... so it's getting scrapped


Only joking

I've been too busy catching buses, sorting AGM stuff out etc., to post about this over the last couple of weeks, but I finally got the car back in time for the Tatton Park show last weekend

Except for a dead battery and a lower boost pipe coming off, my Coupe has never let me down over the last 6 years of owning it.

Until about 3 weeks ago, when I decided to take my daughter and grandkids out for a trip to Llandudno beach.

Car seemed fine and normal and after a pleasant few hours out, decided to make our way home, when halfway into the journey and in the outside lane of the A55 (an extremely busy expressway), the car suddenly lost all power, as if I'd suddenly taken my foot off the throttle

While doing a lot of swearing and looking at gauges and cutting across someone I'd just overtaken and putting my hazards on lol, I managed to coast the car across to a slip road (thankfully).

With stan's constant warnings in mind, I got my daughter to get the kids out and get over the barrier. I grabbed my purse knowing it had my AA card in it, my ecig lol and pulled the bonnet catch so I could open the bonnet, so people would know I'd broken down and not messing around with my phone or letting the kids have a toilet break, etc.
A quick visual check under the bonnet showed nothing wrong and then I climbed over the barrier myself.

Called the AA and told them I had a couple of young kids with me and they said they'd be out within the hour

Eventually, traffic police pulled up behind my Coupe, so instantly felt safer with his flashing lights being on and knowing people would hit his car before mine Sorry stan
He told me to see if the car would start and if it did, to move it off the slip road, into the village and he'd put my daughter and kids in the his car and follow me around.

Obviously the kids loved it and the Coupe started, with no obvious problems, although as it lost power, my inhector light came on and my widget threw up loads of sensor failures, such as water temp, air temp, cam sensor, etc.

The copper was happy I was off the expressway and said there wasn't much else he could do and I was safer waiting in the new place than on the slip road.

I rang the AA and told them where I'd moved to and then rang JBT from Midlands Car Servicing to see if we could go through some basic checks over the phone and maybe get my car taken to him to be looked at.

JBT kept me company on the phone and helped me look for clues. When I started the car again to check something out for him, I could see what looked like smoke and although it was hard to see the colour of it, due to it getting dark, it seemed as if the turbo had suddenly given up.

The AA then turned up, so I said thanks and goodbye to Jbt.
The AA bloke didn't know anything about the Coupe and said it would have to be recovered.
I wanted it recovered to Jbt's, but it would have meant leaving the car alone and it would have taken the car 2 days to get to his garage.

The AA bloke took me to a local pub car park and in the end I decided to get the car recovered home.
The AA's computer screen states the Coupe needs a full lift, but that would have taken hours to arrive, so they sent out a local recovery firm to get us and the car.

Many thanks to the kind blokes at Ty Fry pub too, for liking the car, welcoming us and buying the kids a drink, while we waiting for recovery.

Finally got home about 1 am.

I had a spare turbo in my garage, so got a local lad to check it out and fit it, but had to wait a couple of weeks for him to come and tow it to his place and get the time to fit it in, but so far, all seems well

If I didn't have my daughter and the kids with me, I'd have spent the 2 days travelling with the car to JBT's garage lol, but I had to put them first for a change

So, thanks to JBT for his phone company and help and texts asking how things were going and to the drinkers at Ty Fry pub in Bodelwydden

Also thanks to other people who were texting and of course, to the local lad who was made to fix it for me

Couple of photos of the car still looking gorgeous, even when broken down

Glad to hear it wasn't terminal, T

Even broken down you can't beat Sprint Blue

Gutted for you at the time T but very happy its ok now - good job you never took it to Spa in the end then

Yes, I suppose, but if we all thought 'what if' for Spa, then none of us would go

I'll just have to go with you every year, just in case

Good you got it sorted. The hard shoulder is not a nice place to be and you dont realise until it happens how vulnerable you are! 
When being recovered you just have to realise its going to take time and have the attitude to suit. And hopefully your passengers are on the same page. 
Were there no signs of your turbo failing?

Glad you got it sorted in the end T.

Lol, it's a bit hard to tell a 6 year old to stop crying when you're on the phone to the AA, because Nana T's car has broken




No, nothing, no smoke at start up or on warm/hot idle, etc.

Car was running fine and was just trundling along at about 70 mph when it suddenly decided to let go

I liked this bit!

Well, I felt I had to, as you see that many idiots parked in random and dangerous places, chatting on their phones, etc., I wanted people to know that I had actually broken down and not just dicking around on the side of a busy expressway

Even poorly she stills looks immaculate getting recovered

Surely if it was just the turbo it wouldn't have just lost power like that ?

Well, it did

Kept that quiet!

I have heard of similar problems where the bearings let go in a big way and the impellers?? dug into the housing and stopped the car instantly! Glad its all sorted though

Did you get it recovered by a Lego truck though?

Glad to see it was clean when recovered.

Glad you got everyone sorted out safely T, and agree about the attention-seeking bonnet up, great idea!

The second pic is a really lonely parking lot, can imagine the frustration.

I used to enjoy a pint of Worthington "off the wood" in the pub/hotel at the bottom of the dip in Bodelwyddan during halcyon summers when that was still available - that was looooong before the bypass! Sounds like you were passing the quarry going down the hill?

Lol, looking at the photo again, yes, it does look like a Lego truck that's picking my car up

The recovery driver had to drive my car onto blocks of wood (lego bricks) to get the front end higher for the lift to slide under.
He was then worried about the back end sitting so low to the floor and went about 2 mph over speed bumps when we were close to my house.

Edinburgh, I've no idea which part I was at and never even been to Bodelwydden until a couple of weeks ago. All I know is that I broke down and stopped opposite the castle and then ended up in the village lol

Yes, and the car doesn't look too shabby either!

You had a re spray T? The colour looks awesome in that light / contarst.

Glad you're all sorted!

Glad it all worked out in the end Nana-T

Lol at stan and Mike





No, I think it's just the light

Looking good, even when been towed

Sorry to hear this Theresa, hopefully it'll be flying again soon!

As all the others have said, glad you got back safe and the car is now hopefully repaired.

What was the problem? Was it the turbo, or something else?

Surprised you're still alive after talking to JBT for a while... usually makes me suicidal !

Hope the Sprinty is now good and well,

Tim

Well T once in 6 years ain't bad! Ecspecially the way you drive

Glad its sorted now chick!

Lol, thanks all

Yes, it took a couple of weeks for it to be sorted, due to the local lad having to fit it in between his other work and me not knowing if the spare turbo I had was going to be ok or not and having no money, etc, but I got it back a couple of weeks ago, just in time for the Tatton park car show and all seems to be well

Seems a bit more laggy in 1st and 2nd gear, but seems faster in 3rd, etc., but it runs, so I'm happy






Yes, it was the turbo - seems the seals just suddenly decided to give up, although it's done about 143K miles, so it's done well

Awww, Jbt would never make me suicidal, it's always a pleasure to speak to him, even if it is about 9pm and not a 'hi, how are you' call, but a 'hi, the car's f**ked and I've broken down' call

Glad you've managed to sort everything T

At least the turbo had long legs, mine only lasted until about 105k!!

x

Hey Theresa, could Howard at Alitalia in Wrexham not have helped you out with the turbo?

Or have I not been keeping up with recent events and missed something along the line?

I left there about a year ago and not on good terms either

I think he may have told me where to go if I'd turned up with the Coupe on the back of a recovery truck for him

Good it's sorted buddy, your coupe has done well for you.

Sprinty looks tops btw

Thanks Ronnie