Update on my car.
I took booked it in for a service with the dealer as it was due for its 75,000 km service. I mentioned the alternator and said it's not charging.
The tow truck I booked never showed. So I decided to put the battery on charge for an hour and also take my jumper pack with me just in case... not sure why but if the battery was dead, the jumper pack wasn't going to make any real difference.
I got her started, on my way to the dealer at about the half way mark, the ever glowing battery light started to flash. Then all of a sudden the beeps started. First ABS went out. Then the airbag system was "disconnected". Followed by a host of other features that make the car safe.
Then it came good for about 10 seconds. Then the tacho started to jump up and down, and the engine lost power. The speedo was also jumping up and down. The lights on the dashboard went out completely and the needles rested as if the car was turned off. I coasted down the hill, putting my hazard lights on, which was futile as there was NO power at all. They didn't even come on.
I coasted down the hill some more, getting ready to vere off the road and slowly pull the handbrake up. I came to a stop. I reached for the key, with my foot still on the throttle all of a sudden I patted her on the dashboard and said "It's okay baby, you got me this far." I went to turn the ignition off and all of a sudden she came back to life.
Engine idling to spec. Battery light not on. All systems were perfect. I dumped her into first gear, launched her back into traffic and gave her another pat on the dashboard, kissed her on the steering wheel and said "That's my girl... now let's get you to the doctor."
I raced to the dealership because I didn't want her Italian temperament (if it's anything like mine) to change direction and decide that NO, I DON'T WANT TO GO ANYMORE.
I made it to the dealer with nothing but a slight whirring sound coming from the front of the car. I suspect the alternator crying "ENOUGH with the spinning!!!"
I dropped her off and expected a phone call the following day asking me to come and get her. What really happened was a phone cal two hours after I had dropped her off. The service was complete. However, the alternator wasn't good. With my permission it was sent off to an Auto Electrician, but first I was told about the 2-3 hours it'll take to remove it. I believed them. Because when I looked at it in the drive way, the only way it appeared to have access to the damned alternator was from the bottom or maybe the side once the wheel was off and the inner guards were removed (if possible).
Either way, I had to sit down.
Then they informed me that the front discs needed replacing. I nearly exploded because they were replaced at the 60,000 service. I told the dealer that I don't want to be angry at him, however if he's going to lie to me about the car I will come over there and proceed to stick my size 12 foot up his virgin arse.
When I arrived to return the loan car which I only had that day, I looked at him as I walked into the workshop and he got up and ran off.
Another guy came out instead. Greeted me and explained the mistake about the brakes. I told him the other guy is lucky he ducked off for his "lunch break" otherwise I'd bent the discs around his neck"
Anyway, long story short. I got a call today that the alternator was not repairable, I must get a new one. So, the bill which includes the service and alternator comes to $1,500 Australian Dollars TOTAL.
When I get the car back I'll be doing the drain mod thing, which I have yet to search the site, find it, read it and then do it to the car... whatever needs doing.
Anyway, just an update, I hope to pick the car up tomorrow.
