Weird breakdown stories
Discussion
karona said:
'er indoors was running me to work, just after dawn, when a deer appeared from nowhere and just as rapidly disappeared under the front of the car. After hauling the carcass off the road we noticed fluid dripping from the car, so called the RAC, and I phoned my boss to pick me up, abandoning Mrs K to await the breakdown wagon.
Whilst waiting for my lift we pushed the car into a side road off the dual carriageway, and I answered the call of nature by, erm "inspecting" the front tyre.
Mrs K reported that the recovery truck was driven by the cockiest, most arrogant, patronising 2@ she'd ever met, and that, after the briefest of inspections, he bent down and dipped his fingers in the pool of fresh urine, tasted it, and said "it's just screenwash fluid, you can drive home OK"
There was a thousand quid's worth of damage, but the laugh was priceless.
I was going to say how ungallant abandoning your wife, but then I remembered....Whilst waiting for my lift we pushed the car into a side road off the dual carriageway, and I answered the call of nature by, erm "inspecting" the front tyre.
Mrs K reported that the recovery truck was driven by the cockiest, most arrogant, patronising 2@ she'd ever met, and that, after the briefest of inspections, he bent down and dipped his fingers in the pool of fresh urine, tasted it, and said "it's just screenwash fluid, you can drive home OK"
There was a thousand quid's worth of damage, but the laugh was priceless.
As a student a housemate had borrowed my Renault 5 (yes it was a she, yes she was fit, no I did not and no photo's). She ignored the symptoms of a broken fan belt on the motorway and melted the engine.
Had it replaced locally to where I live, and my parents used it for a couple of days to make sure it was ok, before I trotted the 200 miles back from uni town. They were on the way to a hospital for some tests that my father had been waiting for, for months. It broke down on the M1.
Police checked they were ok, and actually drove my dad to hospital. Would HA do the same thing? My mother was left to await greenflag.
This fault turned out to be a seized oil pump, so another engine went in.
Picked the car up and it drove like a pig. Turned out that the scrappy had supplied a 995cc instead of a 1.2 engine. This started blowing white smoke on the way back to have this sorted. Would not reproduce for the breakdown man, and at that point I ceased caring about their engine!
Car was never the same again
NiceCupOfTea said:
Buff Mchugelarge said:
That's a Saab 900... They don't breakdown?!
It's only let me down a few times in 10 years, but it's now 24 years old (this month IIRC) with 190k miles! In this case the brushes in the alternator regulator were worn down to almost nothing! Replaced them (5 or 6 years ago) and the alternator is still working fine now!AA man fixed it via a sharp tap with his hammer. Bushes had worn unevenly and got stuck so this knocked them back into contact I think.
Cousin had a 2000ish model 2.0 Passat that somehow managed to ingest rainwater while parked and hydraulic itself when he tried to start it. A couple of different mechanics failed to figure out how it happened, so the insurance company just called it water damage and paid out with no hassles.
Not so much 'weird' as vaguely amusing in hindsight.
My old Accord V6 had a notably vague fuel level gauge that unfortunately became increasingly vague as it approached the bottom, to the point that if it was wavering in the lower quarter, it was probably worth filling up to be on the safe side. Driving to work one day I saw it was low so thought "I'll get some petrol on the way home" but of course completely forgot until I was parking in my flat's parking space. Being tired and hungry after work I decided I couldn't be arsed going straight back out so I'd have a sit down and a bite to eat and then go out to the petrol station. An hour later, I start up the old girl, move off my space into the main drive way and the car dies. This is a bit embarrassing as it blocks two other tenants and the landlord's family in, the latter being the sort of handyman and familyman who is always coming and going with cars full of building materials/children/sports equipment/dogs/delete as applicable. For some reason (hindsight is a wonderful thing) I have a complete logic failure and think, "na, my dodgy fuel meter says there's fuel in there, it can't have run dry" and have the bonnet up so as to look at the engine in a baffled way until the aforementioned landlord appears and informs me he'd like to take his building materials/children/sports equipment/dogs/delete as applicable out and would I mind moving my car as I've parked in a silly place. I tell him, sorry, it's broken down and he asks in a patronising way "it started OK, you've not run out of petrol have you?" and I say "no, look at the fuel gauge" (ahem) and he goes under the bonnet and looks at the engine in a baffled way before huffily and puffily saying "right well you'll have to move it, I have an important building materials/children/sports equipment/dogs/delete as applicable appointment". Pushing an Accord coupe up a rutted driveway is not an easy task, believe me, but after more huffing and puffing we succeed and off the landlord goes. I continue looking at the engine in a baffled way then decide that after all maybe the dodgy fuel gauge is wrong and putting some petrol in can't do any harm, so nip round the petol station, buy a plastic can thingy and a few litres, stick it in and start her up - cue healthily roaring V6 engine sound.
