March 2003
Hi All;
My other half was looking to buy a Morgan Aero 8, until he found a car called the Marlin Sportster, made by Marlin Cars in Crediton, Devon. He\'s just ordered one based on BMW E36 M3 mechanicals. I mention this only because I believe firmly in supporting smaller companies and when i saw what these guys are producing I could not believe it.
I suggest following these links:
www.marlinracing.co.uk (manufacturers website.)
Natalie Read more
Was reading this weekend, and came across a list of UK "crimes". Maybe somebody could enlighten me as to what is the difference between:
Taking and Driving Away;
Taking Without Owner's Consent
&
Car Theft?
It seems they are all different offences. What do they use as differentiation? Read more
The aircon system on my P reg. Pug 405 is down on performance.
As Spring/Summer approaches the dogs are going to complain.
Can anyone recommend an outfit in mid Essex to do an overhaul without ripping me off? Read more
For some reason I seem to think that there's an air con place on the Rivermead industrial estate in Chelmsford. I don't live far from there so I could swing by on the way home from work to have a look if you like.
Alternatively the only other place I can think of is in Takeley, which I pass on my secret route to Stansted which could be a bit out of the way.
Not that I'ver used either of them you understand.
Matthew Kelly
No, not that one.
How much should I expect to pay for an independent garage to supply+fit new CV Boots to a 96 A6 Estate? Read more
My dad's 1997 Carina E has just been diagnosed with a faulty oxygen sensor (second one within it's life) and has been quoted nearly £400 for the 30 minute job by the local Toyota dealer. It is currently running ok as it is. Does anybody know either of any reliable independent garage in the West Midlands that may be able to offer a better deal than that, is it a part that can be self fitted, or what the potential implications might be if he doesn't have the part changed. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Paul
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Thanks for this Charmoll ! Mine failed in Feb and, based on a similiar comment I noticed on the Toyota users site, I did nothing until the MOT in July (it's called the NCT here in Ireland). I have not noticed any significant change in fuel consumption. The test is the same as the MOT (though the test equipment may be different). The technician noticed the needles flying up and down the scale but, much to his disgust, it still passed ! Maybe the test equipment does a "best case" rather than an "average" reading.
My car is a 96 Carina E with 120K miles on the clock and I now have two years until the next test. I have no plans to fix this !
I was tootling to work on my 750 Yamaha on Friday, 70mph on the motorway, when I heard a bang and the back wheel locked, I wrestled the bike to the hard shoulder (as you do) and found the chain had snapped. This chain is approx a year old, and is supposed to be best available, huge breaking strain, sealed o ring, gold coloured to prevent rust, etc. The chain appears to have whipped in an arc and shattered my nearside indicator before wrapping itself alongside the sprocket and bending the swinging arm in the process. The gearbox cover smashed into several pieces and water pump sprang a leak and deposited green gunk all over the hard shoulder. The question is: after a year's use do I have a right to expect a serious chain to remain intact and not trash my bike? I've ridden with some pretty ropey chains over the last 30 years, but I've never had one snap. I'm up to £200 now, with a swinging arm still to source, I know it's not a fortune but I don't see why I should have to shoulder the full cost. Any advice? Read more
FUnny you should say that, my little Honda trailie has just that.
An interesting posting on the Jagtalk website.
Is it our Daily Telegraph?
Subject: [ALL] meeting with the boss - long message..
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Posted by Tina Whitmore (Profile) on March 23, 2003 at 15:21:45:
Got an email from my Dad today. He has a new job as a motoring correspondent for
the Daily Telegraph (monthly column). He has a meeting next week at the Jag
factory with the Chairman of Ford Motor co. I gave him a letter to give to him
about my love/hate relationship with my X-type (mainly love!) and told him to
tell the boss to do something about the non-responsive dealers (luckily not my
experience) and the pop-up vents (to start). I gave him a list of the fixes that
I've had over the last nine months and a request not to drop the AWD.
Hmm.. I will just cut and paste what I wrote here - it's a bit rambling but I
did it quickly this AM to make sure my dad would get it in time:
"I absolutely love my X-type, I am completely sold on the Jaguar Marque now. BUT
- the little fixes that the X-type needs (the pop-up vents - the drive shaft -
the gauges that work some of the time - the trunk latch - the clicking
transmission on the automatic models - the gas cap latch - the weeping washers -
the "thunk-ing" suspension - and so on) are costing you terribly - both in
reputation and financially. It's not good to spend $40,000 on a car and then not
trust that it will take you safely where you need to go.
For myself, fortunately I have an excellent dealer (Jaguar of Marin) who has
addressed my concerns rapidly and professionally and done a pretty good job with
the fixes. I know many many owners who initially loved the car but are extremely
disappointed and some quite angry with the quality of the build, and a fair
number of people who've had their car taken back with the US "Lemon Law". Had I
been not well treated by my dealer I would be in the same position and be taking
a closer look at the lemon law for myself. As it is, I have learned to live with
the various issues and still very much love the car.
My request is three-fold: Please have your engineers fix the pop - up vents
(it's so simple to add a clip to the other side of the vent- why has this not
been done yet? - a luxury marque should not have these things that rattle!) -
and please try to have some influence over your dealers - some of them treat
their customers so poorly, and it's killing the Jaguar name. It saddens me to
see the X-type get bashed when it's really such a great car!
The third thing. I got this car for the AWD, if it did not have AWD I would have
never looked at it, but would probably be driving an Audi now. I recently heard
the AWD will be dropped in the '07 model year. This is a big mistake. The US
customer is slowly going to tire of the SUV with its gas guzzling and safety
issues, and be looking for a good alternative, the X-type Estate will be a good
replacement for many, especially if it has AWD. Please don't drop the AWD! At
least keep it as an option! The AWD on this car is fabulous! The car feels very
safe and hugs the road, it can't be beat.
