Big John

Sad story of a sick scooby.

It all began with my H reg Legacy Salon passed its M.o.t. with flying colours of course. I was advised to change the clutch as in was beginning to slip.
The following month I allowed my local garage to change the clutch plates instead of taking in to the main dealer. This was a big mistake the car did not feel or sound the same and the clutch smelled they said this was oil and would soon go. But it did not go away.
Four days later my brakes failed, resulting in a minor accident that could have been much worse. When the car came to a stop I found the brakes had jammed I thought they had over heated as after about fifteen minutes they freed.
I phoned the garage the following day I was told that they could not book the car in that week but if I called in later in the week they would have a quick look. The car was still not sounding right it also still smelled of burning but the brakes seamed to be working. On the way to the garage I stopped briefly the car would not move the brakes were locked on. Luckily I was outside another garage a mechanic came out and he told me to put the car in reverse then forward to free the brakes. When I explained the problems I was having. He told me to take the car straight back to the garage as they had not properly fitted the new clutch. I went straight to the garage and insisted that the car was looked at. They agreed to look at it the next day so I took the car back and stayed their until they came up with a reason for the problems the car was having. They took some convincing that the brake problem was linked to the clutch but eventually found that a cable needed to be adjusted they could not adjust it out enough so they disconnected it. They said that they would reconnect it when the clutch plates had worn down a bit. After road testing the car they told me the car was working properly. I was not happy and they agreed to change the brake fluid. I was still not happy with the sound the car was making the mechanic suggested I changed the oil He checked the level and he said it was clear and up to its maximum. He suggested that the noise was coming from the engine and not the clutch as I was suggesting as the noise had only started after the clutch was changed. The mechanic told me to take it to the main dealer if it gave me any more problems and even gave me a contact name that he had been talking about the cable.
A few days later on the 2nd of October the car stalled on the way to work it proved difficult to start and began making a different engine noise when it did start, so I parked the car and when the garage opened called them. they said they would come and toe the car back into the garage and check it out, they had suggested that I had blown the engine but I had had no warning lights come on and the engine was not smoking. Some hours later they came and I went with them to the garage. I expected the car to be sorted out what ever the problem as it was too much of a coincidence not to relate the problems. But when the garage phoned they said that they had located another engine and it would cost £2000.00 to put the car right and this was my cheapest opption. (Not allowing for the cost of sorting out the clutch and brake problems). I decided against letting them do anything else to my Scooby so I had them bring the car home to die or can some one help my poor Scooby recover.

Ian Cook

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by Big John:
<B>Sad story of a sick scooby.
They took some convincing that the brake problem was linked to the clutch but eventually found that a cable needed to be adjusted they could not adjust it out enough so they disconnected it. They said that they would reconnect it when the clutch plates had worn down a bit. [/quote]

Erm which cable did they disconnect ? this sounds very dodgy and dangerous ! I would think if they couldnt adjust it enough the clutch wasnt fitted properly ! I would get the car to a main dealer ASAP get them to do an exam and list all the faults re the clutch and brakes ! I doubt the engine is blown ! you would hear it if it was ! clanking rattling noise if big ends !Im no expert but this sounds like wild bill f***up has ridden into town !!!

scoobyboy

the cable they disconnectd sounds like the hill holder cable which when working properly allows you to push the clutch pedal down then press the brakes and while still holding the clutch pedal down release the brakes and the car will stay there with out rolling back. it works by holding the brakes on via a valve in the system. u can remove it with out a problem but defo get the engine to a main dealer to listn to it