When did you last brake down, or how often do you?

KierNet

2010, March time I believe. Diesel pump went on my Focus. £1,100 to get it fixed! I wanted to cry .

TrickyWicky

flang wrote: »

FACT. German cars break down less often

FACT: Compared to Swedish cars, German cars are unreliable

LandyAndy

flang wrote: »

My 1993 BMW 3 series with 190k on the clock has never broken down.
Yet my 6 month old Fiat doblo van 13k, Head gasket failure!!


FACT. German cars break down less often

I'm impressed that you've owned the BMW for 18 years.:)

FACT: One German car has broken down one fewer times than one Italian car.

Hodge4ever

2010 - Tensioner broke, belt jumped and bent 8 valves (99 Laguna) though not really the car's fault, more an oversight on the recommended time for replacing the belt(s) \tensioner(s)

Had various battery\starter motor issues over the years (on various cars) but don't suppose they count for your criteria.

mikey72

LandyAndy wrote: »

I'm impressed that you've owned the BMW for 18 years.:)

FACT: One German car has broken down one fewer times than one Italian car.

Maybe people buy german car to polish, and Italian cars to drive?

rodenal

I've only ever broken down twice in about 5 years.

First time (not a breakdown as such) must have been 2006-sh in my old A3 when the aux belt disintegrated and the dash lit up like a christmas tree as the alternator wasn't charging. Stopped, removed the remains then drove it back to work, got a new belt and thought it was fine until about a week later the power steering pump gave up in a big way - that was obviously the problem in the first place & even then it was a relatively cheap fix.

Second was completely my fault, 2010 in my e36 328i after replacing the thermostat and housing I was out checking everything was ok when a hose came loose and it started chucking tons on steam out behind it. I had to stop on a motorway sliproad and call the AA who gave me a new jubilee clip & enough water to stop the engine cooking itself before I got home and put new coolant in and I was on my way.

That's it in what must have been 150k + miles for me driving in anything ranging from brand new to 17/8 year old cars

Hintza

Pre 1980 I really was driving old bangers which were constantly breaking down.

1982 Carburettor problem in a 1976 (?) Renault 20 (fixed at roadside myself ah those were the days)

1982 Bedford van blew off the exhaust at the manifod and fried the electrics

1993 Alfa 157 Broken Brake pipe on way to Kruger Park(didn't actually stop but made it interesting when I was dby the cops and they stopped in front of me)

1998 in a 1989 Golf heater matrix let go on the M6 (that was quite scary as my initial thought was we were on fire)

2000 Left lights on in a Mercedes 230 at airport got a jump start but so little charge the car conked out at first roundabout. Guysarrive to jump start it with a pack. Keys in ignition car locked itself that took ages to reak in.

2003 Cambelt went on a 2000 Golf at 33k miles. Fixed under warranty.

2007 Missus drove fast through a flood and killed the engine in the Grand Cherokee. £12,500 for a new engine

cleggie

I have never broken down (touch wood, fingers crossed etc, i am off to do my food shopping in a minute, so dont want to tempt fate!!).
I have only ever owned 2 cars, both quite old- a 1996 Renault Clio, and my current car, a 2000 Fiat Punto.

Limey

Last time I broke down was about 5 years ago when the wiring loom shorted out in my 1989 MR2, there's a point on the inlet manifold where the loom rubs and after 16 years it'd finally worked it's way through.

Before that I think it was in 1997/8 on the way to Wales in a 1986 Nissan Bluebird and one of the spark plugs popped out, embarrassingly at the time I knew !!!! all about cars and not realising what had happened I called the AA.:o

Only other time I can remember was at University in 1993/4 in my old Saab 96 one of the fuel hoses let go with some messy results. It took me weeks to get the fire extinguisher powder out of the car.:rotfl:

dzug1

Apart from a flat battery, probably about 20 years ago (cam belt failure). A string of Fords