March 2005
I have decided to carry an electrical digital tyre inflator in the car in future, that works from the cigarette socket, but have yet to find a good un that really works.!!
Can any fellow members from the B.R. suggest a decent one that has given them reliable service.??
Thanks.
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THank you to the driver of a BMW 316i reg no. deleted.
This ploncker yesterday afternoon drive down the A5103 Princess Road (Parkway) from Manchester city centre to the M60 without any care for any other driver or road rules.
Weaving in and out of traffic. Coming up to cars in front very rapidily at speeds well above the speed limit and forcing them out of the way or simply undertaking in heavy traffic. Totally uncalled for and....it got him nowhere.
I followed along going with the regular flow and got the aforementioned junction to find him waiting there fuming.
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive? Read more
And a big thank you to the {fluffy pink dice} in the Clio Sport who I found heading towards me on my side of the road, on a blind bend in the middle of Halifax on Sunday night.
It's people like this who make the investment in ABS/EBD/ASC, airbags and pretensioners all worthwhile. The former saved me losing the latter, I just hope the accident he was heading to was a serious one for him and involved no-one else.
Driving standards are going through the floor. There are no police around to enforce them. Lord help you should you stray to 34mph near a camera though..
{/rant mode off}
-- Lee Having a Fabialous time.
Hi
Why is it that in new cars you're recommended not to perform push starts in case it damages the catalyst? I'd have thought it would only be the same as starting a car on the starter motor?
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Mike Farrow Read more
Yep, I had to drive my Golf 20 miles or so with a failed coil pack and hence no spark on one cylinder. Far from ideal I know, but this didn't harm the cat on my car as the subsequent MOT proved.
Here is the problem. New Renault Scenic arrives today, to replace my nearly 10 year old BMW 318. My wife has her own car,and we swap between them. I thought I might hang on to the BMW, for sentimental reasons, and as an emergency spare car, as it is in good order mechanically. To insure it apparantly means going back to 1 year NCB, even though we both have maximum protected NCBs. 3rd party is over £500 per year, the car is worth £1500 at best, and we would only do 3-4k miles a year in it.
Is there a cheap way I can keep it?
David Read more
Several companies will give second car discounts as long as the group rating is not too high and you can restrict the driving to self or self and spouse. Zurich (broker) will honour the first car bonus and also throw in Green Flag breakdown plus legal expenses cover.
Dear all,
I've just bought a different car, and have run into a little problem in insuring it. My current policy has 3 months to run, but the underwriter will not insure the new car - something to do with them only doing diesels or Rovers or something, rather than my driving record.
I can get insurance on the new car easily enough, but is there a way of not losing the 9 months no-claims that I have built up? If I do lose it, it puts me back to 3 years no claims, which I think means another 15% on the insurance. I have tried asking nicely!
Thanks,
O Read more
I had this problem with my van insurance.
My new van was under 2 years old. My broker told me there was no refund. Mark(RLBS) disagreed. So I contacted the underwriters (Premiere Underwiting) direct who offered their assistance should I need it. They agreed that a pro rata refund would be the norm, and indeed required from them. There is a stipulation that if you can't coninue to use the policy through no fault of your own, ie if your new car is not within the scope of the policy, then it's an insurance restriction - hence they need to cough up for it - not you.
I then went back to the broker who first said OK but there would be an admin fee. I then wrote a letter enclosing the policy, copied it to the underwriters insisting that I received a full pro rata refund with no deductions whatsoever.
I did.
I have previously moaned about parts prices in the UK and have myself chosen to source parts cheaper from abroad (Courtesy Nissan in Texas, US, are excellent for small but high priced Nissan parts like lambda sensors).
Anyway, I needed a piece of interior trim for a Mitsubishi I'm working on. The local Mitsi dealer quoted almost £140 for this little piece of plastic. After some web searching I found a dealer in Auckland NZ. The cost from them (inc. air shipment to the UK)? Just £58! - quite some saving. I've not got it yet, but even if I get hit with some UK import tax it will still be a worthwhile saving. They have the part in stock and reckon maximum 10 days delivery to UK. My local dealer wanted 3-4 weeks to get the part, but 'couldn't promise'!
What is going on in this country when it is faster and cheaper to source a part from a tiny country of 3 million people on the other side of the world? Read more
To be honest, when it comes to computer components I can probably source them nearly as cheaply in the UK as the US. The difference is not worth the hastle of importing them.
In the kind of areas I deal in (latest technology - called bleeding edge) availability is the problem. High end High power expensive graphics cards have a real availbility problem both in the US and here.
which one would you choose?
and why?
around the £14K bracket, and as new as possible?
or maybe not new, and save some cash to spend on a better holiday this year, or (if im lucky!) 2!
but one that isnt going to have problems with gearbox, water pumps, power steering, blah-de-blah-etc-etc.
which is the smoothest to cruise on motorway?
best mpg.
which would you have an auto in and which not? (would like auto, lazy mans car!)
only got to last a year. then got to sell privately, as having a company car. ;-(
answers on a post card please (not really, you can post them here ;-))
ta.
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Oh dear, Poor Vtiredeyes has (sadly) lost it completely.
Too many cars and too little time.
Hello, WAKE UP!!! Black, no sugar? No, No, Come on, time to get up. Honestly, it really is that time...........
HELLO!!!
What was your budget again? Do I hear the sound of pound-notes being flushed down a toilet?
Come on, close your eyes, you are sleepy.............., call your Volvo dealer, that's it, get the Yellow Pages out, turn the pages, you are sleeeeeeeeeepy, yes, you need a test drive,,,, yes, you are feeeling happy.
'That will do nicely sir'
One happy salesman, one happy customer. Hurrah!
Do bear in mind this is your last chance before 'Signum-Doom' ( a common, if not treatable, syndrome related to poorly advised fleet managers....)
Have fun whatever (and I really would not be suprised if it turns out to be a VX220.........) you choose!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:0)
Gavin
Hi
The engine electronics warning light on my Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 Elegance comes on intermittently, i.e. one day it is on, the next day it is off.
I have had coil pack 1 and plugs have been replaced.
Anyone got any ideas what it might be?
Thanks,
corkie. Read more
One for DD methinks, is the autobox in the new shape vectras the same in the 1.8 as the 2.2 petrol & diesel, as i noticed in Parkers the 1.8 said CVT, but the others didnt, and are the boxes as good as in the old shape, ta. Read more
Thanks DD
I have a 1999 Golf V5 and have received a reminder from my VW dealer that the cam belt is due for replacement (vehicle over 5 years old or 60000 miles - actual mileage is 41000).
Before going back to dealer can anyone confirm that this 2.3, 150 bhp engine is chain driven and does not need any attention
I know a VW dealer should know but!!
Many thanks.
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I had a Sprint, the chain and tensioner were fine up to 90k however I had to do the head gasket once and accordingly shim the valve clearances, also the water pump went and it was a nightmare getting the interference fit pump body out of the block, otherwise great fun, o/d on 3rd & 4th gave very useful ratios, handling was good though grip less so therefore opposite lock was often used, brakes not up to the performance caused moments when the pedal went soft, the heart stopped the car didn't.
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I have a proper compresser (0.5hp) that I picked up from Aldi last year. Advantage is that you can let it pressurise up to about 60psi in the garage, then just unplug it and carry it out to the car, where there's enough air in the cylinder to inflate a completely flat tyre. I did it the other day to get a flat tyre to the local Quik Fit because I couldn't be bothered to change it.