May 2003
Help please. I'm on the verge of buying a new Fiat Multipla - child No.4 en route August 03 - as it's the only model with sufficient luggage space when all seats used (particularly when the rear three seats are moved forward). Also, I actually like it's quirky looks and the JTD ELX comes well kitted out.
The only 'nagging doubt' is it's build quality and reliability (Fiat). I've always gone for cars that will last you into double figure years - currently drive a Volvo and Honda Jazz (fantastic small car). I thought I'd checked out all there was in the MPV market (6 seats and above) until somebody in work today mentioned a 3 year old Honda Shuttle. I'd be talking between £9k-10k for a W reg with FSH in the 2.3 LS model, which is well inside my budget. I know it's a group 15 insurance and I suspect it drinks the juice a fair bit more than the Multipla Diesel, but as we'll be doing no more than 8k a year, then I don't see this as an issue. However my local Honda dealer hasn't got any and they're pretty scarce in the private press so I can't even go and check one out! My real issue is with luggage space - with only six seats used in the LS, is there sufficient room for a pushchair and several bags for instance with one of the rear seats down? We like to go away quite often so a reasonable amount of space is paramount. Does anyone out there own one? If so would you recommend it? Was the space sufficient for your needs? I would be grateful for any advice.
Many thanks
Risky. Read more
I see Aston Martin are to shift production of their V12 motor away from Cosworth Engineering (VAG subsidary) to Fords engine plant in Cologne from next year. It seems a great shame that this could not have been kept in the U.K. by switching the production to the Ford`s Bridgend operation. Read more
I used to have one of these cars any one seen one around ??
Only 34 imported - very hairy BUT fun to drive
K2 Read more
A blue one with white stripes was parked outside the Harrod's business terminal at Luton aitport of Friday with Abarth badges. At leat I think ut was a Steyr. Had Steyer type wheels.
HJ...
My 94 mondeo has started to leave a little oil on the drive.It has covered 92k and been regularly maintained. I am told it is the crankcase oil seals and will cost £220 + vat.On Chatting to the mechanic I was told it would be ok to leave as long as I do not mind a bit of mess on the drive. The car is due an mot soon so i am reluctant to undertake expesive work that is elective in case more is needed for more work to get it through its mot. I am considering it may be time to cut my losses should it pass as things could start getting expensive soon. Any thoughts? Read more
As I posted than. It is a common problem with Mondeo. If it is just oil seepage rather than pouring onto your drive, there is nothing to worry about.
Mine has seepaged from 40k to 80k, when I sold it. Now the car is currently at 100k with the new owner. The car is still good, the leak never got worse and requires around 50ml of gearbox oil every 10k. I had a 500ml bottle to top it up every 10k and it had over 250ml left when I sold the car so I gave the owner (friend) the bottle with the car.
Total cost of oil = £4.00
Cost to have it repaired = over £200. (There is no need to take the gearbox out, instead you take the suspension apart, hub off, drive-shaft off and then prise the oil seal out.)
I have the Ford TSB CD if you want to know how to do it, without doing it.
Garrison
The MP for East Londonderry, Gregory Campbell, has filed and Early Day Motion in the House of Commons calling for an overhaul of the Motor Insurers Bureau. It read:
"That this House notes that motorists who are the victims of accidents caused by uninsured or untraced drivers face increases on their premiums through no fault of their own; and calls for the uninsured drivers agreement and untraced drivers agreement between the Government and the Motor Insurers Bureau to be amended to prevent innocent motorists' premiums being arbitarily increased as a result of being victims of accidents caused by unisured or untraced drivers"
Should the unfortunate ones affected be penalised, as now, or,
should we all pay via the MIB levy i.e. what he is suggesting, or, attack the problem rather than the effect by increasing the punishment for driving uninsured and hit and run?
Chris M Read more
The ID card thing works in theory but in our political system is extremely dangerous. What's to stop a government putting your religion, race, sexual persuasion (or anything else about you--BMW drivers, anyone?) on the card and then preventing you accessing certain public services, or justice, on the strength of them? With our constitution and lack of a bill of rights, absolutely nothing.
Chris
On Sunday I went to an Audi dealer to trade in my golf 1.6.se (02 reg , 8500, import full uk spec) for an audi tt.
I was offered £7500 because it was an import - the dealer rang up the underwriting dept and then gleefully told me that this is the best price and that's it normal in the industry to do this.
