Car issues - advice needed

Less reliable!

The first thing would be to fix the exhaust leak and check the emissions. A damned good pasting will not hurt it though.
Beyond that without access to the live data it is impossible to comment.

 

Make sure your timing belt is in good condition, or it may be a new engine

 

..... so back from the garage:

new O/S/R tyre
new O/S/F anti-roll bar link arm
new exhaust centre pipe
new air filter (old one was black)
4 x new spark plugs
Redex fuel additive
£213.00 kerching!!!!

The garage is unable to re-test the emissions - his mate's garage does that and he was closed this afternoon.

It was suggested I take the car for a long drive down the motorway and "really give it some welly", and bring it back Monday morning. His mate will then test the emissions for me and if they are OK he will do a new MOT for for me at the cost the garage pay for it, if I want it doing. He said if it still fails, then it is probably the CAT that needs replacing. If this is the case, it will cost me £150ish (not a genuine Peugeot one).

The garage seemed really good and the owner reassured me that he would do everything as cheaply as he can. So I am back to there on Monday.

Emission readings were:

Fast idle test - CO (max 0.30%) - reading 1.56% FAIL
Second fast idle test - CO reading 3.03% FAIL
- HC (max 200ppm) - reading 280ppm FAIL
- Lambada (0.97-1.03) - reading 0.96 FAIL

Thank you to all for your advice, I really appreciate it.

I will let you know how I get on Monday.

 

This is terrible and I do hope you won't be going there again. I would be inclined to talk to trading standards about it.

 

Remember a hot car will give less emissions on the retest

 

If it fails again I'd recommend an oil change and put some Cataclean in to it and run it for a 50 odd miles and get it back to the mot station with a red hot engine.

Have had a look to see where the hole is on the centre pipe ?

My last mot for a 79 mini was a fail for a badly holed rear box. 4 quid of exhaust gum from halfords and it was good to go mot passed no worries.

 

A couple of months ago an oil change was done on the car as I had an oil leak. The exhaust was replaced today.

After taking it for blast down the motorway after the Redex went in and a new filter, it already felt much better to drive.

 

You've obviously never owned a Morris 1100

 

Applying Gun Gum® exhaust paste brings back memories of patching up rotten exhausts in the early 1970's. It could last all of two weeks if applied carefully , enough to get past the MOT . Then exhaust systems and batteries lasted two to three years if you were lucky. Only changed one battery in the last twenty years no exhaust problems...........
I think I have just wished a flat battery and blowing exhaust on myself tomorrow !!!

 

If I do a lot of short journeys in our Citroen diesel I get a warning light on the display. When this comes on I am recommended to drive for 20 minutes with revs close to 3000 (that is about 65 mph in this car) to clear the system.
Hope everything is ok on Monday for you.

 

The garage I went to yesterday was like the garages I recall years ago. Everything crammed into an industrial unit, mechanics covered in grease and oil, car parts everywhere, lots of old cars parked up outside. So different to the garages these days with spotless floors and mechanics in squeaky clean overalls.

 

Doesn't sound too bad - £213 - if the car passes its mot. I tend to think of it in this way - is the cost of the mot worth another 12 months motoring - normally the answer is yes. All of those items are 'wear and tear' - so to be expected.

My Pug is so old - it was made before all the EU emissions levels came in, so no DPF. It also has a solid flywheel - nice, simple and relatively reliable. Peugeot took a bashing around reliability when they first released the 307 - they brought it to market slightly too early - before all the niggles had been ironed out . The new range is apparently more 'reliable' - whatever that means.

 

Always go to the former - otherwise you end up paying for the spotless floors and comfy seats in the reception area .