August 2001
i have an annoying wobble through the steering wheel at exactly 65 mph. It feels like wheel balance but hasn't changed even though wheels were balanced and recently replaced. Dealer has been helpful and is calling in the regional expert to assist but wonderd if anyone has any inside knowledge of this problem. car has done 30000, and this problem started around 25000. Read more
Does anyone know the contact details for this lady ?
Christina Rees of the general synod who on radio 4 blandly supported speed cameras ?
I'd like to write her a quick note... Read more
Okay, since it's Islam week on the gogglebox, here is The Sura of Praise, Thanks and Prayer, as I remember it from the Koran I read when I was a kid (just to achieve a sense of balance, you understand):-
"Praise be to God, Lord of the World, the compassionate, the merciful, King on the day of reckoning. Thee only do we worship and to thee do we cry for help. Guide thou us on the straight path, the path of those to whom thou art gracious, with whom thou art not angry and who go not astray."
Nothing about exceeding the speed limits there.
HJ
Are VW's built to the same corrosion standards as Audi in terms of galvanised panels etc. etc. Why is a 98 A4 1.8T £2000 more than a Passat Sport when the Passat is bigger/the platform for the A6. I've seen reports on here about VW/AUDI not being all they're cracked up to be in terms of reliability, is there anything to choose between them (different factories, better QC) or shall I just pocket the £2k and put it towards repairs! Ian Read more
Hi Andy!
Well said my man WRT Rover 75 - you beat me to it!!
Rgds
David
The original back box on our 1.6 primera will need replacing this year, the question is should I buy a genuine nissan back box (given that the original lasted over 6 years) or should I buy a fast fit back box, which, from previous experience with other cars, seem to last two years? I guess it comes down to price but is there a difference in quality? Read more
thanks all, more good advice, I'll check out the prices of oe v stainless and make a decision.
The discussion in an earlier thread about your right to cancel/money-back etc. is true for direct debits from your current account.
However, the equivalent debit authority from credit card accounts is different. It can only be cancelled by the other party, and not you.
Even if you cancel your credit card, the credit card company can demand payment from you in future as you remain liable for "direct-debits" taken months after the card was cancelled. Read more
I will admit to being a Bank manager and beg your forgiveness in advance. It's a dirty job but someone has to do it.
The difference between a Direct Debit and a Credit/Debit card payment is;
A Direct Debit is a standing instruction to your bank to accept the collection of payments by an organisation. This can be cancelled by instructing your bank ( to whom you gave the original instruction for payment). It is just the same as writing a cheque to pay a bill, where you do not guarantee the payment by adding your card details. If , for any reason, you do not wish the transaction to proceed, you can 'stop' the cheque as no guarantee of payment has been given.
When you set up a standing instruction using your debit/credit card you are giving the organisation that you are buying from, a guarantee of payment, just the same as when you profer your card in a store in payment or pay by cheque and add your card details, this is guaranteed to the accepting retailer. These instructions can only be cancelled by withdrawing your guarantee of payment by writing to the organisation collecting the payment. Your card provider cannot cancel because you have guaranteed payment to that organisation. You cannot instruct a bank or card provider to cancel a guarantee of payment.
Clear?
If, when you have given written instructions to cancel this type of payment to the organisation providing the goods/service, this is ignored, you should then contact your card provider with proof of the instruction and demand that they reimburse you and ensure that the organisation comply with your instruction.
There has been much discussion about the vast increase in the use of cameras, and other devices, to, supposedly, reduce vehicle speeds in controlled areas. and, it would appear that this vast expenditure is mainly aimed at increasing revenue for the various police forces who use them. My view is that it is all getting out of hand. A study of ANY local newspaper will show that petty crime and thuggery is increasing daily, yet it is now very rare to see a uniformed policeman patrolling the streets. The excuse, given by police authorities, is that there is not enough money to increase the "police presence".
