August 2005
Wonder if any BR's in the Derbyshire area can illuminate me.
Having just spent a very enjoyable fortnight walking and biking in Derbyshire I came across a query that I can't seem to get a straight answer to. I noticed that there are 20mph signs around many of the local schools that are operational only when the amber lights on the signs are flashing, presumably at the start and finish of the school day, all in all a much more imaginative approach to the problem than our local 24/7 20mph limits. However the signs just state a 20 mph zone is in force when the lights flash, there do not appear to be any repeater signs and, probably more important, no sign to mark the end of the zone.
A couple of locals I spoke to just said words to the effect,'Ah well, everyone knows the school is in ???? Lane so we don't go back to 30 until we get to ???? Road'
They seemed quite perplexed when I asked how would a visitor know when it was safe to go back to a 30 limit both hazard wise and enforcement wise. They didn't really seem to have thought about it until I pointed it out and that Derbyshire does tend to attract a pretty large number of visitors, very few of whom would know where the local schools were.
Can anyone enlighten me? Read more
Recently I was in an accident with a juggernaut. I was entirely blameless, however the driver and his mate claimed not to speak English, fortunately a member of Leicester Police was quickly on the scene. She had to send for an interpreter and told me I would get all the necessary information later by ringing for details of the Accident Report. In doing so I was provided with the drivers name and address and an International Insurance No.
However my insurers inform me they are having great difficulties tracing the vehicle and driver, therefore my excess charge may prove difficult top recover. It would appear foreign drivers can escape penalties for not observing traffic laws in the UK. Anyone having similiar problems with this type of situation please? Read more
Hi contact the Motor Insurers Bureau in Milton Keyns with registration number of the lorry and the country it came from and name/address of driver via www.mib.org.uk and they should tell you its insurers and the UK representatives for its insurers.
Best of luck and let me know if I can help any more.
Currently driving around in a 306 S16 but due to a new family member I'm thinking seriously of changing.
Budget is £2k and want something reliable, economic (Compared to 22mpg from the pug)and 4 doors.
Needs to be slightly bigger than the 306 but due to drive size not any bigger than a Vectra.
All I want really is decent perfomance and air con.
Just for idea's I have been looking at the Toyota Avensis and the Mitsubishi Charisma.
Thanks Read more
If you want something reliable, get one of the last model Honda Accord (1999-2003).
Andy
Can anyone recommend somewhere in NW London to get a diagnostic test done on a G reg 1990 VW Golf. I think the problem is with the carburettor. The car runs quite smooth with the choke pulled out, but is very juddery and tends to misfire when the choke is in.
Also, when I changed the spark plugs the haynes manual seemed to say I had an over rich fuel mixture. I woouldn't fancy trying adjusting it as a DIY thing because there could be so many other things wrong. It sounds a bit tappety as well.
Also how much would I expect to pay? does it cost a lot extra if they have to start making adjustments to the carb etc?? Read more
Good ideas though. Actually there is some air intake as I have to buy a replacement hose for the air cleaner, but something tells me that won't be the only issue. There is definately something with the carb judging by the old spark plugs.
A friend of mine has an M reg calibra turbo 4x4 which at 3000 rpm on the motorway or when driven hard lights the engine warning light. At 2999 rpm it doesn't and at 3001 rpm it doesn't. The warning light doesn't always come on but I have seen it come on; you lift off or power on and it goes off again. It is a total mystery! The car has had new turbo wastegate recently and usually passes an MOT apart from when it goes mental and runs too rich for no discernable reason. When it runs right then it is right at the bottom of the scale for emissions which makes it seem like it is an electrical or logic fault. It has been doing it for over 2 years at various intervals. The code isn't remembered so it is very difficult to tell what is up with it.
Anybody got any ideas? I'm totally stumped.
If it were the fuel pressure regulator or injectors then it would be doing it all the time. Those are both things vauxhall have suggested could be wrong with it. I am also pretty certain the lambda sensor was also changed in case that was it but same behaviour is exhibited.
teabelly Read more
Hi,
I?m trying to source a donor car for a kit-car build. More specifically a rover 214 or 216 (bubble shape), and I don?t necessarily need the car to run ? the parts I need don?t include the engine end gearbox. A CAT D car would be ideal.
I?d be grateful for any suggestions how to source such car. Are there auction houses for write offs?
Thanks in anticipation of your answers.
Fiesta man.
Read more
ooops - I meant to put this in the discussion forum!
{Kick - over it goes. DD}
Can anyone recommend a boat trailer supplier, preferably in the North of England or South of Scotland?
Cost and immediate availability are most important considerations,
many thanks for any replies Read more
Thanks Mark, I may have solved the problem. I hunted all over the place as the trailer is required for Friday and the budget for the family is very low. I was quoted between £700 and £900 pounds for a simple trailer which will be towing a 12 foot boat. Contacted the manufacturer directly and they have one in stock: including delivery it is less than £500...that is some mark-up that the local places were prepared to charge!
If time and money hadn't been a factor things might have been very different.........!!!
