May 2003
Thinking of buying a 306 HDi, the first Peugeot for many years. Last 14 years had VW's, but last one has been poor and I fancy a change.
Am I letting myself in for (expensive) trouble with a 306? HJ's car by car breakdown lists quite a few potential problems with the 306 but these are probably with the older models.
I can tolerate a lighter build quality which the 306 will have but don't want unreliability. Or should I play safe and get a Golf TDi?
Thoughts please... Read more
I'm tempted to buy a Rover 75 (not new obviously) but seem to run up against a lot of people who warn me against it, though this could well be due to perceptions based on previous poor quality. I'll be spending 12-14k for a top of the range model with sat-nav; Is there an alternative worth thinking about in this kind of price range that is perhaps a better bet? Any other thoughts? Read more
I wish Mark would exercise his moderator powers
a little more. Most of these comments are very usueful to
PaulR, but this thread is being ruined.
BMDUBYA, thank you for that. I have been watching this thread and was hoping it wouldn't degenerate into a personal rant session. Again, it is the minority that spoil it for the majority. DD has asked that you stop. 2 members of the Back Room have also commented on the level of personal views being aired. I shall now go ahead and clean this thread up. Apologies if something gets accidentally deleted along the way. M.
Thread tangential to the advanced driving thread from Leif.
Typical situation I'm thinking of is,
Approaching a junction where you intend to turn left onto a minor road. As there is a vehicle waiting to emerge from the side turning you have signalled left with the indicators.
The other driver continues to wait to be sure you *are* going to turn left.
For the purposes of the discussion let us assume there is no other traffic about.
What do the panel think about using hand signals to increase the amount of information one gives to other drivers? eg in this case what about; establish eye contact; left hand extended, palm forwards, fingers pointing left?
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Some people seem to flash lights but it can be misinterpreted. I agree that a left signal is insufficient as the driver might intend to turn at the *next* junction, or might have left his indicator on from an earlier manouevre.
To be honest it is not even worth taking the risk that a hand signal has a given meaning since most people don't know them. Even sticking an arm out the window can just mean the driver is 'playing with the air-flow'. He likes the feel of the wind on his hand. Really. It happens.
Even emerging from a junction if the oncoming vehicle is definitely turning left is risky. Some plonker behind them, seeing the car slow, will choose to do an overtake.
After all the positive reviews and road tests, i become very interested in Yaris. Recently, i come across with a website, www.oneswoop.com and the model of 1.3 16v VVTi CDX 5dr come with amazing £9970.
It is imported from europe but it is UK fully specs. and with 3 year warranty.
It is going to be my first car, and i wonder, is it sensible to get the new one or should i get the second hand one around my local? (P.S. Please take account for the strong residual value of Yaris!)
Any comments?
It just sounds sooooo good about Yaris........, i can't wait to get one!!
BH Read more
The T3 is very much lower spec that the CDX. It's roughly the equivalent of the old GS according to the latest Toyota mag, but has a CD player, remote central locking and colour-keyed bumpers as well as side airbags. However, the mag doesn't mention things like electric windows and mirrors and aircon / sunroof on any of the trim levels. Whether these are options or standard on the T-Spirit I can't tell I'm afraid.
TBH, I'd be happy enough with the T3 myself as it has the only thing really worth going up to the GLS for, remote locking, but depending how much more the T-Spirit is, it may be worth considering.
Hi,
I have a 1995 VW Golf TDi.
The exhaust has blown in several places including the catalytic converter. Having a new cat fitted costs £260 plus the cost of the rest of the exhaust.
I have a couple of questions. Firstly, does my car need to be fitted with a cat by law and would removing it and replacing it with a length of pipe cause it to fail the MOT on emissions or be illegal?
(My friend's V-reg Saxo diesel doesn't have a cat fitted)
Secondly, would removing the cat be detrimental to the performance/economy of the car. I've heard that it might confuse the ECU and give poor acceleration and economy.
Any thoughts?
thanks
Rob
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Front fitting kit fitted, cat "scraped out", new centre Box section fitted. ... MOT passes. Car feels like a new car. Pulled away and torque (on a dry, 6 degree centigrade road) spun the wheels in second. I guess "clinker" from cat was obstructing the baffles. Amazing.
