November 2001
I got an email telling me that I should have put this msg in its own thread sorry... how many recall their first car and how many still have theirs?
I still have and drive my first car.
A Jeep CJ2A.
My father bought it new the year I was born (1948) and gave it to me in a non running condition when I was 15 so that I would learn how things worked and have something to drive when I turned 16...
I took all to bits and put it back together that year (it needed a new flat head and piston rings and some gear box work(2ed gear synchro) and some pop rivet work on the body and a new clutch and the brakes needed work and the steering kit needed renewal and the fuel pump needed rebuilding and the water pump and the radiator
(cause of the cracked head that had put it out of service was the botom mount radiator core falling to bits in the middle of nowhere... hose run from one side of water pump to the other... after run home bonnett lifted in the dusk to see the head glowing red... buckets of water dumped on same to keep engine from freezing up when turned off... after the steam cleared many crackes in the head but engine still running on about 2 pots!)
I learned about cars from that machine It had about 75,000 miles when I got it and has over 265,000 miles on it now... it is my summer daliy driver.
~R Read more
my 1993 Volvo 960 automatic (140000miles ) has been hitherto trouble free.Now it has started to jrrk when stopped in traffic ( like a sudden power surge ) and, worse, the engine can suddenly cut out when cruising. Switching to neutral and restarting the ignitiongets it going again but its scary to cut out at 70mph on the motorway. My local garage can neither replicate nor diagnose the problem. Any ideas? Read more
Ermmm....welllllll.....its electrical,and it seems sudden,so probably iignition,so something may be getting hot and cutting out,then cutting back in when it cools,but GOKW.
I've got a Volvo boat engine like this,but thats caused by the magneto and my bone idleness in not changing it,and you havent got a magneto.I do hope its not a control unit,but methodicallydisconnecting,wd40ing and rconnecting the ignition circuit cant hurt.A volvo dealer will undoubtedly charge you for a new control unit,labor at about seventy quid an hour and very possibly a tenner for disposal of your old unit(that was not a joke).
They recently charged my mother three times the actual cost of new oil to dispose of the old stuff!
Dont go there!
The franchised motor trade really is getting a little bit naughty with their silly charges,and bearing in mind that they are terrified about losing their monopoly on one hand and really eager to encourage us to use them outside warranty on the other,I can only conclude that they have their heads firmly rammed up their own arses.
The local Cornish Volvo dealer is more likely to see a Boeing 747 in its workshop than mothers Volvo,and the joke is on them,for she likes them and would prefer to use them!
Don't want to depress you guys but a contact in the trade (leasing company) buys these brand spankers for 4k. yikes! what will that do to resids, either that or they are running them for nowt. Read more
I think personally I'd rather pay 2 grand and take my chances...
Anyway the public can buy cars at these kind of prices? Some of the manufacturers really are taking the pee aren't they?
Anyone any experience of Subaru Legacy - reliability, cost of service/spares, fuel consumption, towing etc? HJ recommends but various other web sites give some cause for concern. Any info and experience gratefully received
Peter Read more
I seriously considered a Legacy & was going to have an LPG conversion fitted to offset fuel consumption but local salesmen were pathetic & general attitudes were such that it left me without sufficient confidence, I bought a 3 cornered star German machine...having read the above by John I realise that I should have persevered! Excellent review thank you.If only the motoring scribes could match it.
regards
Saxton
I have a 1997 Mitsubishi Carisma 1.8 petrol (non GDI), 29000 miles. It has recently developed a very annoying judder when I release the clutch in first gear.
Seems to disappear after approx 3 miles. It is worse in the mornings when it is wet and/or cold.
I didn't have the problem in the summer but seem to remember it was like this last winter (but not so bad).
It has a hydraulic clutch and the biting point is approximately 70% of the way up on the clutch pedal. This has not changed since I bought the car 3.5 years ago with 13000 miles on the clock.
The car is mainly used for short journeys (I work 2 miles from home). However I do consider myself to be very 'clutch sympathetic'.
Several questions please:-
What do you think the problem may be?
Is it worth worrying about?
If the worst comes to the worst, and it needs a new clutch, will it be a big job? - I have read some alarming reports regarding new clutches on Mondeos / Vectras in previous threads regarding what is involved and the time / cost.
(If it makes any difference I am keeping the car for about another 18-24 months).
I will be extremlely grateful for any suggestions.
Many thanks,
Jason Read more
You might have already given us the answer- you're clutch sympathetic.
Try giving it a bit of a 'burn'. Let's face it. If you are thinking of replacing the clutch, you've nothing to lose.
