May 2001
Its coming round to the holiday season and thousands will load their cars up and head for the sunny climes of Eurpoe oblivious to the rules and regulations that apply in different countries
(re this last weekends DT motoring section).
One or two points I would like to make is that of the use of rear fog lights,if you have only one and it is not in the middle and you are involved in a fog related accident you will have comitted a serious offence ,if the tyres on your vehicle are not to speed rating of that vehicle your car could be impounded,if you have not got a spare set of classes in your car you could be stopped from driving,if your car has been modified and you do not have the appropiate paper work ie tow bars, wide wheels, different exhaust, if you were to be involved in a caravan accident all these would be checked,There are many rules and regulations that differ from country to country.
People may laugh or not take these laws seriously,but the number of times I have been called upon to translate (not my fulltime job) for people you have come a cropper in my part of Germany seems to be increasing.
I do not claim to know or understand all the regs but I am sure alittle more research before people set of would ensure a far happier holiday for many.
Interesting point about spped camaras in Germany these tall camares are used for wagons speeding and to spot tailgaters as the they are installed on derestricted sections of the Autobahn.
The answer is do not speed and you will not get caught!!!
Regards Andy Bairsto Read more
In the course of my work I change a lt of cam belts. Some is easy, some is not. Yesterday I had the misfortune to change the belt on an S reg 406 LX 1.9 Turbodiesel. I think I can honestly say yhat apart from a Toyota MR2 this has got to be the most unfriendly installation I have come across to date. Whoever "designed" the underbonnet area on that car? I suspect a committee did it. For example why shroud the entire belt cover area with every pipe possible? Why make it virtually impossible to remove the turbo pipes to enable the hidden cover bolts to be removed? Why hide the flywheel locking pin hole behind the starter motor? It reinforces my opinion that the vehicle is designed for ease of assembly in the factory. The manufacturers don't really give a monkeys what happens to it after it rolls off the line just so long as the purchaser has a nice ride/drive with lots of toys to play with! Oh well, got that off me chest. Now I'm steeling myself to change the belt on my 1998 Espace turbodiesel, engine out methinks!!!!!! Read more
And so say all of us !
I have a 2.0litre,16 valve diesel turbo Vectra. First registered November 1999. I took possession in November 2000 with 10,500 on the clock. It seemed to use about 4.5 litres of engine oil in 8,000 miles i.e. 2,000 miles before service. My garage, from whom I bought the car are trustworthy and they think that there may have been, or is a 'bore glazing problem'. Since my last service (20,000 miles) I have driven some 2,500 miles and have used about 0.8litres of oil. The garage are asking me to monitor the level and to ensure that I do not top up the oil above midpoint on the dipstick.
Does anyone else have this problem?
Have you been given an explanation?
I would find it very helpful to know Read more
Most motor manufacturers state that 1 litre of oil used in 1000 miles is acceptable, especially in the early life of a diesel engine. I have experience of this and confirm that as the mileage mounts, the oil consumption decreases
I remember reading in one of HJ's very informative books that you can have an MOT test carried out in advance of the expiry date of the current certificate. I cannot remember the time scale - is it one calendar month in advance? Read more
I couldn't remember if it was a month or 28 days - I chose 28 to be on the safe side.
But if your MOT is due between March 1st and March 27th then
you do only have 28 days, provided its not a leap year :)
/John
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Another continental anomaly for you all. One is not allowed to carry fuel in cans, of any sort, on ferries or in the Tunnel. But t is illegal to run out of fuel on a Germany autobahn. If someone does the police can flag down any other passing motorist (you on your holiday) and require you to give your spare fuel to the foolish one. You are then given a chit to fill your can at the next Rasplatz. I was in Germany for 6 years and I can vouch for the illegallity of running out of fuel. Maybe the handing yours over aspect is an anti-German horror story!