September 2004
I would be interested to hear from anyone who has purchased towbar + wiring kit, and fitted it all themselves, to a Mondeo TDCi Zetec Estate, 2004 model. The big question - is it a reasonable job for the average DIY-er?? And, if so, can anyone recommend a suitable supplier?
Thanks. Read more
Hi all,
I am thinking of buying a new car via the internet.
Has anyone used uk-car-discount.co.uk before.
I would be really grateful for your replies on this company or any other internet based broker. Read more
Its not true about getting your deposit back - I ordered a more expensive car than I wanted on the understanding that this was the only way to get a fast delivery. They are now looking increasingly unlikely to meet my delivery deadline and their response to me telling them I will cancel if they do not meet it was to tell me that they will keep my deposit.
Q. You are a magistrate, sitting alone. Four drivers are brought before you, each having been arrested whilst driving at speeds in excess of 110mph. New sentencing quotas mean that you must disqualify one (and only one) of the drivers. Which of these these four loses his licence:
1. the rock star
2. the used car dealer
3. the member of parliament
4. the police chief constable
Q. Which is the sexiest BackRoom moderator?
1. NoDosh
2. Dynamic Dave
3. Mark (RLBS)
4. Is that the choice?
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Yeah yeah Andy. Mind you, having checked my post count the other day, maybe there should be an option E;
"I know who Adam is but wish he wouldn't post so damn much"
(I think I've topped 6,000 posts!)
Sorry Dave - I'm so used to people insulting me and using the word "pies" in the same sentence I'm a little sensitive about the much underrated and delicious foodstuff.
Very occasionally my Clio 1.2 Authentique will not start, the engine does not turn and the immobiliser red light stays on, it has also turned the engine very briefly but does not fire. Using the spare key doesn't make any difference. This has caused me on one instance to call out the AA, when he turned up it started! It has been to a Renault dealership and they have found no fault and no fault "recorded" on the computer. Am I about to be let down by this fault? The car has been dealer serviced from new and the warranty expires this month! Read more
Hi my 1999 clio mk2 is also having a problem starting. It really sounds like its going to start, sometimes it back fires.
The immobiliser light does not come on at all. This is where my problem is I presume....
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3630908.stm
his insurance prices must be horrific, still he can afford it.
Does he genuinely regret it or is it 'i'm rich i can drive as fast as i like'? Read more
Hmm, another speeding thread. This'll get moved across to the appropriate thread sometime shortly.
DD.
Car: Megane 1.6e (1.6 8v K7M engine, 1998 model)
I was out for a drive yesterday when the temperate gauge rose to near the maxiumum after an hour or so. Not sure how long it had been there, as I'm never usually take much notice of it as it always sits bang on 50% (should be more observant!). So I parked up and let the thing cool off for an hour or so. Checked the coolant level had dropped below minimum in the expansion bottle which explained the overheating. The fan wasn't running either when I stopped which made me suspicoius too.
I topped it up with some water (had no coolant to hand), and drove home and the car was fine temperature wise. Checked the coolant level again, and it had dropped right down. So it seems to be loosing coolant, but there are no obvious leaks, no dripping or crystal formations anywhere. I'm hoping this isn't the head gasket on the way out! Any ideas for probing this problem?
I had noticed the car is a little lumpy on idle recently and on start up it is very rough and has very low power for several seconds before kicking into life. I know one of my HTs looks a little tatty, which might not be helping; but these two things happening at the same time is a little worrying.
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I did a check of water leaking while the engine was running and everything was fine. It is definitely the HG, unfortunately. There's a bit of mayo on the oil filler cap which I never got before.
I've got stuck into the job now, and got pretty much everything off bar the head itself. The headbolts are drive TX type bolts which wasn't mentioned by Mr Haynes! So I'll have to hunt down a tool for that. Got plenty of Torx bits, but no TX sockets :/
Hopefully the head will be OK, I've quite literally driven 20 miles since I noticed the coolant plummeting and the rough startup. So I can't see the engine has suffered much at all with a bit of a overheating for a few minutes.
Sharp Fax Machine UX-216
Does anybody have one of these please?
Extensive Googling cannot find this model. It is an old thermal paper fax and is not related to the UX-200 which is a different animal.
All I want is the basic user instructions on how to set up parameters. Maybe it is faulty, but I have tried just about every logical key combination. It works but I wish to change some parmeters
None of the Sharp sites appear to list it.
It is marked as made in france and certified for Irish Approval. All proper Sharp labels on it!
pmh (was peter) Read more
Quite agree, but I'm not clear if that's how employers see
it.
People worry about this far too much. It matters far less than it used to. In some cases it makes a difference in the year or two out of university (fast-track civil service?), but after that it means nothing: either you can do the job (or BS your way through it) or you can't. And the number of cases is relatively small. If he does something directly related to geography then the employer will know which departments are good anyway. For example many medics rate departments at Edinburgh, Newcastle, and Nottingham far more highly than Oxford; this is true in many other areas too. It is far more important that he is happy. If he's unhappy he will not do well and in a worst case scenario he will drop out, which looks terrible on a cv, or become ill, which is no better. Put these thoughts aside. He should ask himself: can I see myself spending three contented, productive years here?