Lastly, I am regularly, almost daily, stopped and told by strangers what a
fabulous looking car it is. I always recommend the car with one caveat - get a
2003 model as it seems as though a lot of the issues are fixed. (I have a 9/01
build). My friends ask me in this order: How are you? How's your car? Until
recently it's just as likely for me to be driving a loaner as it was for me to
be driving the car I actually purchased -- I will probably replace my X with a
newer model once the warranty runs out in 2006, since I don't want to get stuck
with the fix-it bill, and hopefully by then the issues will be taken care of.
Thank you so much, once again, I can't tell you how much I love my car.. but I
know it could be a lot better.
Tina Whitmore
PS I've had this car for 9 months - here's what I've had fixed on mine so far:
GECM replaced for front right headlight failure (fixed), replaced again for
gauges (not fixed)
Brake master cylinder replaced (not perfect but better - less fade)
Pop-up vents (tape applied - temporary fix, I have now removed the vent to stop
it from rattling - not fixed)
All gauges died - replaced fuel sensor and pump (not fixed as they have died
again since then)
Hand brake too loose (fixed)
Rear view mirror loose (replaced and fixed)
Rear window glass defrost bars not working (window replaced - fixed)
Rocking driver's seat (fixed)
Cubby box clip broke (replaced box and fixed)
Weeping washers (fixed)
Two tyres replaced ("boxcar bearings" according to dealer - fixed)
Drive shaft replaced (rattle sound coming from central console area - problem
fixed)
Rough suspension on certain bumps (fixed - mostly...)"
I have told my father to give this to him, or the powers that be.. I know he's
on pretty good terms with the folks at Ford, he's known them all personally for
many years, so chances are he will pass it on. I have also demanded(!)feedback
from his meeting with them. I have no idea what the meeting is about, I would
assume it's something to do with the direction that Ford is taking in the
future, but that is an uneducated guess. Hopefully they will listen to my 2
cents... .... and have something to say about it!
Tina
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This is the style of letter that deserves to get things sorted, much better than a rant n rave!
Think this item should, maybe, have an X type heading?
Anyway, week before last, sold in BCA Blackbushe, 217 mile!!!!, 3ltr SE, 5 months old, Ex finance company.
I wondered at the time, if it had one or two faults & the owner had 'backed' it, leaving the finance co. to sort it with the dealer.
Still seemed good value for £19800.
VB
This is a 1994 model and has done 175,000 miles. The engine surges when accelerating under load at relatively low speed. It doesn't do it at higher speeds ie. above 40 mph. Sometimes it does it quite badly, other times not so. If it was a petrol engine I'd say it was fuel starvation. It is NOT a misfire. Apart from this problem it runs well and is a really good car.
I have changed the engine mountings, injectors, injector pipes, fuel pipe between the filter and pump, all of the sealing washers, throttle damper, fuel stop solenoid, cleaned and checked the EGR valve, as well as regularly replace service items such as fuel and air filters. The engine is very clean and I change the oil & filter at least twice a year.
I have also checked the valve timing, pump timing with a dial gauge. I don't really suspect cylinder compression because it starts so well from cold.
But still I have this problem. The pump is a Bosch VE, and before I spend money to have it overhauled, I wonder if anyone has any ideas. Read more
For anyone who's interested I now spoken to two different diesel fuel specialists, and both have told me that the cure is to replace the governor spring pack with a modified one. In fact one of these specialists had told me they've done quite a few of them, and tends to cure far more often than not. They said that the job can be done in situ even though it's fiddley, and the cost is about £250.
I haven't had mine done as the cost isn't justifiable for me.....
Hi there,
I wonder if anyone can give me some advice on the value / best way of moving my Volvo?
The car is a 850 GLT 96N 2.5 Auto Estate, in metallic silver. The mileage is pretty steep - 146,000, but a full Volvo service history.
What would be the best way of describing it in an ad so as not to get too many calls, then hang-ups when the mileage is mentioned.
I'm not desperate to shift it, would put some further money with the proceeds to get something newer. If I hang on, is there any value in keeping the Volvo service history up or would a different garage suffice?
Any comments / suggestions gratefully received.
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I would put the miles in the ad. 146k is not that bad and saves the wasted calls you mentioned. I don't like ads with no mileage in and 'motorway miles' sounds too dealer-ish. Try "Full Volvo main dealer service history", and if it's only had one previous owner then say so. Trade price is around £2,500 so £3,450 sounds like a good start.
PB.
I live in the sussex area and hope someone can help.
Can anyone recommend a fitter in the sussex area, as I am having problems finding one. Although I need to have an approved fitter, the ones I have visited all seem fine. But then I could be wrong.
The one that I like most is in Arundel (Unit 3,Greater Glebe,
Britens Lane, Fontwell, West Sussex). Has anyone used them?
Also, can anyone help me with a list of questions I should ask, and what answers I should expect. I have a 2.0 litre car.
Thanks to everyone who helps me.
gregoryray@lycos.co.uk Read more
Since Danwave and Gregory are the same person, there seems even less point than normal in having two threads on the same subject.
And, Danwave/Gregory, since you registered Gregory last, I assume that is the one you would prefer and so have disabled the other.
Mark.
Browse
>>You chancing your arm with that last para, I thought P.U. seemed a decent guy?
Actually there was no comment, it simply seemed that the relationship between software and debuggers is reasonably comparable with that which exists between the law and lawyers.