October 2004
My son has had an accident tonight, whilst on a roundabout.
Luckily he and the other party were not hurt at all. Unfortunately, it has damaged the front suspension, and the car will not drive.
I intend to recover it to my house tomorrow to inspect the damage. (It is in a car park tonight, so reasonably safe).
The obvious choice is a recovery firm with a low loader, or front suspension lift, but I was just wondering if anybody knows if it is easy to find and hire an ?A? frame type trailer that will fit onto my tow bar, and if this option is likely to be any cheaper.
Reggie
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This is going to be the combination of various topics but stick with me and I will try and get point across!
Most cars nowadays will do over 100 mph, but how many people actually use that? I can put hand on heart and say fastest I have driven on a public road in UK is well short of that.Yes, some enthusiasts make go to a track day or an autobahn but they would be in the very small percentage.
Chipping of cars is very common now and is accepted by the technicians in the forum as engines have tolerance levels built in for different countries, fuels etc.
Therefore would it be possible for manufacturers to build engines that have the acceleration, torque etc that is required and used in every day driving, but do away with the top end speed that, lets face it, very few would need? As a result, could the engines then be made more economical? And, could this then be used to lower ins groups or is top end speed not so much a factor in the grouping?
Could manufacturers fit speed limiters at say 100mph in return for a lower insurance grouping?
Or is it just a fact that to develop engines that are acceptable for everyday driving then the top end speed is a necessary by product?
As you can tell, I am not in the slightest technically minded, just seems a waste to have all that extra mph scope but it not to be used. You wouldn't pay extra for options and accessories for your car that you know you wouldn't utilise?
Hope this makes sense! Read more
I get your point patently re the insurance, but what about the performance side of it?
We currently have cars that need 4/5 gears between 0 and, say, 40mph; and then a top gear that could, depending on car, take you from 40 to 155mph in the one gear!
Could there not be scope for more gears or remapping of engine or whatever, to make it more ecomomical and useful for everyday driving?
The windscreen of my new Accord diesel has been damaged by a stone, I think, from a passing lorry. The screen isn't cracked but there is a small "dent" in the screen. Can this be repaired or will it necessitate a replacement windscreen? Read more
I cracked the windscreen in my old XJS last winter when I put the heater on full on a cold day. I was well annoyed.
im interested in a zafira 53 plated 1.6 club registered in dec 2003 at a local garage but how do i tell if its a 03, 03.5 or 04 model. Read more
I mean 3 point rear centre seat belt.
Why did you block the police thread? Read more
pps, discussion regarding moderation of this site are best conducted by email.
DD.
Hi,
my mate has the Elite version of the above car for sale @ £1800. With 70k on the clock and full service history I feel this is alot of car for the money, and am thinking of buying it.
Does anyone know if this engine tends to encounter problems around the 70k mark. Are they reliable? This car is 9 years old so I wouldn't expect it to be mechanically tip top, but I don't want it to be on the verge of blowing up either.
The funny thing is he's selling it because he wasn't happy with his Honda Accord Type R's fuel consumption, so he bought the Omega instead, and is selling it one month later after finding out it's worse. Not suprising.
T.I.A AdyBeee.. Read more
Thanks everyone for your replies. I'll give the engine, ie, coolant sytstem and gaskets a good looking over when I see my mate at the weekend, and find out about the cam belt. This always worries me with V's. Can't wait to bend valves in both heads.
I'm used to a biggish engine in my 2.5L Galant so the petrol cost's don't bother me too much, but it'll be nice to have a 200+ BHP engine to pootle around in.
AdyBeee..
Boring wet afternoon so I decided to change the cam belt on the wifes 8v Saxo. Just about to put it back together when I noticed I was out of nut lock. Local Halfords have run out (typical) and all other outlets now closed. Should I wait till tomorrow to get some or just put it back without putting anything on the threads?
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Hi Carl,
I think you are right to be cautious.
If everything that this fastener fastens is clean and well seated, and the fastener itself is in good condition, and it is then torqued up correctly, you will be very unlucky to have a problem.
number_cruncher
Hi,
I have a problem with the temp gauge on the above 1991 XR2i. Once I start the engine the gauge will proceed to work as normal and begin to point towards the normal mark but after about 5-10 min of driving the needle has dropped completly pointing to the very lowest point on the dial.I have changed the voltage reg on the alternator and checked for any earth probs but to no avail. Any advise much apriciated.
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My '92 Escort has been doing the same for over 20,000 miles now. I don't think there is any real problem with it - if I were asked to put money on it, I would say it is the gauge itself at fault.
While I am happy to live with my car's behaviour (I have a massive mistrust of any cheap dial on a dashboard), obviously, there may be a real fault in the case of the Fiesta...
number_cruncher
Hi my 1.4 106 (1993) diesel is losing coolant from the expansion tank. It\'s spraying out of the cap over the tank.
It\'s been losing coolant through a leak in the radiator for some time. It\'s had a head skim about 60,000 miles ago, current milage is 137,000. I top up the coolant when it goes below the limit, but coolant loss has obviously sped up since it started coming out of the cap.
Is it time for a new radiator. I don\'t understand why is pouring out of the cap. I\'ve tried another cap, but no difference.
Apart from that it\'s a good little run about Read more
Thanks for all the advice, I think it's D-day for the little Pug. Unfortunately, it's doomed if it's the head gasket.
I have the opportunity to accquire a 2001 51 plate Toyota Yaris 1.3 VVTi CDX with automatic transmission. Its in mint condition with 20000 miles on the clock in a tasteful metallic green colour. Full Toyota history and there's nothing wrong with it.
I have no desire or use for the car for myself, but I'm sure I read in one of HJ's auction reports that there was big demand for Yaris Auto's and the prices were high.
I've had a look on Auto Trader and there on only 3 within 40 miles of here, cheapest being £6495 at a Toyota dealer for a W reg CDX with 27k on the clock.
What could I realistically look to get for the car if I sold it privately? I can afford to sit on it for a few weeks but ideally I'd want rid of it within a month.
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If the car at the dealers is £6500 and that it what 18 month older and 7,000miles more, so you car should start out at say £7995?
If you could pick it up for £6500 I'm sure you would make money on it
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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I don't think so. It's 3rd party fire and theft, and my son has only been driving for just over a week, so we only have a cover note, and the broker who we arranged it through is closed until tomorrow when we shall check, although I'm not hopefull.
Reggie