July 2003
I'm looking to change my car soon(ish), and would be interested in y'all's opinions. Favourite is the RX8, but downside is no discount and getting hold of one, and expensive for leather. I like the Celica, and drivethedeal are doing big discounts at the moment (like nearly 2k). Or the Leon Cupra R. Smallish discouts available, dead fast and I already like Seats alot (and my local dealer is great).
Ta in advance!
Dr Alex Mears
Seat ibiza Cupra
Mazda MX-5 1.8iS
Yamaha RD350YPVS
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For a bit of lighthearted entertainment....
I guess there a plenty of BRs in the same situation as me, driving the same old boring journey to work (on your own of course), without being able to vary the route, same 6 CDs in the player that you haven't changed for two months, fed up of all the radio stations, not too keen on building up a huge mobile bill so your mind turns to other things. Top 10 remedies...
1. Deciding on whether I would swap my car for the one that has just passed on the opposite carriageway - not recommended for motorways
2. Counting and recognising the different types of furry and feathered creatures which have been roadkilled (very sad I know)
3. Counting pubs and then trying to recall them in journey order.
4. Counting how many Saxo or Nova drivers are wearing a baseball cap.
5. Seeing how may MPG I can get by driving as economically as possible.
6. Seeing how few MPG I can get by driving as uneconomically as possible.
7. Seeing what the combined MPG is by swapping 5 & 6 half way through the journey.
8. Daring myself to go to the next petrol station when the fuel light has come on (using the onboard computer is banned here)
9. Counting the number of cars I recognise every day driving the opposite way to work.
10. Guessing when the car behind will turn off
As you can see not very good and all quite sad. Anybody got any others?
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Just thought of another before I slope off to the land of sad.
Car Snooker - allegedly mastered by plod. Solo is a bit more difficult but the principle is the same.
Red car 1 point, then the next car that follows in a snooker colour counts, 7 for a black car, 6 for a pink car (probably going to be quite difficult when clearing the table) etc. The break will continue if after the colour comes another red car and so on. Break stops and passes to the next player when no red car after the colour. Maximum break of 147 would be somewhat difficult to achieve.
Solo game is the same but it is see what score you can achieve on the way to work and stop after 15 red cars or before losing the will to live.
I see there tends to be a lot of interest in weird sales stories so i thought it would be good to see what sort of tales are out there.
I'll start it off with:
When i worked for a car garage one of my colleagues took a 7 series bmw in in P/ex. It was immaculate with a full main dealer service history and a very recent major service. great. We couldnt retail it so one of the traders bought it to sell. He came back with the car 2 hours later and said there was something funny with the FMDSH. My colleague was like 'what do you mean? its all stamped and appears correct'. To which the trader replied: 'yes, but all the stamps relates to a BMW Dealer that went out of business 6 years ago....' Read more
My Grandfather has a friend in Switzerland, big fan of Merc estates (changed his car every year). Someone told him (I believe this was in the mid or late 80's) about this great device that let you set the speed you wanted to drive at, and you didn't have to keep your foot on the throttle (obvously cruise cont). When he next changed his Merc, he asked the dealer if he could have this feature installed on his new model. Bemused salesman (probably raised an eyebrow) informed him that the last three cars he's bought already had this! Cue slinking off, tail between legs.
Dr Alex Mears
Seat ibiza Cupra
Mazda MX-5 1.8iS
Yamaha RD350YPVS
A colleague's husband had a crash in the last few days (met someone overtaking on a blind bend) and both drivers have been hospitalised. He's got a mashed foot (two ops down, one to go), broken ribs and cut head and probably wont be leaving there for a while.
I'm not looking for a discussion of the accident itself. I have spoken with the Moderators and since legal action is probable, any discussion of the incident will be deleted.
First Question: Police attended and he's been told that he has to show his license etc (presumably given a standard producer) as part of the investigation. As he's not going to be out of hospital in the stated seven days, what's the story on this? Can his wife bring them in? Will the seven days be extended until he's out?
Second question: The other driver refused a breath test at the scene - don't know if they subsequently took one or opted for a blood test. What's the procedure around that?
