New Delta Owner - Gear Knob Replacement

[Ian1969]

Hello All,

Have recently purchased a Delta at auction as a daily drive for work use. Brought car due to Lancia connections (sorry big fan and historic owner but will not mention again). First impressions are good and I will follow the forum with interest to see if some of the problems experienced by other members are common to my car as well. My biggest issue at this moment although insignificant in the big scheme of things is the gear knob and the fact that.....well I hate it. Can anyone tell me how to remove it!!

[Nello]

Hi Ian - As you can probably see from my posts and logo - same with me as a fellow Lancisti!  What model is yours? I know what you mean about the Gear-Knob - its a bit bulbous.....This is what I can see on eper - suggests the Box Pattern 'Graphic' comes off and a bolt underneath?

 

http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u241/yardelli/deltagear_zpsca85d867.jpg

[Ian1969]

Hi Nello, thanks for your help.

I have a Multi Air 1.4 SE. A far cry from my 1.6 HF Delta Turbo or Thema Turbo. Can't complain though brought it at auction for next to nothing. A tad concerned though with the number of problems members of this forum have had with their cars.

[Nello]

Nice one Ian. If its any consolation our 1.4 MultiAir SR has been perfect. You tend to only see posts about the bad bits! I've only really ever run Italians. And all the family cruisers have been Fiats, Alfas' .....and now Lancia's. I used to have a Beta HPE and a Fulvia Coupe so a real Auto Italia enthusiast. The marque is under a real cloud at the moment under the Fiat umbrella. The Fiat-Lancia's has generally been maligned but I've always liked them the same - The Delta has obviously suffered here (apologies Chrysler Forumers!) under the labelling but I have found that the unique design touches and exclusivity have maintained the brand magic for me. 

 

Good to be able to discuss with fellow owners here. I've never bothered with the Lancia Motor Club - Always felt £50+ was a bit excessive especially when you get all the information you ever need on the web.

There is a Lancia MC Facebook page which I have just joined and my car is receiving some attention there with the re-branding.

 

Anyway let us know how you get on with the gearknob. I think the other big issue with the feel is that if you look at the the shift and the panel with the Heater/AC - those areas were never re-engineered for RHD. They are both turned towards the passenger (Driver in Italia!) seat for LHD - which probably does not aid the comfort for UK drivers.

 

Cheers

Edited October 1, 2014 by Nello

[Rossocorsa]

I can't say I've ever noticed the centre console being angled the wrong way, just happens that Stuart and Julia are here this weekend with their lhd 1.9 twin turbo so if I remember I'll compare the two dashboards

[Rossocorsa]

Nice one Ian. If its any consolation our 1.4 MultiAir SR has been perfect. You tend to only see posts about the bad bits! I've only really ever run Italians. And all the family cruisers have been Fiats, Alfas' .....and now Lancia's. I used to have a Beta HPE and a Fulvia Coupe so a real Auto Italia enthusiast. The marque is under a real cloud at the moment under the Fiat umbrella. The Fiat-Lancia's has generally been maligned but I've always liked them the same - The Delta has obviously suffered here (apologies Chrysler Forumers!) under the labelling but I have found that the unique design touches and exclusivity have maintained the brand magic for me. 

 

Good to be able to discuss with fellow owners here. I've never bothered with the Lancia Motor Club - Always felt £50+ was a bit excessive especially when you get all the information you ever need on the web.

There is a Lancia MC Facebook page which I have just joined and my car is receiving some attention there with the re-branding.

 

Anyway let us know how you get on with the gearknob. I think the other big issue with the feel is that if you look at the the shift and the panel with the Heater/AC - those areas were never re-engineered for RHD. They are both turned towards the passenger (Driver in Italia!) seat for LHD - which probably does not aid the comfort for UK drivers.

 

Cheers

Well on my car the console is definitely angled towards the driver and also different to lhd, are you sure yours is angled to the left?

[Ian1969]

Well I can't say that I have noticed the dash facing away from me but I will pay a bit more attention next time.

 

Having lived with the car a bit I have come to love and loath a few things.

 

Loves: hill start, auto rear wiper when in reverse, city steering in multi story car parks, acceleration in 4 and 5th pulls like a train and Bose speakers

 

Loaths: stop start has packed in, driver door rubber is deformed at the top and has subsequently cracked, getting car into 1st and 2nd gear is a struggle, excessive noise from the dump valve, passenger door electric window arm rest panel loose and will not go back.

 

However I have contacted a Mecades Benz dealers in Bishops Stortford Herts and they are going to look at all these problems plus the engine makes a little more noise now than it did when I first collected it. Will let all know how I get on especially as the car is still under warranty.

 

I find it strange that a car which is Fiat Lancia has to go to a MB dealers for mechanics though. I would have thought under the circumstances relations with MB would have been severed or am I ill informed?

Do Fiat dealers service and maintain them as well?

 

In the big scheme of things however the car is growing on me.

[Rossocorsa]

My hill holder hardly ever works so I just ignore it, other than that I have a funny squeak from the back over bumps when cold but otherwise not too much to worry about

[Nello]

Its not the dash itself - just the surround around the gearshift and heater panel. Nice to see you on here Rosso (Nello also on the Fiat Forum). Really like your Limited interior.

Its only slight but its definately angled sightly towards LHD.

Ian did you get your gearknob removed in the end?

My stop-start has packed in as well though I have no errors. The handbook and web quote a multitude of conditions that stop it kicking in. From what I see any battery over a couple of years old will drop the voltage sufficiently to not enable the S/S. I'd bet a new battery would restart the system but the cars starts and runs perfectly well at the moment so I'll live without.

Fiat dealers will probably not agree to service them although they certainly could as mechanically the car is a Bravo.

I'm sure they've been asked not too here by Italy. I use an Italian specialist in Birmingham who sources all the parts from the Fiat stock anyway....... 

[Rossocorsa]

Can't say I've noticed the gear surround thing, as regards limited interior I think the piano black finish is a lot better than the silver of other models.