September 2001
Hi. I'm having a problem selling my Mitsubishi GTO3000. I advertised in Autotrader but got no response except for other agencies trying to sell me more advertising space. Does anyone have any ideas about the best way to go about advertising this somwhat rare and specialist car. Read more
I AM INTERESTED IN BUYING A METRO GTI 16V.
THE PROBLEM IS, IS THAT IT WAS A TOTAL WRIGHT OFF IN 1994.
THE CAR IS A 1993 K REG WITH 70000 ON THE CLOCK 8 MONTHS MOT AND IN GOOD COND.
IS IT WORTH ME BUYING IT AND IF SO HOW MUCH FOR?
MY REGARDS Read more
If it drives well enough any you're paying a monkey (£500) or less, why worry about re-sale prospects?
HJ
I'm determined to have a career in motor-journalism, but as the old addage goes it would appear to be a case of who you know and not what you know.
If anyone knows any editors, writers, tea-boys, in fact anyone currently working in this trade, please let me know as I am eager to begin my career.
Thanks in advance
Tim
adidasman@btinternet.com Read more
OK he means 34.8039%, but that level of precision is meaningless. I wouldn't expect a dyne to be better than +/-2% on accuracy, so what's the difference between 204BHP and 198BHP? Nadge all.
I am thinking of buying a Zafira but remember reading somewhere that it is due to be updated soon. If this is the case I might wait for the new version.
Did I imagine this? Read more
Stuart B wrote>
(sorry David Rover is heaps better today, to the power infinity +1)
Awwww thanks Stuart! :-) You're right.
I heard the stories from the DP (Dealer Principal) of the local Vauxhall Dealership so they must be true.
David
An aquaintance overseas with an Opel Vectra has had a stalling problem.
Dealer originally changed slow running valve plus installed a filter to stop oil getting in it but no avail.
Now he appears to have changed the oil pickup pipe problem appears cured, any thoughts? Read more
Thanks Mark we talk in English.
Hi,
Mk3 Golf 1.8 Auto 1992/93 with Bosch single Point injection. Starts OK from cold but then splutters and stalls. It'll restart OK and runs fine when warm. Had the coolant temperature sender unit replaced but still not fixed. My mechanic cannot fix it and suggest VAG dealers who have the diagnostic machines. Somebody on a previous Polo problem message suggests the manifold heater? Is there a similar thing on the Golf or what else might it be?
Thanks
Peter Read more
Peter,
Yes, your Golf will have the same manifold heater. Check as advised in earlier thread.
Regards, Adam
I notice the signs beside the road seem to increase exponentially over the years. If you include all the other street furniture such as street lights - coming off the road would be probably a nasty experience. If an oncoming driver forced you off the road you would find it virtually impossible to avoid them.
I doubt if motorists even notice most of them - I don't. Read more
The A31 Hogsback from Winchester towards London is dual carriageway. (When Mike Hawthorn was killed driving a Jag with experimental tyres it was not.) As you get to Guildford, the road splits. The right lane is for Guildford. The left is to join the main A3 towards London. The right lane has a reasonably sharp corner. the other is straight. Some few years ago there were no accidents because both the direction signs AND the arrows on the road made it clear that the A3 was straight and the Guildford rad wasa right turn. This was changed for no good reason and brand new signs were erected. These showed both ways straight ahead, including the arrows on the road. There were constant crashes. I lost count. At least one a month. People relying on the straight ahead arrows and crashing at the right turn. Eventually (dozens of crashes later) somebody noticed and the result has been a huge road widening project, with an added lane, and the imposition of a 40 MPH speed limit where it was 70 before. All this expence and silly speed limit just because some petty official decided to change a roadsign which clearly indicated a right turn into a straight ahead sign causing mayhem.
Sorry to gripe, but I've watched it happen.
Has anyone else seen this particular one? and what can an ordinary person do about these bureocratic cock ups. Nothing???
I've got a Rover 623 with the Honda 2.3L engine. I'm not sure if this is 'one of those things' with the engine but the tappets are fairly noisy. Once driving the tappet noise is non-existant as I think the oil pressure is up and OK. At idle, it's audible as a ticking noise.
