They know, don't they...

[Deleted member 65149]

Cars aren't quite like women. Threaten to get rid of a woman, and all the faults disappear and she'll start behaving just as you'd like her to.

Absolutely not true in my experience. When I threatened to get rid of my previous model she turned from a placid (and totally frigid) bore into Godzilla on amphetamine. Far more expensive than a bent door panel or a blown engine (although getting anything blown was just a fantasy before that). Still money well spent though

 

[Ian B Walker]

Did you name it Christine?

No that honour belongs to Rob77's 300 estate

 

[V12]

Same week I listed my 209 CLK for sale, the alternator pulley started giving up and one of the front springs snapped.

Then my wife reversed it into a skip, putting some nice scratching down the drivers side.

A bit of polish, 2 new springs and a new pulley and knocked £500 off the asking price but the buyer was happy with the car...He even called me up 6 months later and thanked me for a great car that had been his most reliable car to date!

 

[MOCAŠ]

On the way down to Salisbury this morning I noticed that the red "SRS" warning light had come on. About 10 minutes later it had gone off again, then a while later it came back on and stayed on until I reached my destination. As I left Salisbury it was still lit, and stayed lit until I stopped for petrol over 50 miles layer. When I set off from the petrol station, I noticed it had gone off again, and so it carried on for the rest of the day - sometimes on, sometimes off. Any ideas?

The multi-function display is showing "No malfunctions", so I'm not getting the "visit workshop" message that I had last year (which Hughes sorted by fitting a new front sensor). Could it be related, though?

 

[pawnie]

Mine never act up when getting rid of them? Is this saying I am a cr*p driver and they are glad to see the back of me?

 

[V12]

Sounds like a faulty passenger seat pad.

 

[Dieselman]

Or seat connection.

 

[Tinck]

I traded my Range Rover in for my Mercedes c class estate. Parked outside, went in to do all the paperwork and the salesman went out the check the RR. He comes in red faced saying he can't offer me what was originally agreed as the air suspension had gone. Went out and it was down slightly on one side. I quickly started the car and it rose back up level... I persuaded him it was because it was parked on a slope, but secretly I knew it was shot!! Next time I saw it 5 days later, it was riding on its bushes!!

 

[Silver Arrow86]

I agree, cars always behave when brought to a garage.
Worst is when trying to diagnose a noise or something wrong with the car. For a week I drove around with a noise, which was driving me crazy.

Brought it to the garage, mechanic gets in.. "no sound there mate"even drove with him, to check it out..no sound.

So i drove home, and the sound started again.
Bah!
It turned out to be an exhaust problem.

 

[V12]

Just bought an E39 and as soon as I get there the abs light comes on, engine fan is going crazy and the bonnet catch is playing up...didn't like the look of me I guess.

 

[sspeed]

Cars. I'm convinced they know when you're planning to sell them, and deliberately start misbehaving in ways they never have throughout your ownership.

Many years ago, just as I was driving my Beta HPE onto the forecourt of a Lancia dealership (anyone remember Len Street in Drayton Gardens?) to discuss swapping it for a Delta, the exhaust bracket decided to let go, ensuring that my arrival was announced in a most unbecoming manner.

QUOTE]

Did you swap your Beta for one of these??
Yes this was mine..

 

[developer]

Did you swap your Beta for one of these??
Yes this was mine..

I bet that was a hoot Simon .

 

[wemorgan]

Cars. I'm convinced they know when you're planning to sell them, and deliberately start misbehaving in ways they never have throughout your ownership.

Over the w/e I sold the A2 to my father. I had the car for 3 years and it was faultless. Today it broke down - unable to select any gear. Cars!!

 

[Spin_bowler]

Over the w/e I sold the A2 to my father. I had the car for 3 years and it was faultless. Today it broke down - unable to select any gear. Cars!!

I trust that you told him 'caveat emptor' before changing your phone number

 

[wemorgan]

I trust that you told him 'caveat emptor' before changing your phone number

Yep, I've blocked his phone calls and emails too!

 

[MOCAŠ]

Over the w/e I sold the A2 to my father. I had the car for 3 years and it was faultless. Today it broke down - unable to select any gear. Cars!!

I feel my SLK still has more to give. I found a buyer for the car quite by chance a few weeks ago and we've agreed a price and handover date.

Since then, the intermittent SRS light issue (see above) has become virtually permanent, to the extent that I need to at least get it looked at. And on the way back from Exeter the other week a passing car threw a stone up at my windscreen, causing a double-pit right in the driver's eyeline - noticeable, but probably too small to repair so I think I'll need to get a new windscreen fitted.

With around four weeks to go before I'm due to hand the car over to its new owner, I'm wondering what else could happen in that time. In fact, I'm sorely tempted to just hand it over now and hire a car if I need one in the meantime! (I'm already hiring one for a trip in a couple of weeks' time to avoid putting too much mileage on the old dear!)

 

[Spin_bowler]

I inherited an elderly Corolla off my late gradndfather early in my driving career. It was faultless for 10,000 miles in my, ahem, care. Always started on the first turn of the key (a five pence piece actually, the lock barrel was long since shot) on the day I sold it the radiator burst on the test drive. The buyer immediately negotiated a fifty percent drop in the price to which I agreed and we both parted happy.

 

[MOCAŠ]

With around four weeks to go before I'm due to hand the car over to its new owner, I'm wondering what else could happen in that time. In fact, I'm sorely tempted to just hand it over now...

No sooner had I said this than I heard from the SLK's new owner-to-be, who had managed to sell her own car and was wondering whether I'd be prepared to hand over the SLK any sooner than the end of the month. We've tentatively agreed to do the deed next Monday, so after the best part of eight years, I'm into my final few days with the 350.

As if to mark its impending departure, the odometer clocked up 40,000 miles at the weekend.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Not forgetting the 78910 on the trip computer...

 

[LTD]

Still looks mighty fresh for an 8yo car.