March 2002
I posted awhile back about my stepmum who has a Rover 213, 1988E - well, it failed the MOT dramatically and she wants something up to £2500 (2000 preferably), insurance group 4 or less, 40mpg, but reasonably nippy and 5 doors (essential.) pas would be nice. Any suggestions that would be something like these requirements? Oh she doesn't want a Rover Metro or Fiat Punto basically because her mechanic says so.
Mum on the other hand has a 1997 Hyundai Accent Auto 1.3 that she is advertising at about £2200 and hopes to get £2000 for, private sale, on account of a few minor dents and an erratic service history (its still there and will be sold with 12 months mot!) Her budget and requirements are similar but she has no real preferences; the main req's are the above but she can stretch to say gp 6 insurance, and 5 drs isnt essential. Pas is fairly important. Read more
Seeing a slight wear pattern on my front tyres, I looked for verification of the tyre laws and found this site with lots of useful info.
www.tyresave.co.uk/tyreinfo.html
And lo, they are just 8 miles from me though I have never been there.
I checked the tread depth with a tyre depth gauge and found them quite legal. 1.6 mm is not a lot of tread is it?
I had made the mistake of thinking the law said a minimum of 1.6mm across at least 3/4 of the tread but it is the central 3/4 which matters. Logical, I suppose.
On looking at the Dunlop site, I see there are over 2000 offences which a motorist can commit. I presume they exclude burglary, robbery, GBH etc. (for now)
Oh, and I also found the head of a nail in my right front. Great! Read more
I have always seen outer edge wear patterns on front wheels of front wheel drive cars compared to uniform wear on the rear wheels.
Compare this to my last car, a Subaru AWD driving on very rough tarmac (by UK standards) and after 3 years of severe conditions use the wear pattern was uniform on all wheels right across the tyre....I had to get out a depth micrometer from work to detect any difference across the width of the tyre.
I have had my Golf Estate for 6 months from new. It has a factory fitted sun roof. On a recent long journey the interior roof lining started to vibrate at particular speeds. Now there is a creaking noise when traveling on rutted country lanes and over pot holes(quite a frequent occurance even on main roads these days. Is this a known problem and can it be fixed easily? Read more
Plea for wisdom and experience...
I need to change the timing chain on a Saab 9000 ('88, non-turbo). The split link chain option seems to make things a great deal easier, but is it a good idea?
Should I be changing anything else, like the tensioner, while I'm there?
Cheers,
Rob F Read more
Let me know how you get on!
I seem to remember that there is a weakness in the newer VAG cars, specifically regarding the 'feature' that allows the windows to be dropped by holding the key in the open position when unlocking the door. I though I read about it on this forum, but cannot find the post when I search.
Anybody know about it, and more importantly how to disable this 'feature' to improve security?
Or have I just been listening to some random bloke in a pub again? Read more
I think that a similar method was used to gain access to my K plate BMW 3 series. A small hole was punched into the door skin just under and to one side of the passenger door keyhole, and the factory fit alarm by-passed.
Martin.
From last Tuesday's Globe and News (A Canadian Newspaper www.globeandnews.com)
QUOTE
Driver, 84, knew of body, inquest told
Tuesday, March 5, 2002 - Print Edition, Page A18
Black marks and a trail of human tissue on the roadway tell the story of an 84-year-old motorist who knew she had struck Beth Kidnie and tried to dislodge the body from underneath her vehicle, a coroner's jury was told yesterday.
Detective Bohdan Sybydlo, a collision expert with Toronto Police,
testified that while some of the marks were straight, others showed that the driver had swerved back and forth.
"It resembled a driving manoeuvre a motorist would use to dislodge something under the car, such as a cardboard box," he said.
Asked by coroner's counsel Tom Schneider if he concluded from the marks that the driver was aware that there was something under her car, the 28-year veteran officer replied: "Yes."
Yesterday was the first day in a two-week inquest that will explore the relationship between age and the ability to drive safely.
The jury of three men and two women is looking into the death of the 42-year-old mother of three on the night of April 4, 2000. Ms. Kidnie was out for her nightly walk and was crossing Bloor Street West at Markland Drive in Etobicoke on a green light when she was struck by a vehicle turning right. She was sucked underneath the 1985 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme and dragged nearly a kilometre to her death.
Her battered body came free of the car when the driver, Pilar Hicks, then 84, drove into her driveway. She had driven the short distance from her son's house at a speed not exceeding 15 kilometres an hour.
The widow and grandmother said at her trial last year that she became aware of the collision only the next morning when police interviewed her.
She pleaded not guilty to criminal negligence causing death but was convicted and given a 15-month conditional sentence to be served in her home.
Mrs. Hicks, now 86, will not testify because of her age and the trauma she suffered as a result of the incident, Mr. Schneider told the hearing. But her son, William Hicks, will be a witness.
/QUOTE
Additional reports seem to indicate that the victim died as a result of being dragged along the road, rather than the impact itself.
Kevin... Read more
Anyone catch this feature on R5 yesterday, if so what was the verdict. I went to the Scottish Bike Show so missed it, battling through the snow and jackknifed lorries on the M74 was very exciting!
Rob S Read more
Let's not forget that the statistics clearly state that the younger you are the more likely you are to die on a bike.
I love biking, and I accept that a man of may age has a 0.08 per cent chance of dying on a bike in any ten year period.
I hope that I can minimise the risk by being careful.[1]
And please, lets not forget that over a quarter of us will die young of cancer.
If that stark fact doesn't put all other risks into perspective I don't know what will!
[1] Of course this statistic will include people who are being careful!
Does anyone know how to change the pollen filter ona Fiat punto (98) model? or at least the location of it?
TIA
Gav Read more
I can't remember exactly but I'm sure it's up by the wiper mechanism as per most models these days. Buried. I'll check tomorrow & post again if that's not too late.
Dear All,
I am looking to buy a VW Golf Mk III. I have test driven a 1.4. But am not really impressed with it. I would rally appreciate any advice regarding the following:
Would the Mk IV be a decent car to go for?
What kind of price should I expect for a 1.6 P-reg should I buy it from a dealer?
Also what would be my best bet, to get it from a dealer or private?
Cheers!!... Read more
Of course for a few grand you could get a Skoda Felicia. Audi paint, Polo/Golf running gear 1.6 engine. Not worth paying silly money just for the VW badge shirley.
My wife has a mk III Golf which she loves except for the clutch. She finds that it has a very high bighting point. Is it possible to adjust this? Read more
This is a sigh either that the clutch needs replacing or that the self-adjusting cable is playing up and overtightening itself. They often do this and again the result is a prematurely burned out clutch.
HJ
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Try a Daihatsu Charade super little cars never break down and at your price should get PAS