January 2001
Having just received my first ticket of the year here in Germany(5km over the limit )
it made me wonder about Gasco cameras in the UK.In mainland Europe
speed cameras take the front of the vehicle which includes a excellent quality picture
of the driver.If the driver is not the owner then you must divulge the driver name if you do
not want to pay the fine (there are no points for small over the limit offences).
If the photo for some reason the picture of the driver is blurred which can happen
and the authorities ask who the driver was you can decline to say and that is the end.
The reason being under the European civil liberties (which the UK is now a
signature it is a valid defence not to incriminate yourself or a member of your family.
This is applied throughout Europe because the photo is taken from the front this happens on
very rare occasions.The UK takes a photo from the rear and can in no way prove who
the driver was leaving it open for banned drivers or those with to many points to escape being banned
by substituting a relative or friend.Surely the Uk must fall into line with the rest
of Europe if it and has agreed to the document because first line of defence is that I am
allowed not to incriminate myself.
It would be interesting to here from somebody who works in this type of law.
Regards Andy Bairsto
Germany Read more
My 'R' plate VW passat (72,000 miles) has developed a nasty 'droop' on the drivers
door. Local VW bodyshop manager suggests it needs new hinges, and was
relating nasty tales of Audi A6 doors blowing off on the motorway following
similar problems. I've yet to approach VW UK, but the supplying agent (I've had
the car 3 months, VW approved used car from main agent) is not being helpful.
Any comments, anyone? Read more
Sorry, that's 1998 'R', and both the pillar and door seem to be in good shape!
I need to replace my old Volvo and I have been looking at the mini MPV's by Renault, Nissan Citroen etc. I seem to have narrowed it down to the Tino and the Scenic, but they both have their pro's and con's, the Tino has the Nissan reliablity and has more space inside and looks ok from the outside, but is let down by the dash, plasticky and noisy wiper system(on the one I tried). The Scenic I have read is not that reliable, but the interior looks much better than the Tino, plus they do automatics on more of the engine range. I would love some feedback from users and maybe I should look at others.
Thanks Rob D Read more
I see Trade Sales are offering them at £10799 (www.trade-sales.co.uk).
I bought a 1.6sx from them back in November at £9999, which I thought was a good deal, but the HDi now looks better value!
Before the Picasso I had a PT Cruiser for 3 Months, and I find the Picasso a much more practical car, the Cruiser had no luggage space at all and felt a lot slower.
Good moaning! My Saab has a slow leak in the radiator system and the "Coolant Level Low" message reminds me to top it up - which I do there and then. The Saab dealer wants me to bring it in and have a very expensive radiator repair whereas I would prefer to:
a. Keep topping up the radiator until the annual service is due in mid February. and/or,
b. Use Radwell to solve the problem - naturally the Saab dealer gave a hightly plausible reason for not doing this (in case he didn't have to charge me for a "new" radiator in February!?
This is my first foray onto the Internet and I will be greatly impressed to receive a reply!
Regards
Mike. Read more
The actual address for the website is townsendimports.com
Another good source of info is NeoBrothers- (neobrothers.co.uk) who specialise in breaking and mending Saab's -
I have just sold my very very quick but not very practical Westfield, which was fine for just my wife and myself, but not now we are 3! We are looking for a slightly more practical sportscar, that I can still use in hillclimbs and sprints. Up to about £12K ish. It will need to have a small rear seat, some luggage space and I would prefer rear wheel drive. We thought a Porsche 911, but it will be rather old for that money and big bills loom in my mind. A Fiat Coupe, but that is front wheel drive. I don't mind working on it (I built the Westfield), but I would prefer not to be doing that most of the time!. Any ideas would be gratefully received. Read more
You'll be lucky to get a 968 Club Sport for your £12k, it would be likely to have spent a lot of time on Track Days already and you'd have to instal a rear seat. But a useful 'sleeper' is the Nissan 200SX, which is rear drive, goes well and could surprise a few people at speed hillclimbs.
HJ
Dear Honest John
I am intending to buy a car for my 18 year old son who is 6 feet 4 inches tall but has a long body rather than long legs.
He needs extra headroom rather than leg room.
We want to get him an automatic rather than manual gearbox and are looking for a car with about a 1200cc engine nearly new
any suggestions
Yours
David Lindsay Read more
Make sure you don't get a sunroof. I am 6' 2" and my girlfriend's Punto roof is too low, with this fitted, for me to drive comfortably - however the courtesy car Punto I drove (without sunroof) had bags of room to spare. I'm sure your son would appreciate air con more anyway!!!!
I am considering buying a 4x4 direct from Japan, doing the importing myself to save the money that would normally go into an importer's pocket.
It seems you can either commission a company in Japan to check a car, then bid for you at auction - or alternatively buy directly from a firm specialising in secondhand car exports. The vehicles are graded, so a buyer should have a fair idea of what they are getting.
