July 2003
Having bought an impreza wrx this weekend, i am wondering whether to get a tracker fitted.
I found some old threads on this subject, but having read them am still undecided. What are people's thoughts on this?
Having got some insurance quotes, i will save £70 if i get a tracker fitted - not a big save considering the initial outlay.
The other argument that i will more than likely get my car back if it gets nicked - i'm not sure i'd want it back!
If it does get nicked & i don't get it back, i was looking at the financial implecations. Apart from the insurance excess, i should be pretty much covered. Also having protected no claims, it shouldn't hit me too hard on the renewal.
Anything else i've not thought about?
Read more
Mrsb's Yaris arrived Friday.
Great discount on a UK-supplied car from ukcarbroker (as highlighted on this site). We are the first name on the V5 and all monies went direct to a Toyota main dealer. The car was delivered to our door and comes with free insurance and free RAC membership.
I can heartily recommend the website (no connection).
I can also recommend the Yaris (1.3 T Spirit). However, having been spoiled by RWD on my own car, the torque-steer was a bit of an unpleasant surprise! Read more
Sorry for delay in response - holiday!
The broker gave my details to the Toyota dealer who called me. I gave the Toyota dealer a deposit by card (£500 IIRC).
Final payment was by CHAPS electronic transfer. This cost £25, but that's trivial given the cost of the car.
Delivery was by a driver and the tank was full when he left. The other options are trailer delivery (extra cost) or picking it up from them (with free mats, full tank of fuel etc.).
Hope this helps.
Peter
Does anyone know what the legalities are regarding having the correct details on a ticket? I was issued with a ticket where the vehicle colour was marked as red when the vehicle is actually white. I wrote to my local council and they kindly sent a picture of the vehicle and a note (supposedly) written at the time by the attendant saying that he had noted the colour incorrectly; they consider the ticket is valid. I'm not claiming that I hadn't parked illegally, just that the ticket is void because the details are incorrect. Any ideas? Read more
loads of pink fluffy dice
mmm-five, either conform to the small print, or you\'re out. DD.
But if you get a ticket for a white Focus with reg PI 51 ING and your\'s is a blue Focus with reg PI 51 ING then how can it be proved that it is not a fake plate?
It has happened to me with a speeding ticket and my only defence (besides me stating I was not on that road at that time - which counts for bügger all - was that the VW Corrado in in the photo was bright red (like Ford red) and although mine is listed as red on the logbook, it is such a dark red that is is usually mistaken for black.
Following on from my previous thread: www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?f=4&t=14...4
Does any one know where I can get one of these devices for my car a Mk2 golf 1990 1.3. I have tried all the big stores and shops but not many people have really heard of them or they just don't stock them.
Cheers Read more
Main dealer, surely?
I have an Omega 3.0 Elite with 46K on the clock, The problem i have is the automatic gearbox.
When the engine and box are cold it runs fine with perfect barely noticeably gearchanges is very quick to respond to demand on changing gear. you can manually move the selector from D to 3,2,1 whilst driving slowly and it is smooth up or down, not to mention when going to pull away its is instantly responsive, Perfect until the engine and box warn up to between 90'C and fan kicking in. The gearbox is frequently harsh from 1st to 2nd and seems to slip abit from 2nd to 3rd. and sometimes whilst letting go of the accelerator its clunks into 3rd with a bang. The major problem is when waiting in traffic and going to pull away the gearbox judders/hesitates for half a second then is fine. I tried this in winter mode 3rd gear only and it judders for around 3 second before pulling fine, It also does this constantly whilst reversing when hot.
There is a pipe hanging down from the box that looks like a vacuum pipe but vauxhall say its a breather . I had the oil changed at vauxhall but i know they can only change around 40% no difference if not worse.
I just dont understand how it goes from perfect to crap just because of temperature even thought it has a oil cooler in the radiator.
I have had no fault lights at all for the transmission
any help would be much appriciated thanks Read more
I had exactly the same problem - turned out to be the crank sensor (the ECU courses all sorts of problems)
Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed the Ford 1.25 Zetec engine getting progressively coarse as time goes on. Mine is still fairly new being a 2001 model with only some 14k miles. Regularly serviced (just had its second one last week).
Thing is, remember it being much sweeter initailly - starting to sound more like the aged 1.3 endura.
Noise/coarseness most noticeable at low speeds and idle.
Thoughts?
Cheers. Read more
I think the changes to ECU took place somewhat earlier.
I have both a 7/96 (now 80k) and a 6/97 (now 36k) P reg 1.25 Zetecs. (Both effectively owned from new).
