January 2005
Right then here's the scenario. Driving along the last night on a normal A-road and coming the other way was a gritting truck going like a bat out of hell. I slowed down a touch, but as the truck passed the car I was driving, it got hammered by grit. I even joked at the time that its a good job I wasn't driving my new Focus ST170. Anyway I never thought no more about it. Later on when I went to put the car in the garage I found a pool of liquid underneath the car. I couldn't identify it properly at the time and thought it best to wait for further investigation this evening. I have just had a look at the car and it is the radiator that that has been pierced on the front side, just where the ventilation cut-out is on the front bumper. Now I am 99% sure that it was the flying grit that has holed the rad. The rad is not at all rusty, just pierced in one spot. There is even still a load of grit stuck in the crevices on the front bumper right next to the cut-out bit. Now I am not generally into this compensation culture stuff but this has incensed me somewhat and is going to cost a good few quid for a new radiator. Do you think I have a valid claim against the council in a similar vain to the people who claim for wheel/tyre damage from potholes? Any advice is welcome. Read more
Have just bought a 2000 Chrysler Neon today only to discover that the electric windows go down but not up. None of the fuses have gone. Any help/suggestions?
Zacweb Read more
I want to make a bid on a Mazda MX-5 soon, but I'd like to get some price and haggling advice first, if I may.
The car I want is a 2002 1.8 special edition model, with 28k miles on the clock. The asking price is £11k, and it's been offered at that price for the last seven or so weeks.
I think £11k is a little high because:
i) thats higher than the Parkers Guide estimate,
ii) the car's almost three years old, and there's hardly any warranty left on it,
iii)it's on an '02' plate, and the '05' plate change is only five weeks away,
iv) the Mk. 3 is launched on March 3 (which may soften current model values),
v) it's been with the dealer for seven or eight weeks already,
vi) I can get a '53' 1.8 or a '52' 1.8 Sport for the same money at a nearby car supermarket (but we really like the colour and interior trim of this particular special edition).
What do you think I should aim to pay, and how do I get the dealer to come down to that price?
What would be a sensible opening offer?
Thanks. Read more
I've just bought a W Reg 25 diesel which has poor performance and is only doing around 28 mpg. I suspected the MAF and run the engine with it disconnected and performance seemed to improve slightly. Interestingly the engine malfunction warning light (next to the SRS light) never illuminates! I've checked the bulb and that's OK. I thought that running the engine with the MAF disconnected would have shown up as a fault and the light would have come on.
Any one got any ideas?
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Seen elsewhere and thought BR may be interested:
Was it not in the Middle Ages that 'The Rack' was the preferred method of torture for miscreants.? At least the innocents were left alone.
Seems history is repeating itself but this time not only the scoat gets hammered but the law abiding too.
tinyurl.com/5qoc2
Whilst I can see why this should be considered I am concerned that more and more we are being entangled in legislation. Surely with APNR, Insurance Discs and proper use of fines/disqualification then this should be sufficient.
If they want it to be 100 per cent foolproof why not implement third party State Insurance through a levy on fuel? I believe that was done by one of the states in Oz.
Note that there is an EMail address to vent your dislike?????
DVD Read more
I feel the fine for not having insurance should be a multiple of the gross premium for the 3rd party cover of that vehicle, on the basis of the average of the top 5 insurers. This would soon stop young drivers using uninsured cars as it would be cheaper to pay the insurance rather than the fine. Also this would ensure that the fine was tied to the risk of the car, so the more powerful, the bigger the fine. It would also stop the reduction in the fine amount due to financial circumstances.
The registered keeper should also be made to take out insurance for the period the car was not covered. This would be at a special rate as insurers would know that no claim could be made for this period.
Hello,
Managed to save up enough money to treat myself to a nicer, shinier, newer car than present runabout ('97 Pug 106). Have got about three to three and a half grand to spend plus whatever the 106 gets. Problem is, I don't know what the 106 is worth. Its a 1997(P) 3dr Extra Time special edition, done 62000 miles and is in good nick for an eight year old motor. Also just had a new cluth and cambelt change. How much for part-ex?
Second question is what do we all make of Punto's? I ve seen a 2003 1.2 Active 5dr at a local dealer for 3995. Is in nice condition and has only done 19000, and to me seems a good deal, however I don't know that much about cars so any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks
Ben Read more
Me again- Punto has been sold so thats that, but it was a hire car anyway from new so probably wouldn't have been that good a buy.
