May 2004
If you have sky then motors tv on channel 413 have the whole 3 races live from each BTCC meet. They also have coverage of the other races, like the clios and the porsches. I think MotorsTV are also showing live Le Mans 24 hour and some of Goodwood Festival of Speed.
teabelly Read more
I occasionally read of new models that "the interior looks dated". Or "too much like last year's". Why should have to look an undefined, indeed undefinable, "this year's"?
Dated compared with what? Is there a dating system for interiors? Is it because compared with last year's it doesn't look enough like the flight deck of Startrek or one of the gaming machines the gormless airhead kids hereabouts spend half their lives playing on?
Or is it that upholstery still resembles last year's catwalk fashions, i.e. oh my goodness dahling, it's just so 2003 Gucci don't you think? Kiss of death presumably among the cognoscenti.
Perhaps for some it needs to look a bit more like the waiting room sofas in Madame Claudine's Palace of Delight in Beirut? Or a bit less.
I mean if it's got seats and a dashboard with the needful thereon so what? Does it need to look like the flight deck of an A340-400? Come to think of it those have been around a while so they must be a bit dated too.
Such comments mystify me since I can't find a frame of reference which says what an interior is supposed to look like, so I am led to the inescapable conclusion such a remark is entirely subjective and therefore to be completely ignored.
Like art, I know what I like.......
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That explains a lot.....
(Of course no one would dispute interior changes where these were actual measurable improvements: safety, ease of use, comfort etc.)
Got an overheating problem with my 94 Camry v6 - suspect it might be head gasket but not sure its a thermostat.
Driving it back from Cardiff on Friday it started overheating so I jammed the heat up to full (stone cold) and pulled over. Opening the bonnet and most of the coolant seemed to have erupted out of the overflow tank and was dripping off the bonnet and around the tank. Some oil smoke from rocker cover gasket but a stone cold radiator with fan not running but very hot (and pressurised) top hose. No steam or other smoke, coolant remains in overflow tank did not have any oil in them and no mayonnaise on filler cap or stick.
Got the car towed to a Toyota dealer in Slough and will find out on Friday what the problem is. If its not too bad and driveable I will take it to a Toyota specialist nearby but am I on the right path ?
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Just got it back from Toyota dealer it was recovered to - airlock in cooling system plus minor leak in expansion tank. Got it refilled with the red stuff and its running fine although will need to replace tank sometime.
Thanks for assistance.
The boot mounted CD changer in my 1999 mk4 golf has stopped working. I can hear it changing the disc, but the display on the Gamma radio says CD Error. I can then select another disc, but I get the same message. Has anyone had a similar problem and managed to fix the changer?
VW want £125+VAT (+30mins labour) for a reconditioned replacement. Is it worth taking to a car radio shop for repair?
Any ideas?
Thanks Read more
Thanks I will try a cd cleaner - but does anyone know how they work?
I have a Citroen Xsara estate Hdi 110bhp 2.0 automatic, which has given me no end of grief from the moment I bought it. The gears 'slip' when acelerating through 2nd + 3rd on a cold start. They also change at random, and have a reluctance to change down when they should, forcing the engine to labour and shake under the strain.
I have pursued 9 months (£3000 worth!) of warranty repairs with my Citroen dealer, who after software upgrades, replacement electro valve, hydraulic block and a new gearbox have declared that they themselves and the Citroen UK technical department don't know how to fix it. (Great help!) I am now with a car that is dangerous to drive, and effectively a heap of junk!!!
I am currently trying to negotiate a refund through the dealer/Citroen UK... but we all know that won't be easy...
There is another guy I know through the same dealer that has the same car with the same problem and he can't get his fixed either. Has anyone else out there had a similar problem with their hdi auto???
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There have been a lot of 2.0 HDI auto problems discussed on autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/c5-l/ . It seems some dealers are now able to perform a software update that substantially improves matters.
Hi,
This is yet another sad chapter in my Laguna II story.
Late February, Renault finally replaced the gearbox in my new Laguna 1.9 dCi 120 estate (the six speed box).
Now the same fault is beginning to appear and the garage are having as much difficulty finding this as the last one.
I am so tired of this I'm getting to the point of wanting to sell the damn thing - I never understood why people did this until now.
