Four Years... Calling It Quits *update*

[Dodgy Bob]

Its been four years since I got my HDi Estate and think I've finally reached the end of my teather with it now..... even more annoyingly this was brought on by a "fully qualified renault tech" fluffing up what granted I should of had a crack at myself but didn't.

Going to look at a 607 2.2 tomorrow any advice? It's high miles but looks well enough.

Just put the 306 in for its MOT.... got 11.5 months left now but got a annoying & dangerous sounding "click" coming on every rotation of the wheels on n/s (no coincidence its where Mr Renault extrodinaire was working)
And to boot the day of the MOT whie finishing off the jobs I'd paid him to do and fixing the extra jobs he caused me to have to do I left the wheelnut locker on and its flown off somewhere so now can't get the wheels off to examine his job.

All I needed doing was a cv-boot and bolt into the beam for the hanbrake cable mount/guide. Even though I provided all the tools he just went straight at it and yanked the driveshaft out of the box and then acted all suprised when it ditched  (what I later measured to be) 1.3l of my nice Millers gearbox oil all over the drive.... no apologies or jack shit...... and no car to go get more oil either, then while reassembling it yanked the cv joint clean apart and couldn't get it back together properly either. oh and stripped the threads on the droplink too resulting in having to buy a totally unrequired new one.
Since then and now with my inability to even inspect it as havent got any spare wheel bolts or tool to remove the lockers and the knowledge i have a "shitmix" of gearbox fluid its just exacerbated my "boredom" with the car and calling quits and jumping on another car is my intended course of action
The engine has never let me down but always everything else so really just at end of my teather now.

[Eeyore]

Sounds like you need to tell this guy to get lost. What is he? Some kind of mobile mechanic? Using your tools and f*cking it up... that takes the piss.

If it's drive able why not just take it to a garage and get it sorted.

[bigcheez2k3]

Sounds like a fuckstick.

The noise could be a cable tie on the cv boot hitting the hub.

[Dodgy Bob]

It's driveable but I can't say I'd trust it for a long drive. No cable ties used the proper metal clips. Not a mobile mechanic, is the lodger next door, was level 3 qualified and completed the apprenticeship years ago then gave it all up for the stoner life, my own fault for thinking he could do a simple job for quick money but after the fail note needed it done quick and my normal guy wasn't available and I had to work.
At moment bo funds for normal mechanic either. Just seems to of pushed me that bit too far as it's always the relatively simple things that cause the most problems on this car but engine wise she's perfect.

[Paul_13]

Or by the sounds of it the inner CV joint has lost a few needles

[Poodle]

As above, he's knackered your CV joint, hope you didn't pay the lady garden. Sorry to hear you've lost the love, especially over something as daft as that.

[Redordead89]

Prepare for Christmas tree light up on your dash if you buy a 607
Engine wise they don't go too wrong but being that era of pug everything else will screw up!
Buy another 306!

[P-Courty]

Don't lose the passion for the car, it's not the cars fault, by the sounds of it it's the odd jobber making more work to get more money. Like mentioned take it to a garage, get it back to normal and you'll soon want to keep it again [emoji106]

[r3k1355]

How do you f*ck up a CV boot change so badly?
It's dead easy on the 306, the whole shaft jumps right out of the box to make it easier.

[Magenta Sunset]

I think you hit the nub of the issue when you said he "gave it all up for the stoner life"

[Niall]

You'll regret a 607. They are shite.
I dont see why you're giving up on the car for a simple driveshaft replacement? I know it may not of needed replacing before your special mate touched it but even still, a pattern part is no more than £50!

[Toms306]

£35 on J&R... Quality control isn't the best apparently but I've not had a bad one from them yet!

As for the locking wheel nuts, what style are they? Most are easy to remove without the key...

[Dodgy Bob]

   

That style.
I know, best I've priced round here is 50 for q drive, but it's more the fact of four years, all the niggling things, the 5 rear callipers I've gone through, the new beam (that is now showing camber), numerous droplinks, the finding a friendly tester each year rather than refit a cat.

The 607 will be coming with a 12month ticket anyway so most current problems shouldn't be a issue and will be a little more spacious for the kids for now and then will probably just save for a nice delica or bongo or something. 

Not part ex ing  the 306, May list it for sale or may even lay it up and just get to it when I can be bothered or when the 607 fucks up.

[Toms306]

Q drive are worse than J&R lol... http://www.jandrcvjoints.co.uk/productde...dId=617445

Can hammer a smaller 12pt socket on the centre of those lockers usually, those keys are always breaking!

Not a fan of the 607 myself, thought you'd want something that doesn't resemble a bus considering your job but each to their own lol!

[Dodgy Bob]

You'd think so but not at moment, wana get out and about with the kids, there's so many places in this country left to visit before I even contemplate going abroad for breaks or holidays. Problem is space, took me , the Mrs, the mother in law, two kids (in kiddy seats), and the two dogs (whippet and greyhound) on a day trip to Yorkshire a few weeks back and it was pretty cramped as you can imagine even for a estate. Want a 7 or 8 seater, flexible, rugged and useful that can use as a van if needs be or for group days out on the bikes hence the Shogun, delica, bongo theme.

[Toms306]

Yeah that's fair enough, makes sense!

[bigcheez2k3]

I've got one if those off with a 6 sided 13mm.

Another shout for J+R here. Arrived quickly although one of the clips around the boot popped off we soon fixed it.

[Poodle]

607s are lovely... when they're working lol.

Sounds like you've made up your mind, so i won't pester any more. I would find a new mechanic though haha!

[Dodgy Bob]

My mechanic was busy on a roadside call out, I was hoping to get mine back in for retest the same day so given I knew the lad next doors "Renault credentials" even though he'd chose to throw it all away after completing the apprenticeship I thought would be simple and quick enough for him for a quick £20......... NEVER EVER EVER AGAIN is he going near any of my cars even just to put air in the tyres!

Yeah I think I've made up my mind to take a punt on the 607 for now, I mean £500 with 12month mot IF it works it's less than £50 a month for the year isn't it, and if I sell last years C2W bike I'll recoup most of the outlay on the car. So instead of washing my hands of it may just lay it up for a few months then do it myself and maybe put it back on road or maybe try trade both of them in for a shogun / delica etc

[Dum-Dum]

A mate at work has a 607 V6, it is lovely but it's always broken. It makes a 306 look reliable.

[Dodgy Bob]

Update:

So the 607 never came to fruition as he couldn't be arsed fixing the abs.
The 306 finally left me last Friday after 4years 1month passed on to the father-in-law... Only for me to have to tow him 24miles back to mine today after a sos of the clutch has gone! Guess what my bank holkiday now consists of... and having never undertook such a job before but being totally skint any pointers would be appreciated.
So what did I replace it with? A MOT failure, 01 Seat Alhambra, rebuilt the front suspension, new exhaust, and one new caliper. After about 350 in parts its now got 12months MOT and after a long run to york and back with a full load achieved 48mpg so pretty happy with it. Just a service to do now and it's done.
So as for the 306. Managed to source a transmech kit for 41 quid and thats the budget pretty much gone unless I can sell the current back yard ornament of a 98 megane. Are there likely to be any nasty suprises or will / should it be straight forward for a novice with a Haynes manual and 306oc account?

[cully]

you will need gearbox oil, and i would advise you to change the fork bush's while the box is off
oil is around £15 for 2 ltrs bushes about £10 both from peugeot