I'm just after something thats much more comfortable than the 106, as I've had enough of the crappy driving position (I'm 6'2). I quite fancy a Yaris, as HJ really rates them.
But thanks anyway for the replies.
Advice please folks,
My girlfriend passed her test about 5 months ago and she scares me witless. I actually fear for my life every time I get in the car with her. Only yesterday we drove straight across a cross junction because she didn't see the road markings. If anything had been coming either way, heavens knows what would have happened.
She doesn't seem capable of driving in a straight line very well, either driving over every drain or over every cat's eye. I've seen her mount kerbs, reverse into my car, do 90mph in driving rain with 20 yard visibility....all sorts.
I honestly worry about her every time she goes to work. What can I do to make her realise that the standard of her driving is utterly shocking.
p.s. I'd love to meet the guy that passed her. :o/ Read more
My neighbour told me of the lady who was about to take her test, and was very nervous, and worried that the nervousness would show. The instructor gave her a strategy of asking whether the tester was comfortable, and making sure by checking seatbelt, door etc. The lady was in such a state that she reached over too soon to check the door - before the tester was fully in, in fact. She pushed him while he was off balance, and he fell out.
I'm sorry to upset you Polo G. Your understanding of PMT v/s PMS differs from my friend's.
306 1.4 XR 1996 Really Poor Handbrake
I have just replace both H.Brake cables on the wife?s 306.
However, even with FULL adjustment on the handbrake lever it still wont hold very well?
After replacing the cables I replaced the drum and gave the pedal a good few pumps to set the adjusters. Then went ahead and took the slack up on the handbrake lever.
My 306DT handbrake will almost hold the car in 1st gear, but on the XR is simply it drives off as if it is non-existent. With the wheel off the ground and the H.Brake applied the wheel feels stiff, but I can still just turn it.
Any ideas?
Cheers
H
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Fixed it sort of. the automatic adjusters are worn out, and do not 'flick' round.
I have manually set them for now to get her through the MOT. I will replace them at the weekend.
Bit of a one from left field this, bear with me.
Friend of mine is an author and is writing a story set in Wales in 1964. Part of his attention to detail is that he wants to talk about a taxi - but neither he nor I are able to think of a credible car model that might have been in use at that time and place for such a purpose.
Any roomies have any comments or even memories that might be useful to us? We're thinking about a Cortina, Viva or Humber at present - would any of those be likely or conversely, unlikely? Read more
Not quite the era asked about but in the fifties and even later in my small Derbyshire town there was only one taxi firm.
And all of their cars were Rolls Royce. Great big gleaming highly polished cars with drivers wearing peaked caps. My father hired one to take the family down to Aldershot to see my brothers Army passing out parade. What luxury this was. I suppose they would all have been pre-war cars but I do remember them being totally silent whilst travelling. I also recall my Mother complaining that they used to charge her two shillings (10 pence) to bring her home from town
This firm was also the town undertaker and did wedding cars so I suppose having Rolls Royce cars would be the natural choice. They are still in business today..
My 1999 1.8 Zetec has a strange occasional fault. When the weather is cold (frosty), when I turn on the ignition and start the engine all of the instruments (speedo,tacho etc) go right to the maximum setting then settle down to zero. Then they work OK and the car has no problems or driveability issues.
I posted this problem a while back and the general consensus was a battery on its last legs. Well, I have a brand new battery installed and the recent cold snap has shown the problem still exists.
Is there anything else anyone can think of to rectify this? I'm concerned this will happen when driving, or worse it points to an imminent failure of some component!
I've read some Focii instruments stay at 'halfway' positions when the ignition is turned off but not this fault. I'm guessing my local Ford dealer would either tell me to forget about it or charge a fortune to plug in a diagnostic computer.
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Hmm, well mine is in use every day and its being doing this off and on for a few months now.
As long as it doesn't do anything else I suppose I'll have to leave it and hope it settles down like yours! I'm only concerned because its the wifes car and she shuttles our baby around in it and I want to avoid any potential breakdowns!
Browse
"gravel had been sprayed" should have read "gravel had been spread" of course. Oh, for that unmentionable button.