A Bad Day

[Mark101 536]

Long story but I need to share yesterday’s events.

Regulars will recall that I have taken my Dad’s Disco 3 in PX against a BMW 1 Series.

Having bought him the Disco about 5-6 years ago, I knew I would struggle meeting his expectations of a new smaller, more economical car vs. The comfort of the Disco HSE.

When I say no expense spared, I have done everything to this BM ready for him to receive on Saturday.  New MOT, New Full Service, New Towbar, New Streaming Parrot Kit, New and Boxed Tom Tom, Taxed - ready to go.

I travel home in the car on Friday night and the next morning, the wife, me and the dog set off for North Wales.  I get about half way and suddenly, that doesn’t feel right - I pull over and it feels like it’s thrown a DMF.

I call my Dad to explain and that I will go back to the unit in Worcester and loan him my Citroen DS3 for a week whilst I get the DMF replaced providing he will insure it - he does.

I drive to the unit, dig out the DS3, swap all the stuff between the cars, refuel and start again.  (Time is now 1.30pm, we were due at their house at 12.00pm). My Mrs drives because I am pissed off, I say let’s go a different way because I am so fed up with this same road and I am sure we can cut a corner - blind lanes for 30 miles but eventually end up back on the same A5 road heading towards North Wales - Nikki says this car drives so nicely (it does/did) get within 35 miles of their home (almost exactly the same location as the BM) - car goes into limp mode - engine fault, traction control - max revs 2,000 and rough.

I didn’t think to bring my reader but decided (as we are closer to their new house to ours) to limp it to Dads and then call AA for a diog (don’t have relay). Most stressful shitty limp along dual carriageways for 35 miles ever.  Get within 3 miles and spot a sales pitch - I ask the guy if you could help a fellow trader and lend me a code reader just to see if I could reset the fault and at least know that it is nothing serious and whether it would drive back etc.

The result - it has thrown number 3 injector.

I now have a Disco, a broken BM in Worcester needing DMF and a broken DS3 in North Wales needing transporting.

What are the chances.

Edited November 18, 2018 by Mark101

[Mikey360 68]

Always the way when you try to help family/friends out!

[sparky 274]

Oh dear. 

I'm not sure where in God's Country your cars are but the transport  company I use can't be far away so let me know if you want their details.

Think I'd be getting the ds3 on the proper machine operated by someone who is clued up ( no offence) before I'd be putting injectors in. I had a picasso with the same engine come in on a truck and the aa were adamant it was injectors. Without digging the paperwork out i can't recall what it was but it waa less than £100 at my local main agent.

[tradegirl 112]

Man...Sounds like a truly rough day. Hope the weekend takes a better turn for you!

[Mark101 536]

13 minutes ago, sparky said:

Oh dear. 

I'm not sure where in God's Country your cars are but the transport  company I use can't be far away so let me know if you want their details.

Think I'd be getting the ds3 on the proper machine operated by someone who is clued up ( no offence) before I'd be putting injectors in. I had a picasso with the same engine come in on a truck and the aa were adamant it was injectors. Without digging the paperwork out i can't recall what it was but it waa less than £100 at my local main agent.

Cheers Sparky - it drove beautifully up until “that moment” so you may be right.

My plan is to get the BM fixed and delivered to my Dad, collect DS3 and bring back to me.

I live in Kidderminster 

Unit is in Worcester 

Dad is in Buckley

if you have a transport co. I would be very interested - thanks

[EPV 631]

Christ mate, what a day. 

As you know, I’m no stranger to a run of bad luck, you just have to keep ploughing through it, whatever needs to be spent, spend it, and get through the other side of the bad run. Cars are c**ts. 

[Mark101 536]

6 minutes ago, EPV said:

Christ mate, what a day. 

As you know, I’m no stranger to a run of bad luck, you just have to keep ploughing through it, whatever needs to be spent, spend it, and get through the other side of the bad run. Cars are c**ts. 

I'm only pissed off for my Dad's sake - I have left him with no car after he was looking forward to his new(er) car. 

Hoping my garage can replace clutch and DMF Monday/Tuesday - get it delivered on Tuesday night. Fingers crossed.

[sparky 274]

34 minutes ago, Mark101 said:

Cheers Sparky - it drove beautifully up until “that moment” so you may be right.

My plan is to get the BM fixed and delivered to my Dad, collect DS3 and bring back to me.

I live in Kidderminster 

Unit is in Worcester 

Dad is in Buckley

if you have a transport co. I would be very interested - thanks

I sell quite a few with that engine and touch wood, have yet to have injector go so I'd be surprised if it was that.

https://www.blakoerecovery.co.uk

Ring the mobile and ask for Lee. I'm pretty sure he's collecting for me in your neck of the woods early next week so would tie in.

[BHM 994]

Christ! Good luck Mark. I think I’d go out on the piss today if I were you.

[trade vet 702]

Oh dear....but what will the in laws be saying......’doesn’t know what he is doing’....and ..’they should have gone to a proper garage’.......You must be feeling like Theresa May.

[BHM 994]

20 minutes ago, trade vet said:

Oh dear....but what will the in laws be saying......’doesn’t know what he is doing’....and ..’they should have gone to a proper garage’.......You must be feeling like Theresa May.