What annoyed me was that there's no difference between this and a UK sourced car and it seems that car dealers are carving up the car market (I'm sure that this is illegal because an indirect effect of "discriminating" against imports on resale/trade-in price is to prevent people buying them in the future esp if a smug dealer going to knock off a couple of grand off book price)
Comments/course of action (apart from selling car privately)would be welcome. My ideal would be to lodge a complaint with the Competetion authorities in the UK to see what they say. Read more
Isnt it great to see that UK Spec Golf is now made in the UK. I always assumed they were all made in Germany (or spain or poland etc etc.) along with the European cars :-)
If he had haggled on the Spec of the car then it might be reasonable , but when identical cars come out the same factory its just taking the wee wee.
Personally I blame the English Channel.
My wife drives a 1994 Pug 306 1.8 SR Sedan, on which the drivers wing mirror has today come loose at the hinge.
The internal (manual) adjuster still moves the glass okay, suggesting that the three internal bowden cables are still intact, but the whole mirror simply folds against the car under wind pressure.
It is also possible to slide the mirror vertically upwards on the hinge post, until it detaches to the point where only the aforementioned adjuster cables stop it coming away completely.
Looking carefully, I wonder if a circlip at the top of the hinge post has broken, because I can see a grove for one in the post.
Before I take the thing completely apart however, do any BR's have experience that can help, please, especially if this is a known design fault and I'm wasting my time fiddling.
Note: The wing mirrors are folded flat every evening to get the car in to the garage, and extended the next day on taking it out, in both cases forcing what feels to be a spring loaded 'detent' to be overcome before they move.
Many thanks. Read more
Though I did not have the problem, I doubt that they have come undone at the joystick end as a result of disconnecting the mirror ends.
Sorry I can't therefore be more helpful on this occasion, though if you find the reason and it's not simply secure clamping of the outers and correct tensioning of the inners I'd be most interested to read about it.
Good luck, and remember it's probably logical and simple!
I need some help refitting my Golf's exhaust back onto the manifold.
The head gasket went and so I did all the necessary but when it came to putting the exhaust back on the manifold it's turned into a nightmare. Getting it off was easy enough (with a hammer) but I'm told I need a special tool to put it back on (VW3049A).
Living in France that tool will cost the value of the car or will be impossible to find.
Any ideas / tips / tricks would be very much appreciated.
Cheers,
Steve Read more
Thanks a lot for the tip. Looks pretty promising....
Hi All, thinking of buying new shape Mondeo 1.8 petrol, whats the true mpg,and are they belt or chain driven. Thanks Read more
Yes, but apart from a new direct injection 1.8 petrol engine the facelift is going to be very minor, akin to what they did to the Focus in 2001 (i.e., not much beyond very slightly different bumpers and wheels).
AutoExpress had a story on it last week I think, should still be on the website.
I own a 1995 Golf VR6 automatic which has covered 57,000 miles. Having noticed a slight whining noise that coincides with the auto-box changing up at around 35-40mph I had a VW technician road-test it with me. Further checking with his diagnostic kit revealed faults with the gear-box and engine. He managed to cancel/reset the gear-box fault only for it to return minutes later.
Initial checking of the engine returned nothing until a throttle potentiometer fault showed up. My understanding of all this is that the gear-box and engine aren't communicating and the engine may be operating in 'limp home' mode. I've certainly felt the car hasn't been as responsive as it should be for several months. I never really pushed it in the first few months of owning it, but since the noise appeared I've been curious, tested it (responsibly) and feel it definitely should be a bit more responsive. More recently when the engine is cold/warming up it seems to have problems engaging first, seemingly engaging twice and jolting. Once warm this disappears.
I'm hoping it comes down to one or two electrical parts rather than in need of a new box as the wiring into the box looks a bit rough, and I feel it's worth paying for an official VW technician to look at it. Does anyone have any ideas about potential scenarios here or care to expound any theories.
many thanks in advance. Read more
whining noise is unlikely to be an electronics problem. If it only appears in a particular gear then its likely to be a bearing associated with that gear and will require a mechanical strip down to rectify.
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I have a Shuttle and love - its a blast to drive. The rear seats fold into the floor which is great (no lifting out). The boot is ok with 6/7 in the car and huge with 4/5.