Car breakdowns : your stories .

[marty21]

Dull breakdown last Sunday , flat battery, my local garage told me the battery was shagged.

 

[waxoyl]

IN my camper van on holiday in whitby parked on the sea front.was just heading home early morning bank holiday to beat the traffic my spring plate broke.complete
back suspension gone. so 3 hour wait for break down to arrive. 4 hour journey took 7 hours to get home. thats the fun of driving a van from the 70s. the poor break
down drivers first week in the job. his boss was telling him its only a 4 hour job tops.

 

[Riklet]

Broke down properly for the first time the other day. My car has been pretty reliable for going on a year and a half otherwise.

Lost all power when pulling out and turning right. Was trying to be nippy but there was a sound and then ended up stuck in the middle of the road on a Sunday night. Great fun. 2 girls helped push me though and I had breakdown cover too.

Luckily I live next to a great lil garage and they had me fixed by the following evening for only 120 quid. Turns out my drive shaft had totally stapped in half... apparently this can happen on older civics (mine has 138k on it too). Fingers crossed the banger will soldier on!

 

[sovereignb]

Gutted that the Mazda 3 ive had for 10 years broke down on me last week. I wasnt aware of any underlying conditions...it just made a sound as if something had dropped out and then lost all power. Turning over but nothing happening. Managed to pull over and park on double red line. Quick tow in the morning and mechanic seems to think something dropped out of the engine block. Its 15 year old car but only on 95k which is reasonable...always thought the little bugger would go further. Not sure its worth hassle of trying to get a second opinion or just cut my losses?

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Gutted that the Mazda 3 ive had for 10 years broke down on me last week. I wasnt aware of any underlying conditions...it just made a sound as if something had dropped out and then lost all power. Turning over but nothing happening. Managed to pull over and park on double red line. Quick to tow in the morning and mechanic seems to think something dropped out of the engine block. Its 15 year old car but only on 95k which is reasonable...always thought the little bugger would go further. Not sure its worth hassle of trying to get a second opinion or just cut my losses?

How much had he quoted?

 

[sovereignb]

How much had he quoted?

Definitely not worth a new engine, 2nd hand id be looking around £700 - 900 incl fitting

 

[Roadkill]

At a forest stage of the RAC rally in Scotland in 1988. The stage had finished and the next one was miles away the following day, so I decided I was going to have a bash at the stage in my Golf GTI. I was doing fine, until the sump hit a rock and the oil light came on. I'd bent the sump and put a hole in it, and the cast aluminium oil pickup pipe had snapped off in the sump.
I had to borrow a mate's car, drive 350 miles back to Manchester, take the sump and oil pump from an old engine, drive back to Scotland, and carry out an extremely cold and wet repair... Deep joy!

1988 was one of the really snowy years, wasn't it. Bad luck...

 

[Roadkill]

Talbot Samba - on its last legs but still going, although I had limited confidence in whether it would get through its upcoming MoT
Pull away from junction, change up, and...
BANG!
For a moment I thought the gearbox had self-destructed, then realised I still had drive but the car sounded like a tank
Pull in at side of road, look underneath, and the exhaust has split clean in half and is resting on the retaining strap
I only drove it the once more - to the garage, where the proprietor (who was a family friend, and therefore did the odd favour) had offered to give it the once-over and see if it was worth fixing the exhaust and putting it in for the MoT. He described it as a 'death trap,' so off to the crusher it went...

 

[Saul Goodman]

1988 was one of the really snowy years, wasn't it. Bad luck...

It was Scotland, so it was either raining or snowing
I probably have some pictures somewhere, but I'm pretty sure there was snow.

 

[Roadkill]

It was Scotland, so it was either raining or snowing
I probably have some pictures somewhere, but I'm pretty sure there was snow.

If you really want to relive the memories, all of the BBC coverage from that year is on YouTube. It was the first event I really followed, and as a small boy I was captivated by all these Scandinavians with unpronounceable names hurling their cars through snowy forests. Markku Alen became my sporting hero overnight...

e2a: if you're really keen, you can probably work out exactly where it happened too. The 1988 route isn't on Rally Maps but the 1989 one - which was pretty much the same - is.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Definitely not worth a new engine, 2nd hand id be looking around £700 - 900 incl fitting

God its a hard one. And sums up my motoring really. If the rest of the car is good I'd be inclined to pay as other cheap cars could come with their own issues. Nothing is certain on cars this age though.

 

[spanglechick]

I used to drive (from 1996-2001) a 1988 mini. It was a brilliant little car, but had a catastrophic tendency to overheat if stuck in traffic.

