April 2005
vw golf has got a reliability index of 19 since 2000.
thats good!(not the best).but tasty!!
so come on slap umm?
Read more
Hi there. I wanted some suggestions about a fault with a recently purchased Alfa Romeo 33 1.7 IE 1990 model. I bought it in good condition with recently serviced items (oil change, air filter, plugs, leads and cap). It was running well for the first couple of weeks. Then I noticed it was occasionally cutting out when slowing down towards a junction. But it would restart immediately each time. Now the problem has developed in that it would cut out after about 5-10 minutes of driving and fail to restart (turn over but not fire up). It would restart again if I waited another 15-20 minutes. I have taken the car to a local garage for diagnostics (cost 45 pounds)with the reply that they cannot find anything wrong and: "you need to take it to a specialist". I am collecting the Alfa first thing in the morning.
I would appreciate any advice as to the cause of the fault especially as the garage has failed to make a diagnosis. Read more
As the car is immobile try looking in Yellow Pages, Car engine tuning and conversions for one of my Tune-Up colleagues. As the fault is there all of the time it should be relatively easy to diagnose. Given the nature of Italian electrics could be relatively simple i.e. corroded earth point(s)
Alfas- lovely to look at, lovely to drive but you dont want to OWN one!
Andrew
--
Simplicate and add lightness!!
A report in the press today stated that tests had shown that tuning a radio while driving could increase a drivers reaction time by more than using a mobile phone,I have steering wheel mounted audio controls so do not have a problem,but have noticed that a lot of modern car audio systems have small fiddly controls.
It brought to mind navigation systems with colour screen displays,I know that they have a voice giving instructions to the driver but the temptation to look at the screen must be difficult to resist,what do others think?.
ndbw
Read more
I must admit I find the steering wheels buttons for the radio so much more useful than I thought I ever would.
Been a quiet day today, with little to do but drink tea and natter. One of the things that came up was a less than sucessful comedy series starring George Cole, called comrade dad. one of the episodes featured a car that we have been arguing about, as we all remember it was 2 halfs welded into one. the thing is, neither half had an engine in (as we remember) so really shouldnt have been able to go. the rear was a P6 rover, but no-one is sure what the front was. suggestions range from a beetle, a skoda, porsche(!), daf, or a lada. Anyone at all remember this car, let alone the series?
WTM
Read more
The car in question was affectionally called a Skrover.
Reason being, Half a Skoda welded to half a Rover.
www.imdb.com/title/tt0086686/usercomments
AHA!
Thanks for that , tovarich! It means that I have won our little bet, and will be enjoying a free hot chocolate out of the machine. I'd share it with you, but I'm afraid it would go cold on the way.
Cheers! (slurp)
WTM
Help,
I,ve pushed it further than it,s been ridden over the last 3 weeks.
Honda CBR1000F has 3 times in the last 3 weeks flooded when it's been either(1)sat with the choke in on a cold engine at idle (2)choke has been put off when it should run again on a cold engine and (3)having been started on choke allowd to warm up 2 minutes then allowed to idle and blipped to 2000 rpm has died.
Subsequent investigation has proved sparking at all 4 plugs when hitting the starter so it appears that the colis, leads and plugs are fine.
However the fuel system draws fuel thru the fuelcock by vacumn action so apart from a hole in the hose what would cause a vacumn to fail.
Had all 4 carbs balanced last saturday, and it was fine this monday, and when warmed up pulls like the "Flying Scotsman".
Could a vacumn problem manifest itself as a choke problem?
Read more
Sounds like it's OK then. Unless it's one of those problems where the symptoms only manifest themselves when a mechanic isn't looking at it!
I mentioned your "problem" to my guy last night. He is well familiar with CBR 1000's and doesn't know of any "built-in" starting methods such as you mention. But then we live in high ambient temperatures where the choke is seldom necessary.
The tailgate lock on my zafira fails to open. I can hear the central locking mechanism actuating and the barrel pushes in but the catch doesn't release. Currently therefore the tailgate is locked in the closed position and as such the inner trim would appear impossible to remove to get at the mechanism. Any ideas please? Read more
I take it you can still open the tailgate using the key?
If it's anything like my Dad's Astra, it'll be the a broken plastic clip costing around 40p.
There is a metal bar that connects between the central locking solenoid and boot lock. The bar is attached to the boot lock by a flimsy plastic clip mentioned above - or maybe I should say it was once attached. It's really easy to change providing you can get the boot open and trim off. I imagine the trim is held on with a couple of torx screws (probably hidden under pop off covers) and some press stud clips. Grip the trim around the edges and see if it'll come off without using too much force.
The clip can be bought from Vauxhall.
Have been looking at insurance quotes for my son, who will be (re)taking his test soon, and plans to buy a car.
Quotes are around £1,400 TPTF (£250 compulsory excess)and £1760 Fully Comp (£250 compulsory, £250 voluntary excess)
If we then add his mother as a named driver the quotes drop to £1,055 TPTF and £1,265 Fully Comp, same excesses
Question 1.
We wouldn't otherwise add his mum to the insurance but it would seem sensible and legitimate to do this, the insurance is still in his name, with him as main driver, and there may be occassions when mum might drive his car. Or have I missed something?
Question 2.
Given that adding his mum makes the fully comp premium less than the TPTF without her, is it worth going fully comp, bearing in mind car value would be around £1,000 and excess would be £500?
Read more
>>Work that out!
Easy.
Statistically 2.8 Golf VR6s insured by couples have a less expensive claims experience than 2.8 Golf VR6s insured by a lone male.
Therefore the insurance is rated differently because that's all the underwriter cares about.
Now, as to why there might be that statistical difference, then the conversation is longer and more complex; but all the insurer cares about is that there is a difference.
I have a rover 220 coupe M reg with leather bucket seats throughout. The back seat only fits 2 people on and i need to change it for one that fits 3. Can anyony tell me if there is any other cars out there that i can put the back seat straight in to mine with out any mods.
please help me out
wayne Read more
Try the seat squab from a 200 3door. The seat backs in 200/400 saloons /hatches were folding, where as I think the coupe has a fixed seat - so probably not interchangeable. You may also find there are no mounting points for a centre lap belt. You definately won't be able to install a centre lap/shoulder belt.
After being outbid on ebay yet again for the video "roadcraft" i am still trying to obtain a copy.Wanting to take the IAM course i thought i'd get a copy of the video so as to learn and practice the "correct" way of driving before doing an observed drive. Anybody out there got any ideas where to get a copy? Read more
Insurance "can" be cheaper but as the other replies have stated it will depend on your circumstances. The foillowing is a link to the Advanced Driving website tinyurl.com/bakat (NOT the IAM but very useful). This gives a list of companies offering a discount - I have yet to try them as I renewed insurance before passing the test.
Hi all,
Any advice on how to remove greasy marks from door upholstery. Car has recently been in for accident repair or so called repairs but that's another story. Where they have removed the doors panels they obvious could not be bothered to where glove or even wash the grease/ol from there hands so I now have annoying grease marks on my door panels :o(. I'll get on my soap box about the repairs on another thread. Read more
Cellulose thinners on a nice absorbent cloth. Test an area first!! Fabric only and NOT the PVC. If you wipe all the seat you will be amazed at all the muck that comes off! No residue left and no smell after airing. Shifts grease/oil/ink beautifully.
Fullchat
Browse
.jpg)
I think he might be from Up North.