Anyone got any recommendations for a decent mechanics in Barnsley? My car needs fixing (getting a ‘drivetrain malfunction’ error message) and I need someone to have a look at it. Ideally this week. I know absolutely nothing about cars and I don’t want to spend a fortune if I can get away with it so they need to be a) honest, b) available soon, and c) not someone who insists on gold plating everything.
I have always used A&A Motors in Wombwell since i moved over this end 30 years ago. Would never go any where else. Bought all our latest cars from them.
Right! You have an engine... and wheels... The engine drives the wheels... therefore the drive train is all the bits in between e.g. transmission, drive shaft etc.
Do you have an OBD II Scanner? They’re cheap and will give you the exact fault code so then at least you know what you’re dealing with, before you involve a mechanic. Drivetrain malfunction could be any number of things, it’d be good to narrow it down. You might even be able to fix it yourself, depending on what the error code is. If not, it shows a mechanic that you know what you’re talking about so they’re less likely to invent something more expensive.
Thanks all, will give some of them a try. And anywhere in Barnsley is good - I usually go to quarry motors in Shef but they can’t get me in for three weeks so anywhere closer than them is a bonus. And as @Tekkytyke says, I think it’s the bit that connects your engine power to the wheels to make it go (you can tell I know loads about cars…) @JamDrop - I’m genuinely flattered you think I could fix it myself but unless it involves taking a sticker off and putting a new one on I think it’d be beyond me. I don’t have a scanner either so will have to rely on the mechanic. Thanks again for the recommendations though, much appreciated
Fair enough. I still recommend a scanner though. I do for everyone who owns a car. You can pick one up for a cheap. Good news is is that it’s just plug and play, you literally stick it in a hole under your dash and it tells you a number that you look up in the book that comes with it (if you buy a cheap one, a more expensive one probably tells you on the screen) and it tells you exactly what part is kiboshed. I do use mine to try and fix it myself but I can’t imagine now going to a mechanic blind and just believing anything they say. My guess for what’s up with your car is either the battery is on its way out or you need new spark plugs (what with it coming on after having a few days of cold weather). Or faulty fuel injector (like mine during cold weather which I need to stop ignoring).
I have thought about getting one tbh. Might have another think when I’ve got this sorted. It’s recently had a new battery and starter motor so I wondered whether that might have something to do with it, but it’s also losing power and feels like driving a 1 litre, so suspect it’s something mechanical (and probably atrociously expensive).
