July 2003
Just read "Used Car Buyer" this month.
There's a familiar face there too. Same face as we can see to our upper left!
What's HJ doing there? He gets about a bit.
Anyway, the article just above HJ's is telling us about Renault's Vel Satis, which looks to be for the chop.
Comments about the New Megane being styled the way it is so that the Avantime and Vel Satis don't look quite so peculiar, and now one's gone and the other's to follow, what's the point?
(Their words a la John Simister)
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I have a 98 Passat, over the last couple of days the clock / computer and mileage readings have vanished after a few minutes. It reappears when ignition is switched off and back on. At the moment it is intermittent but annoying - any ideas out there? Read more
Aha, not the NiCad then.
This provides instrument power when other supplies are off.
Likely the instrument panel voltage stabiliser. Could also be the car battery. They have a load shedding relay which cuts power to most ancillaries to provide full voltage to the starter circuits. If your car battery is on its way out, the voltage will fall.
On travelling, the alternator raises battery voltage and this could be affecting the instruments.
I'd ask a friendly VW dealer to stick it on the diagnostic box for you. Most will do that gratis. You could bung the fitter a fiver, if he tells you the fault.
No need to touch the instruments now. They'll plug it in via an RS232 terminal.
Good luck mate.
Hi
I have a 1994 peugeot 306 diesel turbo. The warning light has been appearing now for some time however after i keep draining it still won't go out. I unscrew the drain plug and keep pumping the fuel through, I must have pumped though a few few pints now. Am i doing the procedure correctly? Read more
The water warning light was forever coming on on my 205, so I just unplugged it. Continued changing the filter every 12k, and never had any problems. The light's never come on with my 306, and I change the filter at the same interval.
Many thanks to all of you who took the time to give your comments and advice to me in my search for a small car for my young daughter to drive.
AFter all the homework, I took Mr H out shopping today and a purchase has been secured, to both my satisfaction and that of Mr H and daughter.
All that remains is to take delivery (1/9/03) and for her to successfully pass her test. At present, she is floating on air and quite beside herself!
(I know I'm being a tease now, not saying what it is, but dinner's ready and I have to leave you)
;) Read more
Let us know how you get on when you ask for
the keys back ...
H
H - the law has already been laid down, one set of keys remain in my possession, the other hangs up in the cupboard AT ALL TIMES when not in use.
(errrr......I'll let you know though!) ;)
H
"Appearances can be Deceptive"
I have been offered by the dealer a Paint and Fabric Protection Treatment by the name of 'Surelook' on a new car that I am picking up shortly at a cost of GBP200. Does anyone have any experience of these treatments in general and this one in particular? If the car is to be kept for the long term, is it worth investing in (for easier cleaning) or is it of no great benefit in a rural (ie non-seaside) environment?
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Waste of money IMHO! I took it on a 2nd hand P**g**t and it didn\'t make the water bead up on the paint like a good wax does and it made the dash so shiny and refective that I can hardly see out of the windscreen when driving into the sun. Null Pointes!
I have a 1996 C220 Diesel.
When the selector is in "2" the car starts in first and will not change into second at any speed. However when "2" is selected whilst driving, it changes down to second and changes down to first when I stop the car. It then starts again locked into first.
And it would not kickdown from second to first.
Otherwise the transmission is excellent - quiet and smooth.
Is there a fault / quirk. Read more
I may have mispelt it,but does anyone have any idea of the seriousness of a burnt out electrical loom on an alfa gtv?
Or for that matter what it is?
I have a thread going on this and the problems i have had with my current dealings with alfa.
The RAC engineer when he towed the car away said if its a burnt out loom that alfa may write the car off! Its only done 3,000 miles,so is he winding me up,or is what he says a possibility?
I have no idea re electrics,engines etc, i just drive cars and need to daily,which ironically is one of the reasons i bought a new one! Read more
Out of the blue, i received a call from the alfa garage my car was towed to last week (it may have something to do with the fact that i spoke to the sales dep`t earlier and asked them to consider a part ex,my gtv for a new 156!).
Much to my surprise i was told the car is fixed! Apparently it was supplied to me with the wrong battery! They said the battery was not one that comes with a new alfa and was too small for the box/bracket it sits in. As a result it has fallen over and touched metal and caused a short,which itself has blown all the fuses!
I havent seen it yet and i am slightly dubious,because as the RAC man said,you dont normally expect to see smoke emissions from a blown fuse! Not that i would know to be honest.
Sadly it would appear this is yet another example of my problems encountered in buying this car,which dont forget is supposed to be new and thus should have an alfa factory fitted battery. This has caused obvious aggro and costs (the work and new battery arent covered by warranty). So it is yet another thing that i have to go back to the car supermarket which can no longer be named and complain about/seek redress.
Thanks for advice,guidance and help to all. It appears alfa dealer and alfa uk are not at fault,simply a supermarket selling cars as new which are clearly not,or should`nt be described as.
Eventually found a program on the web to do this, it also useful for keeping track of your fleet's every need. Prints reports and everything and stores images of your pride and joys. Ran it as a trial initially, now put my money where my mouth is and lo the link. Although being an American program it recognises our strange way of doing things, we drive in miles, buy in liters and want to know M per imperial G (No wonder we're such a confused country !)
www.carcaresoftware.com/ Read more
Does anyone know where I can obtain a number plate light approx 75mm x 30mm x 30mm. Despite numerous web searches I've not been able to find a supplier. I need it to replate the oversized one currently fitted to my motorcycle.
I've also tried the odd auto electrical catalogue, along with Halfords, but neither have anything remotely small enough. Read more
The bigbikebook.com site lots of bits and pieces. Also useful is
www.motorcycle.co.uk/
Hi,
Does anyone know when the alarm go\'s off on an M reg Peugeot 306 are the headlights mean\'t to flash and not the indicators?
Thanks
Pug306xldt Read more
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They have halted production of the Avantime - I haven't heard anything about them halting production of the Vel Satis.
The Avantime was spun off the Espace but the Vel Satis was a more major investment and I think it unlikely they'll stop production of those.