September 2005

Motormark

Looking at buying a 7 seater estate 2000 year E320CDI with 120K

Any advise or known problems with engine at these mileages.

Thanks
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Dave_TD

I didn't ask how he'd managed to average 120,000km a year for 5 years.


I know how.

10,000km a month, 2,500km a week, even only working 5 day weeks that's 500km a day. I have averaged 84,000 miles a year for the last few years, which is 135,000km more or less.
kershaw39

Hello

I've just bought a Cyprus import renault scenic from motorpoint of derby and i've been trying to check out if it is undersealed as good as a uk renault, as a collegue remarked that he had heard of Cyprus imports going rusty quick?

I've been in touch with renault UK and they have explained its got a 6 year anti corrosion warranty but UK cars have a 12 year warranty?

Has anybody out there also got an import and had any problems or good experiences , as the little berk on the phone at motorpoint was really usefull !!!!!!!!

thanks
Anthony Read more

wemyss

Was with a mate at Motorpoint Derby in 1998 when he was buying a Renault Laguna. I got talking to one of the owners and asked him how they could sell at these prices taking into account shipping them from Cyprus.
I can't remember his full explanation but he said they dont actually come from Cyprus but are diverted shipments from France which were origionally intended for Cyprus.
He had very good service from this car and only recently changed it for a Megane.

deepwith

In the past my husband and I have discussed why people were crushed when trees fell down and he said one should put your foot to the floor - yesterday I put this to the test and, by the grace of a foot, we came out of it with a bang on the head in the front seats and the back seats were totalled. Boring I know, but how many people think about these situations in advance - if we had not I think I would not be here as instinct is to brake. Read more

Hugo {P}

It's good to hear you got out of it OK.

My sister and BiL had a similar thing happen to them many years ago when they were in their Pug 205GTi - only the thing that came down oh them was not a tree but a bloke falling out of a cherry picker!

Apparently a lorry in front of them clipped the vehicle with the cherry picker mounted on it, wobbling the bucket enough to throw the guy out who, not being harnessed in against H and S rules came crashing down on the car.

Both sister and BiL thought that their retirement had arrived but although the roof was badly damaged the poor unfortunate bounced off it and landed on the pavement beside. This Pug had the sliding sunroof but it was closed with the internal blind drawn. The combination of that probably saved their lives.

AFAIR the lorry driver got done for careless driving and the company operating the cherry picker god prosecuted under the Health and Safety at work Act.

Adam {P}

I don't think this would be best in any of the IHAQ threads simply because sat nav and motoring go hand in glove and besides, people may find any replies useful.

I took my sat nav on the first longish outing yesterday. I couldn't mount it on the dash as I'm getting a bracket made up specifically for my car so the holder and mount is at the place who are doing it.

I wasn't driving, and it seemed to take an age to get a signal. This isn't the first time in this car. I thought perhaps that the Renault I was in had one of them new style photo-chromatic something or other windscreens as it only picked up 4 satellites. The most it ever had was 9 but more commonly 6-7.

It got us there certainly. A few problems I noticed. When stopped in traffic, it seemed to lose where we were. It would put us in the middle of nowhere or say turn left now when just seconds before it said follow the road for 3 miles. Once on the move again, it seemed to clear itself.

It would occasionally be a little too late with the direction but I think this was because it got confused at the same time. Whether that was due to the screen or not I don't know.

Another point to note was that I was holding it. I'm sure that that would be the equivalent of the car moving when I moved my arm so it wouldn't have been as accurate as usual.

All in all, from Merseyside to Chesterfield, we took just two wrong turns and they only happened when it seemed to lose teh satellites. On the way back, we had it on but made our general way back from memory. It seemed to agree with our way though.

The eta was also spookily spot on. It reckoned 1 hr 49 to get there and we got there in 2 hours. Then 1hr 46 on the way back and we got back 1 hr 40 later. I'm sure that's good. I mean, I don't know what it bases the times on but surely the margin of error is usually larger than that.

All in all, I was quite impressed. Not made up with it losing the signal but it was in my lap not by the windscreen. Put it this way, I could quite happily go on another "long" distance journey with it. You just have to remember that it's not foolproof and you need to pay attention to where you're going regardless.



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NowWheels

>> Updates arrive approx every 18 to 24 months and far
>> from being free are frequently v expensive.
So if young Mr Tesco puts a new hypermarket on, say,
an existing roundabout (with an additional exit fo Tesco's) I/you/we are
going to get duff gen for up to 2 YEARS?
I don't believe it!


'fraid it's true. I asked TomTom about updates to include the new M1/A1 interchange (near Ferrybridge in West Yorkshire) and they confirmed the lag. So my TomTom, purchased new in May '06, was actually made six months earlier and has maps which use data from at least 18 months before that. Next year it'll be 3 years out of date unless I upgrade the maps :(

Considering the lead-in time for that interchange, it may not have to wait for 2 years after opening before it appears on new TomTom maps, and may be included on ths year's updates ... but other changes to the road network may take longer to be included.

The huge sales of portable satnav units at the moment means that unless people bin their old units every year or two, we risk having a lot of peole being directed around by outdated maps. This could lead to some real tangles on the roads unless the mapping companies and the satnav manufacturers get their heads banged together to allow speedier and more cost-effective updates.