Unfortunately, in 2000 I started commuting into Docklands via the Blackwall tunnel - and around 7.45am this provides thew motorist with all the opportunities to be stuck in traffic they could wish for. I had a flat overlooking the A2 in Bexleyheath at the time, and I worked shifts (cinemas) so public transport wasn't a viable long-term option.

One time it overheated, I was able to steer it onto the hard shoulder. While I waited for the rediator to cool down enough to be topped up, I rested my head against the driver's window and may have had a teeny nap, to be awoken by a copper, knocking on the window. Someone had phoned in a report, and they were worried I was in need of medical treatment. Which told me. No sleeping in your car!

The second time it happened I was on the downward incline into the tunnel itself, so there was no hard shoulder and all I could do was put my hazards on and wait. Unsurprisingly, the police came that time too. It didn't happen again, but I don't remember getting it fixed. Maybe I was just lucky after that, and I changed jobs at the end of 2000 anyway.

My third car was also a classic mini, and that also used to overheat like a bastard. I loved both those cars, but I don't miss that feeling of dread growing as the traffic slows down around you.

 

[sovereignb]

God its a hard one. And sums up my motoring really. If the rest of the car is good I'd be inclined to pay as other cheap cars could come with their own issues. Nothing is certain on cars this age though.

Too true! I really dont trust the hi tech electrics of these new cars. Mechanics always told me keep this one as shes strong and new cars can be a pain I always said id run her into the ground before I get rid...I guess this is it. Just spoke to him and hes saying at least 1000k total to sort. I get your logic but my heart is telling me to let go. Really is the end of an era
However, in these non social days its probably the best time to lose a car if its gonna happen.

 

[Roadkill]

I used to drive (from 1996-2001) a 1988 mini. It was a brilliant little car, but had a catastrophic tendency to overheat if stuck in traffic

Hmm. About the only thing my 1983 Mini didn't do was overheat!

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Too true! I really dont trust the hi tech electrics of these new cars. Mechanics always told me keep this one till she goes cuz as she is pretty strong. I always said id run her into the ground before i get rid...i guess this is it. I just spoke to him and hes saying at least 1000k total to sort. I get your logic but my heart is telling me to let go. Really is the end of an era
However, in these non social days its probably the best time to lose a car if its gonna happen.

Tbf even 15 year old cars have their share of electronics, but I take your point. I had similar situation last year. Ended up ditching and buying another one. Its in the garage Monday.

 

[sovereignb]

Tbf even 15 year old cars have their share of electronics, but I take your point. I had similar situation last year. Ended up ditching and buying another one. Its in the garage Monday.

Apologies but hope its not too costly for you

So regrets then?

I honestly think my car gave in because I brought a bicycle into the house and have been using her more so. Be interesting to see how the next few months without a car goes.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Apologies but hope its not too costly for you

So regrets then?

I honestly think my car gave in because I brought a bicycle into the house and have been using her more so. Be interesting to see how the next few months without a car goes.

No its part and parcel of running old cars really. I found myself looking at finance deals earlier, but still think it works out a fair bit cheaper. Provided you don't factor in all the faff time.

 

[Ax^]

OK bit of a preamble and a prologue

so driving my car a bit vigorously managed to break my gear stick on an 2001 astra

just broke the gear stick on my Car..

that would not be so bad but as you can still change gears

it was not the gear stick i broke it was the ball joint that connects the gear stick to the gear selector

manual car with no gears is not so fun..
why would you make these things out of plastic

when you have heavy handed gits like myself driving these cars

what was worse was took me a while to figure out how to get it out of gear so after breaking it i let the car roll down the nearest road
think i'd be able to turn around and go home, road end with a load of sheds, almost broke my back trying to push the car backwards
whilst stuck in gear

figured it out with much swearing and shaking of the fist




thankfully i'm not at work this week

i got out of the situation as lucky near that dead end road was a mechanics who i went to and explained the situation and they issued me
with some cable ties, spent 30 minutes trying to figure out how to mend it with cable ties

but worked out how to get it out of gear so placed it in first and limped out of the private road

the mechanics who upon seeing me again took pity on me and some how managed it cable tied it enough for me to drive it 5 miles home

 

[sovereignb]

No its part and parcel of running old cars really. I found myself looking at finance deals earlier, but still think it works out a fair bit cheaper. Provided you don't factor in all the faff time.

Yeah leasing is an option im gonna look into as well

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Yeah leasing is an option im gonna look into as well

From my two hours at the roadside waiting for recovery it appears skoda have some good packages on the fabia and they seem well reviewed.

