Repairing CAT D car - costs spiralling!

ManicMum

Hello

we are repairing a cat D car - Citroen C4 Grand Picasso 58 reg. The costs are spiralling. The car is finished but won't start. Just don't know what wrong with it. Even garage don't know. Getting to stage where I may as well have just bought it off the forecourt. The amount of stress it's causing me is ridiculous. It's not worth it. It's been going on for nearly a year now.

Just wondered if anyone else had taken on such a project and how it went. Or could offer me any support, hope, advice. Husband is eternal optimist and says it will work but at what cost? Stomach ulcer, heart attack?

Do you think i could sell it as going concern? Any offers?

cheers

harveybobbles

The joys of buying newish CAT D's eh...?

Best CAT D's to buy are the old ones

Gloomendoom

Has it got an inertia switch?

ManicMum

what the heck is an inertia switch? It had front end damage - replaced about 4 airbags, had chassis straightened. Loads of front end bits. engine will sort of half turn over but won't fire up, if you know what i mean?

I am so desperate for someone who can help. I will send you cakes, do your ironing for a year, do your tax return (must be desperate!).

Everythign is computer controlled - even the handbrake! If anyone knows anything about these sort of cars and could give us their phone number, please PM me. Last option is to tow it to Citroen and then it's £70 hour plus VAT, so trying to avoid that.

thanks so much.

harveybobbles

Where abouts are you in the UK?

ManicMum

Hi there. We're in Ayrshire, Scotland. (south west of Glasgow).

blued

ManicMum wrote: »

what the heck is an inertia switch?

When you have a crash this cuts the fuel pump off to prevent fire and needs to be reset before the car can be started. Sounds like it could be your problem. Ask a garage that does crash repairs for this make of vehicle, they will know where it is.

harveybobbles

WAs going to suggest Camco Automotive in Warrington, but might bea bit too far to tow the car...

Sounds like its something electrical or fuel related? Could be something simple like a cam sensor though.

It's French and its broke which isnt a good combination, sorry.

vaio

ManicMum wrote: »

what the heck is an inertia switch?.........

Impact operated switch designed to cut the fuel supply in the event of an accident. They generally have a little button on top which lets you reset them.

…….. engine will sort of half turn over but won't fire up, if you know what i mean? …….

If it’s turning over freely and at normal speed but not firing then inertia switch is a strong possibility, if it’s not turning over normally then battery/starter motor is where you should be looking

….. I will send you cakes, do your ironing for a year, do your tax return (must be desperate!)……...

Tax return for me please

motorguy

ManicMum wrote: »

Hello

we are repairing a cat D car - Citroen C4 Grand Picasso 58 reg. The costs are spiralling. The car is finished but won't start. Just don't know what wrong with it. Even garage don't know. Getting to stage where I may as well have just bought it off the forecourt. The amount of stress it's causing me is ridiculous. It's not worth it. It's been going on for nearly a year now.

Just wondered if anyone else had taken on such a project and how it went. Or could offer me any support, hope, advice. Husband is eternal optimist and says it will work but at what cost? Stomach ulcer, heart attack?

Do you think i could sell it as going concern? Any offers?

cheers

I would have thought anyone seeing a repairing but non running CAT D would run a mile, so i cant see you selling it as is.

Something similar happened a friend of mine, bought a 5 series with frontal damage, couldnt get it running, took 18 months to get it running right and two fortunes.

Sorry

petrolhead69

shame you werent closer to livingston or you could have done my ironing:p as said first you need to tell us if its cranking at full speed but not catching, or if it isn,t cranking properly and exactly what it's doing. as well as the inertia cut off a car of that age is also likely to have a pyrotechnic battery disconnect that activates with the airbags which might be cutting power to the starter if your only getting the solenoid click. another likely possibility is a wire that was stretched in the crash and has been broken internally. A cheap (£20 ish) diagnostic lead and software off ebay would probably help with that.