The Rear seat belt in my Peugeot 406 Estate has jammed with the seat in the flat position. The mechanism seems to be inside the seat so I cannot get at it. Anybody got any ideas?
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Hi, my 406 estate was exactly the same, I even replaced the inertia seat belt, but still the problem persisted.
The answer simply was to pull a load of slack on the belt and fold and hold it with a bulldog clip when I folded down the seat.
If I forgot to do this and it jammed I simply lifted the seat a little and inserted a socket on a long extention bar and unscrewed the fixing bolt to release the belt.
Hope this helps....... Obviously a common Pug fault.
We're trying to trade in our Leon TDi S that started life as a Jersey hire car, then the dealer who imported it had it in their name so we're the 2nd UK owner.
SEAT UK say its a UK car and it has the standard UK warranty and AA cover (we have a letter confirming the warranty cover but not the UK car bit), but our local Vauxhall dealer say its an import and value it as such (ie £1250 under the online Network Q thingy from Glass' guide)
Who is right?
Tony Read more
The Channel Islands are not part of the U.K., but are classed as Dependent Territories, which means they are not full members of the E.U., so technically the dealer is correct in that the car has been imported into the U.K. from outwith the E.U. However he obviously doesn't want your business.
Hi all, I'm getting roped into (against my wishes!) 2 seperate disputes about the plastic crankshaft pulley on a 406 and a 306 HDi. (2 guys at my local pub, only discovered similar problem-different garages, when we were chatting at bar - I retired@65 last year). So far both disputes are at the informal stage, and I'm a go-between. I never learn!
406:manuf2000 65k miles, very gentle low mileage until heavy taxi use in last 3 months. T-belt replaced by good reputation garage, on their recommendation, they "often recommend" new pulley (£90) but didn't press it home.
600 miles later, ticking/rattling for a mile or so, then crank pulley splits. =3 bent valves but not bad otherwise (!) - exchange head cures, no more problems in last 2 months of taxi use. Owner argues garage should have "forced" him into pulley replacement.
my advice to 406 guy: pay up for pulley next time, but he's determined to go to Trading Standards on what constitutes "timing belt replacement and any bits that go with it"
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306: manuf2000 50k miles, ordinary use, mature driver, some daily urban commuting as well. Prudent T-belt change suggested by garage after 48k service, he needed car for holiday so returned 1 month later for belt.
Tickety-click 100 miles later going up a hill from a cold start. Irate customer returns to garage, who replace PS pump and aux belt. 400 yards later driving away (typical) from fitment crank-pulley shreds and throws belt. Exhange complete unit due extensive damage top and bottom. £3k bill paid under duress, car released to owner, who claims T-belt change (charged 84 quid) should have spotted dodgy plastic pulley. (note this fitter has since demonstrated to me correct use of belt tension by thumbs and finger etc, and he seems to be OK, so I doubt it was overtension - no noise etc)
My advice to this owner - probable valid claim against garage- PS pump rarely goes, but crankshaft pulley is known HDi weakness and should be changed with every belt change as matter of course. Garage didn't suggest it, and charging for perfectly good PS pump / belt (since recovered and checked out OK) was just morally wrong.
Note: Owner reported the failing pulley's characteristic tick with bonnet closed in writing when returning car, this is the classic sign that you shouldn't miss!
Turn the wheel to left lock, closed bonnet, rev at pedal. Sounds like a loud injector tick. Engine otherwise runs/starts fine. Note it quickly deteriorates into lathe chewing metal noise. This is a tow-in, not drive-in, job once you hear it.
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Note:1
I've had lots of pulley failures in taxi fleets, mainly 406's, but 306's now showing same trait as they approach the 1st belt change. Pug HQ has been insisting crank pulley change at belt change for how long now?
Note:2
Most stories I've heard on this problem usually involve the 1st garage getting a bad name for belt because the customer invariably goes elswhere, pays same again £80 for pulley and poo-poohs original fitter.
Note:3
I've never met a customer who didn't throw a wobbly being quoted £15 for a t-belt and £90 for a plastic pulley
Note:4
I run a 306 myself, now on 3rd belt and 3rd pulley, all fitted together. smooth as silk.
SOOOO......
now then, any discussion/comments/suggestions? (other than don't get involved, that is, too late now!)
Mo
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Are these problems more likely when cold?
Moved my 306 into the drive with the temp display showing -1 celcius and could hear a ticking/rattling noise (Never heard it before but I keep an ear out after reading threads like this)
Went to the shops later on when it had warmed to 3 celcius (!)(There was more cloud cover, and the ice had melted. It wasn't my display mucking about.) and the noise seemed to have gone, well I couldn't hear it when I got back...
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I know little about the subject but the site below was mentioned in a previous item.
Lots of info.
www.towsure.co.uk