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Car Issues Getting Me Depressed...

2K views 11 replies 8 participants last post by  GCalo 
#1 ·
I seem to be having a run of bad luck...

First I burst a tire and bent the wheel ($950).

Then my wife's Jag has a check engine light come on and during the repair they also found oil in the break fluid reservoir ($1100).

Next, the interior of the c-pillar cover starts to rattle due to a broken plastic tab--it's been 3 weeks with no sign of the part showing up any time soon. At the same time, had the fuel filler neck replaced (under warranty) due to that little green flap sticking open.

Yesterday, I drove very slowly over a speed bump only to get hung up on it once the front wheels had cleared. I looked this evening to find that the cage covering the underside of the engine bay had come loose at the front--the mesh was torn away at the bolts. I can't see any other damage, but who knows. (Can this be repaired, or must it be replaced?)

Finally, and worst of all, I discovered a new noise this evening coming from the rear passenger side that sounds like a rattling or grinding noise. My wife describes it as a "grumbling rattle," as if something is vibrating or there are rocks rattling around in there. We first noticed it when making a left turn from a dead stop when at low revs building up speed in 1st gear. I drove around a bit more, trying different scenarios--left turns, right turns, MPS on/off. The noise comes and goes in intensity and seems more subdued if the MPS is switched off, but there are too many variables to be sure. At one point I accelerated pretty hard and the noise continued each time I'd step on the accelerator. Any ideas? I suppose that something associated with that fuel filler neck could have worked loose. All sorts of terrible and expensive possibilities are running through my mind. One further note is that the car drives fine, and handling, etc. does not seems to be affected.

I really am depressed...
 
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#4 ·
I seem to be having a run of bad luck...

Then my wife's Jag has a check engine light come on and during the repair they also found oil in the break fluid reservoir ($1100).
Oil in the brake fluid? Hmmm...that can only be human error.
 
#5 ·
Exactly. No way of proving who did it or when it was done, but I can assure you it happened the last time the car was serviced at Jaguar.
 
#6 ·
I catch a lot of heat from my friends for doing work on my own cars. This is EXACTLY the reason why. If I screw something up then I know it was my fault and I will pay to have it fixed.
 
#7 ·
I should start learning. I suppose I'm scared I'll screw something up. It was a different story when I owned a '78 Celica back in college. With a $500 dollar car it doesn't matter if you mess it up.
 
#9 ·
Most of the small stuff a weekend mechanic can do without any difficulty or too much risk of damage. Over the years I have had more damage done to cars with basic oil changes or tire rotations because lets face it, the shop isn't putting their master mechanic on the simple task either!
 
#10 ·
Just an update...

Got the cage fixed--they used washers. Thanks MaseratiBoy!

Turns out the noise was the passenger-side exhaust pipe vibrating against the suspension. The reason I only heard it when my wife was in the car the other night is because the suspension wasn't under enough load until then. It must have happened on that speed bump. Everything was taken care of in about 1/2 hour. If any of you guys are in SW Florida, pay a visit to AutoQuest--they're the best!
 
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