Merry Christmas!!! - Page 2

alantf · 12-29-2013, 06:49 AM

Just thought I'd let you know that it hasn't been one of our best Christmases. Family and friends wise it's been fine, but just before Christmas the power steering on our car packed in. I thought that it might be the steering CPU, so on the 26th I took it to the Citroen workshop. They found that the problem was the steering motor. Problem is, for some strange reason Citroen designed it so that the motor can't be changed. You have to fit a complete steering rack (I checked the Hayes manual, and this is correct) so I'm waiting for the new rack, and a very expensive repair. Also, while trying to get round the curves to our underground parking, without power steering, I've pulled my back, and I'm in agony. Then, in the evening of Christmas day, one of our house rabbits collapsed. We took him to the vet's, as soon as they opened on boxing day. They tested him, but couldn't come to a firm diagnosis, so they kept him in the hospital. Unfortunately he died on Friday night. Now we've only one left, "Gonzo", and he's lost without his little friend. Just hope the new year brings better luck.

Fawlty · 12-29-2013, 08:01 AM

Sorry to hear this Alan. Not the best way to end the year. Sometimes I think we would be better off going back in time, for example, when most cars did not have power steering. We managed ok without it. Same with electric windows etc. These things are fine until something goes wrong with them, and the more technology, the more things to potentially break down. You have my sympathy trying to man handle the car without the power steering. I have tried that myself backing the car out of the garage when coasting and I wouldn't want to try and drive it anywhere like that.

Things can only get better as the song goes.

Water Warrior 2 · 12-29-2013, 06:59 PM

Alantf, so sorry to hear of your loss. Rabbits can be a wonderful pet and friend. Hope the other rabbit pulls through the loss in time. We all loose a loved pet in our lives so we know the heart ache and feeling of loss. Hang in there Alantf.

Ah yes, wonderful power steering woes. Why does a small car need power steering to begin with? Years ago we had 4,000 lb cars and trucks that steered beautifully with manual steering boxes. I have driven 40 foot buses with manual steering with no problem. Darn progress seems to be going in reverse.

alantf · 12-30-2013, 06:07 AM

I think the problem is the tyres. Years ago the tyres were all cross ply,and cars didn't need power steering. I remember around 12 years ago, I had a 1400cc Nissan. It didn't have power steering (but it had radial ply tyres). Normal driving was fine, but parking was really heavy. Also, when I was driving double decker buses, we had some old ones with cross ply tyres and no power steering. No problem. But when the cross ply tyres were no longer available, and they fitted radials, the steering was so heavy as to make them undrivable, and they had to take the buses out of service.

Goose51683 · 12-30-2013, 07:52 AM

I used to have a 65 mustang with modern tires on it and no power steering. I never had a problem with turning at any speed. I miss that car, it was a lot like the GZ, very simple electrical, actually it was much more simple than the GZ. It broke down from time to time but I could fix everything on it with a $25 tool set from any hardware store.

Sorry about the rabbits, we buried a cat that my wife had and that was about a year ago but you still miss the little guy. Amazing how you can become so attached to something that can't speak...come to think of it maybe that's why you get so attached. lol. Regardless, it can only get better in the new year right.

Keep your chin up, everything will work out for the best.

alantf · 01-22-2014, 11:33 AM

Just got the car back from the workshop. New parts were so expensive that they've been hunting round for a good second hand. Apparently they got one a couple of weeks back, but when they tested it, they weren't happy, so they had to get another. It still cost me (for the parts and labour) €460 ($624)

Goose51683 · 01-22-2014, 04:12 PM

Sorry to hear about the price but at least you have your car back.

Water Warrior 2 · 01-22-2014, 05:09 PM

Buying a car is sometimes the cheapest part of ownership. Ex #2 had a Ford Topaz that cost double after all the repairs were made to keep it running. You would think a used one year old car would be more reliable.

