February 2004
I'm looking to spend about £8-9k. I don't want something run-of-the-mill, I'd prefer something a bit special. My eye was recently caught by a Merc E320 coupe, 'M' reg. I see there's a good selection on Autotrader. I guess 80-90k miles will be the norm. I've heard Mercs are good for 200-300k miles, so at 80-90k it's just about run in(?). It must be reliable, not outrageously thirsty, and should not depreciate much. I'd appreciate any thoughts/opinions as to this car (or the E220 coupe?), what do I need to look out for, should I buy privately or trade (I suppose it's too old for Merc dealers to be handling?). Read more
My gf just called. Thankfully no-one was hurt but she had a minor accident today (well yesterday now). I'd like some advice.
She was going along a wet road (40 limit, but at less than that as she had just exited a roundabout) when the traffic lights she was approaching turned amber. As she was nearly over the line and didn't want to risk an emergency stop in poor conditions she continued. Sadly someone waiting to turn right across her path wasn't so patient. They turned and my gf emergency stopped and hit the rear off side corner of their fiesta with the front near side of her car.
My gf gave her details including insurance to the other driver but only got the other drivers name and address. There was a witness who was in the queue waiting to turn right following the fiesta. She didn't get their details but the other driver did. She does not think that this driver moved (which I take as confirmation of the fact that it wasn't safe to do so).
According to my gf's insurance company recommended garage the damage 'is only cosmetic' to her car and sounds like a minor dent to the other car.
I don't know the junction concerned and as far as my gf can remember there isn't a filter signal that the other driver could have been obeying.
As soon as we can get there in daylight (this weekend) we will check this out. The other thing I though of is if the timing of the lights is such that the turning driver had had a red light in their direction for a while but there was still a green in my gfs. Anything else that we should try and find out ? - rather that going their ourselves can we phone the local authority and get a definitive statement of timing for the lights. We'll also look for CCTV but getting that may be fun.
The other thing that worries me is that the other driver was driving hers sons car on his insurance. I have a bad feeling about that.
Any advice or suggestions as how the insurance companies may see this?
Thanks and apologies to anyone that may read this in other places as she is a bit upset about this and I'd like to offer useful advice as soon as possible.
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"If she couldn't stop safely then your gf was correct to go through the amber."
From the Highway code:
AMBER means 'Stop' at the stopline. You may go on only if the AMBER appears after you have crossed the stop line or are so close to it that to pull up might cause an accident.
This is a pretty strict definition; it doesn't mean "if it's difficult or uncomfortable to stop". Don't know if this will affect your gf's case.
V
I got back in late last night and was flicking through the TV channels when I caught a programme on BBC3 called 'Sort it out Man'.Couple of guys dressed as superheros ... Alright call me very sad to watch such programmes but I just wanted to relax for a few minutes.... OK!
I thought these guys were supposed to be controlled and licensed these days but they filmed some private clampers in a pub car park in Slough who were hiding inside the pub.
Warning notices in the car park were about the size of a postcard about 20 feet up in the air.
It took them just 43.5 seconds to clamp the car from the guy leaving it!
The clampers were eventually shamed into releasing all the clamped cars probably because they were on film.
But is this a speed record?
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at my6 office it is a private car park, and the company has been given two permits. We have five cars.
We saw mr clamper approaching and so we wnt out to ask him not to clamp us as we are applying for extra permits at the moment.
No problem he says, simply move you cars out of the bays, and onto the road surface of the car park.
Apparently his jurisdiction was only those cars in bays without permits! so if we werent in a bay he didnt care!
I read your online advice on selling privately, in particular the security precautions when taking a potential buyer on a test drive. There are a couple of extra precautions I was thinking about, and I wonder if you, or anyone else, had an opinion. Firstly, displaying a mobile phone in an advert rather than a home phone. Secondly, arranging to meet up somewhere neutral for the test drive, so that potential buyers don't know where you live; I heard a tale recently where someone had his car stolen from his garage the night after someone came round for a test drive. How long could you keep from divulging your home address if a sale was going through? Read more
Personally speaking I wouldn't buy form a private seller if I wasn't at his house - to much risk that the car is stolen etc. The instances of someone coming to look at your car then returning to steal something are few and far between. If your that worried about it then you might consider selling to a dealer.
Putting a mobile number in an advert is fine and I wouldn't give out my address until someone rang. Make sure you take the number of any prospective buyers - you could even take their number and ring them back to give them your details, that'll screen out a lot of scrotes.
