automatic transmission specialists said to me that they were surprised the gearbox had lasted that long(!) I got one from a scrappy from a senator for
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