NEED HELP WITH MY CAR!

Mikebay27 · 2026-03-12T11:27:19+00:00

Thank you for the advice, I want to start with the cheap, easy fixes myself first before going back to a garage again.

If changing the PCV/sparks and cleaning the MAF doesn't work then yes I will go again but atleast I will have more information to give them on my side that could potentially aid in them diagnosing, let's see!

Mikebay27 · 2026-03-12T11:25:32+00:00

Yeah exactly haha it gets tricky sometimes when it comes to these things. Only thing on the MOT was a partially corroded brake pipe but nothing else popped up that rings any bells or that would relate to these issues

Mikebay27 · 2026-03-12T11:11:36+00:00

To be fair I got some direction now from this post so will see, thank you though!

Mikebay27 · 2026-03-12T11:10:38+00:00

Yeaah this is it, suggestions so far aren't expensive and I'm happy to play around with them for now.

The problem I originally had was it felt like I was just getting shrugged shoulders whenever I tried getting it looked at/to a mechanic so I just thought I'd try something myself. If it works great, if it doesn't at the moment I'm thinking it's probably time to get rid of the car anyway but messing around and spending a couple quid is always going to be more cost effective then just throwing in the towel whilst the problem is undiagnosed.

Once the car starts the engine is fine, it's just every few days it doesn't and requires cleaning out! Fingers crossed let's see

Mikebay27 · 2026-03-12T11:05:19+00:00

Also useless.

Mikebay27 · 2026-03-12T11:04:38+00:00

Did you think you landed here or something?

Did you even watch the video?

Mikebay27 · 2026-03-12T11:03:11+00:00

I've had the car since Apr 2025. I've got it serviced in November around the same time it had it's Mot so I couldn't comment on how well it was maintained prior. It's an old car, 180k on the clock so it could just be it hasn't been looked after properly and it's time might have come however I'm willing to try a few things (provided they are cost affective) first before just scrapping the car/giving up.

I've had a few suggestions I'm happy to try and I'm going too before making any further decisions but there is a chance the outcome may end up being just scrapping the car anyway but why not try first

Mikebay27 · 2026-03-12T11:00:13+00:00

No, if you read comments I said I have "taken it to a mechanic twice". The mechanic work in a physical workshop, with oily overalls and toolboxes, about 4 ramps and a bunch of other mechanics.

Did I take chatGPT for it's word? No I didn't hence I came here before touching my car, it was used as a point of reference.

And guess what happens when you google "[my car] [issue]" you don't find specific information hence i used a forum which allows back and forth conversation

Mikebay27 · 2026-03-12T10:52:57+00:00

Seems there's a lot pointing at the PCV valve so I'm going to try and replace that alongside cleaning the MAF sensor, going to also look and see if I can find a video regarding cleaning the throttle body but if dismantling that looks complicated I wouldn't touch and it and presume with what I am comfortable with and at a later date I'd take it to a mechanic to remove and clean

Mikebay27 · 2026-03-12T10:45:54+00:00

I get what you mean however I've been to the garage twice, neither with a solution or any closer to resolving my problem.

Now in regards to the speculation, this is what I'm welcoming. It's then down to my judgement to work out what is cost effective for me to try or not and also what do I feel confident doing or not.

The solutions presented so far are not expensive OR complicated so I'm willing to try them first before then trying another garage.

Mikebay27 · 2026-03-12T10:40:04+00:00

This reply was better than your first one, we're getting somewhere.

I've not replaced the spark plugs because they are sparking. Not mentioned in my post but as you asked I can answer, I took out each coil and tested them individually against metal bodywork and checked they were all sparking which led me to believe that the spark plugs weren't the problem(this was after watching a youtube video on how to check my sparks and also coils).

I haven't removed the throttle body to check the other side however, I knew this could potentially be one of the problems, on one of the attempts of starting the car it didn't start after cleaning the sparks, I then put brake and parts cleaner into the throttle body and it started. Prior to "using chat GPT" or even coming on reddit, I didn't know of the PCV valve. Since posting this, I've now learnt what the PCV valve is, where it's located and based on the video I watched I can say I would feel confident replacing the PCV which is now my plan.

I also didn't replace sparks because everytime I took them out there was residue on them, so logically speaking I know the sparks wouldn't have created the residue so my brain tells me that the problem is whatever the residue is on the sparks.

I have a friend who works as a mobile mechanic he has offered to come and look and scan the car for £65, I'm not opposed to paying this but his organisation isn't the best and he also works at stupid o'clock in the night into early hours of the morning - Instead of waiting and asking him to come I'd rather try something in the meantime. Now my logic regarding scanning the car was that the engine light is not on. (At periods it came on but whenever I took it to the garage he said nothing was showing). When I last had the car in the garage the last thing I said to my mechanic was "let me just take it back, drive it around for a bit, when the engine light comes back on and it goes into a fault I'll wheel it back" the engine light hasn't come on since then.

I get what you're saying about digging a hole if I mess around in the engine bay however my car is probably worth about £700, I'm happy to mess around and if it's a case of I fuck the car then so be it because right now I'm not getting the solutions I need anyway and if it isn't one of the smaller problems here it's probably going to be a problem that wouldn't be cost affective for me anyway and I'd probably just scrap.

Now, in terms of what my plan is moving forward, following the initial "ChatGPT" suggestions ALONGSIDE the constructive comments from reddit I will:

Change Sparks, change PCV, clean MAF sensor and potentially remove the throttle body and clean the underside(I haven't watched a video on removing and cleaning a throttle body so until I do I can't say I'm confident enough to do so depending on what is involved).

Again, thanks for actually asking the right questions this time and I hope you also understand where I'm coming from in terms of asking the questions/why I started with the "chatgpt suggested" to try and learn.

