March 2003
Can anyone recommend an advanced driving instructor?
My daughter passed her test a year ago and is interested in getting some advanced tuition .I'd like to arrange it as a birthday present . She lives Sutton, SW London and it would prob need to be at a weekend. Read more
I'm sorry the Back Room Poll wasn't updated last weekend. I was away and couldn't access Alxnet's site (Alxnet provide the poll software) to make the update.
This week's poll is posted today, at the top level of the forum. It has only two answers, yes and no, and so I may run it only until Monday, depending on how it goes.
Martyn [Back Room moderator]
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mailto:webmaster@honestjohn.co.uk Read more
From the BBC...
The incident started with a crash on the London-bound carriageway in thick fog just after 0700 GMT.
It is thought about 10 further collisions have taken place since then, with vehicles driving into the back of others in the queues caused by the road being closed off.
When will people learn?
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When hell freezes over. Only then, they'll have to cope with driving on ice.
Has anyone had experience of towing a caravan with a Volvo S80 170bhp? If so I would appreciate your comments.
thanks
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Just thought would bring to top for you, as no answers.
Can't see a lack of power though, and your handbook/dealer should be able to tell you one way or the other if advisable/weight limits.
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/2880975.stm
Now then, what would the reason(s) be to tax this vehicle? Read more
Ordinary power plants have the same problem due to variations in demand. I believe they pump water to the top of a hill when demand is low and then use the water to drive turbines when demand is high.
I would guess that hydrogen and the storage tank has a higher power to weight ratio when compared with batteries charged from the mains. Batteries just don't seem to have the range.
I came across this yesterday
www.trunkerton.fsnet.co.uk/lies_of_unleaded_petrol...m
Is this an example of the evil oil companies? Or just paranoia? Read more
I wouldn't be a bit surprised if the account of the anti-Freon campaign on the same site was on the money.
Thankfully we still get RJ-12 in top-up cans in the auto supermarket. Mustangs won't settle for less :-)
Ok, I have a problem with the Alfa. There. I said it. :o(
The car was supplied with one coded key (in poor condition. It looks like Cerberus himself had a chew on it), with two new ones on order from the factory.
One key has turned up, but Alfa UK cannot or will not release the codes to activate the key. It seems that Alfa's process requires a master code to be entered into the Fiat/Alfa diagnostic system. The system can't interogate the existing key to obtain the codes as they are only used to active the key and are not stored on it.
Alfa UK state that as it is an Irish import, Alfa Eire should be contacted. Unfortunately they don't seem to keep the codes, as they issue a card with this information with the driver's pack (not issued in the UK at the request of the ABI). Typically, this card isn't in the drivers pack.
I should add that all the running around has been done by the supplying dealer (Alfa specialist but not franchised). They are tearing their hair out trying to get the codes but just keep hitting a brick wall.
Can anybody offer any advice or contacts where the codes could be obtained (on production of suitable proof of ownership)? The dodgy key is currently on it's fifth load of tape to hold it together.
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Ta KB.
Will try and get myself onto the job properly this weekend and find somewhere that can help. Suffice to say if I find anywhere, the supplying dealer will be doing all the running around for me. They just don't know it yet (but I think they suspect something.....)
:o)
ND
I notice in quite a few posts (and in particular the one about the A4 tdi 130) that people buy a relatively new car and only plan to keep it for a year or two.
Personally I like to buy a car and keep it until it is practicaly dead (although in practice this has not happened for one reason or another). I know that people like to change their cars regularly to try and get something back on it before it reaches a very low price, but surely this does not make sense as the big depreciation hit is during these first years.
What is the best thing to do, bearing in mind that the cachet of having a new car is unimportant to me?
C Read more
What do Ladas smell of then?
Depends whether the food has gone off or not!!
On the way into work this morning I noticed an BMW E36 in the next door road sitting on bricks. Is there no way that alloy wheels can be hooked into the alarm system of the car and shouldn't manufacturers have better security on wheels rather than just a locking nut which seems not to be much use against a professional thief.
But what really amazed me is how no-one spotted this happening as it was just off a busy main road. Read more
Hugo,
Thanks,
Matt35.
I have a J reg ford fiesta 1.1 pop plus. It is a great car which I have run for many years. It seems to have developed a leak on the drivers side door, which I cannot stop.
I have had the rubber door seal checked and there is nothing wrong with it. Has anyone any ideas where the water may be getting in? I really don't want to have to get rid of the car. Read more
I've found that the most likely reason for leaks into footwells is the following. Take off the vertical trim on side of the footwell beside your right leg when you are in the drivers seat. There is a body join at the top which is painted over with a sealing material and then sprayed same colour as the car. Frequently you can see water coming through this area, specially if you play a hose over the windscreen and in the airvent grills. Water that collects into the 'box'structure that runs across the scuttle (can be seen when you open the bonnet, contains the window wiper motor) should drain out to ground. However the edge of this box structure (either side of the vehicle) is just above the internal body seam mentioned above
and, as it is not a continous weld,it can leak.
Solution: Inject/pour some form of sealant into that area working from inside the engine compartment. If there is a rubber blanking plug in the scuttle you can remove that to give access to the inner box structure, if not I have drilled a hole.(Depends on which model). I have used the following materials as sealants at different times: The heavy black compound that is used to stick down roofing felt; Waxol; ordinary underseal.In each case I managed to cure a persistant leak.
Browse
Greenhey,
Our Group run courses at 9-30 am Sunday mornings but can arrange one-to -one drives almost any time...weekends or evenings.
There are Groups in;
Banbury
Basingstoke
Brighto
Central London
Chichester and District
Crawley
Canterbury
Caterham
Estbourne/Hastings
Guildford and District/
I suggest you look at www.iamchelmsford.org.uk/ for an outline of Group activities most of which are common to other Groups.
If she makes progress, we would guide her towards becoming an Observer and encourage her to go for RoSPA after getting some experience.
Your co-ordinator for the above area is Keith Cooper 01276-33202 - South London and South East England.
Regards,
Matt35