July 2003
Hi,
I purchased a 2001Y Seat Ibiza Cupra from Wills and Ellis Seat in York on Wednesday, on finance. From the start, it hasn't been a very good experience. The finance documentation was poorly explained, and they have signed me up for GAP insurance without my consent - which I would have probably gone for, but it would have been nice to be asked.
I then drove back to Sheffield, where I live, and stopped off in the city centre to get something to eat. Returning to the car and starting it, the engine check light illuminated on the dashboard. This was less than two hours after collecting the car.
As by this time, it was evening, I drove the car home. Yesterday morning, I took it to my local Seat dealer, Autoworld of Chesterfield (not where I bought it). They were helpful, and offered to put it on the diagnostic machine to find out what the problem was. The service dealer went to drive my car from the front of the garage to the service department, and promptly crashed it on the road outside the dealership! That's less than 20 hours after I bought it!
The guy was very apologetic, and the car will be getting put through the bodyshop as quickly as possible (needs new bonnet, bumper, head/foglight, and wing, at least). They have also got me a courtesy car, but I expect that will be all.
However, I'm concerned as to the lasting impact of this. When I choose to sell the car in a year or two, I will most likely get less for it than I would if it was accident-free, especially if I sell it privately. Is it reasonable to expect some kind of cash compensation due to this? Members of a Seat forum suggested I should ask for compensation due to the reduced value of the car as well as free servicing for a period due to the hassle this has caused me.
Is this reasonable? How would I go about persuading them that their responsibility is greater than simply fixing the vehicle?
Many thanks for your help! Read more
Yes I know this topic sounds like an unlikely head to head, but I have a decision to make.
I own a Golf TDI 130 5 door bought new in January 2002 from Motorhouse 2000, it\'s an EU import. I bought the Golf over the Christmas hols in a hurry after I rejected my new MINI Cooper, following legal advice. But that\'s another story! The early BMW Mini\'s were not good news...
To put this into context, I commute 40 miles a day to work and back. While I am very pleased with the Golf (it goes hard and it\'s very solidly built), I have done my sums and worked out that a company lease car could work out cheaper. I can also buy it \"below book price\" in 3 years.
I had a quote for a Yaris D4D 5 door T-Spirit. This would be £700 cheaper per year to run than my Golf, over 3 years, factoring in depreciation, fuel, tax etc. I don\'t really need a car larger than the Yaris.
I would need to sell the Golf privately - it\'s done 20,000 miles and has a few extras, so I\'d hope to get £11 500 for it. I know there is a new Golf emerging early 2004 and this could dent values of the MkIV, so is this a good time to sell in any case?
Honest John is a big fan of the Yaris diesel, and I like the design, but I\'m a bit concerned that I\'d get frustrated at the lack of go / refinement. I haven\'t driven one yet.
Not sure if I\'d regret changing - any thoughts? Read more
On a different train of thought (i.e. not one car -v- the other)
Go and test drive the Yaris
Decide how it was? if you hate it, think no more
If you like it, work out what the comparative saving means to you ... what would you actually do with £700 spread out over 12 months? Is your Golf likely to start costing you any money?
Get some advice from someone who really knows about the future value of your Golf (sorry, I have no idea)
There's no point changing really if the £700 wouldn't do that much for you and you're not keen on the Yaris is there? (or even if you don't like the Yaris anyway) Until you find that out for youself you can't really go to the next stage anyway.
Good luck.
I scraped the side of my car against a wooden fence.
Fortunately the fence was not too well put together and there is no sign of any dents or scratches on the car.
Also, no sign of car paint on the wooden fence.
What I have are brown streaks along the side of the car. The edges of these marks came off with a damp cloth and bit of elbow grease with no signs of permanent damage.
What would be the best way of removing the heavier marks ?
Any ideas ? Read more
Thanks.
Hot water, a little shampoo a kitchen dishcloth and a LOT of elbow grease did the trick.
The marks have disappeared, there is the faintest of surface mark which will disappear when I next give the car a polish.
I recently noticed that my rover 214i has a sudden loss of power when accelerating hard in second and third gear. As the revs get to about 2500 they suddenly slip back to around 1000. This only happans occasionally and doesn't happen if i advance steadily.
Just wondering if anyone has any ideas what this may be? It drives fine otherwise and the gears are not slipping.
Mark Read more
Thanks for replies
How easy would it be to have a look at these problems? I've no technical knowledge of cars.
What, if any, damage can i do by driving it like this until the next service in a few months? It's irritating but manageable.
As i'm skint i'm also bothered about the cost of getting the garage to have a look.
Any expensive parts that may need replacing?
