October 2004
I have a V reg, 1.1 saxo and have a problem with the electrics, the heater circulation fans are working only intermittently and it seems that the rear windscreen de-mister is now doing the same. The de-mister button is only partially illuminated.
I am not sure of what the problem could be, two possible ideas have been
a, Ignition switch, if this is the case allegedly it would need to either be relayed or replaced and then re-programmed.
b, or as the "RAC" put it a bad earth
Has anyone else encoutered a similar problem and does anyone have any indication of the costs that I should expect to incur if either of the above do prove to be the problem.
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I ust have to get one now so a little advice appreciated. I understand that Road Angel have a combined GPS and Laser Detector. Cleary this is the best of both worlds. However there is a laser detector called Cheetah that fits on the interior mirror at only £200. Of course this could be useful if they are banned in the near future.
Any one used either of these or other models ?
Cheers
Peter Read more
In my opinion cars are excellent at resisting the effects of salt laden northern winters. (Especially when you remember Rootes rot-boxes rusting through in 18 months )
But-are all cars the same these days ?
Are cars made for ,say Spain, or Greece just as winter proof as cars made for the UK or Sweden ?
Would it be economic to fiddle around with different levels of waxing or galvanizing or are the makers looking to save every penny ? Read more
"Why don't the Japanese underseal their cars?"
With their very tough MOT type tests I doubt many Japanese cars are on their roads long enough to rust....
madf
Normally the mail arrives by Astra van. The postie parks up on the slight slope outside our kitchen window, fires our post through the letter box, vaults athletically over the ornamental wall between us and our neighbour's and legs it two steps at a time up the stairs to next door. Having regained his driving seat he winds the motor up to about 3000 rpm before dropping the clutch and with a scrabble from the Astra's front wheels the rest of the Royal Mail continues on its way round the village.
Not today. There I was enjoying a quiet coffee with Mrs H when the sound of a diesel engine announced the likely arrival of more junk mail and bills. Then it went dark. Instead of an Astra outside the window there was a Sherpa van. Bang went our letter box and the postie's hairy pins pumped up and down as he rocketed up next door's steps. Unaccountably, the Sherpa van began to move. The engine was still just ticking over so it was extremely unlikely that the postman was driving. A quick check through the other kitchen window showed him still shovelling letters through our neighbour's post box unaware that the Sherpa was apparently programmed to complete the round on its own.
Skidding on the carpet of unwanted letters I unlocked the door and went outside. I should explain that the road outside our house adjoins a grass verge that slopes down about 3 metres and ends in a small beck about 5 metres wide. There was the Sherpa in the middle of the stream with water up over its axles. It was exactly at right angles to the banks and, apart from a bit of bumper trim missing at the front, was undamaged. The engine continued to tick over noisily.
The postman was in a bit of a state, having never lost his van in quite such a dramatic way before. Apparently they were short of vans and he didn't like the Sherpa one bit. I pressed a cup of tea into one hand and a phone into the other for him to arrange for recovery. He then borrowed my wellies so he could wade out and turn off the engine. A small crowd had gathered. Things got much more raucous when a couple of Land-Rovers emptied out half a dozen laughing orange-overalled workmen onto the opposite bank. After some good-natured chaffing a huge 4wd John Deere tractor appeared driven by one of the orange overalls. Another produced a chain that looked like it might have once held a destroyer's anchor. A flourish of spades turned one bank into a muddy ramp. With admirable control and gentleness the Sherpa was hauled out backwards by the step under the rear door.
I claimed my wellies back and, out of curiosity, asked postie to try the handbrake. He tugged it vertical and released the footbrake. The Sherpa, eager to continue the vital work of the Royal Mail, lurched forwards ...
Hawkeye
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Stranger in a strange land Read more
"The old Post office vans used to be factory uprated in all sorts of different ways. Motor factors parts lists often listed the standard van part with an extra entry for GPO vans."
I read an article about old GPO Vans in a practical classics mag not so long ago. It appears that the GPO have always been a bit stuck in the past. Apparently, up untill the 1970s, all vans had to have a certain design of seat, which looked somewhat uninviting, and a certain maximum speed.
Mind you, the speed was not that inportant early on, as the vans they used could barely top 50mph anyway. But when the Morris Minor van came on duty (a van whcih could go over 50), the GPO just had spoil the fun by drilling a hole in the inlet manifold.
If the street-light Polo is parked under blows over in the night and crushes him, can I claim on insurance to get him repaired? Even though the small print on policy says I'm not covered for acts of God or terrorism?
