Very Sad And Heavy Heart

**Rhodie** · 6th November 2018, 17:16

As the heading says. For those of you who read my tale of woe thread, I will tell all now.

MOT due on 2nd Nov so got it picked up by a local garage (local to where I work) on Monday 22nd Oct. Got a phone call to say it had only just failed on emissions, but not to worry they would sort it. Gave the car back to them the following day and they kept it for 2 days, and said the swirl flaps had come off and they would get a new set for me. As the car was still drivable I got it back to get me home, and it was sounding like a bag of ****, and smoking really badly on start up. Once it warmed up it was ok again. Anyway they picked the car up again on Thursday and phoned me that evening to say the new swirl flaps would not fit. By this time alarm bells were ringing as it had only just failed on emissions, nothing else wrong with it. I collected it and was not happy at all. I had to use it over the weekend though as my new grandson had been born and I had to go to Hull. As I said once it warmed up, then no problem, no smoke, still pulled like a train. I arranged with a garage nearer to where I live that I trust implicitly, but they couldn't do anything till the Wednesday, so I hired a car to get me to work so as not to drive the Vectra anymore. They had it for the rest of the week, and the upshot is that the God knows what the first guy did, but he checked everything, and had to put a new inlet manifold on, plus new glow plugs and other bits. £700 all told. It turns out that the first guy must have tried to take the glow plugs out, snapped one and pushed it into the engine. He obviously strongly denies this, but the problem now is that it got through the MOT because even though the engine is rough, it passed every test. The only remedy is a complete rebuild. He says it might last another year, it might only last a month before (his words) a catastrophic failure occurs.

It is with this verdict that I have decided to sell my pride and joy. I am totally gutted as you can imagine.

This is not a for sale pitch, as I have already bought a new car and they have taken my Vectra as a trade in. Got £700 quid for it, mind you I am buying a car that they are selling for £7500. It is a huge comedown as far as comfort is concerned. It is Ford (I know the dark side) Fiesta, 1.2 Zetec, but does have all the bells and whistles, with the exception of leather and cruise control. I am going to miss the cruise control.

I will still be on the site for a while yet though, as I do enjoy the banter, and will probably still attend some of the meetings, although I know I will have to park round the corner.

A big thankyou to everyone on here for your friendship and the help, especially Al21784 (will whatsapp you mate)

**Rhodie** · 6th November 2018, 17:39

Just to add, Mrs Rhodie and I had a loooong chat about it and decided that even if I paid to have the engine rebuilt, there was not telling how much longer other parts would last, gearbox etc, so took the decision to buy something smaller, a lot newer and something that would last for at least another 10 years. To be honest I wanted an Insignia, she wanted a Fiat 500. Compromised on the Fiesta.

**MCD** · 6th November 2018, 20:05

Mate!! Feel for you... really i do! That was a nice straight, original motor! Youve obviously done whats best for you, but im sure someone in the club could have dropped another lump in for you? They are clever on here you know!

Anyway... best of luck with the new car, they aint all bad! My Dad has a 1.25 ecoboost focus... great car!

**a602820922** · 6th November 2018, 20:14

Just read about blowing engines on Ford cars. It's something to do with over boost or something. There was a recall for that but please find it yourself.
I think I have seen an article on bbc news not sure

**new boy** · 6th November 2018, 21:02

@Rhodie gutted for you mate but some times you have to call it.

**Woody** · 6th November 2018, 21:12

@Rhodie

**fatfred** · 6th November 2018, 23:09

Didn't know the car but it does grieve me when garages deny everything. Best of luck with the Ford.... you may be back yet, the draw of the dark side!

**northpole** · 7th November 2018, 08:49

oww i would lose it with that garage and anyway hope the ford will keep you happy for the time being, and yes it would've been best (and a lot cheaper) to replace the engine...
shame really but sometimes you have to call it quits...

**AL21784** · 7th November 2018, 10:15

That thing was immaculate, I'm genuinely gutted as we spent a few hours working on that thing, and only did a full service on it just a few weeks ago.

A Ford . . . my opinions of you are changing slightly. . .

Alan