TestMate
Well-Known Member
You got the title spot on " it's falling apart ". poor thing.
How long since the last decent service?
I recon it won't be cheep to fix it up properly.
More like "patching" it here & there so you don't get hurt too much.
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Need Help with My car - its falling apart!!!
- Thread starter Nicci
- Start date
You got the title spot on " it's falling apart ". poor thing.
How long since the last decent service?
I recon it won't be cheep to fix it up properly.
More like "patching" it here & there so you don't get hurt too much.
I'm going to put my **** on the block here. I am a motor mechanic (There goes 10% of my anonymity) Girl: there comes a time when you need to bite the bullet and take the pain. You need to spend some serious money on that car of yours, or replace it. The stuff you describe is symptomatic of it's general condition, I'd hazard to guess. It's seen better days. Sorry, but you'll spend getting these things fixed, only to have more problems in a couple of months time. Old machinery is like an old person - you can't take an old man and make him into a teenager again - he's old, his body is worn, and he's going to die. Likewise your car. Sorry, but unless you're prepared to drive around with a full mechanics tool kit and an overall in the boot, ready for each and every breakdown, fixing this, that and the next thing that goes wrong with your tired old car, my advice is get another one.
Velenoso
Expert Member
Nicci, don't you have a knowledgeable guy in your life? Dad, boyfriend, someone? There's a bit of work to be done on that car and it ain't gonna come cheap unless you do it yourself. I could recommend someone up here in JNB but I don't know anyone in the Cape.
If you break it down:
The car being loud: I would assume that you have holes in the exhaust system. If you take this to an exhaust place, expect to pay a couple (maybe R300) hundred bucks.
If it isn't running smoothly, if you're lucky, you just need a good service (plugs, filters, oil change, etc) and a tune up (including checking the timing). What model of GTI is this? Is it carburetor or injected? If it's carb, you most probably need to strip and clean as well as install new jets. These parts should set you back not more than R1,500.
Brake discs and pads for a golf (if it's a fairly old model), you're probably looking at R250 X 2 (discs) and R 250 for the pads. So that's R 750.
When you drive fast and it shakes, you're looking at front wheel bearings for a start (around R200 X 2). Also, take the car for wheel alignment and balancing of the tires. (Around R400) Someone also needs to check the steering box, is there excessive play on the steering wheel? (i.e. can you turn the steering wheel a little bit without the tires actually moving?)
Don't stress too much about the handbrake light, it won't do any harm, but it's probably the switch under the handbrake that isn't working properly.
Yeah, that car sounds like it's in a real state.
Anyway, so if you're lucky, the spares, exhaust and tire place will cost you around R3,400 bucks. The problem now is the labor. It's a lot of work, this is where you'll get ripped. Hence my question about a knowledgeable friend, who you may be able to persuade to fix your car by cooking him a nice dinner.
Good luck. Like I said, if you were in JHB I could help out, but
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Hello! Yes, my care is indeed falling apart, but its not from old age
The car used to be a DREAM!! I never had any problems up until I had an accident last year, and a friend of mine at work said her husband can fix it - needless to say, he fsked it up beyond any repair. He is a muslim guy (no offens PLEASE) and he runs a panel beat shop as a front. I never knew, and he fd up my car so badly! He charged me R17 000-00 to fix it. NOt even a week after i started to fix things that wasnt fixed properly, the whole car was skewly put together. I spent now since Sept Last year almost R25000-00 on that car. I cant afford a new car atm, so I will have to get this one fixed
Nicci, don't you have a knowledgeable guy in your life? Dad, boyfriend, someone? There's a bit of work to be done on that car and it ain't gonna come cheap unless you do it yourself. I could recommend someone up here in JNB but I don't know anyone in the Cape.
If you break it down:
The car being loud: I would assume that you have holes in the exhaust system. If you take this to an exhaust place, expect to pay a couple (maybe R300) hundred bucks.
If it isn't running smoothly, if you're lucky, you just need a good service (plugs, filters, oil change, etc) and a tune up (including checking the timing). What model of GTI is this? Is it carburetor or injected? If it's carb, you most probably need to strip and clean as well as install new jets. These parts should set you back not more than R1,500.
Brake discs and pads for a golf (if it's a fairly old model), you're probably looking at R250 X 2 (discs) and R 250 for the pads. So that's R 750.
