September 2001
One of my customers is considering trading a Renault Espace petrol for a '96 Synergie TD. I have read the Car by Car guide on these and have my own views as a Citroen supporter.
However any views from users (Darcy?) as to these as a long term family vehicle.
David Read more
Back on the dim and distant 10th September, Tim P started a 46 message thread about getting into motoring Journalism. Well here's his chance (and anyone else's for that matter). None other than The Daily Telegraph is running a Young Motoring Writer of the Year Competition. You've got to be 17 to 25, you can't already be a professional writer and you have to write a 1,000 word feature on 'The Future of Motoring'. It must not be more than 1,000 words (and if you can make it EXACTLY 1,000 words, then that's good practice for the editing discipline you will need). It has to be typewritten. You must include your fuill name, age, address, daytime telephone number and state whether you hold a full or provisional driving licence. You must send your entry to 'Young Motoring Writer of The Year' award, The Daily Telegraph Motoring Desk, 1 Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5DT, and it must get there on or before Friday 30th November. If you win, your entry will be published in Telegraph Motoring and on www.motoring.telegraph.co.uk . You'll also get a trophy, advanced driving tuition and a commission from The Daily Telegraph to write one or more further stories. Good luck everyone. I'll also post this in the website news.
HJ Read more
There should be a category for younger kids, they couldn't win a driving course, but a model or something suitable.
My two (5 & 8) are more insightful, and often make more sense than a certain well known poster :0) ahh the refreshing naivety.
To get your FREE copy, phone 0800 852 2098.
HJ Read more
The correct telephone number to ask for the free booklet is 0800 052 2098.
My 112000 mile A4 (1Z engine) has developed an intermittently running turbo. It sounds normal when it runs, it nearly always works at first but at some point it packs up and doesn't start again during that journey. It may have gone 2 miles or 100 before it stops giving boost.
Wow is it slow without the turbo.
Any ideas anybody, I am wondering about sensors. Read more
Thanks everyone for your comments.
Over the weekend it wouldn't even go properly from startup. I took it to my local VAG independent (it's the first time since I bought it in May). He thought it might be a solenoid but it turned out to be a disintegrating cat blocking the airflow, he's fixed it. He seems to know what he's talking about so I'll be going back there.
When I saw the thread titled Dodgy Traders my heart came up in my mouth. I thought I was about to read a list of businesses and accusations against them. Thank goodness that wasn't the case. The place to warn one another about dodgy traders is through the newsgroups. The Back Room is too public a forum and may attract legal action which we cannot afford to defend. You can recount an experience which you can substantiate, and others would be wise to bear that experience in mind. But you should not use The Back Room to make statements about a business (or an individual) which might be found to be defamatory, even if in your opinion they're true.
This leads me to make the following statement.
The policy of the owners of this forum is to allow visitors to post messages without prior vetting. Each message is read by the owners or their agents, but not before the message is displayed on the forum and made available over the internet. That being the case neither the owners nor their agents can take any responsibility for the content of the messages posted to the forum. Responsibility for the content of an individual message rests with the originator of that message, and if part or all of that message is quoted in a subsequent message, then the responsibility for the whole of the subsequent message including the quoted material rests with the originator of the subsequent message.
So there you have it.
Martyn Read more
Vin,
I know from your posts you're a reasonable guy. We'll just have to accept that you would do this again and I still have reservations.
The example I gave of my customer was not meant to be trumpet blowing, just demonstrate the dificulty I might have had in reversed the situation.
On tyre supply...All my tyres are sourced through the local town garage, he can supply me (or a retail customer) at better prices than all the independents.
And at least when he says "your shocks need changing on this mate" he's laughing like a drain!
David
This was received today via the Magistrates Association chatroom:
There is currently a legal concern that demanding a driver say whether or
not they were driving at the time of a speed camera offence, may be contrary to the right not to incriminate themselves pursuant to Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Five judges have overruled the European Convention on Human Rights and said
that police can ask drivers to incriminate themselves after having been
photographed by a speed cameras.
However, as the law now stands, the subsequent use of the information
obtained by the notice WILL infringe Article 6 of the Convention, but a prosecution appeal in the Brown case in Scotland is pending.
