July 2003
Hi,
It's time to change my company car (VW Passat TDI Sport 115bhp) and it looks like I will be going for the Avensis (T3x or T4 model). My passat has been a brilliant car but the leasing company my employer deals with has priced it out of my reach (another £130 per month more), and looking around I think it's a tough match to follow. The Avensis, looks and feels a nice car and it is very tax efficient from a company car perspective (If I opt for the T3x I'll take home another £45 per month more thanI do now). I've had a test drive of the avensis (T2 and Tspirit models) and found it a little under powered despite it being the same BHP as the passat - could this be due the newness of the avensis??? My main question surrounds whether anyone has bought the New Avensis Diesel and can comment on it???
Regards,
John Read more
Frightening story...
South Africa and Orlando Pirates super star Mbulelo "Old John" Mabizela could face charges of culpable homicide if his friend, who has been in a coma for seven days, does not recover.
Mabizela's friend, Nkanyiso Nzimande, sustained serious head injuries when the car which was driven by Mabizela veered off the N3 motorway near Howick, rolled and crashed into a tree.
Mabizela and two other passengers sustained minor bruises.
Inpector Du Preez of the Howick police station, where the accident was reported by Mabizela two days later, said he could face charges of culpable homicide if Nzimande did not recover.
The four young men are believed to have partied until the early hours of Saturday morning...
He said he was surprised how they had ended up on the N3 near Howick in the early hours of the morning.
Mabizela's car was written off. His brother, Sibongiseni, said the star was so traumatised and shocked ... etc etc
Ian's note: it is strongly rumoured the young man doesn't have a drivers license ...
it is also known that he enjoys an ale or six... Read more
Does an 80 mA current drain sound a lot? This all goes through one fuse which powers the cigarette lighter, the clock, the interior light and the radio. I haven't traced the leak any further as it hasn't caused any problems yet.
I've done the maths and with my battery the drain will drain the battery totally in 2.5 weeks but I imagine it will make itself felt earlier than this.
is 80mA normal? or might it be a faulty clock? Read more
yes thanks, done this and it all goes through fuse three
interior light (expect 0)
cigarette lighter (expect 0)
clock (expect v small)
radio (expect v small)
so will check clock
can check radio too
will report back when I have specific numbers for each component
Hi
I am intending purchasing some alloy wheels with fitted tyres for my Mk4
Fiesta (1997 R). Currently the tyres on the car are 165/75 R13 but these new
alloys are 185/60 R14.
I am sure they will fit... but any confimation would be cool.
TIA
Moby
PS
I know that the first number is the width of the tread in milimetres and the
last number is the diameter of the wheel in inches (why not metric??!). I
have a vague idea of what the second number means... some sort of percentage
or ratio? Read more
IanT:
Thanks for the advice - I realised I needed to take into account the rolling circumference of the tyres to see how badly affected the speedo may be. Thanks for clarifying what the second number meant on the tyre specification.
howy686:
You're right, the tyres are actually "70" so there would be a slight reduction in original wheel diameter from 22.74 inches to 22.09 inches. Converting to metric (I'm too young for imperial!) and calculating the original and new wheel circumference (pi*diameter):
Original tyres circumference = pi*0.561m = 1.763m (3dp)
New tyres circumference = pi*0.578m = 1.815m (3dp)
Since the new circumference is longer than the original the speedo would underread. To work out the percentage error introduced we need to work out how many times the tyres rotate at a constant speed of, for example 100km/h (again metric, sorry guys!). At this speed the original tyres would need to rotate 15.755 times per second to cover 100km in one hour. However, the new wheels have a larger circumference and so to cover the same distance would need to rotate less, nearer 15.308 times per second.
Consequently my speedo will end up underreading by nearly 3.0km/h at said speed, or overread by 3%. So thats nearer 62mph when the speedo read 60mph.
Is this error significant? If so, how do you go about rectifying the situation?
With regards fitting - I believe the wheels also came off a Mk4 Fiesta, and so presumably there wont be a problem with fitment onto my Mk4 Fiesta - but I will check!
Thanks again,
Moby.
Moby
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Life it too short to stuff a mushroom
My V reg mk 4 Fiesta has a heater air problem. The fresh/recycle air vent is controlled by an electric switch on the dash. This appears to have failed and the air vent is closed allowing only recycled air in the car and no fresh air. The switch still lights up when activated but the vent does not move. Any ideas on how to fix it??
Read more
I am looking at repairing a patch of the front left wing on a relatives car. It has rotted around the side repeater (a very small area). My method of repair is as follows:
1) Remove repeater, rub down surrounding area, remove all rot.
2) treat the hole with a rust preventative.
3) clean underside of wing, and glue on a plate of galvanised steel
4) Fill hole etc and then prime and spray
5) Seal the underside o the wing, redrill all holes and replace repeater.
