December 2002
This is addressed to all you tail-gaters out there.
This afternoon, tootling along the a busy M4 east bound in lane 1 near Maidenhead at 70mph when the car in front lost its load. Two 6 foot wooden doors slid off the roof, impacted the road, and shattered into separate component planks each of which then bounced along the road. I managed an emergency stop onto the hard shoulder behind the car that had lost its load.
Now I think I was incredibly lucky to survive without any injury or vehicle damage. A large part of the reason for this is that the black merc that was following me kept a safe distance and hence he had time to take defensive action. I can only say thankyou to that driver. If only everyone had such skill.
Now here's my point:
If you had been tail gating the car that lost its load, you would have had a plank through your windscreen.
If you had been tail-gating me, you would have gone into the back of me, and perhaps caused a big motorway pile up.
So why do you persist in tail-gating? Please explain to me as I don't understand. I really hate you people! Read more
Having just read through the threads 'Car Insurance from More Than - Caution' and 'Insurance and estimated mileage' I can't help thinking there are some double standards around.
In the More Than thread the insurer is being accused of sharp practice. In the estimated mileage thread the insurer is fair game when (under) declaring ones annual mileage.
There have been threads in the past where used cars have been purchased and proven to be not as expected regarding mileage/faults. But how many of us point out all the negative points on our cars come the time for the p/x valuation?
If we are given too much change in the shop are we just as likely to complain than if it were too little? I think not!
My (slightly seasonal) point is, treat others the way you would wish to be treated yourself. The World would be a nicer place.
Off now to polish my Halo.
Chris M Read more
Nowt to add except happy Xmas!
HF
I have had my new Ford Mondeo TDCI estate since July 2002 (4K miles). Already it has been towed into a Ford dealer by the RAC twice. Both occasions, on starting, the glow-plug light would flash, the engine would turn over but it would not start. On the first occasion it was in the dealers for 7 days.
Eventually they changed the ICU (Injection control Unit).
On the second occasion (1 month later) the same starting problem occurred. This time they changed the CMP sensor, again something to do with the injection system.
Fords Customer services say, “If the car is towed in three times with an identical fault, we will replace the car.”
What they mean by “an identical fault?”
I feel I’m going to have more starting problems. Will I qualify for a replacement car if I do?
Read more
Not another one, surely??
MG-Rover Questions? forums.mg-rover.org/
Got a call from shocked young son who had had a minor rear end shunt at 8.00pm last night. He had gently nudged into the back of a G reg 12 yr old knackered Mazda - his fault. The wife's Focus he was driving had a couple of scratches but no damage. He says he says he shoved her rear-bumper/skirt in slightly. I'm seeing it this pm. Plod called, son breath tested - no problem. Documents all in order.Plod goes off happy - no further action etc. etc. When I ring up other party (woman) this am asking to view damage she says she's in bed (you've guessed) with whiplash.
I'm thinking of going round with £200 in cash for her Xmas present. My excess & no claims (& next year's policy) will be hundreds more but If she wants to go down the compensation route it'll have to be an insurance job. Any advice (quick !) please ????
Bt B
Remember - it's not how you vote that matters ...it's who does the counting. Read more
BTB.
You say your son was breathtested, therefore the Police must have attended. Did they check or issue producers for both parties documents? Did they treat the matter as an injury or non injury RTA? Did they take any action or was it "minor RTA details exchanged"?
If the other party has not produced or has no insurance etc then they should be prosecuted.
I am sure I heard somewhere that true whiplash does not actually take effect immediatly there is a time delay which I cannot remember so there is some credibility to John Davies suggestion that she was already driving with the symptoms
Hi
In January I need to buy a cheap reliable car (up to £1000) and since I know nothing about cars I was wondering if anyone out there could give me advice on the models I could probably get for this price that are known to be fairly reliable and the ones I maybe should stay clear of.
Thanks in advance for your help
Andy Read more
Wouldn't recommend an old Polo. Reliability is too varied, parts too expensive. Mine's been awful.
Best to go for something Japanese or an older model Rover with the Honda running gear. Early Rover 600's are dipping below the £1000 level now if bought privately or at auction. Just make sure it's got the Honda engine (all except the Turbo models do) and hasn't been used as a cab.
How does an engine get its air when you take your foot off the throttle but leave it in gear (engine braking). I am assuming that the engine is not actually firing and is creating a near total vacuum inside as the idle bypass could not possibly provide enough air flow to keep 5k revs happy.
Please enlighten me!
Many thanks,
Dan Read more
And not a idle bypass valve?
