Anyone had a difficult first few months but gone on to love the car?

[Wack61]

Lol, what about the straps to fix it to the wall?

I thought they were for fixing the cars parked around it to the wall

 

[Digsy]

Thanks for the comments. I was kind of hoping that I'd cool off over the course of the day but it hasn't happened and the way I feel I'd happily wave it goodbye. However, I didn't buy privately and I didn't buy cheaply, so any attempt to get rid will see me losing the shirt off my back. Looks like I'm stuck with it.

PS Surely a car which can't take being parked up for 6 days isn't fit for purpose?

 

[Wack61]

You mentioned battery problems , have you fitted a new battery as a low battery throws up all sorts of electrical gremlins even though it may still start the car

I know what you mean about falling out with a car , I had a jaguar that had a number of problems which meant I just didn't enjoy owning it

Has the supplying dealer been helpful

 

[Contigo]

Thanks for the comments. I was kind of hoping that I'd cool off over the course of the day but it hasn't happened and the way I feel I'd happily wave it goodbye. However, I didn't buy privately and I didn't buy cheaply, so any attempt to get rid will see me losing the shirt off my back. Looks like I'm stuck with it.

PS Surely a car which can't take being parked up for 6 days isn't fit for purpose?

If it's in the first 3 months then it's under warranty, take it back and let the garage sort it. I did!

 

[bigbob]

Thanks for the comments. I was kind of hoping that I'd cool off over the course of the day but it hasn't happened and the way I feel I'd happily wave it goodbye. However, I didn't buy privately and I didn't buy cheaply, so any attempt to get rid will see me losing the shirt off my back. Looks like I'm stuck with it.

PS Surely a car which can't take being parked up for 6 days isn't fit for purpose?

You can have similar problems with Astons and Porsches. It's not the six days but the length of engine running on the x starts prior to that. Cars like this need to run for 20+ minutes to replace the battery charge you used starting it.

 

[Digsy]

The battery was sorted before Xmas thanks to the dealer. I'm aware of the need to give it decent runs regularly to keep it topped up. The 6 days is reference to its current stranding which is brake and not battery related.

 

[StuartW]

These cars can definitely take 6 days without being driven, you clearly have a front brake problem which needs to be fixed. As much as it wouldn't have been cheap to buy, it is 8 going on 9 years old so you have to expect the off niggle. As Phil said, have the garage you bought it from sort out this brake issue and anything else that might be troubling you and then enjoy it - they are truly fantastic cars

 

[CatmanV2]

Sounds more like the challenge is the gravel, in fact. My brakes will conspicuously release after a couple of days, or less, if parked when wet, or atmospheric conditions allow condensation to form on the brake components.

If you can't get a decent bit of traction to pull away, you're not going to be able to break the rust bond.

C

 

[beau]

My car is left on the road, it is often left for 1-2 weeks, it starts first time no issues and never had any issues with brakes sticking on that I know of, I use the epb too

 

[Spartacus]

The answer is you need to get a trickle charger and drive it at least once every two weeks( even if you take it to the shops and back .) They dont like being sat still . Driving it will keep everything moving and stop things siezing and sticking.

 

[conaero]

You need to drive it more than a trip to the shops once a week.

The rule of thumb with these cars is it takes 20 mins of driving just to replenish the charge you used to start it.

Short trips kill these cars.

 

[GeoffCapes]

Short trips kill these cars.

Short trips will kill all cars!

My Mother-in-law drives her Honda 4x4 thing about 5 miles every week and that is it.
God knows how much she has paid out in little bits going wrong on it where things have stuck or seized.
I know she's on her third battery in 4 years purely because she doesn't drive it enough to get the thing charged up.

 

[Grant V]

My QP and I almost divorced a year or two ago - I had untold issues which all cost big bucks and reliability became a real issue by the second year of ownership. When I bought the car, it was seven years old and had only done 14 000km. The guy at the towing company and I are now exchanging Christmas cards. I got so frustrated with the car and got very, very close to selling it. However, like you, I would have taken a bath, so I stuck with the car.

I've been using it as my daily driver and its now got 65 000km on the clock. Touch wood, the car has been pretty reliable over the last 18 months, although last year I did have to renew the alternator. I still love the looks, the interior, the attention to detail and the exhaust note. It really is a magnificent piece of work which is pretty irreplaceable with anything else on the market.

If you can afford it, stick with the car and use it regularly.

 

[Contigo]

Yep get an X or H fitted to it, come to some forum meets and enjoy the thing! it's the whole package with these cars, doing the shows and meeting the people are really integral to the whole ownership experience imo. Like Matt I've done more miles in mine heading to an from shows and events!!!!

 

[ChrisQP09]

If you are really ****** with it, drop it off at the Dealer for 6 days and ask them to start it. They might be more sympathetic and explore other avenues, or perhaps just buy a trickle charger and drive it occasionally.

I thought my QP give me issues but looking back it was the most reliable car I ever owned!

 

[TridentTested]

To get upset with a car for the battery letting you down is a bit like the old joke about selling a car because its ashtray was full.

Batteries are cheap consumables.

 

[Digsy]

To get upset with a car for the battery letting you down is a bit like the old joke about selling a car because its ashtray was full.

Batteries are cheap consumables.

Yes but the battery wasn't the problem, the drain on it was.

 

[TridentTested]

True, I see your point. All the more reason to use the car then

 

[Heavenly]

Just to ask question.
1 - Is it normal for a GTS to drain quickly if nothing external or extra is added to the car like a tracker system etc, I'm just wondering if the car isn't parked close to the home and no trickle charger solution is available, would you forever have drained battery issues? My father has a Ghibli and he had to have the AA out due to flat battery about 3 months ago which he was very surprised at?

2 - Regarding brakes binding on the EPB, is this also normal? I work on a few cars here and there and after washing if I leave them standing for 3 or 4 days without braking the discs off before parking up they do stick but can normally pull free, is this more challenging on large discs with a GTS than say the raft of MK3 RS focus's I've done of late?

 

[bigbob]

1) it does not drain but rather does not recharge, i.e. Repeated journeys too short to replace the charge used to start the engine. It's cumulative and sneaks up on you, hence the use by many of us of a CTEK.

2) I have had bad experiences of EPBs on a few cars. I use mine intra day but when I park up at home for a few days I leave it off. Washing and putting any car away without a run is bad for the brakes - I drive my cars a short distance and brake heavily a couple of times before parking up.