October 2001
Just had a poor journey to Basingstoke and back along the A303.
Two points;
1.) If a road carrying this amount of traffic and also part of the Euro Network were in Spain/Portugal/France/Italy then I'm sure they would already have a 3-lane superhighway in state of the art tarmac - funded by the EU of course. In Blighty we have to struggle along a single carriageway more suited to a B-road across Exmoor. WHY? Is it a case of the Government not matching the EU funding?
2.) A word of warning. The services at Hook on the M3 are the last 24hr services until Hindon. Then there are 24hr stations every 10 miles. Salisbury Plain is not the place to run out of fuel. A "Major" Euro-Route with 80 miles w/o 24hr services. No wonder so many drivers fall asleep at the wheel and wipe out 3 other cars on this road. Read more
I recently bought a tow bar, for my Citroen Xantia td estate. Where can I get advise on wiring the socket please. For example does the wiring loom for all the rear lights go to one corner and then over to the other side? This would enable me to wire from just one side. Thanks Mike Holland Read more
Mike
Most garages wire the loom to one side in the boot, and pair them up - BUT:
The Xantia sidelights are fused in diagonal pairs (ns front to os rear) so if you put the trailer lights to one Xantia rear lamp wiring you will overload the fuse for that side (5 amp fuse for each side).
They did this to mine and, temporarily, I've repaced the fuse with a 10 amp (no overheated wiring) but I'll probably split the connection next spring.
Ian
Not often I see driving on the roads worthy of a creditable mention but....
Just drove down the A1 through North Yorkshire tonight, 9pm-ish so fairly dark, traffic light, me pootling along at about 70/75mph.
Pulled out to overtake a couple of lorries and saw a pair of lights appear behind me going considerably faster. Nowhere for me to pull in, and nowhere for the speedy car to overtake me (2 lanes) and given I was in a Clio auto, not much hope of speeding up go get out of the way either.
Much to my surprise, the car slowed down to what seemed a safe distance, matched my speed and then took off mucho rapido when I pulled over. As it passed I could see it was a Volvo patrol car.
Point is, I was expecting to be tailgated to within a few inches of my life, which seems to be the norm these days for idiots speeding on the motorways if you happen to get in their way.
OK, so if (s)he was in a hurry, maybe the blue fairy lights should have been on, but either way the speed seemed to be handled safely.
Sorry if this is a bit rambling, I never could get to the point quickly (especially in the Clio) Read more
I think it's because the TVR has nothing to prove - it could pass most things all day long with ease.
The BMW/Merc (& repmobile & sprinter van) drivers seem to have some point of principle to prove by forcing you out of the way.
And why do you get more hassle from the rubbish BMWs? I see more 316s, 518s and compacts driving aggressively than any 328, 540 or 7 series.
Have you all heard the reports regarding the incidents happening around Ashbourne in Derbyshire which is fairly local to me.
There has been over 40 incidents in the last few weeks where objects have been flung through windscreens of moving vehicles.
The most tragic was an Ambulanceman who was seriously injured and has lost one eye. My daughter went to school with this young man.
The Police who have been on local radio frequently seem to have no leads as to exactly how it is happening. It seems to occur after dark and they are assuming I think that these objects (including an iron bar) are being thrown from another moving vehicle, and have set up patrols in the Ashbourne area and appealed to the public for help. Many people understandably are afraid to travel around Ashbourne after dark whilst these people are at large.
It is hard to imagine the depths of wickedness of these criminals and even more to understand the leniency with which they will receive when hopefully they are apprehended. Darcy will probably know the latest on these incidents as I believe he also lives locally.
Alvin Read more
Alvin,
Must be thinking of someone else, I live in North Yorkshire.
i have become one with nature, i have become more happy with my life, and more patient with other drivers. i have found god (really i didnt know he was lost), i now only tell the truth, for it will make everyone happier, (apart from when i tell the truth about someones car, when they have put it in for the mot) Read more
Perhaps he is just ill?
"When the Devil was ill, the Devil a saint would be.
But when the Devil was well, devil the saint was he!"
We may hope for recovery.
Has anybody ever had to replace a headlining in a car? Is this a task certain to cause hours of fiddling and frustration, or are there ways of achieving a decent result without too much misery?
Our 1983 Passat estate has a nice velour headlining that was stuck to a layer of polystyrene in the roof. Over the years the polystyrene has deteriorated and bits of the headlining started to hang down.
At first it was okay to use bostik - this kept the corners up, so you didn't find the view obscured. But now the whole damn lot has come away and if you were to drive the car you would tootle along with headlining sitting on your head. (I don't do this - we have laid the car up for the time being).
