Its 8.00am and I am ringing every car rental firm in existence. Why?
I dropped my motor off at Cheam Motors last night at 5.30. Courtesy car just happened to be an 'L' reg Renault Clio diesel (Arg!).

Desperate to get home (chugga chugga) and enjoing the 'rail-like' handling of the car (boing boing) and making sure I control the performance of this beast (move you barstool), i notice that the tank needle has suddenly dropped from a 1/4 tank to zilch in the space of 30 miles. Hmm..must find a petrol station soon. But whats this? A yellow light? Hmm...must really find a station soon, this needle must be faulty.
10 seconds pass.
AAARRRGGGHHH!!!
*cough* *splutter* *chug chug*

*croak*

Oh dear, my engine has cut out, I have no power and I am drifting in the middle lane of the M25!!! Ok, emergency manouvres, swerve into hard shoulder and think. Friends. Noone around (or nearby) family (all still at work) recovery (none available).
Manage to get hold of a friend, "Bring some diesel" (£25.00) I yell. He turns up an hour later. Nice one. Put diesel in car, turn key, "chugga chugga chugga chugga chugga chugga chugga chugga." NOOOOOO!
Battery dies http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/frown.gif "Mate you got jump leads?" "No."

Oh dear, I'm pretty shafted. Ring up RAC and become instant member £100.00). Delivery truck arrives 2 hours later with powerpack to try to start this peice of crap. No joy, tow it to a local service station. His powerpack runs out. Great. "You got any jump leads?" I ask.
"no mate" he says. Great recovery service. I have to go and buy a set of jump leads. (£12.00).
Jump start it.
"chugga chugga chugga chugga chugga chugga chugga chugga."

"Put more diesel in it mate" (£15.00)

"chugga chugga chugga chugga chugga chugga chugga chugga."
Dont want to know mate, sorry.(starts pouring down with rain with gale force winds)
Need to get meself home somehow.
"Gonna cost you extra to take you home mate, you arent within a 10 mile radius." (£39.99)

Get home at 12.00 am, a massive 5 hours spent at roadside. Spend the next hour ringing car hire firms. Damnit, noone can help. Up 7.30 this morning for car hire firms. Noone can help.
Oh well, time to ring up dad and borrow his Corsa.
Thats the first and last time I drive a french car.
I want my Subaru back.

Cem, cold, tired, hungry and rather peeved.

P.S. Just want people to know that this isnt a dig at Cheam motors. They are all top guys there and did not intentionaly give me a car that would break down


[This message has been edited by Blow Dog (edited 09-02-2000).]

Diesels can be a absolute git to get started again when they run 'dry'....I think the more modern ones are better....but the older injectors needed bleeding to get going again..

Not sure about the L reg Clio though!

Gethin.

Cem
In defense of Diesels - it's bad bad luck -sometimes it happens nothing you can do about it

- we have a 406 estate Peugots are better (I think) than Renaults, just be thankful it's wasn't below freezing -

You haven't lived until you've been stuck on the side of a mountain (in September) with a car that won't go anywhere because the Diesel has frozen.

Sorry you had such a bad day.
Penni

[This message has been edited by Penni Whitehead (edited 09-02-2000).]

Hi guys...

If diesels (the old and cheap engined ones) run dry, you have to prime them.. cranking wont normally solve it

If you look in the engine bay.. you will either find a pump/plunger.. that you use... or sometimes there is a bulbous sort sc thing in one of the pipes... you keep squeezing and release that

Have a look in the manual (if it has one)... it should say on that.

Cheers,

J.

Thanks for the advice all...

I am now rid of the car =) and I have my Subaru back. Happy Happy Joy Joy.

Cem