Double hydraulic stops

[GiveMeABreak]

[DS9]

Hi

Just wanted to try and ascertain how these bump stops should work before seeing the dealer. Should the car hit the bump stops regularly or as a last resort?

I've just looked and I have maybe 20kg in the boot at the moment, not a lot. I can't quite finger touch through the wheel but it looks like the distance as the car is sat now is maybe 10-15mm on the passenger side between the plate and the bump stop. On the drivers side it's a bit lower, maybe 5-10mm. With this "tolerance" being so narrow I presume the bump stops are hit quite regularly, it certainly feels that way. Is this how it should operate?

I've had a google around and the general consensus seems to be bumpstops are hit as a last resort.

[DS9]

The dealer called me yesterday to push the service back (I'm away next wk so after that), they didnt have the oil filter I think. But we did discuss the bump stop matter which I wanted. He says they are looking it if from their side and will revert back.

I'm hoping they agree with what should be on there and fit the correct parts when the service occurs.

[GiveMeABreak]

I can't see why not - their own parts system that we use shows the one's I mentioned as being correct for your VIN - not the ones you have on now....

[DS9]

I did ask this before but it perhaps got lost. Is there any way of finding out all changes to my DS9 which occurred pre the build date? I think the time period must be 18 months max as they only started making them in early 2020. I'd just like for piece of mind to check if anything else like the bump stops is incorrectly fitted.

[GiveMeABreak]

No sorry, if you're referring to parts that's an ongoing process throughout the life of the car and can change any time. There's no record available for what has and hasn't been done apart from your service and repair history from the dealer - which of course will exclude anything done outside the dealership network.

Anything regarding parts can be added at any time (replacement parts) and won't have a date.

[DS9]

Thanks. So I presume from your side initially when i gave you that part number of the bumpstop you checked the parts database manually and saw it was superceded?

[GiveMeABreak]

Yes, a part will often show the original part number and the superseded part underneath, but no dates of change - so one day it can be the original part and then at the next Database update (undertaken daily), there may suddenly be a revised part number added - as they find issues and problems with parts and sensors etc.

[DS9]

The dealer is yet to call back about the service I booked and then we loosely rearranged for this week so might be a bit longer.

I have been out and about in car driving up north in the last week or so. About 550 miles, mostly motorways with about maybe 1/3 slower roads and the app says 44mpg overall which I'm happy with for a petrol powered car almost 5m long. Since I changed the battery to the proper one it seems to be nudging up economy wise. Not just start stop but the freewheeling is more prevalent in eco mode.

I sound deadened the rear wheelarches, on the drivers side with the fuel pipe in there I seemed to restrict it a little and then when i went to fill up the pump was clicking all the time. Had a look yesterday and all seems fine but took some of the sound deadening off, filled up yesterday and it only clicked once. I might have been close to a sensor or something. The rear passenger side i went to town on, put loads of dodomat in there. Still havent solved the issue of when i go over bumps the passenger side throws up more noise than the drivers..... next thing to look at again but now I've used up all my dodomat and closed cell foam.

Then a problem i discovered a few months ago. My wheels I thought were black with shiny alloy, but they arent, instead black with chrome plated plastic inserts. First of all I noticed the paint was peeling off them, I emailed the dealer and mentioned it, pic attached. Now two of the "spokes" have fallen off.

Just got one more thing to ask if you'd be so kind, when I took the drivers side wheel off the part under the bump stop had a part number printed on it "CK21C0301", see attached. Could you pls work your magic and tell me if this part is kosher?

[GiveMeABreak]

Hi, unfortunately 'CK21C0301' isn't an official part number so I can't help there and the picture is too close so I can't even see what that part is! There's nothing obvious from the suspension components to indicate what that is - can you try and take the picture a bit farther out so I can see it in context with the surroundings?

If I'm honest this looks like the trailing arm....

[DS9]

Sorry for not posting a pic a bit further back. I have one but then went closer to get the number clearer.

