September 2001
Previous post explained purchase of Range Rover from LR main dealer. Sold with FSH and 12 months MoT (documents to follow). I had LR specialist inspection who queried any recent service and said it would not pass an MOT. I discover it had actually missed 4 of 6 major services and had just 2 months MOT. No interest from dealer whatsoever in rectifying. They claimed nothing wrong with vehicle as it had just been through their workshop. So, I put it in for an MOT. Result - Most brake pipes so corroded that they had expanded plus other items which supported the initial inspection by LR specialist. Testing station deemed the vehicle unroadworthy. Called dealer HO (clue - scribing instrument and fire breathing creature). Proverbial hit the fan and they sent 2 lads to collect and refund my money. The lads, one was a 'technician' had not been told about the brake pipes, so looked at them and confirmed they were ' totally shot'. Still he drove it back 70 miles on the motorway. (That string about tailgating pales to insignificance at the thought of 2.5 tonnes of unroadworthy unbraked vehicle on the motorway!).
The good news is I got my purchase money back. Bad news is I am still waiting for money for parts I had fitted, inspections etc. Doubt I will ever see that as I have not had one letter or call of apology in all this time.
Land Rover, I have made an eternal promise never to muddy one of your 'Tombraider' (read Walletraider) dealer doormats ever again.
Anybody wishing to know which dealer near High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire this was just mail me. I have spoken to others locally and I know I am not the only one getting bad service from them. Read more
I am wondering how insurance co's work out how a car is a write off or not re it's value. My Honda Accord is worth about £5000 now smashed up with maybe £3000 repairs inc labour. Will this be a write off and ifit is repaired how will this affect it's resale value. Read more
To establish whether a car is a write off or not insurance companies tend to work on a percentage basis using the cars value. Different insurance companies do differ quite a bit but typicaly this figure is up to 80% of the pre accident value. Hence if your car is worth £5000 in THEIR opinion they may authorise repairs up to a total cost of £4000.
Other factors do also influence the decision such as the availability of the parts, for example if you drive a Yugo and just smash the front bumper it will be written off because you can no longer get parts for them.
The resale value of the car in theory should not be affected if the work is done to the correct standard as it should be not be obvious to the man in the street that any accident repair work has been carried out. Only to the trained eye should it be possible to tell that there has been an accident repair, but like I say this is technically how it should be and often does not happen through cut corners and bad workmanship.
I would like to retrofit aircon to a 2000 Beetle (RHD) 1600cc. Anyone know if this is possible and can you suggest a likely supplier?
Also, why no Climatronic climate control on RHD Beetles? Read more
There's probably a number of people that can do this for you, and most use a kit made by Diavia. If you use this kit you can be sure of spares etc. Be warned, some outfits just fit what they have to hand, and 'modify' to suit.
Try www.readerair.co.uk to see if Diavia have a kit for it yet. It's a big job doing the evaporator, so you will be best to leave them to do the whole job. Cost is probably around £1500. You can try to do it yourself, but you will find the kit price is not much less that the fitted price, and it's about 10 hours labour. Some kits come with instructions, and some don't. Plus you may have to make a few parts yourself such as hoses, which are, of course, outside the scope of DIYers. Therefore, just leave it to someone else. The other alternative is to sell it and buy one with a/c, but you may well find that people are cottoning on to buying cars without a/c and some are getting hard to shift.
I had an MB dealer on the other day about retrofitting an A class, as they simply couldn't shift the thing off the forecourt.
Does any one have the answer to this? The engine cranks but refuses to start or show any inclination to do so when the interior of the car is hot i.e. after left out in the sun. The only clue I have is that the battery charge indicator almost goes out during the cranking with the other electrical indications normal. Thanks in advance for any ideas.
Steve Read more
Dear Steve
Thanks for your suggestion but I found all earths disappointingly good.
See my reply to Andrew above for progress to date
At the risk of this being seen as another daft question, when I reported our Cavalier stolen, the lady at the police vehicle centre asked what kind of steering wheel lock we had fitted. When I said it was a bar type, she said the best type were the round ones which go all the way over the steering wheel, and she had not had a vehicle reported stolen with one of those fitted.
