June 2004
I have a problem with my 1996 Seat Toledo. The ventilation switch (the one that controls where the air goes)is jammed. There is a little play, and I can select windscrren, feet or a mixture of both. This is fine in the winter. However the switch will not turn to allow me to select the dashboard ventilation.
This may be a dashboard off job to fix, and if it is I cannot be bothered.
Any pearls of wisdom anyone?
Joe Read more
Hi all,
I've got a couple of questions to ask about a car that my girlfriend is considering buying.
On the face of it:
Y reg Toyota Yaris 1.0 GS, 28k miles - £3250
Looks like a very very good deal, yes?
Reason for such a cheap price - the seller is a friend of my girlfriend's, and is working in Holland for the forseeable future, and needs to sell the car. He will put a new MOT on the car as part of the sale.
Still looks good, yes? Here comes the downside: the seller knows approximately as much about cars as i do about tulips, clogs and windmills, and so there are a number of 'issues'.
Firstly, the car is now over 3 years old, but does not currently have an MOT. As the car has not been resident in the UK for the last 6 months or so, does this matter? He will bring it back to the UK and put an MOT on it before any money changes hands.
Secondly, he has no service history or manual for the car, and has not opened the bonnet since he got it a year ago.
Thirdly, he hasn't got the master key, only one (slightly bent) normal key, and after a bit of research i've found out that getting a new master key could cost up to £1000 due to the ECU having to be changed in order to have a new master key!
My Questions:
Is this still a worthwhile deal?
Is this master key issue really going to cost up to £1000?
Would i be able to find service history for the car from Toyota?
Sorry for the long posting, all replies will be greatly appreciated Read more
Same rules of maintenance apply to Toyotas as to anything else.
How long does it take to wreck an engine wothout oil or coolant? The line "not opened the bonnet since he got it a year ago" indicates a very foolish person, or worse. Cave canem.
Mark,
Thanks again for your Costa Rica tips.
We're going this Saturday but I wonder if you know the answer to these questions...
In the Penisula de Osa, would it be better to stay in Drake's Bay and take a day trip into Corcovado OR stay in Puerto Jimenez and do day trips into private reserves rather than in Corcovado?
Also do you know what the local weather/conditions are likely to be this time of year? Are we likely to see Scarlet Macaws this time of year?
Cheers
Paul Read more
Weather conditions; very humid, very hot and a lot of rain !!
Try the following;
www.puertojimenez-info.com/
www.drakebay.com/
www.infocostarica.com/places/corcovado.html
www.planeta.com/planeta/04/0403macaws.html
Personally I\'d stay in Drake\'s Bay, but I don\'t think you\'d be losing out either way.
I've just had my front Michelin Pilot Primacy tyres, 195- 65 X 15V replaced after 13000 miles. So the full suspension alignment check did not make a big difference to the life- apart from the wear being absolutely even across the tread. Trying a pair of ATS own tyres Euromasters.
So I guess the premature wear is all down to my driving , not that I consider myself a wild driver and I do get 46 mpg overall from the 100bhp PD estate. Read more
I'll be getting the front two on my 2002 Passat 2.0 Sport changed this afternoon. It will be the third change in 38970 miles. Back two have been changed once.
I pay VW finance £7 per month for tyres as part of their service, maintenance and tyres package, so it's no real hardship. One of lifes few bargains I feel. Just £84 quid gets me 6 new tyres each year.
In today's paper Ford have a promo for their 4 X 2 Escape SUV.
Payment plans are outlined, 12/24/36 etc with the repayments not being described as repayments, but as "investments".
Looking at the 12 month numbers they're about equal to what the damn thing would depreciate at over the first 18 months. Great investment huh?! I'd be better off with tobacco shares.
I've never trusted anyone remotely connected to whatever "marketing" is and I am again reminded of my good sense.
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Mind you one of the worst "Marketing Speak" phrases I have ever seen, (in the UK) is a certain chain of oil company owned filling stations proudly declaring that their fuel prices are "Hiper Low"
Now there's an oxymoron for you - hiper low indeed: the mind boggles at the education of the copywriter who thought that one up!
