Polo for MOT - Cookie's adventures in shiteing

[Cookiesouwest]

Now at the end of the third week and surprise, surprise no phone call as promised, I visited the garage.

Disco parked exactly where it was last week.

Told that the air leak was from a valve on the compressor.

Also told 'It will be next on the ramp mate and I will call you later today when its ready'

Guess what. No call.

Next week will be the 7th week the Disco has been at the garage

 

[andyberg]

Seems local garages really don't give a toss about customer service.

[Cookiesouwest]

2 minutes ago, andyberg said:

Seems local garages really don't give a toss about customer service.

This one really doesn't seem too

 

[RoverFolkUs]

I don't get why some places fob customers off like this, if we're busy we tell you straight up "we're not going to be available to look at it until [x +/- 3 days or so] but if you want to leave it with us until that point, that's fine"

It's then written in the diary for that date and the car is looked at on those days

It really isn't any more complicated than that! I can't understand it at all!

Saying it's going to be done, not doing it then, and not communicating, and continuing to fob you off is just a laughable lack of attention to detail

We had one background job that over-ran by 6 weeks or so than initially projected, we still phoned them with updates as and when appropriate, and gave an estimate of when they can next expect to hear from us, and stick to it! 

10 minutes ago, andyberg said:

Seems local garages really don't give a toss about customer service.

 

7 minutes ago, Cookiesouwest said:

This one really doesn't seem too

 

Sorry to hear that you both are going through this infuriating phenomenon! 

[Cookiesouwest]

Honda is off the naughty step.

After, its diff oil change, the 4wd system has woken up. Still a bit lethargic, not kicking in as quickly as it should, but a def improvement.

Snow proved good for testing

Also the Disco of Doom, is actually in the garage now, for its new compressor and I've arranged to collect Friday.

[Cookiesouwest]

The Disco of Doom, made it home today. Thanks to Andy for the lift.

No warning lights so far.

Garage said drive it for the weekend and if it behaves itself, come back Monday and settle up.

[grogee]

Everything crossed for you @Cookiesouwest. Hope you manage to get some decent mileage at last.

[Cookiesouwest]

Took Mrs C out for a drink today, in the Doom.

All was going well, till we were leaving the last pub.

Non start, no ticking sounds from Starter, no warning lights. And it wouldn't release the key from ignition.

After repeated attempts to start, I released the handbrake (no idea why I thought it would do anything), cranked her and she almost went.

Put handbrake on and the ignition released its vice like grip òn the key.

Mrs C now in tears. She has been seriously ill the last 9 or ten weeks and today was one of the few times, she has been pain free and out of the house. 

We both got out of car, locked her and I tried again.

Same problem, repeated attempts resulted in no crank, till I released handbrake and she rolled back a foot. Held her on brake pedal and then she cranked and fired into life.

She behaved herself for the drive home.

Mrs C suffers from anxiety and will not tolerate a car that let's her down.

So its back to the garage Monday to pay the bill, then enquire what he thinks is wrong this time.

If I can get it to reliably start, it will get a new ticket, then despite the rather massive and painful financial loss ( easily 2k), it will be punted out on FB Marketplace.

 

[fatharris]

Sorry to hear this has been a massive pain in the arse for you mate.

[Cookiesouwest]

1 minute ago, fatharris said:

Sorry to hear this has been a massive pain in the arse for you mate.

Just seems to be a car that doesn't want to behave for me.

Shame, as its (when it works) a bloody good car. I was starting to like it.

But I know that Mrs C, won't change her mind. Every car thats ever let her down,  has been promptly kicked off fleet. Usually the ones that owe me a lot of dosh.

No idea whats out there at the mo as I've (weirdly for me), not been keeping an eye on the market.

But I'm pretty sure I will be getting her a Honda.

I'm happy with my Mondy, even though its powershite auto, so my CRV can also leave fleet, to try and up the available budget.

