In an effort to reduce my domestic responsibilities a while ago I entrusted the servicing and MoTing of Mrs H's Citroen C3 to a local independent. They would pick the car up when we were on hols. and return it with a bill. Things went pear-shaped when they rang her when we were abroad and said the car needed discs and pads and a pair of tyres to pass its MoT. I disagreed about the brakes and intervened and the relationship with the garage went terminal.
Put some tyres on, skip a year or two and the car really was due discs and pads and also due for new long-life spark plugs this week. So the parts duly arrived, but what's this? The last time I looked at a spark plug (on a Briggs-engined mower) it had a hexagon to put a socket on. But the new plugs have a 12-point collar which doesn't match anything I have in my tool box.
Next stop, an email to the supplier chiding him for sending me 'BMW-style' plugs. I got short shrift there and a firm reminder that PSA supply engines to BMW for the Mini. Apologies then.
Off to Halfords and the purchase of the correct socket. Gone is the rubber collar to drag the plug out of its deep recess and it its place a civilised magnet. It's ages since I bought a new tool and it's quite brought a smile to my face. The old plugs were in finger-tight; the new ones have gone in finger-tight plus half-a-turn as shown on the packet.
I'm just reflecting that we've had the car 8 years and I've been caught out by not having the right tool. Anyone know why the change from hex to 12-point? Is it weight-saving, easier to manufacture or just being arkward?
Last edited by: hawkeye on Thu 7 Jun 18 at 12:07
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Citroen C3 - VTi 95 - just discovered ne.. new
Citroen C3 - VTi 95 - just discovered .. new