Incompetant mechanic...

[Ty Korrigan]

Yup, thats me.

Happy to change chipper blades, change oil, air filters blah blah but for bigger stuff I use a mechanic.

Except today when I thought that changing the glow plugs on my kangoo would be a breeze...

The last one, the one by the fuel pump snapped off!

Now, the van starts but if I am to get this fixed it will cost a minimum of 200euros+vat and possibly a great deal more... I'm betting a great deal more.

So now I am resolved to let garages do what they are best because today I lost money due to not letting a pro' do it for me.

I lost the mornings work, must rent a van, pay for a repair, stress and time wasted all because of something so small.

Still, its a chance to catch up on maintenance of saws and paperwork so not all bad eh?

Ty

[pie eater pete]

Never mind Ty no doubt you have learnt your lesson now? Me and the wife have been going to Normandy last few years love it-surely French mechanic will be cheaper than over here?!

[button1803]

im kinda in the same boat as you mate, went to start my van this morning, fired up ok, then heard a large bang, van lost power and i lost all electrics. good start hey, so ive managed to jump start it was ok, but never held its charge, just waiting for a spare batt to get to me to try or if its the alternator... but yeah days work lost, sorted out things at home and sorted my gear out too... again... even though i did it last weekend.

[Bretonboy]

Have a bolt remover kit that might let you tap in and manage to remove what's left of the plug??????

 

Let me Know, and leg is still buggered but less so now only the size of a small balloon.

 

Rhett

[Ty Korrigan]

I can't sleep...

Garage extracted and replaced the glow plug only to damage an injector doing so.

Now they want...wait for it.

1500euros for replacing the injector, cam belt, water pump and I imagine any other stuff they can make up as they go along.

Tomorrow, I go back to the garage and in my best French try to negotiate on this.

For those who don't already live here in Frenchy land a word of warning.

The French have a very poor reputation for customer service.

This will be my second run in with a French garage and the first was very unpleasant indeed.

My usual ex-pat mechanic is telling me that there may be a real chance of debris left in the cylinder which is causing the engine to run badly.

Now I'm going to try to get some sleep.

Night...er Morning!

Ty

[tomtrees]

Ha Ha

 

sorry I had to laugh done it my self on the 306, Its been starting on 3 glow plugs for years but I still remember how piss off I was. The thing I learned was that you dont tighten up the glow plugs more than a quater turn. The garage wanted to take the head off to get the rest out. I didnt even ask for a quote.

 

Steph wont let me sell it because its not proper.

 

Bienvenue dans le club

[Ty Korrigan]

I'm a Lemon, proper Lemon but I won't that Frenchy garagiste pull my pants down further than my buttocks I'll tell ye.

I've been in your old banger when you drove home on 3 tyres after lunch in Domagne:001_tt2:

Ty

[tomtrees]

The garagiste next to you is Know for having your trousers down and nicking your girl friends undies. He said to me once he rang the bar next door to find out the size of his bar tab always before quoting.

[phirow]

Hi

cam belt in france

The cambelt broke near Arras ford ranger (56 plate does not damage engine) tow off 350-00p euros

70-00p euros taxi 500-00p euros for cam belt + fitting two nights 200-00 euros.

The French seem not to have any basic knowledge of engine timing.

I removed covers to check belt us. Went to pickup the car the greetings was KAPUT my answer B-------KS

Made me remove car from premises to car park they went for their three hour lunch.

Checked the timing the prat had not timed the crank to the cams one hour later and a coffe later I had the car running.

Had to wait for the garage to re-open just had to gloat!!.

Run nice ever since.

OH! My past life was a hgv mechanic (38 years).

Get a freind in the car game to go over and do the job. cheaper to buy ferry or tunnel tickets ad the parts here in UK:confused1:

[Rich2484]

Sound like proper you know what's. If there is debris in th cylinder it will knacker the cylinder right up, score the lining loose compressiona all that stuff. Would look into getting someone over to look into it in the future.

 

Someone you can trust to get it done right. Hate the French and always will, just me.

 

Garages are a mind field whatever country you are in but if you find that one good one then stick with them.