June 2004
Just read the Sunday Times, Clarkson gave a thumbs up for the Astra, or is it because the Golf is not so much of an advance. At least, Ellesmere Port will not go the Luton way ! Read more
Right, after a recent job change (again!), I now travel much further to work and am looking for a diesel car that will acheive about 50mpg. I've narrowed my choice down to:
Ford Mondeo 1.8TD LX on a 99 V.
Ford Escort 1.8TD LX on a 99 T
Peugeot 406 HDI 110 on a 99 T.
The Pug would probably cost most to run, and I can get the Escort for about £2,000 so that makes it the cheapest of the bunch, the Mondeo is the most expensive at £3K, but it comes taxed and tested.
Anyway, as I know that I'm leaning towards Ford's offerings I thought I would check with the regulars what maintenence is required and at what intervals. As far as I know these engines require cam belt changes, but I don't know at what mileage, for obvious reasons I won't be buying one if I think it's about due lots of expensive work!
Any advice or help appreciated guys!
Blue Read more
\"Anyone got any horror stories about the 2.0 DTi engine to scare me with then?\"
The only thing I have had go wrong with mine in 2 1/2 years,was a problem with the injector pump,It wasn\'t major,before anyone asks,just it was leaking air in,making the car cut out at times.It cost me £180 to have repaired,which,for a car that\'s been owned by me for 2 1/2 years,and with 106k on the clock,isn\'t bad.I know the diesel engine isn\'t everones cup of tea,because it\'s the Ecotec and not the Isuzu,but I only find it\'s noisy when cold,but when warm,it\'s fine.Mine pulls my Citroen AX race car and trailer,and a boot full of spares,with no problem.Oh,and the turbo kicks in at about 2200rpm,so below that,it\'s not exactly an F1 off the mark.
I suppose the only thing that pink fluffy dices me off about Vauxhalls,and it happened also on my Cavalier diesel,was that they tend to leak into the boot.Pull the carpet out,and check mostly around the sides and rear panel,where it meets the floor,and in the corners,for water ingress.Also,make sure the air con is working right,and that the system is charged up,and if it\'s got the cd player instead of the radio cassette,then better still.I bought mine when he offered to fit a genuine Vauxhall cd player in place of the R/C.And if you can get one of the better spec cars,(GLS,CD or better) then do so.While your in the front seat,check the display that tells you the time,temp,radio station,etc,as the bars tend to go off after a while,and the display will need replacing,unless you can put up with it.But if the car you\'ve seen is the best one on the planet,you can\'t bear to leave it,and it has any of the above problems,then make sure they are repaired before you part with your hard earned.
Other than that,parts are relatively cheap,like most Vauxhalls,but if you need any,then source out an independent Vauxhall spare specialist,as they tend to have equivalent parts,unless it HAS to be a dealer part.
Ken.
Just had a quick look at the latest Drive the Deal prices for the Hyundai range and, as HJ says, they do seem very good. Having only recently looked at and test driven both the Trajet 2.0l gsi petrol and 2.0l td models, prices of £12-13k seem very very good. That's a hell of a lot of car for the money! Yes, the Trajet wasn't for me in the end but with a 5 year warranty there can't be a better large MPV budget buy can there? Read more
Don\'t feel too upset Aprilia - the Hyundai salesman I dealt with over my 4 visits to the Hyundai dealership made a point of telling us that even the battery and lightbulbs were guaranteed for 5 years. To be fair to the guy I believe this was due to ignorance of the product (he was new to Hyundai) than a desire to mislead.
It's time to change the oil on the old Saxo 1.1 engine,but I notice it's not your regular sump bolt.So I'm assuming it's of the allen key/torque screw variety.So can anyone tell me what size it is?
Also,as I have no information with it,what oil is recommended for it?
Many thanks.
Ken. Read more
Many thanks for that.I'll get the job done as soon as I can.
Ken.
Is there anyone left alive who knows how to set tappets and gap a spark plug? Let alone use a fag paper to set the contact points. Who would recognise a feeler gauge nowadays? The pleasures of dismantling a Holley 4 barrel carb only to find that spring washers are so named for a reason....now where did the hell did it go?. Hermatite red gasket paste.
I suppose Top Dead Centre is no longer a GCSE subject? You know, take all the plugs out, stick a screwdriver through the hole, fiddle with the fan and get the piston where it should be? More or less.
Just such a pleasure to fiddle with my V-8 today Sunday, then fire her up right on the button. She runs sweet as a nut and you know that's because you set her up right. Satisfaction. Grease under the fingernails, the pleasure of handling that dying species -- a 7/16" wrench. 2 of them actually
That sensual feeling when you drag 12 thou through the gap and you know it feels just right......
Then wiping your hands on your jeans and sitting on the sofa, not a good idea if you have a very beautiful but also very houseproud partner like mine. Swarfega is JOB # 1 --(due deference to the Ford Motor Co) if you want to stay in her good books......
I look underneath the hood of both our Lynxes and I wouldn't know where to start. Plastic covers over everything......... I guess some guy (or girl, must stay PC) in an immaculate white coat has to plug it into a computer to work out what's going on............a bit like my cardiologist when he tells me, after some deliberation and examination of charts and print-outs, he is pleased to advise me I'm still alive, then presents me with a bill for this information.