Out of embarrassment I left it parked in the street for a couple of days then moved it back, when I saw the landlord next I said "yeah, bit of a mystery, it just started up when I tried it yesterday, took it to the garage for a once over and the mechanic couldn't see anything wrong"...
My old Accord V6 had a notably vague fuel level gauge that unfortunately became increasingly vague as it approached the bottom, to the point that if it was wavering in the lower quarter, it was probably worth filling up to be on the safe side. Driving to work one day I saw it was low so thought "I'll get some petrol on the way home" but of course completely forgot until I was parking in my flat's parking space. Being tired and hungry after work I decided I couldn't be arsed going straight back out so I'd have a sit down and a bite to eat and then go out to the petrol station. An hour later, I start up the old girl, move off my space into the main drive way and the car dies. This is a bit embarrassing as it blocks two other tenants and the landlord's family in, the latter being the sort of handyman and familyman who is always coming and going with cars full of building materials/children/sports equipment/dogs/delete as applicable. For some reason (hindsight is a wonderful thing) I have a complete logic failure and think, "na, my dodgy fuel meter says there's fuel in there, it can't have run dry" and have the bonnet up so as to look at the engine in a baffled way until the aforementioned landlord appears and informs me he'd like to take his building materials/children/sports equipment/dogs/delete as applicable out and would I mind moving my car as I've parked in a silly place. I tell him, sorry, it's broken down and he asks in a patronising way "it started OK, you've not run out of petrol have you?" and I say "no, look at the fuel gauge" (ahem) and he goes under the bonnet and looks at the engine in a baffled way before huffily and puffily saying "right well you'll have to move it, I have an important building materials/children/sports equipment/dogs/delete as applicable appointment". Pushing an Accord coupe up a rutted driveway is not an easy task, believe me, but after more huffing and puffing we succeed and off the landlord goes. I continue looking at the engine in a baffled way then decide that after all maybe the dodgy fuel gauge is wrong and putting some petrol in can't do any harm, so nip round the petol station, buy a plastic can thingy and a few litres, stick it in and start her up - cue healthily roaring V6 engine sound.
Out of embarrassment I left it parked in the street for a couple of days then moved it back, when I saw the landlord next I said "yeah, bit of a mystery, it just started up when I tried it yesterday, took it to the garage for a once over and the mechanic couldn't see anything wrong"...
Edited by forzaminardi on Tuesday 2nd September 11:06
I had a Saab 9000 that lunched it's autobox on the way to wife's grandparents (so not all bad). I realised I'd lost drive so managed to coast to a gateway - once off the road, I found reverse worked but I had no forward drive. I backed into the gateway a bit and having called the AA, we sat in the car with engine going to keep warm.
The gateway was off a busy roundabout (that abortion of a junction where the A14/M6/M1 met before they altered it). After a while a car rolled up with a woman in it, then another one with a bloke and some kids - looked like a divorced parent's handover the kids rendezvous. The guy gets out of his car and very politely asks if I can move forward a bit so we can all fit on - and I have to tell him that although I am sitting in an apparently 100% operational Saab, I can't as I have no forward drive available. To this day I don't think he believed me.