Want to get her a MK3 CRV, but am open minded. Def needs to be something with a reliable reputation.

 

[andyberg]

That's proper shit mate. I know we all joke about JLR stuff but I really didn't think it was as bad as people made out. How on earth has it managed to do so many miles if it spends most of its time in the garage 🤷 or do owners just put up with the faults? 

 

[Cookiesouwest]

10 minutes ago, andyberg said:

That's proper shit mate. I know we all joke about JLR stuff but I really didn't think it was as bad as people made out. How on earth has it managed to do so many miles if it spends most of its time in the garage 🤷 or do owners just put up with the faults? 

 

Its probably something simple, like car not being in Park properly. Although when I did park up, key came out fine.

So I'm stumped.

Will go speak to garage tomorrow.

Really should have got her a Freelander 2. Not without issues, but probably the most reliable motor with a LR badge on, they ever made.

Oh well, as @Mally (I think), said, you have to be prepared to fist a lot of cash up their ass.

As Mrs C is no longer working and the Doom won't really get used, even if it works ok, its cost per mile each year will be in high two figures.

Plus we are one Salary down, so my leeway for pissing money away on shite is somewhat restricted.

[Bren]

If your other half is seriously ill throw it in the sea. The stress of the running costs / repairs and the spinning the bottle over it's reliability is too much.

You will breathe easier when it's gone.

[Back_For_More]

Ah fuxstix fella..... That really is worse than even I've heard from irate friends with similar JLR products. 

If the missus already has a load on her plate this ungrateful piece of shit needs throwing over the nearest cliff/quarry so it can't add to her woes..... 

Very best of luck.... Not much to say except fingers crossed you get a bit of respite in the coming weeks...... 

[grogee]

My BiL's Disco ownership 'experience' ended similarly and it got ditched despite owing money on it. After a series of rammel he's now cruising like a winnar in your old A4.

I feel your pain with anxious other half, our Espace is now 'cursed' by Mrs Grogee after two relatively minor issues (battery and flaky fuel gauge). But I drove it ~300 miles last week and it was fine. 

Let me know if the Mondeo ever goes up for shale.

[Mally]

2 hours ago, Cookiesouwest said:

Its probably something simple, like car not being in Park properly. Although when I did park up, key came out fine.

So I'm stumped.

Will go speak to garage tomorrow.

Really should have got her a Freelander 2. Not without issues, but probably the most reliable motor with a LR badge on, they ever made.

Oh well, as @Mally (I think), said, you have to be prepared to fist a lot of cash up their ass.

 

Not me, but grateful for the publicity.

[horriblemercedes]

If I've understood it correctly, could it just be a stuck starter motor? Ie worn brushes

[SiC]

Sounds possibly like a starter interlock issue but things have gone skewiff. 

Real shitter it's playing up and costing a fortune. I put them in the same boat (but worse) as Saab/Volvo/etc where they do big miles and owners fall in love with them. So they throw money at them to make them work as they don't want to change the car. 

It's blotted it's copybook and if that happens early on, it's always hard to trust a car again. I've learnt that the hard way and why I now only put money into cars once I know it's a good runner. Otherwise sold/scrapped. 

Understand the anxiety thing as it really kicks me. Especially when you are doing important journys you must do without possibility of a FTP. Often if I'm driving somewhere, I don't want the hassle of a breakdown. Even if just a day out, it screws up that whole day.

I personally think something with a Honda petrol 1.8 N/A is a pretty safe. It's where I put my money and why I paid a lot of money (to me) for our Civic as it's a car we're going to have for 5 to 10 years. That said, we did have it misfire as we just got off the motorway after a 750 odd mile holiday and limped it back. At least it didn't FTP and turned out just needed a (£70) coil pack. Nicely designed engine bay so the coil is literally a 5 minute job to remove. But I have full faith in the car to not cause us trouble.