The earlier car is (and always has been) much nicer to drive, more economical, and feels quicker. I would guess at 5mpg better, but I only check mpg accurately on longish trips (S of France). I feel that the later car also has more engine braking on the overrun, but this is very difficult to quantify.
The later one has power steering with 165/70 (rather than 155/70) tyres and the handling is definitely less precise. Surprising in view of the mileage figures. Recent replacement of front lower arms on the older one (easier than just rubbers) had surprisingly little effect on the feel steering / handling.
Can some one from Ford throw any light on the ECU changes?
pmh (was peter)
Hi there,
I have just bought a Rover sterling 825 Sli fastback (5 door) 1996 N-reg. @ 79K miles. It is absolutely immaculate but has an interesting intermittent electrical fault. Can anyone hep?
OK - about once a day the electric windows, seats, mirrors and sunroof switch themselves off but only for about 5 mins whilst driving - they always come back on again but it's anoying!
Even whilst off I can still close them all with the 'blipper' if doing the 'lazy lock' thing.
As all of these gadgets are on different fuses - it's a bit strange.
Rover have said that it could be the 'central control unit'?? What and where the heck is that?? Would this cure it? They said that this determines when the switches are available (i.e. ign on/off & timers etc)
Anyone heard of this problem - are they right?
Lastly they asked if the clock stops whils everything is off - it doesn't!
Pls help Read more
Hi everyone, long time no post. I got buried under a mountain of dubious old cars and have only just emerged.
Anyway... Mk1 Golf GTI, 1588cc, 83,000 miles, solid (i.e. non-hydraulic) cam followers. When I bought the car, the cam belt was too tight (whining noise) so I slackened the tension slightly. Now the whining is gone, but instead I have a metallic rattle at around 2150-2250 rpm. Doesn't seem dependent on load, and only appears within this very narrow speed range.
My first thoughts are - excess camshaft end float, or cam bearings worn oval causing the cam to move up and down. Anyone come across either problem on this engine and, more importantly, is there an inexpensive cure?
One other thing - the oil pressure light takes about a second to go out from a cold start, and there's a noticeable rattle until it does so. I changed the oil and fitted a genuine VW filter, but no difference. It's so long since I last owned an early GTI that I can't remember whether this is normal behaviour for these engines - comments please.
Many thanks
Richard
Richard Hall
bangernomics.tripod.com Read more
Hi everyone. I a driving a vw fox the same as golf mk1, the problem I am having is the noise from the cam that is turning the distributor. Just at the beggening actually on the wheel. Any suggestions please.
This Omega just goes from worse to worse after my engine ans gearbox problems today just done a 20 minute round trip and whilst driving round a roundabout the power steering failed nearly causing me to crash and the battery light is now permanently on.
Has anyone any ideas? Turning the car is an absolute s**, any takers on fire bombing this heap of crap please? Read more
Oops your right, should do my homework!
Simon
_____________________________________
SVPworld (incorporating PSRworld)
www.svpworld.com
For some reason we in the UK have been left behind compared to the rest of Europe when it comes to car sharing
All over Europe there are organisations which you can join as a traveller, wether you are a driver or passenger.
For a small fee they match drivers and passengers according to desired dates and destinations. The passengers pay an agreed amount towards the drivers costs.
For years I have travelled all over Europe in this way as a driver and have saved a tidy sum against my costs
You need to be a bit flexible and happy to be in the company of strangers during your journeys.
In Germany they are called Mitfahrzentrale
In France its Allostop or Provoya
Holland: Lift Centre
Belgium: Taxistop
In UK you can do it through SMS at www.sms.ac/clubpage.asp?club=CL217001011000906756
Read more
Although there is no MFZ or other lift centre here in the UK I have set up an SMS/online alternative. First you join www.sms.ac and then go to my club \"Travel Europe vehicle sharing. Drivers andPassengers\" at www.sms.ac/clubpage.asp?club=CL217001011000906756 .. There are currently over 800 members.
When you send a message to the club everyone in the club will receive it on their mobile phone and/or email. If they are interested in your lift offer or are a driver responding to your lift request they can message you back individually.
A message to the club costs 1 credit and you get 8 free credits a day so it doesnt have to cost a penny. You dont need to have a mobile to join but it helps
Browse
I've been wondering for a while now if this idea for a cheap tracking device would work or not?
Based on my post www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=13959&...e
Buy a cheap handset and SIM card from a local market stall. Secrete the mobile in the car somewhere well out of site and connect to a car phone charger so the battery will never go flat. Should the car ever get stolen, just access one of the websites mentioned in the above link and you'll be able to see where your car is.