February 2003
Hi,
I have a 1994 (L) Cavalier 2.0 8v with a very annoying problem. On a cold damp morning (most mornings in this country!), it's guaranteed one of the two things will happen:
1) I put the key in the door, open it and the alarm goes off.
2) I open the door fine, but when try to start it, the immobiliser goes off, then the indicators flash until the battery is flat.
It will work just fine later in the day when it's a bit warmer and drier.
The alarm/immobiliser is a factory fit item and is operated by the key - there is no keyfob or immobiliser chip in the key in this system. There is a switch on the dashboard to turn on/off the motion detectors but there seems to be no way to disarm it completely. I have asked the local Vauxhall dealer how to disable it but they say it can't, and the only solution is to replace the alarm system, which is going to cost more than the car's value.
Does anybody know how to disarm this before I throw in the towel and get rid of the car, which is otherwise just fine?
Read more
Why are a lot of buses now fitted with auto gearboxes?
Surely this only increases fuel consumption and hence pollution.
Ben Read more
That's the fella! Semi-auto gearchange. And the finest damned way to do it. You can get smoother changes with one of these than you can with a manual and when it's set up right it's a pleasure to drive. Much satisfaction can be had from timing the gear changes correctly. Takes some mastering though...
In need of an estate and although I'm open to suggestions, my current choice is a new (discounted) passat 1.8t from vw main dealer for around 16.5k - some great passat deals at the moment. Or a 2 ish year old V70 either 2.4T if possible but may need to be the 170bhp model for around the same money. Plan is to keep the car for a few years (5 or more). I guess it's a tough choice most of us face, but any advice on costs, benefits, good/bad of either welcome, like wise any suggestion for any other estate I've overlooked.
thanks,
KW
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There is a wealth of information about the V70 on the thread started by LoeyDaFrog. HJ likes the 2.4T doesn't he?
I've always like the look of the Suzuki Vitara.
I saw that the GV 1600 is now available new for 10999 against a list of 12495 which I thought was good.
Just looking through the local newspaper (for a ford focus)and found new GV 1600 offered at 9995 , which sounds tempting, 20% off list.
Is it being replaced sometime soon ?
I hate buying new, but haven't noticed this reduction feeding through to used prices.
In the same paper there is a private used car for 9999 !!! Read more
I did read (and posted here) that Suzuki plan to have a diesel engine in all of their 4x4's by the end of this year. I don't imagine that the Jimny will be so attractively priced then. The best I've seen one for is (was) £7499. Cheap enough for a small 4x4 if you live in the sticks and want to stand a better chance of getting about in the winter.
KB.
Hi folks
Thanks to those of you who contributed to my thread recently about a car for a mate for £200-£300.
Just concluded a boozy post-work evening in the pub (yes, I know it's early!) where a colleague has mentioned he wants to go car shopping tomorrow. Here are the essentials:
Budget of £10k. Leaning towards secondhand, but new not totally out of the question.
Car must carry said friend, his girlfriend, and baby to be born in May.
My mate likes prestige motors, but wants something sporty and comfortable. It's probably going to parked on the street so something relatively discreet would also be a bonus.
Must be totally reliable, and he's not known for maintaining a car properly (I know, I know...). To be kept until at least next summer, ideally to be shipped back to Ireland (where he's from) at that time, and to get through their MOT with little or no expense.
Insurance must be reasonable (not much no claims, he's 26).
Economy or outright speed not an issue here in Guernsey (44p/litre, top speed 35mph), but must be able to take a lot of town driving. He's not an automatic transmission fan.
Personally I suggested a new Focus straight away (no VAT here in
the Channel Islands, his p/ex is a totally crackered 1992 Corolla so I think the deal is possible), but bizarrely he's not interested because "the loud indicators drive me mad". Go figure!
I was thinking 3-series coupe (E36) or perhaps a C-Class (if we can find a manual) or A4. We're off tomorrow morning at 11 to trawl the dealers. Not a *huge* amount of choice here in Guernsey but the main makes are well represented (VW/Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Ford, Vauxhall, Mazda, Honda, Renault).
