December 2003
Like others I mutter that they shouldn't be on the road when encountering some old dear or a man in a hat pottering along at 25mph.
Now I notice that my mother, aged 81, is hardly able to drive competently. She is probably not actually dangerous, yet, just a slow-moving traffic hazzard. Apart from not being able to reverse, her most serious failing is an inability to change down from 3rd to 2nd, I think because of the wrist movement. Her tactic when forced to is to pull into the side of the road and start again.
Should I report her to somebody? DVLA? Doctor? Police? She and my father, who doesn't drive, are totally dependent on the car for their one short shopping trip a week, so being forced off the road would be a major blow to their independence.
Is there an anonamous mechanism for these cases, or will she immediately guess I am to blame and cut me out of her will?
Sorry, this sounds flippant, but is a serious dilema really.
What would you do? Read more
Travelling southbound on the M40, 20 miles south of Birmingham on the inside lane, I was shocked by a very loud bang against the nearside side of the car. By the time I recovered my wits I realised what had probably happened. The incident occured as I was passing an industrial size grass cutter, working on the bank. It had picked up a stone and flung it against the nearside passenger door. Had it been two inches higher it would have hit the window, and probably continued its journey with me as the next stop.
Anyway a call to the highways agency has sorted out the damage to the car, but next time I see one of those machines in operation I'll be keeping my fingers crossed! Read more
Too right, the grass cutting firms keep us nice and busy through the summer months.
If you have ever tried selling you car in newspapers or in other media, you may well have been solicited by other organisations trying to persuade you to advertise with them. Beware of an organisation called www.motormatch.net. Don\'t confuse them with other companies trading under a similar name eg motormatch.co.uk, who perform the same function, ie matching buyers and sellers.
The person I spoke to at motormatch.net was very persuasive and despite some reticence, I parted with £75 for the privilege of advertising on their website. However, I subsequently discovered Motormatch.net are under investigation by trading standards.They have no UK contact number or address on their website - you can only contact them by email. I understand that their operation is based in Spain.
Yes they did list my car, but I am pretty certain that is all they do, and locating the website takes some perseverance - Beware!
[snip] I have taken two comments out of this note since they were a bit iffy IMO (specific allegations). I assume that you have no objection since I have allowed the rest of the note to stand. In addition, this is as far as I am allowing the thread to go, and so I will lock it. Mark. Read more
I guess you don't need telling now but a good rule is never ever to take up advertising from anyone who contacts you. There are so many good places to sell vehicles these days you need to ponder the most suitable yourself and not be pressured to make a decision on the phone fromn a cold call.
Also £75 is too much for most usual car ads. A budget of £25ish is a maximum I'll consider.
Had a look at the website. As you say not much in the way of contact details. Even the "About us" page was more promotion and not really much about who they are.
Most importantly I hate the way they control the buyers enquiry by giveng a reference number not a phone contact for the seller.
Oh and last of all I searched for a popular car that will return around 500 hits if you look nationwide on Autotrader...they were listing just two!!!
M.M
Check out www.autocarmagazine.co.uk Read more
I was Business Manager for a Rover Dealership when the 400 was launched. We were told to expect a premium product (and in 4 door guise - launched the following year - it looked the part). What we were expecting was a direct replacement for the old civic/ballade 200/400 in size and price. What we got was old 200/400 in size and a price to pitch against the Mondeo. Then, a year later, they launched a Metro replacement (remember that cars were and still are increasing in size within each class so Metro is a fair comparison) and pitched the price against the Escort.
We were a tad peturbed at this.
History goes on to prove that the initial pricing was a total joke. A classic example would be the 96 416SLi Auto I picked up in 99 for under £4k that had set someone back over £17.5k just three years earlier. Back in late '96 I had moved on from Rover to Commercial Union and the 200 and 400 appeared on my company car list.
I chose a Civic.
The current pricing is much more honest, but how many customers were lost because of the initial bullish approach?