The gateway was off a busy roundabout (that abortion of a junction where the A14/M6/M1 met before they altered it). After a while a car rolled up with a woman in it, then another one with a bloke and some kids - looked like a divorced parent's handover the kids rendezvous. The guy gets out of his car and very politely asks if I can move forward a bit so we can all fit on - and I have to tell him that although I am sitting in an apparently 100% operational Saab, I can't as I have no forward drive available. To this day I don't think he believed me.
Remembered another one from a few years ago. Wife's Corsa would conk out periodically and refuse to restart for a while (turned out to be a duff camshaft position sensor).
Set out to drive it to the garage and went hell for leather to get there before it warmed up enough to die. Left the in-law's in Sidcup and bombed down the A20 to the M25 roundabout, up over the top, and down the hill towards the roundabout near Brands Hatch with the Vauxhall Dealer on it. Car died about 100 yards from the bottom of the hill, nothing coming so coasted round the roundabout (nearly 360 degrees) and up the hill onto the forecourt with the last bit of momentum and pulled the handbrake on! Phew!
Set out to drive it to the garage and went hell for leather to get there before it warmed up enough to die. Left the in-law's in Sidcup and bombed down the A20 to the M25 roundabout, up over the top, and down the hill towards the roundabout near Brands Hatch with the Vauxhall Dealer on it. Car died about 100 yards from the bottom of the hill, nothing coming so coasted round the roundabout (nearly 360 degrees) and up the hill onto the forecourt with the last bit of momentum and pulled the handbrake on! Phew!
When I was a student I had A Mk 1 Escort Van . The bearing on the rear axle had been a bit noisy and I had a 150 mile journey home so armed with the optimism of youth I set off. The noise worsened as I went through the middle of Kettering but I thought " What is the worst that can happen? It will probably seize and come to a halt so I will carry on and risk it."
I was going about 40 mph just the other side of Kettering with four cars behind when there was a thump followed by a loud bang followed by a horrible grating sound.
I pulled over and all the cars overtook without stopping.
Went to inspect the damage and found that the wheel complete with halfshaft had come out and had disappeared!
Looked everywhere under the car along the roadside eventually ended up at a car parked in a layby a couple of hundred yards ahead. Driver looking bored " Scuse me, have you seen a wheel and halfshaft go by?
"No mate, been sitting here for an hour waiting for the AA as my throttle cable bust (new Cortina)"
"Well that is lucky because I am a member of the AA too" say I, and just at that moment the AA man turns up. He organizes a truck to take the Cortina to the garage and we go looking for the wheel. Eventually find it on discovering that it had gone up a six foot bank through a hedge and then gone about thirty yards into a field of standing barley, still with the half shaft attached.
Amazing the power of a stray wheel even at just 40 mph, and you can see why it causes so many casualties in the crowd at race meetings. I shudder to think what would have happened if it had come off in Kettering High Street.
Also amazing that none of the cars behind me stopped as they must have all seen it happen.
Anyway back to the garage where the guy in the Cortina is looking very peed off, it is starting to rain and they have no throttle cable. He remains quietly fuming while the mechanic ties a bit of string around his right hand index finger, the other end through the side of the bonnet to the carb.
The mechanic just finished tying the last bow when the guy let rip. Never have I heard such language and when he had finished with the AA he gave another salvo at the garage staff and the last I saw of him was yanking the string with his finger, engine going "ying, ying, yiiiiiiiiiiiiiing" wheels spinning in the wet disappearing into the dark.
I noticed that my van had quite a large dent in the rear just above the drivers side lamp. I accused the garage of careless towing but they then showed me it was not possible for it to have happened with their towing arrangement. We concluded what must have happened was that the wheel came off complete with halfshaft which then hit the kerb and made the halfshaft flick round and smack above the light which must have been the bang I heard after the thump.
And it still had enough energy to climb the bank, go through the hedge and into the field of standing barley.
The final part of the story was waiting in a pub for my father to come and pick me up. Had to wait for some time and had a few beers. The landlord was quite a character and liked my cap. He offered to swap it for three of his caps he had on his wall, I took him up on this offer and still have the caps to remind me not to drive with a knackered bearing!