Mark
I know i must be mad and i dont know what came over me but earlier this year i bought a new (although it was imported and not that new afterall) alfa gtv from [company name].
I am the first registered owner and finding out any history via [company name] is a non starter.
Earlier this week the car ground to a halt and smoke started to emit from behind the dash board.The electrics went completely and so i guess it was a small electrical fire.The RAC couldnt fix it and were bemused as to why a new car should have an electrical fire.They even said it could be that serious that the car may be written off! \"A burnt out loom/lume\"?
It was towed to the local alfa dealer to be fixed (hopefully) under warranty ([company name] arent interested once you leve their forecourt!)
The local dealers are busy and cant check it until 24 july. In the meantime they cant let me have a courtesy car as they dont have one available until 30 july. Alfas head office were next to useless and simply took down my details and said they would get back to me,but told me to expect to wait 14 days.
i bought the car as new and with a manaufacturers warranty to give peace of mind,as i use a car for business.
This isnt the first issue i have had with it and frankly [company name] are useless and downright awkward. For example there are missing parts,no guide books,service books etc.Even the tow bracket was missing which meant a 2 and a half hour wait for RAC and not being able to tow the car without the equipment on their bigger vans.
I would appreciate any help or feedback as to what i can do,if anything. As it stands i dont have a clue what is wrong with the car and how long i will be with out it. The RAC painted a very gloomy picture on this,which was poo poo`d by alfa reception,but its all i have got to go on at present.
am i entitled to demand a replacement vehicle from alfa, [company name] or the dealer? Is there anything else i should be doing re complaining?
thanks in advance. Read more
Yes hootie,thankfully they say they will include details of it in their invoice. in a strange way i think it will help my cause against the not to be named car supermarket.I believe they are responsible for checking the car before selling it,this could have been far worse.
i will be taking it further,ie trading standards,legal advice etc.
i agree,buying local is probably going to cost more,but it has to be worth it if my experiences are anything to go by.
I saw my first Nissan 350z today - ooh er missus, very nice indeedy!
I seem to recall a thread on here some time back about 'road presence' - i.e. the capacity of a car to make other drivers get out of your way when they clock you in their rear view mirror.
I'd previously thought the new BMW 7-series was top-dog but this 350z went down the fast lane of a busy M4 like a knife through butter.
My Polo has almost the opposite effect - I am cut-up and tailgated with a regularity that is positivly humiliating!
CF. Read more
For a nice spoof of the Honda "cogs" ad, click on
www.workinprogress.tv/personal/118118/118118.html
Note: DD and/or Mark - please move this to another thread (car ads, or Honda ad, or jokes, or whatever) if you wish after a few hours here. Read more
Crossroads Question:
Here's a situation I encounter a few times on my daily commute, and though it's not given me any grief I wondered what the general opinion was:
Main road with two minor roads meeting opposite each other. Car 1 approaches junction on first minor road and stops at give way sign. Car 2 approaches on other minor road indicating right and stops at give way sign. Traffic on main road clears - which of Car 1 (going straight across) and Car 2 (turning right) has priority?
I know normally it will resolve itself with probably the more assertive driver going first, but what if both drivers are equally timid (so nothing happens) or assertive (crunch!)?
Highway code didn't seem to come up with anything - what does the panel think?
Chris TD Read more
Not quite on the crossroads theme but on the who has right of way.
Do I remember correctly that if you approach a traffic light controlled pedestrian crossing at which the lights have failed, you must give way to the pedestrians waiting to cross? I don't think that I have seen this in the Highway Code and want to kill my curiosity
Does anyone know what size the speakers are in the side doors of a 306 and what the set up is in there?i.e is there space for components? Also the newer versions have a control stick for the radio next to the steering wheel, is there anyway of making that stick control different radios? I have a sony radio that I would like to install once I have the car.
Thanks for any help Read more
The control can be connected up using an adapter which is available from halfords (as long as the stereo being installed is compatible with a wheel mounted control). Just unplug the control from the old stereo, plug in the adapter, then plug the other end of this into the new stereo. Facia conversion plates are also available from Halfords, but in limited colours so you'll have to get the best match.
As for speaker size, I would try to stick with the original sizes because larger ones mean cutting the inner door panel about, or relocating parts inside the door, and if you get larger ones in diameter wise, will you get them in depth wise??
Just spend some money on some decent ones of the proper size. I bought some faily decent 2 way 13 cm speakers for my car, from the Pioneer TSE range. Only cost £70, but they sound really good.
Can anyone tell me when this should be changed and where it actually is located in the car.Thanks. Read more
Browse
My Citroen XM suffered damage to its doors when another car didn't see me...
The doors were reskinned/resprayed and 8 years later you couldn't see any sign of repair.