so where has your's let you down?
Discussion
Currently I'm sat on a church wall, waiting for the AA to come and help me once again. My location this time is south merton and it's not a very impressive place to be honest. There doesn't even appear to be a pub or a bar, and the AA have estimated 2 hours til arrival.
So I'm now reflecting on all of previous breakdowns, most have been strewn across the country on motorways and a roads, as well as the odd town centre at a j junction or somewhere inconvenient. But the most memorable has to be in nurburg.
Does anyone have any stories they'd like to share to help me pass the time?
So I'm now reflecting on all of previous breakdowns, most have been strewn across the country on motorways and a roads, as well as the odd town centre at a j junction or somewhere inconvenient. But the most memorable has to be in nurburg.
Does anyone have any stories they'd like to share to help me pass the time?
to be honest... of all the cars i've owned, not one has ever broken down on me.
The fiat I was driving broke down on my mum
I have however, of my own stupidity managed to run out of petrol. It was my first car and I was low on funds, but desperate to take it out for a quick blast.
I quickly learned what a bad idea it was to run out of petrol in a car with power steering :S
The fiat I was driving broke down on my mum
I have however, of my own stupidity managed to run out of petrol. It was my first car and I was low on funds, but desperate to take it out for a quick blast.
I quickly learned what a bad idea it was to run out of petrol in a car with power steering :S
)No real failures or horrors of note. Astra clutch cable broke on the way to work once, nice AA man had the hindsight to pick one up from a factors on the way to me and fit it there and then. I gave him some beer tokens.
Apart from that (touch wood) I've managed to get the car home before calling the AA.
Apart from that (touch wood) I've managed to get the car home before calling the AA.
Hmmmmm...
Humpback narrow bridge just outside Kirkliston, 8:15am and its a commuter shortcut...car died as just about to go round a corner, killing the PAS and almost putting me in a hedge beside the bridge.
Later the same day, St Johns Road, Edinburgh, rush hour...one of the busiest roads out of Edinburgh. Spent 2.5 hours in a Magnet Kitchens car park waiting on the RAC who fitted a new coil pack on the spot.
A90 southbound, just before Stracathro Hospital / Services, couple of days after xmas, snow everywhere. Called AA, they sent a local guy in a low loader who was only keen on recovering me to his garage for a fat fee. Bit of jiggery pokery and got it going again, crawled home.
Humpback narrow bridge just outside Kirkliston, 8:15am and its a commuter shortcut...car died as just about to go round a corner, killing the PAS and almost putting me in a hedge beside the bridge.
Later the same day, St Johns Road, Edinburgh, rush hour...one of the busiest roads out of Edinburgh. Spent 2.5 hours in a Magnet Kitchens car park waiting on the RAC who fitted a new coil pack on the spot.
A90 southbound, just before Stracathro Hospital / Services, couple of days after xmas, snow everywhere. Called AA, they sent a local guy in a low loader who was only keen on recovering me to his garage for a fat fee. Bit of jiggery pokery and got it going again, crawled home.
1st time, returning back to base after the weekends leave pass- I needed to be back before curfew(sp?), I broke down on the Reading junction on the M4 with a couple of hours to spare. I was late and got a b
king.
2nd time, driving past Abingdon the alternator on my trusty 1.6astra packed up. Things started dying off one thing at a time, first to go was the stereo, second was the heater, third was the wipers- in heavy rain approaching a roundabout, I had to do an Ace Ventura around it to pull over safely
3rd time, taking a really hot chick out- I had been working up to asking her out for weeks, ttting fuel pump gave up on the way to the restaurant. We waited for about 50mins for the AA, by which point the car had cured itself but we turned around just incase it did it again 
4th time, head gasket on the AX GT near Oxford
5th time, head gasket on the MG Midget
6th time, head gasket on the Manta
7th time, pot hole fked my Clio up- dent in the roof and a huge camber on the NSF wheel
8th time, ignition harness on the RS Turbo
There was a point in my life where I got written to by the AA telling me they were going to bring their 'fair play' policy of 3 call outs per year into effect.
Haven't broken down in about 8 years now....
Karma is going to bite me now.
king. 2nd time, driving past Abingdon the alternator on my trusty 1.6astra packed up. Things started dying off one thing at a time, first to go was the stereo, second was the heater, third was the wipers- in heavy rain approaching a roundabout, I had to do an Ace Ventura around it to pull over safely
3rd time, taking a really hot chick out- I had been working up to asking her out for weeks, t
tting fuel pump gave up on the way to the restaurant. We waited for about 50mins for the AA, by which point the car had cured itself but we turned around just incase it did it again 4th time, head gasket on the AX GT near Oxford
5th time, head gasket on the MG Midget
6th time, head gasket on the Manta
7th time, pot hole f
ked my Clio up- dent in the roof and a huge camber on the NSF wheel8th time, ignition harness on the RS Turbo
There was a point in my life where I got written to by the AA telling me they were going to bring their 'fair play' policy of 3 call outs per year into effect.
Haven't broken down in about 8 years now....
Karma is going to bite me now.
1st time, returning back to base after the weekends leave pass- I needed to be back before curfew(sp?), I broke down on the Reading junction on the M4 with a couple of hours to spare. I was late and got a bking.
