March 2003
Has anybody had any problems with failure of ECUs on VAG 2.0 petrol engines? Our 2001 Beetle 2.0 (115hp) has just had a new one fitted after a one week wait to track down the only ECU in the country! Seems rather poor that such an item can fail after only 2 years/23,000 miles? Any other users with the same engine had any trouble? Read more
Just had a wander round a large Ford showroom up the road.
Having seen a neat silver Street Ka on alloys with a chrome tube roll bar I'm well impressed.
They're not going to sell many Audi TTs now you can get the Ka for £13K are they?
D Read more
Yes very true, and wise advice.
There's a whole other thread there.
Hi,
Could current 405TD owners answer me a couple of questions, I've just bought a lovely GTX TD estate with full dealer service history and just 72k on the clock but not really having driven one for along time I would like to know what's 'normal'.
The clutch feels stiff/heavy is this usual, would you recommend lubricating the cable and pedal pivot point?
The turbo seems to come in at 2000 rpm and seems quite 'steady/smooth'. I drove a estate TD years ago a couple of times and that seemed much more 'aggressive' and powerful. What do others think?
One final thing, the exhaust sounds as if it's blowing but a usual check of the hand over the end of it seems to indicate otherwise. Is it just the way these motors sound? When the exhaust finally goes, I'd like to go for a stainless one, any comments?
Thanks.
Steve. Read more
You will feel the turbo but its not earth shattering. But then it is a diesel.
Hi all
I have noticed a lot of people seem to be "pretending" to be Police officers by putting these yellow fluorescent jackets and vests on the rear parcel shelf , so that its visible from behind.Cars vary from clapped out Sierras to one I saw today which was a newish Audi A8.
Why do they do this?
Do they think it looks cool or do they presume that no one will cut them up or tailgate them?
Dont they know if the car they were in was a real unmarked Police car then all you would probably see would be a few extra aerials! :o)
Any ideas? Read more
KB I think you're closest, the amount of people who now have to wear these hi-vis jackets is increasing by the day. Certainly anyone who now works within a metre of the carriageway 'must' wear one, even if that metre means you're on the pavement surrounded by pedestrians who can wear what they please.
The reason people carry them inside the vehicle rather than in the boot may be poserish, but the reason I carry one in the cab of the van and in the rear of the car is that if I need to stop in a situation where a hi-vis jacket is needed I would rather be wearing it when I get out of the vehicle. Much safer than wandering around the carriageway or the hard shoulder to get it out of the boot!
Cockle
My r reg 2l cdx 97k vectra gear box is a bit on the noisy side (I know , what do you expect/) what would be a good additive when I do an oil change ?? Read more
I have to drive from Basingstoke to the Isle of Skye at the end of April. I plan on taking two days, as have to be there at 4pm on the Saturday, so will take Friday off and spend it in the car.
Any advice on:
a) best route - traditionally I\'ve go M40, M42, M6 then not sure once I get into Scotland.
b) How long to allow - ie when to start on the Friday morning.
c) where to break overnight. I\'d though of somewhere in the vicinity of Glasgow. Any recommendations?
Regards
Sparrow Read more
Whatever you do, do not take the A76 to Kilmarnock. It is the worst road in the world! You would then have to take the A77 towards Glasgow and it is the second worst road in the world!
I would aim for Fort William via Glen Coe. When you get there you have a choice. Either aim for Kyle of Lochalsh (The Road to the Isles) - an absolutely stunning road winding down through Glen Sheil OR head directly west to Malaig and take the ferry from there. This road is slow, but equally stunning and you can always say afterwards that you went "Over the sea to Skye".
If it was me, I'd go one way and return the other.
Just heard a bit on the radio concerning the Auto Express survey of 25,000 cars.
Didn\'t get all the details but Lexus came out top (surprise, surprise) with Jaguar 3rd !
Perhaps more interesting were the bunch propping up the foot of the table which were, I believe:
Fiat (worst), Daewoo, Peugeot, Lotus, Kia, Land Rover, Vauxhall,
Citroen, Renault, Suzuki.
The French not looking too good eh !
Audi were in at 10 and Skoda at 6 I think but VW were down at 24.
Overall the Mazda 6 was voted as the best car apparently.
