October 2004
Can I charge the council for my time in contesting a ticket given to me (or rather SWMBO)?
We had our Blue Badge and clock on display parked on double yellows outside the house. The Blue Badge book says that we can park on doubles for 3 hours except where there is a ban (which there is not).
The wife saw the little Hitler putting the ticket on the car and went out and pointed out that there was a valid Blue Badge on show. The reply was that he didn't bother looking at Badges and clocks etc...
BTW the lines are also illegal. They came and painted the singles up to doubles when there was a car parked there so obviously couldn't. Therefore there is half a double and half single with no yellow line finishing off the double yellows.
Rant over but would like to know if I can recoup money for the time spent contesting. Read more
I'm currently at Uni and I have my car with me (handy for carrying t'bike up to the Pennines). Quite a few other people brought their cars with them - the majority untaxed.
Now, I have a strong aversion to ratting people in, but if one of those crashed into me, would their insurance be invalid if they had it? Or, more importantly, if they don't have tax, will they have insurance?
What would you do in this situation - just sit tight and hope they never bump in to you? Read more
I've got a neighbour who litters our estate roads with his car sales stock, making it difficult to park on our street. I take great pleasure in reporting his untaxed vehicles to the local police on a regular basis!
I was parked up yesterday, in front of me was a C5 and the front was lifting up a few inches then dropping down a few seconds later, this happened several times a minute. It was parked on a slight slope with the engine off and no one inside, was this normal ? Read more
> It's a multiplex thing
Well, Dad's 1998 S80 and my 2003 V70 are multiplexed too, as well as being hugely complex in terms of the number of systems and what they do, but they know who's in control, and do as they're told!
Hi All
We have just bought a Citroen AX diesel as a runabout and so far its been brilliant. I've only filled it up once, done 200 miles so far and the fuel gauge is still on 3 quarters.
The car had no radio and I've bought a Citroen one for it.
The connections at the back are 2 square connectors and a round connecter.
There is a spare socket on the back of the radio where nothing seems to plug.
Needless to say with the radio plugged in, there's no life in it.
I've checked the fuses but it's completely dead.
I'm not sure whether it's the car or the radio!
Any advise about Citroen AX radio connections would be appreciated.
Phil
Read more
The 2 square connectors are standard ISO, one for power and the other for the speakers. The round one is the aerial. Make sure you don't mix the ISO's up.
The spare socket may be for a steering column/wheel control which you don't have.
Hi All
I have been experiencing problems with my Astra for 2 months (on and off) I had noticed that the revs were dropping when I pressed on the accelerator and would stall if I lifted off to quickly!
It has been in for a 60k service and all filters changed, I thought the fuel filter might have been clogged up, but the problem still exists
May be just coincidence but I have noticed an airlock in the coolant since the problem started.
Read more
What age & engine size is the Astra?
Also petrol or diesel?
Hi
Need a bit of advice.
Starting a new job in the new year it involves communting about 60-70 miles a day and was thinking of getting a diesel to save some money.
Got about 5k to spend and was thinking along the lines of either a Seat Leon Tdi or Focus Tdci. I prefer the spec in the Seat but the drive in the focus seems better.
Also saw a saab 93 2.2 tid SE at Cargiant for 5200 but not too sure about this.
What do you guys think ?
Thanks
Read more
I picked up a Xsara with the good ol' 1.9 XUD engine for 3995 (blast you, IBM, why don't you put the pound sign on your keyboards!), with 60K on it. It's got an turbo+intercooler on it (no idea what the BHP is) but it's much nippier than my Dad's 2.0 Leganza and my brother's 1.6 Megane.
Returns anywhere from 45-55MPG, depending on how it's driven.
Coming into work this morning I was going around a roundabout. A
big oval one. A medium-sized lorry pulled onto it right in front
of me. I could not stop before hitting it.
Now I need a new (second-hand) car.
I know very little about available makes and models.
What do the panel recommend to replace a 1.8 petrol Ford Escort
estate? I'd like a diesel estate. My budget is up to £4000, but
a bit less would be nice. I was quite happy with the old car's
performance, something similar would be fine. I am not too
image-concious. Read more
as for the renault 25 for a 100 quid.
if it last six months - one cant complain.
Hi all, problem is a friends car radio that won't unlock. The code is present with the car but when it's entered nothing happen's. I think it's a Phillips radio cassette. Does anyone know what keys to press after entering the code to make it work?
Many Thanks for any help
DH Read more
Thanks very much Dave, finally got to try the holding down key trick last night and radio is now working and car owner happy.
Not nice reading.
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3954531.stm
E.g.from the above.
65% of those who failed a basic eye chart test were drivers. A third of the total sample who failed said they were not surprised and had suspicions their sight was not perfect.
Read more
I agree. We spend a fortune on Gatsos because speed is determined as the 6th most influential factor in causing accidents.
Lack of observation causes more accidents (according to the official stats) but we don't have compulsory testing!
I have bad astigmastism with short sight and would not dream of driving without my glasses, but I can just read a numberplate at 67ft!
We recently bought an L-Reg Citroen AX Diesel 3 door to use as a runabout.
We have a small problem which I hope someone can answer.
My wife is only 5.2 yet she cannot reach the pedals - even with the seat right forward.
The problem seems to be the seats. They do not seem to be adjustable with regards to seat position.
I am not sure if this is a fault with the seat or a mannerism of the car.
On the side of the seat is a lever where you can adjust the seat position but it only seems to lock in a reclined position - my wife likes to drive more upright.
Can anyone help? Would buying a replacement seat solve the problem? The passenger seat doesn't seem to adjust either!!
Many thanks
Phil
Read more
Hmmm thanks for the reply but we've tried this. The seat does become more upright but won't lock in position.
If you put any weight on it, it reverts back to the original position.
On the mechanism there is a bar which clicks into place when the seat is adjusted. When you alter the seat position (to more upright) it seems to sit on the bar but doesn't lock into place.
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Same width as a truck
WTM