April 2004
Would anyone recommend getting an engine flush when you get an oil change. I see that one of the major garages has an offer on for £5.95 engine flush, but i'm not sure if it is worth having if there are no problems with the car and oil. Read more
My Leon counts down towards its next service from 2000 miles - displays "service X miles" when I turn the electrics on, then removes it once I switch on the engine. For the most recent service I took it to my trusted local mechanic. Only thing is, after the service has been done the warning still comes up. To try & find out how to reset this without resorting to paying for the privilege, I searched the tech forum and found this about a VW (Passat?):
"depress the trip counter reset button and turn on the ignition to position 2, keeping the trip counter reset button depressed for at least 3 seconds"
(Thanks AndyS)
Given that these are both VAG cars, can anyone confirm if this procedure also works for the Leon?
andymc Read more
I\'ve tried all the above suggestions on my 2002 Passat 1.9TDI.
I\'ve just taken the car to my local garage to get the service and brakes done, but can\'t reset the Service now warning on the dash. Does any body know how I can do this without resorting to the main dealer. Thanks in advance.
help ..quick question...
i have some standard castrol 10w 40w oil left over from my audi, can you use it in a petrol mower? its only a cheap £100 petrol mower, wondered if i can stick the castrol in there? Read more
I have 4 mowers, 2 inherited and 2 acquired when at least 10yrs old. The youngest is a Ransome Hahn circa early 1970s [Briggs Stratton]. The oldest is a rotary Atco [Villiers aluminium], mid 1960s. I can think of few better ways of wasting money than buying a new lawn mower.
For the past 25 years I have used the old 10-40 from my 10,000 oil changes.
Waste not want not!
I bought a car at auction a few days ago which had no V5.
In the past you could simply go along to your local Post Office with your MOT and Insurance Certificate, fill in an application form for a new V5 and the car could be taxed and driven immediately. The new V5 would then turned up in the post some weeks laters.
The DVLA have now changed this system though. You now MUST have a V5 to tax a car, and if you don't have one you have to apply to DVLA for a new one BEFORE you can tax the car.
The DVLA now write to the previous owner of the vehicle to confirm that the transfer of the vehicle was legitimate, and then send you a new V5. The trouble is that this process can take up to SIX WEEKS. That means I have a new car that I can't use and need to keep off the road for a month and a half or I will presumably get fined on a regular basis for not having a tax disc.
I asked the DVLA whether I should declare a SORN on the car, but the person I spoke to said I didn't need to do that, but she really didn't sound very convincing...
Fortunately I do have somewhere to keep the car off-road whilst I wait for a new V5, and I still have my old car, but the moral of this tale is surely don't buy a vehicle without a V5 if you need to use it in a hurry!
Read more
Klout
Ivor E above has planted the germ of an idea for you to try.
On the premis that nothing ventured nothing gained then, as it appears you have details of the old owner then why not send an invoice to them for your nineteen notes.
Quote their obligation under under Section 22(2) Road Vehicles (Reg and Lic) Regs 2002:
"The registered keeper of the vehicle -
(a) if the registration document issued in respect of the vehicle is in his possession (which it should have been), shall deliver to the new keeper that part of the document marked as the part which is to be given to the new keeper....".
This they failed to do and as a result this has involved you in expense.
They just might be honest enough to cough up but I doubt you could go any further in a civil claim.
DVD
Hello all,
In the near future, I think I?m going to replace the battery on my 1993 Polo, as the one I?ve got is getting on a bit, and can\'t hold a strong charge for more than 24 hours. So, the question is, which is the best battery to fit. Costco have great deals on Bosch batteries; with mine costing about £25 to £28, but Motorworld have Lucas batteries starting at £19.99 for a \"standard\" battery.
I was swaying towards the Bosch, as the Lucas doesn\'y seem to have the quality or features, but what do you think?
Any thaughts welcome
Roberson Read more
When an old (in fact, very old) thread is resurrected, there's usually only one reason for it.
