March 2005
Question: Does anyone have experience of the 5 speed auto version of the current diesel Mondeo?? As its an automated manual box with a torque converter as well I suspect that its unique, hence the question. I will shortly replace my M2 Mondeo auto petrol engine (great car!!) and wondered if its worth considering the diesel auto? Any thoughts about its life expentancy? Is it smooth and also is it smooth at 50K miles?
The recent FMC drive days that I've been on, have had Mondeo's by the volume both diesel and petrol but no autos. Are they trying to tell me something?
The Focus CMax TDCI auto (CVT) which I did drive is really well matched and smooth at 1500 miles but at 50,000?? I have had several CVTs before and some were great when new, OK at 25,000 miles and suicidal at 50,000miles particularly when trying to manouvre the car when cold.
Any thoughts will be gratefully received. Read more
Spring is almost here, and a youngish mans heart turns to thoughts of a new car. I have a Subaru Forester XLN special edition, June 2004 04 plate, leather, climate, satnav/cd, all the spec edition extras as standard, 5300miles on clock, every journey documented from date of purchase. Was wondering what I could get p/x on a new car, but neither Glass guide or Parkers show the model. Any ideas? Read more
Best of luck.
XLn was a limited edition I think so that's probably why its not in Glass's.
My XT does not have sat nav so I suppose its not worth suggesting you sell your XLn privately and have a look at mine!!!
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
Hello. Please can anyone help with my son's MX5. He says that the car "judders" and there is little power below 2000rpm. This happens in any gear. Above 2000rpm it is fine. The problem occurs randomly and does not appear to be temperature related. I am afraid that this is a long distance diagnosis as I am been unable to try the car. Sorry this is all the info that I have. Is there a standard fault that could cause this? Hopefully something simple like plugs!! Thanks. Read more
Bought leads from MX5 parts, fitted them last night. Problem solved.
Thank you for the spot on diagnosis.
... the Fiesta ST150 on the righthand side of this page (Week's Best Deals Headline News Only Thu, 10 Mar 2005), looks great in white with the stripes, and lovely wheels. Read more
The ST150 looks nice, but from reading a few reports it seems it suffers from style over substance. The Clio 182 Cup was always going to tough to beat - for £10,500 I can't think of anything new that is such a hoot to drive.
What is this that roareth thus?
Can it be a motor bus?
Yes, the hideous swell and hum
Indicat Motorum Bum!
Implet in the corn and High
Terror me Motoris Bi:
Bo Motori clamitabo
Ne Motore caeder a Bo
Dative be or Ablative
So thou only let us live;
Whither shall thy victims flee?
Spare us, spare us, Motor Be!
Thus I sang; and still anigh
Came in hordes Motores Bi,
Et complebat omne forum
Copia Motorum Borum.
How shall wretches live like us
Cincti Bis Motoribus?
Domine, defende nos
Contra nos Motores Bos!
A R Godley wrote that about eighty years ago, probably in his cups. I expect, like me he had just travelled between Leeds and Ilkley by bus. Never again. Bus filthy, driver morose to the point of rudeness, timetable meaningless, fare enormous.
Public transport: big joke, ( as in Some Like It Hot) Read more
When I used to live near Leeds, there was a decent train service from Leeds to Ilkley. Just wondered why you found yourself on a bus?
Hawkeye
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Stranger in a strange land
I've posted this problem before but I'm now concerned that its got worse so here goes!
My 1999 Ford Focus 1.8 has been playing up on cold startup, the speedo and tacho have been zooming straight up to the maximum setting and back down as the car starts. This hasn't had any ill effects and it didn't happen all the time.
I've checked the earths (that I can find!) and put in a new battery which has made no difference.
Now today the car has done this twice whilst actually driving and all the warning lights come on momentarily as well (which had never happened before). There's no effect on driveability and the engine ran as normal when it happened.
This has got me a little worried now, where do I check next or am I looking at a massive bill from Henry to use his diagnostic computer!
Any suggestions gratefully received. I'm stumped with the electronics side of cars! I'm guessing its either the ECU or something to do with the instrument panel itself? Read more
I thought a common cause of this problem was a dodgy earth connection at the rear of the engine bay on the passenger side, under the battery, or air filter back there?
I had a '99 diesel that suffered this, it was so corroded the bolt sheared when I tried to remove it.
Parked in Milford Haven today, a tidy looking Citroen ZX. Nothing remarkable about it but for the reg number, M165 SPY. It was a proper number, not altered or respaced, and must be worth a few bob. Not recommended if you plan to visit Belfast, however. Read more
Wasn't HJ offering M16 SPY on behalf of a friend recently ?
Makes good reading......
www.selfmadejournalist.com/newhighwaycode.htm
Read more
Bit late though
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=29025&...f
Can anybody tell me where the stop solenoid is located on a 1996 Volkwagon Polo 1.9D AEF engine? Read more
Hi there, the stop solenoid is located on the top of the pump. It has a single wire going to it. It is not possible to get to it without taking of the pump and removing the armour plating with covers the switches. I have just converted a one on a r reg polo 1.9 diesel, the car would not start due to the pump not reading the key chip.I removed the armour plate and replaced the stop switch with a manual one and took ign.feed from the key code box which is bolted to the base of the pump, which i removed as it was now u/s. when you refit the armour plate,it needs cutting away to accomodate the new switch which is alot bigger than the old one.
Hope this helps.
Big Davey.
I would appreciate the BR's advice on what to do with my 1999 Subaru Impreza Turbo which is approaching 90k miles and will require a major cambelt service, new pads and discs and 4 new tyres within the next month. Total damage £1200+. Ouch!
I have 2 options:
1, Pay the big bills and continue to enjoy the Scooby.
2, Trade the car in against something nearly new and significantly cheaper to run and insure (eg 04 Seat Ibiza TDI sport, £8995 @Motorpoint, then chipped to 170 bhp). Cost to change £3000.
I will therefore end up with a car which is 5 years younger, has done 80k fewer miles, has 2 years warranty and has 90% of the Impreza's straight line performance for a net outlay of £1800.
Head-wise, option 2 seems a no-brainer, but I don't really want to part with my Impreza. What do you think I should do?
Read more
sell impreza. too fast and noisy and get a pushbike
;-P
Browse
I had one for 3 days a couple of yrs ago now, I guess (so they may have modified the software by now).
I noted that it had quite a pickup delay - both from rest, and on resuming power, say, as you draw up to a roundabout entry. This led to me spooling up the engine but holding the car on the footbrake if I needed to be certain of getting going. I was then glad I was in an Auto because the torque steer needed me to be holding the wheel with both hands!!
I also thought it shifted into higher gears too early (and I'm used to diesels) such that it was juddering along at 30MPH in at low RPM. I had to keep manually downshifting, which defeats the object a bit.
Otherwise it was a pretty smooth drive, but the car (Ghia Hatch) had horrible wind noise around the side windows at anything more than 45MPH.