March 2004
Hmm OK I hope this is the right kinda place to ask this? I few weeks ago I sold my car in the local paper and it was bought for a stupidly cheap price by a very dodgy looking/acting guy who paid cash. (I was desperate to sell).
Strange thing is I know he was a trader, but he insisited that he must have the invoice that I got from the main dealer when I bought the car two years ago. As I said I was desperate to sell and so gave it to him, but now I'm thinking what could he have wanted this for? Also he did not leave his address (I was a bit naive and didn't think to ask him) And weeks later I get the licence renewal form from the DVLA.
Its a bit late to do anything now but I really kinda think this guy is pulling something dodgy? Any Ideas?
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I have a 94 fiesta 1.3i which is only running on 3 cylinders at tick-over it is the cylinder furthest from the thermostat. I did a compression test and this was lower than the others. so I took the head off. The exhaust valve seats look worn so I'll sort them, but the question I have is - the engine has done 20,000 miles since a re-bore, is it normal to have the honing marks still visible in the cylinder bores. the reason i ask is that the cylinder with the lowest compression seams to have the worst marks. the car didn't seam to burn much oil and seamed to go o.k. Read more
You did not mention how low the compression was on that cylinder which I would assume to be no/4 honing marks can stay for a while.but should not cause any compression problems.from what you said would assume you have a slight weak mixture.
Todays AE contains a 2 page spread about the facelifted C5. I love the front end but hate the new rear, but thats a different story.
The article says that the chassis will be revised (its great already) and smaller spheres to give a firmer ride. (Why? we all want softer quieter rides).
Citroen, think about this carefully before letting us drive them on our traffic calmed* roads.
*Traffic calmed by not filling in the holes.
Ben Read more
groups.yahoo.com/group/XM-L
The GSF/Andspares site also has an active Citroen-only forum.
rg
While at an IAM meeting yesterday, the guest speaker, a leading firefighter of 14 years experience said that the police are trying to persuade firemen not to cut the battery cables on crashed cars.
Apparantly, they can tell if the car was braking and what speed amoungst other bits of info.
Is this true? Read more
As an aside,I think it is called a Black Box because it was invented by a man called Black.
Hello Mark/Honest John
Where are the news updates? I always look forward to new bargins etc. Hope everything is well!!
Thanks in advance
MM Read more
In case anybody has a similar problem it turns out that ZoneAlarm Pro Mobile Code Control has to be turned off to enable this (excellent) facility. Why it worked before remains a mystery!
My car is an Audi 80 2.0E Sport 1995 model type B4 and after 97k miles thought best to change the gearbox oil especially as I intend to keep the car for sometime. Service book states that this is filled for life, surely oil must deteriate over time.
My first problem is finding the correct spline bit to undo the drain plug. As the plug has a raised centre, the bit must have a corresponding hole just as I have seen with security bits.
Can anyone help with the size of the bit and where I should be able to get one. Halfords not helpful!
Many thanks. Read more
Easy solution.
Borrow Haynes manual free at local library...
madf
Well folks I have decided that it is officially springtime, so time to put all the tips I have learnt from the backroomers into practice.
So today, I have
1. Cleared out the garage ready to apply a waterproof coating to the roof to stop the condensation and drips.
2. Washed the Scenic and polished it with Autoglym wax and finished off with Autoglym super gloss finish
3. Cleaned the glass with same company's glass cleaner
4. Washed, polished and glossed the alloys as well.
All these were suggestions / tips submitted over the dark winter months.
What tips are you going to implement??
Bobby
PS My Central Heating works fine :) Read more
Well, I posted this original note on Wednesday when it was glorious sunshine and I was out washing the car in my T shirt.
Then on Thursday it was pouring down with rain but, ever the optimist, I looked at my car, saw how all the rain was beading and sliding off and thought, hey, thats a good coating of polish on it.
Well I wake up today and guess what, its snowing!!! OK, the snow isn't lying on the car (due to its waxing blah blah) but sometimes I wonder why I bother! Especially here in Scotland!
(Away to lie down in a darkened room.........)