Can anyone give more details. Read more
Agreed. So they are not perfect?
So you own the 1 FIAT Bravo that has had no problems for 4 years?
At least - if there is any consistency across several surveys, and there does appear to be so - it gives an indication.
Lumpimg user surveys together with "The European Car of the Year" (voted for by who? journalists? voting objectively?) is non-helpful.
Anybody got any direct experience of the BMW 320d?
My retired old man currently has a Passat TDi which he's thinking of swapping, doesn't need performance but likes the idea of something well-built and long-lasting. He may also want an auto.
Definitely has to be diesel. Read more
Mine is a Y-reg (i.e. pre common rail injection). I couldn't be more pleased.
Totally reliable. Build quality superb. After 38k miles, looks like new and feels like it's just run in.
Great performance (as and when I choose to use it). Even better obviously if chipped which mine isn't, yet.
Currently on mainly short runs my MPG is 'down' to around 46, but if I drive softly-softly (motorway cruising) it's in the high 50's. When this was my main mode of driving I routinely got 700 miles per tank.
Insurance through BMW Financial Services was £336 2 months ago. Servicing is at about 15k mile intervals and hasn't been exorbitant - as yet ;-)
Low CO2 emissions means a £25 saving on Tax.
Oz (as was)
have VW sorted their coil pack problems out?
I read a review of a Cupra R yesterday and that had 2 replaced already - I was previously under the impression that they'd sorted it - but that there was a huge backlog of customers waiting for the new replacements. Read more
Hi, Fellow VW & Audi Sufferers! - VORSPRUNG DURCH KAPUT! Excuse my excitement, but I have just been directed to this site, and it is comforting to find even more fellow victims! But listen, there is no need to suffer in silence - I am forming an action group (as yet unnamed, but maybe The VW Sufferers Group - motto: One mile at a time. . .) to get maximum publicity for our misery. I want to shame VW into giving us all - at the very least - extended warranties. . . and having battled VW as an individual (as no doubt we all have) over the last few months I know we will only achieve that aim if we unite into a newsworthy force. I have only scratched the surface of this problem in the last few days, but already have 21 fellow sufferers raring to go. Join us, and who knows what mountains we might move. . .
The very first national newspaper journalist I spoke to, by the way, said that his own sister has a virtually brand new Audi (I think an A6) that has been sitting in the garage for six weeks while she awaits repairs.
Personally, I am at the end of my tether with my VW V5, bought brand new less than 12 months ago as a school-runabout in the mistaken belief that the brand was reliable. Now all I want to do is to keep the engine warning light off long enough to be able to drive it to a decent dealership for a trade-in.
This car now has to be booked in for its sixth engine overhaul in recent months (6 coils, 3 lamda probes - sometimes it has had to be garaged for four weeks at a go). . . this time, I collected it from the dealer last Friday (16 May), and got the engine warning light again last night (Tuesday 20 May) after just 75 miles. Is this a record?
I have been in almost daily contact with VW UK over the last few months, and as a goodwill gesture was finally offered £250 off the list price of a new VW should I choose to get rid of this one and buy another. Hmmm, tempting, but, no. . .
Come on, guys - to the barricades! Together we can do this - and with the right publicity maybe save many thousands of innocent people from the anguish and frustration of VW & Audi ownership.
Drop me an email at vw_nightmare@hotmail.com and I will get back to you. I would especially like to know if you have scored any victories, whether you have any tips to share, whether you forged any helpful contacts with the media or moles within VW.
vw_nightmare@hotmail.com
Cavalier 1989 2L Auto Gives code 49 =High Battery Voltage above 17 Volts. Engine management light only comes on briefly but Error Code is logged in ECU What might be the possible cause?
My thanks in anticipation Nikki Read more
Many thanks for the suggestion about the alternator Earth Lead. The problem is now cured, it was the ALTERNATOR a replacement has been fited, All's Well!. My thanks to all 'This problem is now solved & closed' NIKKI
Browse
My Seat Arosa (aka VW Lupo, based on shortened wheelbase VW Polo) had the same 'speedo not working' failure. It was intermittent but it occurred every week. My dealer replaced the ignition switch/barrel; believe it or not the fix worked!! Blimey!