When you drive fast and it shakes, you're looking at front wheel bearings for a start (around R200 X 2). Also, take the car for wheel alignment and balancing of the tires. (Around R400) Someone also needs to check the steering box, is there excessive play on the steering wheel? (i.e. can you turn the steering wheel a little bit without the tires actually moving?)
Don't stress too much about the handbrake light, it won't do any harm, but it's probably the switch under the handbrake that isn't working properly.
Yeah, that car sounds like it's in a real state.
Anyway, so if you're lucky, the spares, exhaust and tire place will cost you around R3,400 bucks. The problem now is the labor. It's a lot of work, this is where you'll get ripped. Hence my question about a knowledgeable friend, who you may be able to persuade to fix your car by cooking him a nice dinner.
Good luck. Like I said, if you were in JHB I could help out, but
Hello! No, I unfortunately dont have any friends who can fix cars
My dad passed away and all the guys at work dont really know anything about cars - I already asked.thank you so much for all the advice above, I am writing it down, and will be going phoning a guy to see what he will ask. I think what ever the outcome is, I will have to fix it little by little each month. Do the most serious now, and then the others next month.
R3 400-00 is alot of money, so I will have to fix the stuff thats top urgent.
I wish I could buy another car, but unfortunately I dont have the resources for that now
Maybe I must just sell this car and buy something cheap.
ok, I went to the guy I was referred to, and he is going to fix it Tuesday. My brakes and wheel bearings needs to be fixed. BUT, he didnt mention anything about the car sounding so loud The wheel bearings cant be the reason that the the engine sounds so loud When I drive fast, it sounds as if im driving in 3rd Gear. The engine is loud and the car is vibrating so bad!! Also, I noticed now when I stopped, there is a burning smell coming from under the bonnet. What could that be?
The wheel bearings cant be the reason that the the engine sounds so loud When I drive fast, it sounds as if im driving in 3rd Gear. The engine is loud and the car is vibrating so bad!! Also, I noticed now when I stopped, there is a burning smell coming from under the bonnet. What could that be?No, not really. If the noise rises and falls in volume when you rev the engine, then it's engine: exhaust, misfiring, timing belt, tappets, worn alternator bearings, worn timing belt tensioner bearing, etc. If it rises and falls with the speed of the vehicle along the road, then it's drivetrain: gearbox, cv joints or wheel bearings. Can you replicate the noise by just revving the engine with the car standing still in neutral? Or does it only get loud when the car is moving? The vibration: does it wobble the steering wheel? (wheels out of balance) Or does it feel like the whole big chunk of engine up front wants to jump out from under the bonnet? (misfiring, broken mountings). You mention the car was in an accident. Was it a front ender - that is, was the engine knocked around, chassis bent at the front? I've seen panel beaters put cars back together where they looked wonderful, but they never thought to get a mechanic to put the mechanical bits right inside their lovely shiny newly-repaired bodywork. All the panelbeater did was make it look good, and has probably overlooked broken mountings, bent or damaged driveshafts, wheel bearings which are failing because everything is misaligned. Sweet-talk your mechanic on Tuesday and fill him in on what happened in the accident. Then he'll have a heads-up and know what to look for.
This was very helpful, thank you. I copied it and going to show the mechanic. The noise is not at all when the car is in neutral, only when I drive and goes faster. When I then come to a robot, the whole car shakes, and vibrates. I switch it off, starts it immediately, and the vibrate and shaking is gone. Yes, the steering wheel wobbles, even when in neutral. Yes, the whole car was gone in front, and he fixed it, but not properly, i had to go to another panel beater to do touch ups, cos the front parts were soldered together that wasnt supposed to, and the left front part is lower than the right part, he really did a *** job
Ok, so basically, only when driving, the noise gets loud when i go fast, and when I stop the car vibrates and steering wheel shakes.
Fazda
Honorary Master
Jeeze, sorry Niccia, but you are describing so much that is wrong...I would gently drive it to one of those second hand car places on Main Road in Wynberg and sell the thing fast!
A hell of a lot what you say must go back to the prang. I missed what kind of car it is, but what you are describing on your noraml run of the mill Citi for example is enough to take it out to Chapmans Peak and give it a gentle nudge into the Atlantc...sorry...
