February 2005
For about the last 2 years I've had clutch judder when pulling away in my Mondeo. In that time it has had a new clutch but the judder was present before and after the replacement and seems to slowly be getting worse. Also it seems to happen mainly when the car is cold which seems very odd. Anybody got any ideas?
Cheers
Rob Read more
Hi all
Just recently bought an M registered 850 auto saloon (2.0 20 valve) in very nice condition. There's just one point I'd like advice on from you good people though. I've noticed that when first starting the car, and pulling away, there's a sound from under the front of the car when it makes the first gear shift (from first to second). It's hard to describe...not loud but just noticable, not a 'deep' chunky metallic sound but more like the sound you would get if you drew a hacksaw blade across an empty bean tin (if you were so inclined!) I suppose it last for just a second or two. Any ideas guys (and gals?)
Many thanks in advance.
Bob
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Many thanks MW....was a little worried there.
Bob
Just wanted to know if i have a problem?
i have come out of having company cars for 8 years, and have had 10 different cars in 2004.
it is now 2005 and i have had my megane for 1 month.
i am now bored of it.
have i got a strange new disease? please help !
do you think i have a mental problem?
i cant really afford to keep doing this.
think i have lost around £13K in total.
its not fair to my wife and kids. maybe i just need a good kicking around the floor? shall we have a meet and you lot could sort me out?
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Espada, that is a good idea, maybe leasing would be a better idea for me.
and NoWheels, i think she would just buy all the tracy beaker stuff she could!
I want to import a 1998 BMW 316i from South Africa to UK. I have answers to all concerns except the following:
I've been told by a dealer in SA that the cost of changing the speedometer and odometer km. to miles as required by DVLCC is 'prohibitive' but they cannot give me any speciifc figure.
Does anyone have any information on this?
Thanks
MIKE
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Easy enough to sort the speedo,you can either replace the instrument as already said,or you can fit an electronic converter into the speedo line.Are you aware that the BMW will need an ESVA,or have you got a different way of registering the car?
i have been looking around for another car and i am stuck on two. the escort or vectra both diesel. im hoping that some of you out there with either car could let me know what you think of running costs,service costs, comfort, etc etc. both are 2.0l td. thanks.... Read more
£2,200
i have a rover 216 j reg.
the problem i have is with the headlights on dip they both work but when i switch to main the nearside goes out and the offside stays on dip ive changed the bulb with no effect any answers plze guys? Read more
thanks guys yes it was an earth problem all sorted now
Anyone here got a Chevrolet Blazer? I like the look of them and and thinking of buying one to tow our caravan. What I'm really interested in is 1, Fuel consumption 2, Spares costs. 3. Reliability and longetivity
Theres a few over here in RHD form and being US made, I'm assuming they go on forever. They certainly look the part! Read more
i have an older isuzu 2.8 turbo diesel and like stated above loads of space good economy and it will tow anything , you dont notice the weight on the back . roadholding is usual big 4x4 though lots of body roll and the back end likes to overtake you if you go to fast into a corner...cheers...keo
I've had a 2000 (W) hdi for a couple of years now and its just developed a loud ticking noise which starts about 1,800 and lasts to about 2,200 rpm. Its more noticeable in 1st-3rd. Its done getting on for 80k miles. Does this sound timing belt/pulley related? Any advice gratefully received. Read more
Thanks for feedback. Local dealer diagnosed that the crankshaft pulley was the problem and replaced timing belt at same time.
My 04 Mondeo 130 TDCi Est came shod with P6000s. Now at 17K miles I am experiencing a rythmic whirring sound starting at around 45-50mph. A recent passenger described it as the sound of a distant helicopter! It's irritating, to say the least. My first thought was that a wheel bearing might be giving trouble, but they were checked today and all declared OK - the noise was attributed to one of the tyres. None of the tyres are warped or bulging (that's a relief) and according to the garage certain makes are prone to this - and it can get worse as the tyre wears.
Having searched the forum I have found posts about this problem (and I see HJ recommended the 6000s) but I would still like to know if swapping the tyres front/rear might improve things. As far as I know the 6000 isn't 'directional' so might reversing the tyre on the wheel provide a solution? I don't really want to ditch the noisy tyre - even if I could identify which of the 4 it is - when there's plenty of life left in them yet, especially the rears of course. (I suppose I could try fitting the spacesaver spare to each corner in turn until the noise stops but that's a job I could do without if there's any alternative? I'd be grateful for any pearls of wisdom! Read more
I also noticed this sound in my focus which was originally shod with p6000s. I first noticed the sound, which to me was like a metallic drone, while driving on some of the super smooth road surfaces in France and subsequently on some of the smoother surfaces once back home, at a similar mileage to CG. At the time I had wondered if it could be the tyres. Once the tyres were worn, I replaced them with Vredestein Sportrac 2s which I am thoroughly impressed with, and haven't heard the sound since.
