April 2005
Hi all, a member of the family has a 'T' regToyota Avensis 1.8. Good car except for a problem with the power steering.
The problem started such that on full lock the pulley on the power steering pump would stall and cause the belt to squeel. This has now progressed to stalling when loaded heavily eg. turning the steering wheel quickly at low road speeds; worse when the engine is cold.
Has anyone come across a similar problem, and is it likely to to a fault with the steering pump or steering rack?
Thanks in advance Read more
Some geezer is selling RHD pre-facelift 1.2 Puntos out here in Frankfurt, and they have been going for peanuts (unsurprisingly), the last one went for ?5k (about 3.3k sterling). They are on the ebay.de site, got to ´auto und motorrad´ on the home page, and they are a featured auction under Fiat: Punto. Gotta be worth a punt(o) for someone in the UK.... Read more
"The Punto originates from a liability claim of the insurance, and is a right hand drive new vehicle." ~"It does not have any damages" "The COC appraisal (certificate of non-objection) is enclosed. Attention The vehicle is not European Union - new vehicle thus has no warranty."
He has 4 "orange" ones left
I am having problems with first gear on the Golf, sometimes it is stiff to engage, ie once you have come to a standstill at a set of lights it is difficult to engage first gear. The car has already had the same fault fixed on the 3rd gear. Is this a common fault? I have read on the What Car web site that the gearboxes can fail at 50k, anybody else heard such? The car is a 2003 model and still under warranty, what can I excpect? new gearbox? Repair? Read more
New gearbox fitted on Tuesday
I see I can pick up a VRs for £12995 05 plate. How good are they? Also I have had a look on the skoda site but I feel it is not clear on the spec of the car. Any VRs drivers who can tell me the spec. Read more
We're in the process of being equipped with a VRs as a unmarked camera car. It's not quite ready yet, but looks OK. Not sure how the trim's going to cope, looks a bit fragile.
My much loved ZT was sold today. Now my hand has been forced and I have to find a replacement. Went back to see a 54 plate Vectra with colour sat nav and leather £12995. Walked in...."how much off for no part ex"....."none" was the reply. Well I walked out saying I hope they enjoyed polishing it on the forecourt. Do dealers really think they can get away with such hard nosed business. My money is being taken elsewhere unless he knocks £500 off. Might consider a Mazda 6,, but then again.....what?? Read more
In Japan, Subaru,part of the mighty GM, badge the Zafira 'Subaru Traviq'and i think they also badge some Subarus for the US with Saab badges.I guess the marketing dept thinks it works on the punters.
Hi!
When I am a qualified driver do I have to take anymore tests to be able to tow a rear loading horse trailer?
I have found an old thread that says about towing with a 4X4 but does anyone know any other makes of Car/Van I can use?
thanks
Em Read more
Depends on when you took your test. For the 7.5t Horsebox You may have to take a test for C1 licence, this is needed to drive a vehicle over 3.5t GVW.
Anyone know what the cause was - not by any chance someone braking for one of the new speed cameras? Read more
Anyone know what the cause was
It was a fatal accident in which a lorry driver lost his life when he collided with a road survey vehicle. Apparantly the articulated lorry went into a "crash cushion" which was protecting workers in the blocked off lane near junction 15.
Having witnessed another accident a couple of weeks ago, I have come up with the theory that a cause of rear-end shunts in slow moving traffic in the outside lane is that where the outside lane is moving more slowly than the inside lane, that goes against the natural assumption that the inside lane is the slower.
Therefore drivers in the outside lane tend to judge their speed by reference to the traffic in the inside lane, maintaining a few miles per hour advantage, and whilst looking at the traffic on the inside tend to overlook the fact that the traffic in front of them is now moving more slowly than the inside lane.
They then appreciate that fact too late to match their speed to their own lane and end up in the boot of the car in front. Read more
I've just returned from Germany where there are many restrictions on lorries overtaking, especially on uphills. The result is a long chain of lorries obeying the law, and quite civilised behaviour with car drivers in the other two lanes.
However I personally think that lorries are not the menace that others do, especially their "tailgating" one another. I see far far fewer lorry accidents than car accidents from that cause. OK, you might be worse off if squashed between lorrires, but IMO the likelihood is far less than between two cars.
Another most common cause of third lane congestion is, IMO, people's willingness and desire to drive at excessive speed, and not have anyone else in front of them, and to a smaller degree, other people trying to police the speed of others. And of course those that simply aren't concentrating, dawdling along in the middle lane when lane 1 is empty.
In fact, on the E40 through Belgium yesterday I got caught behind a police convoy which travelling at the speed limit from Liege to Brussels (maybe 20 - 30 miles?). The build up of cars behind, waiting to exceed the speed limit, was considerable, and led to bunching in itself.
hello
im driving from palma airport in Majorca to a resort about 40 miles away, the holiday is in May and im planning to pick the car up from the airport then return it when i fly back.
can anyone advise on a good website to advise on travel directions. ive tried multimap but as i dont no the actual road the airport is on then it wont work.
thanks
dave
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many thanks
dave
From your Lagos correspondant.
Heavy rains overnight meant it was big 4 wheels only on all but the main roads from 6am to around 10 am when the water started to subside to a more manageable level.
This did not stop the foolhardy and the guy in the new Mercedes 500 stuck in a big puddle on Akin Olugbade Street is in for a big bill.
Luckily I had the office Landcruiser with the upswept exhaust so we swaned in down the flooded streets, water at points up to the door handles, whilst lesser vehicles sat and sweated.
Traffic in to Victoria Island was at a complete standstill but as we were heading out to Lekki office we had a pretty clear run of it.
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Rich v. poor in Nigeria, too true - I have a number of good friends (and a Godson) out there (in Lagos, Kano, Kaduna, Port Harcourt) dating back from college days. All are well qualified and most comparitively poor. One is however now very rich indeed via the oil industry and increasingly active in politics.
There might be a mulitude of tribal and religious differences between Nigerians but they all seem to love cars. IIRC Toyotas used to be king - my mint condition 1974 Corolla auto ended up there (quite legitimately I should add). What's at the top of the league out there now?
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I'll have a word with the technicians at work tomorrow and see what they recommend