October 2002
Is it just me or is it true that a disproportionate amount of people seem to get rid of perfectly reliable and functional (if a little long in the tooth) cars in favour of new ones crammed full of over complicated bits and pieces which then go wrong or fall off !
Why aren't new cars virtually 'bomb proof' and given this fact why do people continue to buy them ? Read more
Just posted (possibly overlong?) post asking for advice re car-buying - it's not turned up here nor in the tech room.
Wish I'd copied it somewhere so I could paste it here, but I didn't, I did't realise (naively) that computer technology is still out to get me and to prevent me from asking questions which I NEED to know answers to!
Ah well, too late for tonight but I will try and rewrite it tomorrow - if I can, baby-sitting duties with very small child might affect my computer access until later tomorrow night.
But it WAS a motoring thing - I was asking for advice on whether to buy a certain car or not!
Jeez that mail took me sooo long to put into relatively coherent-motoring terms - now I've gotta do it all over again!
Ah well, will try again tomorrow,
take care all! Read more
OK, thanks all - Mark I'm pretty sure I was already logged in but wouldn't swear to it.
And it certainly didn't take longer than 20 mins.
Will digest all the precautions and try again later!
So, Im talking to the service manager at the supplying dealer of a nice new Toyota Avensis D4-D we've got and happend to mention that we are going to use fully-synthetic 5w-40 oil in it (cos its a turbo etc. etc.) and he sounds suprised - he says they use the garages standard mineral gunge in them....
If I had a similar car that was main-dealer serviced, Id now be very worried!
Surely this would seriously shorten the life of the engine (especially a hard-driven one). Read more
"What's the initial view of the Mondeo?"
To quote HJ's CbyC breakdown.
"On your first drive of the car it immediately feels fantastic. Then it gets better."
Spot on there HJ.
Wasn't particularly a fan of the old mondeo, but that comment is coloured by that old Duratorq diesel engine.
The TDCi is quiet and quick. It is certainly so free revving it's actually difficult to run in to HJ's recommended <3000 pm for first 1000 miles. So far economy is not wonderfull very low 40's but guess that could improve with mileage, plus I have been a bit free in using that mid range torque. ;-)
Ride, handling and levels of grip are extremely and I mean extremely impressive. Comfort is good. Even colleagues used to Peugeot ride/handling/seats have commented on the ride and comfort levels favourably.
Negative comments suchas they are.
I have to lower the seat a little so the wheel doesn't obscure the top of the instrument cluster.
Not enough cubby holes in the boot space for storing all that "just in case" garbage I carry about and never use.
Odd view from the door mirrors, the Vectra's are far better in reality despite being subject to far more criticism.
Odd handbrake action. The handbook says not to press the button when pulling up the lever. It is difficult to get out of the habit of doing this even though there is no "ratchet effect."
I guess this is due to those modifications following a few runaways. You have to press the footbrake firmly, then pull up the lever and then its OK. Otherwise it does not feel so secure.
Find Ford's warranty position very odd. When we have other manufacturers giving 3yr and in Hyundai 5 year they only offer 1 year plus this extra dealer thing with tons of loopholes for them to wriggle out of. Not impressed with that frankly.
Thats all the negatives I can find so far, give it another 50k and I'll be ranting along with the rest.
According to to-day's DT, Red Ken is taking driving lessons! That must be a conversion on a par with Saint Paul. What will follow? Congestion charging for buses, new roads for London and the man himself leading a rally in Trafalgar Square protesting about fuel duty, screaming "Can't pay, won't pay" through a megaphone?
Maybe we've misjudged him. The man's a closet Petrol Head, just waiting for the politically oppotune moment to show his true colours and seize power as The Motorist's Champion.
What a relief! Read more
No, no. It WILL be a Subaru.
He can then say "reeead it baaaackwards, sonny jim, it says I can use bus lanes...................."
.................in reverse gear, of course.
I know these things................
Do these deals vary from place to place within the UK? I was in Glasgow at the weekend and a local dealer had a car, well a Fiat Punto actually, offered for a deposit of £100 and the balance interest free over 5 years. It may not be much of a car, and it might not be worth much after 5 years, but it is cheap so far as monthly payments go. Is the same deal likely to be available in the South-East? Are these deals generated by the importers or the dealers? Read more
Nice one Jason, was that from Benfield? The Active Sport is a really nice car, and that's a really cheap price. Hope you enjoy the motoring with the CD player and standard subwoofer! Just don't drive slowly along Tynemouth front with it blaring and the windows open, it's way too cold now!
Lee.
