May 2004
Having now had 18 months of faultless and very enjoyable driving out of my ageing 318IS (16valve M42 engine) I have decided, rather than swapping up to a six-cylinder model with asscoiated fuel, insurance and labour costs, to keep it and spend a bit of cash on it. I have just bought a set of 17inch Kahn RSR wheels (I'm 22 come on!) which I love and will fit them in a couple of weeks - Question is do I have to adjust any of the suspension set up/geometry for these larger wheels? What handling/braking/cornering advantages and disadvantages can I expect etc?
I am also thinking of a stainless exhaust. Not a huge fat one but a tasteful and elegant size. Any ideas on these as the car is relatively rare (318i exhaust doesn't fit) and I cannot find a ready made one available so may have to order a custom made one - thoughts?
The car still (for over a year now) has a rattling noise a bit like a tiny chainsaw when between 3000 and 4000 revs and only when warm. It has had it's cam chain (M42 engine) changed not too long ago - any help/advice much appreciated as I can't afford BMW servicing!
Can anybody recommend any simple brake upgrades that do not involve a ludicrous expense?
Finally, just as a point of interest, I cannot recommend this car too highly (apart from on wet roundabouts!) and I just look forward to being able to afford it's big brother the 325IS which sounds so much more fun!
Thanks for any help Read more
I know some of the members of this forum are police officers and I wondered if you could answer me a simple question. Here is my story:
I was riding my motorbike today and as I went through a quiet town centre I rounded a corner to see a panda car pulling up to the junction of a side street ahead. He waited until I went past and then pulled out after me. I was not doing anything stupid, I was being the perfect model rider. Anyway after a few hundred yards I had to stop at a set of traffic lights because they were turning to red and he took this opportunity to pull up along side me and wound down the passenger side window and shouted across "Oi mate, the number plate on the back of your bike is illegal. Its not the right size and is not in the correct style. I've made a note of your registration number, so get a proper number plate on it".
Okay so the number plate is a bit smaller than it should be but I don't mean stupidly small like you see on a lot of bikes. And I consider myself told off and lucky not to have got a ticket for it. My question is when he said "I've made a note of your registration number" does he mean it will be marked down against my bike that he has given me a bit of a warning about it or was he just bending the truth slightly on that score? Read more
Probably saw the number plate, thought, I'll have a word, rather than stopping you, having to go through the whole palaver of "Is this your bike?", etc, "Do you have any of your documents with you...?", etc (and so it goes on). Then, the "Did you realise that your number plate is illegal?", "No?" "Right, well, the actual dimensions are......" Vehicle Defect Rectification Scheme Form issued, Form for driving licence, MOT, Insurance Certificate, etc issued... Much better to lean out and point it out - doesn't take up your time too much - the "I've made a note" routine is more a mental note - if he sees you running around town again in a few weeks and you ain't got the plate changed - then you'll get booked, rather than a mark onto the computer or even a note in his notebook. If you're both local, he'll remember the next time he sees you out and about!
CP
My Mum has managed to burn a "lovely" hole on the front seat of the car (Avensis).Any advice on the best way (if possible )to cover this up or repair it. Read more
Depends on the size/position of the repair but the smart type repairs are not usually very durable.Best way is to sew a seam thru the hole by removing the cover,by machine,if it looks odd,put a seam thru the passenger seat also.Then stop smoking in the car.
there is an irritating grinding sound from my Leon 1.9TDI which is only evident as i approach my house. As i rule i have travelled about 40 miles at motorway speeds - during which time there is no evidence of this sound. When i drop my speed to about 15 - 20 mph when cornering entering the housing development where I live, the noise occurs on taking both the 90 degree left and right corners which are slightly downhill when entering the development - but is never evident when leaving - ie going uphill.
I raised this with the dealership about 20,000 miles ago (approx 8-9 months ago) when I was concerned that my wheel bearings may be showing early indications of wear. They assured me the bearings were ok and it was likely a stone caught between the brake disc and the plate behind it.
The sound occurs without braking which has lead me to rule out pad wear - the pad wear indicator has never illuminated and looking through the alloys they seem fine.
I find it irksome that this noise is present and I cant irridacate or explain it.
A friend recommended powerhosing up into the wheel arches - i did this on Thursday which had no effect.
Any ideas?
Leon Read more
If it is an unpleasant metal-on-metal help-me-I'm-about-to-break sort of noise, have the garage check that the front roll bar ends are properly packed with grease.
This happened on a Y-reg Leon TDI that I used to own and it took several trips to the dealer before they sorted it out by recourse to the above. Latterly it got so bad that it was making the noise with any lateral movement of the front suspension, whether cornering or not. Most off-putting.
Hi folks - been a while since i've been in here (so long I forgot my logon details).
It is that joyous time of year when the insurance industry lightens my personal wealth by about £500. I found their thoughts on the following a bit odd to say the least.
In Feb a lump of steel fell from a skip onto the bonnet and windscreen of my motor at motorway speed. The skip company who I would love to name and shame for thier disgusting attitiude refused in the first instance to cough up or "buy me of" liability not at issue etc etc.
To make sure i could get the damage repaired one way or the other I contacted my insurers for info, explaining I would continue to pursue the company and if that failed I may need to use my insurance to repair the car.
I successfully squeezed the necessary amounts out of the skip hire company to repair the car - however - my insurers now record that there is an outstanding claim on my record - despite the fact i notified them the claim would not be pursued as it was settled between myself and the company on a without prejudice basis.
The total cost of repairing the car at the dealerships workshop is £700. Taking the wind screen on the insurance (£50 excess) reduces this cost to about £400 - £450.
