November 2004
Tonight driving home,all of a sudden I felt chilly., When I looked down to mess with the Air Con I couldn't see the buttons as the blue background light was inoperative. The air con blower wasn't working either.
When I got home I found out that there are two thirty amp fuses which I swapped around and lo and behold the air con kicked in. Trouble is, the rear window heater, which I think is the other thirty amp fuse, is also working (when I expected it to fail now). I can't see any breakages in the fuses so apart from a fuse which may have slipped a bit can anyone suggest anything please? Read more
i seem to be having a problem with my front head lights on a mini f reg bought some new head lamps but seem to be having trouble getting the new ones ie the plate that holds the light in seems to fall back an does not hold had to buy new head light as some one told me that the bulbs are in side the head light and are sealed units hope some one out there can help Read more
I did the same on my Mini, and got some headlights that used halogen bulbs from a breaker. The main point is that the beam geometry and strength is much better than with the old sealed beams.
Viewing one of the above 2morrow. Is there anything specific to look for. Car is 1.6lx, 38k, saloon, has had new bonnet, headlamp and bumper after 'dink'. Any ideas much appreciated Read more
Pre-facelift radios are fiddley and sound truly awful. Post-facelift radios much much better. As previous post if it is a LX and not a classic it's a pre-facelift. I would try and find a post facelift if I was you. Laymans way to tell is the later cars have slightly larger rear lights and trapezodial instead of rectangular headlights, larger wheels and badged as Classic, ambiente, or Elegance. Facia is updated too.
Hi Chaps,
Hope you guys are happy to help out a damsel in distress?!
Ok, the current situation first...
Main Car is a 1987 3.2 Porsche 911 Convertible. Love it. Great drive, much fun, great with the top down. Downside - old, not great spec inside and not realistic to drive all year round. Especially when I do about 80 miles a day just to work and back.
For this reason, I purchased a 1995 Peugeot 306 Turbo Diesel. BIG mistake. Hate it. Boring as hell, rubbish rubbish rubbish.
SO... here's the dilemma. I don't have much extra money to spend (although obviously, with the help of finance, most budgets are atainable!). Need to get rid of the Peugeot because it's doing my head in and I hate driving it.
Had decided to push the boat out and try to get a 1999/2000 Golf TDI. More expensive than I thought though. Maximum budget including the part ex of the peugeot is really about £5k for a replacement for the peugeot. So I'm now looking at a Golf GTi 1.8 20v Turbo. Obviously, not so good at economy but I was thinking that it won't depreciate much? I may only want it for about 6-10 months max, so I want to be able to get as much back as possible - although I will have put between 10k-15k on it by then.
I am open to be persuaded into getting something else though. I read another thread that said that this GTi is awful and should be avoided! It has to be a similar size to the Golf really to be ultra-practical....
The reason that I say that this is not your usual dilemma, is because there is an alternative to this option. And that would be to get rid of both the Porsche and the Peugeot and get a much newer "proper" sports car with decent driving involvement, mod cons and that I can drive all year round. (I will still have a Porsche to drive because my other half has got one, and he also has a Passatt estate so we have a practical car too!)
In this instance I'd have around £20k to spend. I was thinking along the lines of a Nissan 350z, Chrysler Crossfire, 225bhp TT or maybe even Boxster. I really can't work out what the best idea is. I think the depreciation of these cars once I've put 20k miles on it in 1 year will be a real sting, whereas there is currently NO depreciation on the Porsche.
My poor little head is going round and round and I'm getting absolutely nowhere with my decision. In my position, with the amount of miles I do and the cars I currently have - what would you do???
Cheers
Ruth Read more
And that's from a confirmed Alfisti.
