October 2003
I'd really appreciate any suggestions or insights on this problem as I have no mechanical knowledge whatsover. I have read the various posts on the site re Golfs & other VWs cutting out, and also the helpful link to the Parkers site. I'm hoping that if I provide enough detail on the problem someone might be able to suggest a likely cause so I don't have to spend hundreds of pounds for a garage to do lengthy investigations.
I have a D Reg Mark 2 Golf. It has an intermittent problem whereby the engine loses power and won't rev. It kind of stutters along for a while, occasionally picking up and then dying away again. It happened, unnervingly, this morning on the M18. After about 5 miles the problem seemed to clear. Once it has started playing up like this it will stall in traffic queues unless I try to keep the revs up. If it stalls it always starts again immediately.
The problem first came up earlier this year. My local mechanic tried replacing the ignition leads and distributor cap but this made no difference. Dealer also suggested it might be some kind of vacuum effect in the fuel tank caused by unvented non-standard VW petrol tank cap. I tried changing the cap and the problem went away for a few months before returning last week and this morning.
The problem first occurred when my previous petrol cap got stuck (the lock broke) and I had to call the AA out to lever it out with pliers. I'm just wondering if any rust/dirt got into the tank when the old cap was being extracted - but this is just my uneducated guess and I know there might be lots of other explanations. At first the problem seemed only to occur when the tank was down to a 1/4 full but recently it has happened with an almost full tank.
I'd really appreciate any suggestions - I'd like to keep the car for a while but I don't want to start throwing money at it especially if doing so won't solve the problem.
Thanks in advance
Pete Read more
Hi,
I have a 1997 GTV 2.0 on an R plate.
I had a flat battery replaced at the weekend & since then I havent been able to start the engine because the immobilzer wont switch off.
The master keys were not supplied with the car & I only have the red key.
Now the car is stuck in a garage 100 miles away & they are quoting 1300 quid for new locks, master keys ect.
Are they kidding me or what????
Read more
Yes, I would agree - battery disconnection on todays (over)complicated and over computerised cars often works wonders.
Hope you get it sorted.
Hi there,
Been driving the new A3 for a month and a half and in the first three weeks the oil indicator light came on, took it back to the dealer and they checked it out, topped it up with oil and then said this was normal that the oil light may come on during the first few thousand miles. It's now a month and a half and the oil light came on again last night.
Is this really normal for Audi's to do this? I mean we are in the 21st century. I have had cars in the past where I never topped up the oil, never had to. Is it because it's new?
Any advice would be grateful. The dealer did give me some top up oil on my last oil visit but surely I don't have to keep topping the damn thing up every 5 minutes. If so, who wants to my a new A3 with 2,500 on the clock?
It's petrol by the way!
Read more
Pink Fluffy Dice! :(
Winston,
See www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=12524&...f
for details.
--
Dynamic Dave
Back Room Moderator
mailto:dave_moderator@honestjohn.co.uk
hello I drive a L reg rover 620 which whacks out an alarming ammount of smoke when starting from cold. Recently it had a replaced ignition module and coil, and it's past it's Mot no problem.
its done approx 300K but still drives like a good un .....no problems with it apart from the first journey of the day it turns the road into smog avenue for about 2 minutes. Any help would be much appreciated.
Read more
Yey! Haven't I seen this question somewhere else on the web?
Just got a new Honda CR-V, on leafing through the Service Schedule can\'t find any mention of Cambelt change, have I managed to get one of HJ\'s chain driven engines?
Any comments on the above C/B or chain from somebody more clued up than me?
Cheers
Claybuster Read more
I currently have a BMW 328I coupe, I just cant get used to driving it. Therefore i m thinking of getting rid. I previously owned a VW Golf VR6 (boy was it awesome....big mistake going to the beemer).
Im thinking of either a Misibushi Evo, prepared to give a BMW M3 a go or a skyline. Im looking at around 15 - 20 grand or if it was worth it the golf R32. Help what should i go for.
Thank you in advance Read more
When spending £20k on a performance car, also consider a Porsche 911, you'll get a good one for that money and they're run in nicely at 80,000 miles.
If it doesn't float your boat fine, but give it a go.
Good luck Paul, let us know how you get on.
My Father-in-Law is 80 in the New Year and we're looking for a present for him.