I was going about 40 mph just the other side of Kettering with four cars behind when there was a thump followed by a loud bang followed by a horrible grating sound.
I pulled over and all the cars overtook without stopping.
Went to inspect the damage and found that the wheel complete with halfshaft had come out and had disappeared!
Looked everywhere under the car along the roadside eventually ended up at a car parked in a layby a couple of hundred yards ahead. Driver looking bored " Scuse me, have you seen a wheel and halfshaft go by?
"No mate, been sitting here for an hour waiting for the AA as my throttle cable bust (new Cortina)"
"Well that is lucky because I am a member of the AA too" say I, and just at that moment the AA man turns up. He organizes a truck to take the Cortina to the garage and we go looking for the wheel. Eventually find it on discovering that it had gone up a six foot bank through a hedge and then gone about thirty yards into a field of standing barley, still with the half shaft attached.
Amazing the power of a stray wheel even at just 40 mph, and you can see why it causes so many casualties in the crowd at race meetings. I shudder to think what would have happened if it had come off in Kettering High Street.
Also amazing that none of the cars behind me stopped as they must have all seen it happen.
Anyway back to the garage where the guy in the Cortina is looking very peed off, it is starting to rain and they have no throttle cable. He remains quietly fuming while the mechanic ties a bit of string around his right hand index finger, the other end through the side of the bonnet to the carb.
The mechanic just finished tying the last bow when the guy let rip. Never have I heard such language and when he had finished with the AA he gave another salvo at the garage staff and the last I saw of him was yanking the string with his finger, engine going "ying, ying, yiiiiiiiiiiiiiing" wheels spinning in the wet disappearing into the dark.
I noticed that my van had quite a large dent in the rear just above the drivers side lamp. I accused the garage of careless towing but they then showed me it was not possible for it to have happened with their towing arrangement. We concluded what must have happened was that the wheel came off complete with halfshaft which then hit the kerb and made the halfshaft flick round and smack above the light which must have been the bang I heard after the thump.
And it still had enough energy to climb the bank, go through the hedge and into the field of standing barley.
The final part of the story was waiting in a pub for my father to come and pick me up. Had to wait for some time and had a few beers. The landlord was quite a character and liked my cap. He offered to swap it for three of his caps he had on his wall, I took him up on this offer and still have the caps to remind me not to drive with a knackered bearing!
Edited by Vanin on Thursday 2nd October 23:35
I knew I had a knackered alternater on my MK1 GLi Sirocco Storm and had a new one in the boot but thought I could make it home - not so. It all failed just as I approached the A12/M11 junction. Fortunately there was a garage a few hundred meters away and this is in an era when they had socket sets (I still have it) Replacing an alternator isn't a big job so I climbed under and over to fix it when a 30-something lady walked over and said she wanted a lift. I said I was only going to the A120 junction and she said "If you take me all the way I'll take you all the way". I'd love to be able to claim man points for bonking her senseless but I didn't believe her and she was left looking very hacked off at the A120.
UnderTheRadar said:
I knew I had a knackered alternater on my MK1 GLi Sirocco Storm and had a new one in the boot but thought I could make it home - not so. It all failed just as I approached the A12/M11 junction. Fortunately there was a garage a few hundred meters away and this is in an era when they had socket sets (I still have it) Replacing an alternator isn't a big job so I climbed under and over to fix it when a 30-something lady walked over and said she wanted a lift. I said I was only going to the A120 junction and she said "If you take me all the way I'll take you all the way". I'd love to be able to claim man points for bonking her senseless but I didn't believe her and she was left looking very hacked off at the A120.
Well done for ruining the tread.....
I broke down in the birmingham tunnels at 6PM in the rush hour. It was 1988 and my Capri camshaft belt snapped as I was going into the tunnel in the right hand lane, I managed to Coast through the tunnel but could not get across to the left due to the traffic. Eventually I came to a halt on the uphill exit to the tunnel in the right hand lane.