A pedant writes:
There may be lots of confirmed Alfisti, but surely a lone Alfa-lover would be an Alfista (or an Alfisto, if male)
anyone know if new panels are date stamped, just had a new door fitted to my mondeo estate and wanted to check it really was a new door any tips...cheers...keo Read more
What makes you suspicious that it may not be a brand
new door?
not really sure just a feeling have supposedly had a new door and a one side spray job ... the paint looks and feels good but i am not so sure about the door it just doesn't appear to be new and it was a warranty repair which the garage shipped out to main dealer.... cheers...keo
I recently got a 306 turbodiesel that needed an engine, (the previous owner blew it up and it threw a rod through the engine), and I have since changed the engine, but now it wont start. It sat for about 5 months and flattened the battery. It has a plip type key. Does this mean it has an immobiliser fitted, and if so, how do i reset the thing. It seems to be getting fuel up to the pump but no further, and is turning over on the key. Any help greatly appreciated. Ta
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As madf says, on later models, you need to bypass the stop solenoid immobiliser. There is some sort of security plate which needs to be removed which surrounds it, to be able to get access and then bypass it (ie feed the stop solenoid directly).
Anyone know of a good source for a complete timing belt & tensioner kit (preferably Gates) for a 1999 Passat TDi (110bhp, engine code beginning AFN)?
I've found a garage that seems competent with a good labour rate to do the job. However, they said the parts would cost £120 and I'm sure they must be available cheaper elsewhere.
I e-mailed GSF car parts, but they weren't very clear in their response. Said they sold the bit separately and not as a kit, so I need to make sure I get all the necessary bits.
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I'll have a peek in the box tomorrow when I go in!
Andrew
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Simplicate and add lightness!!
Our six month old puppy gets terrible motion sickness in the car.
Anybody got any hints?
She travels in the rear of a Passat estate in a cage covered by a sheet. She drools uncontrollably and looks very wobbly and unhappy. Read more
Had a dog that salivated like mad, then was always sick. Nothing worked but I found out a lot about dog car sickness and you could try any of the following
Dried Parsely hanging in the car, read this in a alternative medicine book for dogs. (I think its called cure your dog the natural way, and it saved hundreds of pounds in vets bills)
Ground Root Ginger before the journey may work.
Finally, Bachs Rescue remedy, a couple of drops on the tongue (the dogs, not yours), about an hour to half an hour before the journey.
For long journeys you can get sleeping tablets from the vet. Half a tablet and she was out like and light and wasn't sick or distressed. However its not something you can do all the time.
Hi there,
I've just purchased an Audi A4 1.6 on an N, and I can't fill the tank past the 3/4 level with a standard unleaded fuel nozzle from any petrol station.
A mate with a BMW 330i said it happens to his, but all he does is wait for a minute and then he can fill it to the brim.
Whenever the "valve" pops out, i push it it, and i've waited for at least a minute, then I can only put another litre in and then so on. I can live with it but it is infuriating.
I've left it for a minute and then try and insert some more petrol. I can put another litre in and then it stops because the fuel reaches the nozzle and therefore stops. I presume I can keep continuing like this but don't want to hang around a petrol station for half an hour doing it.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Read more
Our N reg Avant is much easier to fill if you angle the nozzle at about 50 degrees so that the pump hose is pointing back and downwards. Held at 90 degrees with the pipe downwards results in frequent pump stops!
Hope this helps...
El Dingo.
There have been a lot of posts recently along the lines of how much other drivers annoy us, scare us, wind us up or generally just drive like total muppets.
As opposed to the criticisms, what constructive suggestions can the Back Room produce to improve general driving standards?
The only idea that's really stayed with me is re-testing every couple of years. I know the idea has its faults but can you provide any better ones?
Over to you.....
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I deliberately separated renew licence (inc eyetest) and full retest.
The former could simply be fill in a form to confirm details, medical declaration, produce recent pass certificate and eyetest and updated photocard. This is the system in Oz and it is done in 15minutes while you wait (including production of new holographic laminated photocard). The licence would then be valid for 1-5 years depending on age, medical checks etc.
Completely separate would be a complete retest, perhaps every 10 years.
StarGazer
Browse
Thanks
The bit that I can't understand is why the blue background light went out because II found out that this works even when the fuse is taken out completely. I'm confused.