Old car foibles you live with
Discussion
Whether it's because you're lazy, don't have the time or it's just uneconomical to fix. What does your car do/fail to do that it should or shouldn't.
Mine, a 15 year old Legacy has a few, there's a relay in the headlights that sometimes needs encouraging to get the lights to turn off. Probably only a couple of quid but it hasn't become problematic enough yet to warrant fixing.
The remote central locking only works if directed into the car from no more than a foot away, I did change the battery to no avail. The alloys are peeling quite badly but it's difficult to justify £200 on a £800 car for aesthetic reasons.
Oh and there's an annoying rattle from behind the dash but that ones my fault.
Mine, a 15 year old Legacy has a few, there's a relay in the headlights that sometimes needs encouraging to get the lights to turn off. Probably only a couple of quid but it hasn't become problematic enough yet to warrant fixing.
The remote central locking only works if directed into the car from no more than a foot away, I did change the battery to no avail. The alloys are peeling quite badly but it's difficult to justify £200 on a £800 car for aesthetic reasons.
Oh and there's an annoying rattle from behind the dash but that ones my fault.
My old Dolomite Sprint would only fire on three when it was cold. I'd be driving around on full throttle to try and get up hills when it would suddenly decide to catch, which was exciting. That car also had a bit of a wiring fault which meant the gearstick and metal bits of the steering wheel were live with 12v if the overdrive was switched on, so if you wanted to use it everything had to be done with fingertips only.
Driver's side window on the Vixen doesn't do up, so I have to pull the window up with a hand on each side of the glass, bit of a pain when the window's wet.
bonnet doesn't shut fully on one side, but it's got leather straps that you do up, so not a problem.
Heater is non existent.
Plus a few other things.
bonnet doesn't shut fully on one side, but it's got leather straps that you do up, so not a problem.
Heater is non existent.
Plus a few other things.
2001 Focus with 125k miles. Rear wiper doesn't work, front wipers don't self park, indicators don't self cancel, corrosion on both passenger side doors and bootlid, front bumper trim is bent, knocking noise from the rear, blow in the exhaust, wheels are scratched to buggery, leaking oil and the exhaust manifold heat shield is melting the connector plugs for the radiator fan.
Despite all that it is serviced and cleaned regularly and has four decent matching tyres!
Despite all that it is serviced and cleaned regularly and has four decent matching tyres!
My Rover's remote locking will lock from a fair distance, but only unlock from 3 feet or less.
If it's been raining, you can't let it drop below 2000rpm until it warms up, or it coughs, splutters, lurches about and doesn't have enough power to gain any speed. Don't know what it is, (maybe water in the exhaust, I don't know) and it's not appreciated when I have to get onto a fairly busy dual carriageway before it's warmed up most days.
Occasionally takes a while (or a hard shove) to get it into first or reverse.
Sunroof sometimes drips when in car washes or if it's been raining especially hard.
ETA - the fan doesn't work on settings 1 or 2, although I know what this is and need to find some time to fix it. And it loses every vital fluid except brake fluid, although very very gradually and I've never seen a puddle under it.
If it's been raining, you can't let it drop below 2000rpm until it warms up, or it coughs, splutters, lurches about and doesn't have enough power to gain any speed. Don't know what it is, (maybe water in the exhaust, I don't know) and it's not appreciated when I have to get onto a fairly busy dual carriageway before it's warmed up most days.
Occasionally takes a while (or a hard shove) to get it into first or reverse.
Sunroof sometimes drips when in car washes or if it's been raining especially hard.
ETA - the fan doesn't work on settings 1 or 2, although I know what this is and need to find some time to fix it. And it loses every vital fluid except brake fluid, although very very gradually and I've never seen a puddle under it.
Edited by TheVole on Monday 16th July 20:22
'99 306.
No matter how I position the exhaust it manages to rattle when I pull off with not many revs.
The auto-wipers get a bit confused and sometimes go on full blast when it's barely raining. Usually happens on a roundabout for some reason.
