Bought a new car

AT I am starting to think you phone your mechanic like Ned Flanders calls the Reverend.

He must be delighted.
 
la toilette said:
Maybe a good coat would have done the trick ;). I used to work in the rain unless it was so heavy that I couldn't carry out the task effectively - mind you, I can't say I enjoyed it. Bit different if you're cutting lawns though I suppose, doesn't work well when it's pissing down does it..
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NO.

It doesn't I'm afraid.

Customers tell you to go home.....and you don't usually take much persuading.

There is a little more to than that....but it was a long story.





(wet weather time losses WAS an issue)




la toilette said:
Self-employed? Did it for 2.5 years, that was enough for me, I'm enjoying steady pay for now, and paid holidays (hooray!). Wouldn't rule out a return to self-employment eventually though, there is something very satisfying about it.
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Yes, there was actually.

Like I say though, there just too many downsides....the accounts not the least of which.
 
I suppose I have none of that, and I hate office jobs as I get bored easily, but now I am driving hopefully there will be some better paid oppurtunities out there once the current climate has reached its peak.
 
Anyway time to stop worrying about the car and time to start worrying about where I will be living this time next year

The car if you don't sort the overfill out, cos it won't be going anywhere!
 
OK thanks I will take it to another garage and then ask them to do it. I tried to park the car on the pavement before to see if I can get my hand under but the sump is in a real tricky place without a ramp.
 
Drive it in first everywhere, you'll soon burn off the excess oil.
 
amazingtrade said:
OK thanks I will take it to another garage and then ask them to do it. I tried to park the car on the pavement before to see if I can get my hand under but the sump is in a real tricky place without a ramp.
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AT, I go to the extent of asking any mechanic I use if he fills to the mark. One didn't and I asked him to drain the excess off.....which didn't amuse him......but I ve spoken to enough people in the know to convince me.

I don't know how it works or why it causes such a lot of strain internally but those who have expressed an opnion have expressed a pretty strong one.
 
David, your humor chip faulty or something?

Also I am starting to wish I had a 'mechanic' sounds like everyone has one.
 
OK I best go to a different garage though. Now what is making me wonder is my mechanic insisted he put in the exact amount it says in his book, the same bloke as serviced my dads engine for the past year and its never had any engine problems at all.

However both Fiestas have exactly the same engine, mine has a smaller dip stick than my dads, so I am now questioning that the dip stick on my car has been replaced with the wrong kind?

The car is no longer smoking at all. I assume since both cars have the same engine and both had exactly the same oil put in recently it would be save to put my dads dip stick in mine and see what it says?

I could ring Ford and ask about the dip stick differences but I doubt they will know, my dads is an R reg mine is an N reg but according to the VIN they are both 1996 builds.

I habe no idea who to take it to because all the garages we used to do have been sacked due to the following:-

Garage A - Faked emisions on my dads MOT (old escort), told us excessive fuel consumption had been fixed it was a faulty valve, but when we got the emisions the engine size reported was completly different! continued to burn excessive fuel.

Garage B - Up himself and when he say my dads escort said "omg what cowboy has been working on this" he then charged us £250 for new coil pack, HT leads, plugs etc etc still continued to run rich

Garage C - Suggested we needed a new ECU which I found laughable as the car drove perfectly.

My uncle then looks at it and discovered the problem was two burnt valves - none of the above garages spotted that and we spent nealry £600 trying to fix the problem - escort was scrapped in the end.

All the rest are dodgy. I just wish i could find the bolt myself, but not being able to get under the engine its impossible.

David as I understand it too much oil can cause the piston rings and valve steam seals to fail but also cause damage to the cat etc.

The fact remains my mechanic insists he put the exact right amount in, me and my dad both have the same engines at the same year, his dip stick is larger and showed just under full when the oil was changed (by same bloke) mine is smaller and is showing above fill yet both engines are identical and both the same year build.

When I came off my long drive there was no smoke at all even if you looked closely so you would think by now the rings would have been warn and it would be pouring out blue smoke?

Sorry for the long post :).
 
If your mecnhanic usually gives good service why not go back to him...maybe he made a mistake. (Emphasise the point you 're a bit of stickler for detail...or mates have suggested this thing....could he go along with it?)

In my experince f*rd main dealers are interested only in getting your car in for booking, to replace an xyz.......for £zillion ......they're knowledge when you phone them up has not been impressive in ME.

I woiuld be astonished if they knew dip differences.....only (maybe) that there IS a dipstick.
 
Re my old escort....

This was a rare "75" turbo diesel.

It suddenly decided that the turbo wasn't going to work half the time......and beleive me...you DID notice the difference.

Three main delaers were just interested in taking the vehicle off the raod for three days......but didn't have ******* clue what it was. Three days lost work then wasn't tenable.

The origional seller (minsterly vans ...good people)...the guy who sold me the van told me to go to a guy down Bridgnorth way; this was about 30 miles south of me. He's a diesel specialist.

Alan (of minsterly vans) IIRC guessed the problem to be a faulty fuel pump solenoid (again IIRC).....apparantly they are notorious on mid/high mile diesel essies.

I nursed it down there (by now it was VERY sick).

The guy down there new instantly the problem (the solenoid ticks if faulty....it was ticking away merrily).......fixed it in HALF AN HOUR. It told me to go and drive it around for 1/4 hour .....then come back and pay him!

(£100 I think......by that time I didn't care)



The point of the tale is...no I'm no too impressed with f**d main dealers.
 
AT are you still gibbing on about 5mm of oil, get over it man.
 
For complicated problems, particularly with older cars, it pays to have a good indie to hand. They instantly know what the common problems are and so immediately don't need a two hour faff (sorry, diagnostic) period.

Case in point, my old BMW 6 series was p**sing petrol everywhere, took it into my local dealer who couldn't diagnose the problem. Rang my local specialist who diagnosed the problem down the 'phone. It was still an expensive fix but, was done with the minimum of fuss and labour.

Get a good specialist, and you're laughing.
 
I had an old 528i it deceptively looked the nuts in pimp gold but cost a fortune to run. It got hooked on the meth-amphetamine of the motor world - "Dampstart", before some chav stole it in its latterly uninsured form with a crane!
I used an independent BMW specialist, and they actually tried to keep the bill down and suggest various strategies. Its first fix was a new camshaft - as my brother who I bought it off must have ragged it - ...should of sold it. At least I know what a worn camshaft sounds like now.
 
Yes

I looked at an E plate 320 a few years back.

A local oldish gent had had it.....30000 miles or some hting.

I would have loved it.

Like you say though I don't doibt the bills would have been bad.....
 

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