March 2003
Watching BBC2's Wrong Car, Right Car Dominic is often seen hammering his calculator in order to calculate the amount in monthly repayments the punter will have to pay based on the dealer's quoted interest rate. Plus they always talk about the 'flat rate' of interest.
Can someone explain to me what exactly is flat rate interest and how do you work it back to get your monthly repayment amount?
About to do some serious negotiation on a car and would like to go in with a way of comparing the dealer's finance package to some of the other loan providers I have been looking at.
Any help would be much appreciated. Read more
how easy is it to adjust the valves (tappets) on my 1997 ford ka?
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Thanks for your help.Job done.
I have a 94 Sunny 1.6 5 Door (Sorry about that).
The front tyres are due for replacement soon, the existing are 175/65 14H Michelin XH1.
Being a hard compound I find these give a harsh ride and are very noisy, can anybody recommend a quieter, smoother, replacement. Wear rates are less important as annual mileage is only about 6K p.a.
I have in mind Conti Ecocontact or Goodyear NCT, any other offers?
Ta ever so.
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Anyone know if branded tyres are cheaper to have fitted in France, if so by about how much? I understand they are cheaper to buy in hypermarkets, also that exhausts are quite a bit cheaper.
Is it true that Renault are releasing a hard-top version of this car, a la Peugeot 307cc?
Anyone got any more information?
clariman Read more
If you're interested, have a look here
www.renault.com/presse/detail.cfm?langue=2&id=5450
It gives prices for the French Megane cc in Euros as well as explaining a lot on the trim levels etc.
Hi all
I have just bought a 90k FSSH 1998 'R' saab 9-5 2.0 lpt SE.
There seems to be a problem with the synchro in reverse as in it won't go in easily at all. I have spoken to saab and other gearbox specialists who have all told me that it is a common fault with this gearbox (same as vx vectra v6). Saab have produced a fix kit and want to charge £1200 to change it. Luckily I bought the car from a dealer, who is honouring the warranty he gave me and paying for the repair at a local specialist gearbox place (costing £450). I will be getting a 12 month warranty on the work they do, so should be happy with that.
Has anyone else suffered from gearbox trouble with these cars?
Would it be prudent to pay to get the clutch changed while they have the gearbox out, even if it isnt too worn? Labour charges for the extra should be 1/2 hr and parts are £190.
Many Thanks
Jonathan Read more
Yes, change it, and don't forget the release bearing too.
Just spotted this in the newspaper
www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,5-2003140333,00.html
Ferrari 328GTS = lacks sexual confidence
Land Rover Discovery = Wannabe macho
Renault Megane = I'm sorted
I would be happy to have the lack of sexual confidence though...well worth it...
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ND - ROFL!!!
HF
Just noticed that at some point a tyre has being wrongly changed. Means running with 3 165/70R13 and one 175/70R13. Which means one tyres 1cm wider and 0.7cm higher so 1.4cm total higher I guess. What do people reckon on the sensibility of this? Read more
Presumably you don't know who fitted the tyre, otherwise you would ask them to replace it as it is their mistake. I have had to do this.
Is anyone else out there frustrated at trying to buy a used MKiv golf??? I\'ve been looking for ages for a GT TDI or GTI Turbo under 30,000 ish miles v-reg onwards for about £10k - £11,500 but am having no luck. The main dealers don\'t seem to have much in the way of used golfs of this type and nor does anyone else for that matter!! Using Autotrader\'s website, I\'m lucky if there is one within 100 miles. I\'ve got a MKiii GTI at the moment and I don\'t remember such a drought when I bought that 3 years ago. Am I missing something???? Read more
If you are over 25, have a word with thecarpeople
www.thecarpeople.co.uk at Wakefield - 2002 02 reg Golf GT TDi 130, 8800mls for £12,795. Swedish import. Its the one I wanted but couldn\'t get insurance at a sensible monthly rate (but elephant would quote at £1,057pa for full business use, kept on street and 20,000mls per year)
Just thought i would post 4 years of Renault Scenic experience for the benefit of others consdering this car.
Renault Megane Scenic, 1.6 RT Alize. Specified with twin electric sunroofs. Ordered as a company car, delivered May 1st 1999. Faults on delivery, slight rattles from dashboard, large glue mark on rear headrest.
