January 2005
Is there a service interval for glow plugs or are they only changed when there is a problem?. My car is at 57K miles and occasionally seems to run a bit rough shortly after starting.Also I have notice that there is water dripping from the boot catch when the boot is open.Should I be concerned at this?Where would this water be coming from? Read more
hi,
am trying to sell my car at the moment, but not having much luck! I think the problem is the price:
car is a 95 M suzuki swift, 67,000 miles, fsh, recent tyres, battery, cambelt, MOT Oct 05 and tax to end of june. Book price is £815, but I really think this is too much. What would you say is a more realistic price (it's in vgc inside, and good outside, though some scuffs here and there, no rust).
I realise these are tricky cars to sell in the trade, but for someone wanting a decent and reliable runaround you can't fault them. Need to sell it within 2 weeks - taking up a job in poland teaching for 5 months.
Many thanks,
Rob. Read more
Try advertising at work if that's feasible, might appeal to a parent looking for a first car for their offspring, I've just sold my 106 this way.
Sticker in the window parked outside the supermarket?
The heater in my car is not getting very hot, just seems to stay luke warm all the time, Any advice? Read more
How long does the temperature gauge take to move, and what does it read when the car has been driven for 15 mins or so?
Why are they so boring these days? Black, white, silver (especially silver) and dark metallics seem to make up 90% of the recent models on the road. Check out the colour cards in any dealership - dull, dull, dull.
Perhaps our choice of car colour is a barometer of our overall outlook on life. If so we are a serious lot indeed. I don't exclude myself - my car is a dark(ish) metallic blue. Read more
My first car was beige, with the odd rust coloured spot :)
Got to admit my car is now black, but I do own a black mini with lots of chrome and a union jack roof.
I sold a car in october and have just had a letter from the dvla saying I didn't return the relevant form to notify them and I should pay the fine as indicated. Well I did send it back and have no idea if the post lost it or the dvla did. Anyone else had this problem? Is it up to me to prove I sent it? This is not possible as I did not use recorded delivery- or them to prove I did not send it. Read more
Post it at a post office and ask for a 'certificate of posting' - doesn't cost anything.
I seem to be losing fluid from the power steering unit in my Vauxhall Vectra (2ltr GLS 16v W Reg).
Is there a known history of this problem occuring and if so what was the fix. If not are there known "weak points" within most power steering units where the majority of problems of this kind seem to occur,
John Read more
Sorry, forgot to say that you need to squash the gaiters about a bit to "feel" or hear if they have a quantity of fluid in them, there should only be a trace of grease in them so any fluid build up should be easily detectable. If in doubt, it might be possible to ease the gaiter off its seat at one end or the other and see if any fluid runs out. If it does then it is pretty certain to be fluid and not rack lubricant.
Being of the female persuasion and knowing as much about cars as I do about rugby - which is zilch - although I do like men in shorts - I opened my grumpy old Vectra this morning and noticed that the doors unlocked rather slowly and the beep for the alarm turning off sounded a bit feeble. Put the key in the ignition and turned it till the electrics came on and then put my seatbelt on as I do every time I start it. Tried to turn the engine over and a) it didn't crank b)I heard ticking which of course meant I'd tripped the alarm. Sirens blaring I got out and tried the 'stick key in lock and turn it twice to the left to turn the alarm off' thing and got no response - it wouldn't turn the alarm off and it wouldn't relock the door. So I came inside for a cup of tea and to hide from all the neighbours I'd woken up.
There have been a few dodgy starts recently when it's fired up and then cut out immediately, or occasions when it's needed to turn over a good few times before starting up - so I'm not entirely surprised - I suspected something was up but put it down to the cold weather. So before I phone a man who can - my instinct for what it's worth is that the 2-year-old battery has had it and I need a new one (she says hoping it's not more expensive that that - this car's cost me a fortune in garage bills!) The car hasn't been driven for a week and it's used to making (small) journies almost every day. Or it could be a dodgy battery connection or the immobiliser I guess - but I can't find the book which tells me what to do if I've activated it - I live in chaos. Now I don't dare go near the thing because the alarm keeps going off every time I touch it - and there's nothing feeble-sounding about that! So - a) how do you re-mobilise a Vectra and b) do you think it's the battery? Read more
Trust you got the battery disconnected OK. Worth noting that if you only do short journeys with lights, demister and heater fan all going then the battery will never recharge the power used to start on a cold morning. Add in lying idle for a week and you have a classic scenario for flat battery. Worth occasionally taking the car for a longish run without using ancilliaries to give the alternator a chance to top up the battery or invest in a cheap charger and use this to top up.
I have the chance to buy a new Subaru for 2005 registration outside Europe at just over half UK list price. I plan on importing it to Europe, probably in 2006. However, although the car will be built to order in 2005 it appears it will only be to Euro II emissions grading at a time when 2005 Subarus for the UK are being delivered to meet the forthcoming Euro IV standards. Does anyone know if Euro II vehicles can still be registered in Europe at the present time or is Euro III rigidly in force?
Thanks. Read more
** Poll now closed. Results here:- **** www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=28502&...e
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The results of this weeks poll are:-
Poll 24. Would you report someone for drink driving after you have failed to stop them? (even it was a relative)
Yes = 61
No = 58
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22% off if you want, on a new clio
this is what my wife is getting instead of scoobie.
www.carpages.co.uk/renault/renault_clio_part_1_18_...p
but burnt orange, nice.
strange to be talking to my kitten on HJ.
but his name isnt sunny22 just sunny
ignore me, been indoors playing on pc games waiting for a call out for 2 days. going mad, woof miaow tweet. Read more
You have completely lost me ha ha...
Browse
Glow plugs arn't part of routine service.
Disconnect the wire to each glow plug & test with an ohm meter - they should show about 1 ohm which on most meters will show as a short circuit. If any show an infinite reading ie. oposite to short circuit, then change it.
This isn't a defining method, as other things can go wrong with glow plugs that don't show with an electrical test, but it shows 99% of problems.
The water from the boot lid may be condensation at this time of year. Warm moist air from the cars interior condenses on the cold boot lid surface.