This was pre mobile phones, so Had to find a phone box to call the RAC. Waiting for them with the car, I don't think I have ever had so much abuse as drivers had to queue to get past. Anyway 15 minutes later the police turn up having closed the tunnel (I thought the traffic had gone quiet). They were in the rangie so managed to tow me out to a nearby layby.
All good until I realise that I had dropped my car keys in the back of the now gone police car, luckily they were still on duty when the RAC man turns up and they bring them back about an hour later. Eventually got home after midnight, and fixed the cambelt next day on the drive.
This was pre mobile phones, so Had to find a phone box to call the RAC. Waiting for them with the car, I don't think I have ever had so much abuse as drivers had to queue to get past. Anyway 15 minutes later the police turn up having closed the tunnel (I thought the traffic had gone quiet). They were in the rangie so managed to tow me out to a nearby layby.
All good until I realise that I had dropped my car keys in the back of the now gone police car, luckily they were still on duty when the RAC man turns up and they bring them back about an hour later. Eventually got home after midnight, and fixed the cambelt next day on the drive.
I spent much of the 70s in the Pacific islands. I was in Rabaul, New Britain, part of New Guinea at one stage.
Tutt Bryant, a large auto dealer, handling from Suzuki to Komatsu bulldozers, & everything in between had asked me to mind their spare parts department while the manager went for his 2 month long leave.
They sold a lot of 1.5L diesel Daihatsu Delta, little tabletop trucks to the villagers. They would bolt a 2" rail down the center of the tray, fit some church pew type seats to that & have A PMV, [bus], for taking villagers to Rabaul to work.
The service manager was off on some job one day, & I got a call from the new chum Pommy foreman in the workshop for a battery for one of these. I sent it over, then got a call for a starter motor. A little later I was asked to go over to the workshop.
A local had come in saying his quite newish PMV parked out front, "him no get up", [won't start]. There was no power, so foreman had replaced the battery. Still no starter, so he'd replaced that. Still nothing so he'd called for help from the only source available that day, me.
With some idea of the locals mechanical ability & sympathy, I reached under & felt the new starter. It nearly burnt my hand, pulled the dip stick, no oil, opened the radiator drain cock, brown dust. The thing was seized solid.
I asked the owner, "You drive him this peller truck belong you along here"? Yes me drive him. "Engine him RRRRR"? Him no RRRRR. "By you catch him rope belong friend" [did you tow it]? Me catch him.
The poor new chum had assumed the truck had been driven in, then refused to start. He was used to people who would tell a mechanic it had not gone for some time, & been towed in. He did not take long to realise it was different in the islands.
Many of the locals were good at many things. The only lady I have ever met, who could type a 10 page, 250 item stock order, with part umbers & prices, without a single mistake, on an old fashioned manual type writer, was a local Fuzzy wuzzy, with bright yellow peroxide hair. She was great, but I doubt she would have understood what was required to look after a vehicle, from reading the drivers hand book.
Tutt Bryant, a large auto dealer, handling from Suzuki to Komatsu bulldozers, & everything in between had asked me to mind their spare parts department while the manager went for his 2 month long leave.
They sold a lot of 1.5L diesel Daihatsu Delta, little tabletop trucks to the villagers. They would bolt a 2" rail down the center of the tray, fit some church pew type seats to that & have A PMV, [bus], for taking villagers to Rabaul to work.
The service manager was off on some job one day, & I got a call from the new chum Pommy foreman in the workshop for a battery for one of these. I sent it over, then got a call for a starter motor. A little later I was asked to go over to the workshop.
A local had come in saying his quite newish PMV parked out front, "him no get up", [won't start]. There was no power, so foreman had replaced the battery. Still no starter, so he'd replaced that. Still nothing so he'd called for help from the only source available that day, me.
With some idea of the locals mechanical ability & sympathy, I reached under & felt the new starter. It nearly burnt my hand, pulled the dip stick, no oil, opened the radiator drain cock, brown dust. The thing was seized solid.
I asked the owner, "You drive him this peller truck belong you along here"? Yes me drive him. "Engine him RRRRR"? Him no RRRRR. "By you catch him rope belong friend" [did you tow it]? Me catch him.
