paasan

Whenever I start the car, I put my foot on the brake before I disengage the clutch in order to prevent the car from rolling. However, lately the brake pedal has been rock hard and without any effect whenever I push it before the engine has been started. Applying the handbrake before setting the car in free is also difficult. Tightening the handbrake requires way more force than normal.

I have to add that I've been using the car in higher temperatures than normal - ~30'C down here in France, compared to 10-20'C at home.

Does anyone have any ideas as to what may be causing this?


-paasan

kigerka

Well, you are in France. Is there anything that is not complicated with France?

Iceman

I only know that the brake pedal will be real hard when you turn off the engine and then hit the brake several times. But that shouldn't affect the handbrakes and you should know about it...
Never heard about that before...
But one advice for you while you are in France. Make sure your car is in a "safe" place. New cars get stolen VERY often in France, espacially the German ones (BMW, MB, etc.).

paasan

Yeah, we always put a bit of effort in locating the more 'secure' spots for parking. I would guess the most common way of stealing a car without a key would be loading it onto a truck - and finding a parking lot or location that would prevent such operations would probably reduce the risk of theft.

Luckily our hotel is in a fairly private location, and whenever we go into cities, we always park inside parking garages that have video surveillance. Anyhow - getting a 5series-sized car unnoticed out of one of those parking garages, without a key, would qualify for some sort of award. They're all way too tight

I assume the most common form of theft of such cars is done with an original key. Doing it without the key would probably require quite an effort and high skills - probably reserved for cars with larger engines than ours. In other words, security lies in guarding the key.

And, yes, the French seem to complicate quite a number of things Relatively few things are logical or rational.



-paasan

Iceman

Well - they don't need the key or a towing truck. Some of these thiefs are so high tech, that they have computers to start the car without a key... But if one of those high tech thiefs wants your car, you can't protect it. So guarding the key and paking in safe places with surveillance cams and security personell on duty is the best you can do.
How is the driving over there ?
I would be scared to death, cause the French have an aggressive style of driving. And when you drive a new car this must be scaring !?

Flowerfred

You should try the driving in England. Nobody pays attention, and when overtaking they only look next to them, not at what is approaching in the faster lane. If they look at all this is. Nobody is used to the speed.
You can just imagine them driving in Germany, going onto the fast lane with 65 mph...

I would not drive a motorcycle here.

NickP

You should try the driving in England. Nobody pays attention, and when overtaking they only look next to them, not at what is approaching in the faster lane. If they look at all this is. Nobody is used to the speed.
You can just imagine them driving in Germany, going onto the fast lane with 65 mph...

I would not drive a motorcycle here. [/quote]
Compared to the US, the UK has much more "clued in" drivers... Drive here for 10 years, then go back to the UK <_<

zippers525

And down here in south florida its all 80-90 year olds (no offence to anyone) that cant frive. They cant turn their necks, or even see. My aunt's a nurse with legally blind patients who cant see anythings. They can only see large objects at certian times of the day, if the sun reflects right. And they drive to her office in cars. How scarry is that??

Iceman

WOW ! Sounds more scary than driving in New York City's rushhour

zippers525

Its not crazy just dangerous. They dont look well when they back-up or change lanes. The first week my dad had his new sl 500 he got rear-ended, and had to get the bumper rear ended. The old guy ran. He left the scene. The cop said alot of old people do that because they don't want to loose their licences