April 2002
Has anyone heard of drifting, to the left in particular, on Freelanders?
Obviously I know the score with looking for the usual causes but wondered about any specifics on these vehicles.
(Steady Mark)
David Read more
Highly delighted to hear the the Royal Bank of Scotland is buying out DIXONs motor group which also owns the jamjar website. After the banks experience after investing into the internet car company and it being eventaully sold onto oneswoop. Is it just time, before Jamjar go the same way?
Just goes to show that millions of pounds advertising does not work in such a competitive industry. Read more
Gary,
Totalise are an ISP I have no professional connection with them, little bit naive of you to think that.
According to the published results JamJar, sold over £83 million of cars in 2001, making it the UK?s largest internet car retailer. Doesn't sound too shabby to me, bet b4c would like that kind of turnover.
Buying Dixons assets is going to improve Jamjars performance with lower cost of sales and faster turnaround of stock.
Customers are not mugs, if they are prepared to use the internet to buy their cars they have obviously done their comparisons. JamJars success proves that they are offering what the customer wants. Not neccessarily the lowest price but service, trust worthiness, availability, profile.
Be prepared for further consolidation in the industry once block exemption comes in. I imagine that HBOS and Sainsburys/ Tescos will be buying up some of the other larger dealer groups
In my opinion now is not a good time to buy a new car as the industry is going to be shaken up over the next 6 months and prices will fall inline with Euro prices.
Driving back from Alton to Petersfield this evening, empty straight road, stars starting to appear..doing about 60 when all of a sudden there's a rapid very loud thumping noise..tyres disintegrating? engine dismantling itself..? Started to slow down, heart in mouth when the Chinook helicopter overtakes me at about 150 feet...!
P. Read more
Ian (from abroad) wrote: ">P51 Mustangs were used by the Israeli air force to cut telephone lines - with special wing-mounted cutters - when they fought the Arab nations. That's about as close to zero feet as it gets!<"
Was that underground telephone lines or lines suspended from telegraph poles (the ones the Mossies used to fly underneath)? ;-)
Posted this earlier today on the original thread, but it doesn't appear as a 'new' post, so I'll start a new thread again: When the original thread was active, back in March, I promised to share the outcome.
From advice received, the conclusion that my friend drew was not to buy a relatively low budget Japanese 4x4, as originally intended.
After careful thought, he instead chose to spend more cash, and purchase a Mercedes 180 automatic, 'S' reg, 16,000 miles, clean HPI, and a genereral air of being an honest motor (John!)
His reasons?
The price was right.
A relatively simple car, though at the same time, well built.
Automatic suits Colombo traffic.
Large enough for a family.
If the car is exported to Sri Lanka as planned, it is suitable both for running over many years as a private car, or for sale at reasonable profit, even after paying import taxes and freight charges. He does not believe servicing will be an issue. The fact that the car is not new, and he will own it in the UK for over 12 months before potential export are big factors in his favour.
Equally, if plans change, or he realises that he got his sums wrong, it is ideal for him to sell in the UK, without huge loss, on departure at end of contract.
Again, many thanks for helping him fuel the decision making process.
/Steve Read more
Sound choice - Sri Lankans love Mercedes - Not entirely sure about the auto option though - but if he ends up selling in the UK, auto would be best.
Good luck,
Chad.R
P.S. "Dima" are the (or were) the agents for MB in Colombo.
Ive got an October 1st 2001 Citroen Saxo VTR, Topaz Gold metallic (chosen because it wasnt one of the endless Silver or Bright Blue ones that are about), 7127 miles (so far), decent Cobra alarm, mats & mudflaps, towbar (for bike rack), fancy alloy petrol cap, paintwork Supagarded.
Cos my left knee is getting dodgier by the day i've been looking at the new C3 auto, or a Corsa Easytronic. Buying either at list price, the best offer ive had for my car is £6600. This is a car that cost £9500 new, after the cashback etc. The lowest offer ive had is £6000. Yet all the Citroen dealers are selling the same type of car, similar mileage, for £7995 - £8495. I would have thought that the £7995 was realistic, and would have therefore hoped for £7000 in PX for mine. None of these dealers want to discount their new cars, so in effect they want to make £1000 on my PX when they sell it, plus a similar amount on the new car.
In my next life I want to be a main dealer!
