Garage nightmare - HELP!

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Mon 22 Dec 2003 17:09
Garage nightmare - HELP! - Nsar
OK BR, I need your advice - apologies it's a long one.
Last Tues night I had to call out the RAC to sort my flooded engine. They couldn't fix it so arranged a recovery next morning to the indy garage that has serviced it previously. Called them first thing, they're stacked and closed the next day so called RAC prior to collection, to re-direct it to another indy where a pub pal is chief mechanic. Get a call from first garage to ask why my car has been delivered. Call RAC, they say sorry and take it to the right place.
Second garage say they haven't got the diagnostics so it's going to third garage.
Next day pick it up from third garage and after a couple of miles I escape heavy traffic and I realise that the auto box isn't kicking up. Take it next morning back to second garage to explain. It's now Friday - they say they'll get it to a transmission specialist on Monday (today)
Today I call and am told that transmission specialist is closed as owner has done his back in and won't open until 5th Jan so I get it sent back to the indy who has serviced it.
They have just rung to say that the box could be shot and they don't repair them and a new box is in the region of £2,500. Pause for suitable swear words.....I have now arranged for the RAC to come out and inspect and give their opinion but this is shaping up to be right royal 'mare.
Practical advice gratefully received
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Mon 22 Dec 2003 17:53
Garage nightmare - HELP! - flatfour
when my auto box went awol, it changed up but refused to propell the car, ie it slipped in every gear and got hot and smokey, wish you luck
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Mon 22 Dec 2003 19:50
Garage nightmare - HELP! - Phil I
You need to get this motor to a F.A.T.E. member in your locality.
Unfortunately this may possibly be some way from where your sick motor is at the moment. Certainly the muppets talking new auto boxes are useless. Its a very rare auto box that is not capable of being rebuilt and a large number of problems are solvable at very reasonable prices. In view of the date I should also progress laying on another motor to use whilst repairs are done as Britain has only 16 more working hours before it closes until 05/01/04.

best of luck Phil I
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Mon 22 Dec 2003 20:33
Garage nightmare - HELP! - Nsar
Phil, thanks for words of comfort. This may be a bit close to a technical quesry, but given the circs perhaps the mods will let it through for a while.
I can select drive but there's an awful great "shunt" as it does so (same for reverse)and at low speeds/at rest there's a clear clicking sound when I dab the brake which emanates from under the shift - does this sound familiar. It's an N reg A6.
Luckily we have taken delivery of a new car today so my wife's is available otherwise it would have been a Christmas without trips to the rellies (every cloud as they say...)
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Mon 22 Dec 2003 23:22
Garage nightmare - HELP! - Sooty Tailpipes
Did the RAC tow your car?
I'm just wondering if this damaged the autobox, there are different things you have to do before towing different autos, from not doing, to removing drive shafts, to overfilling fluid, to not exceeding a certain speed and distance, maybe they ignored this?
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Tue 23 Dec 2003 00:32
Garage nightmare - HELP! - Nsar
It went on a loader, I wasn't there at the time but my builder and the contract recovery guy both commented on it having leaked what they thought was anti-freeze - I'm going to check the area where it was when the RAC was working on it prior to recovery but it was on grass and we've had some heavy rain in the last few days.
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