My partner's 5 year old SAAB 9-3 Tid was serviced about 6 weeks ago and she mentioned sluggish performance but nothing was detected (the car was serviced but not road tested). I don't drive it at all often but I tried it today and while it starts and runs OK, doesn't blow out any colour of smoke and no odd temperature readings, it seems well down on power. It will not pull to the red line (4,500 rpm) in 3rd gear, foot flat to the floor, and obviously doesn't get there in 4th or 5th. Overtaking is a risky manoeuvre, lots of planning ahead needed. It is OK pootling round town and once it has reached 70 mph it will cruise there but still with no great performance available for acceleration or overtaking. I have dosed it with Miller's Diesel Plus and now wonder if anyone can say what might be causing these symptoms? Claggy injectors or the dreaded turbo failure or something else? Thank you in advance for comments. Read more
Anyway, it
isn't my car - my lady will have to decide!
Ah, wise words......
{Question moved from the latter end of IHAQ Vol 39 as previously unanswered. DD}
Thinking about buying one of these for the summer for the kids to mess about in. Both in their teens and good swimmers BTW
I live in a non water meter area but do you think some jobsworth (with too much time on their hands) will get onto the local water company when they see me filling the thing up. I don\'t want a massive hike in water rates and the old water would be used on the garden anyway.
Has anyone had any issues like this to contend with or are these pools exempt as they are a temporary fixture?? Read more
If your daughter is 10, then I'm sure she is capable of getting into a lot more trouble than eating a nut! I really shouldn't worry about it. (If it is daughter no. 10 (unclear from posting) then your breeding has done us all proud!)
If you go to environmental health, you run the risk of it being deemed 'acceptable' to have 1 nut per 10,000 tins. I'd take it back to Tescbury's or Asrose, and gratefully accept the £20 of vouchers they throw your way.
I have a problem with getting gears on a 1999 Renault Espace 2.2 dt.There does not appear to be much output at the clutch slave cylinder and the pedal feels soft. Renault have replaced the clutch master/slave unit 3 times, the pipework failed twice and the third time the unit sealed but the clutch is still not releasing fully. Renault suggest the problem maybe a faulty clutch unit cover but £600 is a lot to spend on a maybe. The car has done 43000 miles. Any suggestions please! Read more
This may not be that relevant, but here goes.
Last month I had a driveshaft inner boot go west. Good independent garage in Lincolnshire replaced it and then had to top up the gearbox oil (with quite a bit of oil they said as they lost a lot when pulling out the driveshaft).
Next day I could barely get the car in gear! Never had this issue before, so the mechanic who did th job went with me to the Renault dealers in search of a remedy - being the only thing w'd replaced was the gearbox oil.
It turns out that its no good just using any old gear oil thats the right viscosity/API etc as the oil in espace gearboxes is very, very specific - and dear too.
We bought the 'right oil' from Renault, drained and replacd it and hey presto, car goes in and out of gear perfectly!
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Can anyone tell me if the rear window wiper, where fitted, is part of the MOT test? Read more
I am an MOT tester.
No car is required to have a rear wiper system as part of the MOT.
Testers may examine the wiper to inform you of defects. But such defects are only an advisory item.
If you feel any item on your vehicle has been wrongly failed, ask the tester to show you the 'Reason for Rejection' in the testers manual. If it ain't in the book, it won't fail.
Can anyone confirm the official service intervals for a Mondeo TDCI 2004MY.
Service book with car states 12500 miles, but Ford website states 10000 miles.
Thanks Read more
Thanks for replies.
Service books seems to cover the full Ford range and does not differentiate between diesel / petrol Mondeos, yet the website does. Dealer did not seem to be sure when I phoned but went for 12.5k intervals.
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Back in the 70's I used to drain the oil out, fill it with Redex (donated by the garage I worked in :-) ), start it up and let it tick over for a few minutes. Then drain, change filter and refill with new oil which would then stay "clean" looking for much longer than usual. My mates dad always used to drain the oil then pour a gallon of parafin through the engine before refilling with oil which he reckoned used to flush the crud out of the engine. Not sure if either of these practises did any good or harm and of coures both oils and engines have come a long way in the last 40 years.