Well, it happened yesterday after three years trouble free motoring, the CRV broke down!
I always had an excellent reputation with our diesel fitters for managing to either get a lorry to break down at a café, or could limp one to a place where food could be had. It seems the CRV is following in that style.
It was last used on Monday and we went to unlock it yesterday morning to find the key fob didn't work, so unlocked it manually while wondering what battery the key fob used.
Then we found the whole car was as dead as a dodo!
No radio display, nothing at all.
We recalled thinking that it was a bit slow turning the engine over last December when the temperatures were very low and suspected the battery.
Back in the house and call Gem as we have home start in their package.
What an excellent service.
Despite having to come from Peterborough which is 21 miles away they were there within an hours as they promised and had the car started and the alarm stopped within five minutes.
He also explained, quite rightly, that you can't test a flat battery but to give it a run for a few miles and then get it tested.
Whilst waiting for him we sourced a battery at Halfords just 6 miles away for £79 with a 2 year guarantee, but as we had to go to Peterborough anyway decided to ring around there too, and found a Bosch one at £52 with a three year guarantee and purporting to be the heavy duty option.#
In three years with Gem it's the first time we've had to use their breakdown service, and I can now recommend them with confidence.
It's just a pity the afternoon investigations on Bertha (GS1400) didn't go as well.
Mr pda had been complaining of the FI warning light coming on intermittently when 'pushing on a bit' during the week, so after bridging the electrical pins with a paper clip to get the fault code up, it turned out to be a C11 fault.
This translates to the Camshaft Position Indicator and since brake cleaner didn't cure it, a new one is on order at £72.
There's a very faint hesitation/misfire I noticed yesterday when it was being revved ( apparently he says I have an ear for it and he hadn't noticed!), so let's hope this CPI cures that too.
Pat
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Impressive service from Gem Pat - nuisance though. Was it on its original battery ?
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It could well have been PU, it was a Yuasa ( sp?) and we really should have dealt with it before now!
Pat
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Japanese batteries with a fine reputation amongst bikers once upon a time...
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Every chance it was original - not many aftermarket car Yuasa batteries sold.
Have you kept the old battery, Pat?
I've got an ever-so-clever smart charger you could borrow which won't charge it. :)
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Yes we have:)
We seem to be plagued with old batteries from over the years...whatever happened to Mr Steptoe knocking on the door and offering a crust for them!
Pat
Afterthought: Dare I put it in the blue bin, right at the bottom:)
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Won't scrappies buy them from you ?
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...Afterthought: Dare I put it in the blue bin, right at the bottom:)...
If you do, there will be people on here calling for you to be charged with attempted murder of the binman.
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Remember what happened after a stray sausage was found in the wrong bin. You could get charged.
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>> Remember what happened after a stray sausage was found in the wrong bin. You could
>> get charged.
If they come to arrest her, she will need to make a volt for it.
Last edited by: Zero on Sun 22 May 11 at 09:23
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...a stray sausage...
Sounds like a post on the superinjunction thread.
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Lordy Lordy, you passed the tip and recycling centre on your your way to Peterborough to get the new one!
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The OLD one was still on the car, Stupid:)
Pat
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It was DEAD dumbo! take it with you so you know the new one is the right size and fitting, and then dump it down the tip on the way home! AND get fish and chips in Eye!
DOH some people.
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We did better than that, we had a bacon roll at Webbs in Eye with some bikers for company.
I have to agree though that the Chippie in Eye is the best one for miles around.
We watched a huge Triumph with full panniers get ready to set off, looking forward to hearing it, only to find it sounded like a hair dryer.
Why, oh why have Triumphs let themselves be dragged down this route?
The sound of a Bonnie used to do the same as a V8 Scania does to me now!
The sound of a Harley just doesn't do it for me.
Pat
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>
>> Why, oh why have Triumphs let themselves be dragged down this route?
>> The sound of a Bonnie used to do the same as a V8 Scania does
>> to me now!
Triumph are a british bike succsses story, so they must be doing something right, where BSA, Norton et al didnt.
And anyway if you want rumbling sounds, a guy down our road has this:
www.triumphmotorcycles.co.uk/motorcycles/range/cruisers/rocket
Now that does make a fair old noise.
If you want the sound of a bonnie (and this is the only new bike I would be temped to buy if I went back on two wheels) then try this
www.triumphmotorcycles.co.uk/motorcycles/range/classics/bonneville/2011/bonneville
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With respect, I'd just like to put the record straight here.
The CRV itself didn't break down, a consumable item failed which put it temporarily out of action.
Well, that's my opinion anyway. I had exactly the same thing with the Prelude back along when its 13-year-old Panasonic battery finally gave up the ghost. I don't regard that as a breakdown of the vehicle itself.
I just wanted to get that off my chest...
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>>I just wanted to get that off my chest...
Thanks. I'd a similar urge.
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WOA just a moment.
Where do you draw the line at "not the cars fault"? Starter motor? Fuel pump? spark plugs? wiring loom? Radiator?
The car is made up of components. The battery is a key one. Consumable? dont think so.
Last edited by: Zero on Sun 22 May 11 at 09:51
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A suitably pointless argument for an internet forum on a Sunday morning, so here goes....
Of course the car broke down, it wouldn't start, would it?
A car that won't get off the drive under its own steam is about as broken down as you can get.
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I'm inclined to agree with Mannatee and Mike but I'm just glad we've got it trained to only break down at home once every three years!
Pat
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I think you could argue my CC3 didn't break down because I flattened the battery by leaving it switched on.
Something like a blown bulb or failed air conditioning is also not a breakdown.
But the failure of a component which immobilises the car is a breakdown.
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Japanese batteries are carp: they break after 13 years.
Son's is only 11 years old: I'll warn him...
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:-)
I knew this would happen. Yes, I would draw the line at the battery. It's a bought-in item that is known to wear out at {fairly} regular intervals. Anything that's an integral part of the mechanicals, that makes it necessary to dismantle or reset, would make it a breakdown. In my humble opinion.
I might look at a CRV shortly. My travails while looking for a knockabout car would make a good blog...
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>> The battery is a key one. Consumable? dont think so.
Interesting as I always thought they were eventually consumables. I wonder why motor factors and Halfords stock them then?
So how long should a car battery last? 20 years? 30 years?
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>> >> The battery is a key one. Consumable? dont think so.
>>
>> Interesting as I always thought they were eventually consumables. I wonder why motor factors and
>> Halfords stock them then?
They also stock cylinder head gaskets, - does that count?
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A battery dying after such a long trouble free life is hardly a breakdown, merely a minor inconvenience, and expected.
Arguably with such a thing a owner who needs total reliabilty from their car whould have changed it before this, knowing that failure time was imminent.
Things like tyres and brake pads (corrosion causing pad/backing plate separation) will deteriorate and would be closely examined periodically after a long period on the car, unless one wanted an unpleasant result, why not have the battery checked periodically too.
Isn't it peculiar though how no sign of failure during one of the coldest winters, and once the weather warms up it dies.
Twin Yuasa batteries on the Landcruiser, they never failed to start the motor, but became noticeably slower turning the engine over, temporarily better after charging, but changed before complete breakdown at 8 years i think.
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CRV and Gem Breakdown Insurance. - R.P.