We are being hoodwinked because, if the unbelievable sums, now being spent on two million pound helicopters, (mainly used it seems to apprehend some thug who has pinched a beaten up old Astra for a "joyride"), together with the vast expenditure on cameras, electronic devices and their associated manpower, were to be spent on recruiting and training policemen to patrol the streets, out of their cars and on foot, crime would, in my opinion start to decrease. That big increase in police manpower would be a better deterrent to the lawbreakers in our society, and, with some of these increased police numbers patrolling speed controlled areas, armed with hand held cameras, the deterrent factor to control that minority of motorists who flout the speed limits, would be every bit as good as all this expensive electronic tomfoolery. Read more
not bad points which im sure are pretty close to what the silent majority think
however i think minor speed infringements in safe conditions should not be pursued as they are at present with the points, fines, bans and loss
of job this entails - mindless enforcement is just as bad from humans as it is from automated cameras
road safety is much more complex than this, i suggest u read the letter from serving traffic police to the
association of british drivers which is on the abd website, its also repeated in an earlier thread in this forum
There's an earlier posting about a Mondeo with a few glitches - missing seals, oil leak, etc. I took a look at Mondeo last month in my local Ford showroom and have to say the 'its almost like a Passat' line spun by What Car? among others had a hollow ring to it. The trim seemes very poor quality and the build quality seemed very poor. I know that it's supposed to be good to drive, but surely this doesn't augur well for long term durability? Or is it just a case that you should never buy a brand new model - give them a year to start putting them together properly and iron out the glitches?
In contrast the 'new' Passat, Volvo V70 and Rover 75 seemed very well put together from high quality materials.....surely the Rover or Passat is a better buy if not a better drive? Read more
My R-reg MGf had the worst build quality of any car I have encountered in recent years. Clearly, BMW's quality control had not been applied. I went back to tin-pot hatchbacks and was staggered to find that, for half the price, my X-reg Punto is first-class - except that it does not have the same excellent ride.
The 2nd edition is currently advertised in Autocar.Did anyone read the 1st edition? Is it a good buy? 90 day guarantee valid? What are your opinions please?
Simon. Read more
It looked a little suspicious to me.Thank you you have saved me money.
Simon
Drove down a road I used to use a lot. At start of speed limit saw a police motor cycle pull in behind me, so stuck carefully to 40MPH for about 2 miles. Police overtook and stopped me. He asked what speed I was doing - "exactly 40, you knew I had seen you" was indignant reply. " that's roughly what I made it sir, trouble is they reduced limit to 30 about 6 months ago, enjoy your trip" and he rode off with a grin. Read more
Yes, It makes a refreshing change to 'stumble' across a Policeman with a sense of humour and commonsense. We have one in our local town and everybody, young and old has respect for him.
Rgds
David
Found this, not normally a Sun reader....................honest!
The Sun
www.thesun.co.uk/news/13950054
THURSDAY, 16 AUGUST, 2001
NICKED FOR SPEEDING AT 2mph
By DUNCAN LARCOMBE
SHOCKED lorry driver Steve Daniel was busted for speeding - while
crawling through a traffic jam at TWO mph.
Steve, 29 - who needs a clean licence for his job - was sent a police
ticket claiming speed cameras caught him doing 55mph.
He was ordered to pay a £60 fine and told he would get three penalty
points on his licence.
But the tachograph in Steve's cab logged every detail of his journey -
allowing him to successfully appeal.
And police last night admitted a camera fault was to blame.
Married Steve, of Royston, Herts, said: "When the speeding ticket came
through my door I nearly died.
"It's ridiculous that police are putting up speed cameras everywhere
when there's proof they don't work.
"Driving is my livelihood so I know for a fact that I don't speed.
"I just wonder how many other innocent drivers have been caught out by
this wonky camera and paid up because they have no idea what speed they
were actually doing. Luckily my tachograph proved I was right. If I'd
been an ordinary driver I wouldn't have had a leg to stand on."
Police sent Steve a picture of his 41-ton truck on the A120 near Dunmow,
Essex, with his ticket.
He added: "When I rang to complain they said they had a second picture
which clearly showed I was sitting in a traffic jam at the time.
"The policeman I spoke to laughed and said I would have caused a ten-car
pile up if I'd been driving my truck at that speed." Police claimed no
other drivers had been wrongly nabbed by the camera.
A spokesman said: "It's a technical problem with the radar that occurs
when large flat-backed vehicles pass the cameras at less than 13mph. The
camera reads the speed wrongly.
"We know it's happened at other places and our operators are trained to
examine all photographs to spot it.
"For whatever reason the other photographs weren't checked in this case.
We would like to apologise."
The case comes after a Sun campaign persuaded Home Secretary David
Blunkett to ban police from hiding cameras to trap drivers. Read more
complain complain complain
write to
your mp
your councillor
your cheif constable
leader of police authority
leader of council
home secretary
police complaints authority
dont put up silently
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I've always wondered how those "on car" balancing thingies work.
Is it simple to explain ?
M.