Those insurers who would provide me with quotes were in the range of £800 - £2200.
Surely an outcome of not-pursued should effectively remove all record of this "accident" from my insurance record?
BTW 13 years of driving accident free, covering an average 30,000 per year currently in a gp 6 Leon TDI(90).
Made me think - how much more difficult would it be to get insured had I mowed down a pedestrian or killed a fellow motorist where the cost to my insurer would have a lot more zeroes after it???
Leon Read more
I have just been over to France and my insurance policy is nearly at its end. Anyway I had to pay a few quid for extra continental cover.
My insurance had a few weeks left to run and I had already got a reminder to renew, but I was most amused to find that when I got an online quote for a new customer with my existing insurer my premium was £100 less than they had quoted me. Nice earner for the ins co.
Anyway it seems that their computer system has taken my premium for my green card as my premium for my renewal, and not taken any further monies.
Free insurance for a year! They posted me my cert and schedule of insurance until 2005. I figure that I can act stupid and claim that they sent me a letter saying I had paid in case of a claim and I dont check my statements, and the worst that will happen is that I will have to pay the premium. Ok so its a little bit of a gamble but my car's not worth a fortune and the cert/schedule guarantee that they will pay if there is an accident with a 3rd party.
very interested to hear educated comments as to whether I should own up to this....
I see far more problems being discussed in "Technical matters" concerning the Peugeot 306/307 than their close cousins Citroen ZX/Xsara. Are either of the Peugeots built in UK? Read more
judging from the 307 (and maybe others) problems seem to be increasingly due to programming or chip failures.
I have a 98 Primera where the ABS keeps operating at low speed, I have measured the resistance of each sensor and found that the front passenger side is 600 ohms higher than all the others (and higher that the stated max value in the Factory Manual)
I have therefore bought a new sensor (£188 !!!) and set about this morning to replace it.
In true Haynes manual style, they say undo securing bolt and remove sensor. Back the real world, you take the securing bolt out and the sensor won't budge at all. After copiuous amounts of both WD40 and swearing I got it to move side to side using a pair of Stillsons.
After about an hour of moving the sensor side to side and trying to lever it out with screwdrivers I got it half way out. In desperation, I then tried to lever the sensor out (by now there is nothing to easily press against, you are basically trying to get a round plastic cylinder out of a hole in the hub which is a very very close fit)and promptly snapped the sensor in half with the remainder flat with hub.
What are my choices for getting the rest of the sensor out of the hub, at the moment I have wimpted out and are looking to take it the local garage. I was tempted to drill the rest out as best I can and then pick out the remains with a screwdriver.
Read more
Don't put so much faith in WD40.
Wrap a bit of emery cloth (fine grade) around an small file or small metal bar and gently clean up the bore. Put a bit of copper grease around the new sensor, slide it in square, and you'll be fine.
Hi all,
Just discovered the MSN group site which IMO is very useful indeed. Just one question though - Do you need to be a member in order to post pictures? If so, are you automatically a member if you post on the Back Room or if you have a hotmail address?
Many thanks
Ok - that's 2 questions - never mind
--
"Ah...beer - my only weakness - my achilles heel if you will" Read more
It's a cracking idea HJ and a shame it doesn't get used much as not only can you visualise problems, you can put faces to the names!
Maybe we should revive it.
Cheers
Adam
--
"Ah...beer - my only weakness - my achilles heel if you will"
Hi all,
I need some advice regarding an act of vandalism to my car last night. I was parked in the cinema car park of a large entertainment complex in Hemel Hempstead and when I returned to my car I found that someone had jumped on the roof and dented it. I contacted the complex security although I don't hold out much hope that they caught it on CCTV. Similarly, I reported it to the Police but I don't see anything coming of that either.
The car is a 98R VW Polo 1.4CL 5dr in metallic green, i'm guessing it is worth something in the region of £3K to £3.5K.
As far as I can see, I have 4 options.
1. Attempt to repair the dent myself. It looks like the dent might pop out if I push it up from inside the car
2. Repair the dent through my insurer. I have 4 years unprotected NCB, an excess of £200 and a fully comp premium of £650 per year.
3. Repair the dent through a bodyshop or a company like chips away.
4. Do nothing
What are your views on the above?
I will post some pictures on the MSN honest john group when I have access.
I would welcome any comments and advice.
Many thanks,
Matt Read more
Nasty. I have roof damage too, and have decided to leave it.
Repair will involve snipping out the old panel after removing the headlining and surrounding trim, and welding a new roof panel in place. The workshop (Inchcape Automotive) where I work does this where there is roof damage in most cases.
Our 406 2ltr petrol is due a cambelt change, is this a difficult job? l've changed cambelts on 405 td's before, anything to lookout for? any tips.
Cheers. Duggie Read more
Same principles apply. Just think the job through and use the Haynes manual. As usual special cam positioning tools are specified but a couple of bolts will do the trick but you will have a 1mm gap all around where it goes through the cam wheel but this should not be a problem as long as everything is centred but it is easy to get a tooth out on the belt.
I would also change the waterpump whilst you are in there, they are a weak point. Make sure you have the right pump. Several factors I went to specified a particular pump for the model which was nothing like. In the end I went to the dealers and was supplied with the right one.
I also replaced the auxillary belt and had a hell of a job getting the spring loaded tensioner back to fit the belt. In the end I found that it had a 3/8ths drive square hole in it( this was not visible) and was able to get the desired leverage on it.
Fullchat
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I had a similar noise on my e30 325i.
It turned out that the cover that protects the distributor cap was loose (in my case a missing bolt) and the cover just touched the fan at certain engine speeds.
Mind your fingers if you are checking this!!