How do you cope with your car? Let me explain.....I find myself worrying about my car often-I'm never at peace with myself to just use it, I have this thing about sorting everything out so little things bug me and I never seem to be able to get them all fixed. When I drive I worry every little rattle or squeak means it's about to expire or blow up. I get paranoid that suddenly 'Oh my God! The steering doesn't feel right!' I'm sure I felt it start to pull to one side. Or 'I've never heard that rattle before, what is it!' What's wrong with me!! I know it makes no sense to worry that your car might break down! You just use it, maintain it as best you can and fix it if it breaks. If I hit a pot hole I worry that I've damaged it etc. It's stupid because the car did 100K miles before I got it and it's survived this long-it obviously isn't about to disintegrate in my hands!
Why can't I just be happy and live with the rattles etc???!
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How do you Cope??
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tomsheppard
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An aunt, used to her 100E Ford was driving us in my Mother's "augmented" Mini c.1968. She was travelling much more slowly than usual. When I asked her why she explained that it sounded funny.
When I explained to her that it was perfectly normal for a Mini to sound as though it was about to blow up, she looked much relieved and put her foot down. Ducati owners describe the sound of their engines as the pinless grenade noise and Bristol sixes are known as the Knitting needle symphony on account of their eighteen pushrods. I would advise that you buy a Talbot Alpine and learn sign language. Above the valvegear, it is impossible to hear any discomfiting noises.
When I explained to her that it was perfectly normal for a Mini to sound as though it was about to blow up, she looked much relieved and put her foot down. Ducati owners describe the sound of their engines as the pinless grenade noise and Bristol sixes are known as the Knitting needle symphony on account of their eighteen pushrods. I would advise that you buy a Talbot Alpine and learn sign language. Above the valvegear, it is impossible to hear any discomfiting noises.
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How do you cope with your car? Let me explain.....I find myself worrying about my car often-I'm never at peace with myself to just use it, I have this thing about sorting everything out so little things bug me and I never seem to be able to get them all fixed. When I drive I worry every little rattle or squeak means it's about to expire or blow up. I get paranoid that suddenly 'Oh my God! The steering doesn't feel right!' I'm sure I felt it start to pull to one side. Or 'I've never heard that rattle before, what is it!' What's wrong with me!! I know it makes no sense to worry that your car might break down! You just use it, maintain it as best you can and fix it if it breaks. If I hit a pot hole I worry that I've damaged it etc. It's stupid because the car did 100K miles before I got it and it's survived this long-it obviously isn't about to disintegrate in my hands!
Why can't I just be happy and live with the rattles etc???!
Guru Meditation
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>
How do you cope with your car? Let me explain.....I find myself worrying about my car often-I'm never at peace with myself to just use it, I have this thing about sorting everything out so little things bug me and I never seem to be able to get them all fixed. When I drive I worry every little rattle or squeak means it's about to expire or blow up. I get paranoid that suddenly 'Oh my God! The steering doesn't feel right!' I'm sure I felt it start to pull to one side. Or 'I've never heard that rattle before, what is it!' What's wrong with me!! I know it makes no sense to worry that your car might break down! You just use it, maintain it as best you can and fix it if it breaks. If I hit a pot hole I worry that I've damaged it etc. It's stupid because the car did 100K miles before I got it and it's survived this long-it obviously isn't about to disintegrate in my hands!
Why can't I just be happy and live with the rattles etc???!
Guru Meditation
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Ah Guru,
Man after me own 'eart! I think that you have to make a list & then make a time (day, weekend or a couple of hours) to just work through a pile of them in the one area. The most important part though is to be sure you do an area completely & properly.
A typical example was a while back I decided to take the "music" out of my front end on the BX; clunks, rattles & squeaks. I removed every drop link, steering rod end etc and freed & greased each one. I then discovered that the springs are rusty & need replacing on the exhaust coupling, so that, whilst not urgent, is the final part of derattling my front end.
I broke a speedo cable and whilst replacing that, decided to go looking for where all the rattles in the dash were coming from; no wonder everybody used to complain about rattly BX dashs. Behind them, nothing is either strapped down or wrapped in non rattling material; they are now on mine & so far (touch wood) no rattles. The moral of the story is, if you do any job, do it properly & have a good look round while you there & fix it whilst its apart. That saves time in the long term & gives the car a longer life expectancy.