"What?" you ask. I'll tell you - the cambelt.
Ford reckon 100k. Many of you reckon 50. I'm on 70k now and have taken it as far as I dare. I know realistically Ford would never pay out in the event of a snap but I didn't want to be changing it at 50k - I think it's a bit too early.
It goes in tomorrow for that and a service. The question is, will it snap en route?
If it did, you have my permission to be smug.
--
Adam Read more
You mean I have to spend even more money!?!
Very well - I'm on it.
--
Adam
The new overhead motorway signs on the M25 which inform drivers of impending doom or even to Not Drink & Drive!!! Well I have view that says they will or perhaps have caused rear end shunts.
Heres why:
M25 Busy (as usual) and its summer, a Saturday in August when all the occasional drivers with caravans and roof boxes and camper vans..you get the picture.. are on the holiday trip from hell.
The traffic is slow from Jct 9 through to Heathrow and then onto the M1. Every over head sign is flashing with...wait for it ... Congestion Ahead or Q after Junction. the momment Mr or Mrs occasional driver sees these signs they panic and step on the brakes. Im not sure what makes people jump on the brakes for no obvious reason other than they are distracted or cant read the sign. Everybody behind over reacts and the whole road grinds to a halt. I honestly believe that thease signs cause delays beacuse everyone is struggling to read them.
IMHO we have way too much "Road Furniture" on both A roads and M roads.. The operater who turns these signs on must have a degree in stating the obvious"
--
\" Keep doing the same old thing, youll get the same old thing, try something different today!\" Read more
Funny you should mention this, same thought went through my mind on Saturday.
I was coming back from M1 clockwise on the M25 when the signs started to come on warning of congestion between J24 & J25, straight away people started to brake to read the signs, and did so at each of the next signs. Created some lovely bunching which I always think is the most dangerous thing on a motorway. Phenomenon is not restricted to M25 though, similar thing was happening southbound on M1 in Notts where all the signs were warning about problems on the A14. I think the problem is that many of the signs seem to carry quite a bit of info and it is difficult to read and digest it whilst keeping an eye on the traffic in front hence the natural tendency to ease off on the speed which eventually causes braking some distance back. Also some of the info assumes you know the local routes which can cause more confusion amongst the through traveller who probably only really knows that he/she needs the M1 for 70 miles and hasn't really a clue about which roads will by pass the problem.
Hi all, need a bit of advice on getting a deposit back on a car my parents have not (yet) bought!
They saw a 2002 Renault Espace 2.2 DCi advertised locally and took a look. After a testdrive, they decided to put a deposit (£100) down on it. It was up for £8995 and was haggled down to £8400* on the promise that all that needed doing to it would be fixed. We stipulated that:
It had a new MOT, service and cambelt replacement. The A/C would be recharged and two stone holes in the rear tail lights would be repaired. Also the clutch pedal was sticky and it was agreed they would repair this. The radio code was also needed.
This was two weeks ago (Sunday 24 Jul). The car was promised to be ready for the following Thursday (28 Jul). The thursday passed and so did the Thursday after it. Last Friday, we had a phonecall saying the car would be ready for us, so Saturday we went along to pick it up.
We arrived and asked to inspect the car. The salesman was insisting that all the work had been carried out. After our initial inspection, NONE of the work bar the cambelt had been done. (I could see the cambelt had been done, the mechanic who did it had left several tools in the engine bay (Including a pair of molegrips attatched to a pulley) and some parts in the engine bay had not been re-attatched correctly!!)
The holes in the rear lights had been covered in red insulation tape. The clutch was still sticking, in fact it was now worse and the pedal would not come back from the floor on one occassion. The radio code had not been done.
An argument ensued, the salesman saying that if we got the rear lights done he would reimburse us at a later date. We insisted he telephoned a Renault dealer in our presence and order the lights himself. This he did. We agreed to give him £8000 and the balance would be paid on completion of the work.
We left a bankers draft and drove the car home. We had hardly got a mile from the car lot when the car cut out. Any attempt to give it any throttle would result it cutting out with a bang and the ECU light coming on. (It was ok on the initial testdrive.) It was able to be restarted though. We immediatly drove the car back and demanded the bankers draft back. He gave it back begrungingly. We are giving him one last chance at fixing the problems, if he has not fixed it to our satisfaction by Thursday this week we will be walking away from the deal. Here comes the sticking point, he has already said (Not explicitly though) that we are not enititled to our deposit back. We feel we are, so any advice where we stand on this?
*After agreeing on a price of £8400, he immediatly added £56 VAT for the 2 year warranty, which they advertise as free. Now I have bought used cars with warranties before and they have absorbed the price in the final agreed price, but he was having none of this...
So if anybody is thinking of buying a car from - DELETED. {No naming & shaming thankyou. DD} Read more
What did you decide to do Ross?
Browse
Photo's 1 to 4 show Camera fodder.
Last 2 as you say Cockle purely advisory and will not have an exit sign other than a possible iddication of the school premises themselves or the entry sign on the othert side of the road.
DVD