August 2005
Hi,
Can anyone give me some advice re wheel tracking on Rover 400 and service from then Rover (now Ford!) dealer for a friend.
1. 1999 had 4 new tyres fitted (goodyear)
2. Oct 2004 and 15400 miles later two new (goodyear) tyres fitted to front.
3. May 2005 with MOT/Service and 800 miles later needed two new again to front, Oct ones illegal.
4. Now replaced with two Michelin, as she was told that Goodyear are not the best and a load of pink fluffy dice, but nothing about tracking etc when questioned about why needing new ones so soon.
5. Aug 2005 and 950 miles guess what? yes that's right Michelin illegal with uneven ware.
Now she has taken the car to two other places and this is what was found: "Tracking out by 10mm toe-in", "no weight at all" and "wheels not balanced" but noting else wrong at all with car. Now what the dealer that the car has always been too is saying; must be way it's driven or hitting pavements etc and no way to repaying the cost of any tyres etc, (note £80 each from them!)
But what do the forum members think? small clams court? or forget it?
Many thanks,
James. Read more
I had to disconnect the battery while I changed a panel bulb in the dashboard. Now everything has gone back together fine and working fine .... but when I slow down (to make a turn for example) the engine is cutting out. Has disconnecting the battery for 24 hours upset the ECU or something? Any light shed on this would be great! Y Read more
Good although slightly worrying that my advice appears to have been accurate for once.
Be afraid - be very afraid.
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Adam
My car was broken into and my MOT certificate stolen. I got myself a replacement certificate, but do I need to tell the DVLA or anyone like that about the stolen cert?
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I don't suppose the police were interested - it's another crime on their stats, which is exactly why it should be reported!
I recently discovered a little display option on my dash that gives
average mpg
current mpg (that one is depressing usually)
distance to empty
This is what comes from having a mobile computer for a car, I suppose. An old fashioned fuel gauge I could figure out and pretty much understood how it measured the contents of the tank.
So can someone explain in simple English, how all the new stuff is measured and calculated? Read more
Have just returned from 1000-mile trip to far north in wife's Clio 1.6 16v. Zeroed consumption just after leaving, and once more after about 750 miles - av.mpg had settled to 51.5 at that point, and settled to over 53 for the remainder of the trip. The fuel used was exactly 90 litres for the whole trip (within 20 miles as far as I can judge from the gauge). That makes 11 mpl, or 50 mpg, so the evidence (FWIW) is that the computer overestimates about in line with the odometer. The remarkable thing is that the handbook only claims 47mpg for 'inter-urban' consumption!
I am always very wary and sceptical about security warnings that arrive by e-mail, but this one comes from an impeccable source who says that it originated within the emergency services:
Warning - We have received a warning from the Lndon Ambulance Service of activities in their area.
The London Ambulance service have units closely associated with the Police based in South London who are basically fighting gang crimes. The 'street gangs' in London (particularly South London at present, but it is sure to spread) have initiation tasks which new gang members have to carry out to be admitted to the 'gang'. The latest craze is to drive around, deliberately with no lights on their cars. The first person who 'flashes' them, points at them or sounds their horn at them, has to be followed by that new gang member in their car, who then has to fire a shot into that vehicle with no regard as to who is inside.
Our official instruction is that if we see a vehicle with no lights on, we are NOT to 'flash' it etc. and the advice to friends and family is that you should ignore any vehicles you see without lights. I would ask that you pass this info on to all your family, friends and colleagues and who knows, it may save a life. Read more
Can we close this thread now so it dissapears and worries no one else?
{Done. DD}
Hello all
I've been registered for a while now and have been watching the goings-on with awe. And now I'd like a little advice please.
I've got a '93 L Peugeot 405 1.6 that runs fine but recently the dash warning lights (oil, battery, STOP, temp, fuel) all come on together occasionally if I brake hard or corner enthusiastically (not that I do that m'lud). The car shows no sign of being about to stall and carries on running ok.
It's got me stumped. Any thoughts would be much appreciated.