I'm also sure this engine is a simple cable that mechanically opens the butterfly - there appears to be no other mechanism to operate it independently of the loud pedal.
Hi,
I've a 122K mile Astra with the Isuzu td engine. It's been great, with only the need for occasional shimming up of the valves. I'd like the same engine in an estate. If Vauxhall has stopped using this engine, what's the latest year I can get?
Thanks,
Blitz
Read more
I put 50K on a Cavalier with this engine in 18 months just tyres and oil and filter changes every 4,500 miles which was a drag but not expensive. I averaged 45mpg+ with no problems. It's not quick by modern standards but it's a lot smoother and quieter than my Passat TDi PD so on my experience I reckon if it's been looked after you'll be pleased.
On my way home this morning, I was been tailgated by a nearly new Land Rover, of course fitted with bullbars etc.
My problem with this was as follows, the sun was low, the roads were still slippy, and we were doing the speed limit through a residential area, I had left a safe distance from the car in front, his bullbars were just a few feet from my bumper. Oh, and he was reaching into the passenger footwell so that he could get his mobile to make a call.
Then I remembered a piece of advice that I read, maybe on this very forum, i can't remember.
It works a treat, every time I cleaned my windscreen, he felt the need to switch on his wipers, beautiful! I could control his wipers from the comfort of my own seat, so I made sure to exercise this control every few hundred yards. :)
Childish I know, but it made me feel better, and funnily enough, he started to hang back. :) Just make sure your washer bottle has plenty of fluid...
Blue Read more
Thanks, I've not driven it for a few weeks due to the salt and grit and I'm not sure how good the Waxoyl is :) £3000 buys you a lot of Rover P6 :)
If they had hit the 3500S, they would have got a lot more than they bargained for, that thing is built like a tank. One thing I've had done is have a pod rear brake light fitted.
I was thinking what sorts of things within a car which would put off a thief. My ideas so far:
fake dog poo, vomit and blood on the seats
fake but realistic severed hand that looks like it belonged to a thief and was trapped in an electric window
a large slavering dog (may assist in first idea but a little too real for me)
Anyone else got any more suggestions?
teabelly Read more
To my mind the best anti thief deterrent is built in in such a way as to become part of the very car you may consider.
Examples include
Fiat Regata
Fiat Strada
Fiat Panda
Fiat Multipla
Fiat Marea
Lada Riva (brick on wheels) - even if you leave the keys, V5 and service histry on the driver's seat. These cars are as reliable as any car could be, but come on - the thief would have his reputation in tatters if he ever got caught.
That horrible little rear engined Skoda - see above
Any Metro that has ever been built - see above, plus most of them only have 4 gears so the thief will have to rev the engine to about 15000 rpm to out run a copper on a push bike.
Anything that looks like it hasn't got an MOT (because you keep trying to get rid of it to no avail), infact any thief with a sense of charity would probably leave a better car parked beside it.
Marinas, allegros, Itals - yes, you get the picture.
Landrover Discovery, as it will most likely break down before the thief gets very far.
From what I hear LDV vans - See above
Vauxhall Fontera - See above plus GM will find a way to void the warranty when it does.
Any new VW - OK they're easy to steal because you can just look at them and the windows will obligingly open for you, but you can always nick it back using the same principle.
I opened the passenger side window on the way home from work, and when i wound it up again, it stopped an inch short of closed.
I tried to shut it again several times using the switches on both doors, and by manually pushing, but it wouldn't have it (just what you want in tesco's car park with a car full of christmas presents)
20 minutes later,pressed the switch and it shut (phew !)
(1) will someone tell me its a known problem and is solved by replacing fuse 3 with a champion NG9Y or adding redex to the washer bottle, because I really don't want to get into taking the door trim off.
I'll do brakes, clutched, engines, but trim just intimidates me. i just have to look at a trim clip and it breaks apart, everything bends, and the final result looks like it was reassembled by a visually impaired drunkard
Failing (1) above, can anybody give me any clues for getting the door trim off the Bora ?
ta
I have to grow old - but I don't have to grow up Read more
the passenger window has always seemed a bit slow when going up.
A quick spritz of wd40 into the door cavity today seems to have made a slight improvement, and the window, when wound back up, appears to be very wet
I dont seem to be able to find any drain holes on the bottom of the door - should there be ?
I have to grow old - but I don't have to grow up
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I think it's just the speeding laws.
A policeman once said to me (as he was booking me) it's only three points it doesn't matter.
Which begs an obvious question.
As for HH. She truely is a conviction politician!
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These are my own opinions, and not necessarily those of all Toads.