Weekend Drives

[milindu]

Saturday the 14th. Avurudu day. Perfect for an evening drive.

Decide to push the SR20DE on my P11 Primera a bit. Cruise a little...enjoy the open roads.

Hit a few potholes and bumps on the road sending shudders through the car even with the 15" 195/60s on. I wonder how guys with 16, 17 and 18 wheels manage. Duplication Road and Thurstan Rd are bumpy all the way anyway as are most of the other roads.

Get stopped at a couple of checkpoints with the typical 'Oh no! Not again!' but telling my self its for our own good.

Slow down when I spot the speed guns on Galle Rd and Thurtan Rd.

Most of the places are closed and things are pretty quiet. At least there is a place open to sip some Ice Coffee before I head home.

Typical Weekend Drive around Colombo.

[Elvis_Pil]

Yep yesterday was a superb day for a drive.. I myself hit the road around 730ish around the Col-7, Jawatte area. No cops- managed to max out on green path a couple of times and enjoyed the bends in general around the area.. the Tic ECU sure does wonders with a service, new oil & plugs and filters

[GihanFX]

Saturday the 14th. Avurudu day. Perfect for an evening drive.

Decide to push the SR20DE on my P11 Primera a bit. Cruise a little...enjoy the open roads.

Hit a few potholes and bumps on the road sending shudders through the car even with the 15" 195/60s on. I wonder how guys with 16, 17 and 18 wheels manage. Duplication Road and Thurstan Rd are bumpy all the way anyway as are most of the other roads.

Get stopped at a couple of checkpoints with the typical 'Oh no! Not again!' but telling my self its for our own good.

Slow down when I spot the speed guns on Galle Rd and Thurtan Rd.

Most of the places are closed and things are pretty quiet. At least there is a place open to sip some Ice Coffee before I head home.

Typical Weekend Drive around Colombo.

My friend runing 17inch rims his Levin bt when taking bends the tyres hitting wheel larges and 16+ aloys are not gud for SL

[fuzzo]

yeah the roads were really superb...i drove back from the south and there were hardly any cars or cops...superb drive..

and those roads are much better than the roads in colombo...

[gunat]

I've got 16" with 45 profile. On certain roads, the ride is bone shattering, but on most, its good. I keep the tires on high pressure (32psi+) so that most of the impact is taken by the shock and not the rim/tire. Learnt that lesson early on.

Apart from the weekend, driving into the city today was fantastic...what takes me 40 minutes normally, took 20...no stress! Great way to start the week...

[GTAm]

Saturday the 14th. Avurudu day. Perfect for an evening drive.

Decide to push the SR20DE on my P11 Primera a bit. Cruise a little...enjoy the open roads.

Hit a few potholes and bumps on the road sending shudders through the car even with the 15" 195/60s on. I wonder how guys with 16, 17 and 18 wheels manage. Duplication Road and Thurstan Rd are bumpy all the way anyway as are most of the other roads.

Get stopped at a couple of checkpoints with the typical 'Oh no! Not again!' but telling my self its for our own good.

Slow down when I spot the speed guns on Galle Rd and Thurtan Rd.

Most of the places are closed and things are pretty quiet. At least there is a place open to sip some Ice Coffee before I head home.

Typical Weekend Drive around Colombo.

Hi Milindu,

You should have got out of Colombo like me and a couple of pals. We left Colombo at 2.30pm on Saturday in my Alfa 156. Hit Ratnapura in only 1 hour. No traffic, no cops !!! Without trying too hard.

Stopped there for a few mins and drove to Bogawantalawa choosing only scenic routes. One of the guys took the wheel from Ratnapura to here.

Came back to Hatton where we spent a terrible night.

All 03 of us woke up on Sunday morning with sevre upset stomaches after the strong chicken Korma we had for dinner

We then drove almost to Nuwara Eliya, and went through Horton Plains passing the scenic Ambewela farm. I dove and flat out. Not the smoothest roads but the Alfa handled the twists superbly with a only a slight understeer spoiling the fun. Then back all the way through Haputale where we stopped for fuel and then through Balangoda, Ratnapura back to Colombo.

Many areas were raining but the grip was superb and we did not need to slow down too much. All 3 of us took turns in driving and amazingly we made it in time for the start of the Gran Prix!!!!

We did almost 600km (594 to be exact). Despite the hard driving throughout the Alfa returned 9.2km/l. I have 16" Wheels and not once did the suspension bottom out despite 03 of us and luggage.