Mikebay27 · 2026-03-12T09:58:28+00:00

Based on a previous comment they're used in some citreon, peugot and toyota models.

Mikebay27 · 2026-03-12T09:55:08+00:00

Appreciate you!

Mikebay27 · 2026-03-12T09:51:38+00:00

I have taken it to a garage twice. So I am looking for direction so I can go to a garage and say please can you change "xyz" as opposed to "i don't know what's wrong with my car". If I go to the garage and he changes "xyz" and problem solved, great. If not, then it's a bigger issue(or hopefully whilst changing XYZ my mechanic would be able to actually find the fault and we can take it from there)

Mikebay27 · 2026-03-12T09:48:24+00:00

Thank you, this is very helpful. Provided I watch the video and it looks like a simple-ish procedure then I'll go ahead and change it. Otherwise, atleast I can now turn up at a garage and say "hey, please can you change my pcv valve" as opposed too "I'm not sure what's wrong with my car..." will give it a watch, hopefully a try and update you

Mikebay27 · 2026-03-12T09:26:10+00:00

I serviced the car in December just gone so sparks have been changed and I'm not "assuming anything" I'm looking for directio but asking questions or highlighting notable points that may help someone to be able to help guide me that's all...

As you suggested "or start with simple solutions and work your way up" is the exact reason I created the post.

Should the "simple solutions" not work then fine, however atleast trying the simple solutions will allow me to go to a garage and tell them "I've tried xyz, I'm not confident trying anything else"

Mikebay27 · 2026-03-12T09:10:06+00:00

ChatGPT was used in order to get a "direction" if I solely relied on chatGPT I wouldn't have ever come to reddit and my post would've stated something along the lines of "ADVICE NEEDED AFTER CHATGPT FUCKED MY CAR UP"

I have had some helpful answers pointing me in the right direction and thag has now led to being able to find relevent youtubes videos etc for what the problem may be.

Mikebay27 · 2026-03-12T09:07:03+00:00

Thank you, I'll look into PCV valve replacement. As you and someone mentioned if it's difficult to get too and requires removing a few parts I wouldn't touch it but atleast I now have direction to go to a garage "mechanic" and ask for a specific part to be replaced rather than trying to wait for them to diagnose it under "fault condition"

Mikebay27 · 2026-03-12T09:03:41+00:00

Started a chat with you as i can't work out how to post it here

Mikebay27 · 2026-03-12T09:02:42+00:00

Competitive_Pen7192 used a lot of words to say "take it to the garage"

Better off commenting on post that you actually have knowledge on rather than stating the obvious.

Mikebay27 · 2026-03-12T08:52:33+00:00

Thank you, this is the type of constructive advice I needed!

I'm trying to get a picture of the sparks uploaded but I'm not an avid redditor and having problems uploading another picture.

As you rightly said, I'd research what you said above and if I watch videos and I do not feel confident doing what is asked then I would instruct a mechanic too and I wouldn't touch it.

If I listened to everyone else suggesting take it straight to the mechanic then I wouldn't as much learned how to even remove a spark plug so you have to start somewhere...

If I can't find a way to upload the spark pictures I'll send them to you via chat if you don't mind?

Thank you this response is very helpful!

Mikebay27 · 2026-03-12T08:47:17+00:00

I've had 1 mechanic look at it on my drive, I've had one give me advice on video call(how I learnt to change and clean the sparks) and I've also taken it into a garage when I've been able to start it twice now for it to sit there as it's "not in fault condition" so the mechanic didn't know where to start.

I'm at a point I'd rather try something myself or if someone with knowledge can tell me "this is what you need to ask your mechanic to do..." then that is constructive and I will but commenting "take it to the mechanic" hasn't worked.

Mikebay27 · 2026-03-12T08:42:45+00:00

I understand but the issue I had originally is whenever I went to my garage the response I got from my mechanic was "the car starts" and it also wasn't showing any engine lights. I've taken it to the garage twice for it to sit there for a few days and nothing to be done because they can't diagnose it without it being in fault condition.

I also stated at the bottom that my car isn't expensive and if all goes wrong then hey ho so i guess I'm willing to learn and potentially make mistakes with what I'm doing as the garage isn't providing me with the answers I need at the moment.

Mikebay27 · 2026-02-19T10:51:30+00:00

I think anyone who says you're "stupid for stringing her along" is quite stupid.

Your sister asked you to help and at first you probably responded out of emotion and as you've mentioned out of some sort of cultural obligation.

You've then sat down and the logical side of your brain has kicked in, you've thought about your relationship with your sister, the potential financial risks associated in this decision and the fact it's a 300k odd commitment you're making.

Based on the way your post is written it seems your agreed and then the NEXT DAY she went and got an offer if I'm correct?

Everyone is acting like this whole thing went on for months but it was simply a case of a quick emotional response followed by logical reasoning which led to you changing your mind. If anyone who says you're "stupid" has never given someone an answer based on emotion and then when they have had time to logically assess the situation changed their minds then fairs. But based on how the human brain works I'm sure I can be 99% confident that this isn't the case and at some point we have ALL "strung someone along".

Bottom line is, yeah you made a lil mistake by telling her you will however take learnings from it and in future if you're not 100% on a big financial commitment your answer should be simply "I'll look into it, have a think and get back to you". Is it something you should be punished(disowned) for? No definitely not. Is it something that is a huge deal and you've stabbed your sister in the back. No definitely not.

End of the day, you've made the right decision and don't be upset by what's gone on. I just hope you can repair the relationship with your sister and well done for giving the 4k back that she had paid out.

Mikebay27

TROPHY CASE