Taking all the previous caveats as read (don't leave keys where a thief can get them etc), what experience have others had with these? Any injuries/accidents caused by one shooting out from under the seat following sudden braking? Read more
I see details of the Interceptor has been given in this tread. Having read about it in HJ books and recieved a discount from the club, I purchase one for my petrol system some years ago, going into the electrical side if the Injection System. Then one when I converted to Dual Fuel last year, into the electrical system of the Gas System. This I hope also gives me a fail safe system.
The Interceptor relys on two hidden touch contacts with a minute current through the body to make contact. One is earthed through the car shell the other insulated direct to the Interceptor. Selecting these hidden points is very inspiring. Just remember to take off both your gloves in the winter. I paid £35 each and am very satisfied. Just ring them up and get the details.
Brian Hosker
Had a close look at new the Hyundai Sante Fe 2Ltr Diesel which quite impressed me and seemed good value. Vehicle would be used for occasionally towing the caravan as well as normal day to day running.
Can anyone advise re Hyundai quality, parts prices and availability any horror stories , any good stories. real feedback would be much appreciated before going any further on this one.
Andrew. Read more
main dealers are very expensive, i had a 1994 hyundai sonata cdi, i took the car into the dealer and he told that a repair would be £34.92, but when i collected it he said ' i didnt know it was this old i thought you had a 1995 M', so he wanted £159, which i had to pay. i dont like hyundai anymore.
Here in the southeast, there's a strange new habit taken root.
Over the past few years, I've noticed the increasing number of people who park with two wheels on the pavement. Its understandable/excusable when the road is narrow, but it seems to happen even when there's ample space to pass. Used to be a rare (illegal!?) occurrence. I'm sure a psychologist would find it interesting. Is it purely a SE phenomenon? Read more
I think it is only illegal in all London Boroughs, but you can still get ticketed for obstruction elsewhere, but that is a different offence from parking on the pavement.
Cheers
Rob MKIV Supra
Roger Jones wrote:
>
> It is illegal but no-one is doing anything about it and they
> never will.
>
> It is habitual in these parts (Herts), and youngsters in
> particular seem to think it is the right and normal thing to
> do.
Hi folks, need your help again.
The Mondeo has bitten me in the pocket yet again. About 3 months ago we had a new cat fitted, the old one had collapsed internally. At the time Kwick Fit (they were the only ones able to get one next day, the day we went on holiday) said its the main cat thats gone and that was what they fitted and all ok, but you have two more, one for each bank of cylinders (2.5V6). It would appear that one of these has now gone. I understand that the newer V6's have only one. Is it possible to fit some spool pieces in way of the smaller cats and remove them totally from the system but still have a car that will pass emissions on MOT?
If I have to replace the cat I might as well have both done, how much will this cost me??
Bill Read more
So is mine......oh
When I hear that China and India have taken steps to reduce their irresponsible population levels I shall worry about my own co2 emissions,breathe more slowly perhaps,something like that.
Saw one of these today, on a "J" plate.
Nice looking car, never seen one before.
Anyone know anything about them?
WVM Read more
The supra has the performance edge over the soarer. Think of the soarer as an "Executive Supra". Less raucous, more refined.
I wanted one to replace our Audi 80 with, and sit alongside our Supra, but alas, the fiance went for an A6 instead, although thats a fantastic car as well.
Cheers
Rob MKIV Supra
Tomo wrote:
>
> So is it better than a Supra - serious question because I
> came across one while looking at Supras? Certainly less
> dramatic looking, which can be a good thing, but some Supras
> were imported officially, which would seem to favour service
> and spares prospects.
I know there have been a few issues with swearing on this forum recently so I will be very careful and say "blimming heck!". After reading earlier posts re increasing tyre pressure to improve handling I read the Michelin site and increased my front tyre pressure from 31 to 33 and the back from 30 to 38 (didn't dare go quite as far as Michelin were suggesting!) on a late plate 1.8 Cavalier to see the effects. The difference is nothing short of astounding - I found the car understeered to an extent one could possibly even call dangerous (Hired Vectras I have had have been worse!) and I have always been very meticulous with tyre pressures as per the handbook but increasing the back tyres a few PSI has made the car handle not quite like a dream but not far off it, the steering is also much lighter now as well.
If the drive is so much more improved (as I bet it would be on many other FWD cars) why do manufacturers quote such low pressures? Read more
Thanks for the explanation. Explains my van handling on corners when unloaded!
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Getting another garage to check it out is quick and prevents salesman from pestering you. I cannot wait for the EEC to finally destroy the block exemption!