PCP breakdown nightmare. Are we about to get shafted?

0800Dinosaur

Thanks for the replies all.

So the good news, is that the damage wasn't as bad as feared. The piston heads 1 and 4 are looking rather unhappy, visible gouges and marks on the surface and some somewhat less obvious marks inside the cylinders. Interestingly where the gasket has allowed water in, the valves are super shiny clean.

Given the situation (returning it in 4 months), the mechanic seems relatively sure that with the head skimmed and tested, it should run at least long enough for us to return this ticking timebomb to fiat.

There is of course a risk here that a piston ring or two has died. And for the sake of not replacing them (and all the labour involved) we might be about to double up our badness.

Fingers crossed

Nobbie1967

0800Dinosaur wrote: »

Thanks for the replies all.

So the good news, is that the damage wasn't as bad as feared. The piston heads 1 and 4 are looking rather unhappy, visible gouges and marks on the surface and some somewhat less obvious marks inside the cylinders. Interestingly where the gasket has allowed water in, the valves are super shiny clean.

Given the situation (returning it in 4 months), the mechanic seems relatively sure that with the head skimmed and tested, it should run at least long enough for us to return this ticking timebomb to fiat.

There is of course a risk here that a piston ring or two has died. And for the sake of not replacing them (and all the labour involved) we might be about to double up our badness.

Fingers crossed

Once it's 'fixed', I'd be tempted to stop using it and get another car just in case it deteriorates over the 4 months of use and further issues come to light. Don't think I'd like being sat in traffic on a hot day worrying about whether the engine is about to go pop.

onomatopoeia99

Tarambor wrote: »

Regardless of the low coolant sensor this is entirely down to user error. Its only recently that cars have started to come with low coolant sensors and for decades drivers managed to do just fine without them.

The 18 year old car I drove to work in this morning has a low coolant sensor. While that fits my definition of a "modern", it was hardly built recently.

0800Dinosaur

Nobbie1967 wrote: »

Once it's 'fixed', I'd be tempted to stop using it and get another car just in case it deteriorates over the 4 months of use and further issues come to light. Don't think I'd like being sat in traffic on a hot day worrying about whether the engine is about to go pop.

Oh buddy, I hear you so bad.

It's going to be sat on a battery tender for the next 4 months lol.

Fortunately we've been able to shift things around so she still has the ability to get to work.

scaredofdebt

Definitely speak to FIAT.

I had a similar issue with a Vauhall Corsa I owned a few years ago, bought it nearly new, low mileage and after about 3 years and 30k the timing belt snapped. It was a few months out of warranty, I went to Vauxhall and they agreed to pay 3/4 of the repair costs as a gesture of goodwill. I think it cost me just under £200 for the work in total which I felt was reasonable.

missile

0800Dinosaur wrote: »

Thanks for the replies all.

So the good news, is that the damage wasn't as bad as feared. The piston heads 1 and 4 are looking rather unhappy, visible gouges and marks on the surface and some somewhat less obvious marks inside the cylinders. Interestingly where the gasket has allowed water in, the valves are super shiny clean.

Given the situation (returning it in 4 months), the mechanic seems relatively sure that with the head skimmed and tested, it should run at least long enough for us to return this ticking timebomb to fiat.

There is of course a risk here that a piston ring or two has died. And for the sake of not replacing them (and all the labour involved) we might be about to double up our badness.

Fingers crossed

The gouge marks in two pistons are a sure sign a foreign body has been rattling around in engine. Much more serious than a blown head gasket.

Have you asked for a quote to voluntarily terminate the PCP early?

facade

If you have paid more than 50% of the PCP, including the final value, then you can VT (voluntary termination) the car when it is running properly.


If you have 4 months to go, you are probably at that stage now, so you can VT it as soon as it is fixed, and save the 4 final payments, simply hand back the car.