Anyone got a copy of the magazine (autocar i think) which declared the skoda rapid as a poor man's porsche? Long shot I know, but worth a try! Read more
willsimm,
Found it at last. Not where I thought it was.
Quite an interesting edition with a test of the old 3-series M3 Evolution, used buying guide on the Volvo 740/760 series, artists sketch of the "new" Citroen DX...actually the XM and 25yrs of the 911...plus the Porsche-like Skoda of course.
Possibly the best reading is the "How Fast How Good" section in the back with the figures and brief opinion of all those cars that seemed so good 16yrs ago.
Oh and amusingly there is an article bemoaning "Top Gear" of the day saying, in a nutshell, it is too wrapped up with corrosion warranty issues, child safety seats and that they never see the car as something for fun/pleasure...how times change.
Does the magazine/article still interest you or have you bought something else? Scanning and e-mailing is a bit of a non-starter surely, the files are far too big??
I'm pleased you bought up the topic. I have far too many mags to keep and they cover that 1971 - 1980 period that seems to hold current interest for the modern classic guys. Think I'll go against everything I've ever said and drop into the murky pool that is Ebay!
M.M
Go for it Gordon ! Or Road Tax ! Still, since I use 80 litres of the stuff per week, good job ..... :-)) Read more
Do you honestly think the other lot won't raise fuel taxes too? Who was it who started the fuel tax escalator?
As a resident of the South West, I see one of our local Town Councils is considering the introduction of on street parking permits to the tune of up to £100 per car per annum.
I personally welcome this proposal as our narrow main A class roads through villages are getting totally clogged up with cars parked both sides of the road and seriously impeding traffic flows.
If permits are widely introduced, then residents living along busy main routes may feel coerced into converting their front gardens into off street parking and help cut local journey times by half.
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Totally agree with Cockle - there can be unforseen downsides with such things. Residents sometimes like to jump of the bandwagon to deter non-residential parking in their streets and then whinge when they get caught out bending the rules. It happened where my sister lives. They campaigned long/loud for a restriction and then started whingeing when residents with more than one car found themselves falling foul of the rulesand geting fines. I really think they believed the rules would only really affect non-residents.
People do seem to think they own the space outside their homes and it's not uncommon for people to have driveways constructed just to ensure nobody else parks outside their house. Ironically, these people often choose not to use their own drives but park outside someone else's property thereby selfishly adding to the overall parking problem. This has happened in several streets nearby and is causing all sorts of knock on effects. What really annoys me though is that those who had the foresight to move a bit further away from the station, town centre etc. and shouldn't really expect serious parking problems, wind up inheriting them because those who chose to live closest to the amenities then complain about the parking and traffic problems associated with such amenities. The result in Bromley is
that all the congestion and parking problems have been shifted to the area just outside the controlled zone. IMO this is hardly fair on those residents.
As for forcing everyone to park off-road. I can see that having a serious impact on property prices for anyone who lives in a property where no such provision is possible. Also, on a more environmental note, I'd hate to see all our front gardens paved over, there's little enough greenery around as it is without turning gardens into car parks.
Browse
You are one lucky man Daish!
"may have been a chancer who wanted to stretch the waranty terms on said car!! i buy my cars off e-bay and turn up with cash!! i also look dodgy as i am tree surgeon, usualy very dirty through day!!!! dont judge the buyer by his appearance, cash is the one last bastion of the car market and dont be frightened by it, its actualy what checks and credit cards need to work. plus its invisible to tax man!! cash deals are good and you did sell the car.
trust must prevail"
Can I be forgiven for thinking that Superstyler was your dodgy buyer? ;)
I would go along with the others on the original receipt.
This IMO effectively forms part of the history of the car. I am the 4th owner of my Discovery and I have all the purchase receipts from new.
Just for interest sake, I had the opposite problem to the one that you escaped. The lady who sold me the Discovery either didn't send the paperwork off, or it didn't reach DVLA and the vehicle was still registered in her name months afterwards! As you can imagine taxing it did require a bit of magic! We simply agreed a later transfer date and I applied for a V5 in my name, attaching the tear off slip that she originally gave me, after using it to tax the vehicle as the transfer date was within the two months max time limit, ahem!
Hugo