A quick search of the archives didn't yield any immediately appropriate info (but was interesting all the same - some very strong opinons in some threads)
Thanks in advance
Chris TD
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Thanks to all for your contributions. My colleague was much impressed by the info that the Backroom could come up with, and she's a lot less stressed now.
Chris TD
Hi,
I am posting this on behalf of a colleague, who recently put some radiator repair fluid into his coolant.
Somewhat curiously, since adding the fluid, the idle speed on his Isuzu turbo diesel powered Cavalier has increased dramatically - previously the car would settle at around 800rpm when up to temperature, but now the engine won't drop below 1400rpm!
The car is well maintained, and hasn't previously missed a beat, so it does seem rather ominous that the addition of the radiator fluid is the cause of the problem.
We have our ideas as to what may be the problem, but would welcome comments from the backroom.
Cheers,
Fiesta man. Read more
Probably not connected.
But I wouldn't trust an easy-fix repair fluid except as a get-you-home emergency. If there is a leak it needs fixing. You don't know what else the fluid is blocking up inside the system, and you can't trust the leak not to suddenly re-appear.
You've probably gone through all this before, but....
I've been reading complaints mainly about VW dealerships, and I've seen it said that Honda have a reputation for being on the pricey side for servicing. So I have some general comments and queries, if you don't mind bearing with me.
My own experience - bought Hondas new from dealership (2Mills, Ledsham, Cheshire) and got very good service so always went back there.
When we moved, we found a different story. Chepstow - dealer closed down, Newport (S Wales) new dealer opened up - thought they *were* VERY expensive, only went once, next time service required - they'd closed down. Moved again - not far from Tunbridge Wells (don't laugh pl) Honda dealership in the yellow pages, had become Saab. Eventually, found one in Maidstone (not convenient at all, but they did come and fetch the car) - next time service due, they'd changed from Honda. A new dealership opened in TW, but not over impressed. Sooooo took the plunge and had a service (at a fraction of the cost) by the little backstreet garage who'd done my last couple of MOT's and replaced the battery for me last year.
My last service (small) cost the same as the 6,000 mile one which I had to have (according to Honda) 6 months after buying the car brand new ( you don't have to do that now do you? ) This invoice doesn't detail the bits and bobs, and seems to have just been a flat fee.
All in all over the 6 years, servicing etc costs have been £1,150, including a new tyre, battery and a cam belt change last year. oooh and some wiper blades (I've only told you that bit for info.)
Mr H had always insisted on a main dealer service before, but this year, I just pleased myself - am I doing the right thing? I'm looking for pointers here. Feel free to put your own thoughts/experiences too.
Thanks
"Appearances can be Deceptive" Read more
And of course if you want to maintain the 3 year warranty on a new car you have to have servicing done by the main dealer to the stated schedule.
My own experience is: Basingstoke Nissan dealer good, local Nissan dealer not so good; local Ford dealership very poor (totally disorganised and contemptuous attitude), Windsor Ford dealership very good. I think a lot of factors come into play. I am told that Ford dealers that service fleets do not care much for the private individual and my experience agrees with this. And yet a small Ford dealer was very good. Maybe this is not just a Ford thing.
Who pays in a blame culture?
I ask this because I was sorry for one of our backroomers, yesterday.
He admitted that he?d filled his diesel car with petrol and driven 100 miles.
Now it?s misfiring. I wanted to help him and spent time and my own money phoning VW in Wolfsburg.
Have a look at the thread in the Technical Section.
I?m not pleased with how it?s gone though. Do you see why?
Another thread concerns a chap who ran over a pothole and damaged his oil pan (sump). He wants to sue the maker, again VW.
I remember the days when you could nip down to your local dealer?s service department and they?d advise you with a little fault you had, usually for free. Not any more. Product Liability suits killed that. They offer you advice, which you follow, and hurt yourself. CLAIM TIME, big style.
Who do you think pays for all this?
Who pays for shoplifting, roadtax fraud, TV licence evasion and all the rest? WE DO as we pay to subsidise those who won?t.
What is really upsetting when you read the threads is that the 2 backroomers are moneyed. Look at their cars. Many folks come here for help as they are trying to keep ends going.
One rule for the rich?.?
