October 2003
I need to get a some work done on my old Corsa to help it through the winter. Ideally I want to get the work done while I\'m at work so ideally I\'m looking for a garage in Sunderland, preferably North Sunderland (I work on the business park next to the Queen Alexandra Bridge).
Car is far to old and worth to little to go to a dealers. Read more
Do any MotoX bikers out there know where to get a '97 Honda CR125 flywheel?
A friend has been quoted £450 + VAT - outrageous! Read more
The brake lamp warning light on my MB CLK230 is intermittent. I swopped all rear bulbs and it stopped for a time - now it has come on again despite all the bulbs working okay. I cleaned all contacts and checked the connections in the rear light clusters etc. It makes no difference - yet sometimes the light goes out only for it to return later.
I am resisting going to a MB dealer because I know they will charge me over £100 to rectify.
Any ideas?? Read more
This system (and the equivalent BMW one) is very picky on resistance in the circuit. Make sure all the contacts are spotless and use a contact lubricant (eg Electrolube) or similar to keep corrosion at bay. I also found on the BMW that you really need to use the BMW-supplied bulbs; 'generic' bulbs bought from a factor set the warning light on! MB system is probably the same.
It's new car time for my other half. Currently has company car (MGF - awful car but that's another story). Can now only get either focus or mondeo diesel as traditional company car, otherwise can take a PCP for any car and get given around £500/month extra to fund this.
Other option is to take money and buy own car but then would have to look after servicing/breakdown/insurance etc herself.
She's unsure what to go for and with these PCP schemes becoming more common I wonder what other company car owners have done
All advice appreciated.
Andy.
Read more
"I would like to know how many company cars are really essential to the practice of people's jobs and how many are perks..."
Most large companies give perk cars to all managerial and professional staff above a certain level. This is effectively "pay" and companies who don't provide a car tend to pay cash in lieu either explicity or as part of salary.
Company cars really took off when top rate income tax was at absurd levels (83%). Back then, some people even had company suits!
The UK has more company cars than most countries. The end of the perk car has been predicted many times but, quite understandably, people like having shiny, new cars which are soneone elses responsibility!
exactly what it says on the tin...
306 d-turbo (97-P) suffering from severe brake fade... can anyone help? Read more
Yes M.M, I know what you mean but if the vacuum is low or a collapsed pipe you do get the initial braking which gives you the travel but then as the vacuum falls the pedal falls some more without any increased braking. If the rear shoes were contaminated it just would not brake well from the outset rather then a feeling of fade. A leak in the Vacuum Servo Diaphragm is also worth testing for. Don’t forget to test it in its relaxed state and when pressed. Regards Peter
Better watch out around Dudley!!
www.expressandstar.com/artman/publish/article_4476...p
Had to be a Nova of course.
Happy Motoring Phil I Read more
Easy come, easy go, many of these people drive cars which are not registered, they paid pink fluffy dice all if anything for them, they don\'t give a shoot about them being crushed, their mate will get them a new one in a day or so. I know a lot about this scum who lives above the law, and is rewarded by the state with a free hosue huge benefit handouts and legal representation, for they are \"the most vulnerable members of society\"
Apologies for the non-motoring nature of this thread but I just wondered whether any of the BackRoomers have travelled on Concorde or got any interesting stories.
It would be nice to hear some recollections as the country celebrates the retirement from 27 years of the greatest civil airliner ever made.
Read more
What a great national statement, especially as they're going to win....
The answer's black and white. But I'm hedging my bets Ian, got some Steinlager in the fridge as well as Boddingtons in case Mr Greenwood doesn't make it back in time.
Given that a diesel engine gives max torque around 2000rpm, is it more economical to use 4th gear for cruising at 40-50 (e.g. on a speed limited road) than 5th, where the engine is only doing 1500-1600 ? Or will there be little difference? Read more
I have tried this using trip computer instant read out. (well after 1/3rd mile) Ok its not accurate but its a releative indicator. Indeed the sweet spot (on mine 2k reves on the button) is the place to be re consumption. Lower revs/higher gear uses more fuel.
Ok it may not be the same on every car, but thats true for mine.
This is a known but infuriating nuisance problem with Mk IV VW Golfs. HJ has this listed in his car by car breakdown and my wife's car is suffering from exactly the same problem.
The rear screen washer pipe has disconnected somehwere around the passenger-side C-pillar (area between rear hatch and rear door). As a result the blue-tinted washer fluid has stained the pale interior roof trim. From inside the car I can see no easy way of removing the vertical interior panel trim located between the rear parcel shelf and the rear door.
So the question is how do I access the washer-fluid hose located behind the trim? Do the interior roof/side panels 'pop out'or is it a job for the VW stealership (yes, car is out of warranty)?? Read more
If you can't get access by lowering the trim and roof lining try getting some ring main cable (i.e one of the strands of 2.5mm twin + earth) and try fishing the wire to somewhere near the C post, if you can get the end of the wire there you should be able to pull through some new washer pipe/put in a join and fish through the rest.
As a long-time advocate of Shell Optimax I was keen to try BP's new premium unleaded fuel. In case anyone's interested, I have now done three full tanks of it and the results look extremely good (summarised below). I happen to think that the car *does* run smoother with the higher octane fuel but that is subject enough to be meaningless. The figures however, speak for themselves. Average fuel economy over three tanks each:
Regular Shell Unleaded (95 RON): 33.8mpg
Shell Optimax (98 RON): 37.1mpg
BP Ultimate (98? RON): 40.1mpg
Has anyone else had similar or differing experience with Ultimate? I Know that some of you don't get increased mpg with higher octane fuels, I assume this is due to the type of engine. For the record, mine is 2ltr 16v X20XEV (Vectra). Read more
BP Ultimate also has a high octane Diesal.
Has anyone used this? Any comments?
Just tried it in my Punto Multijet- what can I say? It does exactly what it says on the, um, posters and stuff. Engine noticeably smoother (not that it was exactly rough before, mind you) and trip mpg reading about 10 mpg higher (= 4 or 5 mpg in reality). Makes it worth the extra 3p or so per litre IMHO. Good work, BP.
Browse
.jpg)
HI
Did you find a garage in Sunderland?
we are in Sunderland road in South Shields and could offer you a courtesy car free of charge while yours is in for repair, we are also the cheapest labour garage in the area. Whats the work anyway?