Does tis sound about right? Can anyone give me any ideas as to what adhesive I should use for the galvanised plate?
Any info would be appreciated as I haven't done much of this before. Cheers. Read more
I would cut out the worst, clean the back to bare metal patch bigger than the hole then cut a metal patch, stick it on with seam sealer. Let it dry and then seam seal around the rear edge to keep the water out. Prime and underseal the rear. Fill the front. Smooth paint and replace the light. A quality bodge job but it will do the buisness.
Fullchat
Hi Guys,
I'd like to lend a 'spare' car of mine to friend for a couple of months, before selling it. It's not insured in anybody's name at the moment (just sitting on the drive), and my friend is happy to arrange insurance in his own name.
However, will insurance companies be reluctant to offer their best rates if he's neither the owner nor the registered keeper of the vehicle? The vehicle only has one previous owner, and I'm reluctant to add two more to that in swapping just for the insurance's sake. Surely, if the insurance is in my friend's name, and he's the sole driver, there shouldn't be any 'loading'?
Thanks,
David Read more
Mark
Your asumption is correct.
My Morris Oxford was insured via a classic car policy. The claim arose when a brake cylinder failed and the car hit my garage wall (no dual circuit in those days). The total cost to the insureres was less than £300.
As it was a classic car policy, costing about £70 p/a fully comp and NCD was not acrueable, I don't think this claim made any difference to the premium for the Morris (judging by the renewal premium).
When I shopped around for quotes for renewing my insurance for my main car (Pug 309 SRi) I was asked about claims or accidents in the last 3 years. I gave the details of this one and it was included as a fault accident arising in a claim. Hence vitually no one would offer me NCD protection. Infact Direct Line (then current insurers) were the only ones to continue the NCD protection.
I couldn't believe it either.
Does that explain it better?
H
Judging by the sort of behaviour HF and I witness daily outside our local school the future of driving is looking bleak. Where have all the manners gone? Where is the consideration for others? Nowhere to be seen if our area is representative. Parents today don't seem to bother teaching their young ones these things and in many cases don't practice them either. The result will be that when their children grow up, the sort of standards which used to be taken for granted will be totally alien concepts. Ask youself how many times:
- You've seen cars parked on and fully
blocking pavements,
- Someone's parked too close and blocked you in,
- You've seen your own or someone else's drive blocked,
- You've left a safe gap in front and someone's nicked it,
- You've been dangerously tailgated or undertaken,
- You've waited and waited at a junction and nobody will let you out,
- You've seen someone double park or park dangerously rather than walk jsut a few yards.
The list really is endless and it's often just this sort of stupid behaviour which causes the accidents, delays and general chaos on the roads we all complain about. I just can't help thinking that unless we start teaching basic manners and driving etiquette again, many of our roads are going to grind to a halt and we will all suffer the consequences.
The current craze around here seems to be idiots on motor scooters riding on the pavements ! One day these idiots are going to be car drivers so God help us ! Read more
>>What went wrong, did you turn up on time and surprise them?
Actually no. The truth is far worse than that. I actually referred to Sir Richard Branson as 'that bloke with the beard'. No, really! It was one of those moments you get when your ears truly cannot believe what they are hearing from you mouth!
Still, at least bus driving's a good job. In the same way that asking a skinhead if he drinks Lambrini and has a poodle is a good move.
Cheers
Rob
"Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast."
I have almost made up my mind to buy a 1999 Passat Estate. The 1.8 SE 20V may be the model that would suite me but I have found a good 1.8T which is tempting.
Does anyone know what insurance group the 1.8T is and whether it requires super unleaded fuel? Read more
Yes, I bought a 20V SE. I'm very pleased with it too.
I have plans to get a CD changer and add 16" alloys. The car came with a dog guard, which I don't think is a VAG item, but it is surplus to requirements if anyone is interested.
I'm just finishing an engine bay clean up on a Triumph 2000 MK2 and have hit a wobble...Can anyone help me coz I've tried to paint the rocker/air box/oil cannister and I'm having problems in getting the right colour and "shineyness".I've tried using high temp paint, used on exhausts, but they are all matt. As I've been told they can't make a really high temperature paint in gloss. Any ideas????? HELP............. Read more
"Pink Fluffy Dice!!!!!!" Have I been on this site for 4 years? And this thread is 4 years old??!!
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Fullchat
Browse
HJ,
Any chance of a quick interim report on your Avensis. I've got to make my choice by the end of the week.
The customer service I got from VW was very poor (previous car was a Golf GTI 16v - so I've been going to VW dealerships for the past 6 years) - I even had to tell the dealership when the cambelt should be replaced and even then it took them 3 days because they never had the right parts in stock, then they ordered the wrong bolts and I glad it was the leasing company who footed the bill!!
John