What we're looking for is a factory tour of a motor manufacturer; our problem is who will do it. We considered Jaguar, but they only extend the courtesy to people planning to buy one (the idea that I might go with him, be impressed and buy one in five years is apparently ignored). I could lie, but I don't want F-i-L to feel uncomfortable.
Does anyone have any experience of factory tours? If so, how did you get on them?
Any help gratefully received.
V Read more
Thanks for all the suggestions; I think I'll just have to try calling around. I'll post with the results in case anyone can use the information.
V
Any idea when I can expect the new year book to be available?
I often wonder if I am the only person that buys the paper just for its motoring supplement. Its an excellent paper but I don\'t really have time to read the rest of it.
Read more
I use the web site all the time. It really is a brilliant site as we all know. I will miss the book and so will all my friends who would get copies from me for christmas and birthdays. Any chance of the years motoring sections being condensed into a book? Now that I think about it when ever I went out to buy a copy of the book I would have to actively seek it out so I don,t suppose this could have helped sales. Oh well it looks as though my screwfix catalogue will have to find another companion.
I'm no mechanic, and no DIY expert but I thought I could change a wheel without too many problems.
I had a puncture today.
Got the car jacked up using the lightweight tools provided and got the wheelnuts off ok.
Could I hell as like get the wheel off. I was on a bit of an incline and the tiny jack was not giving much confidence when I was shaking and banging the wheel.
Ended up calling out the RAC. With a heavyweight trolley jack and a big mallet it came off but not immediately.
I don't know if he was just being kind but he said this often happened with alloys sticking.
Moral of the story is to check the wheels come off ok with the tools provided. Or should I just call the RAC ? ;-) Read more
In support of Hillman's post, I found the following warning in the Driver Handbook for one of my cars.
CAUTION
Never use oil or grease on studs or nuts. If you do the nuts might come loose. Your wheel could fall off, causing a serious accident.
Their advice is to clean the threads and hub surfaces with a wire brush to remove any corrosion, then replace them dry.
I always check wheelnuts with my own torque wrench whenever they've been removed. It's a five minute job and I know that they are tightened correctly. Much cheaper than having to replace warped disks or buy new nuts.
Kevin...
I took out 2 insurance policies with the same company last month, one for the Astra and one for the Golf.
Policies are in my name, but with me as the main driver and registered keeper of the Astra, and Rob of the Golf.
I obtained quotes online, and was asked for details of the proposer's (ie my) no claims discount. It was this that the quotes were based on. At no point was I asked for details of the additional driver's NCB.
I accepted the quotes, and sent them proof of my NCB. They subsequently sent out policy documents, and began collecting Direct Debit payments.
Yesterday, I got a letter telling me I had failed to send off proof of Rob's NCB, which they had never asked for in the first place, and that as a result, the premium for the Golf has now been tripled.
I spoke to their representative on the telephone, who maintained that this is standard practice
I based my decision to take these policies on the quotes I was given, which in turn were based on the information the company requested.
Surely the company cannot change their terms and conditions at this stage?
Any thoughts greatly appreciated.
Thanks
HF Read more
Many thanks for all the comments and advice given here, and especially to Mark for all the info you have given me.
I had no idea about the NCD only applying to one car - and the company's website certainly did not make this clear. I still feel that I have an issue with them about this, although I don't think I will take it any further, due to the following developments:
Rob miraculously looked in the back of his mind and remembered who his previous insurers were, and they are forwarding on a proof of his NCD.
I have spoken to the new insurance company about this, and it seems they are happy to accept this, and additionally to grant us some sort of discount for insuring two cars, and I think we won't end up very much more out of pocket than we were originally.
Still worried, because as Mark says, the people I speak to on the phone very possibly know no more than I do about insurance - so I really hope something isn't going to backfire.
If it does, I will throw my toys out of my pram, cancel the policy, and go somewhere else AGAIN. (would certainly try the numbers offered by a couple of Backroomers - thanks for that guys)
Cheers all,
HF
Browse
.jpg)
Kuang and Robert
Thanks very much for the suggestions. It is a bizarre problem as it started back in February then didn't happen again from May until now. I've done a thorough search of the HJ archives and other resources and I'm coming to the conclusion that rather than go through a lengthy and expensive process of trying to diagnose and deal with a wide range of potential causes it might be time to replace the old girl. She's done 189,000 miles and I suspect other bits might start to fail soon.
Thanks again for your help.
Pete