November 2001
I seem to be under attack by a virus which downloads as soon as I select the e-mail header. Got to be fast to delete it, but can't be sure this has heppened. If any of you get an e-mail supposedly from me with an attachment, then it will be virus infected and you need to delete the thing as fast as your fingers will let you. Don't know what it is or where it's coming from. McAfee doesn't firewall it or pick it up. Anyone know anything about it?
HJ Read more
Whose is your favourite female presenter from tv's current motoring shows?
Top Gear - Vicki Butler-Henderson
Driven - Penny Mallory
Pulling Power - Michelle Newman, Gail Porter
I think it a little sexist to judge just on looks, motoring knowledge/experience should be considered also.
R Read more
Hmmmm thinking of uniforms
V-B-H dressed as a WPC perhaps??
D
in the honest john column a few weeks ago in response to a volvo owner honest john replied that Volvo UK is compelled by EU law t0 warrant a car purchased outside the UK for 12 months and, carry out any work under any official recalls indefinitely. i am interested in the recall position for a car bought outside the UK and would like to know the details of the relevant legislation, including the section and act, and if possible where the information can be sourced.
J.M.Dunn.66 Ballagarey Road Glen Vine IM4 4EQ Read more
Manufacturer is NOT obliged to notify any owners od "grey imports" that recall is necessary so how does the owner of a cheap import find out.? Manufacturers only notify UK owners of safety recalls. Other recalls, like cambelt pulleys, (Vauxhall) are only dealt with if customer bought car from UK dealer and continues to have it serviced at UK dealer.
I've got a Citroen Xantia HDi (110bhp) turbo diesel. When the weather's cold, I've noticed it's very slow to heat up. I'm having the thermostat checked out in a week or so, but meanwhile wondered if anyone else had a similar problem. Is it perhaps a common trait with this model?
Whilst on the subject, the automatic climate system seems to act irrationally, e.g. if I increase the required temperature, the fan speed reduces (I would have expected it to increase) and if I set the temperature to max., the fan speed just about dies. I could understand this if the car was stone cold, with a large difference between the ambient temperature in the car and the temperature requested, presumably because the fan would be blowing harder but with colder air; but this seems to occur even when the car has reached correct operating temperature. Other cars I've had with climate control (Galaxies, Rover 800, Volvo 850) have never acted like this. Read more
Are you sure the climate control isn't faulty?
Most monitor the output of the heater ducts & the coolant temp, and if this is too cool, it won't turn the fan up to high speed until it detects some warmth in the air, otherwise it would blast your feet with cold air. If the hot/cold flap isn't working properly, this may be the effect. With the engine warm, feel the hoses going into the heater through the bulkead, if these are hot, then it may be the flap. If you turn the hot/cold to full hot or cold, you may hear the flap move, and you may be able to hear it clunk is it reached full travel. Alternatively, remove the glovebox and see if you can see the mechanism, and make sure it is traveling properly.
Tried a few insurance companies web sites for quotes over the last couple of days. Got a quote off direct line which came to £550, I thought that was a bit steep for my group 6 car, when I realised I had forgot to put in my no claims bonus (5 years), so I re-did the quote expecting it to come out at around £250 (assuming 60-65% discount for 5 years no claims.)
Yet, it quoted me nearer £350, a discount of around only 40%! I tried a couple of other sites and again, the difference in quotes for no discount as opposed to 5 years was only 40-45%.
So much for the 65% off that most companies claim to give for having full no claims. Also don't fall into the "Get a 10% discount for buying online", the last policy I took out was actually cheaper quoted over the phone than online from the same company, they are obviously trying to take advantage of peoples laziness to bother to ring around by telling you this. Read more
You haven't been ripped off. When you failed to enter your ncb first time you will have attracted an introductory discount ('cos you have had no claims) so when you came to enter your ncb you will have only received a discount below the previous (introductory) discounted price so the difference would not amount to 60% (or thereabouts).
Some car supermarkets in the Midlands have large numbers of non-UK specification Opel Astra and Opel Zafira. Apparently these low-spec vehicles were sourced in Malta, imported through Eire, and were intended to be re-badged as Vauxhalls and sold on to the unsuspecting public. They also have even larger numbers of Ford Focus and Ford Mondeo but I don't know whether these are UK-spec or not.
We all want cars at the same price as Europeans but car supermarkets and personal imports are not the answer because right-hand drive cars for other markets are usually lower specification, The only answer is to remove the block exemption and remove fleet discounts, which are still up to 25%.
