January 2004
A4 Avant Tdi 130 (1993 model) - making a droning noise specifically at 2050 revs no matter which gear it's in (noise disappears if either side of this rpm). Noise is not inside car, probably from underneath and is reasonably noticeable even above radio noise.
Apppreciate any help, thanks. Read more
Hi folks,
The lock in the petrol cap on my Mk4 Escort has seized four times now. Replaced lock first time, had it serviced second and third times. Each time it's been fine for a week or two, then gradually become stiffer and stiffer. Broke a key in it once.
How can I stop this from happening please? Seems like a trivial problem but it goes wrong more than everything else put together :-)
Yesterday I removed the lock barrel and doused the innards in WD40. Seems OK for now but I have no doubt it'll happen again. A lubricant which is not dissolved off by petrol, perhaps? Any recommendations? (To hand I have copper grease, normal grease, car engine oil, motorcycle engine oil and motorcycle chain grease...)
Cheers,
Mark Read more
Well, it lasted three months with chain wax, then seized again.
Now packed full with vaseline (thanks for that suggestion) - time will tell.
-Mark
It seems that lane discipline on the motorways is becoming a thing of the past. I see many examples of drivers overtaking on the inside lanes. Is it time to adopt the USA's system and allow passing slower vehicles in any lane? Read more
"Is it time to adopt the USA's system and allow passing slower vehicles in any lane?"
Actually it is illegal to undertake(pass on the right) in the USA. That said it is a law that is widely ignored.
There has been considerable debate in the Backroom on the merits & demerits of undertaking. There is generally not a problem on the wide open freeways. However on congested multi-lane highways it can be a nightmare with everyone jockeying to gain a car space or two.
The most common problem occurs when several cars are queuing in the outside lane to pass a slower vehicle. Cars - often pick-ups - slide up the inside and force their way into non existent gaps; many of these are on cruise control until the last moment. The cars in the queue close up to a couple of feet between them to prevent this happening; tailgating the like of which you rarely see in UK. If a gap even a quarter the safe distance is left, you will be undertaken and the gap filled.
For all the sedate driving style in the USA it is pertinent to point out that their accidents/injuries/deaths are higher than the UK by any way the statistics are examined - population, per mile driven etc etc.
I've made a closer acquaintance with the Agila, about which Vauxhall are driven to say "Oddly Attractive". My son badly need to get a cheap, hopefully reliable, car for town journeys for his wife, given that they have a new baby. My GM points helped and he has the base model Agila.
For their needs it's pretty good. Four doors and good headroom mean that the baby can be accommodated and the low consumption, insurance and car tax don't hurt. His wife can manage it very well about town, it's her first with power steering. I'm the world's worst parker and the squared off back end is very convenient in busy High Streets.
To me, it only makes sense in its basic mimimalist form where extras, which he didn't get, include the parcel shelf and a cigarette lighter (although the 12V outlet is there). The 3 cylinder engine is undeniably rough on starting and the gearbox has to be used a lot to keep it spinning. Curiously, it has electric mirrors.
If you've attracted by the idea of a Smart car but need something more practical, the Agila could be right. I found that with its lack of ABS and a light front end it wasn't too hard to lock the wheels. The thing that would be really interesting would be if Vauxhall released the 1.3 Common Rail Fiat diesel that they now have in this model (Opel already offer it in Europe) but especially in the base model.
All it needs to do now is to demonstrate the reliability which, today, Vauxhall has announced is a priority for them (not before time). Read more
Sorry, but the (rather more expensive) Audi A2 looks *much* more like a toaster than the Agila. (It even has its motor hidden away in the manner of consumer electricals.)
when i press the brake pedal i hear a sound like a hissing noise,in morning on a cold start the brake pedal is really hard,any suggestions car is a pug405 td Read more
Question:
I'm waiting for a new car to be delivered (a couple more months yet). On a previous car I have had gap insurance (where, in the case of a total loss the gap between insurnace pay-off and original price is filled). I have also had tracker monitor on an Audi S3 a couple of years ago. This time, I'm being offered a three year gap insurance policy for just under £500. Or I could have a tracker installed (£409 plus £100 per year for future years).
I guess that as the garage are keen to sell me gap that they must be making nicely on it. Perhaps I could beat them down a bit on the quote. They say that 71% of all car thefts result in a total loss claim. Hence, why bother with tracker? You might as well get gap to get you back to where you started. Of course, if the car is retrieved quickly and the nasty thieves are caught red-handed then surely that is good.
Perhaps I shouldn't bother with either.
Any helpful comments would be appreciated to help me overcome this dilemma.
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My attitude towards insurance is to never buy any insurance that you don't need to. Think of it like gambling - you'll get a payout now and then but overall the house always wins.
If you must have the security, better to save the money yourself.
My Megane 1.9D makes a lot of road noise between 50 to 60 mph appx. I recently had the bearings and associated bits done after suffering horrendous noise and vibration but this noise at 50 to 60 persists. Any ideas please ? Many thanks
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I used to own a Megane 1.6 which was very sensitive to the make of tyre used. Michelin were very quiet but had poor grip but the OE Continentals fitted made a noise like the end of the world was about to happen every time I joined a motorway at about 60 mph. Good news is that more road noise may mean more friction therefore more grip.
I have a Pug 405 TD and a Megane Diesel. both about 7/8 years old. The orange digital clock displays have gone out (The one on the Pug used to come back on with a slap) I know the mechanism still works as when direct sunlight shines on the display i can see the numbers but no illumination. Has anyone got a quick fix or can steer me in the right direction to fix it ? Many thanks
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You will need to pull it out from the fascia, take it apart and replace both bulbs. On my 306, the pcb and lcd panel unplug from one another before you can get to the bulbs.
I was considering buying a new MINI but am having second thoughts on reading all the \"duffers\" entries about them on the Top Gear website; there are even more complaints than with Freelanders! Are there serious problems with these vehicles and do any backroomers have any good/bad experiences?
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The biggest thing to stop MINIs retaining their value will be BMW producing so many that they satisfy demand. But they are cool AND they're good to drive.
I've an 02/52 Cooper. No reliability problems, but it's sometimes aflicted by the odd creak and rattle. But they come and they go. It's not worth messing around to get anything fixed. Normally rattles really hack me off, but in this car I can forgive.
BMW sales person told me that BM had replaced a customer's recent car on account of rattles etc. Quite a few duffers among early cars by the sound of it, but problems seem sorted now.
Cooper S even more characterful. S Works conversion (200 bhp) even more so (quite fancy one). Need a extras 'pack' and aircon for best residuals.
Never had a set of foglights that were any damn' good in the situation they're intended for - fog. Visibility about ten yards - better with regular dipped beams.
Mind you, most cars do look better with some extra glassware on the front (not those 'orrible bonnet spotlights on the MINI though). And if you're a real plonker you can leave the switch on so that whenever you turn your lights on you have your fogs on too, showing the world you're a hard man that really means business and dazzling oncomers (with your lights' brilliance, not yours).
And while I'm moaning about lights, I really want xenons on my next motor: a) they look really cool, and b) I'll stand a better chance of seeing where I'm going when ill-aligned xenons come the other way (and there seem to be quite a few these days). Read more
Was the 110W refering to just dipped headlights?
Yes, I composed the post about it. However, I was quoting what plod had told me, so I have no idea if it was 100% true or not.
Browse
My thoughts too!
Warranty.
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groups.msn.com/honestjohn - Pictures say a thousand words.....