A hell of a lot what you say must go back to the prang. I missed what kind of car it is, but what you are describing on your noraml run of the mill Citi for example is enough to take it out to Chapmans Peak and give it a gentle nudge into the Atlantc...sorry...
I know, but Im sure if all the little stuff is fixed it will be fine. It all happened after that guy fixed my car He halved the value of my car He isnt even a panel beater, he uses the shop as a front. I only found that out afterwards. I paid him R17 000 upfront, and I waited almost 4 months for my car But I dont want to think about that, cos I will go bomb his business. I cant afford a new car atm, so I have to fix what I got now.
This was very helpful, thank you. I copied it and going to show the mechanic. The noise is not at all when the car is in neutral, only when I drive and goes faster. When I then come to a robot, the whole car shakes, and vibrates. I switch it off, starts it immediately, and the vibrate and shaking is gone. Yes, the steering wheel wobbles, even when in neutral. Yes, the whole car was gone in front, and he fixed it, but not properly, i had to go to another panel beater to do touch ups, cos the front parts were soldered together that wasnt supposed to, and the left front part is lower than the right part, he really did a *** job
Ok, so basically, only when driving, the noise gets loud when i go fast, and when I stop the car vibrates and steering wheel shakes.
OK - the steering wheel wobbling is no big deal - balancing the wheels will take care of that. The noise is coming from the drivetrain somewhere - most likely the wheel bearings as you say you've already been told that they need replacing. The vibration you describe is weird. Sounds to me like a misfire or bad idling, because you say it corrects itself after switching off and restarting the engine. A GTI golf? Fuel injected? In the carburettor version, a dicky idling jet solenoid can cause that - switching off and on again resets it. Fuel injection was never my strong point (I was a diesel guy, mainly). The switching off and on again is obviously resetting something, most likely the idling control solenoid or valve of some sort, or maybe an injector is failing. Can't really say, as I haven't worked on cars for so long, and never on fuel-injected golfs.
"the left front part is lower than the right part" - that, my dear, does NOT sound good! Once again, pout up, put on your sweetest smile, and let this guy know the **** you've already suffered at the hands of the motor trade. And , as someone else mentioned, maybe offer to cook him a nice dinner...
That's actually not a bad idea. What's the thing insured for? Maybe park it somewhere dodgy, even leave the keys in it, and just wait. Take a taxi home and report the thing stolen....(I'll deny ever saying that
)Edit: and I'll come back and delete this post.
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OK - the steering wheel wobbling is no big deal - balancing the wheels will take care of that. The noise is coming from the drivetrain somewhere - most likely the wheel bearings as you say you've already been told that they need replacing. The vibration you describe is weird. Sounds to me like a misfire or bad idling, because you say it corrects itself after switching off and restarting the engine. A GTI golf? Fuel injected? In the carburettor version, a dicky idling jet solenoid can cause that - switching off and on again resets it. Fuel injection was never my strong point (I was a diesel guy, mainly). The switching off and on again is obviously resetting something, most likely the idling control solenoid or valve of some sort, or maybe an injector is failing. Can't really say, as I haven't worked on cars for so long, and never on fuel-injected golfs.
"the left front part is lower than the right part" - that, my dear, does NOT sound good! Once again, pout up, put on your sweetest smile, and let this guy know the **** you've already suffered at the hands of the motor trade. And , as someone else mentioned, maybe offer to cook him a nice dinner...
Thank you! Xrapidx uses this mechanic, and he say this guy is very trust worthy. So I will take it there Tuesday, cos the guy said this morning its the bearings. I just thought it weird that the wheels can make the engince sound go so loud.
He did mention that he will look at everything that is wrong, and let me know, and then we can fix it step by step.
That's actually not a bad idea. What's the thing insured for? Maybe park it somewhere dodgy, even leave the keys in it, and just wait. Take a taxi home and report the thing stolen....(I'll deny ever saying that
Edit: and I'll come back and delete this post.
Lol, the car has been buggered up so much by the "panelbeater" I doubt ill get R45000 for it. On the eye it looks great, but when u go look closer, you can see all the skew parts etc. But ya, Ill slowly but surely fix it up nicely!
Thanks for all the advice, I really appreciate it!!
I totally agree!! My car was perfect before the accident and now its just one big pile of scrap
