August 2003
Further to my recent post about a Fiesta, it seems that I can't quite get the discount I want.
So I went to the Toyota dealer to see if a Yaris would be a viable alternative (and lots cheaper.) If not I might just bite the bullet and pay a little more.
The first thing my boyfriend noticed was that the front bumpers of all the cars in the showroom, and the cars outside with sold stickers on them, as yet unprepared, were 'hanging off' with comparitavely large gaps between the bumper and bodywork.
Anyway I had a good test drive, from a very nice salesman. (The toyota dealer gives me the impression that they are smaller and more customer focused.) I had mixed thoughts on the car.
The main problem was that the steering pulled horribly to the left, and the steering wheel was crooked when driving along a straight road. This seems really bad for a new car.
It seemed a bit gutless, even compared to my 1 litre micra, but I would be getting a 1.4 diesel or 1.3 petrol I think.
I really liked the interior, but it seemed a bit dated compared to a Fiesta.
Everyone on this site seems to rave about the Yaris. Are the faults I have seen uncommon? Read more
Hi,
Ive got a couple of really small dents that I'd like to sort and was wondering whether these sort of companies are any good.
Sounds like it's a really good solution but would like some advice from peeps who have used dent devils etc before.
If not, is there an easy way for me to pop the dents out myself?
They are on the front wing and boot and are about 3 cms in length.
Thanks guys
Chris Read more
I've had two repairs done, one satisfactory and the other perfect.
The satisfactory one concerned a dent on the upper OSR panel of my Golf, which must have been caused by a truck door being opened on it. I didn't actually speak to the guy who did it, but my then partner said he had warned her that it was a particularly tricky job and that the result might not be perfect, which is fair enough, and you have to look really hard to detect the residual flaw. Can't recall the name of the company (could have been Dent Devils), but it was a mobile service, which I picked up on when I saw him visting the local Vauxhall dealers regularly.
The other job was done by Chips Away (St Albans) and I couldn't fault it, but it was mostly paint repair (vandal scratch and scraped bumper) plus one ding removal. Significantly, when I took another job to them they turned it down because they were not confident that their techniques would be successful. That's the kind of attitude that impresses me.
I've heard and read many times that the quality of work varies considerably among these franchise operations. So, if you can, you'd be well advised to go on local personal recommendation, and talking to local car dealers might be a good place to start, because they use these services all the time. Bodyshops use them too for parts of jobs for which their heavyweight services would be OTT.
Advice would be welcomed.
I want to replace the indicator/main beam switch on my 1997 omega.
To do so I have to unfortunately remove the steering wheel and consequently the airbag according to the Haynes manual; the latter makes me nervous.
(a) is there another way to avoid disturbing the airbag
(b) do I need a puller to get the steering wheel off
(c) provided you wait for the capacitor to discharge is removing the airbag relatively safe and straightforward. I wouldnt want the expense associated with a replacement airbag
Many thanks for any suggestions/advice
Ian Read more
Glad to know it worked out OK; mine had the same problem of random full beam operation when cancelling indicators. I got into the habit of flicking the full beam switch as I cancelled the indicator; but SWMBO wasn't kee on driving it in that condition.
I have a 1995 Nissan Micra and up to now it's been brilliant. Recently it's developed a whistling sound when first started - this seems to disappear once the temperature gauge goes over the lowest point (ie into the actual guage on the display), so i presume (i have NO technical knowledge whatsoever) this means it stops when the engine is heated to 'useable' temperature.
Has anyone any idea what this could be, and what i should do?
Many thanks. Read more
You beat me to it Cliff!
Although my current V70 does not have this trait, the two Vectra V6s and the Rover 420GSi that preceeded it all did, even in warmish weather, though not when as warm as at the moment.
All,
Firstly, apologies for asking very naive questions - cars have never been my strong point.
I'm thinking of buying a second-hand, diesel car - but I'm not quite sure of the differences between a normal diesel or a turbo-diesel. I realise the latter is faster to accelerate, but are there any other differences? Do the turbos.....
1) require extra maintenance/care/higher servicing costs?
2) have more change of things going wrong?
I'm looking for a family car (Vectra, Primera, Modeo - in that order) and don't really care too much about fast acceleration
or power - am a pretty cautious driver). What would you guys recommend?
Many thanks in advance.
N
Read more
Just to add my support and experience for modern-day TDi's. I had "often wondered" about diesel and whether they really are all that they're cracked up to be. So, just under a year ago, after many and varied petrol cars, I got my Toledo TDi 110 and would echo all the positive comments re performance, acceleration, refinement and, oh yes, 50+ mpg!
100mph really does sound and feel like, ooh officer, 60!