The car has been fully serviced and 4 years old with 60K on the clock. I'm wondering if the oil is not the right grade but other than that I'm foxed. Read more
Many thanks! I will get the oil and filter changed as I'm not happy with the quality of the oil used. It was serviced last week and it's gone from a honey colour to a dark brown already. It's not smoking or burning anything at all, it was MOT'd and lamda checked. I just think it's cheap single grade oil, it'll be worth a few quid for a flush and a quality multigrade.
As it's a Honda engine, I'd automatically assumed hydraulic tappets if there are adjustable then that's given me some piece of mind as the noise does remind me of other engines of a similar config.
It is actually due cambelt change but I had a look and they look OK but I'll get it done as prevention is always better than cure !!!!!
Thanks for the clearance check as I was not aware of that, it was Rover dealer serviced so I'd hope they did it. I will take it down to my trusted independent garage who are excellent (Courtwoods of Uxbridge) and get the oil done to start with and see what they think. I don't want to put you out so don't worry about clearance info, I'll get the garage to do it if necessary.
As ever, many thanks for the technical know how.
The dealer from where I bought my new Civic Aerodeck from has given me a set of steel wheels also from a new car to enable me to take my alloys off for the winter-(yes I was actualy given them for free).
I have been pricing tyres and am amazed at some of the quotes I have been getting. Goodyear Venturas 185 60 14 were £268 +valves&balance at Kwickfit I phoned around and can get them for £160 inc valves & balance from Tyrespot (Tyneside).I can also get Pirelli 6000s for£172 inc.
What is the best buy bearing in mind they will only be used in the winter and I am not a fast driver,I do not want cheap make tyres that some tyre dealers have been trying to push on me.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Malcolm. Read more
I experienced a night and day difference in noise when moving from Michellin Pilots to Good Year NCT-5 s. I think most of this was because the Michellins where v bad but the Goodyears are better in almost every way.
I am shortly about to look for an early 'new' Range Rover manual diesel to replace my company car. The reason for this is to tow a comparatively heavy, twin axle caravan (1350Kg) which we hope to upgrade to early next year. My budget will only run to dealer prices for an early 'm' 'n' reg Range Rover on which I can expect in the region of 60,000 upwards mileage.
I intend to purchase (cash) through a Landrover dealer and also have the Advanced AA Inspection carried out. However it is alot of money (circa £16,000) to spend on a high mileage vehicle, especially with the quality/reliability problems associated with these vehicles. What do you think? What sort of warranty would Landrover offer on a vehicle of this age? I have done my running cost calculations and maintenance is probably the only scary area.
I would go for am M Class 2.7 Mercedes with better residuals, but even next year the 99 models will be well outside my budget.
(I appreciate you can get younger Disco, Shogun etc. but they're not really the same class!) Read more
Mark
Whilst I'd agree with you that the RR is superior to a Disco in terms of interior space I'd agree with Fred - why buy one in the first place. The problem is that when your not towing the caravan your stuck with a large fuel inefficient vehicle with pretty roly-poly road manners. Also I think the diesel will struggle with a heavy caravan.
We ran an (admittedly) 'original' model for a year. Despite uprating the suspension, we just got fed up with the fuel consumption and the ropey handling. What worried me particularly was that it you were always driving to suit the handling, and there was no reserve if, say, you needed to avoid a car on the motorway swerving because of a tyre blow out. Never again.
Now, I believe that the newer 4x4's are better, but they will always be a compromise because the C of G is too high in the first place.
Regards
john
Here's the answer I sent to John Persons in response to his personal e-mail:-
What are you asking on www.autotrader.co.uk ? Or weren't you using
this? It costs £7 a fortnight and works far better than the weekly rag.
If the garage is offering you £3,500 LESS £1,200, you're really being
offered £2,300, which is a joke.
So if you advertise for £5,500 (which looks cheap) and get £5,000 you will
be £2,700 better off than going the garage route.
Something else that occurs is to contact Mike Brewer at Deals on Wheels
(Channel 4 Fridays at 8.00, or via www.4car.com). I don't know if the whole
series is already filmed, but if it isn't, yours is exactly the sort of
weirdo car Mike wants to demonstrate how much price difference there can be
for the same motor.
HJ