Car Paranoia

[suddste]

Hello people

I might be slightly drunk when posting this so bare with me. Since this is my first car (I guess) i'm VERY paranoid about eveverything. It doesnt help that i've found out the first registered keeper. Just looking for advice on how to stop being so worried about everything because it's really getting to me know i'm getting depressed. I've had to change the tyres and brakes now

Heres an image of the engine bay, does it look healthy? What are the signs of a healthy car on these types of car?

This was taken when I got the car, it's still in the same condition

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[jay1981]

I wouldn't worry, looking at the picture, all looks good with nothing obvious wrong. Your coolant looks clean which is a good sign, and your PAS fluid is up to the maximum. Just remember to check the oil and coolant levels weekly.

Brakes and tyres need changing on any car.

[stef123]

What is making you worried? Brakes and tyres are consumables so i wouldnt let these get you down mate.

[suddste]

What is making you worried? Brakes and tyres are consumables so i wouldnt let these get you down mate.

thanks for the replies so far

I guess whats making me worried is the fast that "HERTZ UK LTD" is the first registerd keeper. and partly because it's my first car

[stef123]

thanks for the replies so far

I guess whats making me worried is the fast that "HERTZ UK LTD" is the first registerd keeper. and partly because it's my first car

Unless you know something about the first owner that i dont, i wouldnt let this worry you. Providing the car has been looked after you will be just fine :)

[suddste]

Unless you know something about the first owner that i dont, i wouldnt let this worry you. Providing the car has been looked after you will be just fine :)

thanks mate. It's just the uncertainty, it was ex-rental

[jay1981]

With your car being ex-rental, at least it will have been well serviced. I have had a couple of ex-company cars before and all of them were well looked after by the lease company. None of them gave any trouble. The only thing was the milage was a little high.

I would rather have a car that has been used, instead of one that has been owned by an old granny and used for the shopping trip once a week.

[suddste]

With your car being ex-rental, at least it will have been well serviced. I have had a couple of ex-company cars before and all of them were well looked after by the lease company. None of them gave any trouble. The only thing was the milage was a little high.

I would rather have a car that has been used, instead of one that has been owned by an old granny and used for the shopping trip once a week.

this is true however, I'm the 3rd registered keeper. The 2nd had the car after it's rental days and drove it about 21,000mls in 5 years so I dunno

[catch]

John is this paranoia / worry limited to the car only, or does it affect other areas of you everyday life ?

My present car in its first life was a lease car, then it had another owner for three years, now I've had it for nearly two years.................John there is no problem...............only problem I can see is, if you don't learn to chill........you will be dead by the time your forty

[suddste]

John is this paranoia / worry limited to the car only, or does it affect other areas of you everyday life ?

My present car in its first life was a lease car, then it had another owner for three years, now I've had it for nearly two years.................John there is no problem...............only problem I can see is, if you don't learn to chill........you will be dead by the time your forty

yeah just car really, I take after my dad which worries a lot I think lol

[jeebowhite]

Lol, i spent more than enough of my flcus days worrying, as has been mentioned, rentals can and tend to be very well maintained!

The only thing you cant account for is clutch life as it could have been abused, other than that you cant have as bad a motor as mine was

[catch]

you cant have as bad a motor as mine was

And if he had had the misfortune to own your motor jeeb, he would no doubt have been institutionalised by now

[suddste]

I guess, it was only with Hertz for it's first 12,500mls

I guess when the garage say things need replacing I think what has happened to make it fail or worn and weather or not it's within the right amount of milage for wearing out if you see what I mean. Like it's in right now for new brake pads and discs, is 42,000mls for original brakes good?

[jeebowhite]

And if he had had the misfortune to own your motor jeeb, he would no doubt have been institutionalised by now

I fully agree on that one catch! I nearly commited myself...

as for 42k on original brakes thats not bad for a rental car as it would be abused by different people, but I go by 45k on average for a set of pads on the focus, which is not bad at all if you got 42 on a rental / another owner!

[suddste]

I fully agree on that one catch! I nearly commited myself...

as for 42k on original brakes thats not bad for a rental car as it would be abused by different people, but I go by 45k on average for a set of pads on the focus, which is not bad at all if you got 42 on a rental / another owner!

