March 2005
all the cars i've ever owned in no particular order.
Ford Escort 1.3L 1977 S reg
Ford Cortina 2.0 Ghia 1977 R reg
Ford Cortina 2.0GL 1980 W reg
Ford Fiesta XR2 1982 Y reg
Ford Sierra 2.0 Ghia 1985 B reg
Ford Escort 1.3 GL 1983 A reg.
Ford Sierra 2.0 GLS 1988 E reg
Ford Granada Ghia X 1984 B reg
Ford Granada 2.0 GL 1988 E reg.
Ford Sierra 1.6 L 1985 C reg
Ford Granada 2.0 GL 1986 D reg
Ford Granada Scorpio 1990 H reg
Ford Mondeo 1.8d LX 1999 T reg
Ford Mondeo 2.5 Ghia X S reg
Ford Granada 2.3 GL 1981 X reg
Vauxhall Cavalier 1.6 L 1984 A reg
yes it's a bank holiday and i'm bored..
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Always confused when I read an ad. that states high mileage but motorway miles.
What does this mean?
Are they incinuating less wear and tear? The engine still runs when you drive on a motorway, you still brake. what about in heavy traffic? The clutch gets a hammering here too? And how do you get onto a motorway?
I'd say doesn't make any difference at all.
I'll always ignore an ad that says *motorway miles*
Opinions? Read more
A friend of mine got 200K out of his Vauxhall Carlton 1.8i when the engine died. Like everyone else here he had it serviced on a regular basis etc and spent thr right money doing so. AFAIR he never had to change the clutch!
He liked it so much he then went and spent a small fortune on getting a new (not recon or SH) engine fitted.
IMO that was a mistake - he should have gone for a good SH engine from a reputable source - 76,000 miles later the bodywork failed the MOT and it was scrapped. That was a great shame.
H
1995 transit. A bit of a shed (just to set the scene for you!).
Yesterday the indicators stopped working. When you indicate or turn on the hazards, the green dashboard light stays on continuously, and none of the actual indicators do anything.
Have changed the relay for a brand new one - no joy.
Have tried three other switches from the scrappy, none worked.
I'm a bit stumped now - any ideas? Read more
It is probably the switch.on some. indicators were combined on the one switch(not talking of stalk switch)it is a seperate relay type box plugged in to the circuit.If it has failed you wont get anything but lights on all the time/no flash.Need to find it and replace
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Steve
I am looking to buy a new car and on the face of it PCP looks the best way of sourcing my finance. I have thought long and hard about it but only seem to be able to come up with advantages. What's not so good about taking out a personal contract plan? Thanks, Tim Read more
This quote dates from 2005, so not much use to you now I'm afraid.
What vehicles are allowed to use the outside lane on a motorway? I ask this, as I regularly see what look like small lorries in the outside lane.
I was also followed by what looked like a small truck, yesterday, on a dual carriageway, at a speed between 70 and 75 mph. Read more
Should I assume that by reading the majority of posts here that everyone in the backroom does exactly 70MPH on motorways.
This would make a good poll, though I wonder how many people would answer truthfully.
Every time i try to lock my focus with the key fob it locks and then opens again ! Does anyone know if this is major fault or something simple im confused its never done this before. Read more
I woudl strongly advise Kat to try the driver's side door catch. I don't think it could hurt you either Patricia. See my link further up the page.
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Adam
a couple of weeks ago,,,my check control panel told me A side light was out.but NONE were...after a few days the light disappeared...
now my check control panel says BOTH side lights ARE out.
all other lights work..
i cant find any fuse's for the side lights or even a fuse that says "lights" i have also replaced both side lights with new bulbs...still dont work..
are there any fuses??? or any other reason for the failures??
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storme
This one's come up before. It's not a voltage problem. LED bulbs take a minute current compared to the conventional bulbs, Result? The 'bulb failure' electronics see them as failed bulbs.
JS
I have a W reg Ford focus 1.8 38000 miles a full service history with all receipts, but i cant find any evidenace of cam belt replacement does anybody know at what point i should get this changed or can it be easily checked ? Read more
Update: It WAS the adjuster in the wife's car. It hadn't been changed when the belt was changed. The car is on about 55k, the belt was done at about 45k.
8 bent valves and other collateral damage.
My little man charged me £460 to repair/rebuild it, which I guess is a lot cheaper than a replacement engine. I have yet to speak to him to ensure he has made some allowance on the bill for his earlier omission.
The charge which sticks in my throat is the £160 from the Ford dealer to which the car was towed. This is for "preliminary diagnosis". They sussed the cambelt was the problem, and that it was a non-Ford belt. How long can that take? I will be trying for a reduction in this bill, but don't hold out much hope as it has already been paid (in order to release the car to "my little man").
Could someone clarify the laws and regulations regarding tractors who use public roads?
Thoroughly irritated today by a tractor driver who stubbornly refused to pull over to let what must have been 20(!) cars behind him on quite a bendy rural B road despite several chances to pull into a passing place. Also this guy had no revolving amber light which I thought was compulsary especially as visibilty was quite poor.
A blatant disregard for other road users and the law.
But what is the law exactly? Read more
That's like saying you must not go over 70mph on a
motorway.
Hardly!
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\"Nothing less than 8 cylinders will do\"
I have a w reg focus that has a hole in the back box exhaust, i have been told that because the car has had the same exhast system from new i have to replace the whole system including cat converter (over £300 fitted) Other people (friends) have told me this does not seem right , I would appreciate any advice on this matter. Thankyou Katherine
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P.S. I had a replacement middle box and rear box on a 2.0 Focus fitted by RapidFit exactly two years ago for £184.95 ~ less my Gold Card 10% discount which I qualified for because I bought the car new from that dealer. It had a two year guarantee. Incidentally, the rear box will last for months (perhaps even years)after it becomes holed in the outer skin. And this is not grounds for an MOT failure ~ well, not at a RapidFit centre anyway.
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L\'escargot by name, but not by nature.


1958 Austin A30 (heavily modified - NOT)
1961 Austin Healey Sprite MK 1 (Frog Eyed) in leaf green
1962 Austin Healey Sprite MK 2 (non-descript shape) in beige
1964 Austin Healey Sprite MK 3 - Ist with wind-down windows! in British Racing Green (the best so far)
1969 Austin Healey Sprite MK 4 - With 1275cc 'A' Series engine and in Powder blue and my last Sprite.
All the above cars were bought new and for much less than £1000. Most of the above Sprites had heaters as optional extras!!
1975 Ford Escort Saloon (second hand) in Sandy beige
1988 Ford Escort Hatcback (New) in Metallic Silver
1994 Rover 214 SLi Hatchback (New) in Champagne Gold Metallic.
1998 Rover 414i Hatchback (New) Ist car with aircon in Metallic Silver.
2004 Volkswagen Golf MKV 1.6SE FSI (New) with aircon, of course and in Metallic Silver.
Not many cars to show for forty years of motoring? I'm sure I haven't left any out.