January 2004
to make buying a diesel car worthwhile in an economic sense?
We do around 12K a year and buy used at 2/3 years old and I can't see the virtue on going over to a diesel. I have done a few sums and can't make the diesel car pay its way. higher purchase prices are not ofset by fuel savings unless you keep the car for ten years, which is unlikely
Even buying new the same seems to apply.
So at what point does a diesel make sense - 20k pa?
This is pure economics at work - not driving characteristics...
Thanks for any input
M Read more
Does any one out there know where on the internet I can find details of car running costs? These are usually set out as 'pence per mile' in tables.
Thanks.
CG Read more
I have a Fiat Punto ELX 5DR, registered May 2001. Since I bought the car I have had 5 sets of brake pads, and due for yet another. With a total mileage of 40,000, surely this is not \"fair wear and tear\" that Fiat keep telling me.
I have also had to spend £110 on a new exhaust which completely fell off a couple of months ago. Surely it should have lasted longer than 2 years.
My Punto drives like an old car.
Has anyone else suffered the same problems?
Fiat Customer services have been so helpful they told me it was my style of driving and even put the phone down on me! When I phoned back to speak to someone in authority I was told there was no one I could speak to. I do not call this customer service. My case is closed with \"no action\".
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Another thought on your brake problem. Are the rear brakes working properly. Isn't there usually a regulating device to ensure the correct balance of braking forces between front and rear brakes? Could this be defective making the front discs do all the work?
I was wondering if anyone could help with the following problem I have with my Rover 216 GSi. I am trying to attach a new battery, but when I do this, the car\'s alarm is set off. Is there anything I can do to prevent this from happening?
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keep locked.connect.then unlock that should work.(sorry I thought the gsi had remote cl)if that won`t work
there is a keycode that comes with the owners handbook to use for resetting the alarm/immobiliser?
Mk 3 Cavalier 2.0i auto 1990, getting fuel (so not relay)& spark but it just won't start. I've tried 2 different ECUs from the scrapyard, checked and WD40'd all the connectors I can find, distrubutor cap etc cleaned, plugs & leads ok, new air filter, tried with no air filter, earths ok, battery fully up. Started as an intermittent fault but rapidly got terminal.
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Right, remove a spark plug and see if it is wet. If not it is likely that the injectors are not opening. The injectors require a 12v feed from the fuel pump relay. Although the fuel pump is running the second output from the relay may not be connecting which is a known problem. To check this you will need to gain access to an injector plug and with either a low wattage bulb or preferably LED tester check for battery voltage at either of the terminals of the plug. If the plug is wet you will need to check for a spark at the plug. Leave the existing plugs in place and connect a spare into one of the plug leads leaving the others connected. Lay the plug on the cam cover and briefly crank the engine looking for a healthy spark at the plug tip. You will not damage anything doing this. It will only cause a problem if the pluglead is open circuit and the spark jumps from the coil tower to the lt terminal to escape.
Good luck
Andrew
Simplicate and add lightness!!
I live in a building converted to 3 flats and each flat has two parking spaces. Although there is a sign saying "Private no parking" we have a couple of wide boys running a business across the road who persistently use these spaces as their own. Worse, they park in such a way as to use up two spaces with each car, presumably to pre-empt being blocked in. One of the residents here suffers considerable stress over this but, short of hiring a clamping company (which goes against the grain and would penalise other, non-chronic parkers) it seems there is little or nothing we can do. In real terms this is like someone parking in your drive because it's convenient for them to get to work. I should add there is a charging car-park just 10 yards further on. Does anyone have any ideas as to how we can persuade these people to do the decent thing? Read more
Whilst there seems nothing can be done on the criminal side, what about the civil side?
Seems they could be committing a private nuisance? Check with L.A. to see if there is any BYlaw prohibiting nuisance and also discuss if Council would take proceedings for an Injunction to stop this parking. Doubtful but a line of enquiry.
You could of course take a private action to obtain an Injunction but I understand this could be a costly road to take.
Perhaps DavidHM, who is hot on civil matters, may comment?
Letting air of tyres? I'd be looking at tampering with a motor vehicle and/or criminal damage.
DVD
I know they\'re doing work on the Wessex Way but why does it always seem to be closed at the moment?! Read more
I presume the B3347 on the aerial photo excerpt is the original A338, the Wessex Way being the new road.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't the Wessex Way partly built on the original rail link from Southampton to Bournemouth (East) via Ringwood and Hurn? makes you wonder what that would be like if they had retained the track!
pat
Hurrah - got my Festival of Speed tickets for this year. Every year i've been (last 4) i always wished i'd booked earlier to get a grandstand and never did, but this time i've got Paddock Grandstand seats. Cant wait.
Is anyone else going? Read more
Didn't I read that tickets can ONLY be pre-bought this year?
I went on the Sunday last year and won't go again until they can guarantee that time from parking space to road is considerably less than 90 minutes.
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?v=e&t=14...7
What other engines are used in Britain the Nobel besides the Ford 3.0L TT V6? Read more
"..is anyone in the world making more powerful engines for the weight than Ford"
They've been doing this for some time. The 1965 7-litre 'cammer' V8 was good for 650hp @ 7500 rpm (!). Here it is in an AC Cobra, which must have been a bit lively...
www.me.mtu.edu/~prater/carpics/fords/427camco.jpg
First I will prempt what you are probably thinking, that I'm a silly cow!
Took delivery of a new Jeep Cherokee in December. Got a fabulous price and the rookie salesman accidentally included top of the range alloys for free. On delivery noticed all four alloys were not perfect and was told they had been in storage for a while and would be re-polished at a later date. Do alloys "go off" in storage or have I been palmed off with a second hand set.
In addition alarming moaning/grinding noise sometimes on steering, is this normal for the model or am I being fobbed off again. Am steeling myself to complain to Jeep, any suggestions would be appreciated.
Julie
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An update as promised.
Steering "honk" is a known problem on the GC and as there's a Technical Service Bulletin on it it should be fixed free of charge. Academic for me as I've still got a couple of months' warranty to go. Mine goes back next Friday for the cure - which is a modified power steering fluid pipe.
Smile sweetly and a main dealer may do the same for your Cherokee!
Terry
Browse
Of course if everyone used green accounting methods you would calculate for 30% more miles for an equal amount of natural resources. But as that kind of number can't be totted up 'accurately', no-one bothers to try.