Cars where performing a task that's usually a piece of piss but on this car it's actually a total pain in the arse

[warren t claim]

A counter thread to my other.

Let's start with headlamp bulbs. To replace a bulb on my Ioniq I had to put it on a ramp, remove both the front wheel and arch liner before doing a decent impression of Katie Price's gynecologist to replace a £45 headlamp bulb.

[Christine]

Oil filter on a Honda hrv vtec 1.6

[Marina door handles]

Not necessarily the easiest task to start with but replacing an alternator on a Mazda MX3 (not 5!) was a right pain as it was buried behind the transverse engine in a fairly snug engine bay, you had to remove a section of exhaust and drop it out of the bottom of the car as there wasn't space to get it up and out between the bulkhead and the back of the engine!  FFS! 

[eddyramrod]

  On 24/08/2024 at 19:58, warren t claim said:

a £45 headlamp bulb.

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WTF?????

[warren t claim]

  On 24/08/2024 at 20:10, eddyramrod said:

WTF?????

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Yep.

[bigfella2]

I think Mégane 225's have a couple, to replace starter motor - firstly remove engine.

Secondly I can't remember if it's headlight bulbs or fog bulbs - firstly remove bumper.

I've not owned one but surely that's never right.

[warren t claim]

Isn't swapping the spark plugs on a V6 Espace an engine out job?

[stuboy]

rear bank of spark plugs on v6 duratec ford, hyper mobility and many knuckle fitments

[IronStar]

Seat Leon Cupra - to replace the bulb, remove the bumper. 
Any BMW equipped with N47/N57 - remove entire engine to access the chain.

Absolutely anything you need to do except an oil change on F01/02 750i engine. Step 1 - drop the engine.

Anything that requires dropping the subframe on Mk2 Galaxy as some fuckwit decided that it’s a good idea to bolt completely inaccessible PAS(?) pump to it.

Rear suspension on Alfa 156. Those long rear bolts are always seized solid and next to impossible to remove.

Any car that doesn’t have access hatch for fuel pump and requires you to drop the tank. 

[bigstraight6]

  On 24/08/2024 at 19:58, warren t claim said:

A counter thread to my other.

Let's start with headlamp bulbs. To replace a bulb on my Ioniq I had to put it on a ramp, remove both the front wheel and arch liner before doing a decent impression of Katie Price's gynecologist to replace a £45 headlamp bulb.

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Fuck that (not in relation to Katie Price lower cave area’s) any motor that needs that level of work just to replace a headlamp bulb is ridiculous.

[IronStar]

Handbrake cables on Alfa 159. Entire fucking interior from central console back needs to come out as they ran it through the interior rather than drop it under the car. 

[warren t claim]

  On 24/08/2024 at 20:30, IronStar said:

Handbrake cables on Alfa 159. Entire fucking interior from central console back needs to come out as they ran it through the interior rather than drop it under the car. 

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And from the same family. Handbrake cable on an Alfasud.

[IronStar]

  On 24/08/2024 at 20:32, warren t claim said:

And from the same family. Handbrake cable on an Alfasud.

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What was wrong with normality routed cable on 156, and why did they have to change it? It just needed one more mounting point, and not to be held in by a plastic clip.  

[IronStar]

Not sure of this one qualifies, but also firmly under “wtf, why” category - exterior door handles on Saxo are held in by two rivets. Bigger than what you can do with basic riveting tool ofc, so you need a fancy one. 

[M'coli]

Replacing the water pump on the iconc Lotus Twin Cam meant lifting the cylinder heid!

[bigfella2]

  On 24/08/2024 at 20:41, IronStar said:

Not sure of this one qualifies, but also firmly under “wtf, why” category - exterior door handles on Saxo are held in by two rivets. Bigger than what you can do with basic riveting tool ofc, so you need a fancy one. 

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Same as Berlingo, infact I think they use the same door handles.

[artdjones]

Removing the brake servo on a Mk1 Sevel van. First line in that section of the manual? Remove power unit.

Thermostats and egr valves on VAG CR  engines. Buried under lots of other stuff.

Thermostats on the Audi 2.5 V6 TDi. Remove the whole front end onto the service position, then remove the timing belt, although some say just slackening the belt off will allow it to be extracted.

[SiC]

The distributor on an MGB is a pain in the arse to get to.

[artdjones]

Removing the starter motor on PSA DV6 Hdi engines. Whoch are also in lots of Ford cars and vans 

[83C]

Citroen C5 rear disc and pad change, with the need to remove the split alloy rear calipers, which probably means the steel through bolts will shear through bimetallic corrosion. This will also mean a Lexia unit is required to bleed the brakes, which have probably entailed fitting new calipers and brake lines as well. Ask me how I know…

Sticking with the friction theme, requiring a 50t press to split Transit Mk6/7 front hubs to change the disc. Why?

[captain_cal]

Apparently first step to changing a clutch on a 944 is to remove the back box.

[83C]

KV6 - the plastic pipe to the thermostat that sits in the V and either requires full inlet manifold removal or a carefree attitude to blood loss for getting hands in there to remove and refit.

[Ghosty]

  On 24/08/2024 at 20:05, Christine said:

Oil filter on a Honda hrv vtec 1.6

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Not that bad a job? Yes it's in a slightly daft place on the back of the block under the inlet, but access isn't massively awkward. Crack it off when you're draining the sump.

  

  On 24/08/2024 at 20:59, captain_cal said:

Apparently first step to changing a clutch on a 944 is to remove the back box.

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Yes, because the gearbox is at the back...

[DSdriver]

Citroen SM front brake pads, not sure if there's been a workaround but you may still need to remove the engine to change them. Mind you, if they are anything like the front pads on the DS they are effing huge and last forever.

Changing the starter motor on the DS is always a joy, mounted as it is under the exhaust manifold.

[warren t claim]

Rover P6 rear pad replacement?

[sutty2006]

DAF was good for this one. 
 

replace wiper blades. 
 

step 1. Disconnect battery. 
 

 

 

 

 

in fact, every job on a DAF truck if you did it by the book, the technical manual tells you to disconnect the batteries. Even the small jobs. EVERYTHING. 

[Asimo]

2019 Dacia Duster. (Wife’s)

Electric windows. They won’t work unless the engine is running. So if one is open when I park it, then I have to go find the (keyless) dongle thing, get in and press the brake pedal, start the engine and only then can I close the window.

 

[Bren]

Oil filter on 16v 1.9 GM/ fiat diesel is a PITA to get at.

[twosmoke300]

  On 24/08/2024 at 20:05, Christine said:

Oil filter on a Honda hrv vtec 1.6

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Christ ! If only all tasks on cars were that difficult *

[somewhatfoolish]

Starter motor on the Corsa B dizzler caused many swears. The alternator wasn't much less sweary.