 I don’t think you’re helping!

[Dave2302 387]

8 minutes ago, BHM said:

 I don’t think you’re helping!

LOL.

Mark, here's a bit of advice for just such situations, albeit after the proverbial Horse has bolted  ........................

Get you and your wife a "Green Flag / AA / RAC" policy which covers the Driver, not the Car.

Don't take the piss, but on the one or 2 future occasions per year like this it is worth it's weight in gold  

[Mark101 536]

19 minutes ago, Dave2302 said:

LOL.

Mark, here's a bit of advice for just such situations, albeit after the proverbial Horse has bolted  ........................

Get you and your wife a "Green Flag / AA / RAC" policy which covers the Driver, not the Car.

Don't take the piss, but on the one or 2 future occasions per year like this it is worth it's weight in gold  

I have a "free" basic AA thing (only to local garage) with my bank but you're probably right.

It's life, it's embarassing but I will get it sorted.

Dave you're the transmission guru - can a DMF simply fail that quickly, i.e. have I diagnosed correctly?  Car was driving beautifully, I took a sharpish turn changing my mind deciding I could hold my piss a while longer and skip the services; I accelerated away, knowing I was in the wrong lane. This is when I said, "that doesn't feel right"  I thought it was a wheel out of balance for a minute or two - pulled into a layby and it was shaking its tits off but gets smoother with speed.

I would have thought (completely guessing) that a DMF would slowly start to fail, not instantly go from perfect to a shaking wreck.

Car still drives and pulls perfectly (albeit shakey), no drop in performance at all, so hopefully ruling out an injector???

Gentle please, I am talking from experience not intelligence or knowledge - the last 1 Series had a DMF in and displyed similar qualities beforehand.

[Dave2302 387]

I suppose it could, but no idea really, whenever I change one it's because it's already shagged, I've never had one go from perfect to shagged instantly, usually they rattle before vibe starts  

[Mark101 536]

7 minutes ago, Dave2302 said:

I suppose it could, but no idea really, whenever I change one it's because it's already shagged, I've never had one go from perfect to shagged instantly, usually they rattle before vibe starts  

Well that's my diagnosis so far - I will get the garage to take a look tomorrow and update everyone with the outcome.

 

[BHM 994]

1 hour ago, Dave2302 said:

LOL.

Mark, here's a bit of advice for just such situations, albeit after the proverbial Horse has bolted  ........................

Get you and your wife a "Green Flag / AA / RAC" policy which covers the Driver, not the Car.

Don't take the piss, but on the one or 2 future occasions per year like this it is worth it's weight in gold  

Autoaid for me. I’ve not used them in a couple of years but tomorrow I’m collecting a DA purchase so who knows? 

[Nick M.K. 574]

1 hour ago, Dave2302 said:

I've never had one go from perfect to shagged instantly, usually they rattle before vibe starts 

I'm thinking the same and I am also thinking along the lines of an engine mounting. They can go instantly causing said vibrations. 

[Mark101 536]

Better still if it is a mounting 

[metcars 397]

It's the 'family & friends' curse!

[Dave2302 387]

 

1 minute ago, Nick M.K. said:

I'm thinking the same and I am also thinking along the lines of an engine mounting. They can go instantly causing said vibrations. 

Yeah, could well be, at least a bit easier fix although may not be cheaper !! MB's use some pretty impressively priced mounts 

[Nick M.K. 574]

Luckily the BMW 1 series uses a bit more conventional ones (non-vacuum, non-electric). £50-£60 from ECP. 

[Dave2302 387]

Ah, good news then, never done much with 1 series, in fact I tend to avoid BMtroubleu's like the plague unless they are a Workshop paying punter,  and even then it has to be a decent Car / Customer, and not a Shed / Boy Racer Skank

[D&M 66]

1 hour ago, Dave2302 said:

LOL.

Mark, here's a bit of advice for just such situations, albeit after the proverbial Horse has bolted  ........................

Get you and your wife a "Green Flag / AA / RAC" policy which covers the Driver, not the Car.

Don't take the piss, but on the one or 2 future occasions per year like this it is worth it's weight in gold  

I'd steer clear of Green Flag as a trader, even with personal cover.

I won't tell you how we found out that they've changed their policy and do not cover motor traders, or come out to untaxed cars

but it was a dark a sweary night....

The AA however have confirmed that they do cover motor traders, so happy days. Invaluable when you need it!

[Mark101 536]

18 minutes ago, Nick M.K. said:

Luckily the BMW 1 series uses a bit more conventional ones (non-vacuum, non-electric). £50-£60 from ECP. 

Exactly what I have just googled too, so keep fingers very crossed and would tie-in with a sudden failure IMLO (limited)

I am in work today and just started the BMW and it appears to be shaking less (haven't driven it yet because someone is due here any minute).

Would DMF get worse with engine temperature?

How can I tell if engine mounting is shot?

Sorry - I'm doing a Benji

[Dave2302 387]

Hey, Benji ...............

Block of wood on trolley jack under sump , start it, sit in it, pay attention to vibe then get someone to pump jack thus lifting the Engine about 1/4 to 1/2 inch, vibe should get less

 

Oh that's 6 to 12mm for you youngsters BTW