September 2004
There has been a small mention about the usage of FM transmitters in the U.K on this board before.
Doubtlessly illegal if you go by the exact word of the long arm of the law.
However does anyone know how good these things are.Is it worth risking the (?small) illegal aspect of it to listen to thousands of songs stored on your mp3 player.
I have been through the few reviews on these that are present on the net(mostly American)who seem to have mixed opinions.
Anyone who has seen it in use-any comments on how these are?
Also would it be likely that if you were stopped by the police for some other reason and if by any chance , this transmitter was found in the car, would you still be in hot soup.Or would you be able to escape that you werent using this and it has never been used , thus theoretically not breaking the law!
Any random thoughts on this welcome.
Thanks! Read more
I read this in the Independent, and just had to share it with you. Is the writer a misogynist, or does he have a tale to tell? Perhaps the lady BRs would like to comment. I wonder if he has had a difference with his SWMBO.
?We should welcome the EU directive that the lower motor insurance premiums offered to women should be withdrawn. Presumably this benefit afforded to women drivers was predicated on the fact that they have fewer accidents than men. What has been ignored is that women cause more accidents than their male counterparts, through their general indecision, unpredictability, poor anticipation and slow reactions
Yours etc.?
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Well I'm not convinced that premiums are that much cheaper for women anyway, whatever the adverts say. Certainly the companies that target their advertising to women have always been more expensive in my case than Direct Line etc.
But I can't understand the fuss about this issue anyway. If I lived in central Portsmouth, my postcode would generate a higher premium than it does now, living 10 miles away. The difference presumably reflects the percieved risk of that area. I could be lucky and never have my car broken into, damaged or stolen, but I would still pay the higher premium as statistically I am more likely to make a claim based on my postcode.
How is that so different to the male/female issue?
My Son has just had the keys of his 1999 306 stolen, unfortunately with his wallet which had his address. He is worried that the car may be stolen from outside the house. Does anybody have an idea of cost of replacing locks, plipper and immobiliser transducer? The house insurance will not cover it. Read more
Thank you for your replies. He has been to a main dealer, who quoted around £100 for remote key and programming. Meanwhile he has put a disklock on the steering wheel, while he sorts out what to do.
im looking for a sensibly priced outdoor car cover, i need one that can stay on 3 weeks while im on holiday
any suggestions on brand/plces that sell em??
its for a 1990 golf Read more
snip
If you wish to advertise on this website, then do so through the correct channels:-
www.honestjohn.co.uk/advertise/ads.htm
DD.
Thought this was mentioning again as everyone seems so concerned about safety in cars these days.
Just seen a repeat of a Fifth Gear programme which involved testing for the damage caused by flying luggage etc. in an accident.
In the first test some books and a laptop were left on the parcel shelf, a brief case on the rear seats and shooping on the floor. The shopping and briefcase contents were spilled but the books and laptop smashed the windscreen. They could easily have caused serious head injuries to the driver and/or front passenger.
The second test involved a tool box left in the boot. On impact, this smashed through the rear seats scattering tools etc. everywhere like deadly shrapnel - very nasty.
The third test involved a load of flat pack stacked (as most of us have probably done) on top of the seats from front to back of the car. The result of the impact was horrific - the sheets of mdf sliced into the front seats and the metal sink would probably have decapitated anyone it hit!
If all this sounds overstated I should say that the test simulated an impact at only 30mph which is apparently enough to create a force of 30g!
The conclusions (from memory):
- Never keep hard/ heavy/sharp items on the parcel shelf.
- keep loose items in the rear footwell
- use rear seatbelts to help secure the rear seats from being forced apart by items in the boot.
- Secure all items properly and don't be tempted to carry large items like sheets of MDF, lengths of timber etc. inside the car. Read more
Agree with you volvoman, that these things are often neglected.
I can remember, a few years ago, seeing similar tests being done. A BL Princess (i think) was loaded to the hilt with suitcases and 5 passengers (dummys of course) before being pounded into a concrete block at 30mph. The luggage pushed the rear seats forwards, crushing the rear seat passangers in to the front seats, which in turn collapsed.
