March 2002
Anyone know of a UK company making replacement hoods for convertibles? Read more
Hello there, Can anyone out there recommend a place to refurbish my alloy wheels and a possible price guide. They are not chipped or scratched, just etched a bit with the brake dust.
Oh! somewhere in Yorkshire would be preferable
Cheers
Martin Read more
If you are in "North North Yorkshire" there is a place in Stockton on Tees that does them.
Astonishing results £25/corner.
Mail me off-list if interested.
rg
If you've just got your first mpv be aware that there is a very unyielding frame at the rear of the roof.
I'm still nursing a sore head after forgetting that.
I straightened up after leaning over the rear deck and bang! Read more
In todays Guardian is a picture of the unveiling of concept MG Rover (can't see much of the car) but in the background clear as anything is big sign hanging up : LADA. I was under the impression the company had gone out of business with collapse of evil empire. Seems not. Read more
Interesting article in the Daily Mail about the Geneva Motor Show. Seems the new Rover had taken the place by storm. I particularly like the way the read load bay can drop down low enough to fit a washing machine in the right way up. Clever.
Oh, and I saw a blue MG ZT today. I guess thats forty point in the I-Spy Book of Cars.
Andy
John.
Why would a brand new car (5 or 6 miles on the clock) be n the auction at all ?
Mark. Read more
'goof value' ,more trade slang HJ ? ;-)
Getting tempted by one of these now they're getting a bit cheaper. Anyone got one? What breaks? Bit worried about "downgrading" to a 6/7 year old car.
Manual or automatic.. ?
Tomo - what's the handling like. Read more
Tomo
Had a look at the stock at Calders at the weekend.
Everything seemed to have an extreme body kit and/or the 18''s and lowered suspension you (rightly) advise against.
Didn't take a test drive cos I knew I'd come back with some body kitted 500bhp monster. Nice interior for a jap car, or any car even.
It's either gonna be a long search for the right one or something else maybe.
Aye............
Where do Subarus come from?
Has anybody ever broken one? Read more
Subaru are made by Fuji Heavy Industries. They have factories in japan and the US, I belive that most UK cars come from the US factories despite the fact that the asia RHD cars for Oz,Japan
are made in Japanese factories. (Except for the Justy which is a Suzuki made in Hungary???)
My experience in Oz was of very high reliability and fairly good fuel consumption for a 2.5l awd (25mpg around town, 35 steady 60mph). In remote Queensland and NSW subarus outnumber most other cars, mostly Liberty/Legacy sicne the Impreza is mostly a town car there, the Forester is not so useful and the Justy is not sold in Oz.
Any sensible valuations on these two cars I have been offered. Both are in average condition with full historys, though not necessarily main dealer.
Honda CRX 1.6vti with electric folding roof (not sunroof, but the proper one that folds into the boot), 1994 (L), red, nice alloys, manual, UK car, 105K miles, 2 owners, decent stereo.
VW Golf GTI, 1993 (K), 2.0 litre 8V, 3 door, dark metallic burgandy, 78K, 2 owners, history, new brakes, VW alloys. Read more
The CRX VTi trasde books at £4,425 minus £800 for the high mileage. Worth trying in www.autotrader.co.uk at £3,995.
HJ
I had my Volvo 850 conveted over a year ago at by an agent for Autogas 2000 Thirsk but the fuel consumption has never been as good as promised.before conversion i was getting a steady 30 mpg but afterwards it dropped to about 16mpg although I had been told to expect about 26mpg. After a year the car failed the test on emissions on both fuels and it was retutned to Thirsk where it was found that another control box was needed. After fitting the petrol mpg returned to 30 but the LPG figure has never been better than 16. I am hoping to return it to Thirsk again. I spoke to another 850 owner last year who had the same problem. Is the engine control system over correcting and not able to take the conversion without the computer going haywire? Has anyone experience of a satisfactory conversion to this engine? Read more
Michael,
I can't offer much help but your story interests me. Recently a couple of customers have asked about going LPG and I've told them to be very very wary.
This is for older large engined cars they own where the conversion would virtually equal the trade value of the car. For it to make economic sense everything would need to be spot on and their fuel costs halved. If this was not the case, say the fuel consumption turned out like yours...they have driveability problems or even something else goes wrong with the car then they've completely wasted their money.
Frankly I had to advise them both it would be better to sell the cars and put the conversion money towards buying something different/more economical. In one case a smaller car as they didn't actually need the size, and it was so obvious all the other chap needed was the diesel version of his existing vehicle.
I'm not anti LPG as such, and fully respect Guy's success with his GTi, but the "down the pub" statement that you just need to "pop on an LPG kit" to almost any large car to get fresh air running costs is far true.
David
For your information, some three weeks ago a thread mentioned a Forte Power Steering Enhancer formulation that you need only pour into the reservoir.
The car is a 1989 Volvo 740 at 98K miles, the power steering was very stiff at low speed and non existent on start.
Following advice from Forte, I drained the old fluid out and replenished with new plus the enhancer. There has been an improvement, the car is more responsive but I feel it is only a temporary arrangement until I can afford a new steering rack.
I can recommend it only as a short term pallitive. Read more
Peter,
Take care when you buy a new 740 rack. I had a recon rack fitted and just 18 months later, the rubber gaiters had perished. It cost me £90 to replace them for the MOT.
Cheap rubber, I was told!!!!!!!!!!
Browse
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The old thred Ian referred to incluced the URL www.autohoods.co.uk , no recommendation; merely information.
HJ