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The honest man pays for the dishonest one: its the way of the World and has been like that for as long as money has been used.
Perhaps now it is more apparent with so much money around: too much some might think, but it (money) is there so someone has to claim ownership of it and it is often the dishonest man who steals it... and more wants more.
Imo, cars and especially houses can bring out the worst in people: and by that I mean the greed, envy and covetiveness. In the end a road to nowhere and to spiritual ruin.
I will need to change my car fairly soon and have the option of buying/selling in the south west (Gloucester) or North Yorkshire. I have been told that cars are cheaper in the North. My brother, who lives in Scotland, travelled to Newcastle for his car as he maintains they are cheaper there.
So, is it just a myth that cars are cheaper in the north?
Any input gratefully received.
oh and just in case it makes a difference: will be flogging a 5 year old Passat and buying a Mondeo (estate?) or similar about 1 year old. Read more
I buy mine in Kobe,Japan,good prices,not many Mondeos,Vectras or Passats though!
After three years of commuting a 200 mile round train journey, I cannot take anymore of the delays, so in two weeks time I am leaving the job and people I enjoy working with, and I
am swapping my two hundred mile daily round trip for a 100 mile round trip car journey.
So far this week the total delays I have had to endure are approaching 6 hours. 2 hours on Monday night, on a brand new train with five coaches, two where the A/c had failed.
The trains we so bad Monday night and the following day that I was forced to stay at home, as I work for myself I didnt get paid. Wednesday 1 hours delay, this morning, Thursday,
3 hours delay. The chap next top me was bemoaning the cost of his £80 ticket. And I still have too get home tonight and a return journey on Friday.
Whilst I agree that people must use public transport to inject the cash needed for improvments, the current situation that has not been unusual over the last three years, cannot continue. True over the three years, things have been better, and this week is an exception, but not in any means isolated not a day goes by without at least one 10 min delay.
In Monday nights Evening Standard there was an article about commuters in London having to face temperatures so extreme on the underground and buses, that if it was cattle being
transported, then they would be breaking european regulations on humane transportation of animals. This is how bad public transport is in this country, how much worse will it get
before it gets better. The government and liberal environmentalists dispise car drivers, but there is no viable alternative. The car is fast becoming a RIGHT to eveyone, purely
and simply just to earn a living.
Gets down from soap box and retreats behind wall wearing hard hat. Apologies to Mark if this is offends, if so please remove.
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"Its not going to get better and the government don't intend to it make better for this reason, we are all being conned"
What really brasses me off is this Government thinks we are stupid. This one seems to be worse in this respect than previous ones.
The £7 bn that our little Darling has "announced" in road spending is not new money. Its the same money that was set down 3 years ago, and its still the accumulative sum over ~ 10 years. Compare that to the aggregate treasury income from road users. Pah!
Why oh why do we put up with it!
About two years after Blair came into power in connection with some election we had a door knocker from Labour accompanied by his smug fresh out of college sidekick.
I'm ashamed to say that a short time later they fled down the drive, and his college friend was even close to tears. I don't think they'd ever experienced a really good telling off before.
Looking at the situation today obviously wasted my time and breath!
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Don't vote it only encourages them.
I am looking to spend a max of 14K for a nearly new car for the mrs. She is dead set on a golf but I am a bit wary because of the new mk V next year. Can anyone recommend safe 5 door which feels luxurious and quiet nippy.
regards
John Read more
Blue
Have to agree with you, with Focus or Leon being the two on my list. Again would go for the Focus, excellent drivers car, very pleased with mine, and as I have mentioned before the good lady wife wants one next (and she was very anti-ford before that), and the residuals aren't too bad either.
Paul
Browse
interesting suggestions Vansboy, but i'm not sure if he's looking to pay £25k?!!!!
For less than £20k and lightning quick how about an Audi S4? will hold value better and be a lot quicker.
Or for a new car how about a Golf 150bhp TD. Far quicker than the petrol variety.
The balloon payment schemes are very helpful but it means that you may be rather locked in to toyota when it comes to change.
Even though i've suggested a few, for £20k i would probably go BMW 325 or 330ci coupe 2 yrs old - will hold resale far better, be smoother and by buying second hand you'll probably get a fully loaded one.