My Bolt fell off !!

This happened on Sunday - 17th June 2007.

8 am - Me and my better half leave for Pune to attend a common friends engagement ceremony.

11 am - Reach Kondwa and attend the ceremony.

12 noon - Proceed for lunch at Mayur's.

1.15 pm - Take leave of the newly engaged couple and proceed towards the express highway. Soon i hit the Old Pune - Mumbai road and plan to get on to the expressway after Dehu Road.

As I near Pimpri, I run into traffic at a signal and I brake to slow down, down shift to 2nd and accelerate - it feels as if the car is struggling to get going. Also I hear clanging noises from the rear which obviously my better half cannot. As a precaution I stop and check from where the noise is coming, cannot pin point, so I continue ahead.

A little ahead, I again hit the brakes and slow down - down shift into 2nd and accelerate, the car is slowing down as if the brakes are not released. I stop at the side and check if the brake pedal is moving properly, it is. So I pull the handbrake and to my surprise its jammed. It wont come up. Now I get the heebie-jeebie. I can sense and am fully aware that something is seriously wrong here. So I start driving slowly and try not to apply brakes. Also keep hoping and praying that whatever the problem is, it sorts itself out.

I know it being a Sunday there are less chances of finding a garage open, forget finding a Skoda dealer open. Soon I spy a MUL garage and enter it, brake and stop. Try to enagage the hand brake - it doesnt , its jammed again. I quickly explain the situation to the mechanics who check out the wheels and the brakes but refuse to touch it as Skoda parts are difficult to get. Man this was getting more worse by the minute.

I pull out and start driving slowly - but just outside the Alfa Laval decanter factory the car simply refuses to move. Feels like the wheels are jammed. I park it at the side and 1st thing I call Adya. Explain the situation to him. He promises to get back to me with the help line number of a Skoda dealer who is close to where he stays. After 15 minutes he calls back saying that the dealer is shut but he is getting his mechanics along to have a look at my car. (God bless Adya and his 2 mechanics).

I wait and after a tense 30 minutes, I see Adya in his blue Opel Astra pull up. His 2 mechanics get to work. 1st thing they check is - the axle and if its dislodged ( Sam's problem with his Verna flash in front of my eyes ). Thankfully the axle's ok. Next they get a jack and wind up the rear left tyre and it does not move. Try the same with the right tyre and it moves freely. Seems like the left rear wheel is jammed. I am sweating.

Suddenly a friend of Adya's mechanic comes by and by luck he has the helpline number of a Skoda dealer. I thank God for sending him along and call up the number. Its unavailable. He gives me another number. I dial and wait - it rings (hurray), a few tense rings later someone at the other end says "hello" - after confirming that its a Skoda dealership number I explain the problem and tell him where I am stuck. He promises to get back in 5 minutes. Relief takes over me.

10 minutes - no call. 15 minutes no call. I dial - and its promptly disconnected. A bead of sweat comes down from my forehead onto my lip. After 5 minutes I again dial - he says 5 minutes Sir. I wait , tense and sweaty. Within 5 minutes, the phone rings startles me - Hello I say. Its the Skoda guy - Sir my man is on his way from Lonavala. he has left 30 minutes ago and will reach you in about 30 minutes.

The time is 4 pm.

40 minutes past 4 and no one has turned up. Sweat starts building again. I dial the number and its not picked up. The sweat starts in multiple streams. I get an sms - reaching in 5 minutes. Adya is keeping a nervous me and my mildly relaxed better half company all this while. Thank God.

Suddenly there is a tap on the window. Sir I am from Skoda. I tell you guys, that was the 1st time I actually realised what the word RELIEF means. Quickly I explain the problem and the guy starts working. Checks the brakes and wheels. And what does he find ?

The lower bolt on the rear brake calliper (right side) has fallen off.

The wheel is jammed as the calliper turns and jams itself. Finding that bolt from the open market is a problem too and to top it - the day was SUNDAY. I explain the situation and tell the guy that I had to reach Mumbai before mid-night. He says he will try but if he doesn't get the bolt, I will have to stay over or leave the car. Adya volunteers (God bless him) to take the mechanic to the local market to find the bolt. While they leave, I have my fingers crossed and pray, pray hard.

After 20 minutes - I call Adya and they are still searching for the bolt. I pray even harder. Meanwhile another guy from Skoda service turns up and I tell him that people are searching for the bolt.

I see Adya coming. He comes and parks. The mechanic jumps out and says they have got the bolt. I almost collapse in relief on hearing that. Adya has got about 7 different sizes of bolts (2 of each size). One size fits and its promptly tightened. The wheel is put back on and off we go for a trial. All fine. Take a trial for 5-7 kms - all seems fine. Come back. The mechanics note down my chasis number , VIN number , engine number , KMs reading and say that the bill will be couried to me. Break down charges are 650 Rs. I pay them the amount and tip them too. They leave.

The time is now 7 pm. I take leave of Adya after thanking him. Drive gingerly till I hit the toll booth not exceeding 60 kmph and keep braking just to make sure all is fine. After a loo break - I feel more relaxed and confident to push the car a bit. Had to reach home and drop off my better half too. Reach Mumbai at 9-30 pm. Finally.

Skoda service - Well all I can say is that I am impressed.

The car is running fine till now. Going to the Service station tomorrow and getting the OE bolts back on again.

And here again I would like to take the chance to thank Adya. Thank You Adya - I owe you one. Also would like to thank that angel of a guy who was carrying Skoda's helpline number with him. And also Adya's mechanics and Skoda service guys.

Also a big Thank You to TEAM-BHP. If not for team-bhp, I would be stranded with no friends to fall back on.

The Mystery still remains - How did the Bolt fall off ??