Car Problems!!

[BenDover]

GJL - what's the ball park figure for changing a timing belt on a 2008 Zafira? I've tried Portadown Vauxhall and they've said £249 for the belt and labour only, and if the water pump needs replaced it's going to be an extra £120 and Donnelly Vauxhall in Dungannon are the same price.

[GJL]

GJL - what's the ball park figure for changing a timing belt on a 2008 Zafira? I've tried Portadown Vauxhall and they've said £249 for the belt and labour only, and if the water pump needs replaced it's going to be an extra £120 and Donnelly Vauxhall in Dungannon are the same price.

Get a quote from your local independent garage man. No need to be taking an 11 year old car to a franchise dealership. Should be significantly cheaper.

[David McKeown]

So I would assume you took it in for all scheduled services at the dealership if it was under warranty

I don't know much about timing chains, but could they not have picked up in it before the warranty ran out

My dealership went through my car with a fine tooth comb on the service before the warranty expired. It's the warranty company that's in the hook for any repairs, not the dealership, so the mechanics have a vested interest in finding problems (at least that's how it works in the states)

I only bought the car in August and it had just been serviced. There was a full Audi service history on the car though which is why Audi made a good will offer of £4200 instead of £4500.

[GJL]

So I would assume you took it in for all scheduled services at the dealership if it was under warranty

I don't know much about timing chains, but could they not have picked up in it before the warranty ran out

My dealership went through my car with a fine tooth comb on the service before the warranty expired. It's the warranty company that's in the hook for any repairs, not the dealership, so the mechanics have a vested interest in finding problems (at least that's how it works in the states)

I only bought the car in August and it had just been serviced. There was a full Audi service history on the car though which is why Audi made a good will offer of £4200 instead of £4500.

That is not good will.... It is an insult. I'd be talking to trading standards about this one. ''The car is not fit for the purpose for which it was sold''

[whitey]

So I would assume you took it in for all scheduled services at the dealership if it was under warranty

I don't know much about timing chains, but could they not have picked up in it before the warranty ran out

My dealership went through my car with a fine tooth comb on the service before the warranty expired. It's the warranty company that's in the hook for any repairs, not the dealership, so the mechanics have a vested interest in finding problems (at least that's how it works in the states)

I only bought the car in August and it had just been serviced. There was a full Audi service history on the car though which is why Audi made a good will offer of £4200 instead of £4500.

Hmmm....I wonder if they pegged there was a problem with the car and traded it in

[Frank_The_Tank]

I have a 2007 Diesel Vauxhall Astra - last few weeks there is an intermittent issue where is wont start.  Engine turns over but wont start.  Go back to it an hour or 2 later and it then starts fine.  When it wont start - I tried jump leads on it and it still doesn't start.  As I say I could drive it for 2 miles and then park at shop and it wont start - or I could drive it 40 miles and then stop it and it wont start.  But also very intermittent - it maybe do a run to shops and back and another errand somewhere and will have been stopped and started 6 times in a row and then out of nowhere it wont start - but then leave it for the hour or two and it will start no problem.

I recently got it services and told the mechanic about it as it was happening pre-service - he said he could see nothing obvious with it looking over it and he changed oil and fuel filters, checked the battery and alternator.

Any mechanics on here any idea what the cause could be - would it possibly be the fuel pump not working correctly?

[Keyser soze]

Might be an immobiliser issue, when it doesn't start try locking and unlocking it with the key fob and trying to start it again.

[Frank_The_Tank]

Might be an immobiliser issue, when it doesn't start try locking and unlocking it with the key fob and trying to start it again.

Never thought of that - will keep that in mind for the next time it happens and see if it makes any difference

[marty34]

I have a 2007 Diesel Vauxhall Astra - last few weeks there is an intermittent issue where is wont start.  Engine turns over but wont start.  Go back to it an hour or 2 later and it then starts fine.  When it wont start - I tried jump leads on it and it still doesn't start.  As I say I could drive it for 2 miles and then park at shop and it wont start - or I could drive it 40 miles and then stop it and it wont start.  But also very intermittent - it maybe do a run to shops and back and another errand somewhere and will have been stopped and started 6 times in a row and then out of nowhere it wont start - but then leave it for the hour or two and it will start no problem.