Roger in Spain
Just bought Peugeot 306 xr,but the remote key does not work.
Opened key up and replaced with new batteries,but still no joy.
Should the led on the key remote light when button is pressed,or does it need to be programmed as new batteries fitted in remote.
Also what is the function of the remote key, as the car has a keypad immobiliser. Read more
Hi
A tip for all people with suspect infra red keys.
If you have a digital camera or phone with a camera, try pointing the keys transmitter straight at the lens while you look at the picture on the screen.
Press the button on the key and if its working, you will get a short white flash before your eyes.
Dear Mod's,
The damn secure connection box is very intrusive this morning. Worse, (if poss), than the Volvo ad'!
VBR........ M. Read more
Thanks for that, John.
Having just bought my 2002 Audi A4 ,having trouble with the electrics to the 7 pin plug. The vehicle has a bulb warning system which tells you if a bulb fails. Because of this apparently it is not possible to spice into the wiring to the tail lamps. Anyone come across this before? Read more
Go to www.towbarsdirect.co.uk then click on "Products" and read the section headed "A Multiplex relay (7 way by-pass relay)".
Ian
After running three Subarus I fancy a change,(sacrilege) and cannot afford the latest 04 model.
My requirement is a large estate with dynamic driving qualities and reasonable mpg. My 97 Legacy delivers a pretty constant 32/35 mpg, mainly rapid country A roads, but I do not want to sacrifice better mpg for unreliability. My budget is limited to £7k so a Mondeo seems a good alternative, especially in view of HJs recommendation.
I will network with friends to pick up an ex lease or similar, 2 or 3 years old, whose history I know, but in the real world how is the reliability these days, and should I go for the 115 or 130 Tdci model. or maybe a 2.0 litee petrol.
Methinks the 130 could be over budget at the moment.Any alternative suggestions would be appreciated. I have first refusal on a friends 3 year old 320D Se Touring (136 bhp) this Sept and if the price is right I can vacuum pack everything I carry!A compromise on space I know, but the driving experience and residuals over three years of ownership could swing it.Main dealer service costs are irrelevant as I use a local mechanic and obtain parts either online or from a factors. Decisions, decisions.My annual mileage is around 20k pa.
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Out of curiosity i visited my local Ford dealer during lunch yesterday, and the Mondeo estate luggage area, with rear seats down,is 1700 litres. By comparison, my '97 legacy estate is 1691 litres(Subaru technical got the info from Japan for me within 24 hours- plaudits to them)so only a half of 1% volume increase.
Very marginal, despite the appearance in my eyes, of the Mondeo looking considerably larger.Looks like the money stays in the bank!
Appalled to see a couple in a new Golf the afternoon doing 80+ in the third lane, quite close to the car in front. Nothing unusual there you may think, however it was the three children on the back seat, AND ANOTHER TWO IN THE BOOT - sans parcel shelf, which made me look again ....
Can't believe the sheer stupidity of some people - the legal / insurance implications of them having an accident are unthinkable.
Steve Read more
"2 adults in the front, child on passenger's knee."
As small children, my brother and I regularly travelled this way.
My mother would always tell us to sit back, so
we wouldn't bump our heads on the dashboard if my father
braked suddenly. He would say that was wrong and that
we should sit forward so our heads would have less distance
to travel (and velocity to accumulate) before it hit the dashboard.
I don't recall who won those arguments.
Travelling in the open back of a pickup was always a
treat even as an adult. The last time my mother
came to visit me in the US she, at almost 60,
insisted on sitting in the back for a short trip.
No legal/insurance implications there though.
I used to sit between my mum and dad on his vespa as a baby....
Imagine the out cry now :-)
Browse
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I had the same problem old my old 1990 Passat which has a very similar heater unit (same as golf etc....) . The plastic control wheels were damaged and VW wanted £90+vat for the part. Instead I simply disconnected the flap (removed cable/clip at heater unit) that diverts air to the vents and secured it in a position that gave both air vents /windscreen/ interior air flow. The vents always passed the most air, if you wanted defrost/demist in the winter just shut the vents. A bodge but it did the job.