Of course, as many backroomers would remind us, this is all because TomTom is one of those notoriously unresponsive state-run bodies. If only it was a private company, it'd do a much better job of serving its customers ;)
Alex147

Am interested in opinions & experinces on the above 2 vehicles.
Which would people choose and why?

I lean more towards the 16v, as it is far more economical and not that much slower. However, they appear to be raer than the VR6. Read more

Roger Jones

I've had a VR6 Highline since new in December 1996. It's wonderful and I'm not going to sell it.

Running up to the purchase, I also tried a GTi. It felt much quicker off the mark and altogether more eager, but the VR6 is in a completely different league of refinement and comfort. I enjoy the smooth power delivery and the relaxed high-speed cruising, and its handling is fine as far as I'm concerned, although I have seen others describe it as soft -- I guess I just don't push it hard enough to notice.

I get 29 mpg from it. I have seen the trip meter exceed 37 mpg on a gentle journey through the countryside. I have had no significant repair bills, but the middle exhaust box has just failed (approaching nine years and 45k) and the wheels need refurbing now.

Every time I have considered selling the VR6, I have backed off. Having acquired a fourth car this past spring, I got as far as writing the advertisement, but couldn't actually bring myself to finish it off. Nah, superb little car, too good to pass on to anyone else.

Chips with everything

I believe that I have had an idea which would save 1000's of lives every year and wish to submit it to the motor manufacturers.

Can I patent an idea? Or do I actually have to find a way of constructing a prototype and patenting that?

Obviously I'm totally in the dark as to this (no that's not a clue!), but any feedback would be warmly welcomed.

Many thanks in advance,

Chips. Read more

patently

Sorry to come late to this thread, Chips.

Get expert advice on patenting. It is not straightforward. The link to the Chartered Institute is in one of the posts above, and they will be able to let you know when the next 'clinic' is being held. This is a chance to speak to a qualified patent attorney for free.

Also, most firms of patent attorneys will happily give an initial consulation without charge or obligation. Others will sometimes agree to review and adjust a draft application that you plan to file, which may cost less initially depending on how good your draft is.

Last word: don't disclose the idea until either (i) the application is on file at the Patent Office or (ii) you are absolutely certain that it isn't patentable.

clubhammer

I noticed my brake lights were not working,have so far checked the switch, bulbs & only checked the wiring visualy.I do not find the wiring in the Haynes manual easy to understand is there a relay or could it be an earth fault ? H E L P. Read more

mjm

I am assuming that you have checked for continuity across the switch with it disconnected. With the ignition switched on you should have a 12 volt supply between one of the two wires going to the switch and earth. If not, it suggests that a fuse has blown. It is not unknown for one fuse to protect more than one circuit, so if something else is not working either, that would be prime suspect. If you have a 12 volt supply then the wiring between the switch and the lights is the next suspect. It is worth double checking that the bulbs are ok. It may be a connector in the boot area has been disturbed.

hairdresser



Usual topic - What should I ask for a private sale for the following -


2000 W Reg 5 Door Corsa Club 1.2 16V in Sliver.

48K, FSH, 10 Mths MOT, Tax in good condition.

Thanks

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sp30

I found myself on a national express coach recently and feel i must congratulate the driver who avoided an accident with his forward thinking, a car on the roundabout we were joining(in a free flow lane) had not seen the coach and we sat in his blind sot as he began to drift into the free flow lane, the coach was faced with two options, 1, let the little honda civic drift into the coach and learn some physics, or 2, switch lanes quickly and smoothly, he chose the latter, with no horn blowing or anger, in fact he afforded a small smile ( self praise methinks)
anyway, just thought i would drop that in, antone got any other tales of good driving?
this forum talks a lot of bad drivers, lets here some hapy tales!"!!!!!!
(sp30)>>>force without the aid of judgement will collapse through its own mass.<<< Read more

Pezzer

I had an odd situation the other evening, I was driving along a residential road following a 206, with a line of cars parked on the other side of the road. Suddenly without indicating he slowed and the stopped - so I thought ! Not thinking too much of it I simply ambled past him as nothing was coming the other way.

However as I did this I suddenly hear a tooting of horns and see headlights right up my tailpipe. About a hundred or more yards ahead one car was parked on our side of the road effectively restricting the road to only one car's width. It was at this point I realised he had stopped to allow another car coming the other way through the 'gap'.

It was one of those things which in retrospect was my fault but he stopped so unexpectedly and a long way from the parked car that I simply thought he had just found a house he was looking for.

Anyway he caught up with me at the roundabout at the end of the road and started waving fists, but by this point I found the whole thing rather amusing and couldnt help laughing at my mistake. This seemed to disconcert him a bit and he drove off.

(On the off chance he's reading this - sorry old bean !)

P

frankieyeha

i have trouble with the heating in my car which is a 91 vw golf 16 gtd mk2. someone told me it might be the heater bypass valve can someone describe what it looks like or email me a photo of one. my heater will work as normal until it gets to normal running temp then it goes cold if i turn it off for a bit and turn it back on its fine. its not the thermostat i replaced it and checked it. has someone any other ideas?

{mobile phone text language edited out and amended. You are not limited to 160 characters here, as you are with a mobile. DD} Read more

frankieyeha

will you email me the way to take the matrix out thanks its frankie200484@hotmail.com thanks frankie