Here in Northampton diesel is now a jaw dropping 7p a litre (76.9 plays 69.9) more than standard unleaded. Petrol has fallen while deisel still at summer levels. That s over 30p a gallon in old money. Is this true nationally and is anyone aware of a public explanation from the oil companies?. Off to France next week, interesting to see if hypermarket prices there are still at the same 4.90 litre as in the summer. Read more
diesel all across mainland Europe along with petrol has decreased in price it is only the uk that has these high prices. 1.44dm per litre in Essen this morning
If there's one action that any government should be taking now, it's to make the M6 south of Preston, 4 lanes for its entirety! (Mike Rutherford didn't mention this in his hit list!) Living in Aberdeen we travel to south coast regularly on hols; it is horrendous anytime of day and anywhere on M6 and M5.
I would gladly pay a toll if guaranteed action on this.
Did I notice on our last visit south that bridge works were being carried out on the M6. Is this for an additional lane? Here's hoping.
Lane discipline, well that's another story! Read more
4 lanes will be fine provided it's not like the 4 lane sections of the M25 - lane 3 full of 65 mile/hr cruisers who won't move over!
Regards
john
Have just encountered Pratman, turning right at a miniroundabout without signallling. It might have been difficult for him, because he was busy prattling on the mobile held to his ear.
Appreciating the enforcement problems, I still reckon whats needed is just a few high profile and very expensive court prosecutions. Read more
ian (cape town) wrote:
> Call me a male chauvinist pig
> if you must but women's brains were not designed to cope with
> too many complicated things at once,
Yes, he's a MCP (and I know it's not you Ian but some journalist), not only that but wrong. Women's brains are designed differently to men's, in particular to be able to 'multi-task', which is a daily necessity after childbirth if not before.
Psychologists have done research into this: women bank tellers can count money accurately while carrying on a conversation, men bank tellers can't.
Please note that I am not arguing that anyone should talk on mobile phones at the same time as driving!!! Just because we can do something doesn't make it safe or sensible to do it!
> particularly just after childbirth.
The capacity to multi-task is diminished immediately after childbirth and may take some months to return to 'normal' levels. Postnatal depression will hinder return to 'normal' levels, but sitting at home waiting for this to happen probably isn't a good idea. Huge amounts of constructive support from the father in the form of cooking, washing up, changing nappies, laundry, shopping and cleaning is the best therapy, and if this continues until the children leave home recurring depression may be lessened or even avoided ;-). Failing that, similar support from understanding friends and family will help.
Hi,
I'm looking for a small car for 2k or less. Desirables are decent acceleration & torque and reasonable levels of comfort. What are your recommendations? Read more
Hi
I'd think it'd be worth looking at a Citroen ZX TD if you can find a decent one. Looking on Autotrader the other day, there were lots available for less than 2k.
Worth checking out the car by car breakdown on the menu on the left for what to check on the ZX (or any other car).
I'd probably try and find a 1.9TD Avantage as this will have power steering and will have fewer things to break than an Aura, and potentially the sportier volcane will have been thrashed, but a decent volcane is an excellent car. Avoid red though.
'Course there is a lot of choice now for 2k, but I think the ZX TD is excellent value, even if it is beginning to look a little old. A bit like me.
Lee.
This was something we discussed earlier, but an additional question as I have finally plucked my rear end out of the chair to sort this.
You know how in the new system you have to have a photo. If you send in your passport as proof of identity you dont have to have the photo countersigned that it is you. But if you send in something else you do like passports.
Now as we've moved house a fair distance everyone we come into contact with, well in the case of the missus more than me, does not meet the criteria for signing the photo, eg known personally longer than two years etc etc, and of course they are tightening up on who signs.
Don't want to send off passports for obvious reasons. So we intend to use the post office photo checking service where for a fee they will check everything including your ID, give you the passport back and send it off.
Question 1 is do you have to have your photo signed for this type of PO application? Judging by the sign on the door the local post office does not handle it and are fed up of being asked (font = a big number) Also judging by the search on the post code on post office website it will be a pain in the rear to get to one that does in the near future.
Question 2 is once the application has gone off how many years does it take for Swansea to send you the new one.
Question 3 is could anyone have thought of a more complicated system? Read more
John
True, but I was refering to motoring legislation.
Regards
john
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With the cylinder head off and the fluids drained it was possible to lift the 100E engine out singlehanded. I know cos I dun it one night and put it on the kitchen table to take it apart, and barely had to time to clean up the mess before Mum woke up.