Today I spent nearly an hour on the phone with my broker trying to sort out my insurance renewal and sort out best course of action for some changes in the near future, basically am now bald and no wiser! Has anyone here found a way round my problem, legally.
Facts are:- I run a 91 Fiesta, suits perfectly for my 2-3000 miles p.a. round town, with 9+ NCD, no convictions etc. and have been offered renewal at £150ish. So far, so good.
In April No1 son will be 17 and has expressed an interest in learning to drive, purely and simply to save poor old Dad having to go out and pick him up from work five nights a week at 10pm. Last bus is of course long gone before he finishes and although I'm harsh I'm not evil enough to make him walk the three miles home after he's done college all day and then an evening shift. His plan is to still use bus to college, as it's cheaper than parking car in town all day, bus home, pick up car to go and return from work.
Now to the problem, my current insurer will not accept my son on my policy, they don't write that type of risk, fair enough, this means if I renew with them then I will have to cancel at some point in the year, obviously with appropriate loss of premium. The next cheapest insurance for me with a company who will eventually accept son as a risk is over a £100 more at present and obviously much more when I put him on risk. So far straight forward enough.
Being upfront with my broker about all of this, as I always am, he then says that, of course, if my son uses the car for travel to and from work, I don't, then of course he is then the main driver and if he is the main driver then the policy should be in his name with me as a named driver and then of course the vehicle would have to be in his name as they will not insure him without him owning a vehicle. I had the audacity to disagree by saying that he wouldn't be the main driver as I will still be driving more miles than my son and driving on more occasions, I also take exception to the fact that they expect me to sign my car over to my son! It might not be much but it is mine; and my NCD! Broker disagrees and says work journeys take priority and 'that's the way it is'.
My son then said that he would take out his own independent insurance on my car, broker says that can't be done as he will not have an insurable interest in a vehicle if he doesn't own it. It now looks that either I am to be forced into signing over my car and becoming a nemed driver on my son's policy obviously with zero NCD and putting my 9+ years on ice, nice little earner for the insurers, or my son buying himself his own car.
The option of him buying his own car is really a bit silly as we will then be a 3 driver, 3 car, 1 van, 3 parking space family with 2 vehicles always parked up not being used, crazy and expensive option.
I know we have lots of experience in the BR so I'm sure I'm not the first to have this problem, so, how do I get round it, there must be a sensible answer, isn't there, please?
Cockle Read more
Thanks for all the replies.
My son is/was quite a keen cyclist but doesn't really fancy the ride home, the route isn't particularly cycle friendly, mostly 40/50 limit with drivers at that time of night tending to believe that it's the M25. Plus it's at the end of a 14 hour day by the time he's completed a full day at college and then an evening shift in the warehouse shifting loaded pallets so he tends to be a tad tired.
Cab fare is about £5.50 so £5.50 x 5 nights x 48 weeks = £1320 p.a.
So he might as well get a licence and insurance for that outlay, granted it's close costwise but he feels that he wants to learn now while he's got the time and no committments and that a licence will help his CV.
I haven't really got scope for switching vehicles around, van is insured by my company for employee drivers only during the course of their work, wife's car is 2001 Vectra CDX 2.0, not really a wise choice for a learner/new driver even if he could find someone who would even think about writing that risk for less than he earns!
Mark, thanks for confirming that I'm not the one who has lost it. You have confirmed virtually what I thought from the outset and also confirmed some of my other suspicions about my broker. I have been with the same broker for some years and their service was always very good and at keen prices, not always the cheapest but pretty close as to make no difference. Unfortunately they have expanded over tha last three or four years into online brokering and now you get the feeling when you ring that you are talking to the average call centre fodder, not anyone with real insurance experience as it used to be. No insult intended to anyone in a call centre, probably works well enough for 90% of their clients but fails due to lack of training and experience when you need an out of the average answer. So probably the time for a move has come.
Thanks also for the suggestions of Tesco and RLV, I've put them on my list for when the time comes along with Norwich Union, Elephant and CIS.
Did have a quick look at the new Pay-As-You-Drive offer from NU but it charges all miles on the vehicle at the set rates regardless of driver, so not really suitable in this case.
Once again thanks for the comments, wish me luck!!!
Cockle
Browse
I am told that the judder could be caused by failing engine mounts, gone soft or worn. I had the same problem with a Mini some years ago.