 

[sovereignb]

From my two hours at the roadside waiting for recovery it appears skoda have some good packages on the fabia and they seem well reviewed.
[/QUOTE

Well Skoda would I'm all for practical but they lack finesse aesthetically. I have been eyeing up some Volvos though. An updated version of my old one would be nice too.

 

[sovereignb]

From my two hours at the roadside waiting for recovery it

You actually ended up waiting two hours?! I don't think I ever have (last week it was about 50 mins). Thought they always said 2hrs to set expectations low.

 

[MrCurry]

RAC left me beside a motorway in the wind and rain with no shelter for 3 hours once when my motorbike broke down. In the end the police sent one of their contractors out and invoiced it to the RAC.

That experience finished my enthusiasm for motoring assistance cover, and for 25 years I’ve not had any. What does it cost, £50 a year or so? So I’ve saved £1,250 in membership costs and in that time have only had one breakdown where I could have used roadside assistance. Getting towed to a garage cost under £200 so I’ve come out ahead overall.

 

[weltweit]

I have been with the AA since I started on the road, they have done me some great favours over the years wrt prices (massive discounts even a year for free once) - on roadside repair, every time, over the years, I have called them out each time they repaired my vehicle there and then, at the side of the road.

 

[sovereignb]

RAC left me beside a motorway in the wind and rain with no shelter for 3 hours once when my motorbike broke down. In the end the police sent one of their contractors out and invoiced it to the RAC.

That experience finished my enthusiasm for motoring assistance cover, and for 25 years I’ve not had any. What does it cost, £50 a year or so? So I’ve saved £1,250 in membership costs and in that time have only had one breakdown where I could have used roadside assistance. Getting towed to a garage cost under £200 so I’ve come out ahead overall.

This has always been my view with most insurancey things, though I have been using my savings to survive the last few months. Luckily roadside recovery was something I had as part of my car insurance.

 

[19sixtysix]

Owned TVRs since 1998, so not quite sure where to start.

You've survived. That's a good place to start with TVRs. My mate's TVR has tried to kill him a few times.

 

[Sasaferrato]

I was watching something 'smart' motorways last night , which got me into break downs.
I once broke down in a forest at night (near Dunwich, Suffolk) and it took a while for the AA to find me , several phone calls with AA man All he did was bang something with a hammer and the car started

Once on a motorway near Swinton, I was waiting in the sun for the AA , a car with a bunch of lads in it sped past , one of them yelled 'wanker' as they sped past #banter

AA towed me to the nearest garage ,I had basic cover, told me to leave the keys on a wheel .I had to get to a wedding in Clitheroe AA man said he'd drive me until he got a call, and then their systems crashed so he drove me to Clitheroe

Possibly a stuck starter motor.

 

[19sixtysix]

Saw this the other day. An automatic stuck in park blocking the local rat run putting an extra 10 minutes on journey times. Almost looks intentional.

That reminds me of a car in Soho that had open their door at wrong moment and it was now stuck at 90 degrees to the car and the cop was guiding the driver to park as much as possible on pavement so traffic could move again. The large crowd was enjoying the scene.

 

[Sasaferrato]

My mum has always had shit cars so when I graduated she borrowed a mate's to drive from London to Bath. It broke down on at the top of one of those massive hills going into the city (luckily not actually on the hill but on a roundabout leading to it - she wasn't popular ) and the AA fucked about for so long she missed my whole graduation ceremony.

When my daughter was about 1.5, we went to see my granny near Leeds. On the way back to London the car broke down around Nottingham. Daughter developed the raging shits. AA sent someone after a couple of hours who sucked his teeth and said he couldn't help. A few hours later someone else turned up in a tow truck so we drove back to London from Nottingham at 55mph with a squirming shit machine child and a bag of festering nappies.

That's the best oral contraceptive I've ever heard.

 

[Sasaferrato]

Had an MG on the A1, pre mobile phone days, seized the gearbox about 10 metres from a phone box.

Blew the valves in a Rover 800. Got 85 in second, not for long though.

Had a mini steering pack up while trying get to turn left. It just drifted across the road and stopped. Same car broke the sufframe rallying it. Total brake failure in it too.

Had a grey Cortina which started running really roughly, a plug had come out and fallen off the HT lead. Easy fix.

Had a cambelt strip some teeth and lock up the cams smashing them into the cylinders.

Had a cambelt snap (at 40000 miles) Stuck in the hot Andalucía summer sun for 8 hours, no food, no water.

Most recently (last Saturday) car battery failed. But it was 5 or 6 years old. Took 3 hours to get a mechanic and battery sorted out.

There must be other things too but these are the ones that come to mind.

Modern cars protect you from your own folly.

I broke a cam belt on the Autobahn at about 110 mph. Eight new valves. Luckily they didn't come through the block.