New lease of life at 180k!
All,
My better half has just acquired a new car, without selling her ageing Fiesta 1.1LX first. The insurance has been transferred over to the new car and her old car will be stored off the road until she manages to sell it.
My question is this...
My insurance allows me to drive other cars on a third party basis. Can I legally drive the Fiesta using my insurance to get it to a garage to MOT it (it runs out at the end of this month and it'd be easier to sell with 12 months ticket on it)?
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All - I need your help again!
I've just rung my insurer to add the car on my policy again - and they told me they couldn't do it as the car isn't registered in my name!!! This means they let me drive around uninsured last time as they didn't ask me the golden question "Is the car registered in your name and owned by you?" Which is nice.
So, I am unable to put the car on my policy, my better half won't as her insurer charges £25 for any changes to the policy.
Does anyone have any bright ideas of how I can drive the car legally?
A few months ago I said that I was going to get a roof box but have yet to do so, but will do so shortly. I still can't really decide whether I should go for the cheapest that I can find (Halfords) or something from the Roof Box Co, which will be a little better. I envisage it will be used about 10 times a year.
The thing that slightly puts me off Halfords is that they seem to be just a short, fat, tall box rather than anything that has been slightly sculptured at a pretence (?) of lessening the drag.
Presumable a long, thin box has less drag than a short, fat one but how is real world mpg affected? Also do these sculpted boxes help with the mpg and if so by how much (ie is it worth spending a little more as this would save on fuel bills)?
Any thoughts/advice would be welcomed. Read more
CM,
I got mine from www.roofracks.co.uk/main/used_roofboxes.htm
(sorry if the link doesn't work)
My box is a hybrid (abs base, PP lid) which seems to work well, but I don't think they make it any more. It's also 450l!
Joe
Mate of mine just got one of these. Been for a drive. Impressed or what. Really quick, handles well, you can provoke lift off oversteer and hold it, understeers a bit to easily tho.
Anyway - question. It came with two keys, one is plipper you can remotely open car with, one key is not. Is this normal? does this car have an imobilisor, ie can you unlock and drive the car away with the ordinary non electronic key? Read more
The one remote and one standard keys are normal. My moderately sporty Toledo TDi SE has the same arrangement. And yes, the non-plip key does unlock the doors in the lock and works the ignition! RB
I have noticed that my Passat does not run as smoothly as it used to. It has passed 150k and is in need of the large service which includes checking or replacing the timing belt. Can a general idle looseness and a loose feeling to the motor in general be caused by the timing belt, tapers etc?
Is this the kind of job you can easily do yourself with a trusted Haynes manual? Bearing in mind that the Haynes manual ranks it at 4 spanners difficulty!
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thanks all, you have more than confirmed my suspicions. The injectors are well passed their life span and the timming belt is also a 150k serivce overhaul item. SO to the garage i go, wont be risking a belt change with my knowledge and skills. Injectors do seem a piece of cake however!!!
many thanks
MG
Just a quick note. Wasn?t it really embarrassing that on the national IQ test, mechanics lost to body builders and had the lowest average IQ out of all the six groups and it was 8 below the average IQ???? Something seriously went wrong there (I am thinking on the lines of where they did they get those mechanics from?!?)?? Still makes you think twice next time you ask your mechanic?s opinion on why the engine diagnosis light is doing a samba on the dashboard?? Read more
They have, but they are honest enough to mention that the articles in question are sponsored by the relevant brands first.
Well just to help you out with some long term Cit/Pug vs VW info Sean we've been running a '93 Golf and '93 ZX in the family. Both with full history and caring owners from new.
Had a chance to drive them (both a little over 100k now) back to back the other week and...
Golf has rust on rear wheelarches and tailgate...ZX none.
Golf has split dashboard and broken glovebox (again)...ZX interior faultless.
Golf (cost far more new) has no elec windows, sunroof, ABS etc...ZX has the lot.
Golf drives like an old car...ZX is a far more modern experience.
Golf now worth around "£200 to £400 more as a private sale...Hmm not much difference over ten years is it.
So we just need a ZX or 306 TD for the road and an old LR for the field...motoring heaven...easy.
MM