September 2005
Hiya
I'm staying with friends in Vermont USA, winter is coming & they need to replace their car.
Now it gets a bit chilly here-30 below & snow like a Christmas Card. Hilly, loads of sharp corners, not brill road surface & adverse camber everywhere. So..what do they want? What does best on slippy surface? I was thinking light weight 4x4 like a subaru saloon (which is now the 'national' car of Vermont), but what do I know? Maybe heavy is better; there's some massive SUVs being driven here. I've also just seen that Vovlo have AWD saloons here as well.
What do the real 4x4 users think?
Thanks everyone. Read more
Debating buying a GSi with the above engine.
Any specific known problems with this engine?
I have test driven a GSi and noticed two things:
a) was very noisy/rattly at initial start up, though smoothed out after couple minutes idle.
Dealer said this was normal if car had been standing as oil needed to circulate - correct?
b) after test drive with bonnet up noticed the belts seem to make quite a noticeable noise - different to above noise.
Is this normal?
Car driven was an 05 plate with 5000 miles.
Andrew Read more
Yeah, my mate has got a 03 3.2 V6 Elite with only 15k, and it seems to make a similar noise to what has been described. Garage has serviced it and not brought the issue up, so guess it must be ok. Most 3.2V6 GSi owners love their cars. Pretty good value in terms of insurance, servicing and fuel economy. Nice torquey engine with a growl from the exhaust.
Can anyone help with this problem, the trip computer on my Megane 1.6 RT Sport is not working the milage is shown but when I activate the button on the wiper stork nothing happens,is this a common problem with megane's and can it be fixed easily by me. Read more
They can be stripped and re soldered, but it is a bit tricky.
Worth pricing a new one then having a go maybe.
I have a 1988 xr3i with 60k.
Recently, the radiator fan went which I replaced. However, prior to this the car was overheating (doesn't take a genius to know why! ! ).
However, now the temp guage doesn't work. Any ideas would be appreciated . . . Read more
>>>>>DVD, it sounds like the thermostat has gone as has been suggested. It should read in the NORM area after a couple of miles. My escort reads bang smack in the middle, thrashed or not.<<<<<<
I "heart" you Mike Farrow........not a lot.
Set to yesterday and fitted a new thermostat, seal, gasket and clip. Now sporting 6 cuts and grazes on my right hand and my wife now has a complete understanding of naughty words. Why oh why when the designers come up with a vehicle they are not made to strip down to show what problems they cause. The top bolt of the thermo unit sits in a little gulley and if they can tell me how you can get a one and half diameter finger into a three quarter hole without KY jelly I'd be obliged. The other two bolts located by feel only beeing underneath and to the rear of the housing. Alternator, plug leads and coil all in the way but after two and half hours persistence achieved what for me was the nigh impossible and no leaks. (Changed the anti freeze whilst at it).
Needle now rests just below half above the M or Normal.
dvd
dvd
I have amn M reg escort. Every so oftern the car suddenly pulls to the left or right. Feels as if the front wheel have hit ice, this was in summer?Tyres okay and tracking any ideas
Read more
Sticky brake caliper? Does it do it during/after contact with a pothole/road undulation/bump? if so it may be a suspension joint.
Help! My husband has a spinal injury and we need a higher seat position than in a mondeo estate! Falling into his (passenger) seat does neither him or the seat much good. Previously had a Scenic but was a "Friday PM" one so would rather not repeat the experience. Have looked at Ford C-Max but small boot not good for dog or childs buggy together. Do approx 24,000 a year and need room for 2x6+ footers, 12year old + his buggy plus dog and the odd passenger(.......see my problem!!) plus driver (me) of course. Not fussed if new or used. Read more
Many thanks for the suggestions for a car for us. Have had great fun test driving and checking out the suggestions - also rating salesmen!!!!! Fiat and Toyota lost the sale before we even began by their attitude. Peugeot (Poole) I am really sorry the 807 was not for us - but rate your staff really highly. Presently have the X-Trail (thank you Hugo, we had not considered any similar); Grand Scenic , Galaxy on the list. Have yet to look at the Touran, Berlingo. Really surprised at the limited leg room in the passenger side of the Mazda 5. Search goes on!!