Your thoughts appreciated!
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The A6 is a nice car for sure but, unfortunately, the Audi dealer didn't have any secondhand. It's very hard to get specific models secondhand here in Guernsey - there are probably 10 franchised dealers who carry an average of 15-20 secondhand cars each! The nearest equivalent was an A4 1.8, nice car but truly horrible colour (aqua green metallic). If we had found an A6, I would still have expected insurance to have been a bit high for my friend, plus the size of the car would have counted against him at the moment with parking in the street (it's a bit like trying to park in London round here...)
my '94 fiesta is starting to give me a lot of grief.
it keeps revving excessively when im totally away from the accelerator. almost as though i'm flooring it. someone suggested i might try cleaning the accelerator cable but i can't find it. is this likely to be the cause of the problem and does anyone know where it is??? any other suggestions causing the problem???
also, theres a rather irratating noise coming from what appears to be the exhaust or at least something central under the car. when stationary with no acceleration theres a huge whiring sound, almost like a grinding, that only stops when you accelerate. then when you push it up to 62mph and put it in reverse it makes a sound like the exhaust is trying to spit but also sounds like its dragging across the floor, which it isn't i have checked that.
please help!!!! Read more
just been reading some stuff. could it be an air leak causing misfiring??? thats kinda what it sounds like at 62mph. that would explain alot has the exhaust came away from the front pipe about 2 months ago.
Are auction prices published anywhere ?
What would you expect to pay for 02/02 Ford Focus Zetec 1.6 5 door with 2,000 miles on the clock ?
would a 3 door be much cheaper ?
Are auction prices much less than places like motorpoint ? Read more
Were you at BCA Newcastle by any chance?
Ben
My `98 Volvo V70 XC has a luggage cover which I cannot for the life of me work out how to remove! I`ve read the hand book which states the retracted luggage cover should be pushed to the right in its holder to disengage. The cover does move within its holder but not far enough to allow either end to be removed. Anybody know what I`m doing wrong?? Getting my mountain bikes in is going to be a bit tricky if it won`t come out! Read more
SUCCESS!!
I finally conceded defeat and rang the supplying dealer. Their explanation, along with yours, and the luggage cover holder is now free. I was trying to push the rolled up luggage cover to the left or right when what I should have been doing was putting my hands between the glass and the top of the luggage cover holder and pushing in - accordion style.
Easy when you know how!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Aaaah - the new E-class. Lovely motor. My boss won't have anything else.
So given our new taxation laws as regards company cars, ever increasing interest in luxury diesel cars, the need for greater economy yet still the desire for powerful cars etc etc...
...Why the HELL are you not importing the goddamn E400 CDI?!!!!
It's probably most businessmen/women's dream for those who can afford it, yet the most interesting variant won't even be built in right hand drive.
Any ideas as to why this is or are Mercedes simply taking the ****? Surely the UK must be a prime target market?
For anyone who thinks this is perhaps down to engineering issues, all I can say is no way. I worked at Ford for a while and know full well that the engineers are capable of almost anything if they need to be. Sometimes variants (partic engine) do not make RHD but this isn't some skanky bottom spec Fiesta that noone cares about, this is something I think that would attract a lot of interest.
Rant over :) Comments? Read more
Recently bought a new E320 CDI but I was also looking at an M-Class, sad I know but for my work and the kids it seemed a good idea at the time. Anyway whilst test driving the ML270 CDI I asked why in Spain you can buy an ML400 CDI but all we get offered is a 2.7 5 cylinder diesel.
Salesman pointed out that the 4litre V8 diesel was never meant for this country and apparently was virtually impossible to fit with a R/H drive set up.
Shame really beacause the 320 is an animal but the 400 must be an bleedin beast.
Doesn't that imply that you had sanity in the first place? Puts you head and shoulders above some of us.
HF;)
Browse
Hi Dave,
I tried some WD40 on it - so far the alarm hasn't gone off on opening the door yet, so that's good news!
Garry