September 2004
I drove London to Bristol yesterday on the M4. There were new cars everywhere. Unbelievable.
Used prices are surely going to fall further - although I note HJ's comments on high prices at auction. Read more
What is that symbol on the Skoda badge? Looks like a 3 fingered glove with a hole in it? Read more
De nada, Audikid!
I would LOVE to get our Fabia chipped up to 130bhp, but SWMBO simply will not allow it!
BTW on a recent trip to UK and back through Spain & France to Dunquerke/Dover I averaged 5.1 litres per 100 kilometers - not as good as your 60 mpg, but it was nearly all on motorways.
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Roger. (Costa del Sol, España)
Hi,
I have a 1990 Merc 190E Cosworth with some crash damage. I love it to bits, but am undecided as to whether I should get the damage repaired, or just sell it on to an enthusiast, or for spares etc....
It definately needs new OSF door, and NSR door, the other two have minor dents. It also needs OS 'A' post outer skin - (the 'A' post itself is fine - the windscreen is bonded to it and didn't smash)
My dilemma in fixing/selling stems from it's apparent value/or lack of...
Just how many 2.5L 16V cosworth 190's are left out there? How collectible are they (going to be?) should I fix it and keep it as a collectible? I'm worried that the current parkers 'A1 condition' value is about the same as the cost of repairs....
Does anyone know much about these cars and whether it's worth investing in?
Cheers
Dan.
(For what it's worth it has done 170k miles (nothing on these engines) and has Mercedes FSH - the inside is pretty much mint - (slight wear on the drivers seat leather) and the outside *was* mint before the damage occurred....
oh, and it's had brand new rear shocks fitted (5,000 miles ago)
Read more
Aprilia, possibly the oldest reply to a post ever? I still have this Merc - it's been garaged the past couple of years. I now need to get rid of it sadly due to lack of space. Would you still be interested in it for the engine, etc? would be interested to hear from you, Cheers Dan
email honestjohnNOSPAM@NOSPAMdanielcoffey.NOSPAMco.uk
I dunno how these spam bots get the email addresses, but i think the above should cover it! :)
I think my air mass meter might be broken. The car is missing and sometimes the engine nearly dies completely. I removed it
and drove round the block and it didn't make any any diffence.
If the air mass meter was working then would removing it make a difference? ie, if it is broken then the engine will be the same with or without it connected. Any comments appreciated
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VAG are now offering an exchange system for these MAF sensors ,which makes the prices a little more sensible.
Until about six years ago, I'd always considered an auto box the 'soft option', requiring an obligatory Trilby hat on the rear parcel shelf.
At that time I 'inherited' an old Audi 100 auto, and have not owned a manual transmission car ever since!
A lot of my commuting was down a very busy dual carriageway (the A14 between Huntingdon and Cambridge), with traffic frequently crawling or at a standstill. It was this that convinced me of the benefits of an automatic - though I haven't succumbed to buying that hat (yet!).
So how many BR's regularly drive automatics? Read more
Auto every time, once you've had it you never go back (like air-con). It does usually mean a petrol engine tho.
And King Autos are great.
MH
Those day-glo reflective strips you see on the back of the big lorries are very effective, I wanted to put some on my car transporter trailer. Does anyone know where you can get them ?
Cheers Read more
Brilliant - many thanks.
Me or the tape? I know the tape is.
Can anyone help with suggesting a large vehicle for me, my husband, four children (all in child seats) and enough boot space for a woman with a double pram, a single pram and shopping! Read more
Do you really mean prams, or folding buggies?
You could get an old 7-seater Volvo estate with folding seats in the boot, put the shopping on the spare seat, and the buggies on the roof rack. Worked well for us. You could get one in very good condition for under £1,000.
Can anyone help please.
My car seems to take ages to warm up - usually c25 mins for the temp gauge to go near quarter on normal street driving. Subsequently the cabin takes a while to warm hence as winter approaches it'd be nice to have it warm quick.
Someone said that they think I may have a air lock in the Heater system, how do I tell?
I know that I have a pending fault with the heater matrix (it leaks a bit into the passenger footwell) but would this make the car only warm up slowly. - Sorry if these are stupid questions.
Also, the Citroen dealer said it may just be a heater valve fault - miles easier to fix that a matrix ! Any ideas on how to diagnose..
All these problems and many more to follow, Citroen, drive the dream!
Thanks to others that have recently helped, radweld 80 % cured the coolant leak.!
Paul Read more
All,
Thanks for you help with, as everyone suspected, the Thermostat was duff (inner washer had become disconnected hence partial flow was constant) After having replaced it and finally managed to "bleed the bleeder!" things are much better. The car gets to running temp (85) in about five minute - rather than 25. Looks like I've got a warm winter to come in the ZX - thanks to you chaps!
Cheers
Paul
PS - As for the Matrix, well it can wait, drips of coolant are little and I've done a rad weld which partially solved. The plastic I've put down catches the rest. !
When I bought my new van I tried to get cover transferred from my old vehicle to the new one, but the policy would not cover vans less than 2 years old.
Hence with 3 months left to run on the old policy I have left it on the old vehicle and have now forked out for a new policy on the new vehicle.
The old van goes on Saturday and I want to approach the insurers about suspending the remainder of the policy so it can be used up at a later date, when my van is more than two years old perhaps.
What can I reasonably expect?
Allowing the policy to be "used up" at a later date when the renewal date comes up, thereby delaying the payment of a new premium for three months?
A proportional discount off 12 months premium with that insurer?
Refund is out of the question as there is no refund on 3 months policy.
Any help please?
Hugo Read more
>> Mark, I owe you a beer, oh and please feel
free to edit this post as you may see fit
Let me assure you, that to resist interpreting "edit as you
see fit" as "feel free to increase the number of pints
I'm offering you" was a significant effort !!
As for the help, you're very welcome.
LOL and thanks Mark!
Just an update....
The broker agreed that a Pro Rata refund was due but informed me that an admin charge would be made and asked me to send in my certificate.
This I duly did and accompanied it with a formal letter of complaint on the following counts.
1 - They failed to advise me on numerous occasions that a pro rata refund was due.
2 - They saw fit to intend to deduct an admin fee when the underwriter expressly pointed out to me that a full pro rata refund should be made to me.
I asked them to do the following,
Apologise
Send the FULL pro rata refund with NO deductions.
Explain why I had been repeatedly mislead over this issue
Explain what actions are being put in place so that I would be treated with the level of professionalism and integrity I should expect rather than being fobbed off like a village idiot.
I explained that my next step would be the ombudsman if I received no satisfactory response.
A week later I received a cheque for the full Pro Rata refund with a written apology stating that staff training was to be reviewed.
I am a little scepticle that nobody at that brokers seemed to know what Mark had pointed out regarding my entitlement to a full pro rata refund, so I choose to suspect that they kept quiet about their obligation to refund me just over £100 in the hope that I would not be sufficiently informed to argue my case.
Anyway Mark - you're a star - and thanks again to the backroom for some excellent advice - Long may it continue!
Hugo
This morning's DTelegraph..GM Europe having to close down some plants, possibly even the whole of Saab manufacturing and transferring it to Germany.
Crazy - who wants to buy a Saab if they are all made and designed outside Sweden - they will have no USP - thats the only reason to buy one - they are not German and not Volvo.
ALso, they have too much petrol engine production and not enought diesel.
In the 1980s they had a superb line up. They have lost there wasy and even Opel is considered a liability as a brand. What have they done wrong?
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive? Read more
are sadd the swedish rover?
That's where they all are then. I don't think I've seen a dozen yet in the East Midlands.