12-29-2013, 06:49 AM	#11
alantf Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Tenerife (Spain) Posts: 3,719	Just thought I'd let you know that it hasn't been one of our best Christmases. Family and friends wise it's been fine, but just before Christmas the power steering on our car packed in. I thought that it might be the steering CPU, so on the 26th I took it to the Citroen workshop. They found that the problem was the steering motor. Problem is, for some strange reason Citroen designed it so that the motor can't be changed. You have to fit a complete steering rack (I checked the Hayes manual, and this is correct) so I'm waiting for the new rack, and a very expensive repair. Also, while trying to get round the curves to our underground parking, without power steering, I've pulled my back, and I'm in agony. Then, in the evening of Christmas day, one of our house rabbits collapsed. We took him to the vet's, as soon as they opened on boxing day. They tested him, but couldn't come to a firm diagnosis, so they kept him in the hospital. Unfortunately he died on Friday night. Now we've only one left, "Gonzo", and he's lost without his little friend. Just hope the new year brings better luck. __________________ By birth an Englishman, by the grace of God a Yorkshireman. Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

12-29-2013, 08:01 AM	#12
Fawlty Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Murcia, Spain Posts: 683	Sorry to hear this Alan. Not the best way to end the year. Sometimes I think we would be better off going back in time, for example, when most cars did not have power steering. We managed ok without it. Same with electric windows etc. These things are fine until something goes wrong with them, and the more technology, the more things to potentially break down. You have my sympathy trying to man handle the car without the power steering. I have tried that myself backing the car out of the garage when coasting and I wouldn't want to try and drive it anywhere like that. Things can only get better as the song goes. __________________ "It begins here for me on this road. How the whole mess happened I don't know, but I know it couldn't happen again in a million years." (Johnny Strabbler-The Wild One 1953)
	0

12-29-2013, 06:59 PM	#13
Water Warrior 2 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Squamish B.C Canada Posts: 11,409	Alantf, so sorry to hear of your loss. Rabbits can be a wonderful pet and friend. Hope the other rabbit pulls through the loss in time. We all loose a loved pet in our lives so we know the heart ache and feeling of loss. Hang in there Alantf. Ah yes, wonderful power steering woes. Why does a small car need power steering to begin with? Years ago we had 4,000 lb cars and trucks that steered beautifully with manual steering boxes. I have driven 40 foot buses with manual steering with no problem. Darn progress seems to be going in reverse. Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

12-30-2013, 06:07 AM	#14
alantf Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Tenerife (Spain) Posts: 3,719	I think the problem is the tyres. Years ago the tyres were all cross ply,and cars didn't need power steering. I remember around 12 years ago, I had a 1400cc Nissan. It didn't have power steering (but it had radial ply tyres). Normal driving was fine, but parking was really heavy. Also, when I was driving double decker buses, we had some old ones with cross ply tyres and no power steering. No problem. But when the cross ply tyres were no longer available, and they fitted radials, the steering was so heavy as to make them undrivable, and they had to take the buses out of service. __________________ By birth an Englishman, by the grace of God a Yorkshireman.
	0

12-30-2013, 07:52 AM	#15
Goose51683 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Indiana Posts: 621	I used to have a 65 mustang with modern tires on it and no power steering. I never had a problem with turning at any speed. I miss that car, it was a lot like the GZ, very simple electrical, actually it was much more simple than the GZ. It broke down from time to time but I could fix everything on it with a $25 tool set from any hardware store. Sorry about the rabbits, we buried a cat that my wife had and that was about a year ago but you still miss the little guy. Amazing how you can become so attached to something that can't speak...come to think of it maybe that's why you get so attached. lol. Regardless, it can only get better in the new year right. Keep your chin up, everything will work out for the best. Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

01-22-2014, 11:33 AM	#16
alantf Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Tenerife (Spain) Posts: 3,719	Just got the car back from the workshop. New parts were so expensive that they've been hunting round for a good second hand. Apparently they got one a couple of weeks back, but when they tested it, they weren't happy, so they had to get another. It still cost me (for the parts and labour) €460 ($624) __________________ By birth an Englishman, by the grace of God a Yorkshireman.
	0

01-22-2014, 04:12 PM	#17
Goose51683 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Indiana Posts: 621	Sorry to hear about the price but at least you have your car back.
	0

01-22-2014, 05:09 PM	#18
Water Warrior 2 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Squamish B.C Canada Posts: 11,409	Buying a car is sometimes the cheapest part of ownership. Ex #2 had a Ford Topaz that cost double after all the repairs were made to keep it running. You would think a used one year old car would be more reliable.
	0