Can't really comment further then; Just that I know that what you described would be pretty much impossible in a correctly maintained PSA car.

To be honest, I think what happened to me would have been classed as "pretty much impossible" in a Megane. But it still happened. Rare events do.

So I don't sound like a raving anti-Renault or racist anti-French loon, I have a few friends who got on so well with their Meganes that they bought the second generation (and the third, in one case!). But my specific example was a shocker. It's difficult for me to have confidence in Renault now, even if they were to make the best cars in the world these days.

As for PSA cars, my brother swears blind that his Pug 306 was the best car he ever owned. After it died (through no fault of the car- it was nicked by joyriders) he went straight out to buy a second.

My experience of using a pool Pug 307 for work was of a car with none of the charm of its predecessor and with multiple minor faults. That car put me off modern PSA vehicles. But if I experienced a significant improvement over the 307, I might look at a Pug/Citroen in future.

Maybe it's unfair, but I don't have confidence in modern cars that happen to be French (as opposed to "French cars", if you get my gist.)

But there was a time when many of us wouldn't have bought Skodas, yes? There's always a chance of quality changing for the better again.

Edited 27 February, 201016 yr by thinkblueskies

I didn't brake harshly, didn't speed. I did try to steer, but it felt jammed and I could only move it a third of a turn or so. I was effectively a passenger as my car spun around on a all three lanes and could only minimally correct the skid.

Curious. When you say you tried to steer, are you saying that you were unable to turn the steering wheel?

What caused the skid?

What was the first sign that something was amiss? Presumably there'd been no indication that anything was wrong with the steering before the skid started?

Of all the things that I think might cause a spin, I'd guess a wheel locking up is the most likely. If that's what happened, a typical cause might be a worn wheel bearing but then you'd have expected to have some warning as they tend to be noisy for a while before they seize. Another cause might be a stone chip getting into a brake caliper, and for that I'd expect little warning.

Curious. When you say you tried to steer, are you saying that you were unable to turn the steering wheel?

Not quite. The car was going straight and then pulled itself to the side, and the steering wheel with it. For about 3 seconds, I was unable to pull the wheel straight, by which time the skid was irrecoverable. Something caught in the wheel? I'm still not sure.

Curious. When you say you tried to steer, are you saying that you were unable to turn the steering wheel?

Not quite. The car was going straight and then pulled itself to the side, and the steering wheel with it. For about 3 seconds, I was unable to pull the wheel straight, by which time the skid was irrecoverable. Something caught in the wheel? I'm still not sure.

I'm wondering about a (rare) explosive decompression of a tyre from this description. If so, hardly something that can be blamed on "being a R*n@*1t" (and incidentally I've seen the results of this happening before; the car does lurch sideways and enter a nigh on uncontrolable skid if a front goes. In fact you were probably lucky to not have done one and a half revolutions with roll).

ame='thinkblueskies' date='03 March 2010 - 12:45' timestamp='1267620339' post='1912900']

I'm wondering about a (rare) explosive decompression of a tyre from this description. If so, hardly something that can be blamed on "being a R*n@*1t" (and incidentally I've seen the results of this happening before; the car does lurch sideways and enter a nigh on uncontrolable skid if a front goes. In fact you were probably lucky to not have done one and a half revolutions with roll).

Lucky is the word. Fortunately everyone was slowed to 50mph through roadworks, at full M-Way speed I dread to think.

The tyres seemed fine after the event.

(And because I forgot to answer- I've had noisy wheel bearings on other cars, and didn't hear anything before the event in the Megane. But then, I had a habit of driving round with loud music in my early 20's, so it's possible!)

Edited 4 March, 201016 yr by thinkblueskies