Can you claim for an act of god if you don't believe in god and it's therefore just down to bad weather? Read more
Flattered, I am sure. I knew I was tempting fate by mentioning the Edit button!
Hello,
Your advice please. With about £10K to spend I am undecided whether to play it safe and go for an almost new Mondeo or, making a big switch for me(!), opt for a 3 / 4 year 'quality' car such as a Saab, Merc, BMW etc but probably with 75,000+ on the clock? Is there really a big difference these days between the best of the repmobiles and the premium marques or is largely now just snob value in having the right badge on the bonnet?
Thanks,
Mike. Read more
Very true how the so called prestige manufacturers now play on lifestyle and image. Not so long ago it did seem that cars like BMW and Audi were well ahead of Ford/Vauxhall, but not any more.
I would get that mondeo, they really are a lovely drive (ihave driven two and was very impressed). I can't really fault them.
The wipers on my R reg Megaine Scenic have gone berzerk! On intermittant they run constantly for several wipes then stop mid-screen, putting switch in off position, they continue to wipe, back to normal wipe they stop when they want to. Argh. Local Renault dealer says "might be switch, might be relay" and won't give me even an idea of cost of repair. Sounds too much like "please enclose blank cheque". Any ideas out there? Read more
> Mind you, knowing Renaults its probably a 'sealed for life' non-repairable unit....
Never stops me! There aren't many such components that you can't fix if you have prior application of careful thought (measure twice, cut once), a box of bits acquired over the years, some appropriate adhesive, and the nerve! ;-)
Can anyone out there help? I have an Audi A4 which has been recalled due to possible fault on the front bearing arms. Audi say they will not fix this under warranty unless I can provide details of last 2 yrs servicing. However, I have only had the car for a year and the service book was not supplied as promised (big dispute with dealer).
Is this problem something the regular service would have checked or dealt with. I believe the fault has nothing to do with who or when the car was serviced, but am not sure of my rights here.
Many thanks in advance
Cas
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Just a quick update: The car went into the Audi dealer today and they replaced the control arms and the C links to the anti roll bar (which were badly worn) and all done FOC!
My wife said that when she took the car in they were the absolute height of courtesy and pleasantness.
Unfortunately it would seem that asking nicely is OK but nastiness gets better results!
Why can't Audi dealers understand that upsetting customers will do nothing for their long term business?
This is an incredibly embarrassing problem, where is the bonnet clip to open lift the bonnet? I can't find the clip/catch under the bonnet to release it.
I don?t have a manual I hope someone can help.
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Thank you all for your help.
There is a lever steering column, I had found that thankyou and it was to the left of the bdge.
Again thank you.
hi have been offered a set of p6000 at a prety good price any views on the suitability of these tyres on a t5 ive read some quite contradictory reports on the volvo owners club forum, but i thought i would seek the advice of you knowledgable guys before deciding ,TIA Read more
Not the best tyre I've every had, and not the worst, either. Certainly not the disaster that many would have you believe in the tyre world of what's latest, greatest, or in fashion.
I have factory fit P6000s on my V70 2.4T (more power and torque in the rev range used for normal driving than your T5, though less having changed down a gear and gunned it) and have found dry grip, wet grip, feedback, noise, wear, and cost all to be average for this type of tyre when taken in isolation. Take all these considerations together however, and I have found them to be a good all round compromise.
A colleague drives an S60 T5 on P6000s (same standard fit size as mine and both cars have manual gearboxes) and is getting much the same life out of them, with similar usage.
BTW - My bro fitted Rosso Assymetricos to his V70 D5 Auto, and ripped through them in no time flat. He's now happily back on P6000s.
HTH
Browse
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Diffusers are illegal and if you are found using one, you will be prosecuted quite severely - I think the charge is perverting the course of justice - essentially, you are preventing an officer of the law from conducting his duties. ( I actually sound like I know what I'm on about there - I don't)
The only way a laser detector of any kind would be any use to you was if a van targeted a car in front of you and it picked up a stray beam. If you don't see the van, and it targets you, it gets a reading in 0.3 seconds so you are pretty much...well - defenceless.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I was going to get one myself but given it would only *possibly* be of use, I decided against it.
One last thing - if you got a GPS one that picks up accident blackspots, then I suppose if the vans frequented these blackspots then you would be warned - but it's more passive than an actual detector of some sort - and you're relying on the vans actually enforcing the speed in blackspots.
I hope this helps.
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Adam