April 2005
Following on from the 'leaving your seatbelt undone' thread, it seems many of us are 'helpfull' enough to move off the pump, for the next driver, ASAP.
Not in the Shell stations in Luton, anymore - polite warnings on signs, on the pump, telling you not to move, 'till you've paid, at least! Drive off theft prevention, no doubt!
But, & this could be a poll topic, 'What time of day do you re-fuel?' You try & avoid the Q's backing onto the carriageway, from the (few) filling stations left, around here & you'd be verrrrry lucky!!
VB Read more
View and listen to
www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/youandyours/items/03/2005_14_...l
How about plans to introduce 60 tonne trucks with a 50% increase in length to 25metre as compared with the existing 16m ones.
"Would not be unpopular"
"...have command steer... so can respect any turning circles /any corner that todays vehicle can respect... they wriggle round"
"A mature motorway matron that can dance down the motorway like a ballerina"
Re introduction with a trial "its almost there"
Read more
Huge goods vehicles in several sections with low rolling resistance, good fuel economy per tonne carried and low frontal wind resistance. Of course they would have to be restricted to particular routes and couldn't do local drops, but why on earth didn't we think of this before?
Oh, wait a minute, we already have:
nevardmedia.fotopic.net/p39251652.html
I know this has been covered before but today i was trundling up the M6 today and one ad in particular between J17 and 18 caught my eye.
Can't remember it exactly but the main part of the ad was a website address (link not given due to it's nature!) which turns out to be for an escort agency.
It got me thinking about the legality of the advert, website states that you are paying for time not services but surely there has got to be some kind of protection about such blatent ads at the side of the road? Read more
"Every time I drive to Dover I try to remember which junction on the M20 the Tesco is situated on."
This site should help
www.5minutesaway.co.uk/frm/index.asp
Sainsbury's at J5 and J9, Tesco J10
A technical magazine I am reading has a report of one of the ?Baywatch? actresses, not the blonde one, being arrested for obstructing trucks picking up the last General Motors EV1 electric cars for ?re-cycling?. That probably means the cruncher in polite language. GM says that the cars are not popular enough and unlikely to be profitable.
The same magazine has an article on fuel cell powered motor cycles. The motorcycle will reach 50 mph, and can be used for up to four hours without need to refuel. The fuel cell can be attached to the motorcycle to take the bike off-road to the lakeside, be taken off to power a boat, and then be taken off again to power the log cabin. When the cell is discharged you can make tea with the effluent. The fuel cell will be charged from a hydrogen creator the size of a shoebox which is fed with bio-ethanol fuels derived from soya or sugar cane.
I can imagine London being full of them when diesel and petrol are £1 a gallon and the congestion charge ten times that. It will be a much quieter place too ? the bikes are almost silent.
Read more
" when diesel and petrol are £1 a gallon"
This is great fun!! I should have written litre, and it won't be too long before it is!!
I had about 10 reasons for getting rid of my previous car. One of them was the shocking state of the rubber round its various windows.
My new car has an amazing amount of "rubber" round not just windows but in all the gaps of the doors etc.
Is there a way of looking after these "rubber" bits?
Glycerine used to be used on real rubber (I think) but modern stuff is neoprene is it not ?
Please what is the maintenance lowdown ?
Read more
I use Armourall on my window rubbers. It brings back their black colour and is supposed to protect and nourish the rubber. Available at Wilkinsons.
See: www.armorall.com.au/page.asp?strPage=PRODUCTS&intI...=
Hi All,
I came across this site through yahoo search and I quickly came to realise that people are really knowledgeful and real helpful here which is really nice of you all.
I have just bought my first car. A VW Golf GT TDi (110 BHP). It is a 99 Model 'S' Plate.
It has full VW service history and the cam belt was changed at 40,000 miles. Now the mileage is 90,000. Should I change the cam belt?
I have rang the local dealer up to ask the prices, and to buy the cam belt its really cheap but to the labour to put it in is over £200!
It is a bit more noisy than I would expect a VW diesel to be, makes that sort of rattling noise that you here from diesels. Is that because it is also near the 10,000 mile service? Or is that because it needs the 10,000 mile oil and filter change?
