My Aygo Let Me Down - On Christmas!

December 26, 2009

So after months of mulling over what precisely must be done over Christmas this year, I declined three invitations from close friends (since my family are all in Canada and India) to make the 103 mile journey from London to Nuneaton (in order to spend it with my partner's thoroughly English family). In my 'lifestyle choice' - a city car named the Aygo.

I left London at 0716 hrs on Christmas morning, and 37 miles into my journey (with Nina Simone playing in the background), I saw my Battery light come on, and stay. This was soon followed by the STOP light and with a slightly heavy heart, i pulled over onto the hard shoulder. Pretty disgusted with the thought of a breakdown, I called the RAC, who kept their promise of arriving in 30 minutes by arriving in 52. My feet, fingertips and !Removed! were well on the way to freezing point by then.

The RAC arrived and promptly told me that the water pump was 'fractured' and that the alternator belt was 'missing'!

So the belt had snapped, the car continued running on Battery in the absence of an alternator to generate electricity (at least that's how technophobe me understands how cars work). He said this was an odd discovery (the missing belt) and promptly towed my out of the motorway, and onto a petrol station somewhere. Dying to pee (pardon me the language) by this point, I was promptly informed by the station owner that the gas station did not have toilets (I find that alarming; toilets at gas stations should be the bl**dy LAW).

The RAC now arranged for another pick-up (telling me the car would be towed and that I would be whisked to Nuneaton). I thought this wasn't so bad, and therefore stood inside the shop at the gas station for another "30 minutes" (read 49), only to see a huge RAC truck pull up. Relieved that the car would be towed home and I would be taken to Nuneaton, I met the gentleman, who (to my horror) informed me that it would be THIS very truck that would take me to me destination (WITH the car)!

To cut the long story short, I requested to be taken back home (with my hitherto-beloved let-down-of-a-lifestyle-choice, the Aygo). By 1216 hrs, Happy Christmas was slowly disintegrating into Crappy Christmas. But it was salvaged by a small Facebook update from me (on my plight) which resulted in my mobile phone ringing off the 'hook'. Several shrieks, condolences, words of encouragement and concerned friends later (thank the Good Lord for friends), I was whisked away to a friend's house (in a VW Passat) for a lovely evening of food and bubbly debauchery.

May the new year bring more clarity, and the wisdom to not worry so much about the environment and buy an Audi A4/6.

Season's greetings, everyone!

December 26, 2009

Sadly cars don't know wjen it Christmas LOL!! - Maybe of they did they would choose exactly then to go belly-up.

Sorry to hear you had breakdown but it seems to have turned out well in the end.

As a matter of interest when was the car last serviced??:)

December 26, 2009

Should have bought a Yaris :D

December 26, 2009

I don't know the history of the Aygo or it's age, water pump failure can affect any engine unfortunately and as it is driven by the fan belt a seizure would cause the belt to snap, it is a good job to stop as soon as possible as you did, because although a fully charged Battery will get you quite a few miles without receiving a charge, loosing circulation due to water pump failure will soon cause serious damage to an engine.

If the car is under warranty at least it will be fixed without any real problems unless it has for some reason had to be topped up without antifreeze and the freezing conditions made the system to ice up prior to running, causing this failure.

I hope you at least have a happy new year :thumbsup:

December 30, 2009

In July 09, James!

Surely a frayed alternator belt should have featured on the checks then!

Sadly cars don't know wjen it Christmas LOL!! - Maybe of they did they would choose exactly then to go belly-up.
Sorry to hear you had breakdown but it seems to have turned out well in the end.
As a matter of interest when was the car last serviced??:)

December 30, 2009

Ah, thanks Giddlepin. Useful information, that. The car is a 2006 but under a toyota dealership warranty so hopefully it wont be such a hassle. i was just a little frazzled by the timing of it all!

a very happy new year to you too!

I don't know the history of the Aygo or it's age, water pump failure can affect any engine unfortunately and as it is driven by the fan belt a seizure would cause the belt to snap, it is a good job to stop as soon as possible as you did, because although a fully charged battery will get you quite a few miles without receiving a charge, loosing circulation due to water pump failure will soon cause serious damage to an engine.
If the car is under warranty at least it will be fixed without any real problems unless it has for some reason had to be topped up without antifreeze and the freezing conditions made the system to ice up prior to running, causing this failure.
I hope you at least have a happy new year