It's just setting up to be a baaaad week.

[Anonymous]

Screwfix were supposed to be delivering a central heating rad on saturday and never turned up.

Today I had the '2 booked in for a service and MOT. Took it in early this morning and left it with them while I took a Celica out for a test drive and then went and did some shopping round Guildford.

Got a phone call from them mid afternoon to say that the timing cover was leaking oil and I'd got a puncture in my rear tyre, so I told them to sort it out and I'd wander back.

I got to the garage about 3.30 to find they're only just starting on the MOT, an hour later they're still not finished, half an hour later I peer through the window to the service bay and there's four of them including the service manager hanging round the back of my car peering at the emissions tester, ten minutes later the service manager appears to tell me it's failed the emissions test and the main cat's failed. I'm not seeing any major oil loss, and I don't appear to be losing power so I think my pre-cats are OK but they're going to take a look when they replace the cat tomorrow.

All of this I could cope with, but to add insult to injury they've given me the only courtesy car they had - a 1 Litre Aygo Automatic. Christ it's awful. There's this pedal on the right that when you push it all the way to the floor the engine gets louder for a couple of seconds, then the car shudders, then the engine gets quieter and the gear indicator goes up one.  s:? :? s:?

I almost forgot, while I was at Mr T Screwfix rang up to say that there'd been a bit of a cockup and they were going to deliver the rad today, I got home tonight and guess what? Yep, no radiator, I give up.

[proeliator2001]

Some weeks you just know you're going to had a bad one   s:roll: :roll: s:roll:    Still, it might start bad but end great, you never know.    I'll keep my fingers crossed for you (says he who's week has started equally badly but for different reasons   s:evil: :evil: s:evil:  )  Maybe it's the time of year or something   s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

[Anonymous]

It can only get worse, I've got to go to Leicester on thursday.

[spit]

Yep, good luck with it.

Don't forget that we've had MOT Emissions failures before that turned out to be much less sinister than failed Cats (or worse). I'll say no more than that on the matter  s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

[Anonymous]

Already done a searchold bean  s:D s:D  

Both the service manager and the salesman reckoned they'd noticed the [Phoebe Buffay] smelly cat, smelly cat [/Phoebe Buffay] it's covered on the warranty anyway so if they want to fit a new one that's fine by me. I'd asked them to whip out the O2 sensors and take a look at the pre-cats anyway but they were dead set against it, they reckoned there was a high probability of stripping the threads.

[kanujunkie]

when was the last time you cleaned the MAF, could be throwing the fuel mix out, or an exhaust leak, for the latter get them to run the emissions detector sensor around the engine bay, if theres a leak then there will be a spike on the meter as the sensor is passed over the leaking point

[markiii]

quite possibly they could strip teh threads howver as tehy are teh experts I'd insist they check befiore you pay them a bean

[Anonymous]

Probably about 6 months or so since I cleaned the MAF, we'll see how things go tomorrow.

This just cheered me up big time  s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

[proeliator2001]

You're all missing the true horror of it all - he has to go to Leicester   s:shock: :shock: s:shock:    s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

[spit]

Is Leicester a real place? I thought it was the stuff of legend  s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

[proeliator2001]

Is Leicester a real place? I thought it was the stuff of legend  s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

I think you need a passport and have your shots up to date before you can enter but it is real   s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

[Anonymous]

As if that wasn't bad enough, when this project ends Im going to be Trials Manager on a project that will be spending a fair bit of time split between the Outer Hebrides and ... Newcastle.

[Kurtz]The horror... the horror... [/Kurtz]

Anyway, enough of that or this'll be going to Chit Chat.  s:oops: :oops: s:oops:

[northernalex]

Well with it covered by warrenty its nothing to worry about really, get them to change as much of the car as you can so that you have more new bits for when the warrenty runs out.

 s:) s:)


PS newcastle nights out are good, its illegal for girls to wear much up here

[Anonymous]

PS newcastle nights out are good, its illegal for girls to wear much up here[/quote]

hebridies is similar, only change "girls" for sheep  s:shock: :shock: s:shock:

[Anonymous]

Well with it covered by warrenty its nothing to worry about really, get them to change as much of the car as you can so that you have more new bits for when the warrenty runs out.

Too right, I gave them a big list of assorted niggles to sort out.

PS newcastle nights out are good, its illegal for girls to wear much up here

[Anonymous]

IIRC replaced parts under the warranty are only warranted for 12 months. Unless the replacement is absolutely necessary on cars with more than 12 months on the existing warranty you'll be worse off. Hope that all makes sense  s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

[Anonymous]

This gets better all the time.

They were meant to be giving me a call at 2 to let me know how it was going. No phone call so I rang them at quarter to three, they haven't even started it yet and don't expect to have it ready today.

[markiii]

I'd be debating teh bil or compensation big time

[Anonymous]

I rang them again and it seems I am getting it back tonight.

Then they have just rung me back to say that they are trying to get the O2 sensors out and one of them has gone stiff so they're worried that they might damage the sensor and they don't have any in stock so it's up to me to decide whether they risk it.

From what he has said the pre-cat and cat have come as one piece, is that right?

[Anonymous]

Nope, very wrong. The pre-cat manifold (or header) are one piece, and the main cat is a seperate piece entirely. However, if you're getting both changed under warranty then that's a good thing, so don't question them on it (just make sure you get it in writing that both parts were changed!).


On a side note, why is it every Toyota garage appears to be scared of the 02 sensors? For god's sake, if a bunch of enthusiasts can get even the most stubborn ones out in someone's garage, then surely it can't be that hard for a professional mechanic with all the right tools to do?!  s:evil: :evil: s:evil:

[markiii]

ah but these aren't just any enthusisats ths is ROC !  :-) :-) :-)

[markiii]

and when you insist they remove teh 02 I would phrase that your insisting they do the job properly which includes this, not insisting they remove teh 02, and hence if tehy break it it is there problem.

Labour rates are also paid for by Toyota GB under warranty so they have no excuse for trying to put any cost back on you.

[Anonymous]

He's called again.

Apparently it's the pre-cat they're replacing and it is breaking up.

Christ only knows why they're replacing the pre-cat on the basis of a failed emissions test, he's now going to order a new main cat just in case.

[markiii]

bad news that,

but at least tehy are fixing it

make sure they document what they have done and why on some paperwork that you get a copy of.

And I'd also ask how bad the break up is?, when you get it back keep an eye on your oil liek a hawk

worst case you may be going back for a new shortblock if they didn't catch it in time

[spit]

Am I reading this right? MrT would have let this go unchecked had it not been for a tip-off from you about looking at the pre-cats?

*despair*  s:shock: :shock: s:shock: