June 2003
I have a 18 month old Ford Ka and the engine has started to accelerate unexpectedly. When I brake to walking pace and then change down to second, on releasing the clutch the car accelerates away. I have to keep my foot on the brake when in a 30 zone to avoid speeding. Also when I press the clutch in fully, at red lights say, the engine revs getting me some funny looks.
Obviously I\'m taking it in ASAP (it\'s due for a service soon anyway) but does anyone know what is wrong? Is it a broken component, or something that needs tuning/tweaking? I\'m thinking the electronic management unit needs replacing/tuning but then I know almost nothing about engines.
I\'m asking so as to avoid some bull from the garage. Thanks in advance. Read more
Just returned from Donington Park where the Vintage Sports Car Club had a "Tribute to Ayrton Senna" day. enjoyed it nearly as much as the one I went to 2 years ago which was an Auto-Union and MB day (They had the pre-war AU and MB race cars doing demo laps - absolutely fantastic sight and sound) This time they had a selection of F1 cars Senna had driven, and half a dozen ex Schumacher, Irvine, Alboreto, Berger, Alessi and Barrrichello Ferrari F1 cars doing demo laps. Don't know who was driving them 'cos the noise drowned out any announcements but whoever they were, they were trying and definitely pushing those cars. In addition there were another dozen races of sports/racers going back to the '20s - loads of Ferrari 250s, Maseratis, Coopers, Cooper -Bristols, Connaughts etc. Tell you what, it was worth going for the engine noise alone, let alone the racing and a wander through the paddock. They certainly don't spare those old cars and for someone who remembers the change from front to rear engined GP cars it was wonderful to see a 1960 Ferrari 256 and the Maserati 250Fs battling with the Coopers and Lotuses. Can recommend it. They have a web site
www.vscc.co.uk/
and about 6 more "meets" this summer.
Also a great MC race full of '50s and 60s Nortons and Matchless - now there's a cople of names you don't see on the roads much these days. Wonder what happened to them.......... Read more
Hi,
My car insurance is due for renewal very soon, and I've been looking around online for the best quote. I've found one which is considerably cheaper than my current company, and am very tempted to go with it.
However, I'm a little uneasy. The policy will be with Provident, which a site search here shows me is a reputable company. It's being done via www.its4me.com (or something like that), and what bothers me is that it's all done online, to the extent that I would even have to print out my own insurance certificate.
I've never heard of this before, and would like to know if this is now a common and familiar practice, and whether an insurance policy I'd printed myself would be valid or not? Read more
Ehem - thanks, IanT, but I don't fall into that category!
Techno - that's good to know, thank you. I've been trying to access the site again to work out how much extra I'd be paying for monthly installments, but it won't let me in. However, 8% is surely less than most credit card companies charge?
My "my precious" Audi 80 (2.0E 95/M) has all of a sudden developed a starting problem. The car has done 94k. One fine sunny morning it started as ususal and then when I started to set off it hesitated and stalled. After that it would not start. It turns over fine. There is spark at the plugs. there is fuel in the tank. Being member of the AA and having Home start I thought I would call them out. The man came out, spent approx 40 mins checking plugs, leads, fuel, filters, belts, fuses etc. and then in the end had to admit he didn't know what the problem was. I have now been relayed to an Audi main dealer who is now looking at it. Any one out there have any idea what the problem could be? Read more
I don't think you'll find out, because the author of the original post hasn't been here since 2003.
Saw a Shogun today with a wing mirror at the front passenger side, literally on the wing. Presumably to help "Mrs" Shogun manoeuvre the car.
Made me think though - when did mirrors move from wings to car doors, who was first to do it and what prompted it? I'm pretty sure my mum's Escort Mark 1 were on the wing but Mark 2 on the doors?
Also, looking at cars around now, it shows how much aerodynamics have came on that very few cars now could actually support these mirrors due to the slope of bonnets and wings!
Cars of old must have been very boxy! Read more
It would appear then that no-one , not theC&U regs., not the Type Approval bods or even the MOT gurus , ever said "stick 'em on the doors ".They just made it impossible to do otherwise with their requirement that the exterior mirror on the drivers side must be capable of being adjusted by the driver whilst sitting at the wheel .A splendidly British solution ! DeeJay .
My gsi has the abs light on all the time,never goes, out does anyone know what the fault might be? Read more
Hi,yeah both bulbs are ok im gonna start with the sensors and test them,keep you posted
Hello, can anyone tell me of a recovery service that will allow up to 3 dogs to be carried in their recovery vehicles in the event of a breakdown?Thanks. Read more
During my time in the recovery business it was industry standard policy to insist that pets remained in the vehicle which was being recovered if at all possible . This was for the operator's safety and to try and maintain cleanliness in the recovery truck . I doubt that you will find an organisation with a different policy . DeeJay .
As you probably know, I have a '98 Rover 200. Today, I wanted to have a look at the speakers in the front doors (3 dr). I was told that they were 17 cm by a Pioneer official dealer. Anyway, I had trouble getting the door panel off, couldn't get to the screws that held the door pull on, but from what I could see, they did not look like 17 cm, more like 13cm or 15cm.
My question is, what size speakers are in these doors? Also, should they have tweeters? as mine doesn't.
Thanks for any info. Read more
Mike
The door trim is easy to remove - you will need to prise the closing panel off the interior door handle to expose the screws - then the door trim will literally fall off after the other (obvious) fixings are released. Wind the window fully down to easy removal & refitting.
Tweeters (if fitted) will be in the interior door handle escutcheon - behind a grille.
The speakers are 17cm as far as I can recall...
I need to buy a second car to make up for the lack of carrying capacity in my main vehicle.
Looking to spend around £1,000 to £1,500 and wondered what the group thought? The Mondeo estate appeals for the positive comments here, or how about a 1994 Passat estate as there seem to be a few in this price range on Autotrader.
A car that I can do most of my own routine work would be ideal. Any suggestions? Badge snobbery not important at all. Relative reliability most important.
Read more
Xantia TD Estate everytime......the BX is too old now, otherwise that would have got my vote
news.independent.co.uk/uk/transport/story.jsp?stor...0
Blinking heck I hope this lot over here don\'t get the same idea.
link amended. Refresher lessons are freely available in the Announcements section ;o) DD. Read more
RE; Growlers comment on KIA SEDONA. Just watched the BBC News Thurs lunch time, I think I'm right in saying it was bottom of the pile in crash tests. Might be worth checking it out.
Browse
there is a modified throttle position sensor and loom to cure this problem . you could try removing the k.a.m fuse from the fuse box . this is a three amp fuse , leave it out for a couple of mins then try the car