Member Since: 04 Jul 2008
Location: In A World of My Own!
Posts: 2908
Fire...
Just picked up a really nice condition D4 Leather interior from near London on Thursday, and headed off home.
As I sat in the D3 coming off the A1 into Baldock services on Thursday I didnt realise there was any issue with the car until I saw a rather large black cloud behind me and realised it was coming from my car!
No dash warnings or anything odd but then suddenly smoke - lots of it and reduced power.
I coasted into a parking bay in the main car park to take a look and saw smoke from under the bonnet.
Thinking maybe an intercooler hose or perhaps an oil leak somewhere I opened the bonnet and pulled off the engine top cover to find the throttle body and nearside inlet manifold with 5p sized holes in each with small flames coming out!
You can still see smoke coming out on the picture and lots of melted plastic and soundproofing
Been away a couple of days and finally home and have the car in the driveway tonight so had a few minutes taking a look with a torch. I think it was bloody fortunate I was really low on fuel and came off the A1 at Baldock cursing the idea of having to pay hideous fuel prices, If Id have had a few more Litres and pressed on I think I would have been doing an impression of the Towering Inferno on the A1!
Guess I have a faulty EGR that has decided to stick open and vent superheated exhaust gas back into the air inlet
Waiting to hear what the insurance people say, as Im assuming it should be classed as an engine fire - fortunately I caught it before much damage and Im assuming new inlets, throttle body, engine cover and perhaps a couple of other small bits might sort it, along with EGR removal - things!
Im with Admiral so it will be interesting to see what they say when their fire people call me on Monday or Tuesday - have to say I'm not impressed with them so far, cant sort any hire or loan car until they have it either written off or being repaired
Mind you could be worse - no one was hurtMust stop buying shiny toys....
5th Oct 2019 8:25 pm
Pelyma
Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Patching, Sussex
Posts: 15496
Sorry to hear this but you’re right you’ve been very lucky. DS3 TDV6 HSE - Silver with Alpaca (old one) Gone
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5th Oct 2019 8:49 pm
Moo D3 Decade
Member Since: 13 Aug 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 14493
Sorry to hear that. It might prove cheaper and easier to repair it yourself.D4 HSE EU6 (Known as Jeeves)
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NJSSAm I Gammon or Woke ? - I neither know nor care.
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6th Oct 2019 6:39 am
darrind
Member Since: 04 Jul 2008
Location: In A World of My Own!
Posts: 2908
Moo wrote:
Sorry to hear that. It might prove cheaper and easier to repair it yourself.
Just waiting to see what the insurance have to say as I dont want to start on it, discover there is a lot more to it once I crack it open and then see they would have covered it but wont as I have started work on it!Must stop buying shiny toys....
6th Oct 2019 8:29 am
darrind
Member Since: 04 Jul 2008
Location: In A World of My Own!
Posts: 2908
NJSS wrote:
Sorry to hear this.
Private purchase or dealer?
NJSS
Sorry wasn't perhaps clear I had just collected the Leather interior from a D4, in my D3...Must stop buying shiny toys....
6th Oct 2019 8:30 am
darrind
Member Since: 04 Jul 2008
Location: In A World of My Own!
Posts: 2908
As Admiral Insurance dont give you any car replacement until they have decided what to do with yours, which is not a fast process (up to 2 working days to get a call back after they register the initial claim) I hired my own replacement to leave in Airport carparks next week, so currently about to head off in a Citroen C3 from Avis, will be much easier to park at the airport than a D3Must stop buying shiny toys....
6th Oct 2019 8:37 am
darrind
Member Since: 04 Jul 2008
Location: In A World of My Own!
Posts: 2908
Well this is taking some time - finally had an assessor to the car today, just awaiting the result.....Must stop buying shiny toys....
15th Oct 2019 9:21 pm
Red Merle
Member Since: 30 Aug 2014
Location: Liskeard
Posts: 7441
Good luck, hope it gets sorted.
As an aside, the most effective way to turn a small under bonnet fire into a very large one is to open the bonnet. It’s a great argument for carrying an extinguisher to squirt under the bonnet just before opening it 2011 - 2015: 3 x FL2
2015 - 2017: 2 x D4
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15th Oct 2019 10:50 pm
darrind
Member Since: 04 Jul 2008
Location: In A World of My Own!
Posts: 2908
Agreed, unfortunately it was not apparent that there was a fire, it just looked like a hose split - really only became apparent that there was once the top cover was in my hand...Must stop buying shiny toys....
22nd Oct 2019 5:02 pm
darrind
Member Since: 04 Jul 2008
Location: In A World of My Own!
Posts: 2908
Heard today finally from Admiral that the estimate had showed it to be an expensive job but they still have not confirmed it is being written off or that the additional policy covering a free hire car was now applicable as they only put this in place once the confirmation has been done that they will not repair it...
Promised a call tomorrow with more news Must stop buying shiny toys....
22nd Oct 2019 5:06 pm
Dave T
Member Since: 03 Jul 2009
Location: Glasgow
Posts: 6910
darrind wrote:
I hired my own replacement to leave in Airport carparks next week, so currently about to head off in a Citroen C3 from Avis, will be much easier to park at the airport than a D3
why would you pay to park a hire car at the airport???????Joined the BMWX5 45e group
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23rd Oct 2019 5:52 am
darrind
Member Since: 04 Jul 2008
Location: In A World of My Own!
Posts: 2908
It’s cheaper than doing a number of one way hires...Must stop buying shiny toys....
23rd Oct 2019 7:55 am
darrind
Member Since: 04 Jul 2008
Location: In A World of My Own!
Posts: 2908
Good News
Lazarus is back from the dead!
The Phoenix has risen from the Ashes
New top end Plastics (two inlet manifolds and new throttle body) blanked off EGRs and hey presto shes back up and fighting fit!
Picking up later when Im back from the airport after the MOT is done (Insurance insist on it being re MOTd after their total loss / cat s payment) Ironically the MOT test failed last night as the rear of the car is full of stuff and they could not test the rear seatbelts! Must stop buying shiny toys....
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