Water pump but what else too?

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pete - 18 Feb 2005 00:06 GMT

I was 12 miles from home when I heard and felt the first scream and
judder. "Check coolant" flashed up so I put some water in and noticed
it was steaming and smelling of antifreeze and as it was dark I nursed
it home and on the way the alternator light came on at the same time
as I heard slap under the bonnet and I lost the power steering but I
got home.I had a look in the dark and the brand new drive belt is
around the water pump/fan spindle and the fan is decidedly floppy and
loose. In 4 months this car, a 1998 535i has cost me £700 in repairs
and it looks like another big bill is coming again now and my motor
will be off the road again waiting for parts. My £200 Polo is 20 years
old and never breaks down. I maybe selling this wallet buster now.
pete

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Chris D'Agnolo - 20 Feb 2005 13:59 GMT

Only you can decide when this point arrives, if you're like me, you build a
relationship with the vehicle and you hate to give up on it, just like a
relationship going bad. The problem is, by the time I give up, it's not only
obvious to me but to everyone that checks out the car that this might not be
the one to enter a new relationship with!

Good luck but I'm doing the same thing currently with a '96 V6 Accord w/
135k ;-)

Chris

> I was 12 miles from home when I heard and felt the first scream and
> judder. "Check coolant" flashed up so I put some water in and noticed
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> old and never breaks down. I maybe selling this wallet buster now.
> pete

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pete - 20 Feb 2005 14:31 GMT

>Only you can decide when this point arrives, if you're like me, you build a
>relationship with the vehicle and you hate to give up on it, just like a
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>Good luck but I'm doing the same thing currently with a '96 V6 Accord w/
>135k ;-)

I am more relaxed about the situation now. Unfortunately I am no
longer able to do my own repairs and maintenance and the mech says he
will fix it Monday ( about £200) and then I have to find out if I have
fried anything else. I have resigned my self to the fact that this is
a car that I could not afford if it wasn't a high mileage cheapy
(£7500) and I am going to have to get the mech to check it out every
month now as being stuck away from home is a nightmare. I believe the
whole car has to be off the ground to transport it home as it mustn't
be towed because of the auto box. I am going to keep it and I suppose
I will continue to spend money on it as there is no way I am going to
be able to escape now without a big write off. I believe the P/X value
of my car is about £4K against another car that may give me the same
problems and be just as expensive so I keep a second car too;-)
pete

>Chris
>
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>> old and never breaks down. I maybe selling this wallet buster now.
>> pete

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Dave Plowman (News) - 20 Feb 2005 16:21 GMT

> I believe the whole car has to be off the ground to transport it home as
> it mustn't be towed because of the auto box.

I'd check the handbook. Some may be towed a short distance at low speed -
but then most recovery services use a low loader these days as it's safer
all round.

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*Marathon runners with bad footwear suffer the agony of defeat.*

Dave Plowman dave@davenoise.co.uk London SW
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pete - 21 Feb 2005 02:28 GMT

>> I believe the whole car has to be off the ground to transport it home as
>> it mustn't be towed because of the auto box.
>
>I'd check the handbook. Some may be towed a short distance at low speed -
>but then most recovery services use a low loader these days as it's safer
>all round.

If that is so I will be signing up with either the AA or the RAC this
week. My gearbox has done 117K and I am not about to push my luck with
it after all the stuff I have had done to the motor since I bought it
thanks;-)
pete

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