Found unexplained water puddle in rear seat well and then a sign of water behind roof covering above passenger mirror. I'm told there is a Passat Water Leak thread somewhere on Honest John. Anyone help?
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I heard on the radio this morning that an Institute of Advanced Motorists survey found that tailgating and the use of mobile phones were considered by most respondents to be the most dangerous bad habits of drivers. That's consistent with the poll on this Forum, I think. Isn't it about time that the authorities started determined pursuit of the offenders? I know, I know -- fat chance. Read more

Noticed these advertised in auto express a couple of weeks ago from an online retailer... Anyone have any experience of them? They sound really cheap, and although there's no mention of them automatically coming on when you engage reverse, I'm sure if they were wired up to a reverse lamp they may work in this way...?

Here's the link:

snipurl.com/f8jl

Click on cars&motors and they're on the bottom right. {Link amended and now goes directly to product. DD}

Cheapest I'd seen park sensors before was about £59.99....


Rich Read more

My wife's V reg Focus (c 50k) has developed v squeaky suspension on the front o/s.

What's likely to be wrong? Read more

I discovered - in my late father's papers - a cutting from the Telegraph from, I imagine, the mid 1990s, which I reproduce here. Interesting to see that it refers to a driving style invented in 1936. Written by Paul Ripley:

When I learned to drive, motorists were taught to change down sequentially through the gearbox to lose speed on the approach to hazards. This meant that the driver had to change down through 2 or 3 gears to select the correct one, a technique still practised by millions around the world. Unfortunately it has some disadvantages, namely:

1. Unless you have a 4WD, it means you are effectively braking (via engine compression) with the two driven wheels only. (The foot-brake works on all four wheels.)

2. Changing down through the gears to lose speed can cause unnecessary mechanical wear on a number of engine and transmission components.

3. A following driver may not notice or realise that you are reducing speed, because he expects to see brake lights when a car slows. This means he has less time to react, which may in turn cause problems for vehicles travelling behind him.

4. Changing gear menas you cannot keep both hands on the wheel, which is necessary for control and safety when braking firmly as the vehicle is unstable in this condition.

5. You must be able to correctly match engine speed to equivalent road speed before you select each gear. Clutch operation must be smooth, especially when letting up the clutch onto a 'dead' engine (i.e. at tickover).

These are just some of the reasons why changing down through the gears to slow down the car is no longer recommended (although as discussed last week, it is still useful in some slippery condititons, when braking may reduce tyre grip).

What is taught nowadays is to miss out the 'unnecessary' intermediate gears in most situations. The brakes are applied once, followed by a single gear chagne.

Having been taught the old way, this at first sounded strange to me, but through motivation and practice, I eventually got to grips with the new technique. In fact, it is not really new, having been used extensively by police drivers and other advanced dirving organisations for many, many years. Indeed it appeared in the Roadcraft Police Drivers Manual as early as 1936.

So how is it done? When using the Driving Plan on approach to hazards (for which the sequence is Mirror-Signal-Postion-Speed-Gear), speed should be lost b y means fo a singel braking application or decelartion to achieve an appropriate road speed for entry to the hazard.

Only when the desired speed has been achieved is a single gear change made, selecting thegear to match the chosen road speed and to provide maximum control, balance and flexibility as you negotiate the hazard.

You will find that this requires greater levels of awareness and anticipation (no bad thing). A common error at first is failing to alow enough time and space to complete both the braking application and the gear change.

The secret is to start losing speed much earlier; this not only produces smoother, more controlled deceleration, but allows plenty of time to make an unhurried gear change before you enter the hazard.

It may well be better in certain situations to select a gear slightly earlier when approaching a doubtful traffic situation, such as a busy roundabout. In circumstances such as these, it is important to be flexible when applying the 'one gear change only' rule. As with other dirving 'rules' , sticking rigidly to the text book occasionally brings its own problems. A good driver must be flexible if safety is the prime objective.
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