I am about to purchase a Honda civic 3 door 1.4 V reg (2000), I would like the VTI version but can not afford the insurance.
Does anyone had any good / bad experiences with one??? If so please give details before i hand over my cash.
Regards
hoppy Read more
due to another issue we had, totally unrelated with you, I
have temporarily hidden your note. I need to ask Martyn a
question and he's not available until the morning.
Tell all!
--
These are my own opinions, and not necessarily those of all Toads.
Hullo
Well, this is how things usually work out. Sell the Xantia, rely solely on the Clio for about 6 weeks until we're back to two cars and 2 days into it, the blinking thing blows its head gasket. Chuffed. Over the serding moon, me.
So it's now in a garage, and I've asked them to replace the timing belt as the engine will be in bits anyway. Is there anything else I should be getting them to do while they're in there? And is there anything I should be careful of when I collect the car (bank statements aside of course).
Oh and the AA patrol that dragged me in thought it was the starter motor; the garage got a new one, fitted it and burned it out taking the battery with it. Where do I stand with that?
I'm not the happiest bunny today.
Lee.
PS - Yes, I know, I know I've been warned about Clios before. But it's only done 37k, properly serviced, didn't expect this! Oh, it's the 1.4RT - Auto - yes, I know, I'll be quiet now.
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Not sure if the coolant has been changed, I wasn't involved in the servicing of the car. But I'm wondering what sort of thing can cause the head gasket to fail - I don't think the cars been doing anything unusual lately.
Lee.
I see the Mondeo 1.8 has been voted What Car Used Car of the Year.
www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2002450967,00.html
Any comments? Read more
If I had any way to prove that then I think I would be suing them :)
Blue
I have been looking at Saabs recently with a view to buying one of the early GM 900s or maybe a 9000. Looked at one this afternoon that came with service history and a sheaf or really horrifyingly large bills. Anyone have any experience of these cars with regard to reliability and logevity. Read more
Yes I realised that £3995 is way over the top for a K plate 9000 LPT even in mint condition. However, cars are more expensive in Cornwall due to the remote location. Thanks for the advice re auctions.
hello
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I have a renault 5, I replaced the starter motor with a used part which i am assured is in good order. During removal of the old starter i failed to disconnect the battery (stuupid!} and had a lot of fireworks, consequently i replaced the burnt out negative battery lead and the negative lead from the battery to the starter motor housing located at the remote end of the starter motor (away from the the starter armature end). I have connected the positive lead from the battery to the solenoid main threaded connector, however when i connect the battery up i get fireworks at the battery terminal, so obviously stop at this stage, it is a descallier unit and 1986 renault 5 model. note that when dissambling the unit i could not visually see the connection of the direct battery negative lead to the starter casing,i discovered the loose lead only after my first attempt failed to turn the starter which by the way in this initial condition seemed to activate the solenoid plunger as a click was heard, as i kept the old starter unit i figured that the loose lead must have been taken off when i removed the remote end bolt, as the removal operation involved no visual contact with this fixing so i was not aware that anything had been disconnected. two questions.
1) Is the wiring correct i.e negative battery lead direct to the
solenoid casing, positive to the solenoid main pin
2) If so why am i almost fried each time i connect up the battery terminals
The remainder of the electrics lights wipers etc: are ok. without the negative lead to the solenoid hooked up of course Appreciate any tips anybody can offer
>
> joe corcoran
>
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Thanks Richard for your willingness to help, problem solved!!
I had negative lead earthed to the engine block so that was ok, simple solution the positive lead to the solenoid ansd then onto the alternator (uh!) yep that foolish i was, my only excuse is that the blooming things are located such tha you cant see what is being disconnected, coupled with a bracket on the rear of the starter unit with a hole and a clean shiny metalic surface local to the hole, suggesting electrical contact, there was also a bolt which i removed and couldnt see a damn thing so with a spare cable and this hole kaboom! daft your right first principles is always the way forward, but getting a diagram of a basic starter circuit was not so easy, im lucky i wasnt fried.
joe
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A lot of old cars (e.g., the Fiesta Encore) don't have cam belts. The belt is in fact a chain, which doesn't need replacing in the same way as a belt.
On the other hand, my car cost me £475. It has had a new cambelt, it also has electric windows, remote control stereo, electric sunroof, electric mirrors, fog lamps, alloy wheels, remote central locking, a fuel computer, and power steering. It's a 13-year-old Renault 19 TXE. All of those, with the exception of the fuel computer, work perfectly. I don't know if that puts me on the side of new or old cars.