August 2002
Can anyone help? The manufacturers and local dealer advises that the rear tyre pressures when fully loaded should be increased from 32 lbs/sqin to 46 lbs/sqin, otherwise damage will be caused and road holding affected. What do they mean by fully loaded? Does this mean the pressures have to be changed everytime there are two or three passengers in the rear and changed back again for one passenger? What length of journey does this apply? The local dealer would not commit himself to an answer. Read more
What's the BR view on this, lifted from my local biker forum?
Those guys rather uncharitably think it's time the cagers got some of their own medicine after all these years.....
"Next time you pull behind a car, spare a thought for the poor driver. According to a new nationwide survey conducted by Bennetts the insurers, a third of all motorists are intimidated by riders.
Respondents cited the anonymity afforded by leathers and lids as the biggest cause for their upset.
Pensioners are the social group most likely to be put unnerved by a biker when they?re behind the wheel, 40 percent of the over-65s admitting they feel menaced.
Women are slightly more worried than men, with 32 per cent of respondents confessing to alarm when they see a bike in their mirrors.
There are regional differences, too. Drivers in the East Midlands are the least concerned 17 per cent of them recording some unease, while their counterparts in the North West go down as Britain?s wimps with 37 per cent.
And a whopping 69 per cent of drivers surveyed confessed it adversely affected their normal driving habits when a bike is behind or beside them".
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Ian you're so right - it's the bikers' unpredictability which can cause problems. As a car driver you are much more aware of what the car(s) behind you can/can't or are/aren't going to do. It's much easier for a biker to spot a small gap he know he can get through, surge past (frequently on the inside) and catch you by complete surprise. He knew what he was doing but you didn't !! Make no mistake though, if car drivers could do the things bikers do they probably would ! uses a lot of problems
I've got a 1997 Fiat Punto TDSX. A couple of years ago it overheated and needed a new engine. Since then the engine seems to be really hot all the time. The temp gauge is usually at the three quarter mark if not higher, it goes up really sharply whenever the engine has to work hard, it goes down slightly when the heaters are on full blast. I've taken it to fiat specialists and other garages who can find nothing wrong with it, the cooling system has been flushed and they say the fan cuts in at the right temperature. Any ideas what could be making it so hot? Or is it nothing to worry about?
Cheers,
Louise. Read more
Also try putting in a cooler running thermostat. Get one 8 or 10 degrees cooler than the one in there. 88 deg is usual - get an 80.
Your local motor factor should be able to help you if the fiat garage won't play ball.
Guys,
My neighbour is currently without his Vw Golf due to a total gearbox failure, the car was bought as an approved Used VW and luckily is ( just ) still within the warranty period. It has covered only 54 000 miles.
He has has a load of problems with the car since he bought it, electrical faults, air conditioning faults and now this. Indeed the Garage say it needs New Catalyst, new driveshafts too.
What is the likelihood of VW taking the vehicle back and either refunding or replacing it ? The problem is that When the warranty is expired he will have to meet the cost of these ongoing faults.
I advised him to ask for a further years warranty - in view of the problems. Is this fair ? I also advised him to Write to HJ direct as this kind of problem is often covered in the Motoring Telegraph.
Incidentally he has a Fiat Stilo Hire car - it is a fantastic little car, very thoughtfully made. I hired a Citroen C3 when I was on Holiday in France - it was awful...........
I look forward to any comments
Cheers
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A friend has had a similar list of problems with a Golf GTi. It was the diff bearings that caused the problem in his gearbox. The independant VW specialist he used for the rebuild told him it was a common problem.
I'm off to be a student for a year near Paris. Despite being the proud owner of a 2001 VW Polo I want to buy a cheap car in France for use while I'm over there. The prangs that are synonymous with Parisian driving and the crime that a UK reg'd car attracts make it a no-brainer. Have up to £800 to spend - can anyone offer any advice?
PS
A convertible or something sporty would be nice
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If you want to confuse the French, just drive a right hand drive french car in the small villages in the middle of nowhere. They look at you like you are mad and stare at your car.
They are looking at the Citroens West Coast badge on the Xsara as most french cars seem to be badgeless.
As in good old England, nothing was on display in the car.
Ben
I am thinks of building a kit car (Robin) and Iam try to make my mind up between a 2.0cc injection or the webbers. Which is going to give the most power out put? or the really going to be that much of a difference and what about the hassel of the electric engine management system? is it worth the bother. What is the bhp of these engines?
Thanks Win
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The mechanical pump has plenty of capacity.
The tropical temperatures we are suffering in Essex made me think back when I often saw broken down vehicles with steam erupting. Guess modern cars are much more reliable.
And I have only one puncture in eight years and it was a slow one. I remember them being much more frequent twenty years ago. Read more
Maybe the cars you have passed have cooled down a little? Have to say I see plenty of cars on the motorways that have overheated.
As for punctures, I seem to pick up every discarded screw \ nail from workman's vans!
I have just read in today's newspapers that two youths, aged 18 & 20, both of whom admitted being in a car which crashed and killed a 73 year old pedestrian, cannot be prosecuted as there is no evidence as to which one of them was driving at the time. They both admit being in the car and they both deny driving. On that basis how can police proceed against two people who were in a car exceeding the speed limit, who either can't or won't 'remember' who was driving? Speeding and the law is all over you, and why not? Kill someone and it is all 'too difficult"! Please can someone explain? Pugugly perhaps? Read more
Does the man on the Clapham omnibus think that justice has been done??
No.
I do about 9k miles per year. I intend to buy a 1994 or 1995 5 series BMW, but don't know whether to go for a 525td(s) or a 520i petrol...is it worth paying the extra for a diesel given my low annual mileage? Read more
I think what HJ means is that, if they DO go wrong, the automatic boxes are not easy for auto specialists to repair; they would prefer to fit an exchange box.
As for failure to change the fluid and filter at the correct intervals, I assume HJ is referring to those models where changes are specified by BMW, which does not apply to the ZF 5-speed box fitted to the later 525i E34s. I haven't heard any suggestion that this auto box is troublesome.
Whichever you go for, I'm sure you'll enjoy the E34.
I constantly read on this forum grumbles about other drivers. Why not be honest and actually admit we all do things wrong sometimes!
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Steering wheel habits: big cars with power steering, using just the palm of one hand to steer. Turning the right hand upside down and grasping the top of the wheel in the centre on non power steering when turning corners.
(Cringes) answering and sending text messages on the move, having fumbled for reading glasses first......only occasionally honestly.
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Thanks for advice - wasn't quite sure where to put the question. Shall follow this rule in future.