{Moved to original thread as related. DD}
My query is more to do with my consumer rights than mechanical matters.
I have a petrol Citroen C4 1.4 which I bought brand new 7 months ago. In the last fortnight the car has developed a "flat spot" when changing from 1st to 2nd and 2nd to 3rd (the car jumps very violently and usually cuts out).
On a journey on Wednesday the car became completely undriveable, I called out Citroen Assist (RAC) who diagnosed the flat spot, and they towed the car to the nearest Citroen dealer, which happens to be the same one I bought the car from. Citroen Assist gave me a hire car.
The Citroen dealer called me on Thursday to say there are "absolutely no faults" with the car, despite the RAC man confirming the flat spot to them. I told them there was definitely a problem, please could they take another look.
Friday arrived (today), and again the Citroen dealer called me and they are adamant there is absolutely no fault with the car. Reluctantly I picked up the car after quite an argument with them.
Just before I got home, the car juddered and cut out (3rd gear @ 2500rpm). I just about managed to get it home.
I've called Citroen Assist again and they're sending the RAC tomorrow morning to look at the car, and most likely take it back to the dealer.
What should I say or do if the dealer continues to insist there is no problem with the car, when there clearly is a rather major problem?
The trouble is, the problem only occurs when the engine is hot after 30 minutes or so of driving, so if their mechanics take it for a quick spin round the block it probably won't happen.
Also, does anyone know Citroen Assist's policy on courtesy car provision? They said the hire car they gave me was only for 48 hours - regardless of how long it takes the dealer to fix my car - and if I needed it longer I had to pay out of my pocket. Surely this isn't fair?
Many thanks in advance to anyone who can advise me. Read more
"I really like the look and design of the C4 - if only it were made by someone like Nissan, Toyota or Honda I'd be very tempted to buy one"
But then it wouldnt look like a C4 - it would look like a nissan, toyota or honda.
Hi,
i have a 1.8 focus w reg and i have a problem that when i am driving slowly in any gear it seems a bit jerky. For example when im driving in traffic in say 2nd at 1500 revs and my foot is either off the accelerator or just touching it is not as smooth as it used to be. Accelerating through the gears it is ok, it's just when pottering round the town.
P.S
The idle when stationary is perfect. it's just when i put my foot on the accelerator a touch.
Thanks Read more
I have the same problem with my T-reg 1.8 petrol Focus. I even find that lifting off the accelerator and touching it again at 70mph in 5th it jerks. The one thing which made a huge improvement was running it on Shell Optimax. After a few successive tank fulls it barely jerked at all and was generally much smoother.
There was a thread some weeks ago about where the name for the new Fiat Croma came from.
Must be an acronym, something like
Crushing Residuals: Owners Mostly Angry.
This kind of thing has obviously been going on for a few years at least: Like the old Daewoo Lanos, which obviously stood for
Looks Are Not Our Strength.
Any others? Read more
I thought to myself yesterday "You know Adam, there's something you're
*not* missing."
Funny - today, I know what that is ;-)
If you're happy without an elegant car, I'm pleased for you.
;-)
Hello,
The fan in my p reg ford fiesta was stuck blowing out at level four even when it was switched off. I took the radio out to look at the wires and when I moved them (very slightly) a tiny flame appeared and I blew it out straight away. I then replaced the radio and everything seems to work fine. The fan operates normally apart from on level two (where nothing happens) level 1,3 and 4 are all fine. Does this mean the wire that operates fan power level two is burnt out, need I worry about any further flaming/fires?
Thanks, James Read more
Just to be very clear here ONLY WRAP THE AFFECTED WIRE as Artful rightly says, DO NOT wrap all the wires as this could re-instate the short circuit and set fire to the whole loom.
Carse
Oops! Meant to say Honda Ridgeline, of course. Mind you a team of Honda-developed Ridgebacks tied to a lightweight sled might be ideal for Vermont winters.