I don't know if it's called the trailing arm but it's the part designated no1 in your diagram. If you look to the right of the pic you can just about see the numbers on the bump stop which I queried with you in the past.

[DS9]

Here's a pic further away

[GiveMeABreak]

Yes, that's the trailing arm.

[DS9]

I just want to run something past you. It may sound like groundhog day after previous conversations but I'll ask anyway.

I had problems with the dealer again. I emailed them 6th August regarding the rear buffers/ bump stops in some detail and one the same day booked in for a service via the DS call centre for a service on the 14th. The day before I was due to take it in the dealer called to say the oil filter wasnt there and he'd call me back the following week, 19th-23rd. They never did. Rather than try and chase them I thought I'll see how long it takes for them to call. Last Thursday I had a call from DS Coventry asking if I may be interested in their new car event. I told them I'm still waiting for a call from the dealer because I booked a service. Then they called the dealer and the oil filter had apparently arrived the day before, cough, cough! and they wanted to book me in. Then I asked them about the status of the rear bump stops we've talked about....because if I was taking it in for the service then perhaps the rear bump stops could be done too. Thats when the line went cold again. I suspected it would.

Then on Monday i'd lost patience and wrote to Jules Tilstone, the Alfa/ DS boss. Not just about this occurrence but the other things in the past. Everything with the dealer is hard work and smoke and mirrors, I have a fair few examples from the past and explained them. I told Jules apart from the ride I think it's a lovely car but it isn't an easy car to own. Considering our previous car was a non premium Stellantis Fiat with 3 issues in the first 6 months all fixed in a timely manner under warranty, this car and the claimed premium experience is turning out to be anything but.

Anyway, off the back of this some customer care person then contacted the dealer and all of a sudden the dealer was calling me, twice yesterday which I both missed, and then just earlier this morning which I answered. Finally booked in for a service next Monday. No mention of the bump stops at all. I didn't raise the matter deliberately. If the dealer doesn't raise it next week I'll just go back to Jules. I forwarded the bump stop email of the 6th Aug to Jules yesterday.

Going back to my email to Jules on Monday, I did say the suspension is so annoying I'd pay £1,000 to get it fixed right now, and to be honest it's how I feel. A car which in many respects is great is let down badly by this..... resolved I'd be a very happy man. But then by chance I looked back at a late 2022 DS9 brochure, my ICE by this time had been dropped from the range a few months earlier but in there I noticed the DS active scan (variable) suspension was coincidentally a £1,000 option on the performance line+ which I have, albeit not the PHEV version of course. Then I started to look back to your comment on page 2 of this thread and the various suspension options and ICE with variable suspension is one of them.

In that post you give good reasons why perhaps my car couldn't have this suspension but at the end of the day with the right upgrades it feels possible. Isn't it just retrofitting a factory option? I realise a retrofit is more complicated than a factory fit and would probably cost a fair bit more than the original £1,000 option cost. After writing this it's all pie in the sky.... as they don't even seem willing to acknowledge simple things. But if it was suggested as a remedy I'd certainly be interested and would be willing to make a contribution, I wouldn't expect an upgrade for free.

[GiveMeABreak]

So with Normal Suspension (which is what you have). there is no AMVAR function.

This makes it simply uneconomical to attempt to retrofit for the following reasons:

Vehicles with Variable Damping (AMVAR) have:

An AMVAR ECU £493
A different type of front Height sensor & Support £66
A different type of Rear Height sensor & Support £48
3 x Vertical Accelerometers £204.30
3 x Vertical Accelerometer supports £24
Main Harness, £1478.36
Different Camera for active suspension, £730
Visual Assistance Unit £361

So the parts alone (and excluding any that I am not aware of that may also need to be changed) would be £3406. You could probably add on another £1500 - £2000 labour minimum for stripping everything out to replace the main wiring harness (even if they would agree to do it, as these are done at the factory before all the fittings, equipment and trim is installed).

So minimum of £5400 at least!

So you can see why it's not a simple job....