I let one of my alu. wheel rims fall flat on its face on the road scrapping off some of the top coating. Is there any simple way that I can repair the damage caused. Read more
Thanks Peter,
A simple but very reasonable result achived. :)
Can anyone recommend a competetive company for insurance.As a result of me not protecting my no claims and having a claim,the insurance for my VW Passat 1.9TDi has gone from £340 last year to £599.I am 31 years old and it's a DIESEL I'm driving.Help!! Read more
The only thing to do is trawl around them all! Ive never been with the same insurance company 2 years running, simply because Ive been able to get a more competitive premium elsewhere.
Ive just changed companies to Belldirect, but different companies will be better for different people. My cheapest premium was £780, the most expensive £1900.... It pays to shop around.
Off the top of my head, try Admiral, tesco, directline, elephant, belldirect, axa, norwichuniondirect, eaglestar, morethan.
Good morning all,
Is there such a thing as a Ford Direct web site? and if so does anybody know of the address please. Also when Ford Direct cars are on dealer forecourts who sets the prices. Does the dealer do what he likes 'cause I have seen several cars here in north Devon that appear to be way over book!
Best Regards to all. M. Read more
Blue Oval, "Up North" is all relative, I live in the Central Belt in Scotland so you are down South to me! :)
If you see this then you are browsing the new server and all should be OK to post etc.
Moderators, you can trash these messages in a short while.
Happy browsing!
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Stephen Khoo
www.khoosys.net Read more
No problem now, I can see all posts.
I lost connection to the server earlier (around 11'ish), I've only just returned and all seems well again.
Cheers,
Chad.
I am after a car and have bought three from Manheim/BCA auctions before but not for a couple of years so went along to Manheim Bristol today (Fleet day) to get a feel for the market. I would be interested to hear any learned views from trade BRers about the Bristol prices, a selection is below. All the cars had warranted mileage, all with FSH (Printout or Service Book) and all sold as seen direct from the fleet (PHH/Lloyds TSB/Vauxhall/GE Capital):
Vauxhall Corsa 1.0 12v Club, 6 went through while I was there, all 2001/2002 51 reg, 13k to 20k miles, met blue/silver £3975 to £4400
1999 V Mazda MX-5 1.8 conv soft-top met blue 47k miles £6850
Ford Mondeos:
2000 V 2.0 LX 5 door h/b in met silver in nice condition 57k miles £3175
1999 V 1.8 TD GLX estate in met blue with a few small parking dents but OK, 75k miles £3600
2001 Y 2.0 TD LX 5 door h/b in met green 80k miles in good order £5400
And several BMW 320d SE 4 door saloons (none with leather):
2001 Y in met blue in nice condition 59k miles £11850
2001 X in dark blue good condition 76k miles £10800
2000 W in met silver excellent condition 41k miles £11700 Read more
That 99V estate sounds dear to me, i had realy trouble getting rid of a 99V 2ltr zetec with 67k miles for less than that price in nov/december. Cant see a profit in that.
My son in law rang this afternoon for advice which I was unable to help him with but said ?I know a man who can?. He took his Mondeo TD in today for slight accident damage on an insurance claim.
He also requested a cambelt change at the same time.
Call back from the main Ford dealer today to tell him they had a problem with the car. He went down the garage and they said they had changed the belt together with another belt which I think he means drives the injection pump.
The Manager tells him that the car is kicking out black smoke and the reason is that the camshaft solenoid actuator is inoperable and want £195 to replace it.
He starts it up and his description is that the car now shakes on tickover like a bus and there is little power. His response to the service manager is that it was running perfectly when he took it in and is now completely different so what have they done to it to cause this. No response other than to say the service manager has checked out the mechanics work and is fully satisfied.
He asked me what a camshaft solenoid actuator is and what is the most likely explanation.
I couldn?t really help him apart to suggest they have perhaps upset the timing when they changed the belt and I have no idea of the terminology they are using.
Any suggestions and explanations please.
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Thanks Mark, It doesn't seem as if anyone is familiar with this terminolgy so will pass your advice on regarding complaining to the General manager.
Browse
Was doubting garage excuse as I'm fed up with ludicrous reasons why something is not their fault.
I told the garage that there was an oil leak from the intercooling ducting on my VW. The oil was visibly dripping.
They 'fixed' something entirely different. When I took them to task I was told it was not an oil leak as oil was not meant to be there.
Hope the Merc is fine now.