Although the test was done over 20 years ago, it still could happen today.
A colleague with a Polo, who is baffled by anything more intricate than a paper clip, has a polo going to a dealer the have more than £400' worth of work done.
He hasn't had the problem diagnosed at the dealer (as that would cost £75), but by a mate of his who is a 'clutch specialist'.
From colleague's confused description, is sounds like his mate has told him the clutch pedal mounting bracket is broken, and 'we get that all the time with polo's - its a design fault'
has anybody else come across the problem ?
ps. - I see you've been having loads of interesting discussions while I've been in a bunker as Stansted for the week
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Sept 2004 - 'Britain on the Move'
curious ? see www.mikes-walks.co.uk Read more
FWIW, this happened on my Octavia, luckily in the warranty period. The Skoda garage were not looking forward to fixing it, and it was not their first.
As i understand it, and without the benefit of a good look underneath, the clutch is hydraulic, and there is a plastic tab at the top of the pedal that actually actuates the hydraulics (i'm sorry, i don't know the corect terminalogy). After the while, the plastic tab breaks, leaving you with no means of engaging gear. The first you know about it is a loud plastic breaking crack and a floppy clutch pedal.
Im confused as to how much it will cost to tax my car , maybe someone here can clarify the correct price ? Its a October 2002 Vauxhall Vectra 1.8 ls (manual gearbox), obviously its the new shape . Read more
For vehicles registered after 1/March/01, the critical factor is the carbon dioxide emissions. The make of car and engine size are incidental, though petrol or diesel makes a difference.
If you are in any doubt as to the correct CO2 value for your car, you will find it on your V5 vehicle registration document (next to the engine cc on the old style V5's). And you can then use Stuartli's link to look up the tax rate.
Ian
It has been proposed that joyriders (car thieves to you and me) are to be 'sentenced' to mechanics courses and go-kart racing!
I wonder, will this be before or after the taxpayer funded safari trips? Read more
Great! Can someone teach me to hotwire, please?
Hi,
Just some advise if I may. I have just finished reconditioning my CVH cyclinder head (Skimmed, New Valves, Guides seals and springs). When I installed it back in the car (Ford Fiesta XR2i 1991) and started it the rev meter immediatley idles at 3000 RPM for approx 30 sec then drops to 1500 RPM and proceeds to fluctuate back and forth from 1500 to 2000 RPM continuously.
I am stumped as I have checked for inlet leaks, air leaks but everything seems ok. My understanding is that the idle spped is automatic and no adjustment is necessary. Any suggestions much appriciated.
Many Thanks
Steve
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After you have done that if the problem is still there, check the accel cable not too tight and the throttle plate is virtually closed. Remove the idle valve and give it a wash through in case it is sticky with oil goo. Disconnect the battery for 10 mins then start it up and walk away from it for a little while and see if it sorts itself out.
Andrew
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Simplicate and add lightness!!
Hi folks,
Got to change the oil on a '93 Nissan Sunny 1.4 tomorrow, but the car isn't really relevant.
I have four or five part-used bottles of oil. All 10W/40, all semi-synth, all good API SL stuff, all suitable for the car, but three different brands. (Halfords, Castrol GTX Magnatec, Vauxhall.)
Is there any problem in filling the car with two or three types of oil? I top up with different oils if I don't have any of the original left, but filling half-and-half?
Thanks,
Mark Read more
Sprice, whether the Sunny is or isn't worth much is really down to how much money the owner has. And the owner runs an 11 year old Nissan Sunny and gets a friend to do the servicing, so do you expect she has money to burn?
Thanks all for the comments. I feel pretty confident that mixing was not a problem.
Cheers,
Mark
The specific unit I referred to for an IPOD was
tinyurl.com/rfd4
An interesting unit that plugs into your radio.
www.ipod2car.com/
A Google search, non UK specific, for IPOD transmitter throws up 100K plus hits.