August 2001
I was looking to trade in my Rover 620 for a 75 in the next month or so. However, fate had other ideas.
I was involved in a nasty rear end shunt and eight car pile up on the M4 on the 16th at about 5.45pm. Apologies for the reported 10 mile tailback if you were stuck in it. The car was totalled (topped and tailed) as it took the full impact of two cars whilst I was stationery. The first car swerved and bounced off, the second car hit me square in the boot. God knows now but I walked away with a slighty stiff neck. Full credit to the 620, it soaked it up and probably saved my life.
Anyway, the need for transport means I can't wait the several weeks required for my preferred choice of 75. So I'm going for a another 600 to tide me over for a year or so whilst I lick my financial wounds. Least the settlement I got was a reasonable £3175, not bad for a 94 with 60K on the clock.
There's a 623GSi going at a garage near Sandhurst on a 97R with 60K on the clock for £5450. I'm fairly au-fait with the 600 and I feel they are an elegant car and a great cruiser. Most of my 12,000 miles a year are motorway miles.
Is this a good deal? The book prices all seems about that. Is there anything I need to look out for apart from the rear wing rust probs and checking out all electrics?
Again many thanks in advance for your help. Read more
Hi,
My Fiat Brava ( '98, 1.4SX 12v), has an extremely loud tappet-type ticking noise that changes tempo in time with the engine accel/decelerating, the noise doesn't disapear after the engine warms up, but engine performance isn't really affected, but it has been getting a little warmer than usual. It comes from the top left of the engine bay, vagueley near the cam belt tensioner.
I took it to Fiat in croyodn where an off-duty fiat mechanic told me that it was just some gunge in the tappets, and to do an oil flush, and an oil change, neither of which have made any difference.
Not being desperately 'mechanically sympathetic' I wonder if anyone can tell me if this is an early symptom of the classic bravX/marea cambelt failure, and or reccommend a good fiat specialist in the croydon area.
The car has 48k muiles and had a full service 8k miles again, and as pointed out in the car-by-car breakdown, it started life as a rental car. It didn't tick until the last 3k miles or so.
Cheers
Anthony Read more
I agree with David. Could be something about to break in the timing department. Timing belts when very worn and about to break can create more tappet noise. Regards,
Mike
I hope the back room can settle a dispute. (Well I've already lost but I'd like to know why...)
I seem to recall the AC Cobra starting life as a gutless sports two seater with a dodgy steering rack of a British production car that never quite worked.
Looking into the history of AC cars the name Cobra only appeared after a massive US engine had been put in an AC cars chassis.
So what is the guttless two seater with the dodgy steering rack I'm thinking off? Is it the Healey? Read more
Tony
Thanks for that. I did query the Ford engine in my reply, because I couldn't think of a 6cylinder 2.0 litre Ford of that era. So, it was in-house AC engine then in the late '50s. I didn't have a reference to the use of the bigger 6 cylinder Ford.
regards
John
I HAVE A1986 TOYOTA CELICA WITH A 2.4 EFI ENGINE IT STALLED ALL OF THE SUDDEN. THEN IT WOULD START BUT ONLY IDLE IF YOU TRY TO ACCELERATE IT ACTS AS IF ITS STARVING FOR FUEL THEN IT WILL ACCELARATE UP TO ABOUT 3K RPM . BUT THE CAR HAS NO POWER AND
SOME TIME IT WONT START AT ALL. I CHANGED FUEL FILTER HOPING IT WAS PLUGED. IT HAS FUEL UP TO THE COLD START INJECTOR AND IT SEEMS TO BE UNER PRESURE. I THINK ITS A FUEL PROBLEM BUT IT COULD BE ELECTRCAL.
HELP TROY Read more
Suggest either a massive air leak from perhaps a split rubber trunk between airflow meter and manifold or a jammed/ failed airflow meter. Phsically check condition of trunking then remove the airflow meter and check for free movement of the metering flap, it should move smoothly along it's entire range and return smartly to its rest position. Finally if both tests prove satisfacory check for output voltage from the signal terminal on the airflow meter. It should move smoothly from about .5v to 4.5 v from rest to fully open. I don't have a terminal number to hand but will find out for you if you want to tackle it.
regards
Andrew
I am trying to purchase a new 5 door Toyota Yaris, I have seen advertised prices of £ 6995 at various trade warehouses but they dont seem to be able to have stock in the colour I prefer.
Has anyone got any experience/suggestions in this field.
Thanks
Tony Campbell in Enfield Read more
I believe the 1.0 Yaris is built in France and the rest in Japan.
How nice it is to see the HJ Back Room Forum has got back to what it used to be after a decidedly dodgy 2 weeks or so........what with some new posters aswell!
David Read more
Just biding my time boys, just biding my time.
Whay has Mary got so many replies - 21 at the time of posting? Read more
"we gals must stick together, but obviously that doesn't include Mary"
Two's company, three's a crowd.
But did you have to have me *ostracised* gels.
I find that soooooooooo painfull.
Most agree that disks are best.
Why then do some cars, Focus, Mondeo and even the rally inspired Subaru Impreza have rear drums?
My Volvo 940 has disks all round {plus ABS} and stops even beer than it goes.
Disks are simpler in design, easier and cheaper to service - so why drums at all? Read more
Someone must have sold you a duff set of alloys then - our Xantia's alloys are virtually solid, no thin little spokes to show off the brake discs, yet they are a lot lighter than my BX's steel wheels even with more rubber on!!
Why no more Kate on Top Gear, we only get Vikki now.
Bring back Kate !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Read more
Not the same on the Hol Prog,
Let Vikki do hols and Kate do cars - so what if no power slides, wheel spins are easy enough, even the other 'big girl', Tiffany Needle, manaages the odd wheel spin
A recent thread I talked about a vat fiddle with pre reg cars.The answer I have from accountant is that the garage registers the car and pays the vat at cost price.You buy what is in legal terms a second hand car but pay full vat at the retail price the dealer pockets a nice wedge. Read more
VAT is paid by dealers on the difference between buying and selling price. This is a concession to normal VAT rules on adding VAT to the whole selling price, as in other goods. There are strict rules regarding records and accounting if this concession is to be allowed, otherwise VAT would be payable on the whole selling price. Dealers can minimise the VAT payable by manipulating buy in figures for part ex's, often by reducing the purchase price of a new car and reducing the part exch. price by the same ammount.The balance remains the same for the customer, but the VAT payable by the dealer can (not always) be reduced. I always felt honour bound to pass some of this saving onto the customer! Honestly!
Mike
Browse
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Paul's right. But the 623GSi is the best 600 Rover ever put together thanks to its decent Honda engine and much better wheels, tyres and suspension settings. What to watch out for (in addition to rear arch rust) is trouble with the ignition igniter (distributor) and ignition amplifier. The amplifier is cheap, but the ignitor isn't. Thanks for the screen pillar rot info from Paul. The other reason why screen surrounds of 600s and Honda Accords and lots of other cars is paint scraped off during a windscreen replacement. Once the rubber's popped back on the ideal conditions are created for severe rusting.
HJ