Author Topic: Fed up with cars now (Read 9357 times)

Tony · « **on:** January 30, 2014, 09:39:32 AM »

So the Serena has a bodged alternator replacement. They've broken the tensioner pulley right off the casing and used a shorter belt instead, which it keeps throwing off. I found one of the mount bolts missing for the alternator so assumed this was why it was throwing belts (not properly aligned). I found a replacement and fitted it. But this morning it shredded the belt and the spare that came with the car was too long.

So I guess it probably didn't charge the battery on the way to work so I'm stranded.

Thoroughly fed up with cars now.

kamaangir · « **Reply #1 on:** January 30, 2014, 11:21:03 AM »

Thoroughly sympathise with your car woes I have had my fair share in the last couple of months. Wish I was closer and could come and give you a hand.

What I found helped me is that I saw cars much newer than mine with worse problems! Like my cousins 2003 A3 that had a limp mode issue. £1600 later at the Audi dealers and it still has exactly the same issue!

Tony · « **Reply #2 on:** January 30, 2014, 11:53:00 AM »

Yes that is definitely some consolation.

£5.50 lighter I have a new belt on it (actually £17 lighter, I bought three so two are backups). Given the bodged tensioning mechanism it has, it's really easy to completely overtighten the belt, which is what I assume I did when replacing the missing alternator bolt (I expect in the process prematurely wearing the alternator bearings - oh well).

Dickjotec · « **Reply #3 on:** January 30, 2014, 01:17:16 PM »

I feel for you Tony. Nothing worse than having a motor you are not convinced is going to get you home.
Dick

Julian · « **Reply #4 on:** January 30, 2014, 02:11:01 PM »

Got my sympathy too.

There's a lot to be said for keeping and old car for a long period, you get to know all it's quirks and foibles, and whilst it's never perfect, you know and can work around its imperfections.

Always a worry when running a "new" car.

kamaangir · « **Reply #5 on:** January 30, 2014, 03:38:47 PM »

You may hear a lot of stories like I heard a bloke took his car in to audi blah blah, but I helped my cousin write the letter of complaint to audi. The above amount does not include money spent at local garages for diagnostic and sensors that were changed. Parts included ecu, fuel pump, fuel rail, injectors cranck sensor, maf............

Suddenly my over heating issue seems straight forward!

Jmg · « **Reply #6 on:** January 30, 2014, 03:52:32 PM »

Quote from: kamaangir on January 30, 2014, 11:21:03 AM

Thoroughly sympathise with your car woes I have had my fair share in the last couple of months. Wish I was closer and could come and give you a hand.

What I found helped me is that I saw cars much newer than mine with worse problems! Like my cousins 2003 A3 that had a limp mode issue. £1600 later at the Audi dealers and it still has exactly the same issue!

Ouch I spend less than that on cars these days.

Have to agree about older cars, when the Estima injector pipe snapped near Bristol I bandaged it up with a baby wipe and a lump of blu-tac and it got me 400ish miles home without a grumble, no Ecu limp mode hassle there. One of my motors (I forget which but definitely a mechanical pump) made the journey home from Edinburgh with a near dead flat battery and a knackered alternator.

That said I feel sorry for my kids who think it's a miracle that the 806 is modern, comfy, fast and quiet, a belated welcome to the second half of the 90's lol

greasemonkey · « **Reply #7 on:** January 30, 2014, 04:14:05 PM »

That's a bit of a downer Tony. Hopefuly nothing else will go wrong. It's annoyin to have to spend much on a vehicle knowing it will only be a stand in.

The way I see it, when it comes to running later vehicles, unless your real hot with the electronics, I'd just buy new and accept the fact your gonna pay x amount every month. I suppose sooner or later, anything pre 2000 ish is going to be gone, and we'll all have to move into the throwaway stuff.
I wanna Transit County, and a Moggy thou with an XUD in it, and never buy another vehicle again.

kamaangir · « **Reply #8 on:** January 30, 2014, 04:42:43 PM »

whats a moggy?

This is what I want:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Unimog_U400.jpg

Double cab would be nice but not necessary!

1958steveflying · « **Reply #9 on:** January 30, 2014, 04:58:20 PM »

Quote from: kamaangir on January 30, 2014, 04:42:43 PM

whats a moggy?

A Moggy is normally a Morris 1000, saloon and traveller also vans and pickups in the range.

kamaangir · « **Reply #10 on:** January 30, 2014, 05:10:54 PM »

Ah right thanks thought he meant a unimog!

Keef · « **Reply #11 on:** January 30, 2014, 05:19:29 PM »

Quote from: greasemonkey on January 30, 2014, 04:14:05 PM

I wanna Transit County, and a Moggy thou with an XUD in it, and never buy another vehicle again.

When you start buying spares for the 4x4 part of the Transit County (if you can even find them) you'll think how cheap modern cars are to repair.

greasemonkey · « **Reply #12 on:** January 30, 2014, 05:28:45 PM »

Yeah, Morris Minor I meant. Unimog is a bit too much of a monster for me.

Quote from: Keef on January 30, 2014, 05:19:29 PM

Quote from: greasemonkey on January 30, 2014, 04:14:05 PM
I wanna Transit County, and a Moggy thou with an XUD in it, and never buy another vehicle again.

When you start buying spares for the 4x4 part of the Transit County (if you can even find them) you'll think how cheap modern cars are to repair.

Are they a problem? I'm seriously considering one, maybe in a few years time.
The older ones, pre smiley facelift, had axles off a ford Bronco, from what I'm told. The later smiley had half shafts at the front.
Probably another dream that will never happen anyway.

Jamesrl · « **Reply #13 on:** January 30, 2014, 05:36:27 PM »

Here, y'go.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_sop=15&_nkw=Ford+Transit+County+4x4

Julian · « **Reply #14 on:** January 30, 2014, 05:44:12 PM »

Don't you have to be called BA and wear lots of gold chains if you drive one of those ... not quite the GM we know!

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