August 2001
honest john has not put anything on this site for a few days, where is he, its nothing important, i just like to know where the regulars vanish to. Read more
Come in Carole Adams - your time is up.
As the only regular female contributor I feel your absence from the forum is the route cause of the increased tension due to a testosterone overdose.
Guy
(xx)
(!) Read more
John, Rebecca, be sure to fill your beemers with the new 98 octane fuel from shell (see new post) and get the performance the makers intended....
hello
i have a problem with my car that when i brake the car trys to steer to the left, and it is a bit of a problem, especially on the motorway as it can catch you off guard.
the car doesn't have abs or any fancy brake equipment, just a diagonally split system with discs and drums.
so far in my efforts to find the cause i've:
bled the brakes (in case there was air in one of the circuits)
checked the drums to make sure the handbrake cable wasn't affecting the self adjusting mechanism.
changed the tyres right to left, and vice versa - to see if uneven wear was a problem.
which now leaves me wondering what to do next....
i can't see anything wrong with the calipers at the front, and both seem to be wearing equally.
my worry now is that the front wishbone bushes are worn, which means that under braking the steering geometry is altered, and thus the problem....
any suggestions are very welcome, as i'm stuck for an answer, and i don't want to hand the car over to the dealer just yet.
thanks Read more
I don't know if its still there.
Mate of mine, Joel, has got a Harley, he's a rabbit breeder, lives on Spring Valley Road (864-578-6466 if you want a rabbit) and is always complaining that he has to drive right across town now for a service.
having just watched Top Gear I was astounded to see the UK is to bring in something like the german system of plates but only the bad things .The announcer interviewed somebody from the dot who said we will make loads of money on private plates or words to that effect.In Germany private plates no matter what the number cost 75 dm over the normal cost.Plates are personnel and not car beholdent,you cannot register a car without proof off address and insurance plus tuv,you cannot cancel car insurance without a change of ownership certificate,you cannot buy plates only at the reg centre with the correct paper work from registered suppliers.you cannot leave the reg centre without the plates being stamped .I could go on.The reason police in europe want to see a green card of a uk vehicle is that they want to know that it is insured .I have not found away to put a vehicle in Germany on the road and keep it there without the correct paper work.Once again the uk driver must pay for a change of rules for absolutley no benifit.forged plates will still be made ,there will be no compulsory insurance register no proper mot checks .I was stopped in a normal polce check in Dresden they new my insurance company ,my class of insurance when I paid my road tax ,who I was ,where I lived .It is not big brother only a safe gaurd to the honest citizen.The uk once more missed the boat. A thieves charter but more money to the government Read more
I dont understand what this is? Please ignore, read completed post below
Hmmmm (sorry) - there seems to be a lack of postings around the same time as the much slated (I'm as guilty as most) Top Gear is on.
If it's that bad then why are you watching it?????
Vote with your feet, sorry, eyes and switch off - then the BBC will have to stop trotting out the same "...most popular TV programme on BBC2" line. Read more
Hmmmmmmmm I forgot to watch it tonight.
The rewards of a long & hectic day at work, Guy.
Oh, sorry, I forgot that you don't know the meaning of hard work.
(Many tea breaks & subsidised canteen etc., etc.)
David
On my way home tonight i passed a 'home made' sign that read " slow, speed trap" and it was written in black permanant marker on a bright orange board. I stopped just passed the sign to visit someone that is donating a car to a charity transport museum that i am helping out.
The cars appeared to be heeding the warning sign, but usually everyone ignores them and speeds through the village.
My point is : why were people taking notice of a 50 pence worth home made sign, but disregarding the proper speed camera signs ?
Regards,
Ash. Read more
i'd like to know exactly what qualifications these road engineers have in traffic safety in order to be able to determine what is a "safe" speed through their roadworks
I'm afraid widespread use of speed limits that appear to be too low to the public has spread open cynicism
same goes for motorway signs, where plod (or some contractor) often seems to post way too low a speed limit - and leave it up long after the danger has passed
if they improved the accuracy of speed limits imposed with regard to danager etc I'm sure more people would start paying them a little more respect
seems its easier just to stick cameras in and make a few more quid...
Today our local paper (east Manchester) reports that a group of fed-up motorists have formed a group called FAST, the Federation Against Speed Tickets. Last week it seems they upset the local speed cops by erecting a big notice warning drivers about a speed trap just around the bend.