It is therefore recommend that the notices must be complied with, but that
you should include a statement along the following lines:
"I am supplying this information under duress and under the threat of
prosecution.
Use of this information in any subsequent court proceedings will infringe my
right not to incriminate myself pursuant to Article 6 of the European
Convention on Human Rights"
Reference is made to the Law Society's Gazette (16th November 2000 page 47). Read more
Sorry, wrong thread. See previous one.
the tip is this... take a towel with you so that if the car breaks down, and you get wet, you can dry your hair and face etc. Read more
i thought this was a good tip?
There is little doubt that diesel exhaust particles (DEP) are carcinogenic. Searching the Medline Database (access free via, believe it or not, the Grateful Med) will yield the information.
Some extracts below:
"Epidemiologic data suggest that an increased risk of lung cancer for diesel exhaust exposed workers may be comparable with that for environmental tobacco smoke. Monitoring and control of the particulate is necessary. Prudent policy dictates continued efforts to reduce emissions of soot from diesel engines and decrease occupational exposure as a matter of good health and safety practice. Improvements in engine design, soot filters, and fuel modification will provide the best approach to exposure control. Further research is also needed in the areas of carcinogenic mechanisms and development and validation of biomarkers of exposure before reliable estimates of risk of human health effects in the occupational setting can be made."
"Ten studies considered diesel exhaust exposure based on a job exposure matrix or a similar approach; the summary RR for these studies was 1.13 (95% CI = 1.00-1.27). A positive dose-response relation was suggested by 10 of the 12 studies that provided relevant information. The summary RR for high diesel exposure was 1.44 (95% CI = 1.18-1.76). There was some evidence of publication bias, however, with a lack of small studies with null or negative results. Our review suggests that exposure to diesel exhaust may increase the occurrence of bladder cancer" Read more
I remember an article from many years ago about those cyclists in london that would wear a face mask whilst cycling.
The upshot of the article was that those particles that are large enough to be caught by such a filter are large enough for your lungs cleaning mechanism to deal with anyway.
Those particles which are small enough to cause problems for your lungs are also small enough to get through the filter.
The exception to this is if you are a regular smoker which kills off the cleaning mechanism in you lungs. So that everything just builds up in there.
As a follow on to the Dodgy traders thread below, what general danger signs do others watch for if looking to buy a second hand motor.
I will suggest one of mine, maybe totally illogical, but I avoid places that seem to be attached to a body shop like the plague. Read more
The garages name stuck over the existing number plate to hide the original supplier. If they won't spend a few pounds on a new plate, what else are they skimping on?
I always buy at fleet auctions anyway. If I can't sell the old car privately, it is cheaper to throw it away and with the money I save on the replacement, still be in pocket. Why pay £2000 extra for a car with a guarantee which very likely won't be honoured.
Me cynical? yep.
To those who remember my thread last week, re the police confiscating my son's motorcycle because it was so dangerous as to warrant immediate removal from the Queen's highway, I have good news. I have just got he bike back, and after 6 days,and a very thorough going over by their engineer, guess what's dangerous. Yes, you guessed. Nothing. Not only that, we have been exempted from paying the £105 + VAT recovery charge. How nice of them.
I would like to thank all those who helped with accurate legal advice, web links etc, as I'm convinced the outcome has only been because of vociferous legal argument due to the knowledge recieved. I'm just left with what next? My feeling is to continue to take it further and complain about the trumped up 'charges' and attitude of the police involved. But do I go straight to the plolice complaints commission, or the station involved. Of course I am looking forward to a full cover up and whitewash.
Thanks and regards,
Mike Read more
Mike
Glad to here its come back with no legal proccedings from their side. Make plenty on your side. But get your son to get out on it again.
Bill
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David
My two-pennorth would be to check the comfort of the ride in the back (see my earlier posting about the dreadfully uncomfortable Renault Scenic).
I guess a lot of folks with people carriers just shove their kids in the back and let them get on with it. It's worth checking by getting the dealer to drive it while the prospective buyer sits in the back - and get him to drive over all sorts of roads.
Ian