Totally enjoyed apart from the chicken Korma

[isurujosh]

wow GTAm you guys have had some great time! love driving down all those roads you mentioned... but i guess only a turbo AWD like an evo does real justice in those roads you mentioned ... but i am sure that alfa also would have done lot of justice.

[Elvis_Pil]

There are enough and more cars you can use to have fun on the roads mentioned, you dont necessarily have to have a fancy Evo to enjoy a drive. or to justice to a road. (whatever is meant by that) For some a good weekend drive is just cruise around the area, for others it can be driving like a damn nuisance.

<sigh> loyalties are so subtle these days

Edited April 16, 2007 by Pilawoos

[GTAm]

wow GTAm you guys have had some great time! love driving down all those roads you mentioned... but i guess only a turbo AWD like an evo does real justice in those roads you mentioned ... but i am sure that alfa also would have done lot of justice.

Yeah it was great. Well while twisting through the bends I thought about a WRX and how perfect it would have been. But then the Alfa looks and 'feels' so good. The steering feedback in the 156 is super. And the steering itself is full of feel and very sharp. A 2.0 would have been awesome.

I did a blast to Maskeliya and back some time ago last year in an Evo 6 and I tell you I scared myself silly with that cars' ability. The best stint on was on the way back from Avissawella to Kaduwela we made it in 20 mins, my passengers speach-less. Unforgettable but I'll probably end up dead if I use a car like that often .

Here are some pics

[Hola]

wow GTAm you guys have had some great time! love driving down all those roads you mentioned... but i guess only a turbo AWD like an evo does real justice in those roads you mentioned ... but i am sure that alfa also would have done lot of justice.

Had a trip to Kandy to Nuwara Eliya and the roads were superb, no jams, no po pos,smooth roads, shops closed and no people on the roads. Saw the Adv#nce Car Audio lexus in Nuwara Eliya. Nuwara Eliya was packed with all modified cars, saw some Subarus, Mazdas, all vehicles eqiupied with huge sound machines.

Cheers!

[miniace]

Do I see "mathin thora" avurudu party ?? and a sexy leg

[mazdaspeed]

Yeah it was great. Well while twisting through the bends I thought about a WRX and how perfect it would have been. But then the Alfa looks and 'feels' so good. The steering feedback in the 156 is super. And the steering itself is full of feel and very sharp. A 2.0 would have been awesome.

I did a blast to Maskeliya and back some time ago last year in an Evo 6 and I tell you I scared myself silly with that cars' ability. The best stint on was on the way back from Avissawella to Kaduwela we made it in 20 mins, my passengers speach-less. Unforgettable but I'll probably end up dead if I use a car like that often .

Here are some pics

Man I envy you looks like you’ve had a lovely time… with some nice sceneries as well…. Ahhhhhh hoping to go on a tour like that soon- just fed up of working -

The roads look much better than wat we got here in Colombo- wat tyre’s do you use on your Alfa ?

cheers

[Hola]

Do I see "mathin thora" avurudu party ?? and a sexy leg

yea, i said dont drink and drive. That sexy leg is lashan's. u met him once with the 2006 lancer

[Supra_Natural]

Man Gtam... how i envy you.... the pics look fab btw... i'm thinking the family pug would have also been a hoot on those roads (sigh)..

not that my weekend was entirely devoid of driving related enjoyment.... made maximum usage of the lack of traffic on baseline road and gave the 406 a proper workout... saw an indicated 110MPH on the stretch from kirulapone to narahenpita, on a sunday afternoon!!! all the lights were green for once

then went up park road, fife road and jawatte.... also fairly briskly , and finally took off on the uniflow towards thummulla, only to be confronted by the City Traffic bus dropping cops off at the junction!! thankfully, i had long since lifted off ..

why cant all sundays be like this

[isurujosh]

wow GtAm nice pics, you guys have had a gr8 time...

yo Mazda bored with work eh? ...

[GTAm]

Man I envy you looks like you’ve had a lovely time… with some nice sceneries as well…. Ahhhhhh hoping to go on a tour like that soon- just fed up of working -

The roads look much better than wat we got here in Colombo- wat tyre’s do you use on your Alfa ?

cheers

Some roads were good but some stretches were very bad. Tyres are Kumho Ecstas - Very good only they have excessive roar on smooth roads compared with the Michelins that were on before.