The poor new chum had assumed the truck had been driven in, then refused to start. He was used to people who would tell a mechanic it had not gone for some time, & been towed in. He did not take long to realise it was different in the islands.
Many of the locals were good at many things. The only lady I have ever met, who could type a 10 page, 250 item stock order, with part umbers & prices, without a single mistake, on an old fashioned manual type writer, was a local Fuzzy wuzzy, with bright yellow peroxide hair. She was great, but I doubt she would have understood what was required to look after a vehicle, from reading the drivers hand book.
My Impreza suffered a self diagnosed "blown engine" on the M4 / M5 interchange, right outside the RAC headquarters. I called the RAC but they just could not find my location - despite me being able to see in to the call centre through the darkened windows. 4 hours later I got recovered the 15 mins back home. It was a coil pack - and I probably could have just driven it back!
Driving my car from Portsmouth to Chatham I was wondering if I really should join the RAC or AA. This was back in the 80's and being poor my cars were mid 70's vintage, so not that reliable.
I started going over in my mind what sort of things could happen, one of the scenarios I thought of was a fan belt snapping. I guessed the first thing I would notice would be the charge light, then the temp climbing (both fan belt driven). At that moment the charge light came on, and the temperature started to climb!
Sure enough the fan belt had snapped and I had no RAC cover, or a means of fixing the belt. What I did have though was a pair of Hi-Tec boots, with very very long laces. I managed to wrap the laces around the pulleys a few times and tied as tight a knot as I could.
It got me home but ran hot for most of the journey, and buggered the head gasket.
I started going over in my mind what sort of things could happen, one of the scenarios I thought of was a fan belt snapping. I guessed the first thing I would notice would be the charge light, then the temp climbing (both fan belt driven). At that moment the charge light came on, and the temperature started to climb!
Sure enough the fan belt had snapped and I had no RAC cover, or a means of fixing the belt. What I did have though was a pair of Hi-Tec boots, with very very long laces. I managed to wrap the laces around the pulleys a few times and tied as tight a knot as I could.
It got me home but ran hot for most of the journey, and buggered the head gasket.
Slightly different angle on this one.
Growing up, the family cars were usually a couple of Citroen CX. One of them, a white Pallas saloon, seemed to have a recurring issue with water or some other fuel contamination. Wasn't a massive issue, it "just" required the removal of the air filter, unscrewing a bit of the carb, removing one of the jets and giving it a blow through, and a quick reassembly. Didn't take more than 10 minutes if you knew what you were doing. It got to the stage my mum was happy doing it (who wasn't comfortable programming the VCR)
I remember one instance, me and my sister in the car with my mum driving. It showed the usual symptoms, a few coughs and whatnot, so she stopped in a layby to give the jets the usual wossname.
Another car pulled in and a chap got out saying "can I help you love?"
My mum's reply of "no no, I'm just cleaning out the carb jets" saw him head back towards his car with an "oh.. um.. right, I'll leave you to it then"
Growing up, the family cars were usually a couple of Citroen CX. One of them, a white Pallas saloon, seemed to have a recurring issue with water or some other fuel contamination. Wasn't a massive issue, it "just" required the removal of the air filter, unscrewing a bit of the carb, removing one of the jets and giving it a blow through, and a quick reassembly. Didn't take more than 10 minutes if you knew what you were doing. It got to the stage my mum was happy doing it (who wasn't comfortable programming the VCR)
I remember one instance, me and my sister in the car with my mum driving. It showed the usual symptoms, a few coughs and whatnot, so she stopped in a layby to give the jets the usual wossname.
Another car pulled in and a chap got out saying "can I help you love?"
My mum's reply of "no no, I'm just cleaning out the carb jets" saw him head back towards his car with an "oh.. um.. right, I'll leave you to it then"
feef said:
Slightly different angle on this one.
