February 2005
Can anyone recommend an installer of a Hands-free kit for a car phone?
The last time I had this done (4 years ago) I used the Carphone Warehouse and it was about £100 supplied and fitted. It now looks like it will be over £220! I want something permanantly fitted as I will have the car 'til it dies and I will be buying a new phone soon (Nokia 6230 probably).
It would need to mute the stereo and either have a seperate speaker or be wired into the stereo's. Is this likely to be a problem with a new Volvo?
Any recommendations or tips appreciated!
And no, I don't want one of those silly things people stick in there ears............
Cheers!
Gavin
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We were told that, in my corner of SE Essex, there would be overnight freezing and several centimetres (what they?) of snow to contend with this morning.
In fact, there was no snow but a light rain drizzle and the bird-bath showed not a trace of ice in it.
Did you get the weather you were promised? Read more
Hate to say this but got a severe case of sunburn
on the old arms riding the bike yesterday...........(ducks for cover and
reaches for baby lotion....)
you know that come August we'll be saying that..
Is it just me or is anyone else frustrated by the propensity for virtually every car magazine to test the 'usual subjects' against each other without putting in an interesting alternative.
I have just ordered a new Volvo S60 and I have tried to find it realistically compared with it's competition. It has a diesel engine widely praised and size / price-wise it should be up against 3 series BMW / C Class Merc / Audi A4 / Jag X-Type. But when we see group tests they only have the four cars above.
Surely it would be good to see the SAAB 9-3, Alfa 156, Honda Accord, even high specced Mondeo's for example thrown into the mix. Having just the 4 main cars tested and not showing the real alternatives is frustrating. OK the BM is probably one of the best driving cars on the road, but is cramped, slow (unless you pay a fortune for the bigger engines) and poorly equipped (again, unless you get the wallet out).
The Volvo is amazingly well specced (Basic 'S' spec has Alloys, Climate Control, Dynamic Stability Control, Fogs, CD etc, etc) as are many alternatives but the general readership don't often see these alternatives. It is just like their concentration on using a disproportionate ammount of pages on £100,000+ cars that sell in tiny tiny numbers............
Maybe I am just turning into a grumpy old man........:0)
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Thanks for the tip Svelte,
Interesting that it looks like mid-2005 there will be 185hp and in 2007 a 225hp version. Sounds like fun. Never mind, 163 will do me fine for now!
I don't know if I am getting a little long-in-the-tooth, but I read the ramblings of 'teenage scribblers' with increasing despair. It seems to me that they often base their views on received wisdom and myths rather than any useful first-hand experience. I suppose the truth is that they don't really have any meaningful experience!
An example that comes to mind concerns various assessments of the Honda Jazz vs VW Polo.
I recently had the misfortune to be given a Polo 1.2 as a courtesy car while my CR-V was in for repair to accident damage.
I thought the Polo was an absolute 'dog' even though it was only a few months old.
Out of curiosity I looked at various mags for their views on the relative merits of these cars. Surprise surprise What Car for example concludes that lack of refinement is one of the drawbacks with the Jazz whereas one of the merits of the Polo is its refinement.
My experience (and I drove the Polo for a week) is that it is like comparing a sewing machine to a tractor! The Polo was so rough I thought it was a diesel until I stopped to refuel.
What I am saying in a nutshell is that much of the rubbish written is based on perceived qualities of marques - e.g. high quality German engineering associated with VW, which may have been true in the past but is far from the case today.
Do any BR's have any amusing examples of such rubbish from teenage scribblers?
HectorG Read more
Have to agree that reviews certainly need to be taken with a very stron pinch of salt.
After reading many reviews on small hatchbacks I made a short-list of toyota yaris, Seat Ibiza, VW polo, Ford Fiesta. The reviews for the seat were very good as were the polo ones. Needless to say I thought they were both dreadful - IMHO the Polo interior looks like something from 1960 whilst nearly all the reviews said the SEAT was the "drivers car" , in my experience it certainly wasn't - steering was completely numb, ride poor & acceleration ashthmatic. In the end I choose the Fiesta - which was slated in a lot of reviews. (Yaris was just too small)
Guess what it does prove is that everyone has differing priorities/preferences & it's essential you test-drive as many different models as you can before buying - can't believe that people buy cars without a decent test-drive & without trying some alternatives ??
At the moment I have a Honda CR-V as I live in the country down a farm track but I am moving to our local town in a couple of months. I would prefer to go back to a normal estate and am very interested in an Accord Tourer. It has to be petrol as I want an auto. Various threads recently have covered Accord mpg but mainly the diesel. Do any backroomer's have any first hand experience of the difference I could expect to find between the 2.4 and 2.0 engines? I would like a 2.4 if I could justify it to myself
Many thanks
HectorG Read more
Anyone else notice a discernable difference amongst the Fulham Farmer brigade in terms of driving style during the snowy weather the last few days? Its as if they are showing off by smugly roaring along in the snow,taking that island a bit quickly,and generally seeing how their otherwise futile toy behaves itself on the two days a year its ownership could nearly be justified. I bet they get to the office sooo much quicker Read more
oh here we go again!! I can't even be bothered to
answer this.
I think you just did :)
Read the Times in a coffee place this morning.
In a small column it stated that if you don't renew your insurance you will get a £100 "fine. Even if it was only a day "late" and it was parked on private property the whole time.
It was written as a fact rather than a new government proposal.
But I now can't find it in the on-line version.
Did I have a hightmare on the train? Please tell me it isn't true! Read more
good idea provided some time is allowed for people who genuinely forget/work away etc - system the same as the car tax "penalty" works now would be a good move, usually have 2 weeks grace & then the fines on it's way.
Hi, does anyone know the correct gaps for the valve clearances on a '94 Cavalier TD (Isuzu engine)
Thanks,
Jon Read more
I would adjust asap. If they are not closing properly, you will burn them out.
I need to change the gearbox oil in my 1998 Volvo S40 T4. Volvo do not recommend a viscosity rating or API spec, they simply state that their own fully-synthetic oil, costing 14 pounds/litre should be used. As money is tight, I am wondering if I can get away with using a third-party oil. I would welcome any advice on the following:
1. Should I play it safe and stick to OEM oil?
2. If I decide to go for third-party, how should I select which product to go for - simply buy the best fully-synthetic I can afford, or try to get a more detailed specification from Volvo as to what to use?
Thanks in advance for any and all help. Read more
If it specifies GL4 then use GL4.
GL5 is normally suitable for differentials as a rule.
Cheers
Simon
I've got a P reg, automatic Renault Laguna 3.0 v6, when waiting in traffic or at lights when I pull away the car struggles briefly then is ok. It's as if the acceleration doesn't kick in straight away or the brake is stuck - any ideas what it could be?
Thanks Read more
I had the auto air con turned off as the heater doesn't work - turned it back on again and the stuttering has gone! wierd huh?
Cheers
Browse
Thanks for the advice but Volvo want £335 PLUS fitting. Ouch!