February 2002
Your recent articles suggest that this fuel lacks lubricity.
I have a 1996 Mercedes E Class, 300 diesel, with 68,000 miles and which I hope to keep for a very long time. On one occasion you sugested using
Shell Plura which may help the longivity of the fuel pump, but this fuel is not available in my area. Perhaps you may sugest an aditive to the fuel such as
Redex or Wynns etc. Please let me have your advice.
Graham Edge 3rd February 2002.
araedex Read more
has anyone used the enco "fuel economizer"? It claims to improve fuel economy by up to 20% by separating large hydrocarbon molecules by some kind of electric current. I might be getting a job selling the things! Read more
With or without magnets?
Seve Ballesteros swears by 'em - but look at HIS results these days!
(Sorry, non-golfers!)
Am I the only dim one around here? The VW web-site says "Our website is an honest reflection of our cars" - are they really difficult to enter and impossible to navigate, or is it me? Read more
On the subject of website, Renaults and Saabs are both very easy tonavigate, esp the used Saab section
Interesting comment in today's Sunday Telegraph that the Audi A3 diesel sound like a load of nails in a food processor. Couldn't agree more. I tried a new A4 Avant with the 130bhp PD engine yesterday and I couldn't believe just how bad this much-vaunted engine really is - noisy, unresponsive and downright uncouth with teeth rattling vibration through the steering. A damned fine car spoiled.
I also tried a 2.5 Tdi A4 - not bad but still pretty noisy and very expensive. On an extended run it returned a whole 1.5 mpg more than a similar A4 1.8T (petrol) - it would take several zillion miles to get back the price premium.
And before the DERV brigade start writing abuse..... just try the new TDCI Focus, performs just like a petrol and doesn't even sound like a diesel except if you are outside. You can buy a lot of fuel for the £1200 premium though.
Until I drove the 130Tdi I was on the point of buying an A4 Avant, the experience has so soured my view of the car that I probably won't buy now. Read more
Have to agree with you on the A4 130TDi. Had one today for a 24 hour test drive and found the vibration very tiresome. Wouldn't be able to live with it. However, I wouldn't agree that it was unresponsive because at 2,500+ rpm the acceleration is very strong. Also, averaged 44.5mpg over a fair mixture of motorway, dual carrageway and stop/start.
It was an SE spec and wouldn't be able to live with the poor damping on the standard suspension either.
So I'll give this diesel lark one more try and see if I can get my hands on an A4 2.5 TDi with sports suspension. If it can do 40 mpg and keep itself from floating/ bouncing, I'll probably get one.
I wish to apologise to anyone I may have offended with regards to my 'Vauxhall Adverts' post. I realise there are plenty of you out there who can afford and take pleasure in driving a brand new car. I suppose if I was rich enough to buy new I would be tempted, but I'm poor! (but not bitter and twisted about it you understand...) ;-) Read more
ok, ok, i know what you are all doing, and i understand that you cant trust me, but i HAVE changed, but i know that you all will never believe me.
On Friday night, there was a lot of activity in the main road outside my house. Sirens, screaching tyres, etc.
It now transpires that some low-life scum had beaten another two motorists senseless with a baseball bat, at 2am, about a mile down the road. apparently, he had been flashing at them to pass, on a windy section of road, and when they pulled aside, they flashed him back. He stopped, got out, and gave them a whacking.
The pond-spawn was driving a white golf, and as I read the story, I recall coming home a few hours earlier, and having some tw*t in a white golf first çhecking me out'at the traffic lights, and then, when I didn't floor the pedal in a boyish "dice"with him, tailgating me for about a mile with his brights on(where there was sufficient room to pass, on the dual carriageway), about 5 feet off my back bumper.
It seems obvious that some moron with a serious mental condition was just out for a trouble-making session... thank god I didn't rise to the neanderthal's bait, but I feel bad that somebody else was hurt. Read more
Ian,
I empathize from Manila. Maybe you need a big truck like an F-150. I must confess I do respond to the tailgaters at night, when my patience is stretched beyond endurance with some fancy manoeuvering. I am still hoping to deliver at least one into a power pole one night and do my bit for local society. The baseball cap/excessive light fraternity are a lot worse when they carry guns, however.
