I swear that damn car prefers being in the garage rather than on the road. I could do without yet another car bill too but obviously I'm not going to have that option as the punto has just been escorted home on the back of a recovery truck
Here's what happened
I was inching slowly forward in traffic when suddenly I felt a surge of power go to the engine the way most diesels normally do when they're about to stall - it should be noted that mine has never, ever done this. Clutch in and brake on to prevent stalling and then go to move off again at which point the car did stall. Took the car out of gear, restarted the car, went to put it in gear and it won't go into anything, not forward, second or reverse. Took foot off the clutch and that's when I discovered that the clutch stayed fully pressed to the floor and the only way to move it was by lifting it off with my foot. Tried again and sure enough clutch remained on the floor and I couldn't select a gear. Bugger!
Hazards on I tred a couple more times with people beeping at me. Eventually a very nice gentleman pushed me in to the side of the road and I called recovery. It's chucking it down with rain and Friday evening so naturally everything's busy so it took 90 minutes for the tow truck to arrive very nice bloke who sent me into his nice warm cab whilst he loaded the bloody teuchter car on to the back of the truck. Oh and of course when we arrived at my house the flashing amber lights alerted all the neighbours who curtain-twitched to see my poor car towed home again.
And I had to explain that the other Fiat on the driveway was also out of action
So folks, what do we think is the problem? new clutch or something cheaper? I'm betting the worst case scenario but then when it comes to that sodding car I'm a definite pessimist
Here's what happened
I was inching slowly forward in traffic when suddenly I felt a surge of power go to the engine the way most diesels normally do when they're about to stall - it should be noted that mine has never, ever done this. Clutch in and brake on to prevent stalling and then go to move off again at which point the car did stall. Took the car out of gear, restarted the car, went to put it in gear and it won't go into anything, not forward, second or reverse. Took foot off the clutch and that's when I discovered that the clutch stayed fully pressed to the floor and the only way to move it was by lifting it off with my foot. Tried again and sure enough clutch remained on the floor and I couldn't select a gear. Bugger!
Hazards on I tred a couple more times with people beeping at me. Eventually a very nice gentleman pushed me in to the side of the road and I called recovery. It's chucking it down with rain and Friday evening so naturally everything's busy so it took 90 minutes for the tow truck to arrive very nice bloke who sent me into his nice warm cab whilst he loaded the bloody teuchter car on to the back of the truck. Oh and of course when we arrived at my house the flashing amber lights alerted all the neighbours who curtain-twitched to see my poor car towed home again.
And I had to explain that the other Fiat on the driveway was also out of action
So folks, what do we think is the problem? new clutch or something cheaper? I'm betting the worst case scenario but then when it comes to that sodding car I'm a definite pessimist