Speedometer and rev-counter spin as far round as they can and back again for the first few minutes if the car has been sat overnight.
Radio struggles to pick up stations, but I think that's partly due to where I live.
Air-conditioning likes to try and work by turning the green light on, but the air-conditioning is broken.
It's sometimes difficult to get reverse gear. Probably me more than the gearbox itself.
The boot never likes to close first time, same with the passenger door.
Oh, and the obligatory rattles that are impossible to find.
I still love the thing though and it's spoilt compared to most 306s these days.
No matter how I position the exhaust it manages to rattle when I pull off with not many revs.
The auto-wipers get a bit confused and sometimes go on full blast when it's barely raining. Usually happens on a roundabout for some reason.
Speedometer and rev-counter spin as far round as they can and back again for the first few minutes if the car has been sat overnight.
Radio struggles to pick up stations, but I think that's partly due to where I live.
Air-conditioning likes to try and work by turning the green light on, but the air-conditioning is broken.
It's sometimes difficult to get reverse gear. Probably me more than the gearbox itself.
The boot never likes to close first time, same with the passenger door.
Oh, and the obligatory rattles that are impossible to find.
I still love the thing though and it's spoilt compared to most 306s these days.
TheVole said:
If it's been raining, you can't let it drop below 2000rpm until it warms up, or it coughs, splutters, lurches about and doesn't have enough power to gain any speed. Don't know what it is, (maybe water in the exhaust, I don't know) and it's not appreciated when I have to get onto a fairly busy dual carriageway before it's warmed up most days.
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HT leads / coil packs[/footnote]
'77 Mini, there's a few 
Have to mop the floors if it's rained heavy.
Get a small leak either side of the windscreen that trickles down the dashboard.
Indicators won't engage if the wheel isn't straight so you have to hold the stalk down.
Crunches into reverse unless you're really careful.
Heated rear window doesn't work so no rear vision in the rain/cold.
Rattles and vibrations galore.
Performance is significantly affected when more than 2 people are in it.
But I love it
Have to mop the floors if it's rained heavy.
Get a small leak either side of the windscreen that trickles down the dashboard.
Indicators won't engage if the wheel isn't straight so you have to hold the stalk down.
Crunches into reverse unless you're really careful.
Heated rear window doesn't work so no rear vision in the rain/cold.
Rattles and vibrations galore.
Performance is significantly affected when more than 2 people are in it.
But I love it
2001 Leon
Passenger electric window doesn't work - on closer examination this may be because the motor is missing. A bit of a faff to fix, but the air conditioning works, and it's not my side, so no rush
Passenger door also doesn't central lock or unlock.
Trim in the boot (the bit with the handle moulded in to close it) was only clipped on when I bought it, so it fell off the first time I closed the boot.
Exhaust is a bit blowy
However, I have fixed the rear washer and the passenger door speakers in the month or so I've had it, so I might get around to doing the rest some day.
Passenger electric window doesn't work - on closer examination this may be because the motor is missing. A bit of a faff to fix, but the air conditioning works, and it's not my side, so no rush
Passenger door also doesn't central lock or unlock.
Trim in the boot (the bit with the handle moulded in to close it) was only clipped on when I bought it, so it fell off the first time I closed the boot.
Exhaust is a bit blowy
However, I have fixed the rear washer and the passenger door speakers in the month or so I've had it, so I might get around to doing the rest some day.
98MY Micra
sunroof will only tilt...slide no good jams
rear wiper parks anywhere on back screen
front passenger window drops out of runner if lowered more than a 1/4 down
rear O/S window inoperative
power steering belt squeals at full lock
heater vent controls are all stuck apart from hot/cold
blower fan only works on full and off..no medium settings
drivers door keylock can be temperamental
sunroof will only tilt...slide no good jams
rear wiper parks anywhere on back screen
front passenger window drops out of runner if lowered more than a 1/4 down
rear O/S window inoperative
power steering belt squeals at full lock
heater vent controls are all stuck apart from hot/cold
blower fan only works on full and off..no medium settings
drivers door keylock can be temperamental
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