June 2004
Hi
Thinking of swapping the H reg fiesta (Wifes car) for a newer mk5 or 6
What should i look out for as she wants the 1.25I engine
All help apreciated
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(iam not a mechanic)
Martin Winters Read more
Just bought today from local VX dealer new Zafira 2.0 DT Energy. Special edition model( 2k cheaper than Elegence or Design) metallic paint,alloys with 205/55 R16, ABS,Traction control,CD player, Tinted windows, EW F+ R, Heated mirrors, for £13995. tried the 1.6 found it to be a bit underpowered ( £13055)and a 1.8, but the 1.8 was not available as this special edition.
Apart from some people having issues with excessive oil consumption any other niggly faults that owners would like to report.
I intend to keep untill 70/80K about 10 years so depreciation not a factor. Anybody know if it's a belt or Chain driven cam shaft.
Read more
Before you drive your new car away, insist that the dealer fits a lock on the spare wheel - otherwise you may not have one after a few hours of parking on the road. We have just found that ours has gone, and searching the net in Google under Zafira spare wheel will give you more stories. Be warned!!
I've just changed jobs recently and now need something big, diesel and cheap to run up and down to work. As I have said in my thread in Technical Matters I have the possibility of buying a 1999 V plate Vectra 2.0 DTi LS with A/C for about £2,500. It has covered 70K and had only one owner.
I have read the Car By Car breakdown and I'm not impressed by what I have read, are the 99 model Vectras really that bad? My uncle had one for a good while and didn't seem to have any major issues, but I was wondering what other Backroomers have found.
Ideally it is stories relationg to the 2.0 DTi that I am interested in as I couldn't find this mentioned in the Car-by-Car, it only mentioned the 2.2 DTi, but the insurance companies seem to acknowledge the existance of the 2.0 DTi.
Anyway, I'm after any general advice, technical or otherwise, about whether this is likely to be an ok buy, I will be using it daily to cover about 20K per year, and will keep it for under a year before selling it on and replacing it with something else.
Blue Read more
As far as I can see, there are cars for people
who "enjoy" cars, and will put up with unreliability in the
pursuit of a better drive or a bit of character, eg.
Alfas.
Then there are cars as domestic appliances, which do the job
reliably and well, but which would be difficult to describe as
"interesting", eg. Primeras.
That's sound comment, although the previous-model Primera example is not the best since the handling and roadholding are excellent and its definitely fun to drive ('Car' magazine rated the Primera 2.0iGT above the BMW 320i as a driver's car a few years back).
There are also cars that are both reliable and unarguably good to drive, of course (Subaru comes to mind).
First of all, I would just like to say that this is not a Learner Driver Bashing Thread!
I was wondering if there is some sort of "standard" of driving that learners should reach before they are out on the road. In my day, we went to car parks and empty industrial estates until I had full control over clutch bite, changing gear etc.
But nowadays I see Learners on the road that give the impression they are on their first driving lesson!
I know they have written exams to do now, however, maybe if there are any instructors in the backroom, they could maybe advise at what stage do they feel comfortable with having their clients out on the main road? Read more
Off-road training IS ideal, but often an empty carpark doesnt prepare a learner for full-on urban driving, even in areas thought of as 'quiet'. Therefore often the first few goes on a proper road usually still result in very nervous slow driving.
Also remember that people learn at different rates: I managed to pass my test first time (3 minors) on 14 hours professional tuition and a few trips to B&Q and back with my dad teaching me.
My younger brother has had over 40 pro lessons, many trips with my dad, and now i am tutoring him aswell. He still has a fair way to go, and occasionally makes mistakes, stalls or drives excessively slowly. It's just the way he is, but he'll get there eventually. Generally he practices on quieter roads at non-peak times of the day, for the benefit of both himself and other drivers.
If there was a minimum standard before he was allowed to use public roads, he would have spent a lot of time and money just getting that far, and still would have been petrified when surrounded by traffic
Anyone any idea why Ferrari did not have their Tobacco sponsors livery on show but the other drivers did?
Just curious, thats all! Read more
Interesting take on this at
news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/38...m
Maybe there is more to it than simply "MS is better
than the others" argument?
Chad
Certainly some or all of that may be true but it doesn't mention the bullit proof reliability of the Red machines either and that is also a factor.
regardless of anything you can't win a race you don't finish and how often has a Macca retired this season? Or a Williams? Or a Renault? Or A BAR?
And how many times has a Ferraris DNF'd, this season? last season?
Truth is the cars are a package no one part of the package is more important than the other.
If it were all tyres then each race would be Ferrari, Ferrari, Suaber, Sauber ( basically last years championship winning ferrari, the same ferrari the other couldn't beat last year), The rest of the field.
JaB
I've been informed by my Mum as she was driving round for work about an E reg Volvo 240 estate with an LPG conversion near to her clinic.
She said that it says on the advert in the window "100% reliable runner, ideal for towing" as it has I presume the Volvo factory fitted towpack.
She said for it's year it looked reasonably smart and so I was wondering what fellow BR's thought - if we test drove it and it ran well and everything worked would it be worth paying the asking price for it or is it worth not even considering it and walking away (bear in mind we haven't even contacted the seller as we're just thinking).
