September 2002
Can anyone make a suggestion on the best, reasonably priced tyre for the above spec?
I've already got over the initial shock of just how much tyres cost for this size (T5 wheels, apparently), but I want to ensure that my money is well spent.
So far, I've been offered
Firestone, Uniroyal, Pirelli / Dunlop (*), F1 Goodyear, (*) and Bridgestone SD3?
(*) were recommended as being good.
Comments, please. Read more
Anybody had a look at MotorDirect via Lloyds Bank website?
Allegedly up to 20% below the rrp - but where do the rrp figures come from? Do they offer good value (in anyones opinion?) Read more
The cars may be cheaper but the trade in amount they offer is naff. They offered me £12,500 for my trade in, the Volvo dealer gave me £18,500 plus a Volvo special offer which gave me another grand or 3 years free servicing, I took the £1000.
If I had no trade in Lloyds price was about £3000 cheaper than the Volvo rrp of £26,000 approx, so not a bad deal. So it pays to shop around.
Some very kind person snapped off SWMBO's aeriel on her Golf MkIII. I am now thinking of putting in one that goes up and down automatically.
How easy are these to install or should a pro do it? My local car hifi people said that it would be about £140 + VAT fitted and the local VW dealer said £20 + half an hour labour totalling about £50! Does it really take 1/2 hour and do I need all the tools to take out the radio to attach to the back of the radio etc...
thanks in advance Read more
The coathanger aerial is sometimes known as a 'Kirk Aerial'. They are very efficient, especially when moulded into a diamond shape as BTB suggests.
El Dingo (Martin).
A friend of mine has lost his keys to his 98 S Rover 600. He now has the red key from the previuos owner but the car will not start ie immobilised still.
Dealer is telling him that he needs a new lock set plus reprogramming at a total cost of £500. Is this right or should the car be usable with the red key??
Not being a Rover expert,(Ford's my game), if someone could enlighten me I would be most grateful.
Thanks
Charles Read more
No - there is no such card for the Rover 600. All you need to get new starter keys for a Rover 600 is the red "learning key" (which, incidentally should never be used to start/open the car or it could invalidate the security codes in the current plips and keys) and the key number which is supplied engraved on a small metal tag that you should have with the learning key.
Changing the locks is absurd if you have the above.
If you are near Cambridgeshire try Crown Garage in Soham (www.crowngarage.co.uk/rover.htm) for an honest and reliable opinion.
Skoda recommends oil changes at 20,000 miles. Any comments? Read more
TOTH
1 - Castrol GTX is mineral oil IIRC. Synthetics can survive much longer. I would be surprised if the Skoda oil isn't at least semi-synthetic.
2 - You admit to thoroughly abusing your poor old Rover's engine
So, wouldn't you expect the oil to have had it after this time? Does this mean that everyone needs to change their oil every 6 months?
Not necessarily I suggest.
But I still change mine every 5000 miles, because it's a cheap job and I have mechanical sympathy.
Andy
Hi all,
Any recommendations for a 26 year old, 1 yrs no claim, 3 points sp30, heavily modified group 13 motor (and no l don't mean a bodykit).
Who would have me...er l mean my mate.
thanks,
Dan Read more
Oh 50d it,
I mean Pearl Associates??
Alright, this is really 2 related questions!
I was thinking about having my new car Waxoyled after seeing the extent that rust can eat a chassis after just 7 years on old Fiesta. But is it worth it on a 2002 Fiesta? Has rustproofing come on such a long way as to make Waxoyl a waste of money on a new car?
Does anyone have any ideas on what may be a good product to protect the rear wheelarches from rusting on the car? My last one suffered badly and I really don't want this one to go the same way...
Any thoughts appreciated... Read more
Yep, I got the impression that it would be a waste of time, if God had wanted my Fiesta to have Waxoyl he would've made it so in the first place! :)
My elderly father has recently suffered a stroke and is making a remarkable recovery. Somewhat affected still down his left side but with a good prognosis. It is not clear yet whether he will be able to drive again, but in any event my mother intends to ferry him around. I would appreciate any advice or suggestions with respect to a suitable vehicle for him, as his 406 and my mother's 205 are likely to be too small and difficult to get in and out of. Important criteria are ease of access and a high seating position. Also reliability as he wont be doing any more roadside repairs. Almost certainly the new car will be an automatic and not too large for ease of parking, but with carrying capacity for possible mobility aids. Cost is not the major issue. A Yaris Verso came to mind but I would welcome any suggestions from those with greater insight than me.
Incidentally he was taken ill in Germany and has been in hospital there for over four weeks, half in intensive care. The lesson? - always carry your E111 with you. Having one removed one more stress at a difficult time. The quality of care he has received has been outstanding and the family are truly grateful to the wonderful staff there.
Many thanks MGs Read more
Thank you all for your comments, I never realised that the mere mention of E111s would generate such interest! My brother is determined that in the event of even feeling slightly unwell he will get across to Germany just in case.
We will definitely check out the Mercedes A class and the Verso. In these circumstances cost is not an issue, nor indeed is appearance.
Many thanks to backroomers for your suggestions and comments, MGs.
Hello All,
I'd appreciate some techies input on this problem please.
