Alarm Problem in 96'GTV

["Richard Craig-McFeely" <richcra@domain.elided>]

Can you advise me on how to resolve this problem:

I purchased an Alfa Romeo GTV Twinspark by private sale in 1998.  It is an N
reg, 1996 model. The car has been serviced at Alfa's approved dealership SGT
in Maidenhead since I bought it and it has a full service history.  To date
there have been no problems and it is used as a second car with a very low
mileage - 31,000 miles.  Just before Xmas it was taken to SGT with a flat
battery and the immobilizer could not be de-activated.  They said that the
Alfa Romeo factory fitted radio was draining the battery and that it should be
removed. This I agreed to. I telephoned to ask when the car could be
collected.  I was told that the "engine had blown up on a test drive."  I was
somewhat surprised because I had never had any trouble with the car and was
not sure why it was on a test drive for a flat battery.  I asked for full
details as to what had happened because I was told that the bill would be
#1800.  That was never forthcoming. The car was apparently repaired just
before Xmas - and after some difficulty I was given an itemized invoice.

When I went to collect the car the alarm was not working.  I asked SGT why not
as it was working when the car had been delivered.  I was told that the key
fobs were worn out.  I agreed on their advice to purchase 2 new ones. These
have arrived and I took the car in to collect them.  I was told that we needed
a 4 figure code for the alarm (as opposed to the immobilizer).  I was told
that this was not in all the paper work we have which we thought had all the
necessary codes.  I am told that if we do not have the code we will have to
pay #500 for a new alarm receiver.

I have telephoned the original Alfa Romeo dealer.  They no longer deal in Alfa
Romeo cars and did not retain the alarm code.  I cannot locate the original
purchaser (our vendor.)  I find it hard to believe that we have to pay for a
completely new alarm system - codes must be lost all the time as cars change
hands.  I have never needed it.

Any ideas how I can find this code from elsewhere?

Thanks,


Richard

Richard Craig-McFeely
Business Manager
Softimage Europe/EMEA
Email = richcra@domain.elided
GSM = +44 7887 627763
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