Plod have condemned the stunt, saying that causing drivers to slow down may cause accidents.....yeah, right.
I'll bet there are little groups like this springing up all over the country - I might even join in myself.
Andrew Howlett, News at Ten, thoroughly fed up. Read more
I think the ordinary motorist like you and me would support such action - I certainally would.
I always flash my lights and give the thumbs down signal to oncoming motorists if there is a speed trap ahead.
Many others have done the same to me and alerted me to the potential 'revenue trap'
Rgds
David
Considering buying a used 9-3 - 2 yrs old 25,000 miles
What should I watch out for? Is this a good vehicle - I'm looking for something solid, comfortable and safe - good on the motorway and ok to drive in town.
I've looked at the car-by-car breakdown - just wondering if anybody has good/bad experiences of these.
It's not from a Saab dealer - can I get a Saab warranty for this?
thanks Read more
Thanks for the info HJ. Given I'm after something sturdy, well equipped and comfy does the vehicle I'm looking at look like a good choice for the price?
A while ago I asked for any actual experiences of belt/tensioner failure on these cars. Here's a reminder of one reply....
"Author: Neil (---.sunderland.ac.uk) Date: 14-06-01 15:45
My wife and I drove a Fiat Bravo for three years (80000 miles). The belt and tensioners are designed to last 72000 miles.
The original belt was replaced under warranty due to worrying noises from the engine bay at 36000 miles.
The second belt snapped at 70000 miles (after 34000 miles of use) resulting in a bill for almost £1000."
On the Car by Car breakdown HJ mentions...
"Plastic timing belt tensioner pulley can shatter without warning. Best to change timing belt and tensioner every 3 years/35,000 miles."
Well finally I have pushed the customer into a timing belt and tensioner pulley change at 44,000 miles. Doing the job yesterday I had real concerns about the design of this setup.
As expected the old tensioner/pulley had a plastic gear, which was in OK condition (that doesn't mean it wasn't going to shatter tomorrow), but I was amazed the new one from Fiat was the same with no change of design/part no./materials. Odd if it has given trouble.
Many belt tensioners are moved to the correct tension position by whatever method and then the mounting nut is tightened. This means the tension is set for the life of the belt. The reality is that, as the belt wears with age, the tension gets less over the life of the belt. Some belts at/over the due mileage have a frightening amount of slack.
Now this Fiat has a tensioner that is moved to a set position then has a spring to take up the last bit. In running this spring allows the tensioner pulley to move a fair bit with an alarming whip to the belt. The result of this on the car I have here is that the old belt has already worn halfway through the plastic lower timing belt cover (where the whipping has thrown it out of line) and the back of the belt is damaged from this constant rubbing.
I do wonder if it isn't just the plastic pulley breaking but also this whipping movement that is leading to failure. If it was my own car I would modify the tensioner pulley mounting to give a rigid tensioned setting. But with the customers all I can do is fit the correct Fiat parts to the Fiat methods and not worry further.
David Read more
The other belts that need to be re-tensioned after 1,000 miles or so are the pair that drive the cam shafts and balancer shaft in the Porsche 944 engine. There was a cambelt failure on 'Deals on Wheels' tonight. On an Escort RS2000. They showed us the broken belt. Looked very much like a chain to me, as fitted to the old twin-cam 2.0 litre Ford engine. Rest of the programme was really good though. Especially the bt where Mike tried to trick a couple of amateur 'experts' and they sussed every single one.
HJ
Several days ago Stuart B posted an item about a forthcoming changeover to 42 volts (might have been 48 volts). Since then I've been wondering what will happen to caravan and other trailer electrics.
Caravans have quite complex 12 volt systems for lighting, battery charging, and fridges etc. and there are probably other trailers that derive power from the host vehicle.
British cars use the 12N and 12S trailer sockets and the Germans have developed a 13 pin DIN standard, but I wonder what will happen when we have to marry new to old.
I can't see it being as straightforward as putting new bulbs in.
Any body know? Read more
D*mn*tion
Just bought a new one ;-)
Browse
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i am not getting a merc, as i have seen a 1993 mazda mx5 for £1200, the only problem is that its a stolen / recovered, which needs a bonnet, bumper, two wings, and the flip eyes, plus the roof was ripped by the thieves.