Growing up, the family cars were usually a couple of Citroen CX. One of them, a white Pallas saloon, seemed to have a recurring issue with water or some other fuel contamination. Wasn't a massive issue, it "just" required the removal of the air filter, unscrewing a bit of the carb, removing one of the jets and giving it a blow through, and a quick reassembly. Didn't take more than 10 minutes if you knew what you were doing. It got to the stage my mum was happy doing it (who wasn't comfortable programming the VCR)
I remember one instance, me and my sister in the car with my mum driving. It showed the usual symptoms, a few coughs and whatnot, so she stopped in a layby to give the jets the usual wossname.
Another car pulled in and a chap got out saying "can I help you love?"
My mum's reply of "no no, I'm just cleaning out the carb jets" saw him head back towards his car with an "oh.. um.. right, I'll leave you to it then"
Was it a 2.2 litre with the Renault engine? I had the same problem. It was down to the crankcase breather feeding into the air intake. As the engine was a bit tired crud would accumulate in the pipe and tiny bits break off every now and then and block the jets in the Weber carb. I must have cleaned them dozens of times before selling the car. The most comfortable car I've ever been in.Growing up, the family cars were usually a couple of Citroen CX. One of them, a white Pallas saloon, seemed to have a recurring issue with water or some other fuel contamination. Wasn't a massive issue, it "just" required the removal of the air filter, unscrewing a bit of the carb, removing one of the jets and giving it a blow through, and a quick reassembly. Didn't take more than 10 minutes if you knew what you were doing. It got to the stage my mum was happy doing it (who wasn't comfortable programming the VCR)
I remember one instance, me and my sister in the car with my mum driving. It showed the usual symptoms, a few coughs and whatnot, so she stopped in a layby to give the jets the usual wossname.
Another car pulled in and a chap got out saying "can I help you love?"
My mum's reply of "no no, I'm just cleaning out the carb jets" saw him head back towards his car with an "oh.. um.. right, I'll leave you to it then"
rovermorris999 said:
Was it a 2.2 litre with the Renault engine? I had the same problem. It was down to the crankcase breather feeding into the air intake. As the engine was a bit tired crud would accumulate in the pipe and tiny bits break off every now and then and block the jets in the Weber carb. I must have cleaned them dozens of times before selling the car. The most comfortable car I've ever been in.
It was indeed the 2.2 iirc. I could tell you umpteen laughable breakdowns that we get in the control room, some are just hilarious, others frightening, and a lot just plain daft, but I can't as the bosses will find out.
Earlier in the thread, a poster questioned the price of being removed from the motorway if you don't have any breakdown cover, well I'll give you chapter & verse on that.
If you have no recovery, you will be given a few options.
1) To phone a friend or family member to assist, but you have 2 hours to remove you vehicle. (We will call them if you phone up on the SOS box and you don't have a mobile)
2) You can choose to "Roadside join" one of approx 4 recovery companies that will do that whilst you're in a broken down situation, the price for this is between £100 - £150 for the minimum recovery service which will recover you either 10 or 50 miles max (depending on who you join) but you must be able to call them yourself on your mobile, and join with a credit card.
[ Normal price for this type of cover if bought from the armchair and not at the side of the road is between £18 - £40]
3) If you can't phone the recovery service yourself, or you don't have means to pay by credit card, a patrol will be despatched (When available, you are not a priority) on arrival, they will arrange for your vehicle to be removed, you will be dropped off at the first safe place (bus stop / rly stn etc) and you get you vehicle back when you've paid the recovery charge £150'ish, plus storage charges of £20 / day.
Also if your vehicle is abandoned, broken down in the dark with no lights, in an unsafe location, then it can be removed straight away without even waiting for your own recovery.
SO:...............
Join a recovery service now, before you do need it. also have a warm/waterproof coat in the boot for just this eventuality.
My son pays £18 / year through his insurance for full recovery just for himself and his vehicle. I pay £59/year for myself through my insurance, to include full recovery on any vehicle I'm in, either as driver or passenger, and anywhere in Europe as well (I have a number of vehicles)
Have your recovery details with you, also your insurance details. Most recovery companies will not recover you after an RTC (It's not a breakdown) you arrange that through your insurance.