Alan S
Man after me own 'eart! I think that you have to make a list & then make a time (day, weekend or a couple of hours) to just work through a pile of them in the one area. The most important part though is to be sure you do an area completely & properly.
A typical example was a while back I decided to take the "music" out of my front end on the BX; clunks, rattles & squeaks. I removed every drop link, steering rod end etc and freed & greased each one. I then discovered that the springs are rusty & need replacing on the exhaust coupling, so that, whilst not urgent, is the final part of derattling my front end.
I broke a speedo cable and whilst replacing that, decided to go looking for where all the rattles in the dash were coming from; no wonder everybody used to complain about rattly BX dashs. Behind them, nothing is either strapped down or wrapped in non rattling material; they are now on mine & so far (touch wood) no rattles. The moral of the story is, if you do any job, do it properly & have a good look round while you there & fix it whilst its apart. That saves time in the long term & gives the car a longer life expectancy.
Alan S
Mr Guru you are not alone. I too have sleepless nights as I own a XM 2.1 SED with an entirely electric powered interior. I hate it when the slightest most insignificant squeak or rattle comes to my attention. I guess most people's philosophy is to ignore them but I can't as I'm a firm believer that squeaks and rattles have a habit of turning into expensive problems, especially on Citroen XM's.
I would continue with the advice that other members have submitted. Make a list, tackle each fault only when it has been fixed, move on to the next.
I would continue with the advice that other members have submitted. Make a list, tackle each fault only when it has been fixed, move on to the next.
Me, i seem to live for the worst case car scenario. Slightest odd sound from the exhaust and its time to save for a new one. Ive had the rear left hand bearing off three times in the last month, im expecting to replace the rear sub frame!! Little oil (well, loads of oil really) loss and im off for a head gasket. BUT im convinced it just a thirst for knowledge thing, wanting t know what an engine looks like in pieces, neding to know howmany pieces the interior goes into, guess we all need to meditate a bit more?
Me being a student im just gonna go wash my liver away instead!!
Oh, hears a good one (see what i did there?), how many times have you been driving along with passengers, and that rattle has been really getting to you. U know where its comeing from, and it just goes too far. In a split second you smack the dash hard enough to kill a rat. It gets rid of the rattle and scares the passengers stupid. I just turn and tell them it was annoying me! Come on, you know you've done it!!
Vanny
Merseyside, UK
Citroenbx19rd@bxproject.co.uk
http://www.bxproject.co.uk
Me being a student im just gonna go wash my liver away instead!!
Oh, hears a good one (see what i did there?), how many times have you been driving along with passengers, and that rattle has been really getting to you. U know where its comeing from, and it just goes too far. In a split second you smack the dash hard enough to kill a rat. It gets rid of the rattle and scares the passengers stupid. I just turn and tell them it was annoying me! Come on, you know you've done it!!
Vanny
Merseyside, UK
Citroenbx19rd@bxproject.co.uk
http://www.bxproject.co.uk
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Dave Bamber
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Having spent half my working life in the motor trade I feel that I have sometimes too much knowledge! My BX had me chewing my fingernails with it's clunks, rattles and creeks! It never let me down even when I trashed it back from Spain very very loaded (the car not me) All it's little noises never came to anything, just me knowing too much. I also play with Landrovers (sorry). Mine is an 1986 SWB90 which can have a problem with the input gear in the transfer box wearing out. The tell-tail sign of impending doom is a "clacking" noise when setting of. Mine made this noise today to my horror, even though I know the 'box is fine. Turns out it was the seat belt hitting the rear bulkhead! To turn a phrase around "Alot of knowledge can be a dangerous thing"<img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>
Berlingo HDI Wicked<img src=icon_smile_evil.gif border=0 align=middle>Red
Youth and talent are no match for age and treachery.......
Berlingo HDI Wicked<img src=icon_smile_evil.gif border=0 align=middle>Red
Youth and talent are no match for age and treachery.......
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I know what you're saying about the rattling dash-drives me nuts! Just noticed that the offside rear is slightly lower than the near side, by about <10mm. So now I'm worrying about that! The wheel doesn't have any visible bad camber to it so I'm sure it's probably just the way it has worn over the years, it still moves freely, but someone put my mind at ease-tell me your ZX's suspension is not 100% level side to side.
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