The Gilly

Went shopping yesterday only for the bloody thing not to start on return. AA man said it needed a new battery. Boosted me and sent me on it's way. £65 and all was happy days again.

On route to Jap meet today only to start hearing a knocking noise. Gets louder so pull over. Big end failure!

Can't believe it! I changed from Ford to a jap car for reliability.

What a nightmare and what a waste of time and money!

:-(

G

Boro

iTrader: (1)

That is so unlucky, how long have you had it? Under warranty?

Brun

UK or Jap ?

Stick with it old chap, the fun will return

stevebt

iTrader: (8)

got nothing to do with jap cars this is the 2nd hand car market mate

Boro

iTrader: (1)

Tell me about it! I sell 2nd cars and they all go wrong at some point

Many Humbug Returns

The battery thing is an AA scam: they get targets to meet for battery sales and the patrols will pressurise everyone to get abattery when a simple charge would suffice.

Sorry about the big end though.

Gav

did you have it RAC or AA checked before purchase???

gav..

jameswrx

iTrader: (4)

wasn't the battery thing RAC?

I know how you feel about the car mate, I bought one because I heard they were ultra reliable and bullet proof, it seemed to be one thing after another going wrong.. [touch wood]saying that, it's running spot on at the moment [/touch wood]

Re-Bitten Hero

Ummm... let me guess... driving it hard to the Jap meet, using normal unleaded on an STi or WRX import?

Happy to be proved wrong, but a penny says I'm right . It seems to be the main way the big ends go, if you look at the posts over the last few years.

You still have my sympathies though! Just want to find out what the reason was, to warn others.

Richard

jameswrx

iTrader: (4)

yeah what model you have?. Also, what fuel, modifications, etc?

jaf01uk

Not sure how fuel grade would damage a big end? surely it would result in detonation and damage a piston(s) crown? I'm confused so perhaps someone might explain, sorry to hear of the trouble regardless of how it came about, I had a big end failure on a Gti-6 Pug and it's no fun

Foot_Tapper

I've been reading (as prolly everyone else)loads of threads on fueling for different cars.

There are also a few threads about big ends going, and an excellent one, currently quite popular in the Gen Tech section.
Reading into that section, it looks like your damage was pretty much done, I would approach who sold it to you, depending on how long ago that was, and see if you can come to an arrangement.

As jaf said, i'm not sure if its a fuelling issue.Perhaps a scoobytech wiz can put some light on it.
Not that it makes a difference to you of course.

The Gilly

It was AA who came out and he showed me the computer. Took out fuel breaker and tested the battery too. Def was the battery. He never said to get one from anywhere inparticular.

It's a 95 WRX Import. Had it four weeks. Two of which it has spent in the bodyshop having some odds and sods done.

If you call doing 80 on the m25 gunning it then I guess I was. Never use anything other than optimax. It was about 10 miles from my house so was still warming it up and letting the oil get hot.

it was only the AA that said it was big ends. Now it's at my mates garage so will get the full story tomorrow.

Frankly I've only had a few hours grin time in the thing since I ordered it in January.

Shame really as I love it to bits!

Re-Bitten Hero

Ok, glad to hear that it was nothing you did wrong. Very tough luck then . Sounds like it was whoever had it before you.

Good luck getting it sorted,
Richard

Toonman1

Sorry to hear your story Gilly, but with all due respect, you've bought an 8 year old car with (I suspect), an unknown history. Whilst it's a sod the car's got problems, maybe it's not Subaru's fault...? How long is the manufacturer supposed to be responsible for a car after they've sold it? Not 8 years I reckon. If you bought it from a dealer, how about taking a trip back there?

I hope you get sorted soon.

Cheers

The Gilly

The car was imported for me by a close friend who is a mechanic. He does alot of work on import cars for a local import dealer. They do not normally bring in scoobs but did so as a favour for my friend.

The car has japanese service history and has recently had the cam belt changed.

I'm not questioning how good the manufacturer is I'm stating that I've had **** luck with the car so far and frankly felt more confident driving my old banged up fiesta.

on the plus side I've got a half broken car on the drive. So might be able to work something with that. also still owe the importer £1000 which he is unlike to see.

[Edited by The Gilly - 7/13/2003 10:17:46 PM]

Toonman1

I sympathise Gilly. Good luck.

Cheers

Project ST

Gutted mate

You're welcome to come back to Fiesta-land any time I'm only on engine number 7 at the moment... ahem

Foot_Tapper

I think your just bloody unlucky mate.

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Don't 100% rely on AA man's diagnosis (for the big ends)

I have heard a multitude of stories of daft diagnoisis along the lines of "Your rotator splint is knackered - you'll need a new engine"

A friend of mine even had an AA man say the engine was knackered on his car saying it needs a full re-build. Truth is - all that was needed was the tappets adjusting!!! A 15 minute job that should have done when it was serviced

Leslie

Sorry to hear about your problems Gilly, I hope it turns out to be something less serious than a big end anyway. Batteries can let you down without it being the car's fault though.

Jaf01uk. Detonation is a very nasty thing for the engine to experience. It is like hitting your pistons with a heavy hammer every time they fire. This can destroy big ends just as easily as the piston crowns.

Les