March 2005

steveh67

Any advise on getting my car chipped costs, diy kits , online stores .
your thoughts please
Regards Steve Read more

mark999

Try www.upsolute.com their agents will rechip your car at your home or work. It will cost ~£300 with an option of having a socket fitted so you can replace the original chip.
I've had a Merc CDi and a VW Tdi done by them with no problems.

devo

All-

I'm hoping you guys can give me a little help with regards to buying a 1-2 year old large car. Basically our current Focus cannot handle the double pushchair and the other klobber that comes with kids (!!).
Basically I'm after value (and value for money)- rather than a badge. From my initial looking it would seem the Vectra offers the best of price in this category with Autotrader noting you can pick up a "2004 04 Reg Vauxhall Vectra 1800 cc LS" for around £8k.

Does anyone have any ideas or advice

thanks

Devo. Read more

Bromptonaut

I'd endorse the advice to take the pushchair round the dealers with you. Estate or van derived car (unless there are now hatches with "lipless" boots) would be the best bet.

Still got the BX estate we bought to meet the same requirement. The carrytot kid from the test drive is now 12.

blacklabel

I have a mk3 Golf 1.8, which I bought a few weeks ago. Today after a 50 mile drive, white smoke started appearing from under the bonnet, accompanied by a burning smell.

Has anyone experienced this before or have any idea as to what may be the problem, how easy it is to fix, cost, etc.

Thank You. Read more

Civic8

Wonder if you may have a couple of problems.Temp guage sender and or fan switch/fan not working.Fan switch failing will cause it to boil over..Possibly explaining the white smoke/steam
--
Steve

johnny

As I'll be pottering up to Yorkshire from Southampton this weekend, will I be passing any car supermarkets that are worth checking out? I'm looking for an 02 Focus Zetec estate or similar. Usual A34 A43 M1 M62 route.
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Welliesorter

Motorpoint Derby? - off J25 M1.


Also www.availablecar.com/ near Junction 24, close to East Midlands Airport.

No personal knowledge of whether they're any good or not, I just happen to know they're there.
Volvo Trevor

My wife's 1998 75,000 mile Fiat Punto 60S has a distinct shake under heavy braking similar to having warped discs. It seems to be coming from the nearside only. The car does not have warped brake discs as I recently changed them (together with the front pads)to try and cure the problem but it persists. The whole of the front suspension and steering gear appears to be tight with no obviously knackered bushes or looseness anywhere.

The problem arose not long after the car's tracking was adjusted, but not immediately or I would have taken it back to the garage which did the adjusting. It subsequently sailed through an MOT and has been through a dealer service with no comment whatsover despite me mentioning the braking wobble.

Anybody got any ideas what might be wrong?
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none

Must add that a dodgy tyre can cause the same problems.

Ian D

I need to sell my trusty 1998 R reg Subaru Impreza turbo to make way for a more sensible economical vehicle, and so any advice on what I may be able to get for it privately would be greatly appreciated. Details are:

Subaru Impreza 2000cc 4wd turbo
4 door saloon
1998 R reg
metallic green
UK car
Totally unmodified
133,000 miles (mainly motorway long journeys)
Full Subaru service history
Factory electric tilt/slide sunroof
Air conditioning
4 recent tyres
Very recent clutch
Excellent condition, drives like it has done half the miles
I have known the car from new, apart from a minor problem when the car was new and a small oil leak 3 months ago the car has been completely fault free and driven sensibly from new.
Removable Towbar (fitted by me, used for 3 short trips only, will remove if required)
Never crashed, HPI clear

Values please!
Many thanks
Ian
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Ian D

Thanks for the info, very helpful and reinforces my thinking of putting it up for £4895 or thereabouts, and yes I will miss it!

mark(NEScotland)

Having bought a one year old Zetec 1.4 tdci in January, mainly for its mpg figures, I have been very disappointed in the return. It is extremely consistent on work commute but sadly not achieving more than 52mpg which is quoted as the urban return. This is on a 12 mile commute with 10 miles being spent in 5th gear at 50-60, and 2 miles on tickover in 1st/2nd gear in traffic. A run at 70/80 gave only 47mpg. It is amazingly consistent however, in being within 52 or 51 mpg for every tank used so far.

The figures are based on brimming the tank and I have checked tyre pressures OK, and I pride myself on light-footedness.
Goodness knows how anyone achieves the quoted 76.3mpg for extra urban!
I recall reading similar comments on the Mondeo tdcis. (apologies if this topic has been covered before)

Is it worth taking to main dealer for attention now or waiting for annual service; it is under warranty? Any views?
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mark(NEScotland)

Thanks to all for info and experiences, especially Espada's calculations. Car has done circa 10,000 so maybe will improve. I took your advice today and gave it a few more revs for a spell.

Unfortunately I don't know the first owner's running in practice, it had approx 7000 when bought in January.


PatriciaX

Is there an on-line place I can value my car - and look up the costs for a used Ford Focus?

I know about the price guide book - but I can't remember the name - but I'd prefer to look it up on line. Read more

Ed V

Your heading should get you planty of attention on this site! Come and get me!!
Autotrader site does it on the main page for you, but it as easy to look up cars identical to yours for sale, and see what they're looking for. Remember, "looking for" is not the actual, eventual sale price!

orack

Help Escort Cab J reg
Roof is down but will not go up electricaly
Is it posable to rase the roof manualy?

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orack

Done ---- Thanks

crazygirl2620

I rang Fiat and asked to test drive Fiat Panda 1.2 Dynamic Sound 5dr Dualogic Hatchback. Went to see and drive car but decided the Dualogic (semi auto) was too expensive and wanted the manual version. Signed contract, paid £100 deposit and started to leave.

As I was leaving notice that the roofbars that were part of the Sound package were missing. I asked about this and was told that I had signed for the base Dynamic model and not the Dynamic Sound.

Next day, rang dealer back to ask to upgrade to the Sound package and we'd pay more. Was told they couldn't get any. Asked to upgrade to the Skydome or Aircon Package (sunroof or aircon instead of upgraded stereo). Was told they couldn't get any. Asked to add roofbars, was told not possible.
Rang Fiat direct and enquired. Was told Dynamic Sound was unavailable but the Dynamic Skydome and Aircon was available and to go back to the dealer.
30 mins later dealer rings me and says roofbars can be fitted at a charge of £400 (retail was £150). Provisonally agreed to this, but haven't signed anything since the original contract yesterday.

To be honest, I would rather just cancel now as I'm not getting the car I want and I'm having to pay over the odds for it.

Am I legally allowed to cancel? And if I can, will I lose more than just the £100 deposit? Or am I better off with just keeping the car I've signed for?
If it makes any difference (and I realise that it probably doesn't) the dealer has not signed the order form that I've got here. Read more

v8man

I think you will find that there is a cooling off period with all credit agreements regardless of credit company.
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\"Nothing less than 8 cylinders will do\"