Some kind moron tried to tie the wipers on my 2001 Passat into knots. I managed to straighten them temporarily and ordered new arms and blades (£63 in total!). I'm assured that the supplied arms fit but I haven't put them on yet because there are no visible spline slots on the arms. The spindles that the arms fit onto are tapered with very fine splines. The VW dealer assures me that they are correct for the car and tells me that, when I tighten the nut that holds the arms on, the spindle will cut splines into the relatively soft metal of the tapered hole in the arm. This is how they are held securely.
The original arms were very tight and had spline slots in them. I've no way of knowing whether the arms originally had splines on them or they were cut when fitted.
I could try fitting them but if they don't fit they will be marked and the dealer won't take them back.
I would be very grateful for any advice. Read more

The 205 has a bit of a reputation for water leaks into the boot, from where it will run into the well under the rear seats. A few months ago I took over a 93K car which clearly had suffered from this problem. Previous 205s I have owned have had leaks via the inside of the tailgate, which is cleverly provided with a hole in each corner draining into the boot! However that was not the problem with the new car, which collected water only on the nearside.

I removed the boot-floor coverings and started experimenting with the garden hose. Finally I found a tiny hole in the rubber sealant on a body seam at the lower corner of the boot opening - water was getting in from the space containing the tail-lamp cluster, and that looks the likely entry point. So I tightened down the cluster, sealed the small hole, and pushed a hacksaw blade up the seam from below to provide an exit for any water that may still get in. Time will tell .. Read more

I have a 1.8 litre japanese hatchback - just under 3 years old.

Direct Line, my current insurer, have quoted £499 with 8 years no claims discount. Asking for a new customer quote on their web site yields £445! Would have expected the same quote really, as the "actuarial risk" is the same.

Anyway, going through a dozen companies - Norwich Union (Aviva), Lloyds TSB, HSBC, Axa et al yields premiums ranging from £440 to a scary £790 (Eagle Star Direct)!.

E-Sure are quoting £285. Yes £285. Nearly £200 less than the next best quote. And over £500 cheaper than Eagle Star.

Guess who I am going with! ;o)

How E-Sure can price so cheaply I have no idea, but I have checked my inputs to verify and they are all correct.

Welcome to cheap insurance!

No connection to e-Sure blah blah blah, except as a policyholder shortly.

I note from their website they don't cover celebrities and the like. Hence how can Michael Winner claim to be insured by them when they esplicitly exclude people in that line of employment?

Try answering YES to the clause regarding "performer or presenter in films, TV, radio, music or other performing arts" and a quote is declined. Read more

My wifes learning to drive and has a 306 XT auto which she practises in aswell as normal lessons. The car recently had been left for a month or so in a drive and on trying to use it the battery was flat...just enough power to make the starter motor click, and a very faint noise from the alarm. We called the AA out who gave it a boost and it went first time...I took it out for about 1/2 hour on motorway to charge it up a bit, then my wife drove it for 1/2 hour practising. it was then left for 4 days, and again the battery had drained...the AA came out again and boosted it, and this time also checked everywhere to see if anything else was draining it, and nothing was. The AA guy told us it had been sold with the wrong battery for the size of engine (1800) and we need to get a higher rated battery. Its an 063 in at the moment, and he said it should be an 065, and tried selling us one....does anyone know if this is correct. The handbook doesnt state the correct battery spec, so we dont know whether its a knackered 063 that needs replacing, or it should be an 065 in there. Also, on trying to start it with a almost flat battery the alarm always sounds on turning the engine....the AA guy said this always happens on any alarm...is that also correct or could the alarm be faulty and draining the battery whilst standing. Any ideas or advice would be very welcome....Thanks in advance! Read more

I heard this on Radio 5 this pm. Briefly, a chap was stopped by the police and 2 \'government inspectors\' who proceeded to check how much light was getting through the windows of his Chrysler Voyager. The test showed not enough so he was ordered to remove his car from the road within the hour. Fortunately for him National Breakdown agreed to take the car, him, his wife and 4 children back home to Reading from Manchester. For more details see this link:

www.getreading.co.uk/pfriendly.asp?intid=7109
and
tinyurl.com/gqey

On the radio today he was saying that he had had the car tint changed and 4inspectors came back (to Reading, from Manchester and elsewhere) to recheck. he had the lightest tint he could: still a failure. He then suggested that the inspectors test a clear windscreen. It failed. the inspectors claimed the window was dirty and they did not have the means to clean it! Apparently the agency that does this sort of testing is not set up to do tests in the south yet, so the inspectors had to travel. What a sensible use of the taxpayers money.
Looks like the \'inspectors\' didn\'t know how to use their machine properly or it was kaput.

So, if you are in Manchester and have tinted windows, beware.


Read more