Thanks. Read more
Richjard, I owe you a virtual pint. I checked the oil only to find that it was almost dry! Eeek! I'd had an oil leak fixed about five months ago and naiively thought that there would still be loads of oil in there.
Guess I'll be checking a little more often now!
Thanks again Richard.
Just reading the other thread about bikes made me think about a question which I have often asked myself:
Do bikers always break the speed limit?
There are a number of roads on my daily commute that I see a lot of bikes on, and almost always they are speeding - be it a 30, 40, 50 or national speed limit, I can't remember a biker ever having been sat behind me when I'm around the speed limit on these roads.
Just wondering why this is?
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What do people like my Dad do then who can't turn the lights off?
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Adam
I've got bored with my Audi A4. A string of minor incidents, two punctures, the quarter panel being keyed and the nearside wing being dented in a pub carpar in the feww weeks that I've been driving it have made me realise its not the car for me. I'n convinced its jinxed so its got to go.
I'm currently back to driving my old Cavalier td whilst the Audi is in the bodyshop. I'll keep running that until I find soemthing suitable to replace it with.
Main requirements are that it must do >45mpg. I do 30k miles a year and need teh economy. I don't want anythign much bigger than the cavalier. Parkign behind my house is a tight squeeze and the A4 is about the largest car that can comfortably be parked there. I'd like a bit more grunt that Cavalier but I'm likely to buy another Caterham as well to have soem fun in, so ultimate performance isn't a necessity.
I don't want to have high servicing costs, £270 for an oil change and to have the rubbers on your windscreen wipers torn isn't my idea of good value for money, another reason why I'm not as keen on the Audi as I would be just frmo the driving experience.
I know I don't want a mundano, or even a Focs, so please don't suggest either of these.
The octavia is a possibility, and possibly a Leon.
Is there anythign else out there that I should consider?
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I read often, only post occasionally Read more
Can definitely recommend the Leon TDi 110 - have had mine from new for almost 4 years & still think of it as new. I will probably still have this car 2 or 3 years from now, I'm so happy with it. Still looks stylish IMHO even as a 6 year old design. Although less refined than the 130/150 PD engines, the TDi 110 may be less of a prima donna and can be chipped to 150 bhp without being overstretched. Remaps can be had from Upsolute for around £300 IIRC (which may be on the cards again this year if I can find an insurer willing to cover it without adding 50% to the premium ...)
All things being equal, the Toledo tends to be cheaper, so if you don't need a hatch (obviously you don't) then that would be the one to go for of these two.
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andymc
Vroom, vroom - mmm, doughnuts ...
my wife has just rang vw to book our car in for its first service(gt tdi)
before she left i said ask them for a price for synthetic (506.01) and semi synthetic(505.01) then well be able to see the price diff.guess what the answer is, sorry madam vw do not do diesel synthetic oil.how can you trust these people to put the proper spec oil in the pd engines when they come out with statements like that. Read more
For someone who worries (like me) car sevicing is an absolute nightmare - you really have no idea what these clowns do to your car (if anything). And even if you pay for fully synth oil, they could put any old rubbish in - in a diesel you'd never know.
Does anybody know if there is a place that i can fill my car around Newcastle? Going across on the ferry to Norway on Friday and would like to fill-up before we go and when we come back.
Thanks
gav425
1997 Citroen Xantia 1.9TD A/C
129,000 miles www.bio-power.co.uk
Using 100% Bio-Fuel V100 Read more
V-100 is the only fuel in Plymouth, I had been told that bio-diesel is bad for some rubber parts (fuel lines)
Also v100 is 100% organic.
1997 Citroen Xantia 1.9TD A/C
129,000 miles www.bio-power.co.uk
Using 100% Bio-Fuel V100
Browse
Quote from a dealer: 'Anyone checking tracking will say that it needs adjusting'. As a rule of thumb running the hand along the outside/inside edge of the tyre tread should not show any steps in the tread. If steps are found then tracking is often out. The problem is then finding a competent person to check and adjust. I used to do it myself but, much to my regret, the facilities are no longer available. I've since found a reliable one and stick to him.