Non-motoring > Christmas Re-Arranged :-( Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Bromptonaut Replies: 15
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New Sat 23 Dec 23 18:12 
 Christmas Re-Arranged :-( - Bromptonaut
The plan was to go to CAMC Southport in the Caravan from tonight up to the morning of the 28th and then move to Daughter's in laws for a family get together including The Lad and his partner.

Set off this morning with ETA of 14:30. Ignored the Satnav and took the A5/A426 from M1/18 to M1/20 with intention of using the A50. Just on the M1/21 overbridge when the car announces an engine fault with loss of most of its power. Crawled onto the hard shoulder and phoned Britannia Rescue. Agent from a firm called Crouch was there in around 90 minutes. Car on flat bed and, not without some issues, caravan hitched to rear.

Home again back as we started the day by 16:00.

Fault code P0271 - issue with number 4 fuel injector. Initially led up the garden path by battery/alternator suspicions but turns out that the fault code means the fan runs on after engine stop so flattens the battery....

Plan B has us driving to Liverpool tomorrow and staying with son then back here before going up to meet family as planned at end of week.

That's two years on the bounce Christmas has been screwed over; last year Mrs B was in hospital with Pneumonia..
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New Sat 23 Dec 23 18:28 
 Christmas Re-Arranged :-( - smokie
Sorry to hear that, it's certainly a bit of a bummer to say the least!

My tale is less dramatic but the plumber started our bathroom later than hoped and pretty much everything has (through no real fault of his or ours) taken at least twice as long as planned- suffice to say he's literally just left now till Jan 2 and we have no flooring, basin or loo in the bathroom - but at last the shower went live yesterday after about three weeks of strip down washes at the kitchen sink and occasional 10 mile round trips to local daughter's flat for a shower!! (We only have the one bathroom, luckily also a loo downstairs).

We have family staying for a few nights and other visitors during the period so not massively convenient.

Still it is what it is, and at least we're still alive and kicking and looking forward to the festive break!!
Last edited by: smokie on Sat 23 Dec 23 at 18:29
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New Sun 24 Dec 23 09:55 
 Christmas Re-Arranged :-( - RichardW
Bummer..

The Berlingo? Injector failure is common on the 8V engines from 2011 till when the Blue Hdi versions came in. Doing well if you haven't had one done yet! Whilst you could just do the one that has gone duff, might be worth considering biting the cost bullet and doing all 4 to save a bit of labour, and reduce the chance of another trip to the hard shoulder!
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New Sun 24 Dec 23 13:21 
 Christmas Re-Arranged :-( - zippy
Sorry to hear of your vehicular woes Bromp.

Hope the travelling that you do today and the rest of the week is without incident.

(Dad has a Berlingo - converted for wheelchair access for mum. I'll get him to look out for a similar issue, though touch wood - it's been ok on the short runs he does, despite it being a diesel.)
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New Thu 4 Jan 24 11:39 
 Christmas Re-Arranged :-( - Bromptonaut
Broken Berlingo finally picked up this morning and taken to the repair garage. When I rang on 27th today was earliest they could do.

Bit of a faff getting it onto the flatbed as it wouldn't start (it can run but v rough) off the the agent's anaemic battery pack. It flattens it's own battery due to the fault keeping the fan running.

If the guy had rung beforehand, as LV said he would, I could at least have told him the road is tight and he should do a recce before coming in.

Managed to push it into the road and then he returned to approach in reverse.

Waiting for the call to tell me how many £££ a fix will be.
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Thu 4 Jan 24 at 11:40
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New Sat 13 Jan 24 15:30 
 Christmas Re-Arranged :-( - Bromptonaut
And it's back on the road. Picked up on Thursday and after a couple of trips out can confirm it's all good. Total cost c£1350 including supply and fit new battery as the old one was shot after being deep discharged by the fault.

