October 2001
rear wheel bearing problem on old mini
news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/business/newsid_1576000/...m Read more
What makes me sick about a lot of modern cars is this ridiculous and mindless fashion for shaping the headlights like the eyes of an evil monster. Someone, don't know who, had the idea first, and now a whole host of copycat designers, no doubt extremely well-paid perrier-sipping tossers, think they have to follow suit because their "findings" show that "that's what the public want". Have you seen a focus's headlights up close? They are a silly confection. The PT cruiser might not to be to everyone's taste but for me the whole thing is ruined by those stupid headlights. Think of all the other horrific examples! Read more
Rebecca wrote:
>
Now they're
> doing the same with washing machines, toilet seats, fridges
> etc...and of course there's the IMac
>
> If we didn't buy them, they wouldn't keep selling them.
Dead right, Rebecca. We're like kids: wave something shiny and brightly coloured in front of us and we start gurgling with pleasure. They know they've built reliable machines that will last for years but they depend on us buying a new one every three years at least, so they try to pretend they've come up with something new, and they know that a new shape or a bright colour will do the trick. Bah. Humbug.
Chris
Has anyone noticed a shorter duration amber light where red light cameras are installed?
It seems the duration of the yellow light has a big effect on the number of red-light offences. When a driver sees an amber light, there are three options: (a) You have enough time to stop (amber means stop). (b) You are too near the junction to stop safely, so you drive through while the light remains amber. (c) You are between these two situations, in the "zone of dilemma" as an American engineer described it. In this third case, there is not enough space to stop safely before the junction, but you are too far from the junction to get through it before the light turns red.
Highways engineers can eliminate this "zone of dilemma" by setting enough time for the amber light. This interval can be calculated using an equation that incorporates vehicle speed, stopping ability, etc. I am told that the ideal time for amber is about 5 seconds.
Traffic engineers can also simply increase the yellow-light time at problem junctions until red-light offences are reduced.
Wouldn't extending the amber a second or two be simpler than installing expensive camera devices? No revenue in that.
So our oppressors can make money by fitting red light cameras and then reduce the amber time to make even more. I heard of a case in Cardiff where a chap drives towards a particular junction with red light cameras and he says 9 times out of 10 the light changes to red with a fast amber even though there is no traffic approaching the junction on the other roads. He say?s this has happened since the installation of an inductive loop about 200 yds from the junction.
Curiouser and curiouser Read more
anything in the list after, I think, the hocus pocus note has the reply count and the "new" flag one life adrift. Try reading the one above the one showing "new".
In the ?Cavalier Replacement? thread, David Woollard made the point:
?It is still a point everyone has to learn that ECU fuel injection in old cheap cars is going to be a major problem in years to come, often they aren't worth fixing.?
He went on to suggest a (non-ECU) Xantia diesel.
This is a point that is regularly made, for the benefit of those of us that don?t get our hands dirty opening the bonnet, could someone clarify which popular diesels of the last five to ten years are non-ECU? Read more
You'll get someone sending you a snotty remark, recommending older technology. I did when I mentioned the good old fashioned engine in my Land Cruiser. Something about wrecking the enviroment.
Would appreciate the forums advice/experience/wisdom about my intended purchase of a 98S Passat 1.8T Sport tiptronic estate. It's an ex-lease car with a full book of VAG stamps - but - its done 93000 miles. It had a cambelt change at 80k is well shod and drives straight. Should I be worried about the turbo/tip box or engine? Any advice greatfully received.
PS Thaks to HJ for a top site - not as anoraky as Car mechanics and not as corporate Motor trade as What Haymarket Autocarspor. Rock on! Read more
About 25 mpg if my A4 1.8T is anything to go by.
Recently had a new fuel filter and housing fitted at same time as cambelt changed at regulation interval. Now I have, at 1500 approx revs the car going into some kangaroo hopping.juddering routine in gears 2 through 4 when crusing at those revs, say in traffic or slow cornering etc.
Dealer says cambelt fitting not at fault, maybe fuel pump now faulty but it is odd that it ionly appeared after the filter and housing (which was cracked) were changed.
