February 2004
Borrowed, briefly, friend's Subaru Legacy the other day. Indicators make horrible beeping noise - is this standard, or did I do something wrong?
Nice motor though! Read more
The windscreen washers on my 1999 Focus suddenly decided to stop working correctly a month or two back. I can still hear the pump working as normal, but it takes about 5 seconds for any water to appear, and even then the jet is much weaker than it was previously. The rear screen washer jet, which takes it\'s water from the same resevoir, appears to work as normal.
I mentioned this to a Ford technician and he suggested it might be due to screenwash gunking up the resevoir. His solution was to stick a hosepipe into the resevoir, however he can\'t have been overly familiar with Focus design since the neck of the resevoir has a 90 degree turn which is too narrow to fit a hosepipe down!
Any other suggestions? Any help appreciated! Read more
Exact same thing happened to a Mondeo I was using. A known Ford fault, access was poor as bottle was set within wing but Ford garage fixed in 2 mins.
anyone know if this is a sealed unit? car is audi a6 1.8t 1998.
gearbox feels notchy have heard before that a change of oil in the box' would help this Read more
thanks steveo il take it to a local garage and get them to pop it in.
No, not that one, the one where they claim 32 S40s were sold in one day by the same dealer to the residents of a small Swedish town. I finally gave into temptation and checked out the "documentary" last night (that red button thing on Sky). Is there any truth to it?. I find it hard to believe that it happened as they say. Surely there must have been some un-mentioned incentive for 32 people to buy the same car on the same day. A one day, half price sale perhaps?. Read more
Well if its all marketing then that second film (www.carlossoto.com/current.htm) is a pretty damn elaborate was to get my attention. Its like a riddle within a riddle.
Great stuff - its kept me thinking thats for sure.
Father in law coming back from DD ban on 19th March. His current car has been off the road all year tax has gone, mot has gone. How does he legally get the car back on the road when he needs to drive to the mot station without road tax (can't get without mot), he will obviously insure it but will this be void in the case of a stop or an accident without a valid mot. Is the only legal route to have uplifted to the mot station or is it ok to make an appointment and drive there. This is birmingham and the roads are full of unregistered, untaxed, un mot'd vehicles but he is chastened by his experiences! Thanks, Ian Read more
Ian
This problem is faced by people all over the country on a daily basis.
What I would do is:
1) Book MOT
2) Ensure Insurance is valid when you need to drive it to the MOT test station
3) Take car for MOT
4) Take it straight back home
5) If it has passed, apply for tax disc when you have insurnace cover note and MOT cart in your hand, then drive it as normal
6) If it fails, keep it off the road but insured. You can take it to a garage to have the work done and the Test station to have it retested, but NOWHERE ELSE!
If possible, have evidence confirming MOT/repair appointment with you just in case you get stopped.
Stick to these rules, you can't go far wrong.
H
SWMBO has a 1litre Yaris just over two years old which she has owned for just over a year, just serviced last month.
I noticed when I picked it up from the garage that in reverse there was a slight whine but not driving it regularly I was not concerned.
The missis has now remarked that it is getting more noticeable particularly when the steering is on a tight lock.
It is still in warranty and going back to the garage on Thursday for a check but I wonder if you experts out there can give any suggestions before I take it in.
I am concerned that it may be a clutch problem which is not under warranty. I am however aware from the service history that it had a clutch replaced before we bought it in Nov.2002 and would then argue that a clutch a year is not really acceptable.
Any thoughts? Read more
This thread just goes to prove how a little customer care and thoughtfulness at a local level can keep customers happy even if there is a product quality issue.
One wonder what Fiats reputation would be with such attention to detail, or Renault, or ETC ETC..........
They are truly drawers-droppers looks-wise and the GT on the right of this page is no exception. Alfa's are superb to drive and I would love to have one, madness though it be in this country where I live. Truly I would but I don't trust anything that might leave me high and dry at night with a car-napper's 357 in my face.
Yet they seem to be perennial problems on wheels. My mate in Luxembourg has one he bought to impress his new Russian wife and says it spends all kinds of time in the shop mainly for niggling faults, but it's lovely to drive, that is when he gets to drive it.
Why hasn't Alfa recognised this and long ago married their flair for design with some Far East resource who knows how to make things that work right day in day out (Toshiba videos, Sony cordless phones, yada yada etc)?
Read more
As far as I know he is still at Audi, dont know for sure though
...well I kin jest say that Mustang Parts of Oklahoma Inc sure 'nuf did their thang along with some help from FedEx, and those suspension parts for the '69 are with Ferdie and his wrenchers up the street as ah speak.
(Customs duty hurt, tho', Ouch).
Now I need an electrician for the wiring.....
I refer of course to that heap of impulse buy I bought last week.
You know there are a few basic rules in life. One is never buy a car or visit a tattoo parlour when you've been drinking.....
Another is what the hell do it anyway.
Read more
Whilst surfing the web, I came across this definition in the Scottish Youth Hostel Association quarterly The Scottish Hotelier.
"Road freaks: The kind of people - usually from the north of England - with whom you attempt to make polite conversation by asking as to their day's journey, only to be met with a meticulous, longwinded log of the roadworks on the A63, the snarlups on the B7418 and a nasty contraflow on the Cumbernauld section of the A80. Before Dr Beeching had his day, these people all came under the broader classification "trainspotter"."
I'm saying nothing!
--
L'escargot by name, but not by nature. Read more
'The Scottish Hosteller' is/was also the name of a Class 37 diesel.
Trainspotting is not dead!!!
about 6 months ago had the advance solenoid on the fuel pump changed costing about £200, now it has started leaking diesel, cant take car back to garage who fitted it as they have shut down, question is i think its a faulty part and obviously dont want to part with more dosh if i can help it. the garage was a lucas main dealer/agent, would i be able to contact lucas for help and if not can anybody recomend a diesel garage in basingstoke/farnborough area.
all help appreciated
1998 mondeo 1.8td Read more
I'd contact Lucas directly - if you have an invoice detailing a Lucas replacement part, then I'd expect another Lucas agent to cover the part under warranty.
Bit of a grey area I'm afraid. Be wary.
--
groups.msn.com/honestjohn - Pictures say a thousand words.....
Browse
The indicators on my (new) Outback just make a soft clicking sound - no bleeping at all.
My earlier Legacy (P-reg 2.5 4-cam) also clicked quite quitely (say that when you have a glass or two...) so I think a beeping sound would either indicate a fault or maybe a modification by the owner ?
jd