December 2004
my car is fitted with an auxiliary heater which is supposed to come on when the engine temp is below 70 deg and the outside temp less than 6 deg. Now that we have had some cold mornings I am of the opinion that mine doesnt work as the cabin does not seem to be getting warm particularly quickly, I would have expected warm air to be wafting out within a minute or so but it takes about 4-5 mins/ 2-3 miles.
Andrew
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Simplicate and add lightness!! Read more
slip on your anoraks.
www.channel4.com/4car/ultimate-car-quiz/index.html
My first go gave the rather poor score of 7.
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oo oo oo, I just got 15.
Someone said last night that I can declare SORN by post, only problem is that the V11 doesn't give any details of it!
Anyone any idea if its possible & if so the number?
Jim Read more
A poor imitation of a Commer, not that I'm biased or
anything!
doesnt compare to the real thing!!!
I,m due 60K service and the Cam Belt change time. Any recommendations from PASSAT owners for a good local/independant garage to0 do the job. Area: Edinburgh/Fife or even South Scotland. Read more
Don`t know about Passats, but my wife`s Subaru was about the same - £300+ at 48000.
Got the job done outside main dealer system for £120, plus they fitted a new tensioner at another £30. This is probably wise; the days when German cars were fitted with first quality parts is long gone - now they are buying the cheapest they can get like everyone else, to keep costs down on new cars. After 3 years, you pick up the bill yourself.
Regards
AS
Several people seem to have cold stall problems, mine won't start from cold, once running it's fine.
I have checked there is fuel getting through and spark and it has just been serviced, the garage found no problems.
Is there a cold start sensor? Read more
The comments in the following thread might help you.
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=21817
I word of warning for anyone needing to travel between Leeds and Bradford using the A647.
I left work at 4.30pm yesterday for my usual 20 minute drive home and it took me over an hour. I found out this morning that this delay was caused by temporary traffic lights serving just 100m of road.
The lights are located half a mile from a roundabout, which in turn is half a mile from another roundabout on the Leeds ring road and a retail park. This one set of lights caused the first roundabout to clog, plus the four roads leading to it, the main ring road island was also gridlocked and the queue on the ring road in one direction was 2 miles (no doubt it was the same the other way). I would estimate 10 miles of traffic jams were caused by these lights and this was before the main rush hour.
I know water mains need replacing and there is probably never a good time, but is the week before Christmas really the best time?
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What gets me is when they put up these lights when
the road is not actually being dug up. Ex the Farnham-Odiham
road had lights for weeks and all the work was being
done on the verge laying pipes. Traffic backed up and up,
ok, the working guys needed some safety but a speed restriction
would have done this and avoided the congestion.
Infuriating isn't it?
However, if you fancy working on an uneven verge with traffic roaring past at 70mph+ (just when was the last time you saw everyone obeying a temporary speed limit?) within a few feet of your unprotected body, trying to park vehicles required for loading/unloading without obstructing one direction of traffic, manoeuvring large pipe sections without endangering people/objects on the verge or road, you're welcome to come and see why this is the safest way of working.
Is there anybody out there with an unreliable golf? I've been a VW owner for about 20 years and have always been quite happy with the build quality and reliability of the previous 5 vw's we've owned. My wife's three and a half year old 1.6 Golf (26k) has broken down twice in the last 4 or 5 months - both times a coil was the culprit, I've had the remaining two replaced now (£20 ea.) to lessen the risk of it happening again, are Golfs, or any other VW's, losing their reliable reputations?
Other "problems" have included the central locking malfunction, and an element in the rear window heater not working. We've had the car from new, serviced every year and the car was manufactured in Wolfsburg, are we just unlucky, or is there a new trend starting? Read more
As I keep saying, not in my case...:-)
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
My local council of Basingstoke have put in all kinds of traffic calming devices in the wierdest of places. I will not rant on about them as I tend to froth at the mouth. Who do the team think is the worst authority for being anti car? I nominate Basingstoke for taking no notice of public opinion and spending megabucks for nothing. EX. one road, no accidents in years, solution? £115000 on humps?!!? Read more
Edinburgh was voted "the worst place to be a driver" by Auto Express readers this year...
www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/ae_news_story.php?id=48...4
My friend managed to reverse her car into the front of her house. Yes she put it in reverse instead of first! No, it wasn't an automatic!!
However, the (even) crazier thing is when she did this, she went to get out the car and the door swung back on her. She kicked it so hard that, that it broke the hinge straps and bent the edge of the door!
Result - insurance company is logging it as 2 different claims!
Ouch!
Also reminds me of the time I saw a minor bump where an old gentleman had failed to do a hill start properly and rolled into the car behind him, bumper to bumper. Both drivers got out, checked that there was no damage. Car behind then reversed back a bit to give the old gentleman chance to do his hil start. But he hadn't put his hand brake on and this time rolled back again but managed to smash the headlights!
Any other examples of accidents made worse? Read more
My aunt and uncle are very accident prone when it comes to cars. Their record includes:
1. Mark 2 Cortina Automatic. Parked in their garage. Always leave it in park so one notch down for reverse. This time left in neutral, one notch down was drive (so the story goes). Uncle looks over his shoulder to reverse out and goes straight out the back of the wooden garage! The whole end panel fell down and they were able just to nail it back together again!
2. Same car - Uncle parked it in George Square in Glasgow with Krooklock on between steering wheel and brake pedal. He is 6'2" and managed to climb in, lift his leg over the krooklock and, yes, you guessed the rest. The taxi at the first set of traffic lights didn't have a chance!
3. Same car, kids very young. Where better to keep the Xmas presents out of their way than in the boot of the car. Car was stolen and boot emptied...
4. Peugeot 504 Family Estate (Chocolate Brown in colour), going along M8 in Glasgow, round the sweeping bend just after Barlinnie, and the steering wheel comes off in his hands! Car runs along the crash barrier and comes to a halt. Car wrecked but all safe!
My Civic Type-R was £16k new and has 200bhp. That's 12.5 BHP per £1,000. Then I found an offer on this site for the Megane 225 at £15k - that's 15BHP per £1,000. Can anyone beat this with any other brand new car price? Use achievable price, rather than list, and it doesn't have to be a hot hatch.
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Mattster
Boycott shoddy build and reliability. Read more
My mate has the 172. Let's just say you can feel every one of those little horsies. It's criminal how quick it goes.
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Adam
Browse
Mine works only when the auto climate control is activated, and starts warming within a minute after driving off.