November 2005
Here in the US we are now facing another Chicago winter.
A friend has a remote-starter which allows him to start his car from his key-fob. He can start his car on the drive from his living room. It seems like an interesting toy, but of little practical use.
A more useful development would be a cellphone in the car connected to a similar gizmo which when dialled would start the engine. Why? I leave my car in the station car park all day. When I get back to the car in the evening you can imagine what it's like considering the temperature's likely to be around -20 degrees 'C' with a bracing 30MPH wind blowing.
With that, I could start the engine while at the previous station. And when I got to the car it would be toasty warm and ready to go.
Does anyone know of a device like this? Or can suggest any potential problems? Read more
G'Day, got a '03 plate TDi 130 quattro, done 20k miles. Computer says I'm getting average 40 on local journeys, 43-44 on longer runs. Is this about right? I canna find Audi's official figures. T'is great car and consumption seems pretty good (particularly as quattro must add weight). Anyone enlighten me, pse?
thanks
EH Read more
Sounds fairly ok to me. I get 40 from my 2.0TDI new style A3 driven hard, 46 normally, and 55-60 if I'm well behaved or on a long journey.
My Ford 5000 Radio keeps getting amnesia and loosing its security code.
I reinput the correct code and all is fine for a while, maybe an hour or so during a drive, then it requests the code again.
Each time I repeat this process the up time gets shorter until it will not accept the code.
If I leave it overnight then next morning it will accept the code.
There appears to be no loss of power, the normal reason for code re-input.
My repairer says" Its a Ford repair job."
If I cannot fix it then Ebay here I come.
It has a tape unit so it is not popular and not a high value on Ebay as so many are upgrading to a CD unit.
I have a six CD changer so it is fine for me.
A plus point is it is less attractive to scroats
It will be far cheaper to replace than Ford fix it.
Is it DIY fixable?
Read more
Reporting back.
Just returned after a long trip and the radio worked all the time.
So at present I can only put the problem down to a less than perfect connection in one of the plugs.
Just unplugging and replugging seems to have removed the poor connection.
Thanks again to all.
I need to replace the corrado with a car of a similar size with 5 proper seatbelts.
I am looking for similar perforance, handling and economy (average 32pg) for around 10k.
any suggestions ? Read more
And before anyone argues a V6 with 15degree V angle is
not a proper V6!
Jim
Hence the 'R' in VR6. (R = Reihenmotor = German for in-line)
Anyway, back to the topic - the Corrado will be hard to replace, I really cannot think of a single 'natural' successor to it.
How about a BMW 328 Coupe. I'm sure you could pick one up for around the 10k mark on a 99 plate. Similar BHP figures and still a coupe (well 3 door 3-series!)
Someone above mentioned the 406 coupe. I've always liked the look of these, but have never driven one. Good luck in your quest
I have waited 4 days for a fanbelt for a Volvo 480, a guy I met today said I was lucky...he waited 11 weeks for some bit for a Citroen ....sorry I have no details. This kept his car off the road! Anyone beat that? Read more
Yes, by miles! Waited 6 months for a pressure switch for my nissan. Got told at the end of that time that they were no longer available :-( Didn't keep it off the road which was lucky :-) I am sure I waited several weeks for several bits for my old fiat too. Not sure whether any were as good as the 11 week wait though :-)
teabelly
I am starting to think about next year's summer holidays. Thinking of flying to Bordeaux or Tolouse and then hiring a car and travelling around the Dordogne or Lot valley areas of SW France (or both). It will be a four-week holiday starting 2nd week of July, mainly staying in hotels, or possibly a 'gite' if we get a recommendation on one.
I have not been to this area of France before so would appreciate any suggestions of attractive towns to use as a base and any good routes to drive, avoiding major roads etc. Read more
You may wish to try a little further west, in the Haut Pyreenes region.
This is a largely undiscovered part of France for most tourists, and as such remains quieter than other parts but a cracking region to visit.
We've spent the last few years holidaying with our kids in the area between Toulouse and Pau. It is a truely breathtaking region.
Hi,
I'm desperate for advice to get my car back on the road. I've been unable to start it since Friday night and, have been told, the problem is the key and immobiliser sytem. The breakdown guy ran a diagnostic check and it came up with a faulty key. He could have sorted me out there and then if my car wasn't a VW.
I've called a local company who claim to be able to replace keys for all types of vehicles, but have said they will need to run a full diagnostic check, and on top of a £100 call out fee the total bill is expected to be over £300, as the problem will not just be a faulty key.
So, I called the local VW garage who advised that I could need just a new chip which will be approximately £18 or a new unit which will be approximately £70. However, they can't do anything without having the car in front of them. As I am unable to start the car, this will be a problem.
Someone else has told me that they should be able to sort it with just the key and the VIN, but when I've called a different VW garage today, I've been told they need the car as well and told to call back tomorrow when I advised the small problem of not being able to start the car.
Can anyone help? Read more
Does the engine start for a second then stop?
Usualy if it is an immob fault the engin starts for a second then stops
Is it a remote key?
Did it come to peices accidentaly?
The chip is either a little black rectangle or a glass tube about 10mm long keys dont normaly fail
A spare key is always a good idea
{Shouting amended - DD}
How long can a 12v battery power 200w for? Battery is on a diesel so has a higher rating but of course diesels are also harder to start.
I bought one of those little 12v heater things last year and with the mornings getting chilly it would be handy to be able to plug it in for a while before I leave.
I know there's a formula but it's been a while since I did electronics! Read more
They are normally rated at 30 amps max,
On my Vectra the sockets are rated at 10 amp max. Still has a 30 amp fuse in the fuse box for it though.
Sad news to read this morning after his half a century of covering F1: www.itv-f1.com/News_Article.aspx?PO_ID=34566
Read more
FiL's car was stolen many nonths back and eventually insurance company paid up in full. He recalls the police saying at the time that they would report to DVLA.
Car was subsequently found but obviously was insurance company's property.
A few weeks back he received a letter from DVLA saying someone else was trying to register it. He detailed what had happened and heard no more.
Except he now has a £55 fine (reduced to £30 if paid within xx days) for failing to report change of ownership.
Is it worth him appealing it? Read more
I had a similar experience and appealed successfully. The revelant paperwork I argued was lost in the post.
In my case I was.... well sort of certain I had sent it.
>>My case was that they had to prove I didn't send it rather than me proving I did.
>>
The onus is on YOU to get the info to them.
So your case looks a bit dodgy.
IMO A sweet letter simlpy stating the facts so as not to be confrontational and not to back them into a corner is what is required. Else they can fall back on the extract I posted.
You did not contact them after four weeks so pay the fine.
I called them first and they were very helpful and friendly.
I then sent photo copies of docs etc. Finally the "No further action" letter arrived.
Happiness all round
Browse
Thanks for the very interesting comments.
I will look into the Webasto option and see what it costs here. It occurred to me I might be able to build something myself using the vibration of a cellphone left in the car to trip a switch connected to a cheaper solution.
As for the risk of theft, I'm not too worried about that as where I park theft from vehicles is unknown.
I don't think it's illegal to leave an unattended car running here. A lot of people without garages will come out in the morning with the car under an inch of ice, start her up with the heater on full blast, go back inside, get ready and finish their breakfast. That's what we had to do. And again I wasn't worried about theft.
Thanks again.