Focus TDCi
More specifically my Clio. Flick to the photos if you want.
Had a family meal this weekend in Blackpool, to celebrate a relatives 70th birthday. I set off with my brother from Manchester early Saturday afternoon and met up with my cousin near Bolton to convoy across. Pulled into a petrol station and waited while my cousin filled up and then turned the key to start the engine - nothing, not even a splutter. Gave it a minute and all was fine, it felt a bit hesistant in first gear and a small puff of white smoke, but I assumed it was just clearing something out.
Five minutes driving and it was idling incredibly rough, massive vibrations through the steering wheel and gearstick. We pulled up to pick up another relative, so took the chance to pop the bonnet up. Everything appeared to be fine, but I topped up the coolant just in case, as it was a little on the low side. Admittedly at this point something should have clicked, as I'd previously had issues with coolant levels; more on that later.
Set off once more through the streets of Bolton and things seemed to be better, so decided that it would be alright to go on the motorway. This time we made it as far as the M6/M55 split heading up towards Lancaster to meet up with more of the family. Cruising along at 70mph when all of a sudden the temperature gauge hits the roof and the revs get kicked back from ~4000 to ~3000rpm (the fabled limp mode). Moved across to the first lane and slowed to 45mph hoping to limp to the next junction. The temperature dropped a few notches, but still high. Turns out we'd chosen the UK's furthest junction to crawl to; I kid, but it really was miles away. (Incidentally who in their right mind sits behind somebody doing 45mph on a motorway? We had a queue of 10 cars behind me, nada common sense some people).
Eventually made it into the services before junction 33 to be greeted with this:
All over the engine bay, fan whirring away at top speed and generally looking sorry for itself. To cut an already lengthy story a bit short.. Clearly we weren't going anywhere in it, so jumped in my cousin's car and headed off for the meal, being short on time. Arrived back the next day and waited for the RAC to come out.
Diagnosed as head gasket failure (kudos to ^Jonff^ for predicting that one
). To be honest it didn't come as a surprise, as it had already partly gone earlier in the year, to be repaired with K-seal and the signs were there again. It had been running fine in-between though. Luckily my parents who are currently lapping up the sun in Corfu had the foresight to take out a decent family breakdown policy and we got a free tow home to Manchester:
(Sorry for poor photo - w995 + spot metering + black car = fuzzy grey car!)
So in conclusion, I've pretty much had it with the car. What takes the biscuit is the fact it cost me £400 to get it through an MOT the day previous to the trip. I know if I do it myself it won't cost too much to fix, but it's just one thing after another, got a list as long as my arm of parts that have been replaced. Could have had a ph-quick with the money I've wasted fixing it. If somebody were to offer me something for it, I'd honestly have no second thoughts about getting shot of it. It's a fun car to drive, but it's obviously an absolute dog of a car.
Don't know where to go now.. fix the Clio, or get another unreliable old banger? I don't know! It's sat on my drive, but have very little money to replace it. :dapprove: Sorry for the long write-up, it's just incredibly frustrating.
Had a family meal this weekend in Blackpool, to celebrate a relatives 70th birthday. I set off with my brother from Manchester early Saturday afternoon and met up with my cousin near Bolton to convoy across. Pulled into a petrol station and waited while my cousin filled up and then turned the key to start the engine - nothing, not even a splutter. Gave it a minute and all was fine, it felt a bit hesistant in first gear and a small puff of white smoke, but I assumed it was just clearing something out.
Five minutes driving and it was idling incredibly rough, massive vibrations through the steering wheel and gearstick. We pulled up to pick up another relative, so took the chance to pop the bonnet up. Everything appeared to be fine, but I topped up the coolant just in case, as it was a little on the low side. Admittedly at this point something should have clicked, as I'd previously had issues with coolant levels; more on that later.
Set off once more through the streets of Bolton and things seemed to be better, so decided that it would be alright to go on the motorway. This time we made it as far as the M6/M55 split heading up towards Lancaster to meet up with more of the family. Cruising along at 70mph when all of a sudden the temperature gauge hits the roof and the revs get kicked back from ~4000 to ~3000rpm (the fabled limp mode). Moved across to the first lane and slowed to 45mph hoping to limp to the next junction. The temperature dropped a few notches, but still high. Turns out we'd chosen the UK's furthest junction to crawl to; I kid, but it really was miles away. (Incidentally who in their right mind sits behind somebody doing 45mph on a motorway? We had a queue of 10 cars behind me, nada common sense some people).
Eventually made it into the services before junction 33 to be greeted with this:
All over the engine bay, fan whirring away at top speed and generally looking sorry for itself. To cut an already lengthy story a bit short.. Clearly we weren't going anywhere in it, so jumped in my cousin's car and headed off for the meal, being short on time. Arrived back the next day and waited for the RAC to come out.
Diagnosed as head gasket failure (kudos to ^Jonff^ for predicting that one
). To be honest it didn't come as a surprise, as it had already partly gone earlier in the year, to be repaired with K-seal and the signs were there again. It had been running fine in-between though. Luckily my parents who are currently lapping up the sun in Corfu had the foresight to take out a decent family breakdown policy and we got a free tow home to Manchester:(Sorry for poor photo - w995 + spot metering + black car = fuzzy grey car!)
So in conclusion, I've pretty much had it with the car. What takes the biscuit is the fact it cost me £400 to get it through an MOT the day previous to the trip. I know if I do it myself it won't cost too much to fix, but it's just one thing after another, got a list as long as my arm of parts that have been replaced. Could have had a ph-quick with the money I've wasted fixing it. If somebody were to offer me something for it, I'd honestly have no second thoughts about getting shot of it. It's a fun car to drive, but it's obviously an absolute dog of a car.
Don't know where to go now.. fix the Clio, or get another unreliable old banger? I don't know! It's sat on my drive, but have very little money to replace it. :dapprove: Sorry for the long write-up, it's just incredibly frustrating.