What really pisses me off even more is the idiot who behaves like a lunatic under the mantle of presumed authority/superiority. I believe I mentioned the congressman who pulled a gun and killed a young lady driver at a local interesection when he thought she should give way for his driver (despite having the right of way herself) because of his gov't license plate. She had enough backbone but alas enough foolishness to to get out and remonstrate but he still shot her. What's more he's walking around free to this day.
So, to you in UK, it could get worse.....
John Humphrys in The S/Times is rather depressing today. Read more
Once upon a time there was only one TV channel, financed by a licence fee levied on those who could afford a TV set, which was expensive.
And it was boring.
Along came commercial TV, financed by advertising, and it was good.
So the original broadcaster renamed its first channel BBC1 and set up BBC2, which was to be intellectual and show the workers what they were missing.
And the licence fee was increased to cover the cost. And it was boring.
So the BBC sent out programmes for the brain-dead on BBC1. And it was boring.
And the commercial companies set up Channel 4, subsidised by the adverts on Channel 3, catering for some minority interests. And they all found that there was not enough local material to fill all four channels, so they filled in the spaces with American films.
And the BBC found that the workers were not inclined to watch stimulating programmes on BBC2, so they made the content similar to BBC1.
And Channel 5 was brought in.
So now its all boring.
Tomorrow (Monday 4th), Channel 4, 8.00pm (20.00 hrs). Video code 3723.
Restoration of 1962 Bristol (40?).
I take the liberty of posting this having seen and enjoyed the Centurion (and missed the steam roller, blast it).
Regards, Tomo Read more
Where were "Chips Away" when they needed them, dear oh dear.
David
In the USA, Jaguar fit 'leapers' their cars ; current s-Type, XK and XJ ranges.
However in the UK I understand that Jaguar have not been allowed to fit leapers' since the days of the MKII and the first S-Type - {which was basically a streached MKII.}
I do like the leaper on MKII Jags. It's a pity that safety regulations in the UK will not allow the Jaguar leaper in one form or another. For example MB and RR etc still have their mascots.
How is it that Jaguar are not sued by the US courts if / when a US pedestrian suffers added injuies due to the Jaguar Leaper on the 'hood' ?
Alex Read more
Hey Boss, you got there first, see my post 3 mins after yours
My spelling as bad as HJs See post two above.
Randy got there three mins before me. I was on the Jag USA web site. Great minds think alike !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes, seen lots in adverts {US web sites} and seen plenty in the US too.
Also the subject was touched on in the Jaguar Drivers' club ma, but the legal side was not discussed.
Look at
www.us.jaguar.com/
and you even see the leaper {a small one, smaller the UK MKII days of the 60s} fitted on the new X Type on the home page.
Click on the S-Type page and again the leaper is shown, the bonnet badge has moved onto to rad' grill {very MKII / 60 S-Type} and the leaper is fitted where the bonnet badge goes on UK spec cars
The XJ range too is shown with the leaper, only the XK shown without
- - the power of the Internet !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Remember my confusion about why external air actually felt colder than recycled air ?
Well part of my confusion was cleared up the other day, and it was as smeone suggested. The temperature of the 'input' air isn't usually the critical thing, so the temperature it takes it down to is not affected by that.
Howevr, the other day here the temperature hit 47 degrees C (known locally as $&$^#% hot). Using outside air the aircon didn`t want to know and was blowing warm. However, using recycled air it performed as normal.
But now another question - I am assuming that the only way it removes moisture from the air is simply because it condenses on the pipwork as the air comes through.
Why does that still work (or at least people say it works) when you have the aircon on, but is either heating, or at least not cooling, tha cabin ? Surely without the cooling any dehumidifying effect goes away ?
M.
(p.s. at the moment she only wakes every 5 hours, and her crying doesn't disturb me when I am asleep. Good for me, but Adriana is a little miffed). Read more
Because the a/c evaporater is still doing it's job and staying at close to zero, with all the temperature control being carried out by the addition of heat, or not, over the top. It's a bit like regulating the temperature of the fridge by opening or closing the door.
Browse
We all have bad days, yesterday was one when I bust the phone in the office by banging it down in a temper.
DOH!