I guess the only thing from them days I don't miss is the oil drip. But just a pleasure to root around in my chaotic toolbox for tools which are always conspicuous by their absence, exercise my vocabulary of bad language, forget where I put my beer, and skin my knuckles. (you know how it is when you can't find the open-ender you want and use the adjustable -- shock horror! No it wasn't me who rounded off those nuts honest). Dammit where did I put the oil filter wrench, oh s*d it use a Philips and a hammer.............
Come on you lot, you enjoy it too....own up!!!
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And the Lord alone knows how I would go about gapping the 3-electrode plugs that my car seems to prefer. Ermmmm... your starter for 10, chaps.
Advice please on cause and long-term solutions to failed seals. About 2 months ago oil leak under 1 year old 1.3 Yaris (owned from new) was diagnosed as labyrinth seal failure, and replaced under warranty. As you might guess, the other side (off-side) now has the same symptoms. I've not found any indication that this a particular fault with the Yaris, but wonder 1, why they've failed, and 2, is there an unrevealed fault that i should press the supplying dealer to investigate? Don't fancy a continuing saga of dripping gearbox oil. Thought with the demise of Norton, total-loss lubrication days were over! Read more
Bump: any clues please?
My daughter has a R reg 318 BMW. The radio reception is not very good, it may be the aerial connections.
But where is the aerial in these cars as it has no visible mounted aerial anywhere.
Any clues ?? Read more
Thanks for all your help, but I found the problem.
As the radio in the car is not a BMW, but a retro, the aerial connection is different and a short converter lead is used.
The problem was the BMW connector to the lead, where there was a loose wire, which has been repaired.
Thanks again.
Hi
Hope someone can help - my Megane key keeps failing usually at awkward times. The garage will do it for me if I book the car in (after being towed home, I then have to pay for a tow to the dealer) but won't tell me the sequence needed to reprogramme the key myself! I have the code for my car just need the sequence.
Thanks in advance
constcoop
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I am sure you have found a solution to your problem - but for others reading this post, look at this link for Megane Coupe's - wonder if it will work for my 1.4e RT??? www.coupe-club.co.uk/viewtech.php?id=37
Dear all,
For those of you who live in the North East of England (which I dont think many of you do) I would keep an eye on you fuel supply lines!. Not so long ago, I remember reading in the local newpaper and on the regional news, that a spate of cars had been sabotaged by their fuel lines being cut. The petrol that was drained off was being used so that they could inhale its vapours, in order to get a 'kick'. One poor guy had his Escort fuel lines cut three times in a month.
This was initailly only a problem experienced in 1 town but now nighbouring towns seem to be getting it too, as I found out this morning to see a pipe trailing underneath my car.
Upon further investigation, it turned out they had leant under the car, near the tank, and cut the first of 3 pipes that run along side each other under the car, and Cut the one closest to them. Obviously not being impressed with the few dribbles that came out, they must have gave it a good yank, and then when still nothing came out, just left it.
No wonder nothing came out, they cut the wrong one, they cut the fuel return pipe! I'm now hoping they don't come back. It cost me very little to repair (£8 for fuel hose and 2clips) but its beside the point, as it could have cost more (i.e. the 3 gallons in the tank) and there is nothing I can do about it.
So watch out and use your nose!
Roberson
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>>eye watering 5mph
dont know what the top end is but a bit faster than 5mph.
Hi everyone,
Things are going well at Honda and I have now got myself a very nice Civic as my company car. So to cut a long story short, I sold my Mini last week and am in need of a car to have some fun with as obviously, the Civic is nice, but I cant do anything to it!
I cant see the point of buying a Honda - as i drive them every day and I fancy something different as a consiquence.
As far as i see it i have 2 choices:
1. Get something fun, raw and wild - for weekends etc..
2. Get a medium exec car like a 3 series coupe, lexus IS200
My criteria is:
MUST seat at least 2 people - preferably 4 sometimes
MUST do 0-60mph in under 10 seconds
MUST be respectable to drive
MUST be under £12.5k
MUST be insurable! - i am 19 and my mum will be using the car most of the time, so i will be a named driver - she has 2 years NCB, no convictions, no accidents, driving 33 years
I have soo far thought about a VW Lupo GTI, Hyundai Coupe 2.0, BMW 318ci, Lexus IS200.
I dont get much time off of work anymore so I plan to look at the best car and tuesday and make a commitment this week. Can anyone put forward their thoughts?
cheers,
Chris Read more
Or the FR version - same as the Sport but better
handling.
Just group 7/8 insurance too, best 0-60 time for the insurance
rating that you'll find anywhere
Just two years till i finish uni and can afford one...
The 0-60, although pretty impressive, isn't the half of it - the in-gear acceleration is ferocious. In third gear it is possible to severely embarrass your average Cooper S away from roundabouts.
Extremely good fuel economy, too - very long top gear (38 mph/1,000 rpm) means that the engine is barely turning over at motorway speeds and you'll get 55 mpg on a run without difficulty.
Handling is not a strength, though - very nose-heavy thanks to 1.9-litre cast-iron lump over front wheels and can understeer very badly (I found this out the hard way, believe me). I understand that the dealer-fit strut brace improves matters.
Browse
no, the regulation dress code involves a shapeless tracksuit ... ;-)