April 2004
We're off to Longleat Center Parcs near Warminster on Monday morning and want to arrive by 10am to stand a chance of booking some of the activities. If we set off from Reading at about 8am, which would be better - M4 to J17 then A350 south, or M4/A33/M3/A303/A36?
AA Routefinder gives them as 1hr 51/52mins and 90/80 miles respectively ie. not much in it, but "based on average off-peak driving conditions". Any more relevant info for our morning rush hour conditions would be much appreciated.
TIA
John & family Read more
Heaven forfend that I risk ostracism by my friends if they even imagined for one minute I read the Grauniad, but the attached is interesting:
www.guardian.co.uk/transport/Story/0,2763,1185473,...l
....but I always thought a Robin Reliant was made of plastic?
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So it's like E-type Jag then, only not so rust prone?
Someone clipped the drivers side mirror of the Inca van I drive, way before I got it. There were tiny cracks in the glass but with the snow / cold weather / mild weather the cracks have opened up.
Can the mirror glass itself be changed or does one need to change the housing as well? Read more
I checked in Halfords a few weeks ago and against the Inca it said see dealer or something.
It gets it's MOT next month so It'll last to then I suppose.
At the front of the engine there is some smoke/vapour coming out the combustion gas monitor.
I frequently spray the engine compartment with WD40 to keap it clean, perhaps it is just burning off deposited WD-40.
Would this affect the MOT combustion gas check? I think this is where it is measured.
The ezhaust emissions seem clean, I taped a white piece of cloth over the tailpipe and it came off clean. There appear to be no leaks in the exhaust system. Read more
Oh good, it seems to be exhausting clean if a little wet but there is probably quite a bit of damp in the exhaust as it hasn't been started for months due to battery failure. I completed the engine oil change and coolant change today. This is the first service I have done on a car.
There is some coolant burning off from doing the coolant flush it was not possible to catch much of the old coolant from the cylinder block due to position of the drain plug. IT's not going to the exhaust though.
Primera 1.5Si 1997
I started doing this last weekend. Ran up the engine a bit, drained the radiator, emptied the overflow tank.
I then opened the bleed screws for the main cylinder block collant system but couldn't find the drain plug and when I thought I had it I couldn't open it. I hooked up the appropriate hoses and flushed through the bits I could with a hose but the cylinder block will not be fully flushed.
I filled up 70/30 with water/coolant. It still looks pretty watery in there though.
My quaestions are would a week without proper coolant / diluted coolant cause a problem?
Should I use distilled water? I'd prefer to though the water here is soft but not sure it' mineral content.
Is the radiator flush another snake-oil treatment like the engine flush? Might I better use this flushing lotion to clean out the central heating at home?
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If your '97 Primera has had regular (two-yearly) coolant changes then
it should be very clean inside.
It was quite clean. I coudln't ne bothered using the flushing agent anyway.
A week with a weak mixture won't do it any harm.
Get *proper* branded Nissan antifreeze concentrate from the dealer (its not
expensive)
I got Mobil 1 dear stuff (pink) from Halfords with enhanced corrosion protection.
and mix it 50/50 with distilled water from a motor
I mixed up somewhere between 50/50 and 60/40 coolant:distilled water
factor (£2-£3 for 5 litres).
I had to get it at Asda as my chemical suppliers FISchem.co.uk and Apex chemicals are closed Sundays but distilled water is distilled water.
If you are feeling extravagant you could do 2x fill-and-empty to
ensure it is all clean.
I filled up last week but it wouldn't have circulated properly and would have been mixed with old coolant as I never got the cylinder block drain plug off with not having the right socket.
I flushed and filled up this week then I couldn't find the drain plug and wasn't paying attention, filled up and lost much of it. I left the water hose in for about 15 minutes when I flushed it so it's had a good clean.
I wouldn't use a flushing agent in any car of mine
unless I was desperate.
My Fiesta was stolen. I have just had a cheque through rather unexpectedly from Tesco for £2990.00 A quick snoop on Auto Trader pulls only one example of the same spec, same age (T reg) on with a dealer at £3695, the only difference being that mine had 41,000 on the clock whereas this has 56,000.
Seems I'm being offered trade-in rather than what I'd have to pay to replace. Any thoughts? Read more
Haggle like mad - what do you have to lose?
The insurers clearly expect you to haggle with the car dealer to replace your car on the budget they have given you. So I guess they are happy for you to haggle with them!
Finally, my head got better than my heart (almost a year after graduation and went into accounting). Any comment helps, positive or negative. Comment from Michael R would be especially useful as you run one.
Current 1995 Nissan QX running cost is 28 p per mile, inclusive of all cost (inc. car mats, polish, etc.), after 30k miles. From my previous calculation, a de-fleeted Mondeo will be at 19-20p per mile, keeping it for 5-6 years. I estimate I will be doing 25k a year, using it to visit clients, etc. Mileage rate at 40p per mile first 10k and 28p thereafter, which is reasonable because I will have to calcuate BIK if over that amount.
The car will have to be a 51-reg 2.0 petrol manual with 100k on the clock.
The car must have
1) climate control
2) cruise control
3) trip computer
4) 4x electric windows
5) electric seat
6) 4-door saloon with folding rear seat (because 5-door hatchback is more noisy on motorway)
7) Preferably leather seats
Does the specification requires me to go for a "Ghia X" or would "Ghia" have the above equipment as well? I prefer Ghia because Ghia use 16-inch wheel rather than 17-inch on Ghia X. This means the ride is more comfortable and I am less likely to damage the alloy.
I am tempting to change it, since I have no problem with my 94 Mark 1 Mondeo when I was a student. What do you suggest?
Price: Would I be able to get it for 5000 pounds? Should I go for auction or private or through auction-buyers? I can wait upto 7 months (when my current insurance expires) for the right car.
Thank you very much.
Gazza Read more
Oh, don't worry about the alloys. If you wanted to downgrade to 16" I'm sure one of the chaps at Fordmondeo.org would be only to happy to trade their 16's with you, everyone seems to want bigger wheels! :)
The mention of yellow cars on ths superstitions thread and with lots of Easter journeys with kids in the offing, I thought Id start one on games to play with kids in the car.
Our fave is Yellow Car. First to spot one gets a point. One on another road, crossing on a bridge etc gets 2 points and for some random reason of my wife's a Macdonalds lorry gets 5 points. It is massively adictive! There seem to be just enough on the road to make it worth playing.
Pretty simple, although much controversy over cars (mainly French and Toyotas) which are odd greeny yellow colours. Read more
Hehe... I can remember a long time ago on wet, icy roads skiing along behind a Land Rover. ;)
is there a easy way to change a pug 405 td clutch cable,esp the the clip on the pedal Read more
yep i did mech 1,took front seat out ,inspection torch on,layed down in car ,undid pedals bolt from rachet,dropped down nice,refit white plastic clutch clip holder and clip ,then used gripfast on clutch clip to attach it tight,refit bolt,bobs your uncle,fannys your aunt and 76 quid in the swear box.good day all in all ,was ages ago now tho,many thanks people anyways.
hellllllllllllp just drilled a small hole in the wrong place in my bonnet! whilst trying to fit bonnet pins! can i fill it or am i forever dammed? Read more
Ding the hole down slightly with a smalll ball pein hammer. If you don't do this the repair will always show through the filler. Try to clean behind the hole back to bright metal and stick a thin piece of mild steel sheet behind it with seam sealer like tiger seal.
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Use the B3349 through Swallowfield and Heckfield, joining the M3 at Hook (J5). Much less hassle than the A33 and snarled up Basingstoke.
Kevin...