2nd time, driving past Abingdon the alternator on my trusty 1.6astra packed up. Things started dying off one thing at a time, first to go was the stereo, second was the heater, third was the wipers- in heavy rain approaching a roundabout, I had to do an Ace Ventura around it to pull over safely
3rd time, taking a really hot chick out- I had been working up to asking her out for weeks, ttting fuel pump gave up on the way to the restaurant. We waited for about 50mins for the AA, by which point the car had cured itself but we turned around just incase it did it again
4th time, head gasket on the AX GT near Oxford
5th time, head gasket on the MG Midget
6th time, head gasket on the Manta
7th time, pot hole fked my Clio up- dent in the roof and a huge camber on the NSF wheel
8th time, ignition harness on the RS Turbo
There was a point in my life where I got written to by the AA telling me they were going to bring their 'fair play' policy of 3 call outs per year into effect.
Haven't broken down in about 8 years now....
Karma is going to bite me now.
king. 2nd time, driving past Abingdon the alternator on my trusty 1.6astra packed up. Things started dying off one thing at a time, first to go was the stereo, second was the heater, third was the wipers- in heavy rain approaching a roundabout, I had to do an Ace Ventura around it to pull over safely
3rd time, taking a really hot chick out- I had been working up to asking her out for weeks, t
tting fuel pump gave up on the way to the restaurant. We waited for about 50mins for the AA, by which point the car had cured itself but we turned around just incase it did it again 4th time, head gasket on the AX GT near Oxford
5th time, head gasket on the MG Midget
6th time, head gasket on the Manta
7th time, pot hole f
ked my Clio up- dent in the roof and a huge camber on the NSF wheel8th time, ignition harness on the RS Turbo
There was a point in my life where I got written to by the AA telling me they were going to bring their 'fair play' policy of 3 call outs per year into effect.
Haven't broken down in about 8 years now....
Karma is going to bite me now.
wombat172a said:
Currently I'm sat on a church wall, waiting for the AA to come and help me once again. My location this time is south merton and it's not a very impressive place to be honest. There doesn't even appear to be a pub or a bar, and the AA have estimated 2 hours til arrival.
So I'm now reflecting on all of previous breakdowns, most have been strewn across the country on motorways and a roads, as well as the odd town centre at a j junction or somewhere inconvenient. But the most memorable has to be in nurburg.
Does anyone have any stories they'd like to share to help me pass the time?
My T5 'let go' on the Autobahn in Germany at about 140mph. Huge cloud of black oil. Managed to limp it off the motorway (about 10 miles @ 100mph) where it took some work to keep it from stalling (Auto..) and through the back roads of the black forest for a further 15-20 miles until we got to our hotel. So I'm now reflecting on all of previous breakdowns, most have been strewn across the country on motorways and a roads, as well as the odd town centre at a j junction or somewhere inconvenient. But the most memorable has to be in nurburg.
Does anyone have any stories they'd like to share to help me pass the time?
Thank God for European AA cover - brilliant service.
The rest of the holiday was completed in a Vauxhall Astra CDTI and VW Passat TDI130. Converted me to diesel temporarily.
The only time: About 10 metres from my house pulling out Close where I live. BANG snapped drive shaft.
Not a big deal, shoved car back down close on to curb so people could get passed easily.
However, someone took a distain to the 1-2 days it sat there before I towed it somewhere to replace drive shaft, the feckers keyed the drivers door.
Not a big deal, shoved car back down close on to curb so people could get passed easily.
However, someone took a distain to the 1-2 days it sat there before I towed it somewhere to replace drive shaft, the feckers keyed the drivers door.
The Clutch went on the Vectra whilst pulling up to a set of busy traffic lights, spent 30 seconds waiting for them to change thinking what fk am I going to do. luckily when I let the hand break off the car (slowly) began to roll forwards. I managed to cost into a nearby petrol garage much to the disgust of the person behind me.
k am I going to do. luckily when I let the hand break off the car (slowly) began to roll forwards. I managed to cost into a nearby petrol garage much to the disgust of the person behind me. My knackered old Primera developed a leak from the radiator on the M6. Fortunately I was able to pull into Knutsford services, albeit in a cloud of steam, and drink some overpriced tea whilst waiting for the RAC.
The only other time it broke down was outside my house - it had a knack for picking good moments I guess.
The only other time it broke down was outside my house - it had a knack for picking good moments I guess.
Ah I meant the area around south merton train station (mearest landmark I know I'm afraid0.
Some great stories here chaps!
Oh, and the AA have excelled themselves once again. From phone call to driving away, must have been less than 90 minutes. I think this is the 4th time this year I've had to call them out, once day I'll be black listed I'm sure!
Some great stories here chaps!
Oh, and the AA have excelled themselves once again. From phone call to driving away, must have been less than 90 minutes. I think this is the 4th time this year I've had to call them out, once day I'll be black listed I'm sure!
1st time, Punto's gearbox gave up on the slip road up to the M606 out of Cleckheaton. Luckily it was a Saturday so I wasn't in any particular rush to get anywhere
2nd time, Focus wheel bearing collapsed pulling out of a petrol station near work. Luckily work had an empty garage I could store the car in overnight, though unfortunately I took the wing mirror off when reversing the car back out of the garage!
2nd time, Focus wheel bearing collapsed pulling out of a petrol station near work. Luckily work had an empty garage I could store the car in overnight, though unfortunately I took the wing mirror off when reversing the car back out of the garage!
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