June 2005
On my new shape Vectra I noticed that when pulling the NSR wheel from top to bottom there is significant movement , enough to actually see it ! I believe its the top stabiliser arm bush thats gone . Will the car be dangerous to drive on a motorway like this . Read more
Although I'm fairly well clued up on Vauxhalls, I was wondering if anyone knows what the difference is in the oil used in the workshop when a car is serviced, to the oil that you buy at the parts dept - if any.
I've just had the Vectra serviced today and was charged £28.20 for 5 litres of 10w/40 semi synth (invoice breaks it down to £5.64 a litre - 5 litres needed)
I then bought separately another litre of 10w/40 semi synth from the parts dept @ £3.28, to be used for topping up purposes. A saving of £2.36 (or a total saving of £11.80 had it been used instead of the stuff they used in the workshop).
I asked at the parts desk what the difference in the oil was apart from the price, and he said basically the label on the bottle!! The oil is from the same supplier, but the stuff sold over the parts counter is rebranded with Vauxhalls name on it.
Does anyone know whether this is true?
I did joke that maybe I should have bought the oil beforehand and supplied it for them to do the oil change with ;o)
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Vauximan, was the oil the right one for your 2.0dti?
Yes 10w-40 semi synthetic. I change my oil twice a year anyway to protect the engine
There's ANOTHER one, next week, at Measham. Over 200 entries anticipated.
I've not been to one of these sales, yet - only a handfull of them, so far. Wondered what the £$£$£ were like?
It's a bit too far for HJ, but what about you midlands traders - or have you been keeping the 'bargains' to yourselves??
VB Read more
Just been looking at 306's ('93 - '01 model).
There's SEATS's about at the moment, and I quite like the 306's.
So, what are they like? I'm just over 6ft, and I've heard the driving position is a bit dodgy and the pedals are at funny position...can anyone advise?
Actually, if anyone has any info on these cars at all I'd be grateful - I've never really thought of getting one until now.
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I can so vouch for the reply above this. Couldnt have put it better myself. I drive a 306 DTurbo which has the even nicer bucket seats.
I learned how to drive in a Ford Focus, and the 306 compares incredibly well to the focus in terms of ride quality and handling.
It really is something special, even when I do my regular 420mile weekend roundtrip I dont get a bit of backache and at 70mph~ its very smooth and economical (50+ MPG easily).
Go try one, dturbo model is well worth considering - if you can find one!
Wife recently acquired a Fiesta TDCI and I was wondering if there are any good online retailers (similar to Euro or GSF)selling basic service items such as filters, brake pads etc. I tried a Google, but it kept coming up with US based sites even though I specified a UK search.
Also any owners of this model know what the tyre pressures should be and if there is any other oil specification than 5w-30? (found that bit out with Forum search).
The car came with no handbook or servicebook, despite the salesman (of a large car supermarket) saying they would be "coming through". When she collected the car he told her to write to the former owner to get them off him and she didn't press the issue. Now that they have the money we are pretty much on our own. Read more
Thanks for that, a303. I checked the door jambs and inside the glove box, but never thought to check fuel filler cover.
Ebay was the first place I checked for a replacement handbook and found lots but none specific to the car. Looks like the Ford dealer will be my next stop, and if its only £7 then they will be cheaper than Ebay.
Does anyone know where there is a safe place on the vehicle to jack it up & support it.
I dont want to use the sill (which is recomended for the vehicle jack) as axle stands will probably deform it. Read more
I do not know this car,but generally under subframes and 'chassis rails',box sections running longditunally inboard of sills.
Then you need the Trunk Monkey.
www.realfords.com/videos/videos/Trunk%20Monkey.wmv
(Copy/paste the link into your prefered web browsers address bar. Download size is approx 1.0 MB for those on 56k dial ups)
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I have just finished putting a replacement engine in my 1996 306 Dturbo. After many hours of cuts, scrapes and dirt in my eyes I finally got to the stage where it was ready to start. But it wont start. It has the keypad immobiliser and I have swapped the diesel pumps over so that I am using the original one to avoid problems with the code that is stored. The problem is that there is no fuel getting past the stop solenoid. The pump is primed, there is diesel entering the pump and leaving the pump via the return to the tank, but none going to the injectors. When I tap in the immobiliser code, you can here the solenoid open, and when you turn off the ignition and wait 30 secs you can feel it close again, but it just wont give me fuel! I have spun it over with the pipes to the injectors disconnected and there is not even a dribble.
Whats going on people? This pump has been connected to the dead engine for about 6 months in the garage unused, is there a chance the valve has seized? What will happen if I fit the pump that was supplied with the engine? will the ecu communicate with it ok or will the solenoid remain closed because the codes dont match?
Help please!
Jon Read more
i currently have an escort van that is going to a scrap yard soon and am looking fo a diesel.i do 70 miles a day and fish twice a month so need something i can chuck the gear in the back of and on the od day i get lumbered with the children (x3) be able to take them out.looking at spending upto 1500 and have seen them in the range of p-v reg.any ideas. Read more
Ran a 420 SLDI saloon for a year.
Good performance and 50 mpg.
Go for a five door. Looks a bit frumpy, but the saloon was no good for fishing tackle - boot only just deep enough for a Shakespeare box and rear seats do not fold flat enough to take a big rod holdall.
I knew that you could present your car for a MOT, a calender month prior to the expiry date and have the new MOT run for 12 months from that expiry date (assuming you present the current MOT and make the request). Therefore you could have effectively have valid MOT(s) for 13 months.
However, if you have more than a calender month to run, you don't get ANY "grace", the new MOT will simply run from the test date.
I would have expected the VOSA to give you a similar grace period as above i.e. a month, 4 weeks or whatever - I wouldn't expect any longer than 1 month though.
What's the thinking behind that rule?
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I think the idea is that it gives you up to a month to get any faults fixed without leaving you with a car with no MOT thus not legally usable. I always get MOTs done a month in advance and find it a useful and reassuringly old-fashioned piece of legislation.
Browse
All sorted now , it was the rear top staibiliser arm . The out bush was absolutally knackered !! Could by just a bush though , had to buy complete arm .
Thanks for the advice though chaps !