I was going to try to flog the car, but I can't really expect to sell it in this state. Which is annoying because it is a nice old car and runs just as well as it ever did when it was new. Such is life .... Read more
Ian
The Minor uses support wires in pockets across the roof. Back edge clips above rear window (you have to take the glass and rubber), front has a wooden 'plate' which clips into the front header rail. Whole thing is tensioned by wires running in pockets at sides and back, which you tension up and hold with screws. You also have to remove most interior trim for access to these. Steadily tension it front to rear and then pull the sides down, using a hair dryer to make it more flexible as necessary!
I found after I did it that even the Minor specialists avoid this one if possible. I had no choice as the original had hardened up and was torn in places. Hope the replacement is better quality
Regards
John
Got a good condition 99T Citroen Xsara Westcoast Coupe (2-dr) with the 1.4i petrol engine. Nice car to drive but sadly flawed when it comes to ownership. Just been serviced and the mechanics could hardly remove the spark-plugs without serious tools on them - and they are not even due for replacement yet (its only done 21000miles). The thing cuts out occasionally especially when under full throttle and usually when climbing a hill or overtaking! CD changer has occasional days off, and the airbag warning lights come on at random.
i hope this is not a typical Xsara! Sadly a friends has also been troublesome. Read more
Yep, airbag probs, but garage sorted this, had new lock after 3 weeks as the car would lock and unlock it self then would lock at all. Annoying rattle from rear... two visits no joy, but i sorted with 3 cm of insulation tape around the hoop that the back seats click onto. Also currently had wobbly wheel syndrome, not balnce or track, had 4 wheel track £60 non warranty, to find back wheels out of spec by over 1mm, but not adjustable, therefore odd tyre wear for eva more, they say due to curbing! Didn't sort thumping from front drivers side suspension at speeds about 75mph! Great for 1 yr old with 15k!
Hi
I have a 98 'R' Ford Fiesta with air conditioning. When the air conditioning is on, the idling speed oscillates most of the time between 800 and 900 rpm, and the other day oscillated between 500 and 1100 rpm.
With the A/C off, the car is normally steady, or may oscillate between 900 and 950 rpm.
I am presuming a sensor somewhere has gone? Anyone got any ideas?
All the best
Simon Read more
My 1.25 Zetec Fiesta CVT was an R-reg company car and gave no problem to me or the guy who took it over (as far as I know, he told me he was very pleased with it for the M25 crawl).
The Escort CVT I had previously was P-reg and completed around 75K in around 14 months with no problems but when the guy came with the new Fiesta and took the old one away he did say there had been problems with the 1.6 Escort and CVT. A female colleague with one started to have some selection problems around 45K but they were adjusted away. I think she bought hers off the company in the end.
All three were mostly used on motorway or long distance commutes with the M25 Heathrow area crawl 3-4 times a week rather than in town, short journeys. Maybe that is relevant.
David
Has anyone any experience with these, made in Taiwan. I never heard of them, but there is a new set on my import Supra, which look well enough; but I have not switched off the slip control yet. Read more
In order to give people a smile with their cup of coffee...
I'm looking at a Nissan Maxima on a 'K'plate 3.0litre V6
all the toys.
It's an auto, and has towbar with twin socket on the back, so it's probably been used for towing a van. 108K miles, and looks tidy.
Am I right in thinking that an engine of that size should tow with no trouble (I don't want to use it for that, tho') and how can I tell if the auto box is O.K.? Do Nissan build good auto boxes?
Car on offer @ 995.
I know it's silly, but it looks fun! (also good as a 'Q' car)
Is HJ right? is this the 200bhp engine? Read more
My father bought an ex-fleet one, best car he has ever owned (after years of Sierras/Granadas). Pretty economical (about 30mpg, tyres last 40000 miles, after 110000 miles its still on the original exhaust), comfy, lots of toys, goes fast (plenty fast) and makes a nice noise. But after 90-something thousand miles and 8 years of dealer servicing the auto box rolled over and died. Definitely wasn't expecting that one - we've had Sierras go through 150000 miles with less problems. The radio aerial broke at some point, it eats rear brake pads (dad had never changed a set of pads before he got this car) and parts can be a pain to get - the trick appears to be finding someone whose parts book actually lists a Maxima. And the finish on the alloy wheels looks crap quickly. But who cares. Absolute belter of a car, very exclusive, lovely and anonymous, doesn't look particularly dated and you can buy them for relative peanuts (if you can find one). And the chances appear to be about 9 in 10 that it will have been owned by a well heeled pensioner and therefore been looked after better than most peoples first born child.
Browse
.jpg)
We have a national allergy to building roads.
Compared to the Irish this is a very minor allergy.
look at a map of Germany to see what adequate road provision looks like...
And the real joke is.....theres enough money to fix it in about 5 years,but its being wasted on excessive government running costs,not to mention being poured into a ludicrously disorganised NHS.