January 2003

Question Head Gasket

Nick100 on 21 January 2003

I have a K reg Renault Clio thats covered a pretty good milage at just over 90k but my garage tells me that the cylinder head gasket has blown which certainly accounts for the coolant loss and the oil like mayonnaise! The rest of the car is in pretty good condition but I'm wondering if it is worth getting the head off(beyond my competence by a long way), getting a rebuilt engine or just getting it crushed. Any advice or thoughts about cost effective solutions gratefully received!
Read more

MikeC on 22 January 2003

I had a 92 Clio that blew a core plug - coolant dumped all over the road & overheated. Local mechanic said cause was a slowly leaking head gasket - no obvious loss of power etc. Charged £300 for core plug, new gasket and cambelt change & oil etc. The guy said as the head had obviously been leaking for a while as the inside of the engine had started to rust due to air getting in the system (the coolant was a rusty brown as well). A few months later I got a leak where a metal pipe joins the engine block - again caused by rusting - and again it dumped the coolant on the road and overheated.

Amazing - the only car I have owned to have so many water problems and the only one without a water temp gauge.

Have since sold the car.

Question Citroen ZX Jacking

Noobie on 21 January 2003

Could anyone please advise me the best points to use to jack up this car using a trolley jack. The Haynes seems to suggest using a block of wood under the subframe and jacking this and then using the sills to support.

This sounds a bit strange and would appreciate any guidance

Thanks Read more

Humpy on 21 January 2003

I do as the Haynes Manual says. I use the front subframe to jack and support at the sills. However there is a round jack recepticle just inside from the sill jack points that I have used as well but you'll have trouble getting the stand in with the trolley jack using this area. I know you're not meant to but for quick front suspension repairs I use the jack at this round point and don't worry about stands unless I'm going to get underneath. If you use the subframe to jack, you'll need to abgle the trolley so that you can crank it in the wheel wells otherwise you can't get a range of movement sufficent to raise the jack.

Some prat from a garage tried to jack up my car using the 'thin as paper' support underneath the radiator and bust it so i can't recommend that!

Forum Conti or Mich?

Gazza on 21 January 2003

Conti PremiumContact or Michelin Primacy?

205/65 R15 94V

Needs to be very quiet. Read more

Forum When is it a write-off

stevieg on 21 January 2003

After a recent crash (car parked in icy car park empty, car skidded into back of car. Driver left details and witnesses) the estimate from Godfry Davis in Worksop was £2043 excl. VAT. My car is a 97P Primera SRi with A/C 75K on clock. Good condition before prang. Insurance company (Esure) said they write off cars if repair cost of repair is more than 60% of market value. In my case they willl repair (just). This means my car is valued at more than £3400. If vat added this = £4000.
I will come to the point now, How do they determine market value?, and do they include the VAT when calculating 60% of value to write car off?
To be honest I would rather it be written off as I would rather not have a car which has had £2400 worth of repairs to it.
If I wanted to write it off they would give me less than cost of repairs, I said I would be happy with £2700 (approx trade in value) but no go. I was changing the car in a few months anyway.
Any thoughts please or similar experiences. Read more

pd on 23 January 2003

The VAT is irrelevant, I can't see any reason esure wouldn't claim it back.

Still seems an odd decision though.

Forum Bike theft - one for the Toad

Ian (Cape Town) on 21 January 2003

Unbelievable story... and a dumb criminal!

below is a posting from newsgroup made by one "paulh (paulh@fahncahn.com)"

Some guys bike gets stolen
www.r1-forum.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=24...7

Dumb guy who flogs it puts the bits on Ebay the same week...
cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&...4

(BTW, where is Ladas?)

Some guy gets it back

www.r1-forum.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=25...7

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Question Tyres - Conti or Mich

Gazza on 21 January 2003

I am deciding over

1. Conti PremiumContact
2. Michelin Pilot Primacy

Needs to be very quiet and grippy. Currently on B'stone RE88.

205/65 R15 94V
Nissan Maxima 3.0 auto
Car weight: 1350 kg

Anyone got experience with them?

Cheers,
Garrison Read more

KEB on 23 January 2003

Anyone got any experience of these tyres on a Volvo S80? I have recently acquired a 1999V S80 which has BOTH fitted - Mich Pilot Primacy on the front, Conti EcoContact CP on the rear, both 215/55 R16. Difficult therefore for me to tell which is performing the best! Have to say though that the ride is better than my old BX on which I always fitted Michelins.

Any ideas on which I should replace first?

Forum Tyre insurance

Rick99 on 21 January 2003

Is anyone aware of companies offering tyre insurance cover against repair, replacement, malicious damage etc?

A friend mentioned this may be available but only through main dealers. Read more

Phil I on 21 January 2003

Local branch of ATS is offering what appears to be really good deal on tyreinsurance purchased with new tyre/tyres for very little money.

Happy Motoring Phil I

Forum MOT Question

BMDUBYA on 21 January 2003

Apologies if this is in the wrong area. I have checked UKmot web site for the checks involved in an MOT regarding spare wheels and found this..Note:
The condition of the spare tyre is not part of the MOT.

Does this mean that you dont actually have to have one?

Thanks in advance. Read more

Galaxy on 8 February 2007

Lucky you haven't got a Smart Car then.

The front and rear wheels are different sizes so no spare wheel is supplied. A puncture means a vehicle recovery job!

Forum National radio travel bulletins

Dave H on 21 January 2003

How useful are national radio (i.e. Radio 2) travel bulletins?

I ask the question because in all the years that I have been driving, I cannot recall ever finding them of any benefit (in fact I find them distracting and annoying). Furthermore, with most cars equipped with RDS radios, local radio bulletins are easily accessed and are superior since they cover only the immediate area and incorporate local, detailed information.

Each hour there are two 5 minute bulletins, and so 17% of the stations output is irrelevant to the majority of listeners (especially to those at home or at work!). I always play a tape or switch stations when the ?traffic and travel? starts!

Is it just me, or do others also agree?

DaveH

Read more

No Do$h on 23 January 2003

Yeah, 666 if Prescott and Livingstone are to be believed.

No Dosh ** Quick, talk motoring, Mark's coming! **

Forum Cash for Pug help please

mark (aberdeen) on 21 January 2003

I hope to purchase my company car from my employer this week, and would appreciate your views on its cash value. My employer's policy is to sell the cars for readies to a local dealer, consequently the cash offered is usually quite low (and in my interest!)
The car is a June 99 'early facelift' Peugeot 406 estate, 1.8L (base model) petrol, aircon, abs, fsh, 70K miles, not had a cambelt change, been used for towing caravan since new, original clutch OK but bearing squeals occasionally, interior and exterior pretty good.
All figures appreciated; thanks in anticipation. (advice 'don't buy it!' understandable)
Mark Read more

mark (aberdeen) on 21 January 2003

thanks David; I had a similar top figure of £3500 after mileage deduction. I can't see cash being offered by local dealers anywhere approaching this figure, so hopefully I can work downwards. Good point ref the clutch work; not sure of the extent of this job.
Mark