Do you think it's been abused, though. This is the thing that makes me paranoid. What are the symptoms of abuse? I herd the alloy wheels are a good start to check for marks and there arent many, dont know what else though

[catch]

Do you think it's been abused, though.

So your asking for opinions on a motor nobody has seen, from people who may not have the expertise to make such a judgement, even if they had the powers of telepathic vision.

And besides, lets just imagine for one minute we had a supper sleuth mechanic in attendance who had just done a post mortem type inspection on your motor. And states yes it has been abused! Right what are you going to do about it ? What difference does it make?

Other than you will project your paranoia to the garage you take your car to,why don't just give them you wallet and be done with it. Or start looking at it rationally, for instance when was your last MOT? where there any advisory notes on your brakes?

OK lets call a spade a spade, you are exceptionally paranoid, you don't trust the car, and you obviously don't trust the garage you took your car to. I mean you have taken the car into a garage to have the brakes replaced, whilst at the same time asking on a forum if they should need replacing.!!!!! Your all over the place.....asks the questions first for flips sake.

OK, here is the rational way to go about things. I buy a four year old car, one lease company owner, one private owner 32,700 miles on clock. Last recorded [stamped] service prior to the selling Main Dealer giving it a main 37.5k service prior to me picking it up, was 26 months down the line. ABUSE,ABUSE...but the car looked right, drove right, and came with a twelve month guarantee. And it had only covered 12,368 miles since the last service. OK it had been 26 months between services, but cars are very resilient, they can take the abuse of missing a service, especially if its not a main service.

Anyway as the brakes where an unknown to me, 5 months later prior to a burn down to Cornwall, I had my mechanic take the wheels off, something it turns out the Main dealer had not done, though it's down for doing in the main service. He cleaned out the brake dust, and inspected the pads and discs at 34,000 miles they where in perfect condition, drums disks and pads.

Now we are 15 months down the line from that inspection at 41,400 on the clock. And though I cannot inspect the disks and pads right now because the wife has the car. I reckon they will be fine. I'd put money on them being nowhere near needing replacing, because I don't drive on my brakes. And I suspect seeing what condition they were in at that inspection 15 months ago, the previous owner didn't either.

You should have researched brakes on the internet, then inspected your own to see what condition they were in. You can check pad depth and disc wear with the wheels in situ.

JohnS, STOP !Removed! WORRYING IN, your doing my head in....honestly

[suddste]

So your asking for opinions on a motor nobody has seen, from people who may not have the expertise to make such a judgement, even if they had the powers of telepathic vision.

And besides, lets just imagine for one minute we had a supper sleuth mechanic in attendance who had just done a post mortem type inspection on your motor. And states yes it has been abused! Right what are you going to do about it ? What difference does it make?

Other than you will project your paranoia to the garage you take your car to,why don't just give them you wallet and be done with it. Or start looking at it rationally, for instance when was your last MOT? where there any advisory notes on your brakes?

OK lets call a spade a spade, you are exceptionally paranoid, you don't trust the car, and you obviously don't trust the garage you took your car to. I mean you have taken the car into a garage to have the brakes replaced, whilst at the same time asking on a forum if they should need replacing.!!!!! Your all over the place.....asks the questions first for flips sake.

OK, here is the rational way to go about things. I buy a four year old car, one lease company owner, one private owner 32,700 miles on clock. Last recorded [stamped] service prior to the selling Main Dealer giving it a main 37.5k service prior to me picking it up, was 26 months down the line. ABUSE,ABUSE...but the car looked right, drove right, and came with a twelve month guarantee. And it had only covered 12,368 miles since the last service. OK it had been 26 months between services, but cars are very resilient, they can take the abuse of missing a service, especially if its not a main service.

Anyway as the brakes where an unknown to me, 5 months later prior to a burn down to Cornwall, I had my mechanic take the wheels off, something it turns out the Main dealer had not done, though it's down for doing in the main service. He cleaned out the brake dust, and inspected the pads and discs at 34,000 miles they where in perfect condition, drums disks and pads.