10,000 miles, front sunroof jammed.
12,000 miles, first service, no extra items found, dealer ok - fixed sunroof
15,000 miles, rear sunroof sunroof blind comes apart, back half
disapears under roof - rear sunroof jams.
24,000 miles, Second service, no extra items found, dealer fixes sunroof blind and leaves home made tool on back seat (its a length of brazing rod with a hook bent in the end.....
30,000 miles Rear sunroof problem reappears. Remove home made tool from boot, and figure out how to hook back sunroof blind and flick the spring clips back together to hold the two halfs of the blind
32,000 miles Passes MOT - advise on front tyres and pads.
34,000 miles two new front tyres
36,000 miles, Third service - new front pads and disks.
Car has now done 45,000 miles and goes back next month. Apart from the sunroof problems has been utterly utterly reliable.
Its on the original rear tyres. The rear suspension is starting to feel a bit loose, with a slight sideways hop when pushed hard over bumpy corners so i suspect the rear shocks are getting a bit tired
.
The fuel consumption was disapointing at first (28-30) but suddenly kicked up at about 10000 miles (34 round town, 40/42 on a motorway run). Its a bit noisy and boomy and underpowered, but cruises happily at 80/85 all day once wound up. Find it very comfortable and like the driving position despite the reports of people who think its like driving a bus. Its been handy for trips to the dump (with the seats out its huge), the dog likes it, the boy likes it, the wife is happy in it. So ok it does not excite in any way, but there is a kind of satisfaction at hustling it along quickly using nice lines and straight lining bends. Driving a car that leans a lot and throws a quick body swerve when turned suddenly teaches you smooth driving.
It had done two big french holidays (2k miles each) and felt really really comfortable. (funny how french cars suddenly feel at home on french roads!) Even took out the rear seats and two of us camped in it at the British GP.
Summary
Major problems - none
Minor problems - sunroofs
Dislikes - Noisy heater fan, Slightly boomy interior, tyre noise,
white undercoat under dark blue paint!!!
Likes - Versatile, comfortable, easy to drive, reliable, safe.
This is what you need a car for. Be it carting rubbish to the dump, the dog and child to the seaside, long motorway business trips or family holidays abroad, at no time have I felt I needed a different car or ever felt it would let me down. Will be sorry to see her go. (Wife is quite upset, so was dog till I gave her a biscuit)
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Had my scenic for 3 years its 99 1.9DTI Monoco a rare beast. Took me ages to find one and had to go for a year older and slightly higher mileage than I originally wanted. The car has been 100% reliable except for that dreaded alternator belt braking fault (this is a nasty design fault on this engine). I was unlucky that the alternator belt broke and bits found there way to wrap themselves around the crankshaft cam belt pulley causing the valve timing to slip out. However I got away without damaging any valves or pistons. The camshaft pulley sheared its location lug off thus stopping any further damage, but the top end still needed stripping to confirm this. Apart from that I am very happy with the car and I am just thinking its time to replace it with another. Fuel consumption has never been brilliant doing high 30mpg (35-39mpg never had 40mpg). This was attained by monitoring the fuel consumption over the last 3 years on every time I filled the tank (have an excel spreadsheet set up). With the higher diesel cost compared to petrol a 1.6 or 1.8 may have been more economical and give the same performance.
www.iol.co.za/index.php?click_id=132&art_id=iol104...4
who forgot to put the space before posting the link then? Have corrected. DD Read more
Thank you Ian. What is not always realised is that Hog riders the world over do a great deal for charity and community. Underneath the outlaw image are some of the nicest people you'll ever meet. And I don't know what it is, but the ladies show up like bees around honey every time....
Wait till I post some pictures on the HJ site of our upcoming Bike Week here.
Browse
Also, don't forget the £100 or so, 'Document Fee' the finance co. charge on the first payment.THEN, a final figure to own the car, £50 ish sometimes.
You would avoid these costs, sorting your own loan.
Other than the secondary protection, should you have a major problem with the car, or wish to hand it back half way through the deal, it usually makes sense to choose your own finace provider.
VB