Worst "routine" job ever done on a car

[Andy665]

How do manufacturers get away with it.

This morning saw me finish off changing the pollen filter on my Megane 3 RS. Would be a 10-15 min job on a LHD model but Renault could not be bothered to sway things over for RHD cars,

Clutch pedal needs to be unbolted and even then its so buried away out of sight its literally a case of doing it by "feel" - absolute b***ch of a job and no wonder many owners simply do not bother replacing them - mine was clearly still the original

[GeniusOfLove]

I'd take it out once and throw it in the bin.

[Quattr04.]

Changing a failed dip beam bulb in a fiat stilo, bumper off job and of course all the single use clips snapped when removing the under tray.

[Hereward]

Starter Motor on my 2003 Touareg petrol V8.

The official way is "Step 1: Remove engine from vehicle" but luckily people have documented a way to do it with the engine in-situ (albeit slightly hoisted). Took me 10 hours, but I am *very* slow.

[GeniusOfLove]

Hereward said:

Starter Motor on my 2003 Touareg petrol V8.

The official way is "Step 1: Remove engine from vehicle" but luckily people have documented a way to do it with the engine in-situ (albeit slightly hoisted). Took me 10 hours, but I am *very* slow.

You could fill this entire thread just with tales from VAG cars like this.

[paul_c123]

I've done a cabin filter on a Renault Captur, I imagine its fairly similar. Not only does the filter not actually fit into the hole (the French, in their infinite engineering wisdom, made the space the right size for the filter but the hole smaller than the space, so you have to crush it then hope it expands undamaged to get it in); but the access is to the right, meaning you have to bend it around the clutch pedal. I didn't remove the pedal, but just abused the filter a bit more (took the old one out and realised).

[wyson]

This must be up there with cars that need their front bumpers taken off to change the light bulbs.

[Simon_GH]

wyson said:

This must be up there with cars that need their front bumpers taken off to change the light bulbs.

I’m pretty sure the earlier Megan’s were in this camp.

[Alorotom]

Audi A6 (C6)

Removed the front bumper to replace a headlight bulb (Halfords refused to do it on there £5 to fit deal years ago) and a week later the other side blew and I had to do it all again.

I was livid as I knew in hindsight I should have done both the first time.

[sam.rog]

Spark plugs on a subaru or any boxer engine to be honest.
Theres a certain technique to get them out.

[njw1]

Replacement of a coolant pipe on my car ended up with this to gain access....

[paddy1970]

I previously worked for an automotive manufacturer and can assure you that serviceability was never a priority in the design process. The dealerships were similarly unconcerned, provided the established maintenance intervals remained feasible. Ultimately, there is no significant pressure within the industry to simplify vehicle maintenance or repair procedures.

[Glosphil]

Simon_GH said:

wyson said:

This must be up there with cars that need their front bumpers taken off to change the light bulbs.

I’m pretty sure the earlier Megan’s were in this camp.

Very easy to change headlamp bulbs in my wife's 2000 Megane. Large rubber covers on rear of headlamps pulled off to reveal clips holding in the bulbs. I fitted 4 uprated bulbs in less than 10 minutes.

However, the 2010 Clio that replaced it was totally different. Definitely a bumper off job.

Edited by Glosphil on Saturday 8th March 20:02

[jimmyjimjim]

Alorotom said:

Audi A6 (C6)

Removed the front bumper to replace a headlight bulb (Halfords refused to do it on there £5 to fit deal years ago) and a week later the other side blew and I had to do it all again.

I was livid as I knew in hindsight I should have done both the first time.

I was quite pleased when one of the headlamp bulbs went out on my S4 to find that it was on the side that could be replaced without removing the entire unit. Largely because the steering went electric that model year and the PAS pump that blocked access had been deleted. I debated getting the pair, but didn't. Car was written off before the other one went.

Equally on the S4 - cabin air filter. On both Toyotas I have, it's drop the glovebox, pull the tab, slide off the cover. Then, pull and replace the filter. 30-second job. On the Audi, it involved contorting yourself while on your back in the passenger footwell. Almost always involved crippling back pain and sweating. Not the longest or nastiest job in the world, but still significantly more of a pain than it should be.

Also, S4 air filter - multiple bolts and clips and significant faffing around. Toyotas - 2 clips and off.

[Marquezs Stabilisers]

2004 Subaru Impreza rear shocks. Two bolts at the bottom, three at top. Saw plenty of YouTube videos - in, twist, bolt up. 6 hours later of swearing and a row with the wife, I sacked it and went off to Hampden to watch Scotland lose.

[LightweightLouisDanvers]

Simon_GH said:

wyson said:

This must be up there with cars that need their front bumpers taken off to change the light bulbs.

I’m pretty sure the earlier Megan’s were in this camp.

Have a vague memory that Mk1 Mondeos were the same?

[Mars]

OK this is not routine, but my son has parked his GF's car (Celica) in my garage while he works on tightening the exhaust manifold up to stop it blowing. Seemed simple.

He found (not caused) the threads in the head were stripped. There was no room to drill and tap so... the head had to come off.

That was 8 days ago. The rebuild continues.

If it were my car, I'd have done this to it by now...



Luckily, my son has the patience of a saint.

Edited by Mars on Saturday 8th March 23:32

[Jakg]

Andy665 said:

This morning saw me finish off changing the pollen filter on my Megane 3 RS. Would be a 10-15 min job on a LHD model but Renault could not be bothered to sway things over for RHD cars,

The irony is on the Megane 2 RS, it's backwards - the pollen filter is easy RHD and hard LHD because it's the other way around!

[M4cruiser]

Glosphil said:

However, the 2010 Clio that replaced it was totally different. Definitely a bumper off job.

Edited by Glosphil on Saturday 8th March 20:02

I could fill several pages with the Clio's jobs (mk3).
Silliest is the coolant header tank. You can easily reach the 3 hose connections, with a bit of faffing about,
But then the tank itself is fixed to the front of the car, with just 1 screw ... .which is behind the bumper, so again the front bumper has to come off just to undo this 1 screw. Would be no additional cost to design it with a small bracket in the engine bay instead.

[donkmeister]

LightweightLouisDanvers said:

Simon_GH said:

wyson said:

This must be up there with cars that need their front bumpers taken off to change the light bulbs.

I’m pretty sure the earlier Megan’s were in this camp.

Have a vague memory that Mk1 Mondeos were the same?

I thought the "fat arse" Meganes (is that MK2?) required removing a wheel and arch liner to replace the front bulbs.

The Mk 2 Vectra (aka the Vectra C, the final shape before it became the Insignia) had headlights that were presumably fine if you had a 4-cylinder, but with the turbo V6 you had to remove the headlamp unit, which meant partially removing the bumper. I think I mentioned that here once and someone said there was an alternative approach involving removing the airbox and ductwork, and a few other bits, to gain access to the rear of the lamp unit but either it's not a standalone job.