3 incidents stick in mind for me:

1) University friends citroen AX gt, we had “stropped” cross country back to Uni like the tyres were on fire. Next morning, we got into it, he turned the steering wheel to pull out of the parking space, and the front left wheel fell off! (upright had completely shattered!)

2) My old range rover, broke the rear diff whilst off roading, thought, “I know, i’ll lock the centre diff and drive home on the front one”. Great plan, except for when you accelerate in a low gear with a fwd range rover, the front axle castor just unstoppably winds on full lock. Que exiting a roundabout 1 junction too early…….

3) Doing some DSC calibration for a manufacturer who must remain nameless in Northern Finland. Engineer in the UK emails me the “latest” dynamics controller .hex file to flash into the car. Unfortunately, he’d messed up, and had a -ve value in one of the yaw control maps. First time i touched the brake at about 100mph on a sheet ice track the car immediately span. Lost count after about the 25th spin. Ended up buried in a snow bank needing new underpants! 😉

That #3 is quality 🙂

Turns out it was the spray I’d used to clean the engine with.

I remember I was selling my Ford Focus and my Dad decided to give it a clean. We were driving it to meet the buyer at a service station and noticed smoke coming from the under the bonnet. Turns out he’d “cleaned” all around the engine and bay using WD40 so we had to drive round for a half an hour until it stopped, before handing it over… 🙄

quite a few like these… scariest when complete landy bonnet lifted up and flew off cartwheeling along A55 while working on Holywell bypass.
fiat 127 (yes I know!)gear stick came off same car later lost wiper and the gear unit as part of the rusted body ripped out. Mates austin allegro lost rear wheel going round corner but he was convinced that every crap car he owned drove like a ferrari!

quite a few like these… scariest when complete landy bonnet lifted up and flew off cartwheeling along A55 while working on Holywell bypass.
fiat 127 (yes I know!)gear stick came off same car later lost wiper and the gear unit as part of the rusted body ripped out. Mates austin allegro lost rear wheel going round corner but he was convinced that every crap car he owned drove like a ferrari!
double post 😳

Gear stick fell off at some traffic lights. People behind annoyed. I waved said gearstick out of window. Everyone laughed*

*the last bit may not have happened.

BTW I fixed it by jamming a matchstick in the bushing. It kinda worked.

I had an 04 Nissan Micra. First three years it was fine, then it was recalled twice for ignition and central locking issues, it went through three starter motors in two years, the EGR valve fell on its arse and had to be replaced, as did the entire wiper rack. Eventually it went to the scrap heap at the grand old age of 5.

Ripped a Mini 850 gear stick clean off in a high speed getaway fail.

Better though was my dads Austin 1300 GT’s drivers side front wheel careering into a car wash on a tight bend in Llandudno. Class.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wX5-_IVNGyM[/video]

Not me but a brown trouser moment I’m sure 😯