We'll keep it for now but any more issues (it's 10yo and on around 140k miles but we had it from new so history is nailed) and it'll be chopped in for something like a VW Caddy or its Ford cousin or possibly a Superb.
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Sat 13 Jan 24 at 15:30
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New Sat 13 Jan 24 19:11 
 Christmas Re-Arranged :-( - Robin O'Reliant
I share your pain Brompt, for obvious reasons. It is often worth swallowing a large bill for a repair rather than getting rid of an otherwise reliable car and replacing it with an unknown quantity.
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New Sat 13 Jan 24 20:47 
 Christmas Re-Arranged :-( - Bromptonaut
>> It is often worth swallowing a large
>> bill for a repair rather than getting rid of an otherwise reliable car and replacing
>> it with an unknown quantity.

Absolutely. Known cost stuff like exhausts, clutches etc and even gearboxes are just what you have to put up with.

It's when you've a problem neither you nor the techs can bottom out that care is needed to avoid chucking ever increasing sums into the money pit....
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New Sat 13 Jan 24 21:06 
 Christmas Re-Arranged :-( - Runfer D'Hills
I’m sure I saw an interview with Mike Brewer (a much nicer and more eloquent guy in “real life” it would seem than his on screen persona would suggest) a while back in which he was saying that its almost always cheaper and wiser to fix and keep a car, provided it is structurally sound, than to sell and replace it. He was of course also saying that because a lot of people don’t or won’t do that it has provided him with a very good living trading in used cars that are relatively easily fixed and made ready for their next owner.
Last edited by: Runfer D'Hills on Sat 13 Jan 24 at 21:07
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New Sat 13 Jan 24 22:47 
 Christmas Re-Arranged :-( - Zero
Nah, it's always best to dump your wagon, and buy the one the 9ne that someone has spent an arm and leg on following Mike Brewers advice and got P***ed off with
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New Sun 14 Jan 24 07:29 
 Christmas Re-Arranged :-( - Mr Moo
Was that basically four new injectors Bromp? Or did it need a fuel pump too?

If that’s the first big bill in your ownership, that’s pretty good going. I suppose for many folks these days, £1,300 is probably six months of payments for some sort of PCP type deal.

Hope she continues to serve you well.
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New Sun 14 Jan 24 10:33 
 Christmas Re-Arranged :-( - Bromptonaut
>> Was that basically four new injectors Bromp? Or did it need a fuel pump too?

Just the one, number 4, that had failed. Pump and everything else fuelling wise OK.

There were fault codes recorded, or potential problems upon inspection, with air trunking for the 'in' side of the intercooler and something to do with a 'brake switch' for which I couldn't get a cogent explanation.

The first was, I think, a loose jubilee clip which they tightened. I'll monitor the other.

The only other non normal bills I've had were related to a stuck rear caliper and the system for the fuel additive for the DPF.
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New Mon 15 Jan 24 14:48 
 Christmas Re-Arranged :-( - RichardW
£1350 for 1 injector and a battery... u woz robbed!!
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New Mon 15 Jan 24 15:32 
 Christmas Re-Arranged :-( - Bromptonaut
>> £1350 for 1 injector and a battery... u woz robbed!!

I know they're called main steelers* for a reason!!

We had a PSA specialist indy in town for years but he'd gone off the boil before he shut up shop.

* I can spell the word for people engaged in the act of stealing but the naughty word filter doesn't like it.
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Mon 15 Jan 24 at 15:34
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New Mon 15 Jan 24 17:25 
 Christmas Re-Arranged :-( - Bromptonaut
>> £1350 for 1 injector and a battery... u woz robbed!!

IIRC you're in Scotland. What would be a fair price there for a franchise or decent indy?

Here in the SE Midlands we're almost in London territory for prices....
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New Mon 15 Jan 24 19:42 
 Christmas Re-Arranged :-( - RichardW
I don't darken the door of the main dealer!

Local garage is I think £60+VAT (that was a year ago mind, probably £70 now!)- I imagine Arnold Clark are near £100 / hour. I see Cit are charging over 600 for an injector - I had 300 in mind aftermarket for a new one (reman cheaper, but that sounds like a risk!).
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