October 2005
Next Summer we are planning to drive down to the Perpignon area from the channel ports. We know to avoid the first week in August as all of France is on the road then.
If was looking for advice on the following points :-
1) I estimate it is about 750-800 miles, is this feasible to do in 2 days, given that I have to think of my wife and 9 year old ?
2) What is the best channel port to go to, ie is it better to do Dover/Chunnel or cross from Portsmouth which is fairly close to us ? Would we be adding distance to our journey if we land at Le Havre, Caen, Cherbourg etc ? Read more
My 911 is still fitted with the original Michelin Pilot Sport tyres - 295/30. One rear tyre is, I think, approaching the wear limit, but I am very confused as to whether or not it is still legal.
In the centre region, there is about 4-5mm of tread - well over the 1.6mm minimum. However, at the edges there is about 1mm, definitely less than 1.6mm. Nevertheless, tread is still clearly visible over the entire circumference. I know that I need 1.6mm over the centre area and some visible tread over the entire width.
Looking closely at the tyre, Michelin have designed it so that the centre tread area is in fact deeper than the side edges, where the grooves do not extend as deeply into the tyre. The difference seems to be about 2mm (ish), suggesting that the tyre is designed so that when the edges have no tread, the central area has the legal minimum. So the whole tyre "runs out" of tread at the same time, assuming even wear.
Now, IIRC the law prescribes that that centre area needs to be 75% of the tyre width. This is where I get confused. Michelin's centre area is 5.5 inches, exactly 50% of the (11 inch) tyre width. On that basis, the tyre is no longer legal to drive because the 1.6mm minimum tread does not extend over 75% of the width of the tyre.
However, Michelin have put wear bars are in the centre area, which would suggest that this is the relevant part for testing. Their website advises me to look at these. On this basis, the tyre is still legal.
Perhaps there is some exception for seriously fat tyres? Or maybe my understanding of the 75% requirement is out of date? I'd like to run the tyre a little longer so as to get more use from the other rear tyre, which was replaced last December after a puncture, and be able to replace both at the same time.
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P.S. - I'm happy about safety issues, given the performance of the car & tyre on a wet day at Castle Combe. My concern is to avoid 3 points and a £2,500 fine. Read more
lime green or barbie pink ...
Just out of interest, what does actually happen if you hold a bodyshop Micra at 70mph for an hour? In first gear?
PS Maybe we should ask them to put one of those
how's-my-driving stickers on the back ...
Unhappy? Call 1-800-GET-LOST!
Hi, not sure what info to put, bought a 1997 peugeot 406 lx 7 seater, got through MOT no probs, Saturday started to hesitate on acceleration, this got worse, almost kangaroo! Would get to traffic lights, junctions, would cut out.. a light comes on dash intermittantly that looks like a battery with a fan in the middle. Yesterday, driving got worse, approached junction noticed rev counter dropping drastically so accelerated to avoid it stalling, the car backfired and stopped, black smoke from exhuast.
Started car up and rev counter fluctuated between 0 and 3000 revs. with no acceleration.
I am not sure what sort of problem I am looking at and how much this is likely to set me back, anyone any experience pleaseeeeeeee.!!
desperate blonde who doesn't want to be used at a garage!
thanks
liesa Read more
please help as I would like to find any information that could help me please!
liesa
I have a 6 month old Nissan X-trail 2.5 petrol auto. On a recent longish run it developed jerkiness in the gear changes. Some time later a warning light came on - this is the 'malfunction indicator' which warns of an 'engine control system malfunction'.
Normally the gearchange is the smoothest I have encountered in several autos I have owned. Do any backroomers with a knowledge of autos know if an 'engine control system malfunction' could cause jerkiness in the transmission?
Regarding the type of gearbox - in a recent discussion thread HJ suggested the 2.5 X-Trail 'box was a CVT with torque convertor. I am convinced it is a conventional auto as it changes in much the same way as previous autos I have run and is not at all 'seamless' as a Jazz CVT which I also run. Needless to say, the dealer doesn't know what it is! The sales literature make no mention of CVT wheres the new Murano is very definately marketed as a CVT. If it is a CVT and it has developed a problem in just 13,000 miles I will think seriously about getting rid, although it is in other regards a very good vehicle. On the recent 400 mile run I achieved 29.75 mpg at speeds around 80/90 mph!
I would appreciate any thoughts on jerky autos - particularly when they are quite new.
