What's wrong with my car?

[bocken]

I think the ignition barrel has been playing up a touch, so i wouldn't be surprised if it was that. I should maybe also go up and try jiggling the car up and down a bit at the petrol tank in case it is fuel starvation and theres a wee blockage, since the tank was about as empty as it could possibly be without running out just before i filled it right up full.

Ooh, in that case you might well have a load of crap from the bottom of the tank in yer lines/filter. Happened to my mum once. Not sure how you'd go about clearing them mind.

I need a new spare tyre for my car, although I haven't really examined the other tyres so they might all need doing. And I might have to clean the throttle body assembly, which looks like it should be an easy job, but I'll probably balls it up. As long as there's no soldering involved it should be alright.

[islandhopper]

Here's the thing - This morning my car wouldn't start. I needed to get to work so walked in and hoped that when I got back it would magically start up as normal. So, I got home in the evening and what do you know - it did start! Only now it revs up like nobody's business when the engine is on. It climbs to at least 3000rpm with the car stationary and seems to get worse when if I apply the clutch. Driving actually seems to calm it down a little, but I haven't gone beyond driving forward and reversing the short space between the 2 cars either side of me.
Friendly-man-in-the-street-who-lent-me-his torch seems to think it's my choke, but what say you anorak? Am I able to drive it to a garage or is that a daft idea?

edit: Just took it for a very quick spin and I fear my accelerator's fucked. Bloody cars!

[Concrete]

My car did something a bit like that when its idle speed control valve was buggered. I've no idea whether all cars have these, or whether yours would if it's optional. Didn't even know mine had one until it went wrong, in fact; a bit like an appendix I suppose... Mine would only reach very low speeds and was very stuttery on the way to the garage. Sounds like it could be the choke though, doesn't it? If it's not controlling the fuel supply properly it might not start, and it could cause it to race a bit as well. In a way I'm glad I don't have a carburettor these days, but I wouldn't be saying that if it were one of those weeks when some cocking sensor costing £100 has decided to stop me getting to work even though the engine itself is fine... What car have you got anyway?

[islandhopper]

It's a 9 year old Clio. I'm happy that it'll get to the garage fine now at least, but I'll just be sounding like a right idiot on my way there. Especially when I'm stopped at junctions and lights. Here's hoping there's no large bills in front of me.

[jayen_aitch]

Urgh, that sounds scary, but at least it got to the garage alright.

Good luck with it.

[jayen_aitch]

Actually I know what's wrong with my car.

The driver door is buckled and the steering is broken thanks to someone with a crowbar trying to steal it.

That was nice of them.

[tompony]

I had several parts of my car replaced today. To my surprise, and the mechanics, this did absolutely nothing towards fixing the problem.

He has now decided that I need a new car.

[jayen_aitch]

Urgh, that sounds frustrating.

Is it worth getting a second opinion.

[tompony]

This pretty much was the second opinion, annoyingly. He did suggest one possible fix, but it would cost £300+ (the car only cost £750) and he's no more sure that this would work than the stuff he tried today.

Incidentally, my driver door is buckled also for the same reason as yours! Although it happened before I bought the car. Hence the price. I hope yours is fixable / still driveable. Somebody tried to set fire to mine once, parked in my nice road, in the middle of a Sunday afternoon! What is wrong with people?

[jayen_aitch]

Fire? Good lord... at least with mine I can understand they were motivated by greed - that's just weird.

[Concrete]

My car that I sold a couple of weeks ago had to have its bonnet replaced after someone stole that. There were loads of CDs and things in the car, but they left all that and just took the bonnet away. A couple of weeks later there was a story in the paper about a similar car having its headlight, bumper, wing and front grille stolen, so I guess that's where they got the rest of their bits from.

[jayen_aitch]

Bloody hell, they must have been stealing to order.

The insurance company still aren't sure, but they think it's a write-off.

Noooo, I don't want to have to go car shopping.

[tompony]

I hear that. Car shopping is an absolutely miserable experience.

I'm having one last-ditch attempt at fixing mine. I've found a garage that will get the part I (probably) need in for £200, but excellently if it turns out not to fix the problem, they will buy it back for £150. This is a vast improvement over the previous offer - "£300 and if it doesn't work then you're screwed".

[jayen_aitch]

Good luck with that, sounds really positive.

Last time I tried car shopping, I felt more sneered at than I've ever been in my life.

The damage done to my car has now been estimated at... *drum-roll* ...£1100, there is no way it's not a write-off.

I have grave worries about what they are going to decide the market value of my car is... I suspect once the excess is taken into account it'll be less than I've paid to replace the battery, the alternator belt and the exhaust. None of which helps me in securing a new car.

[Jono Volpone]

I have grave worries about what they are going to decide the market value of my car is... I suspect once the excess is taken into account it'll be less than I've paid to replace the battery, the alternator belt and the exhaust. None of which helps me in securing a new car.

Don't accept their first offer. Find for sale adverts for similar cars to yours, and show them that you cannot replace your car with the measly amount of money they're offering. Hopefully, they'll come back with a better offer - and there's nothing to say you can't turn that one down either.

Or, if your car is a CAT C or D write off*, you should be able to get the write off payment from your insurers (minus any excess and the car's scrap value), then get the car fixed/fix it yourself and put it back on the road. Your own insurance company will probably even re-insure it. By doing this you can often end up in pocket - my Dad did this when one of his 2cvs was crashed into. The car was a Cat D write off, but he bought it back from the insurers for £50, paid his £50 excess, fixed the car himself for £40, re-insured it with the same company, but with their write off payment he ended up nearly £1,000 better off!

This is all less complicated than it sounds, although can be a bit of a pain chasing the insurers up etc, depending on how good they are.

*Category C: Vehicle extensively damaged and insurer has decided not to repair. The vehicle should have an independent inspection before being allowed back onto the road.

Category D: Vehicle damaged and insurer has decided not to repair.

[Colin]

I've damaged the valve on one of my car tyres and I think it's slowly leaking air. Does anyone know if the valve can be replaced separately or would it have to be the whole tyre? The last time I got a new tyre fitted the valve was listed separately on the receipt, which gives me some hope that it can be replaced without having to change the whole lot.

[soft revolution]

They can be replaced seperately and shouldn't be too expensive either. This happened to me once where I thought i had a slow puncture but it was the valve, and the nice chap in the garage replaced it for free.

[Colin]

That's a relief. It's one of those things that could end up being really expensive because mechanics are reluctant to replace one front tyre without doing the other too, especially if they're quite worn which mine are.

[islandhopper]

If my engine cut out once while driving then it's likely to do it again isn't it? Damn!

[Concrete]

If my engine cut out once while driving then it's likely to do it again isn't it? Damn!

I realise this is a rhetorical question, but just for fun... Yes.

My old car cut out once on the North Circular. It turned out to be a faulty crank position sensor - one of those things you never even know exists till it goes wrong.