Tony Read more
Car dealers have a bad name, with some justification, and some people resent paying so much over private prices just for a plush showroom, carpet and pushy salesman. Their guarantees often are too specific to be of much value. In smaller (well, even in some larger) dealers there is a chance that the car has been clocked, or had some "trick of the trade" applied to disguise a fault.
Having said that, there are many ppl who feel "safer" buying from a dealer as you have at least some comeback, and there are those who recognise that they are insufficiently technically aware (or simply can't be ar$ed) to trawl through newspapers and put in the effort that buying privately involves.
IMHO the only good thing about buying from a dealer is that the car has been prepped - nice and shiny, no sweet papers etc.
So, horses for course I suppose.
Has anyone any opinions on what are the best tyres on the market giving a decent tradeoff between price and performance. I do around 50k a year in a Merc 200 CDI. I've always fitted Michelin Pilot Primacy tyres - They seem good but are bloody expensive, best price I've got is £118ea from costco.
Dominic Read more
.....but note that the oft-quoted tyres-online.co.uk reprints are a couple of years out of date, so of limited use.
A lady goes into an auto parts store and asks for a seven ten cap.
All the service guys looked at each other and said, "What's a seven ten cap?"
She said "You know, it's right on top of the engine? Mine got lost somehow and I need a new one."
"What kind of a car is it on," they asked? Thinking maybe it's off an old Datsun Seven Ten or some such, but no, she said its a Vauxhall.
"OK lady, how big is it?"
She makes a circle with her hands about 3-1/2 inches in diameter.
What does it do?," they asked.
She said, "I don't know, but its always been there."
One of them gave her a note pad and asked her if she could draw a picture of it. So she makes a circle about 3-1/2 inches in diameter and in the center she writes 710.
The guys behind the counter are looking at it upside down as she writes it...and they fall down behind the counter laughing so hard in hysterics.
Directions:
Draw a circle, write 710 in the middle of it, and turn it around... Read more
When they told her the price she said '1.145 40'.
(Well it works on a scientific calculator...)
Martin.
Backvroomers,
I design limited edition motoring books, on such subjects as Aston Martin, Ferrari, Bristol Cars etc.
Often, on the leather edition I'll put a badge on the book's slipcase, so far Aston, Bristol etc. have been very helpful, and supplied actual bonnet badges.
For the current project I'm looking to have produced a short run of bespoke Enamelled badges, these also would have to be of the highest quality, most likely with two crossed flags in colour.
Expense isn't really too much of an issue (for a change!).
I may ask one of the manufacturers who their supplier is, but thought I'd ask here just in case someone has been down this route and has a contact ...
Thanks
Stu. Read more
Stu,
I wonder if the context of the 1930s would not make a cover badge along the lines of a fabric union flag withe the large diameter 30s vintage enameled m-benz emblem mounted on it more marketable... the german flag of the 30s has so many negative connotations after all
just a thought
~R
I had an accident with my new Ford Fiesta Zetec S which I accidentally banged into a sheep (yes it was killed, instantly I might add). The car has been repaired by the Ford garage which took it away. When it came back, it had a different make tyre, the bonnet wasn't straight and there is silver paint on the inside of the door to let other people know that it's had an accident instantly. Also there are lots of paint chips in the bonnet paintwork now. Can you let me know if this is normal? and if not how to go about getting something done about it? Read more
A few years ago a work friend of mine had some insurance-funded body repairs carried out on his car after an accident, and he was very unhappy with the end result. The standard of work was very poor.
However, his daughter is a solicitor!
She advised her father to have an AA or RAC vehicle inspection carried out on the car after it had been repaired and, if the report said that the repairs had been carried out to an inacceptable standard, then the insurance company would also pay for the cost of the inspection. This was, indeed, the case and, having received the report from the AA (or whoever) my friends insurance company then made arrangements for the repairs to be put right by another vehicle repairer.
I cannot say that this is what would happen in every singe case, but I do feel it's very important to obtain independent advice that the repairs are unsatisfactory. A suitable vehicle inspection will help to establish this fact. You should ask your insurance company whether they are prepared to pay for it under such circumstances before proceeding, though.
Good Luck!
My father has recently purchased a microcar, but unfortunately the handbook is written in french. We were told they are not written in english yet, is this true, if not can we get one in english and where from? Read more
If you want to see what online translators are like, and have a good laugh, go to www.lamaddalena.com then click on "english" and "history".
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Don't get a Freelander. Get an X-Trail. The 6-speed diese is as brilliant off road as on.
HJ