Thanks
HectorG Read more
My Pug 406 estate diesel 02 year will soon be due for a service. I'm going to do the job myself (as a qualified Technician) but I wonder if its possible to re-set the service indicator without plying my main dealer with copious fivers to do the job.
Anyone advise if this can be done??
As always, thanks to those who contribute to the motorists needs on these pages.
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These are the views of Robin the Technician with 35 years in the trade. I fix, therefore I am... Read more
Exactly the same proceedure for a Citroen,
and very similar to Vauxhall as well (except you don't get the 10 sec countdown when you hold in the trip reset)
I got a puncture at the weekend and went to a large multi national company to have it repaired. They said it could not be repaired as the gash was more than 6mm wide and by law they could not repair the tyre and the price for a new tyre was £84.90 fully fitted (Dunlop 205/60R15 91V).
I checked the Internet and found a company Black Circles, which can arrange for the same tyre to be fully fitted for £63.78.
1.Is this large multi national telling the truth about the 6mm,as I am always suspect of these places.
2.Has anybody ever used Black Circles and are they any good.
I have a 54 plate Passat 130bhp.
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I should have worded my original question a bit better. My concern was that the large multi national that I originally took the tyre to said that the gash was larger than 6mm when he had not even taken the tyre off the car to have a good look.
Anyway took the tyre to kwik fit (yoker branch) and the service I got was first class took tyre off rim and should me the damage. Tyre could not be repaired as it was to close to the side wall of the tyre and also matched the price of black circles.
Brings a whole new meaning to "I didn't see you" if the car doesn't even have a driver on board!
A great achievement reported here and elsewhere but this article gives the best picture of the car (a converted Toureg)found so far: www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/10/09/tech/main927913...l Read more
Oh - that's what a "driverless car" is. When I saw the thread title I immediately thought of the stately Daimler that I used to see often around Farnham as a child in the 50s and 60s, driven apparently by no-one - in fact a colonel's widow of about 4 ft 10 in, peering invisibly through the steering wheel.
Presumably the same effect was common with short drivers of those upright, swaying, sit-up-and beg Ford Anglias (1940s) and Populars (1950s).
Why are there such large discrepancies amongst car valuation guides?
Car is 1998 S BMW 750iL with 70k.
Parkers
Private - £10,275
Whatcar
Private - £13,291
A discrepancy of £3,016.
That's a lot of cash...Any recommendations about which guide is closest to the TRUE MARKET VALUE?
Thanks!
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Can't it just be people who don't want to settle for a crap part-ex value?
That being said, I dread to think what I'd get offered for mine part ex but I would more than likely part-ex simply to avoid the hassle.
Whatever the part-ex value is for mine, it's certainly worth a lot more to me in my ownership than the money value would be.
Recently I got to a long distance relationship and I find my self travelling about 450 miles, twice a month. I am thinking of changing to a diesel. I am on a limited budget, but can trade up the Almera. There are two diesel cars in my local dealer for sale : an N reg Corsa 1.5D and an R reg Felicia 1.9 both priced around £600-700. Baring in mind that I do not care about comfort or size but only the economy (diesel and ownership) and reliability. Which car should I go for?. Both cars are in good condition from elderly drivers with around 70k on the clock and I am planning to keep the car for 5 years.
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I only use the outside lane to bypass people who drive slower than my 60 mph and carefully returning to the inside lane.
Hi,
I have a minor oil leak, which has been recently been getting worse. This is the first time I will ever have to top up oil between 6k services, since buying the car 10 years ago. The oil leak has always been there (very minor), but didnt justify the labour.
It appears to be leaking from the lower bolt of the turbo, visible from underneath the car. It only leaks when the engine is running, resulting in a few drops when the car is parked up. I tried tightening this bolt in the past, but made little difference.
I guess this is related to the oil feed for the turbo. Is the oil return fed back into the engine through the mating surfaces? If so is this a new turbo gasket job? If the turbo oil seals were leaking, would I see an external oil leak, or would it be burned in the exhaust?
Any advice or likely cause is appreciated.
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I've just replaced the rocker cover gasket on my '97 306 TD at 122k miles. Was leaking oil onto the cambelt so got that changed at the same time to be safe. Apparently it's fairly common on these engines..
Raz.
Browse
Fair point, b-man. Sorry if my reply was a bit terse - smilies should have been added!!!
Phil