I took advantage of the decent weather yesterday to give my old Skoda a good once-over and a thorough cleanup, and noticed that I have a few patches on the roof where the paintwork has lightened considerably. It resembles the oxidation I used to get on the bonnet of my MK2 Golf, but that was more or less consistent across the surface and this is in clearly defined areas of between one and three inches across.
Wherever you find one of these patches there are usually a series of light scratches on the surface, as if someone has been a bit harsh with rubbing compound without properly cleaning the surface first.
Not knowing much about the intricacies of car paint, I wondered what the chances were that the scratches could have damaged enough of the top layer to allow the chemicals in shampoos/waxes/etc to damage the underlying paint? I was about to try to safe-cut the marks out, but I don't want to do more harm than good..
Any advice would be appreciated :)
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Just give the whole car a T-cut follwed by wax/polish and I bet it'll be fine...
Blue
M25
Yesterday
Sat behind a beat up old minibus, loaded to the gunwales with holiday appareil and people, towing a RIB on a two wheeled trailer.
Speed, thankfully, zero to walking pace.
What happens next?
A trailer wheel falls off and rolls gently up the road, with the trailer now resting on the suspension arm, apparently sans hub.
Thank heavens for the traffic jam.
Five miles later, the traffic was flowing freely again.
Read more
In principle I agree, but I would contest such a proposal for the simple reason that it gives the Chancellor another tool to extract money out of motorists.
First the MOT, then VED??
Think about it!
Personally, as the current law allows police to clamp down on poorly maintained trailers that are on our roads, I say lets use this fully to begin with.
If a small camping trailer on the road has severe corrosion around its A frame or load capacity then it should be confiscated and crushed, or at least ordered off the road until suitable repairs are carried out and inspected by a police mechanic - simple as that!
If a braked trailer is carrying its normal braked capacity and the brakes are not working, then the law is being broken. If on the other hand the brakes are disabled and it is carrying it's unbraked capacity, then that is OK.
H
Methinks it looks like a dead ringer for a Volvo V40 Read more
Just seen the telegraph article and piccies, agree it looks like a V40....
However the text is just full of incorrect facts.....permanent AWD only previously available from Audi....sorry but what have Subaru been doing for years?
About time the telegraph checked their facts
Ian L.
I am thinking of buying a new Polo 1.4 turbo diesel. I have read motoring magazine reports on the car but after recently reading the bad reliabilty report on VW.in the newspapers i wondered if any of the forum viewers could let me know of the good and the bad points of this car before i dip into my pocket
Thanks
Read more
I have had an Oct 2000 6N (Last Model) 1.4TDI 3 Door SE from new. Car has just done 72000 miles. I spend 95% of my time on Motorway at 60-70Mph, which is pretty fast for the M25 and usually get 630 miles out of a 45lt. tank (£33). I have twice got 680 miles before my bottle went. The car would be very happy to spend all day at 80-90 mph and give 570 miles from a tank.
It is a fine motorway and open road car. Not quiet at home in the city.
I had a none start problem when the car was a few months old and VW rescue were called many times. It appeared to be a problem with Relay 109 which was under the dash by my right knee (Controls Fuel pump and Glow plugs) once I was shown this all I had to do if the Glowplug light failed to show was to push the relay in. I was going to do this until the car went for the first service.
Eventually the car ground to a halt and was recovered to the dealer for three days. I was told that they traced the problem to a faulty ECU that was sending the wrong signal to the relay causing it to open and close rapidly and vibrate out of it?s socket. The ECU was replaced. This cured the problem.
Now at 72K an outer shield around the rear silencer box has corroded through. I don?t know if this will be a problem on it?s first MOT in October.
Both front tyres were replaced at 30K due to punctures. Still on the original rears (Michelin).
Heater takes ages to heat up and in winter have to wear gloves and woolly hat consider Heated seats.
Never known a car to go through so many lightbulbs.
For the service record -
10000 03/01 £65
20000 07/01 £192
30000 12/01 £85
40000 05/02 £240 + (Change Filters)
50000 10/02 £140 + (Change Brake fluid)
60000 03/03 £900 + (Cam Belt change & Discs and Pads all round)
70000 07/03 £84
I think the PD engine should have special oil and have just noticed from bills that VW dealer has charged for 3 different oil types. Will take it up next service.
I would buy another car with this engine maybe an Audi A2 TDi
My wife bought a Yaris GLS at the same time and hated it.
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Leanne
Get all the info and prices for the Yaris that you're looking ant and take them back to the Ford dealership and haggle some more!
Alternitivaly phone around all the dealerships within a 100 mile radius and play them off one another. My dad did this with a car he bought and in the end his local dealer offered him a gold, rather than silver coloured car, which was a cancelled order - he got it for peanuts (comparitively speaking). The dealer did not make a profit out of that sale.
H