Man Gtam... how i envy you.... the pics look fab btw... i'm thinking the family pug would have also been a hoot on those roads (sigh)..

not that my weekend was entirely devoid of driving related enjoyment.... made maximum usage of the lack of traffic on baseline road and gave the 406 a proper workout... saw an indicated 110MPH on the stretch from kirulapone to narahenpita, on a sunday afternoon!!! all the lights were green for once

then went up park road, fife road and jawatte.... also fairly briskly , and finally took off on the uniflow towards thummulla, only to be confronted by the City Traffic bus dropping cops off at the junction!! thankfully, i had long since lifted off ..

why cant all sundays be like this

Dude take the 406 up there. It will be an absolute revelation I assure you! The 406 rides better than the 156 so on the uneven stretches you would be able to be quicker.

110mph! Awesome man.

[Supra_Natural]

Dude take the 406 up there. It will be an absolute revelation I assure you! The 406 rides better than the 156 so on the uneven stretches you would be able to be quicker.

110mph! Awesome man.

yeah, seems like something that one should do ... but I think theres something wonky with my suspension though , keep hearing a "clunk" from the front left, its going in for some TLC this week....

thanks, wasnt actually intending to go that fast (who does eh? ), but I turned onto that stretch, saw a clear road and green lights, so right foot united with carpet and stayed there

the 406's gearshift is an absolute DOG at times like this however, imprecise, overlong and stubborn.... can mess up some great situations... high rev upshifts from first to second are particularly painful....

[GTAm]

the 406's gearshift is an absolute DOG at times like this however, imprecise, overlong and stubborn.... can mess up some great situations... high rev upshifts from first to second are particularly painful....

You're right last evening I drove a friends' 406 and I realized how super the Alfa gearshift is Just very smooth and goes snick sniick into the gate. Shorter throw as well.

[Supra_Natural]

You're right last evening I drove a friends' 406 and I realized how super the Alfa gearshift is Just very smooth and goes snick sniick into the gate. Shorter throw as well.

yeah, alfa 'boxes are something special.... sadly, i've never driven a 156 (or any other alfa ) so haven't experienced that particular brand of magic...

[The Don]

yeah, alfa 'boxes are something special.... sadly, i've never driven a 156 (or any other alfa ) so haven't experienced that particular brand of magic...

slightly OT

Supra if you have any difficulty finding stuff like dashboard trim or stuff like that give me a shout and I will do my best to help. I know 406's have a habit of developing nigging problems (such as the clunk you mentioned) which are very annoying, and I know sometimes little things are impossible to find,

I have much sympathy for u cos I faced a similar problem about a year back and I found certain parts impossible to find, and had to chase breakers all over the place to slowly find the missing bits (when I bought my car there was a lot of little things missing, now its mostly restored to its former glory, just one little bit missing ha ha ha)

mechanical bits I am sure you should be able to find out of places like Asiri Motors and better replaced with brand new stuff anyway

[miniace]

Nice pics GTam.Thought of taking pictures next I go places!

[nira74]

Hi Milindu,

You should have got out of Colombo like me and a couple of pals. We left Colombo at 2.30pm on Saturday in my Alfa 156. Hit Ratnapura in only 1 hour. No traffic, no cops !!! Without trying too hard.

Stopped there for a few mins and drove to Bogawantalawa choosing only scenic routes. One of the guys took the wheel from Ratnapura to here.

Came back to Hatton where we spent a terrible night.

All 03 of us woke up on Sunday morning with sevre upset stomaches after the strong chicken Korma we had for dinner

We then drove almost to Nuwara Eliya, and went through Horton Plains passing the scenic Ambewela farm. I dove and flat out. Not the smoothest roads but the Alfa handled the twists superbly with a only a slight understeer spoiling the fun. Then back all the way through Haputale where we stopped for fuel and then through Balangoda, Ratnapura back to Colombo.

Many areas were raining but the grip was superb and we did not need to slow down too much. All 3 of us took turns in driving and amazingly we made it in time for the start of the Gran Prix!!!!

We did almost 600km (594 to be exact). Despite the hard driving throughout the Alfa returned 9.2km/l. I have 16" Wheels and not once did the suspension bottom out despite 03 of us and luggage.

Totally enjoyed apart from the chicken Korma

He, he.... we did the same trip (Horton Plains and all) a couple of months back in a 320d, and when we got back to colombo we had done 700+ km and still had quarter tank of fuel left......