OT: getting parts for the french rubbish SWMBO drives

[Pete Attryde]

Appologies but needed to rant slightly after a frustrating morning trying to fix her Peugeot.

Right the car is a 1.6ltr petrol automatic 306 5 door hatchback of 2001 vintage,

All I wanted to do was change the front discs and pads, a front suspension joint and 2 parts of the exhaust, shouldn't be to tricky I thought.

Anyway went to my local motorfactors armed with all the details of the car including the VIN number and ask for the items listed above. The bloke behind the counter looks up all the part numbers and gets the bits listed for a 1.6 petrol 306 auto,had to order the exhaust but it will be in by 10-30ish. I take the bits home and take the car apart, and this is where it all went wrong.

The discs and pads are both wrong, then went to fit the suspension joint thats wrong too. So by now it is about 11-00 so go back to the motor factors armed with the removed bits this time. The exhaust has arrived and you guessed it one part of that was wrong too.

Bloke behind counter is the same guy as before, very appologetic and then digs out the parts catalogue and we both go through it. We eventually find all the correct bits:-

The discs and pads are only fitted a 2.0ltr model apparently.

The suspension joint is only used on a 1.9 diesel model,

and the centre section of the exhaust is only used on a 1.6 cabriolet . .

We even looked the car up on the database system that the motorfactors use (identifies the car through its reg) and that listed all the parts as being different to what is fitted.

Now we are only the second owners of the car and the previous owners were not the sort to "modify" the car and until we got it, it had always been dealer maintained.

Is this just a friday afternoon bitsa car or just (as i suspect) bloody minded french car manufacturers being a pain in the arse.

Rant over.

Has anyone else experienced this sort of problems getting parts for everyday euroboxes or am I just unlucky?

Pete.

[sgnas]

Colleague at work has the same problems.

The local "french specialist" parts supplier ie reluctant to supply pads/dics without seeing the vehicle.

It would seem that on the front suspension it is a "use what we have" situation on these cars.

They have even seen one with different callipers left and right

The car shares component with citroen as well so revisions can be made part way through obvious "facelifts" if the citroen model is updated.

[Les Henson]

Well unfortunately I experience this pretty much every single week. I've known Renault cars have more than three different braking systems within the model year. The Number 1 golden rule nowadays is either look carefully at the old bit, or take it with you. Luckily I can also take the variations and then return the incorrect ones.

Most people fix or maintain their cars at the weekend, but in reality this is the worst time to do it. Most motor factors shut at luchtime, so you can be stuck with your motor in bits until Monday, and then later in the week if they have to order the correct bit for you.

Les.

[Pete Attryde]

Fortunately I managed to get enough of the bits I needed to at least put the thing back together so she can use it.

Just means that I'll end up using another weekend up changing the other bits when I get them.

Most people fix or maintain their cars at the weekend, but in reality this is the worst time to do it.

Have to agree with Les, usually I try to get all the bits well in advance as I don't usually find time to do stuff in the week due to working all over the country.

Pete.