Friend 1, has a 206, 2001 (51 plate) Diesel (I think too ''young'' to have a DPF but you guys may say different and sorry, I don't know the litre engine which is probably relevant! If she told me, I forgot.... busy morning - long story - don't go there).
It has been okay, when it dies, it dies. The garage she took it to replaced the ECU (without checking the pump first of all, I thought that would of been the FIRST point of call but hey, I am not a bloody mechanic). ECU replaced. Drove away from the garage, fueled up and hey ho - wouldn't start again.
2 mechanics have as she put it ''washed their hands of the car'' and given up hope on it, hence she's bought a automatic 206 instead..... while this ones off road...
I have told her to wait until I get back to her next week (Hopefully you guys can help me pinpoint what her problem is) I am almost convinced it's something to do with the fuel pump and I am quite frankly shocked that any garage would miss something that screams out to me as being so f*cking obvious!
Why piss around with the ECU when it would of perhaps been cheaper to LOOK and replace the pump, or am I being a stupid woman here and blowing this out of proportion?

Friend 2, bought a V reg 306, 1.4 petrol, signed a ''sold as seen'' note with the car and low and behold the thermostat has been removed and she has a blown head gasket. Took that call this morning, she's quite distressed at that. A single Mother with children to support had to scrimp and save for months to afford that car (£500) and bought off an old ''school friend''.
I don't know what to advise for her, I think the only way is to perhaps scrap the car? I don't see it worth doing on a car of that age - what do you recommend?
I'm not sure who told her the thermostat had been removed but who ever it was didn't check the car over, when she told me the thermostat had been removed I did spend a few minutes going 'now I wonder why they did that?' I repeated that to myself a few times before the penny dropped. Told her to go out to the car, lift the bonnet and check under the cap and there was oil and gunk beneath it - it's almost definitely a head gasket. I clearly don't know a lot about cars but thats very bloody sneaky in my eyes, removing thermostat so it didn't creep up when she viewed it.

Any advice on either friends would be appreciated..................
Poor fellow Lion-followers