Obviously, I'm good to lose a stack of cash if I do this. Anyone got any experience of trying to reject a car this old ?
Thanks (in despair),
x2l Read more
Hi Nitro,
The problem, as far as I am aware, is with the six speed box.
The symptoms are bad snatching when going into 2nd and 3rd,
but only when it is cold and also only changing up! It was
quite minor to start with and then got worse as the 'box
got older (replaced at eight months old)
The problem seemed to be caused by faulty internal bearings -
so I was told. I know that the linkages etc. are ok as the
gear change is fine with the engine on and the clutch in as
long as it is not moving :-(
Thanks for the help folks,
x2l
I am considering buying a Y-reg 2001 Renault Scenic Dynamique+. It has 2 sun-roofs, both electrically operated. It appears that these are "tilt" only, and don't slide back - is this normal?
Also, when pressing the buttons on the dash to direct the airflow into the car (foot area, to the face etc), there is a noticeable creaking or groaning from behind the fascia, which I imagine may be some flaps are moving to direct the airflow. This lasts for 2 or 3 seconds. Is this normal or is it the first signs of trouble from the system?
Any advice from owners of similar Scenic models would be much appreciated.
Thanks,
Charles Read more
Good luck - now just take it out for a nice long drive to blow the cobwebs out of it! Make sure aircon system is working OK and supplies plenty of cold air - maybe worth getting it re-gassed as car has not had much use so far....
As to buying an extended warranty it is hard to tell whether or not this would be worth it - maybe just for peace of mind if you can pay monthly and each payment is not too big - NB if you do this, pay the extra for aircon etc to be covered.
Happy motoring!
Within the next couple of days the father in law is expected to croak it.
He has finance on his car that still has some way to go.
Mother in law doesnt fancy trading her broom up, so will need to sell it.
If she just stops the payments, is she liable or does the debt die with the old man.
Yes they have looked on the small print but can't find the answer.
She just want's shot of the car, minimal hassle. Read more
Graham, sorry to hear of your family's loss. I'm sure I speak for all the Backroomers in offering my condolences.
No Dosh.
Planning to move to broadband and on my win 98 there was no USB connection so yesterday installed a PCI to UBS card with two connections on.
No problems there as windows recognised it and installed it.
However it did at one stage say it could not find a driver. I tried windows update with no success.
In control panel/system it shows.
Ali PCI to USB open host controller.
USB root hub
Ali PCI to USB open host controller
USB root hub.
The above all have drivers and it says no problems with them.
PCI Universal serial bus. This one has a yellow question mark with an exclamation mark through it.
Checking properties it has no driver and I am unable to find one.
This card has no manufacturers name on it or its box and is made in China although a chip on it has the name Ali as shown above.
Reading up I find a question mark with an exclamation means it has problems.
I did wonder if it was because there was no device plugged into it and it would then require a driver for the device.
Any help or advice please would be most welcome. Only after installing did I find written on the box Driver software 98 SE,2000,ME & XP. Could that be the problem.
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It seems that a trojan by the name of Sokets de Trois is ripping across the globe. VERY persistent if dumb trojan.
If you are somewhat TYRED of routine messages can I STEER you to a site once you BOOT up. OIL bet you will find it of interest. (Enough motoring connection to qualify.
An Army WO of ACC is flying around the world on what would appear to be a glorified grass mower engine strapped to rotors. Currently in the air twixt Oman and Pakistan over the sea. Man has this bloke got gonnards. Spirit of adventure not dead yet.
Follow his progress at
www.globaleagle.co.uk
(No connection apart from the fact that he is from nearby Dishforth.)
Would you do it Helicopter?
DVD
(Punctuation OK FiF - no school when I were a lad)
{Punctuation\'s ok, apart from the full stop at the end of the url, which I\'ve now removed. ;o) DD}
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The most exciting racing I've seen in years was a mini race a couple of years back at Silverstone.
Because their aeordynamics are so poor the cars behind get a tow and can overtake at the end of each straight.
It makes for fabulous watching. The more effort that is put into a cars aerodynamics, the worse the spectating is, and whilst F1 continues to spend millions on areodynamics, the racign will remain boring.
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I read often, only post occasionally