March 2003
Hi,
I had the front brake pads changed on my '98 1.6 Megane Classic a couple of weeks ago. 39,000 miles from new - which I thought was pretty good.
My local Central Tyre did it for £49.99. The guy mentioned that there was a wear lip on both inner disc faces at the bottoms and that the new pads would take a "few hundred" miles to bed in properly. "Don't worry Sir, they are safe, but will squeal under light braking until the lower edge of the pads wear to the contour of the disc".
Well, the brakes do work fine - but they do squeal under light braking. I've now done 900 miles since the job was done. Most of my current driving is motorway BTW - I don't know if this makes any difference.
My question is - is this normal or have I just been palmed off with an excuse. I'll be doing another 600 miles this week by the time I can even think about taking the car back in so any comments appreciated.
In anticipation.
Robert Read more
Hi,
Some advice from any of you with Vectra ICE experience.
A mate has just upgraded his CAR400 to a CCR600 + CDC2 changer. These are known good, but came from an Omega. The radio/cass works fine - but the CD Changer appears to be dead.
Its a '97 Vectra GLS. The changer just plugged into a connector already in the glove box.
My thought was power - does anyone know if the changer is fed from power from the radio or another fuse? If it has its own fuse then I guess that could be missing.
Comments/voice of experience appreciated here as he is 200+ miles away and anaxious for some remote advice.
In anticipation.
Robert Read more
Remove the radio cassette unit and check that the (three)plugs from the Vauxhall harness are properly clipped into the fixing sleeve. They can become detached if the sleeve has been out for some reason, phone fitting etc.
This has probably been asked before but here goes, problem is when I start my car for the first time (morning) it runs great no smoke when driving throttle response is very good but when the engine gets to full operating temp I notice the throttle response is not as good and it starts to blow black smoke out on acceleration. I've checked the usual(air filter) and replaced but I am puzzled why it would drive great when cold and decline when hot. Can anyone point me in the right direction to the possible cause. Thanx in advance.
-Shades- Read more
I might be wrong but i think these engines are fitted with a boost pressure activated diaphraph unit connected to the inlet manifold , i think these allow fuel delivery to be increased with increasing boost pressure. I know of cases of the diaphraphms in these units failing resulting in the smoke problems you describe.
I think if you look on the injector pump their will be a unit mounted on it with a pipe connected to the inlet manifold area. If you remove the pipe you might find it to be full of fuel indicating a fault. Might be worth taking the top of and removing the diaphraph and looking at the rubber behind a good light to check for pinholes - that is assuming your engine has one of these fitted!.
hope this helps
Steve
I saw something mentioned once about HPi checks (without insurance) being available for £12. I can't find any info about this on their website. Do you have to be a trader or something to get this deal?
Also are there any reputable companies like HPi that do cheaper 'Hpi type' checks, with or without insurance? Read more
I think they definietly are doing that.
At least now I know who to avoid using. if you have to advertside like this then you are not no good in my eyes
I've a 99 T VW Passat Saloon TDi SE. Love the car and want to add a cd player to the existing cassette/radio. Franchised dealer sales dept offered a 6 changer in the boot but cost of around £400 fitted too high. Also offered single slot CD at a more reasonable £200. Went to book it in when my service became due but service dept said the single slot player will not fit my model. When I queried it, the man checked with someone in the garage who confirmed it won't fit my model. I am looking for a second opinion from anyone out there. I have the climate control unit, the cassette/radio beneath it and what looks like a sizeable gap beneath the cassette/radio that looks wider and almost as deep as the cassette/radio. Can't see why a single slot CD player will not fit in this gap. Has my local VW garage got this right? My only other option is to replace the existing unit entirely with a CD radio but I am reluctant to do this as none of the models I have looked at fit flush and look nice. Read more
Think the problem is the depth available on the lower slot.
Have you got the wiring for the boot changer already in place ? if so then try www.edworthys.co.uk/framesets/sproducts_start_audi...l
My Aunt's troublesome Rover 216Si (N reg, newer style) has overheated and cracked it's head. The work has been done now (about the value of the car I know) but she wants to know if the bill is in the right ball park. I would like to know the likely cause of the overheating. Anyway here is the bill.
LABOUR -Investigate overheating and oil mixing with water, remove and strip cylinder head, send for skim and examination, found clylinder head cracked, supply and fit exchange cylinder head, fit new exhaust camshaft, reassemble and refit cylinder head using parts listed below, fit new thermostat, replace?timing belt and tensioner, flush through coolant system, change oil and filter, fit new air filter, antifreeze, run up and test. £425.00
PARTS - Head skim £35., Cylinder head £473, Thermostat £8.24, Head bolts x 10 £65 , gasket set £74.50, air filter £11.17, timing belt £24.33, tensioner £21.12., Exhaust cam £119.00, coolant flush £9.00., Oil flush £ 11.00., Oil £17.70., Oil Filter £5.85., Sumpwasher £0.70., and antifreeze £10.50.
Subtotal £1311.11
VAT £229.56
Total Cost: £1540.56
To me it seems about right - anyone think otherwise?
Also one another topic. Identical car insurance cover costs for a Charade in the UK (countryside) and NZ (city centre). UK about 500 quid, NZ about 50 quid.
Paul C Read more
Yes, I think you have paid a fair price for the amount of work done. The head gaskets and heads are a known weak point on these engines. Why was the camshaft replaced?
Andrew
Happiness is a T70 at full chat!
I wonder if anyone can help me out. Eight months ago, I had my cambelt changed on my Vectra Sri V6. Last week, the tensioner disintegrated leaving me with a massive bill for new valves and work on the head.
Basically, what I'm trying to find out is when the dealer changed the cambelt ? should they also have changed the tensioner? If not, would it have been reasonable for them to inspect the associated parts?
Thanks in advance for any replies!
Read more
Ouch! Don't fancy sorting out the aftermath of a V6 cambelt failure......
MG-Rover Problems? forums.mg-rover.org
Can anybody help in advising how best to remove a small windscreen chip caused by a stone? It doesn't seem to have done any harm but I don't want to leave it there indefinately. We tried Halfords own make stuff which seemed to help hardly at all.
I am hoping to sell the car asap so need to act quickly!
Many thanks Read more
Just a thought, I have a ford with heated front windscreen as standard. I have fully comp insurance, and know that I could get it replaced if it was damaged without effecting any no claims bonus. would insurance cover the additional cost of the
heated screen, I imagine these are a lot more money than conventional screens.
while waiting behind a Focus estate I couldn't help noticing rust
where the corners of the chrome strip in the centre of the hatch met the bodywork.
Is this a known problem, it looked bad on this light blue metalic version. Read more
Apparently if you type "FORD" into an Enigma machine it encodes it as "RUST."
Was overtaken today by a showoff Subaru driver on a dangerous bend towards oncoming traffic showering me with all the stones that had collected in the centre of that part of the road.
Now I don't mind if anyone has a desire for an early grave but what has realy annoyed me is I now have two lovely stone chips on the bonnet which I have just noticed.
I know there are others that wish that was all they had to worry about but I do care about and look after my cars and it just- ("swear word") me off when some ("swear word")like him is the cause of damage to my motor however small it is.
Got that off my chest now. Read more
I don't tailgate, lrage 4WDs just don't brake quick enough to risk it.
But overtaking me, swerving in front, and then stamping on your brakes might not have the effect you intended.
Browse
The garage should have smeared a little copper grease on the back of the pads to combat this, but it's not the end of the world as they will quieten down over a few more miles. What they told you was exactly right, the pads will bed down to the discs eventually. You are running them in in the right way, gentle treatment now will ensure they last longer in the long term.