[Cookiesouwest]

2 hours ago, horriblemercedes said:

If I've understood it correctly, could it just be a stuck starter motor? Ie worn brushes

It could be. If the key had not got stuck in ignition, then starter motor would have been my assumption.

[RoverFolkUs]

Eek, a Land Rover doing what they do best. 

I'm not joking when I tell people to sell them when they've decided to start working for more than 5 minutes! 😂

[Cookiesouwest]

A late update on the Disco of Doom. Visited the garage Monday for a chat. Head mechanic reckons its the car not recognising its in Park, causing the non start issue. Easy fix apparently. 

Car has not done it since - I suspect it knows its on death row, if it gives me anymore shit for awhile.

Mondy decided to be the trouble maker today, although not its fault.

During a visit to Bristol to see Mother, who just got of hospital, front drivers tyre picked up a bolt. That led to rapid deflation.

Put Daughter No.1 to work, jacking the car up.

I bloody hate space savers.

Not that gutted. Both fronts were on the wear markers, so needed replacement anyway.

Two new Kormorans ordered from Asda. Being fitted Tuesday. 

[Cookiesouwest]

Mundano is now on new rubber at the front.

Kormoran. Mid range. Liked them when I fitted them to the Vectra and like them on the Mondy. 

The Disco of Doom, is now farting and still kneeling.

Since the new compressor was fitted, it makes noises like a dump valve, whenever its started. It did not do this before.

Also front suspension still sinks over night. Was assured by the garage that the valve blocks were fine and had been seen to work on live data and the air leak was a valve on the compressor. Which would be fixed with a new compressor.

Well that was bullshit. Given the 9 weeks the garage had it and the 2k I spent, it won't be going back to them.

I will live with the kneeling for now, as so far no more warning lights.

Its MOT is up on the 15th, so its going back to my usual garage for its ticket.

Still can't work out whether I was taken for a ride by the specialist or not.

 

[Cookiesouwest]

The Disco of doom has been parked in the same place for the last week.

Pictorial evidence suggests it has a fluid leak.

My guess? When the garage fitted the new shallow sump, they didn't tighten the bolts correctly.

Its in for MOT on Monday, at my usual trusted garage. I decided not to return to the 'Specialist'.

They can fix it, if anything comes up on MOT.

 

 

[andyberg]

How can a 'specialist' who boasts celebs as his clients get away with such crap workmanship!! Possibly shows how gullible the rich are🤔

Let's hope Parrott doesn't find any bodges underneath 🤞

[Cookiesouwest]

1 hour ago, andyberg said:

How can a 'specialist' who boasts celebs as his clients get away with such crap workmanship!! Possibly shows how gullible the rich are🤔

Let's hope Parrott doesn't find any bodges underneath 🤞

I'm worried that I may have to tell Parrot another garage has worked on the car.

Kinda feels like being unfaithful lol

 

[andyberg]

I reckon he will be ok. At the end of the day it may have been a bit beyond his experience. And you went there because they are experts*

 

* Or not as it turns out

[RoverFolkUs]

I would never take offence if one of our customers took a land rover elsewhere 🤣

[Tubbo]

2 hours ago, Cookiesouwest said:

I'm worried that I may have to tell Parrot another garage has worked on the car.

Kinda feels like being unfaithful lol

 

 

[Cookiesouwest]

1 hour ago, RoverFolkUs said:

I would never take offence if one of our customers took a land rover elsewhere 🤣

You are probably right. He fecking hates them. Told me I was a dick for buying one and wished he hadn't talked me out of the Ford Ranger. Which while bloody awful, would have been better than a Land Rover.

[RoverFolkUs]

Just now, Cookiesouwest said:

You are probably right. He fecking hates them. Told me I was a dick for buying one and wished he hadn't talked me out of the Ford Ranger. Which while bloody awful, would have been better than a Land Rover.

Rangers are ok, engines aside!

Quite a major thing though to be fair!