And this isn't even a post about an Octavia....although it is relevent I guess.

 

One of my ex's bought a brand new 225bhp TT in 2003. Nice car in many respects, shares much mechanically with our cars. A lot of people slag them down but....when I used to borrow it, I found that, as is often the case.....it's less about the car, and more about how you drive it

 

Anyhow, we split up ages ago, but are still good mates. She often still asks me / discusses with me, various aspects of her car, she's a bit of a petrolhead (or so I thought) - and she still loves the thing.

 

I was happy that she was looking after it properly, she seemed to have always had various services done....she always fits decent tyres - I thought she was on the ball, and well on top of looking after the car, and 'au-fait' with the servicing requirements. It's been running well from new up until now, with around 130,000 miles on the clock.

 

Until last week.

 

I got a phone call with much upset and anguish. Turns out....she wasn't as QUITE on the ball as I had thought, and somehow she had neglected to recognise the importance of a cambelt change....if I had thought at any point that she hadn't realised about changing the belt, I obviously would have said. But I thought she had it all under control.

 

 

Anyway, I think it did pretty well to go to 130k on the original belt, don't you?

 

 

It's currently sitting as forlornly as you can imagine, at a local VAG specialist, with the motor stripped. It's as bad as you might think - it let go at motorway speeds. Carnage.

 

Despite my advice to just get another complete motor, she has gone for the full-rebuild option. I'll let you know what the bill is when I find out later!

 

Not much point to the post, other than A) however good a woman seems with her car, it might be wise to always double-check.....and don't forget to get those belts changed regularly, kids!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

And this isn't even a post about an Octavia....although it is relevent I guess.

 

One of my ex's bought a brand new 225bhp TT in 2003. Nice car in many respects, shares much mechanically with our cars. A lot of people slag them down but....when I used to borrow it, I found that, as is often the case.....it's less about the car, and more about how you drive it

 

Anyhow, we split up ages ago, but are still good mates. She often still asks me / discusses with me, various aspects of her car, she's a bit of a petrolhead (or so I thought) - and she still loves the thing.

 

I was happy that she was looking after it properly, she seemed to have always had various services done....she always fits decent tyres - I thought she was on the ball, and well on top of looking after the car, and 'au-fait' with the servicing requirements. It's been running well from new up until now, with around 130,000 miles on the clock.

 

Until last week.

 

I got a phone call with much upset and anguish. Turns out....she wasn't as QUITE on the ball as I had thought, and somehow she had neglected to recognise the importance of a cambelt change....if I had thought at any point that she hadn't realised about changing the belt, I obviously would have said. But I thought she had it all under control.

 

 

Anyway, I think it did pretty well to go to 130k on the original belt, don't you?

 

 

It's currently sitting as forlornly as you can imagine, at a local VAG specialist, with the motor stripped. It's as bad as you might think - it let go at motorway speeds. Carnage.

 

Despite my advice to just get another complete motor, she has gone for the full-rebuild option. I'll let you know what the bill is when I find out later!

 

Not much point to the post, other than A) however good a woman seems with her car, it might be wise to always double-check.....and don't forget to get those belts changed regularly, kids!!!!

130k and 11 years wow I would have thought at the very least the waterpump would have gone before then .Whats recommended miles and age before a cambelt change?

Ouch! That's good going and just shows how conservative the 60k miles/4 years rule is.

 

But yeah... you're right... they are useless (not all of them I'm sure).

 

A friend of mine was wanting a new car a couple of years back.

 

She had a Y reg Clio 1.2 she had inherited from her mum. It had been fine and she only had a couple of normal stuff wrong and I had sorted out a problem with the battery connections for her a few months prior.

 

She was asking me what she could expect to get for the car and to give it a once over... I asked when it had last had a service "what do you mean?" was the reply...

 

In the 6 years and about 60k miles she had never once had it serviced! "Oh, I didn't know I had to do that!" The oil was thick black! But you know what... it ran sweet as anything! It probably wouldn't last as long as a similar car serviced correctly but I was very surprised.

 

Phil

Edited 1 October, 201411 yr by Phil-E

To be honest there are plenty of men out there who don't know much about cars as well.

I would be more worried that the garage that serviced the car didn't tell her.

It is surprising that the garages that had done other services on the car hadn't mentioned it to her, but there you go.

 

It's nearly finished now, so when she gets the bill, I'll let you know

Personally would of just dropped a new lump in. Cant wait to see the bill.

Personally would of just dropped a new lump in. Cant wait to see the bill.

 

That's exactly what I would have done mate. However, as I said, she's my ex now and makes her own decisions on her cars, along with her latest B/F who is a normal Billy who treats cars like automotive white goods!!

That's exactly what I would have done mate. However, as I said, she's my ex now and makes her own decisions on her cars, along with her latest B/F who is a normal Billy who treats cars like automotive white goods!!

I'd guess at smashed valves fudged Pistons at least

Working in a garage I see too many people turn down timing belt changes due to the prices. If only most of these understood what could happen and how much it would then cost.

Working in a garage I see too many people turn down timing belt changes due to the prices. If only most of these understood what could happen and how much it would then cost.

Same here same as they also say don't do the waterpump which we just get the receptionist to call one of us out to explain then they soon see the reason same as when fitting a gearbox people saying don't change clutch!