Got a 1997 1.3 Fiesta which has just started to cut out when pulling up at junctions etc. When it's re-started it ticks over ok. Also when I rev the engine the revs just die and it stops. Had a look under the bonnet but there is no adjustment on the throttle cable, any ideas anyone please.
Cheers
VD5D. Read more
I did a post a while ago as I have the same problem on an N plate Fiesta Mark 4. Revs idly at about 1500 and cuts out at junctions for the first few minutes of any journey. What did you say it was again?
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After death, hair grows but phone calls tend to taper off
Does anyone know anything about these guys who will buy a car from auction on your behalf, and then you pay them a percentage of the purchase price as their 'fee'?
I'm *still* looking for a 2.0 Ghia X Mondeo, and have not had much luck looking privately or my local auction. I've not got the time to go further afield to the bigger auctions, and was wondering if this was the perfect solution...
How do they work? What if you are not happy with the car, etc etc? I don't mean 'What if you get it and something doesn't work' as thats a normal risk with auction buying, but what if there is something about the car that would have meant that had you personally been there, you'd not have bid?
Cheers for any advice :) Read more
We get the CET, the number is:
024 7636 3739
Hiya,
Don't suppose anyone here was at yesterdays 11:00 sale at Blackbushe?
If so, did you catch what the black 97R Mondeo 2.0 Ghia X 4 door with 76k on the clock went through for? Read more
About £1200 as I recall - most people don't like the boot.
I've just bought a 1.8SE 2000-W VW Passat and noticed that sometimes when engaging 1st gear from still. There's a clunk that's felt through the floor pan. It doesn't happen everytime, but I don't know whats causing it, or if its damaging the transmission?
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Matt Read more
Hi mattb,
There should be no clunks. The Passat is a refined and highly desirable vehicle.
The bright people here have already given you some pointers.
I'll give you a few more:
This is a pain, I know, but will lead you in the correct direction. Instead of engaging 1st from neutral, engage 2nd gear, then go forward into 1st. Any clunks (ever?)
What rpm is your engine tickover? (Too fast, maybe?)
Have you any oil in the gearbox? Serious question. Sealed for life? Oh yeah!
If so, what sort of oil? Please see your handbook.
Hope this helps you.
Went to Nottingham last night to see The Human League. Has been a few years since I was last there, since girlfriend left Loughborough uni. The roads have certainly changed since I was last there.
I have just one question. Why the 24 hour bus lanes? Does the city think that it is London? It was most gratifying to see someone who thought their Fiesta is classed as a bus get pulled by the law. Couldn't resist giving a toot of glee as I passed. Read more
pdc - that would explain it. I never go out to Meadowhall because every time I do, my credit card blows up, especially if the soon to be Mrs O is in the car...
O
Fine for a parked up car but why use them if you are driving? They don't save on electricity by not using dipped beam. Dipped beam don't dazzle other road users. It seems strange that as dusk falls some drivers will move to side lights before dipped beam when it gets really dark.
Maybe it's a mentality that they think they don't need full lights to see where they are going - so why use them. My problem with them is that dusk (& dawn) light makes cars less visible than people realise, especially certain coloured cars and the use of dipped beam gives other road users greater awareness of your presence.
Side lights should be just used as parking lights. Read more
I\'ve been watching this thread with interest and am amazed that nobody has suggested the obvious solution to errant drivers with their foggies on or insufficient illumination.
1) Go to your nearest motoring discount store
2) Purchase 1gazillion candlepower hand-held lamp.
3) Plug in to ciggy lighter
4) Aim at rear view mirror of numpty with foggies on (hint: You may need to put your \'phone down to do this)
5) Burn their retinas out.
A variation on 4) is to get alongside them on the motorway and light up the right side of their face. You may still need to put your \'phone down to do this.
Until the purchase and use issue of Milan anti-tank missiles in the UK is legalised it\'s the best I can offer. Now, does anyone have the number for Adnan Khashoggi? I promise I won\'t dial it whilst driving.....
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My dad voluntarily gave up his license at 80, because he felt that he may no longer be up to scratch on the road.