February 2004
Today's DT reports that a satellite based scheme to charge heavy lorries for the use of autobahns has collapsed. The system was supposed to raise £4.5 billion to improve the public transport infra structure; this money will now have to borrowed. The system was 16 months late and haulage companies are left with £50 million worth of tracking equipment fitted to their lorries which is of no use. Our men at the top might like to bear this one in mind when they try to introduce a system which will track all UK road users 24 hours a day and charge them for their road use. Earlier this week it was announced that a compter system designed to simplify the work of the Child Support Agency is to be abandoned, having cost £450 million. Road charging by the mile in UK! Not in my lifetime! Mind you I am fairly old! Read more
As i've mentioned before, i'm just about to start up as a car trader, part time from home (most things are in place now, just need to start buying some cars!).
I've been looking at a few nearly new (well, 18months - 2 years old) cars, and was wondering whether the manufacturers warranty (assuming it's a 3 year one) is transferrable to me, and then on to whoever purchases the car off me. Obviously servicing will have to be up to date and with a main dealer. Read more
It's been hot as hell in cape Town for the past few weeks, and yesterday was blowing close-t-a-gale. In these conditions, fires spring up all over, and yesterday parts of the mountain caught alight.
The fire department can't get to a lot of these fires easily, so use huge Russain helicopters (Mil 8s?) to bomb them with a few tons of water at a time, from a huge bucket slung under the helicopter.
Anyway, the motorway home runs twixt the harbour and the mountain, and yesterday, while crawling along in the traffic, said chopper flys over, en route to fill up with another few tons.
After 'dipping', it came back, about 100ft off the deck, with spillage aplenty - most of it across my car! It was SOAKED!
Fortunately I had the windows up - the guy next to me wasn't so lucky, and was well doused!
So, instead of getting home and putting my feet up with a cold beer, I spend half an hour with the hosepipe, getting rid of any traces of salt water!
And no, there weren't any fish!
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' from a huge bucket slung under the helicopter '
Do you mind Ian - thats my stomach!
I thought you would have heard the apocryphal story of the scuba diver in the full gear found dead in the woods after a fire - he was minding his own business snorkelling happily in the sea when he heard this helicopter.....
anyone ever changed an oil filter on audi and no where they are located?
car in question is an A6 tho apparently the working parts are meant to be very similar to that of A4 and Passat.
advice would be appreciated Read more
advice would be appreciated
HT leads have gone on 1998 A6 1.8T, anyone know rough idea of cost to replace them. also do you have to replace the distributor as the same time?
cheers
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Richard - I'd agree with you aswell.....I wouldn't expect to find HT leads on this motor.
But...we could all be wrong!
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groups.msn.com/honestjohn - Pictures say a thousand words.....
Is the Merc C Class being updated this month - new face, improved interior, more powerful engines? Read more
It is a basic fact that motorbike engine oil is quite a lot more expensive than car oil. I have been told that by using car oil in a bike can cause clutch slipping.
I have a scooter with a dry clutch. What would happen if I used car engine oil as oppose to motorbike engine oil (10w40 fully sythetic); £25 vs £18 is the difference in price.
Feedback would be appreciated Read more
ROB MEWELL: my scooter uses a dry seperated clutch so the slipping is not an issue in my case.
My question is what CAR oil can I use that will not exceed CD and is a good oil? My manual says not to exceed this and use anything above API SE.
Hope someone can help?
I know that Shell Optimax is always recommended but is their normal Unleaded better than, say, Esso or BP?
I'm only asking because we don't have a Shell garage nearby and I'm just wondering whether it's worth driving those extra miles when Esso is just round the corner.
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Fill what's empty, empty what's full and scratch where it itches! Read more
Aprilia: I don't think BS EN 228 2000 mandates detergents; therefore suppliers can meet EN 228 without the necessary additives, but as I haven't got a library with access now, I am not sure, so would defer to your greater knowledge. I suspect though that not all fuels are made to such high standards, until all sign up to World Wide Fuel Charter (ACEA,Alliance,EMA, JAMA) Enough already!
Hi just wandered if you could help, going to change the oil on my car in the next few days. Last time i changed it i put castrol gtx 10w40 in it because it was on offer and fairly cheap. Today though i\'ve bought 15w40 (which is what the handbook says the car takes anyway) i doubt there is but is there any problem going back to 15w40? Also not long after changing the oil last time i bought a small bottle of 10w40 to top up with when needed. Can i still use this to top up the 15w40 (if need to of course) or are you not supposed to mix different grades? Read more
No Probs, Yes, But next time don\'t buy oil because its cheap, buy it beacuse its the right oil and good quaility. Regards PEter
My little fiesta is losing oil and i don't know where its going. I don't see any traces of oil lying under the motor even when its running and i've checked the spark plugs to see if theres any oil on them, but theres nothing. Theres also no blue smoke from the exhaust. Could anybody out there please give me some indication of where this oil is going to? Cheers Read more
The valve seals are probably worn allowing oild to seep down and be burnt. It will be worst at start up (oil drip over halt or on the overrun- vacuum).
Can be replaced without removing cylinder head.. using rope stuffed into bore through plug holes to prevent valves dropping.
A very common failing..
madf
Browse
AS,
I hope for your sake that this is just another Govt kite flying incident and if we make enough noise then they drop it.
I fear that not sufficient noise will be made about this one.
Therefore they will pick off the minority and then apply it to the rest.
I can see not many people being worried about gantries on motorways, but gantries on normal roads? I would say everyone will object to any gantry near them.
Of course I wouldn't put it past HMG to circumvent planning regulations as they have done with TETRA masts.
Incidentally I have heard from a usually impeccable source that the HM of HMG is getting less and less amused with the current set of idiots in Whitehall.
I say "Off with their heads"
FiF