Your fleet running reports

[Jimmy Choo]

The clutch in the Mini is confusing me. last month it was slipping slightly. I started driving more gently, keeping the revs under 3k and booked it to be fixed when the car was being serviced. Then it stopped slipping. Even during the evo meet when I was trying to keep up with everyone it was fine.

This morning, it's slipping again and it's worse than it was. I'll get it booked in but how the hell can it fix itself temporarily?

[JLv3.0]

Would an intermittent oil leak cause it to slip and then stop as it burns off? Just spitballing here.

[Nic]

Would an intermittent oil leak cause it to slip and then stop as it burns off? Just spitballing here.

Leaking crankshaft seal would cause that.

[JLv3.0]

Yep exactly mate. Anything intermittent is always fluid or electrics in my simple mind. And clutches ain't electric!

[Simon]

So, both front dampers are shot - ordered and will collect Fri, fit Saturday. Have ordered a spring compressor too.

The front right wheel bearing is shot. Collecting that tomorrow from ECP. That requires a special tool to fit which I've ordered from eBay and is arriving on Friday.

Whilst I'm doing the front dampers I'll swap out the turret bearings because they're grinding a little. Collecting tomorrow from ECP.

The thermostat has failed open - will pick up a new one on Friday and fit on Saturday.

The swirl flap control solenoids are playing up. Some switch cleaner on the contacts has sorted them for now but will order up some replacements from ebay for fitting as it throws a P2008 error code when they act up and power goes down enormously.

The car is shit.

Replacement swirl flap control solenoids ordered from ebay. Should be here in the next couple of days.

Still looking for a replacement car, but can see myself replacing rear dampers and front lower arms if it keeps going like this.

[Jobbo]

My car wants me to go to Asda. New stuff is becoming too intelligent, without discriminating.

[Mito Man]

That’s depressing. Of all the brands it picks Asda.

[Jobbo]

I'm just lucky Aldi don't have a petrol station. Waitrose does, but it was further away.

[Sundayjumper]

We like Aldi biscuits and also their coffee beans. We get through a lot here at work.

[Broccers]

Popped the roof box on the mini last night - forgot how massive it is. Next doors audi is broke and they were off to France for 2 weeks at the weekend with their 2 kids. As I am such a nice neighbour I lent them Nics mini without asking her

Advised breakdown cover might be sensible - wishing them the best of luck.

[DeskJockey]

Popped the roof box on the mini last night - forgot how massive it is. Next doors audi is broke and they were off to France for 2 weeks at the weekend with their 2 kids. As I am such a nice neighbour I lent them Nics mini without asking her

Advised breakdown cover might be sensible - wishing them the best of luck.

That's very nice of you. My sister's Touran shat its gearbox in the Dover ferry terminal on Thursday, so after an overnight stay with a friend they've rented a car for the whole holiday. She didn't sound happy when I spoke to her.

[Broccers]

I have my moments

Your sisters jaunt sounds stressy. Driving for hours on end in baking heat isn't my idea of fun.

[JonMad]

Drove to a station nearish to work today to avoid South Western Railway industrial again. Lost my car key between platform and work. Probably dropped it unknowingly onto the seat in the train when I got my phone out of my pocket. Bollocks.

Parents driving over to meet me later with the spare. Phew.

Still. Bollocks.

[DeskJockey]

I have my moments

Your sisters jaunt sounds stressy. Driving for hours on end in baking heat isn't my idea of fun.

Definitely. Upside is the hire car probably has better air con than their car.

[Mito Man]

Sounds like a lucky escape, would have been worse if the car broke down mid holiday!

The independent I use is quite close to the channel tunnel and they’re the only BMW/Mercedes specialists within 20 miles so usually the breakdown companies send the cars to this one tiny garage and it’s not uncommon to see disgruntled families all waiting for a hopefully speedy repair!

[nuttinnew]

After breaking the A2 and Polo I've been using my father's Yeti (mostly ferrying him about because he's a bit crock atm, but, in that generation's way, won't go to the doctor ); it's now showing service due
Apart from a bit of a knobbly ride it fits his use well, 1.2 tsi dsg is a good fit.

Scouring t'net hasn't produced clear info on how to remove the Polo's tensioner. Annoying, I'm aiming to attack it tomorrow/Saturday night and would like to have a clue what I'm up to

[John]

A rare occurrence on the forum but I've had an MOT failure today, a broken front spring on the Berlingo was responsible. It doesn't look like the original spring and was rust free, I've had no unusual noise hinting at problems either. It was fine when I had new tyres fitted last year so I'll blame it on the the rubbish state of the roads rather than the excellent way the Berlingo can handle speed bumps without slowing down

[integrale_evo]

Compact exhaust is getting noisy.

Unfortunately not in a good way, in a farty tractory noise from somewhere near the front.

Hoping it holds together tomorrow so I can bodge it up over the weekend. I'd like to make a stainless system for it. I don't want anything aftermarket as they're all louder which I don't really want, so will probably buy some bits and knock one up myself when I get the time.

If I look under it and find it almost hanging off and too far gone to fix I'll have to bung a standard replacement on for now.

[scotta]

A rare occurrence on the forum but I've had an MOT failure today, a broken front spring on the Berlingo was responsible. It doesn't look like the original spring and was rust free, I've had no unusual noise hinting at problems either. It was fine when I had new tyres fitted last year so I'll blame it on the the rubbish state of the roads rather than the excellent way the Berlingo can handle speed bumps without slowing down

It’s fucked then. I’d mend it with fire.

[McSwede]

Interesting car news of the day!!!!

My March-16 C220d AMG has passed 75k this week in it's usual unremarkable fashion. It's averaged 50mpg over whole the time I've had it and it is a very nice day to day car in which to do my job. Nothing has broken, nothing has needed replacing under warranty, just regular services and brakes. It's comfy, quiet with a cracking Burmester stereo and very good nav. The infotainment system is the best I've used after BMW's idrive.

I'm ready for it to go now though that the M140i is ordered. The next couple of months will drag while I await its arrival.