I recently got it services and told the mechanic about it as it was happening pre-service - he said he could see nothing obvious with it looking over it and he changed oil and fuel filters, checked the battery and alternator.

Any mechanics on here any idea what the cause could be - would it possibly be the fuel pump not working correctly?

A problem with the starter?

[macdanger2]

I have a 2007 Diesel Vauxhall Astra - last few weeks there is an intermittent issue where is wont start.  Engine turns over but wont start.  Go back to it an hour or 2 later and it then starts fine.  When it wont start - I tried jump leads on it and it still doesn't start.  As I say I could drive it for 2 miles and then park at shop and it wont start - or I could drive it 40 miles and then stop it and it wont start.  But also very intermittent - it maybe do a run to shops and back and another errand somewhere and will have been stopped and started 6 times in a row and then out of nowhere it wont start - but then leave it for the hour or two and it will start no problem.

I recently got it services and told the mechanic about it as it was happening pre-service - he said he could see nothing obvious with it looking over it and he changed oil and fuel filters, checked the battery and alternator.

Any mechanics on here any idea what the cause could be - would it possibly be the fuel pump not working correctly?

I have a 08 diesel Vectra and had a very similar problem which turned out to be the crankshaft sensor the first time and 2-3 years later, the camkshaft sensor.

Reasonably easy to replace the camshaft sensor from underneath but the crankshaft sensor had to be brought to an Opel garage as there's a special tool required to do it (on the Vectra anyway, not sure about the Astra)

If you get stuck somewhere again, try turning the ignition halfway (i.e. not cranking it) until the fuel pump turns on, wait for it to stop and then repeat 2-3 times and try to start as normal. This used to work most of the time for me but I'm not sure why as it shouldn't have affected the sensor that was supposedly dodgy. Worth a try if you're stuck though

[tyroneman]

Any views on the reliability of Range Rover / Land Rover?

Been told to avoid like the plague, however any online search has them no worse than some other big players?

[BenDover]

I'm after some advice for 2 different problems 
Vauxhall Zafira 1.9 2008 - there last week when I went to start the car it made a kind of whirring noise - like something was spinning under the bonnet but wouldn't start first time. Turned of and tried a second time and car started no problem. This happened a few days in a row but then this week it's been starting no bother - any ideas? I've it booked into the garage for monday thinking it maybe the starter motor playing up. Recently fitted a new battery.


Ford S-Max 2.0 Automatic 2015 - within the last 2 weeks this car has been firing up a Transmission Function Limited or Transmission Malfunction message. With the limited message car goes into limp mode but won't go into reverse. On the Malfunction message no power goes to the wheels at all. Turning the car off and on clears the message for a short while. This car was ex mobility has 45k miles on it atm. We had it at a Ford dealer last week who told us the gearbox is meant to be serviced @ 37.5k miles or every 3 years whichever comes first. I got them to service the gearbox in the hope that would help, did Donegal over Easter weekend no bother but the Transmission messages came back on the other day. Has anyone ever had bother like this before? New gearbox is £2.5-3k when the cars driving everything seems fine there's no chugging between gear changes so I'm hopeful it's more electrical than mechanical.

[general_lee]

Any views on the reliability of Range Rover / Land Rover?

Been told to avoid like the plague, however any online search has them no worse than some other big players?

I'd avoid. I don't know your circumstances and I am being completely judgemental but Range Rover drivers tend to be ballbags. Or wives of ballbags. As for Land Rover, my oul lad had a discovery 4. Nice motor and all that but the electronic hand break failed at a set of traffic lights one day during rush hour. Not something you want from a car that's only a year or so old.

[Abble]

anyone own a vw golf ? my wifes car is a golf and i had one yrs back that didnt have this issue. problem is that when the fan is turned on, any traffic fumes from other vehicles in town traffic seem to come into the car....i obviously dont want her and kids being poisoned...is this normal for this car now or should this get looked at ?

[Jeepers Creepers]

New air filter needed? Or make sure it's not coming from your own exhaust internally which is dangerous.