My head tells me "gas conversion - may be a good job done properly or it may have been done by a "back street" garage on the cheap and so will make the car run like a pig" but on the other hand, as we'll have to sell our current car and get smething a bit more economical for Mum to be driving round for work in and it costs about £1,000 to get a conversion done, then suddenly looking at these sort of prices, we're getting a car with an LPG conversion already done for less than the price that it would cost to convert one.
A friend of ours has a Toyota Camry 3.0GX V6 (1993 K) and he's had that converted to run on LPG but has had it done properly by AutoGas North West and that runs like a treat on the gas and it's certainly paid for itself - his other vehicle that he's had done is a 1987 Toyota SpaceCruiser and although that's had the same treatment at AutoGas North West that's a carburettor whereas the Camry is Fuel Injected but on both those vehicles a good job has been done.
Thanks
Keith Read more
have been told that the carb versions are better to convert than injection models, mileage doesnt matter much they go on for ever.my old 740 cost nothing in repairs even at over 250000 miles,mot only cost the test.a 240 of this age should be costing under £400 even with conversion (only my opinion )there are so many very cheap old volvos about its not economical to do major repairs simply buy another one.
I remenber seeing a year or two ago on a TV motoring show an item on a weekly classic car meet held on summer evenings. But can't remenber where, can anybody help. thanks. Read more
Today on the M25 appraoching jcn 2 I saw a classic example of how so many drivers exacerbate the errors of others. As we were turning off for the A2/M2 and I found myself next to a LHD Golf with tw occupants. The woman driver was clearly (and understandably) nervous and her male partner appeared to be giving her directions as to which exit to take. Still confused, her speed slowed and she drifted across lanes before making a last second decision to take the exit I was already on, narrowly avoiding the metal barrier. Whilst it wasn't exactly a text book manoeuvre, what really struck me was the behaviour of a number of drivers behind her who were literally driving inches from her rear bumper trying to get her out of the way the whole time this was going on. Not only were they in danger of being caught up in any accident she caused, they were plainly guilty of making matters worse and giving her virtually no room for error. I really don't understand this sort of behaviour and wonder how many accidents are caused in this manner. Why can't people just ease off a little ? It appears to be almost like a tragic game to some idiots but I'm sure many of them don't even realise they're doing anything wrong. Read more
ONW - I expect the idiots involved in the incident I witnessed on Sunday would accuse me of the same thing but that wouldn't stop me from doing it.
I have a P reg 306 with a keycode immobiliser. The code is 1111. I am led to believe this is the factory setting and therefore would like to change it. Unfortunately the car came with a handbook for a later model which has nothing about a keycode immobiliser in it. Can anyone tell me how i go about changing the code? Read more
Hi
Ive got the handbooks for both versions of this immobiliser, Just say if it has an D/N button or a S button
if you want a scanned copy email me at PowerLee@aol.com
Advice needed -
SWMBO is expecting child no. 3. She has a Honda CR-V and loves it. Its suits her now and will do so after the birth as well. I have a Volvo S80 2.9 with 44,000 miles from 1999. It is too big for my real needs but is comfortable and I can afford it. But once the baby arrives it will be too small for carting all five of us and luggage on long trips and I don't want a roof box.
So, I have a number of options. A few years ago I rented an A-Class from Easycar and like the driving position and general height of the vehicle. It is much better suited to the type of driving I do and given I am in and out of the car several times day, it is far more convenient than the Volvo. I have the option of buying an A210 LWB Evolution Auto, 2 years old, 5,500 miles for £12,000. That is a cheap price - the owner is leaving the country.
If I buy this then when we go on longer trips I can hire a Galaxy type car.
Alternatively, I could take over my wife's CR-V and get her a Hyundai Trajet - lots of good deals around at present and they do a diesel automatic - once the baby arrives and we go to London to visit family with the kitchen sink in the boot.
The CR-V is three years old and has only 9,000 miles; we bought it last November with less than 4,000 miles.
Money is not an issue. What should I do?
Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive? Read more
David
A voice of sanity in a weird world. I'd love a Skoda VRS but guess what - no way Jose!!! Hadn't thought of Civic Type-S. Thanks.
CRV probably too small for five of us and luggage and in no way do I want a roof box. Getting closer to a solution.
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
Browse
No need to worry about petrol - both run on standard 95ron Unleaded, the usual stuff from Tesco will be fine.
Fiestas usually keep their value quite well if you choose a good spec and colour. There is always a demand for them, better values than Fiat or other foreign brands, but not as good as VW Polo which is perceived as the quality choice.
Bear in mind the 'Zetec' special edition can be confusing - there is a Zetec and Zetec LX. The Zetec just gets wide 185mm tyres on 14 inch alloy wheels, a rear spoiler and central locking only. Sometimes air con as well (check for small round switch underneath right hand heater control that lights up green). The Zetec LX is based on the LX and has electric windows, a heated front screen and possibly the alloys as well, but sometimes just the standard steel wheels.
It depends on your preferences, but the LX is better equipped and less flash looking, may be lower insurance group as well.
You won't go far wrong with a 1.25 and full service history.
A nice colour is state blue, a dark metallic blue which sets the car off well. If the one you buy has a radio cassette (3000 or 4000 model) you can always upgrade to a 6000 model single CD player from E-Bay. They swap straight over.