SportKa MOT advisories question - oil leak

AliceBanned

How odd that he said that. Maybe he was trying to show off!


I am picking Ka up tomorrow morning - it was only the nut that had corroded. Fingers crossed all will be fine!

AliceBanned

The problem was a core plug corroded. £240 inc VAT - 4 hrs' labour and minimal costs for parts and antifreeze. More than I expected but I think a lot has to be stripped back and the engine had to be removed.


I still think the hard knock on the pothole had something to do with it possibly...it was quite a crash.


The Micra I drove for the past week was ok actually. It was 1999, 1.3L and I did around 250 miles in it. Much smoother and more comfortable than my Ka but a bit boring. It has 130k on the clock as opposed to my car's 85k.

Rain_Shadow

AliceBanned wrote: »

The problem was a core plug corroded. £240 inc VAT - 4 hrs' labour and minimal costs for parts and antifreeze. More than I expected but I think a lot has to be stripped back and the engine had to be removed.


I still think the hard knock on the pothole had something to do with it possibly...it was quite a crash.


.

Extremely unlikely.


Did they just replace the one core plug? Could have been worth doing the others while they were accessible. Actually changing them once you have access is a few minutes work and, as you say, the parts themselves are pennies.

AliceBanned

Rain_Shadow wrote: »

Extremely unlikely.


Did they just replace the one core plug? Could have been worth doing the others while they were accessible. Actually changing them once you have access is a few minutes work and, as you say, the parts themselves are pennies.

He said he would do all if necessary. So the others must have been ok - hope so.

Richard53

AliceBanned wrote: »

Sounds great. Oh well, if she ever changes her mind about selling...;)

No, it's my car - she just thinks it's hers!

AliceBanned wrote: »

These guys also tipped me off about petrol quality from supermarkets. It has had two new lambda sensors since I bought it and the mechanic said best to buy more often at Shell.


There was me saving Nectar points. He said supermarkets tend to just scrape through the requirements for petrol quality..I had no idea - I always bought the cheapest.

The supermarket fuel thing is a perennial argument on this board. You'll find people who insist they are right on both sides. My view is that I use both, but prefer to avoid supermarket fuel if I can. Whenever I have had a problem that I can trace to dodgy fuel (rough running, poor starting, high fuel consumption) it has been after I have filled at a supermarket, and it has gone away with the next fill from a branded fuel outlet. And always diesel. But that is only 3-4 times in perhaps 20 years, so hardly scientific, and I claim no expertise or industry knowledge. Just my experience.

AliceBanned

Thanks Richard. I think I will try using Shell for a while most of the time and supermarket fuel a bit less. Just to see whether I notice anything.

AliceBanned

I have been on the 'pothole damage reclaim' thread reading up. The county council has declined my request for reimbursement.


I have sent an FOI request so that I can see how/whether they are maintaining that road as they suggest. One of the potholes is really deep. They are all still there I believe and I recently saw a wheel trim by the road in the same area.


Anyway as we all know the roads are not maintained well enough but I'm going to try and recoup some of the costs for the tyre and alloy repair as it was clearly caused by the road surface issue. May as well push them a bit further, even if I don't succeed I'm not just taking a stock answer which says they fulfilled their obligations when I can see several bad potholes.

AliceBanned

I have been contacted by a national TV programme on consumer rights, about the treatment from this garage. I contacted them in March because I felt that this might be a national problem - garages telling customers to replace their alloys or other parts with brand new ones given that they would be claiming back from the council.

I have since found out that a male friend went to the same garage with a similar problem and was straight away referred on to the alloy repair specialist I eventually found out about. Only he didn't have to jump through hoops, get advice on forums, fight for his right to be told the truth to as a consumer, nor was he potentially overcharged by £450.

They are coming to film me in a few days' time.

Joe_Horner

Transport, a hobby, AND fame - could this little Ka get any better?

AliceBanned

Joe_Horner wrote: »

Transport, a hobby, AND fame - could this little Ka get any better?

It's terrifying. I thought it was a daytime programme but it is primetime TV. OMG.


I am hoping they will guide me 'on set'.


I don't want to come across like a whinger on the programme, but it is difficult with journalists because they will always push their agenda. Must admit I don't trust them either..