Now we are 15 months down the line from that inspection at 41,400 on the clock. And though I cannot inspect the disks and pads right now because the wife has the car. I reckon they will be fine. I'd put money on them being nowhere near needing replacing, because I don't drive on my brakes. And I suspect seeing what condition they were in at that inspection 15 months ago, the previous owner didn't either.

You should have researched brakes on the internet, then inspected your own to see what condition they were in. You can check pad depth and disc wear with the wheels in situ.

JohnS, STOP !Removed! WORRYING IN, your doing my head in....honestly

yes, but two different garages say the same thing, the front disc brakes are worn, they cant be both telling lies about the same things.

on the subject of service history, I would have thought mileage would affect it more than age in terms of service history?

Fair enough then, I will try to stop worrying, apart from normal wear things, it seems alright

[catch]

Well if they do need replacing, then get them replaced. Wither they do or not, least ways you wont be worrying about them for another 40/50K

Have you been having trouble with the brakes?

Or is it just the case of a paranoid John, going into garages and saying things like............. I think my car may have been abused in an earlier life, and I'm worried about the brakes not being up to the job ?

Well young man lets have a look........MMMMM, well I'm not saying they are going to fail tomorrow, no nothing like that. But yes in all honesty, if I was you I'd put a new set of disks and pads on it before you do experience problems stopping the car.

What I'm saying is, if your going into a garages and all but saying.....please take some money off me......well they are going to oblige, simply because that is why they drag themselves out of bed day after day for......to take money of people, it's called making a living.

John I just want you to stop worrying, and enjoy your car for fecks sake :)

[jeebowhite]

I agree with catch, as much as he calls a spade a spade he is right you are over worrying, and unless you can buy a brand new car you will never know what its done. Jus relax and enjoy it as long as the car doesnt feel spongy on breakes no resistance whatsoever on clutch and engine doesnt sound like a sack of spanners treat it right and it will be good to you.

Overall they do take a lot of abuse even the granny will abuse it wether its trying to do 100mph in third or the car never touchin 1500 revs ever.

Just enjoy it and feel free to ask questions just dont panic - most things have simple easy and cheap answers unlike dealers

[suddste]

Well if they do need replacing, then get them replaced. Wither they do or not, least ways you wont be worrying about them for another 40/50K

Have you been having trouble with the brakes?

Or is it just the case of a paranoid John, going into garages and saying things like............. I think my car may have been abused in an earlier life, and I'm worried about the brakes not being up to the job ?

Well young man lets have a look........MMMMM, well I'm not saying they are going to fail tomorrow, no nothing like that. But yes in all honesty, if I was you I'd put a new set of disks and pads on it before you do experience problems stopping the car.

What I'm saying is, if your going into a garages and all but saying.....please take some money off me......well they are going to oblige, simply because that is why they drag themselves out of bed day after day for......to take money of people, it's called making a living.

John I just want you to stop worrying, and enjoy your car for fecks sake :)

LOL. Your a legend catch

[suddste]

I agree with catch, as much as he calls a spade a spade he is right you are over worrying, and unless you can buy a brand new car you will never know what its done. Jus relax and enjoy it as long as the car doesnt feel spongy on breakes no resistance whatsoever on clutch and engine doesnt sound like a sack of spanners treat it right and it will be good to you.

Overall they do take a lot of abuse even the granny will abuse it wether its trying to do 100mph in third or the car never touchin 1500 revs ever.

Just enjoy it and feel free to ask questions just dont panic - most things have simple easy and cheap answers unlike dealers

haha thanks

[jeebowhite]

S'alrite just relax, dont worry about it :) as long as the steering, clutch and brakes feel ok, I wouldnt worry about it at all :)

[Nigel S]

Yet another (amusing) difference between men and women:

Men worry constantly about their car but won't go to the doctor until something drops off.

Women worry constantly about their health and don't go the the garage until something drops off.

[suddste]

Yet another (amusing) difference between men and women:

Men worry constantly about their car but won't go to the doctor until something drops off.

Women worry constantly about their health and don't go the the garage until something drops off.

hahaha