The other answer is for the UK to switch to left-hand drive, which may well be cheaper in the medium and long term. Read more
The cost involved is more than just a few chrome badges; radiator grill, wheel trims, engine cover, airbagged steering wheel, etc. It really is surprising the length that some car dealers will go to to con the car-buying public.
If you want more details, contact Staffordshire Trading Standards or Cannock Magistrates Court. I don't think Motorpoint have made a statement about this deception.
I read previous comments about how delicate car tyres are and how driving over curbs can ruin them. Realised for years I have been driving my van tyres over high curbs and accross rubbish covered building areas with no problems despite having economy brand tyres.
Think the reinforced structure intended for load carrying, the tread that is deeper than car tyres and sidewalls with thicker rubber worth paying £40/tyre. Read more
you'd be surprised how far you can get before you need to hook up the towing strap to a tractor- previous transit 190 twin wheel wasn't so good as the front axle weight was slightly higher & combined with 185-14 on the front you tended to get the front sinking in before the traction was lost
rebalancing is sometimes needed as the stones cut the drive wheels to shreds, but as 95% of work is on road, payload wins over the down side of running a 4wd
Mark (Brazil)
Have a look at my last entry on the previous insurance thread.What do you think to that one? Having read your extract from the RTA 1988 it woulod certainly seem to question some of the wrangling and back pedaling from the insurance companies. I see that the word ' judgement ' is included. Does that mean that the matter would have to be brought before a Civil Court before they would honour a claim? Seems to me a licence for delaying tactics.
Andrew Read more
In that particular section "judgement" was used, elsewhere it was not. In other sections it simply uses the word "liability".
It also covers very well their inability to avoid any claims, TPI or not, simply by use, licence, age, capacity and several other factors.
You should read it one rainy afternoon. Its not that complex and if you are only interested in the stuff applicable to insurance, then it isn't that big either. Although I would recommend you had a sample insurance policy & certificate to aid understanding.
On your other note, I never said that Insurance Companies were not devious sods who will do anything to intimidate, delay or confuse themselves out of paying a claim.
Interesting point about the dead guy though. I'd guess it would go back to a judgement of proximate cause and therefore they wouldn't be able to avoid, but I'd have to research that one.
I do know it has been tried, I've just no memory of what happened.
1992 J Goodwood 309 GTi 1905cc
80,900 genuine proveable miles ( as reading today)
Full service history and complete history file with more reciepts than i can describe
all old mots
mot till may 02 tax till 10/02
HPi clear with certificate to prove
Full immaculate leather interior
Optional momo wood pack (Steering wheel and gear knob)
Standard Factory fit clarion 6 disc changer
Mongoose stainless steel exhaust
K&n induction kit
PPM ECU
Car is in very good condition, drives fantastically and used daily
Rolling road print out to prove engine condition and power (125 bhp and approxx 124 lb/ft torque)
The ice is open to negotiation, i will sell the car with or with out the stereo but im keeping the headunit.
Ice is 2 alpine v12 amps, 2 kenwood 10 inch subs, professional boot installation
Im asking around £2000 for the car without the stereo, £2500 with. Open to very near offers
ben
pics are available by e-mail. beermonster666@yahoo.co.uk Read more
Yeah, 125 at the flywheel. Presumeably the stock figure of 130bhp is also at the flywheel. 5 lost somewhere...
Age? I had my own J reg car dyno'd last week and it peaks 11 bhp higher than the listed specification. (no mods, although a previous owner rebuilt the turbo).
dan
My dear wife recently bought a Mondeo and we still have her Volvo 340 parked in the drive, taxed and tested. My own insurance policy covers me to drive other cars on a third party only basis and I asked the insurance company if I could drive the 340 under this insurance. I was concerned that they may say that, as it was my wife?s car, it did not qualify under the ?Any car not owned by you or hired to you under a Hire Purchase agreement? clause. What?s yours is mine, etc.
Their reply surprised me. They confirmed I am able to drive a car not owned by me and yes, I could drive my wife?s car but ?only if the car is already insured in it?s own right. If it has no insurance then the driving other cars extension does not apply?
I wonder why this is as any claim could not be for damage to the 340 but only to cover a third parties loss.
Where you all aware of this restriction? Just as well I checked. Read more
I keep telling readers what Alwyn's insurer told him. The only way to cover a lot of cars on the same policy is to get trade insurance as per this week's Telegraph coulumn.
HJ
Browse
Useful to know this. Halifax very coy about offer. Similarly Barclays bank offered Norton Internet Security if you went online. However offer closed but check on Security icon to see if it is offered again.