Trick to make the car not start

20Cent

Sold an old car the other day to a garage for parts. It hadn't passed the nct and have had it sitting there for months so wanted to get rid of it. Was looking for four hundred which was pushing it would have taken less.
It has always started first time and had started it half an hour before they came to look at it. After taking a look at the engine guy tries to start it and it doesn't. Says he'll tow it for 300 so I said yes.
A friend calls in later says he saw my car been driven not towed just down the road. Could they have done something to stop it starting to get some money off?
Not particularly mad about it was glad to get rid of it but just curious about how they did it. Any ideas?
It was a Renault laguna.

mullingar

Disconnecting an injector cable or pulling a fuse could do it

Kenny Logins

I'm sure it's very easy, if you know how.

Wasn't there a scam around Dublin last year where a mechanic would appear beside a non-starter and offer assistance, for €65?

corktina

I don't know that they did. They paid you pretty much full price for it anyway.

No Pants

corktina wrote: »

I don't know that they did. They paid you pretty much full price for it anyway.

Still looks like a scam attempt though, to knock a few quid off the price.

Bazzy

I know a gentleman who performed the same stunt at an auction worked as well went through as a non runner he paid for it done what he done and then it started as if by magic

20Cent

corktina wrote: »

I don't know that they did. They paid you pretty much full price for it anyway.

Would have sold it for less was just curious about how they did it. Not a car person. Thanks for the replies.

quadrifoglio verde

Did he disconnect the battery?

djimi

How much time did he have alone with the car, or at the very least out of your sight?? Assuming you were with him at all times, you would have noticed him disconnecting the battery, pulling a fuse, disconnecting an injector cable etc.

Dangel4x4

20Cent wrote: »

It was a Renault laguna.

Enough said.

I bought a Clio with an immobiliser problem from a guy a couple of years ago for a song.

Turned out some of the solder joints on the circuit board in the key had failed. Squeezing the key was enough to make contact inside and the car came to life.

Then the guy wanted to renegotiate the price, but the deal was done

Long story short - never underestimate how shyte Renault electrics are... Not everything's a conspiracy. :cool:

Dartz

Some cars go into a deflood mode if you hold the accelerator pedal down. It'll crank and crank, but nothing'll happen.

Kenny Logins

Is it an automatic?

Mycroft H

Bazzy wrote: »

I know a gentleman who performed the same stunt at an auction worked as well went through as a non runner he paid for it done what he done and then it started as if by magic

Now thats cheeky!

H3llR4iser

Is the car petrol? If the engine has no plastic cover on it, pulling the cables to the coil packs is a 10 seconds job; If the engine on the Laguna is any similar to that on the Megane, chances are that just disconnecting the coils on cylinders 2 or 3 will stall it.

dgt

Bazzy wrote: »

I know a gentleman who performed the same stunt at an auction worked as well went through as a non runner he paid for it done what he done and then it started as if by magic

Years ago, we may or may have not purchased a car that was towed in to the ring, only for us to bring it home, fill it with petrol and it to work....

dr.fuzzenstein

Mycroft H wrote: »

Now thats cheeky!

You could actually decipher that? I did recognize the words as English but over badly tomorrow cheescake half past three.

HandsomeDan

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

You could actually decipher that? I did recognize the words as English but over badly tomorrow cheescake half past three.

I hear bud. Drunk as fck an still the english is fcked here.

Total pub story if you ask me. stupid as ****. not even funny.

Mycroft H

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

You could actually decipher that? I did recognize the words as English but over badly tomorrow cheescake half past three.

Someone may have pulled a coil lead only for the car not to work and go through the auction as a non runner. Hence why they got it cheaper.

Tail Docker

On most, simply pulling the fuse for the fuel pump will produce a nice effect - the car will crank, everything else works, but it won't start. If you know in advance where the fuse is exactly, it takes a second only. It's good to know if you want to annoy someone too.

Unless you're looking for it specifically, it's hard to spot. Leads off is too obvious.

DAZP93

If you started the car and switched the engine straight off before the chap came take it away you could have flooded the engine. I have had trouble in the past with petrol BMW's in that regard