Any help would be most welcome as I dont know much about cars. Thanks! Read more
I think there would not be an excessive risk in letting this drive run to 60k miles if all is well. However, who do you think pays for the smart VW showroom? Once, whilst purchasing a part for a PSA vehicle at one of their outlets, I happened to go around the back, and spotted a mechanic dismantling a gearbox directly on a concrete floor. It turned out upon investigation that he was subcontracted by the dealer, and was working out of the back of a van. The poor vehicle owner was paying over £70 per hour for this standard of work. Take a few days to do some homework, find a reputable independent, preferably with an interest in your vehicle type, who has been trading from the same site for a good while and get your service and belt done together. As this will be the second belt change, I would recommend that the tensioner and any idlers are renewed at the same time, together with those infamous bolts. Despite the recommendation of VW to check the belt periodically, this is not really possible in situ unless it is grossly defective, so renewal is the only sensible option. As far as appearing knowledgeable goes, this is a hard one. In your position, I would put my efforts into finding someone trustworthy who runs his own business. You could ask to see the old parts, but this is not fireproof. 659.
Hi,
Just started to hear a humming sound coming from my car (I can't make out what area of the car!) whilst driving at 30 mph. It only happens when travelling at around this speed and I can't hear it when going at different speeds. It is not dependant on which gear i'm in either so could it be a wheel bearing?
Also when pressing the clutch pedal down slowly or releasing it slowly, it makes a squeeking sound (i.e when trying to find bite point). It doesn't make this noise when using the clutch in normal driving. It seems to be ok for 10 minutes in the morning but starts doing it after driving a little. Hope the clutch isn't on the way out- any ideas?
Thanks Read more
Hi,
Thought i'd update this thread with what was found to be wrong. The noise was the driver's side rear wheel bearing on its last legs (the car has done 63000 miles by the way). I've been quoted £45 + parts + VAT. Just out of interest- how long does it take to change a wheel bearing. The clutch is ok at the moment- touch wood!
Now the heating has been playing up and so the car is in for the heater matrix to be flushed out. Again, just out of interest, how long does it take to drain the whole system, flux the matrix and refil/bleed. I've been quoted £45 + Parts + VAT.
Thanks for the help.
Hi,
I am about to get a lease car via my employer and have sort of settled on one of the above (without yet driving any of them!). They are all Euro IV compliant but which is the better car to drive and own? I am leaning toward to the 140ps A3 (in standard trim level) because of the torquey engine (I currently have an ageing 405 TD estate so anything will seem quick!). The Audi is fairly spartan but has good residuals which mean a good lease cost and therefore lower contribution from yours truly. I don't like the look of the MkV Golf (SWMBO does though!) but seems to get good reviews and the Renault seems well specced in Expression trim & the Dci unit seems well regarded.
Is this a tough choice to make?
any comments welcome
Mark Read more
The 5 door "Sportback" probably in SE as the Sport was a bit harsh in Town. The 140ps is certainly well suited to the chassis and it just keeps going..so much torque.
Some friends need a change of vehicle. Thay have four children aged three to 12 and so want a minimum of a six seater, but preferrably an eight seater with room for luggage.
It looks like a job for a smaller Transit type vehicle. Anyone any better ideas. I would suspect maximum spend is about £6,000.
--
Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive? Read more
Place I work has two. Seems OK, but really spoiled by the rear (2nd row) sliding windows, which are DIRE. Very difficult to open, and once open pretty much impossible to close. Horrid.
I see that the new 3 series is fitted with intelligent brake lights, you know the ones that shine brighter the harder you press the pedal. Hardly rocket science but BMW seem to think so with the sales pitchs i've read today.
My point is what's the point?
Accidents waiting to happen me thinks.
*sorry mate for rear ending you, didn't see ya brake lights..*
hmmm.. Read more
Clio
Corsa
Mondeo
406
Almera
What have they all got in common? Yup, all seen making
turns, changing lanes or negotiating roundabouts without indicating on my 3
mile drive from the station yesterday evening.
So why pick on BMW?
Courtesy cars ?
;-)
Browse
As an adition to filling when the fuel is colder.
Did you know that if you pull the trigger to the top for a faster fill, in every 4 gallons you give the petrol company one pint?
If you only pull the trigger half way it doesn't take that much longer to fill but you do get your full ration.
There is a test during commisioning by Customs and Excise of the meter units which permits fuel companies to have an error during fast fills. The metering units are very very acurate.
The fuel companies are permitted to request that the metering unit is calibrated correctly.
The error factor is of course taken full advantage of.
Hope it help.