August 2003
A quick search of 'TIS' on a well known auction site produces many listings for Technical Information System (TIS) CDs.
Are these actually of any use / interest to your average 'keen' motorist as the listings claim? Read more
Hi All,
I've noticed after driving 20 miles or more that changing gear starts to become more difficult. It gives the impression that there is no/low oil, a sticky/stiff feel which takes more effort to select each gear.
Second gear selection in particular is a bit dodgy most of the time, and requires care to avoid graunching noises, especially under hard acceleration.
There is a good level of oil but I am wondering if, as its probably been in there for 10 years/124,000 miles, it has less lubricating effect.
Ford say you should never need to change it, so is it something more (mechanically) serious?
What oil should be used if a change is recommended?,Do I have to use FMT?. It,s a 1993 model (with no extraneous noises from gearbox).
Any ideas?
Many thanks
Steve
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found this while trawling about.... www.jktowers.fsnet.co.uk/mondeo/gboxoil.html
I'm not into Hello and OK and all that carp, but i quite like finding out what cars the famous have. I know the Sultan of Brunei has hundreds of cars and a lot of special one off ferrari's and bentley/rr's, but of any other famous people does anyone have anymore info?
I'll start it off:
Ralph Lauren has 3 McLaren F1's
Elton John had a Jag XJ220 (which is currently for sale on www.tomhartley.com
Bill Gates has loads of porsches (his fave).
Any more?
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I suppose even Metros grow up eventually.
Just found this on the web and thought it might be usefull to someone as there is always a thread going on about tools like this.
Feel free to move this thread to technical if you want DD.
www.autologic-diagnos.com/ Read more
I was wondering what ideas for gadgets Backroomers might have that as far as you know don't exist, but would actually be useful.
As a start, is it actually beyond the wit of man to produce a gadget that bounces some kind of beam off the car in front and at least goes boing or lights up when you are too close? Maybe this could be adapted from laser cruise (as seen on top end luxobarges) and put onto more ordinary cars for a few quid? Read more
"reactolight glasses"
I think it might be simpler than that. I was quoted £90 recently for reactolite lenses with a total surface area of about four square inches. That was double the cost of the plain ones, so the material would appear to cost about £10/square inch...
The rear axle bushes on my golf mk3 (1.4 - 1994) have seen better days, and need replacing. I am considering doing the job myself but understand that it can be a bit of a task.
Has anyone had any experience of this job? Should I just reach for my wallet and let someone else do the swearing and cursing that I'm sure I would be necessary!
I have read a description of the work in a couple of manuals and feel that I could manage it. The Haynes manual says to get a VW dealership to press the old bushes out and the new ones in. I was thinking about buying a hydraulic puller for this part of the job (on test in the latest edition of Car Mechanics magazine). Is it likely that this will do the trick?
The Haynes manual also says do not remove the pivot bolts unless absolutely necessary, and if you do mark their positions relative to the axle etc. I think this is wrong and it means the mounting bolts, which hold the brackets on. The pivot bolts have to come out to replace the bushes, and alignment of the pivot bolts isn't possible as far as I can see.
Any advice would be much appreciated before I start dismantling my car and regret it!
Nick. Read more
I want to sell my car (2-3 year old low-mileage mondeo sedan) quickly and thought the auctions looked a good bet (British Car Auctions, Manheim Auctions, Chelmsford Car Auctions). There seems to be a huge difference in costs with Chelmsford looking very cheap. What has people's experiences been with selling cars by auction? Read more
Chelsford is one of the few private auctions left in England.
They rely hevily on 'Trade' rather than corporate customers, hence lower costs.
Depending on your cars value, you may find BCA flexible on their charges, but they'll probably only do this once they've got a provissional bidder, in the actual sale.
How far away are you from BCA Bedford? They are currently touting for business, offering lower charges, free valuations, discounted pre sale preparation costs & even a lift home, from the centre!!
But if the car is OK runner, try ofering it to local garages, you never know!!!
VB
An annoyance rather than a problem but every so often when I turn the ignition on the digital clock resets itself (to midnight).
Does anyone here have the first idea what might eb causing this? I think that I might have asked this before but couldn't find it in the search. SWMBO is nagging me.
For your info the car starts without any problems so doubt that there is a bad connection. It also started when it returned from its service at the main dealer but I am loathe to take it back there to get them to sort it out as proving that they did it would be impossible and I am unwilling to pay £85 an hour ex VAT.