The car is a '98 Ka3 and has just developed an air con problem. Until recently it was perfect but it ain't getting cold any more!
When I turn on the a/c, the orange light comes on on the button and I can hear the compressor kicking in (or trying to). Then after a couple of seconds I can hear another click and it goes off again. This cycle then continues every 10 seconds or so. Click On Click Off etc..The orange light on the switch remains on all the time. When I turn the a/c off the cycle stops of course.
Any ideas? Could it be a relay or something like that. In my Cavalier, the aircon won't even start if the system is not gassed, so I am guessing that it is probably another problem...
Any advice would be gratefully received as if I can buy a replacement switch or whatever this might stop the sharks at Ford from ripping me off.
Thanks in advance
CavV6 and cavWeb fan.
www.cavweb.co.uk Read more
2 possibilities. Either the low pressure switch is faulty (unlikely), or you have sprung a leak and are now low on gas. The system works differently to your cavalier, as it has a pressure cycling switch to turn the compressor on and off, and low gas causes this to cycle constantly (prior to stopping completely). Your cav had a temp switch on the evaporator to do the cycling.
Get the pressures checked, and this will tell you if it's low gas or faulty switch. You'll probsbly have to get it gassed and dye added, then take it back a few weeks later to look for the leak.
A brief summary of what made my blood boil today:
After booking an mot with our local VW dealer via the VW customer care line, we arrived at 8am to be told there was no record of our appointment. Begrudgingly the woman said she would 'fit us in' and instead of picking the car up at 11am we would have to leave it all day.
We turn up at 4:30 and are told by 5pm that my girlfriends 1998 1.6S VW Approved used car which we have had 6 months and driven 2500miles in had failed on three points:
1> Buldging brake pipe
2> Split brake servo vacuum hose
3> Broken exhaust bracket
The woman was not particularly sympathetic as she delivered the new and explained how the car was too dangerous to drive. She explained we shouldn't take the car home as it was unsafe, and also because she would have to charge another £39.95 for a restest. As the dealer is 45mins away from home we called my girlfriends dad to collect us.
I explained that the car was only 6 months into the VW Approved Used car warranty and as such they can pick up the repair bill (except of course for the exhaust bracket). The woman repeatedly asked the name of the warranty company as she didnt seem to know what a VW Approved Used car was and the cover that accompanies it.
Rather fed up we left the car as it was too late to anything and headed home. Today, monday, my girlfriend received a call from the dealer telling her she needed a new exhaust centre section at £91.95 + vat + 1 hour labour totalling £139.95. As this was more than the exhaust bracket that the MOT tester had claimed she told them she needed to speak to me before approving it. The dealer however 'needed' to know within 5-10mins, and as my girlfriend was in such a panic and not being able to get a hold of me she told them to go ahead if the box was indeed in need of replacement. The work she was told, would be completed by Wednesday night.
s**s law though, I called her as soon as she put the phone down and was taken aback by the cost of the work. I contacted the dealer and asked why the box needed replaced and why exactly the bracker could not be repaired or replaced. The girl put me on hold and came back with the 'Sorry but you need a centre section sir' I asked if it was unfit to be repaired or corroded to such an extent that the bracket was unable to repaired, and she replied yes.
A tad unconvinced I headed to the dealer to discover the car in the workshop with a new exhaust and the mechanic replacing the hoses. The young lad, pleasant enough showed me the original centre section which is in damn good condition, bar the surface rust, and a clean cut where the bracket had came off. Somewhat taken aback by the need to spend £150 to pass the MOT i asked the lad if he would spend that on a new box, to which he sensibly replied no, he would have the bracket repaired and the healthy box reinstalled, but as the work was paid for by the warranty company we shouldn't be bothered. Except the work isn't being paid by them as it's an exhaust and as per usual they are not covered!
I approached the guy in the office, asked the cost of the box (£139.95) and asked why this was necessary when the bracket could be re-attached in 5 minutes and 10p worth of welding rod reinstating the almost perfect box sat along side the car. He was having none of it as apparently they dont have a welder, and my girlfriend and approved the work that had taken place. Argument over he offered to put the old box back in at a cost of 2 hours labour. He then told us it would cost £39.95 for the MOT , £39.95 for the retest and the warranty would cover the other repairs.
The only reason we went to a VW dealer was to benefit from supposedly superior after sales care! hah!
Not only that, tonight i searched the Vehicle Inspectorates web site and found that i was well within my rights to take the car, have it repaired locally (which my local independant garage would do for a couple quid - ie replacing the bracket) and return by the end of the next working day to be re-tested at no extra cost! So for the sake of a few quid I am, or my girlfriend is £140 out of pocket!
Am i wrong in thinking I should take my complaint further? Read more
I may only be a student but I still find I have a busy life, spending hours servicing the car and crawling around underneath it whilst it is precariously balanced on blocks of wood is not my idea of fun! I would rather pay my local main dealers £120 to do the service and then i can spend a couple of hours cleaning and polishing it instead, much better! :)
Sorry... the tyres covered the mileage on my Vectra, not whilst knocking about in the garage... lol
It's late, humour me.
Kind regards,
Cyrill666