May 2002
Backroomers
After graduating uni this year I am off to teach in New Zealand and was wondering if anyone has any experiences of motoring there? The only things that I have found out are that they give way to the right at all times (even on main roads if an oncoming person wants to turn right in front of you!?! - is that right?) and that most of the cars are ex-japanese models. Has anyone any experience of it at all?
Thanks in advance
Paul Read more
Recently bought a '97 Micra 1.0 manual which my parents have had since new, UK supplied. Surprised by very poor rust protection underneath - I've ended up waxoyling it myself after I've had a look at similar ones, all rusting pretty obviously at the bottom seam of the sill. It hardly seems acceptable that a modern car is so poorly finished off, with many exposed seams which are just painted and already showing signs of rust bubbles. Or is it just me as I've heard no mention of this elsewhere? Secondly, it is jerky in traffic in first and second gear, being hard to drive slowly as if it is either on or off. It reminded me of my old Mini which was like this - is this a common fault and due to the fuel injection programming, as I have heard? Is there any way around this? Read more
I agree with the fact that the car was probably standing in Sunderland before it was sold to your parents. I remember reading about a few other Nissan models (can't remember which ones) that were found to have rust on them after they were sold as new cars. From what I remember the cars were brought over from Japan and left standing in the open before they were sold as new cars. Do you live anywhere near coast? as this could also accelerate the rust.
--
306 2.0 SE Cabriolet
Went to fill it up tonight and pressed the button beside the handbrake to open fuel filler cap and nothing happens. I can't get it open! Then driving home at a steady 56 in order to conserve fuel I noticed the gauges dip (rev counter and speedo) momentarily. (I had not changed gear or speed). It's going to get looked at at the garage tomorrow. Anyone else had these things happen? Read more
PE
Other than a big screwdriver what do you do if the mechanism on the fuel filler flap fails? Or does it 'default' to springing open? I assume you are talking about a Mk4.
Seeing as there are a few who appear to like proof of comments by links to the media. Here is one from tonights paper.
In Bewdley, ordinary citizens, not speed freaks, not ranters, have set up a case of www.thisiskidderminster.co.uk/worcestershire/kidde...l " target="_blank"> People Power vs Speed Bumps and forced a vote into the town's traffic calming scheme.
I'm not going to comment about the wisdom/purpose of the proposed scheme.
There is one significant thing to come out of the article and I quote from The Shuttle published today.
quote
"Twenty-seven, including former mayor Tony Rhoden, turned up at Bewdley Town Council's annual parish meeting on Monday to exercise their right to a parish poll.
If 10 people demand a poll on a relevant issue at the meeting, it has to be held."
end quote.
I'm interested if this is something which applies elsewhere, or just in Bewdley.
Perhaps our legal friends can advise. Read more
The important thing about this is that it is a "campaign" within the rules and the Law.
If the Council ignore this (or any) move by residents - they do so at risk of being voted out.
Unfortunately, some Local Councils are split along political party lines, which results in the "You said . . " "No I didn't" "Yes you did" nonsense.
Seen what's going to be on BBC2 at 8pm tonight?
New series called Panic Mechanics where teams of experts/enthusiasts construct various vehicles from something else.
Tonight should see a Daimler 420 Hearse transformed into a Dune Buggy....yes really.
Watch and weep/report/praise as required.
David Read more
Scrapheap Challange is still the best from my point of view with this one following. The other thing with Lee the "comic" is crud, I only watched one all the way trough and part of another before I realised it was a put up.
Bill
So, it would cost every motorist 120 quid a year to pay for the backlog of road repairs. Excuse me? Wasn't that what the road fund licence was originally set up for? And isn't it slightly more than 120 quid a year? Read more
They did an experiment at the London Motorcycle and Scooter Show:
Journey from west to centre:
Scooter 17 mins
Car 35 mins
Bus 45 mins
Tube 49 mins (really relevant for the rest of us then)
Bicycle 56 minutes (not sure whether it was carrying a passenger and/or luggage)
And when I lived and worked in and around London I must admit there was one commute where it wasn't far quicker by car.
Errrrrrrmmmmmmm
Except, that is, at weekends, when the public transport didn't run on that route.
Steve Tarling has come up with a brilliant idea originally devised by Phil Hollsworth in the USA.
Most of us haven?t been too worried by the recent Fuel Price hikes that saw Pemium Unleaded rise from around 70p to around 75p a litre. But, unless something is done, by autumn, prices could rise to 90p a litre. Here is how to prevent this price rise and force Premium Unleaded back under 70p. No one needs to stop buying fuel. All we need to do is collectively boycott the service stations of the two leading oil companies and buy our fuel from their competitors. Faced with a near total collective boycott of their product, the two leading oil companies will have no alternative but to cut prices, which in turn will lead to a price war, which in turn will pull retail prices back under 70p a litre. To be really effective and to influence OPEC, this consumer boycott needs to be Europe wide, but it doesn?t matter which two major brands in each country are boycotted because the effect will be the same.
HJ Read more
HJ,
What happened? Which part of A40 - presumably London?
C
Have nearly sealed the deal with my brother in law £2000 and it has also had a new alternator recently!
It is due a cambelt change how much is reasonable to be charged? Read more
Will do HJ must start looking for someone to do it, does anyone know any good specialists in London?
I went to the fabricating and welding show at the NEC yesterday, and was reminded of how impressive welding masks are that are clear until you strike an arc, then darken instantly. It must be at the speed of light as you cannot see the flash. Motoring bit: if a sheet of this were placed over your numberplates, then a flash from a camera would instantly render the plate unreadable. Game set and match.
Mike Read more
I expect that the fine for having self-obscuring no. plates is rather higher (although, of course, they'd have to catch you first)...
Paul
If you want any "live" updates on the latest driving issues just say so, I have a friend who emigrated recently and his driving was never that confident so I am sure he will have noticed in horror at the sudden changes to his "style" he had to make.
Basically like the others said it is cheap, it is Jap and it is mostly free flowing. 50's Britain apparently sums it up (apart from the Jap of course)