Thoughts on a DIY fix would be very welcome (remembering that anything too technical might possibly go over my head!).
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Presumably there is no point recharging and a new one is
needed.
Not necessarily. All that may be wrong is that the battery contacts need a good clean up. Remove one at a time and give both the contact and connector a good wire brushing and reasemble, giving all the contact surfaces a good smearing of petrollium jelly.
if I buy a new one (say from Halfords) how much charge do
they usually come with...
All depends on how long they've had the thing sat on the shelf.
and do I have to do a decent run to get it up to full charge?
An overnight charge with a battery charger would be more preferable.
The Mrs & I will shortly be buying a new Toyata Rav4 2.0 VX. I have sourced a UK broker (drivethedeal.co.uk) who shows the price for the car well below the lowest that I can get the local Toyota dealer down to.
I have searched the archive of the HJ site and see various posts re this type of deal, however I guess that it doesn't do any harm to raise the issue once more and get a more up to date picture on this subject.
Has anyone experience (good or bad) of using such brokers, and also any pitfalls to be aware of? The car is to be UK supplied and the deal will be between me and the UK dealer that the broker will put me in touch with. Read more
I have no connection with them but relatives have bought cars from Carfile www.carfile.net and found them to offer good prices - although others to try are autobytel www.autobytel.co.uk and broker4cars www.broker4cars.co.uk. (As well as others mentioned in th deals news on this website)
(Make sure you get a quote for the reg plate you want - you'll get a cheaper price if you can live with a 03 plate instead of the 53 plate I guess)
I was pretty sure that Carfile, Broker4cars and UKcarbrokers offered free delivery to your door on a transporter for Toyotas - not sure about the others...worth checking as obviously that's preferable to getting it driven by a delivery driver!
Did anyone see the 'Traffic Cops' programme last night?
I know it wasn't the first and won't be the last such programme but it put into perspective just how much carp the police have to deal with, the danger they put themselves in and the stress they must be under at times. Let all those who continually bash the traffic police for daring to catch them breaking the law sober up and think again!
Worse for me was the piece about the HGV and Peugeot which resulted in the car driver losing a leg. It all started because the car driver swerved dangerously in front of the HGV and what followed was an altercation resulting in the car driver being trapped under the HGV's front wheels and suffering serious damage to one of his legs. Luckily CCTV pictures showed the original incident and witnesses filled in the gaps in what happened later. The HGV driver wasn't charged with anything after the event.
Two points really: a) why do people get so worked up about things that they get involved in this sort of stuff, risking life and limb.
b) If there hadn't been CCTV footage, I wonder if the car driver would have admitted or even realised that he was to blame in the first instance.
Conclusion, a guy's out driving his car, does something stupid, exacerbates the problem and winds up minus a leg, life changed forever and lucky not to be DEAD! Come on everyone, life's too short for this sort of childish and highly dangerous behaviour ! When someone cuts you up or tailgates just let them go and if you are at fault admit your mistake and above all DON'T get involved. Stay safe and stay alive! Read more
Hi GarethJ,
i've just done the opposite,
got rid of a Suzuki 1200 Bandit and bought a 1.25
Fiesta, somewhat slower, but it gets me to work dry and
a damn sight safer. Apart from the fact that every
time i got on the bike i risked my life or
my licence. Twist the wrist and before you know it your
over a 100mph, as i am a HGV driver for a
living i decided that it was not worth the risk to
my licence, not to mention car drivers that do not see
you. The only reason they do not see you is
because they are not looking for you. I've had a
few close shaves on the bikes.
All the best and safe riding.
P.S., what bike you got ?
Hi pastyman,
I got rid of the car because I'm being charged a fortune to park at the railway station all day, and if you think road-rage is bad you should see station car-park-rage! My car has been hit twice there so it's much nicer to calmly put my crash helmet and gloves on while everyone else goes mad to get out of the car park, then pass them at the exit and in the next queue into town.
I'm trying my test in 3 weeks so I'm stuck with a 125 Varadero for now, you're right about the danger from other road users so c-a-r-e-f-u-l is the order of the day for me.
I've had cars for years but this is my first bike, seems good so far and I could really get used to 80 mpg!
Gareth
Browse
Worth the £4 each (inc p&p) I paid for the BMW and Ford ones. The prices of these tend to vary wildly from seller to seller, but they are all the same thing.
If you never touch the car apart from to drive it, probably not worthwhile, but if you do, it probably is. I wouldn't fancy trying to do any major work just relying on it though.