Can anybody give me an idea of what sort of risks I would be taking by doing this? My feeling is that the Japanese would be fairly honest about this kind of transaction - and that the main pitfall would be possible damage or theft of parts during shipment.
Has anyone been bilked by a Japanese Arthur Daley? Or has anybody actually done this, and found any particular firm reliable and good value?
Any feedback would be most welcome.
Also, I understand that air conditioning systems were changed in about 1995 and that the refrigerant for systems made before then is now unobtainable. Does anyone know when the changeover was made in Japan? - I suspect that it would be sensible to get a car made after 1996. Read more
You will find a link to car import guide in the FAQs on this website. Or buy the magazine from a news stand. Remember your vehicle will be subject to an SVA test, and if you can't get it back here by July it will be subject to a new, much tougher test which is likely to close off the whole grey import business unless the proposed regulations are loosened uip.
HJ
I found this story on www.theregister.co.uk on the 26th January latest news.
Apparently pressing the push to talk button on the police radio whilst waiting the required 40 secs for the tester to complete test - causes the lights to go red.
This is according to the article, used to annoy "griefy" suspects. The suspect is arrested and released later back at the police station. He has to find his own way to the car at say 4 oclock in the morning.
If this is true, I am alarmed at a device so heavily tested before bringing into use, has this weakness.
Apparently ambulance radios have the same affect.
I wonder if readers remember people getting free petrol by using CB radios at filling stations some years ago! Read more
Dear hitters,
Got a response from a serving traffic officer on this one who, of course, wishes to remain anonymous. He tells us that it is possible to trigger a red indication by transmitting while close to the breathalyser. So the circumstances could be created where a motorist who "failed the attitude test" could be arrested. The problem for the arresting officer would occur at the police station when the arrested motorist subsequently passed the tests there. The custody officer would take a very dim view and, apparently, the arresting officer could lay himself open to criminal charges. So anyone arrested for "failing the attitude test" would have to be very certain of their grounds (ie certain they were definitely not pissed) before challenging the arresting officers on the grounds of radio interference.
HJ
My 1998 Focus 1.6LX, with 22000 miles, appears to have a variable idling speed. If the car is moving slowly, at around 5 mph, in neutral, the idling speed is about 300 rpm higher than normal. As the car comes to a rest, the idling speed returnes to normal. Is this behaviour normal? Shortly after buying this Ford Direct car, the idling speed occasionally shot up when at rest. The Ford dealer adjusted something, which appears to have cured this fault, but the above 'fault' remains. Read more
This is normal. The higher idling speed is triggered by the car in motion. A signal from the speed sensor "tells" the ECU the car is moving and the idle speed is raised until the car stops then the engine returns to normal idle. All to do with emissions I'm afraid. Ford Vehicle Speed Sensors are notoriously unreliable and this was probably replaced by the dealer, a very quick job.
I would be interested if anyone here has experience of the Motability scheme. At present I drive a VW Golf, the second car I have leased through Motability. While I appreciate the simplicity of the scheme where I simply have most of my Disability Living Allowance paid direct to Motability and in return have a car, insurance and servicing for three years with "only" fuel to buy I have wondered whether there might not be a better way to keep me on the road.
I have thought of several options open to me and would appreciate your views on these, or any others you may come up with yourselves, in comparison to what is offered by Motability. I should mention that I do not need any modification to the car which, in any case, must be provided and removed by the driver under the Motability scheme. Also I drive about 15000 miles/year;Motability charges me for annual mileage above 12000.
My first thought was at the time of having to hand back my last car. Should I try to buy it and keep it for, say, another 5 years? That option was ruled out by my financial position at that time and, I admit, a certain degree of inertia on my part. It was easier to carry on as before and VW were doing a special deal on the Golf which meant I did not need to find a deposit on it.
My second thought has been to wonder how the Motability leasing scheme compares to others offered by manufacturers or others. Does it really offer the best deal for a disabled motorist? I know that they enjoy certain advantages due to their charitable status. However my first car through Motability was financed through VW Financial Services on the same terms as I get now and I am fairly confident that their motives were not entirely charitable.
Finally I thought of buying a low-mileage second-hand car using some savings which I am fortunate now to have as a deposit, using my Disability Living Allowance to pay instalments, insurance and servicing over 4-5 years and then keeping it for a further 4-5 years allowing me then to blow my Allowance on riotous living.
All thoughts much appreciated.
Bobby Read more
Motability Finance usually auctions off its old cars, so know what they fetch on the basis of ongoing experience. There is probably a sale of ex Motability cars somewhere in the country every day of the week.
HJ
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Hi,
May I ask a quick question...?
I was stopped on the M5, but in the summons, the reg no of the car I was driving has been given incorrectly.
Can I ask the court to dismiss the case? I am appearing in person next week.
Thanks in advance.