[quote=PaulJ]This is purely speculation but I think MMC are working on a fix, the parts will be free, but they will have to charge for the fitting'
Interesting indeed but not sure how any car manufacturer can justify charging anything at all for rectifying a design fault that renders the car incapable of passing an MOT test from new. It is not for the consumer to finance the manufacturer's reseach and development work nor the remedial work necessitated from their design and manufacture mistakes. To charge owners for an 'option' such as this is tantamount to saying that it's up to owners to finish the build process! Nuts.
MMC are contractually bound to supply us with all working parts and to ensure that the car meets with requirements of relevant transport legislation on delivery. With a fault like this they will be legally obliged to contact all AR owners notifying them of the problem - this is itself an admission of fault.
A 'comfort option' for a handbrake that doesn't work is not an 'option' for any of us. We as road users are obliged to ensure that any car we drive meets relevant criteria to be allowed on the road. Right now they don't. My wallet will stay firmly in my pocket.
On another matter I'm just wondering what a 'throttle body' is and why Cosworth are apparently going to change them on all AR's. Can anyone explain this to someone who's technical knowledge is less than zero?
Bob, with my comment about charging for labour, but giving free replacement parts, I was referring to the way that MMC reacted when some journalists discovered the hard way that the early Three Wheeler bottom wishbones weren't up to the job of supporting the car. They were lucky someone wasn't killed when it collapsed completely. To placate the journos, they were told that wishbones on customer cars would be replaced FOC, but they didn't mention at the time, that they would charge labour, from memory about £70 or so.
I have now taken the view that it is up to owners to finish the design and build process in order to keep my blood pressure down to a reasonable level. This does of course open one up to all sorts of potential legal problems, some of which you have kindly highlighted, although, frankly I can't see it is any worse than people who build their own kit cars, or who modify existing cars. I refuse to be frightened of my own shadow by the threat of real or imagined legal issues.
My 'comfort' jibe was again aimed at the way they dealt with the notorious and often denied bump steer issue on the first 2 years of Three Wheeler production, in which they eventually developed a way of raising the track rods and sold it as a 'Comfort Kit' for £200, ostensibly to placate our American cousins who had been as vociferous as we had been.
The Throttle body is the bit hung on the side of the engine which has replaced the carburetor, and now injects fuel and air into the engine, controlled by the cars' own Electronic Control Unit [ECU] hidden away under everything in the fuse box. I don't yet know what is wrong with it, but just heard that Cosworth are supposed to be replacing it, although I don't actually know if any have been done, or even if this is true. It is supposed to stop the 'rev hang' when the coolant is less than 60 degrees, although to me it would seem to be a software mapping issue not hardware. But then again, what do I know, I'm just a well meaning amateur doing my best to improve the product.