HJ suspects the Turbo may be playing up. Does anyone have any ideas to help me out, I am stuck as to what to do next since it may be the dealers fault and I have paid already so I dont want more blind alleys investigated and them charging me more and so on...
Any feedback appreciated. Thanks
Andy Read more
mondeos suffer from breaks in the power steering pressure switch, if you are unlucky & the break is intermittant it seems to get the ecu confused, if the break is full time then the ecu won't increase the idle rpm when the steering is operated & the engine may stall
re turbos, it is possible for leaking oil from the turbos compressor side shaft seal to enter the engine inlet manifold and provide extra*fuel* , but the leak would have to be terrible!
As an owner of a 2000 model year VW PASSAT 1.8 Estate, I have found that the "heated" mirrors do not appear to operate efficiently. I asked the franchised dealer to check them last service but they responded that they were working OK. I wonder has anyone experienced a similar problem? Read more
Something that happened with my Beetle - the heating only operates when the mirror control switch is in the centre position. The original switch was duff so the heating only worked when it felt like it - switch replaced and now the mirrors steam!
I'm tracing rain water leaks on my wifes Orion 1600cc Auto. but these two have got me stumped ! !
Ive wallpapered the interior of the boot with newspaper and I find after persistant light rain with the car stationary, quite a lot of water appears on the inner vertical sides of the boot. That is, starting within the metal guards where the swinging arms of the two hinges rotate. Ive also traced a small leak [a slow weep] coming through the rubber sealing strip which secures the rear windscreen but that is very slight and I think it is diverting me away from the correct area to investigate. I wondered if it may be some water coming in via the sun roof well? There appears to be only one drainage hole on either side at the front end, coupled up to the plastic tubes which emerge on the inner sides of the rear panels near to the rear wheels. Ive checked that water flows through okay via a watering can. But I wondered if there is also drainage holes at the rear of the sun roof well? Which may have disconnected. If that is so God knows how one could reconnect them. These drain tubes are not mentioned in my Haynes Manual so perhaps they dont give any trouble? I really should get rid of the car, but it runs well, has got hand controls for my wifes disability and she wont change it. regards, Bob Dryden. Read more
Solved ! 16.10.01 New rear windscreen seal fitted. All now snug and dry.
Thanks to all the Backroom Boys for pointing the way.
regards Bob Dryden
mike harvey wrote:
Michael wrote:
>
> Bob, you may have already solved the problem. Do not
> underestimate the amount of water that will enter the car via
> a leaking rear window seal. The paper is absorbing much of
> the water and may be confusing you. Try again, with less
> paper and, ideally, someone in the boot with a torch.
Sorry to be sexist, but do any women actually bother to read their cars handbook after they have just bought it? I think (I can't be certain) that all diesel engined cars have glowplugs that need to warm up for 5 secs or so before the engine is started, however the number of times I have seen women get into there brand new clio/saxo/corsa etc diesels and try and turn the engine over straight away is amazing. The noise it makes is awful, surely it can't be doing the engine any good either? Also, petrol caps, rocket sience to remove for some women come fill up time. Never mind, at least they are safer drivers (alledgedly), but that is another story! Read more
Moved by the author to "Women and diesles again".
I am considering importing a 'modern classic' [specifically a Lancia 037 stradale] from the continent and have 2 questions related to importing. Firstly, is there a database listing the export duties or similar charged by European countries [ EC and others]? Secondly, I understand that VAT and import duty is charged on importing from non-EC countries unless the car is approved by Customs and Excise as' rare' after submission of a BAT1 application. With this approval, VAT is reduced to 5% and there is no import duty.A broker in Switzerland asserts that by completeing a EUR 1 form there should be no charge at all for importing an EC manufactured car from Switzerland, but the Customs and Excise advice line asserts that this is not applicable as the car was not manufactured in the UK! Please advise as to exactly when a EUR 1 form is applicable. Read more
that seems to have cured it.
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Michael White posted a notice about the Mini recall.
Michael, I've deleted this. All the relevant details are here on the news page. Thanks for your efforts.
Martyn