Car Breakdown 2

The car breakdown saga continues (see the end of Summer Holiday)

The local Nationwide garage where the car had been towed to by the AA called me on Monday afternoon to say that they had investigated and road tested the car. Their computer diagnostics were showing "no fault" and it was starting and driving OK.

Giving that we're thinking of trading in the car in a couple of months I decided to give it a try and see if the fault had somehow rectified itself, or if it would develop again.

I picked it up on Tuesday morning and drove it out of the garage. Two corners around the block on Penny Lane the car broke down again! Again it wouldn't start.

I walked back to the garage and they sent a mechanic to investigate. He took his computer diagnostic equipment and plugged it in. Again, as with Saturdays AA man, the computer was showing "No Fault" even though the car wouldn't start.

I was advised to take it to the main VW dealer, who would have better diagnostic equipment. So after walking home and picking up my stuff for work, I caught a bus back to the car and called the AA. A very nice man towed me 8 miles or so to the main VW dealership in Bootle.

Although they said that they probably wouldn't get to look at it on the same day, that afternoon they called me, and said that it appeared to be working OK, and their diagnostic equipment was showing "No Fault" (they are charging me 40 quid to run diagnostics on their kit).

I explained the two breakdowns to them, so they've decided to investigate further.

This is the same place that when I took the car in for a brake check, they told me that they'd had all the wheels off the car. None of my hub cap ties had been cut!, so all they'd done was drive it and try the brakes.
Therefore I suspect that at this point they'd just tried to start the car, and had found that it started.

They called me back to get my permission for a mechanic to drive the car home to St Helens and see if the breakdown happens again. I said that they could do this.

Haven't heard from them today, so hopefully he broke down and is now looking for the cause of the problem.

I'll give them a call tomorrow if I haven't heard by then.

I'm now rediscovering the joys of public transport.