Do Peugeot dealers really have mechanics or just computer geeks nowadays ? (1 Viewer)

[Highwayman1]

It`s been a while but moving house, no internet, plus sorting schools, redecorating, etc doesn`t come cheap time wise. The point of the thread title is, that having my 95 Boxer base in for an MoT (passed) , I asked the 1st garage to sort out the idle speed. It had been playing up and the `van` kept stopping if I took my foot off the pedal for too long. 6 days later they couldn`t find the `plug in` point and failed to sort the problem. I therefore paid £250 for what (to me), amounted to storage and an MoT. I was advised by them to contact a main dealer. Duly contacted, I took the `van` to them. It allegedly took them an hour to find the `plug in` point and after 3 days and £275 later, I was advised that they thought it was the throttle body playing up ! Their advice, check out scrap yards on the continent to source a replacement because of the age of the Boxer. Unfortunately I couldn`t think about paying either garage . Poorer by over £500 I now know why they are called technicians and not mechanics. I don`t think the classic car scene of today will survive in 40 years time somehow.

 

[chatteris]

the first thing would be to clean the throttle body and bypass valve if it has one, if they are supposed to have plugged it in what are the fault codes, a diagnostic check should not cost that much if they have not done anything else

 

[pappajohn]

At 1995 it will be a very rudementary OBD.
Very basic readout which probably wont show many faults.
1996 was the year obd became compulsory on petrol engines and around 2002 for diesels.
Before that it was hit and miss.

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[pappajohn]

the first thing would be to clean the throttle body and bypass valve if it has one, if they are supposed to have plugged it in what are the fault codes, a diagnostic check should not cost that much if they have not done anything else

I would expect a physical, rather than obd, diagnostic at this age.
Charged at an hourly rate.
See my post above.

 

[dave newell]

Is this a petrol or diesel Boxer?

D.

 

[Derbyshire wanderer]

I cannot understand why you have paid two separate garages for a job they have FAILED to complete.
I would never dream of trying to charge a customer for something I did not manage to do.
You should have asked for a detailed invoice and then possibly contacted trading standards or have I completely missed something here?

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[Highwayman1]

Is this a petrol or diesel Boxer?

D.

It`s a petrol 2l with 40+k on the clock Dave.

 

[Highwayman1]

I cannot understand why you have paid two separate garages for a job they have FAILED to complete.
I would never dream of trying to charge a customer for something I did not manage to do.
You should have asked for a detailed invoice and then possibly contacted trading standards or have I completely missed something here?

The first garage did the MoT and had problems keeping the engine turning over to do the emissions test so not being around at the time I said `do what you have to do` to get it thru` the test. Wrong move I guess. They are quite busy as they do HGV`s, Fire Service and County Council vehicles too. They have a good reputation so hence my useage. To be fair they did advise me to go to the Peugeot dealer as a next step because they were flummoxed(?) . More geared to HGV`s I suppose. I did get a `detailed` invoice but unless I am sat there I cannot account for how long they spent on the vehicle in total and rely on their honesty, as we all have to in those circumstances. Oh having checked the invoice from the first garage I did notice that they managed to `manually adjust base and throttle body to allow faster idle` but were not able to investigate fault as compromised by higher tickover speed` ? So there I have it I suppose ? Done !

 

[Derbyshire wanderer]

The first garage did the MoT and had problems keeping the engine turning over to do the emissions test so not being around at the time I said `do what you have to do` to get it thru` the test. Wrong move I guess. They are quite busy as they do HGV`s, Fire Service and County Council vehicles too. They have a good reputation so hence my useage. To be fair they did advise me to go to the Peugeot dealer as a next step because they were flummoxed(?) . More geared to HGV`s I suppose. I did get a `detailed` invoice but unless I am sat there I cannot account for how long they spent on the vehicle in total and rely on their honesty, as we all have to in those circumstances. Oh having checked the invoice from the first garage I did notice that they managed to `manually adjust base and throttle body to allow faster idle` but were not able to investigate fault as compromised by higher tickover speed` ? So there I have it I suppose ? Done !

I suspect that as a HGV garage their petrol experience is limited. As above the throttle body could well be the issue but I think that there are several other possibilities.
It would be an idea to try to find a garage that has experience of that engine and see what they would suggest.
Another thought is that if it has stood for a very long time, the petrol may have gone off (unleaded seems to break down over time and blocks up the fine drillings in fuel systems). Using a good fuel cleaner such as Forte can work wonders before replacing parts

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[dave newell]

The most likely culprit is the iacv (idle air control valve) which may be gummed up with grot or could have failed altogether. According to Autodata the dlc is up near the air filter housing. I'd start by cleaning the throttle body and iacv then see where you go from there.

D.

 

[Highwayman1]

I suspect that as a HGV garage their petrol experience is limited. As above the throttle body could well be the issue but I think that there are several other possibilities.
It would be an idea to try to find a garage that has experience of that engine and see what they would suggest.
Another thought is that if it has stood for a very long time, the petrol may have gone off (unleaded seems to break down over time and blocks up the fine drillings in fuel systems). Using a good fuel cleaner such as Forte can work wonders before replacing parts

Yeh thanks for both your posts Dave . I took it to a Peugeot dealer because I (wrongly) assumed they would sort the problem out for me. I can`t say I was very impressed when the service dept guy told me to try scrap yards on the continent ! I usually respond to such remarks with a barbed comment but I had my young son with me and felt blowing my top was not in his interests. I will take on board what you have suggested and with all the other suggestions may resolve the problem. The vehicle had been stood for a few weeks as you mentioned. I`ll get there in the end I suppose, but with it being currently at minus 5 here, a trip to Scotland in the car tomorrow to do, it won`t be before 2017. Thank goodness for all the kind and knowledgeable people on MHF .!