August 2001
Look after a Peugeot 306 TD. Always enjoy the drive in it due to sharp handling and good grip.
Picked it up today and noticed the previous Goodyears were replaced by Camac tyres. The handling and grip are terrible now, turn-in is sluggish and they feel like driving on mud.
If you just feel the tread blocks compared to the remaining spare Goodyear they are soft as cheese.
Shame to spoil a nice car with such a budget buy.
David Read more
Had to nip about a bit this morning, unusually for me, with car/parts to collect and an erly MOT to do.
Used a few miles of the motorway and town dual carriageways at commuter time. Driving sensibly but using every chance to get on. Came upon an unmarked traffic car going the same way in the same manner. We swapped positions (behind/in front) and lanes several times but basically ended up in the same proximity for ages.
Thought perhaps I was being a bit cheeky not slowing down to 65mph and avoiding him like most others. Then after a (non-contact) incident in front that caused us both to brake hard he slotted in behind and followed for the next dozen turns through town.
As I neared my destination I was so sure he would pull into the car park behind me and have a chat my mind went through the check list....Tax, MOT, tyres, upstanding citizen (!) and so on.
Just in the last few yards before my stop he pulled off behind me..............into the McDonalds Drive Through.
How I laughed.
David Read more
Jonathon,
You're describing your wife as fragrant then.......she'll be pleased. That word is a little debased now after the first trial judge used it of Mary Archer...and look where that all ended up.
David
I have just heard on the radio that the roadworks on the M6 have now been completed. I expect that the cameras that were there, will now be moved to the M62 very soon, so be careful.
Jonathan
PS
I also heard that some major police bod, is pushing for speed cameras to be brightly coloured and not hidden. Must be mad. Read more
Andrew
I think the association of british drivers website might help you with the locations if you really want to know.
regards
Mark
A question I've wondered is why the engineering consultancies and town planning departments that design roads so badly that they become black spots are not prosecuted for some offence or other
I cannot be the only one who has seen new "road improvements" that have been obvious black spots from the beginning with a little common sense
Surely these characters have some dramatic effect on accident stats, yet they all seem to be getting away with it
Probably too hard for the police to take them on (money and legal teams) so they'll just continue hitting the poor old ordinary citizen for doing 5 mph over the limit where its perfectly safe to do so
We should be told Read more
I'm in the market for a new car. Primary requirements are:-
-Build Quality/Durability
-Economy
-Purchase Price
-Must be nice to drive
I've narrowed my search down to a Honda Civic 1.6SE Exec and a Seat Leon 110TDi SE. I can get the Leon with leather etc. as an import for about £12500. I've seen the Civic for about £13000.
Any comments on which is best? I'm particularly concerned about the long-term durability of the Civic. Thanks Read more
I've had a Leon SE TDi since March. At 16k miles I still get out with a stupid grin across my face after a cross country blast. I was going to chip it but I'll certainly lose my licence. Even passengers comment on how well built it feels. Always wanted a Golf, but the Leon is brilliant value and theres not many about yet.
Guys,
In all the time I've looked after Citroens the ABS systems have been very reliable, perhaps I've just been lucky!
The BXs have given no trouble at all and I know usually a front wheel sensor or earthing repair will sort them out.
The Xantias have been OK up to now but I have two this week with wheel sensor faults. One has been fitted with a new sensor plus the ABS relay which failed the diode test, the other awaits repair in a week or so.
Now I understood replacing the wheel sensor (or other faulty component) should put the ABS lamp out and it would all work again. It didn't. The Citroen main agents tell me the car will have to go to them for the ECU fault memory to be cleared as I haven't the kit to do this.
For various reasons I can't get the car back to them for ten days so am left wondering if they are really right.
I know I should know the answer to the above but I don't. Have any of you had personal experience that would confirm if the ECU does really need cleaing on the dealer diagnostic or am I being led up the garden path?
David Read more
I saw an add for a place in Glasgow or Edinburgh, havent got that ad at hand, that was doing Xantia ABS ECUs for £200 exchange. Is that a good price? I gather dealers want something in the region of £700. I'm taking over the wife's Xantia when she gets her new C5 and I know how citroens can hurt the wallet if/when things go wrong, but the Xantia is taking expenses into a new league compared with my soon to be scrapped BX, and that's worrying me a bit!
How important is it that I get my tracking done on my Golf. Every single time I go to get some new tyres at the garage they tell me I should have my tracking done to save on fuel consumption. I`ve heard conflicting reports on whether tracking does owe anything to mass fuel consumption. Am I paying £17 for absolutely nothing? Read more
A good way to test is to run your hand over the tyre tread from left to right and then from right to left. The surface should feel as rough in each direction. If your tracking is out you'll feel the edges of the blocks more in one direction than the other; the difference will be very noticeable if they are out - I don't know the science of this, but it works.
What I do as well as this is after tyres have been on for about half their lifetime, I pop the car into Micheldever tyres, who do a full four wheel alignment check for around 18 quid.
Alternatively, before I started using Micheldever, I haggled with my local ATS who said they would check my tracking at each visit and charge me once for every two times they had to adjust them.
I have a 1,4 Ghia with central locking. I am able to lock the doors from the outside but am unable to open the car from the driver`s side door. How easy is it to fix central locking - would it be just a matter of taking the inside panel off this door and `having a fiddle`? Read more
How old is your Escort, has it always had this problem or has it just developed? If it has just developed and your Escort is more than a few years old then it is most likely to be a worn key, a very common occurance. If it has always been like this then either it is still a worn key or maybe not even the right one at all. All Ford keys from the late eighties onwards will lock all Ford locks, but only the right key will open them. The only other possible thing is that something inside the lock mechanism on the drivers side has jammed but my money would be on it being the key that is at fault. But it is not the central locking that is at fault though either which way, (as long as I have read your post correctly). Have you not got a spare key?
Hope this helps,
Simon.
Mine failed recently(1996 A6). Very expensive to replace. Is this a known weakness? Audi have refused a goodwill payment. Do I have any redress? Read more
No you can't expect any manufacturer to allow goodwill payments at this age.
You can 5 litres of Mobil 1 synthetic oil for £25 at Costo warehouses.
Think it's about £45 at Halfords etc....
Only about 7 stores in the country tho - Check www.costco.com for details of a local store Read more
any opinions about the Chevron synthetic oil that sells in Costco for an even cheaper price??
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David
Can you recall whether this Pug 306 was noisy on its Goodyear tyres? I had one shod with these tyres and thought that I had a failed rear wheel bearing, but a change to Michelins cured it.
Ian