Earlier in the thread, a poster questioned the price of being removed from the motorway if you don't have any breakdown cover, well I'll give you chapter & verse on that.
If you have no recovery, you will be given a few options.
1) To phone a friend or family member to assist, but you have 2 hours to remove you vehicle. (We will call them if you phone up on the SOS box and you don't have a mobile)
2) You can choose to "Roadside join" one of approx 4 recovery companies that will do that whilst you're in a broken down situation, the price for this is between £100 - £150 for the minimum recovery service which will recover you either 10 or 50 miles max (depending on who you join) but you must be able to call them yourself on your mobile, and join with a credit card.
[ Normal price for this type of cover if bought from the armchair and not at the side of the road is between £18 - £40]
3) If you can't phone the recovery service yourself, or you don't have means to pay by credit card, a patrol will be despatched (When available, you are not a priority) on arrival, they will arrange for your vehicle to be removed, you will be dropped off at the first safe place (bus stop / rly stn etc) and you get you vehicle back when you've paid the recovery charge £150'ish, plus storage charges of £20 / day.
Also if your vehicle is abandoned, broken down in the dark with no lights, in an unsafe location, then it can be removed straight away without even waiting for your own recovery.
SO:...............
Join a recovery service now, before you do need it. also have a warm/waterproof coat in the boot for just this eventuality.
My son pays £18 / year through his insurance for full recovery just for himself and his vehicle. I pay £59/year for myself through my insurance, to include full recovery on any vehicle I'm in, either as driver or passenger, and anywhere in Europe as well (I have a number of vehicles)
Have your recovery details with you, also your insurance details. Most recovery companies will not recover you after an RTC (It's not a breakdown) you arrange that through your insurance.
I got a proper plonker story (mine).
Was in Paris visiting friends. Had Le Tunnel to catch at 1am or some such. Next one after that not till about 6:30am, hence some imperative to get there on time. Said to friend 'we'll drive past the Eiffel Tower when we leave', he said 'it's five minutes down there'. Was around 10pm or something.
It was rather further. Ended up driving around the Champs Elyssé etc before getting on l'autoroute. Running low on fuel, decide to pass the first one on the outskirts of Paris as the road was a bit of a mess.
Keep going trying to make progress due to lateness, but also conscious of fuel. Next station is closed, and there's a sign saying no fuel for 100km or something like that. Make it to 5km short of the next filling station, car conks out due to no fuel. Autoroute is quiet, just one car every couple of minutes, not like SE England with all the lorries.
Walk up to emergency phone it says the towing fee is €120. Oh well, I call them.
20 minutes later some random bloke in his car stops and offers me fuel from a jerry can. That will save some cash, seems like a plan I think! Just at this moment Mr. Recovery arrives. Tows me to the petrol station. Not €120. But €222 - we must pay more because it's the middle of the night, and more again because the car weighs over 1.8 tonnes. Ouch.
I should have just got a postcard....
Was in Paris visiting friends. Had Le Tunnel to catch at 1am or some such. Next one after that not till about 6:30am, hence some imperative to get there on time. Said to friend 'we'll drive past the Eiffel Tower when we leave', he said 'it's five minutes down there'. Was around 10pm or something.
It was rather further. Ended up driving around the Champs Elyssé etc before getting on l'autoroute. Running low on fuel, decide to pass the first one on the outskirts of Paris as the road was a bit of a mess.
Keep going trying to make progress due to lateness, but also conscious of fuel. Next station is closed, and there's a sign saying no fuel for 100km or something like that. Make it to 5km short of the next filling station, car conks out due to no fuel. Autoroute is quiet, just one car every couple of minutes, not like SE England with all the lorries.
Walk up to emergency phone it says the towing fee is €120. Oh well, I call them.
20 minutes later some random bloke in his car stops and offers me fuel from a jerry can. That will save some cash, seems like a plan I think! Just at this moment Mr. Recovery arrives. Tows me to the petrol station. Not €120. But €222 - we must pay more because it's the middle of the night, and more again because the car weighs over 1.8 tonnes. Ouch.
I should have just got a postcard....
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