December 2005
Hi just bought some new batteries for the remote central locking key. The red light illuminates on the key when the lock or unlock button is depressed but remote locking is working (works fine with key in door lock).
Does the car need to re-learn the key? is there a procedure to activate the key or does this indicate a fault in the lcoking system etc.
amny thx for any help Read more
I have just scraped the offside of my reg 51 polo (metallic grey) against the rear corner of a parked vehicle. Other driver said not to worry about his car, damage minimal, but I now have long scrape stretching across passenger door and back panel. Am planning to sell my car next month and need this sorting out asap. Can anybody help me out by giving me a rough idea what you reckon the damage will be - reluctant to take to local VW garage as have history of being massively overcharged imo by them! Panels seem to be intact, if anything very slightly dented, but only slight... Cheers Read more
Sound advice, much appreciated. Will get a quote.
Hi,
Jezzer vine is asking on Radio 2 this lunch time, for the most ignored laws.
As a pedestrain and {tandem} pram pusher {cyclist, motorcyclist, motorist and caravanner too},I find cars parked on the pavement { 1 pair of wheels on the pavement, the other pair on the road}a big problem, cannot get past with the the tandem pram, have to go into the road, but nothing ever gets done - I see Police and traffic wardens ignore cars parked this way. I understand however how 4x4 drivers need to do this, as they have a 4x4.
Why is nothing done?
Another much flouted law is cyclist going through RED lights
As a cyclist, I always go through RED lights, but I stop and look when they are green incase a motorist is coming through the other way on RED.
What do you think are the most ignored laws {of the road}?
And finally they have just closed part of the M55 to resurface the hard shoulder - in black. Does this mean that in a few weeks they'll cone off miles of motorway again to change the tarmac back to red?
Paul
Paul {Forest of Bowland} Read more
Yes Dave?
I'll happily undertake this challenge.
Hi,
did anyone see Nigel's lap?
The fastest ever {cut 100 yds off by going stright thro the corners}.
Anyway, during the said 'lap' the number plate changed, then changed back again.
I did not think that even F1 drivers are alloed to use two cars in the same race.
Paul
Paul {Forest of Bowland} Read more
Wow, i did a search for 'mansell'
No results came back.
A site search, rather than a forum search I presume?
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=33878
who is the stig?
Was Perry McCarthy, now Ben Collins.
Anyway, to avoid repetition, please continue discussion in the current TG related thread.
DD.
Hi, I would really apreciate some advice as I am really stuggling with a problem.
I have a Mk5 golf (54 plate)
The car developed a serious leak (the boot, rear and front passenger footwells filled with water)
I took the car into VW, told them the problem (i.e. I said there is water coming in the boot, and both passenter footwells)
VW took the car and after a week told me they had spent all week looking at the car and could not find a problem.
VW sent the car off to an accident repair centre to check the body seams for leaks.
A further week later the accident repair centre got in touch and told me that the leak was due to a rear end shunt that had basically cracked the back of the car and that was where the water was coming in. They told me that as it was an accident it would not be carried out under warranty and they would have do an insurance quote for me.
First off, I am not aware of any rear end shunt, as the car was in good condition when I dropped it off. The person who was following me (to give me a lift back) can also confirm there was no visible rear damage.
The report from the accident repair centre said that there was "considerable rear end damage definatly caused by a rear end shunt"
Ok, so I personally don't believe this to be true (unless it happened in the VW car park, but regardless of how this happened, it is a job for the insurance company and I need to get this sorted out ASAP)
I told VW to give me an insurance quote, and I did say "DONT DO ANYTHING TO THE CAR"
I was told that the car had to be put back together as it was not movable how it was. Ok fair enough I thought. They said they would get back to me with a quote and let me know when it was ready (so that I could have the car back UNTIL the insurance job was aproved and they could start work on the car)
To my suprised when I got in the office 2 days later. I had a message on my desk saying the car is "done" and I have an outstanding bill of ~£780 before I can pick it up.
I immediatly rang VW to find out what on earth they were charging me £780 for and what 'done' meant?
They told me that the £780 was because they had to replace the carpets/underlay/mats and put the dashboard back together.
1) WHY DO I WANT NEW CARPETS/MATS IN A CAR THAT HAS AN UNFIXED LEAK
2) Why have they taken the dashboard out? The majority of the water was in the boot, I told them the water was in the boot!
They say that they thought the water was coming in the front! OK so their 'intelligent' staff think that water can run down from the windscreen, into the footwell, then up the back seats and into the boot? Surely anyone knows the check the highest point for a leak first?
So I have been trying to get the insurance company to sort out the problem. They have sent down an investigator, who confirmed the car has had a rear end accident (which I still don't know what happend with) yet there is nothing I can do about it.
The insurance comany say they will pay for the accident repair, but will not pay £780 for carpets and dashboard as there is no reason why the carpets should have been replaced (the new mats are all mouldy like the old ones now anyway) in a leaking car, and why should they pay for the dashboard removal for a car with a leak in the boot?
VW say that they were justified in what they did to find the leak (they will not admit that water cannot travel against the forces of gravity into the boot from the front footwell)
The insurance company say they will not pay for work that should not done. So I am getting phone call after phone call saying "You can't have the car back until you pay - the work is justified" and then the other side saying "There is no way we are paying for that, the work is unjustified and does not relate to the accident"
Please help, I am stuck in deadlock. This has been going on for a month now.
Clearly as the insurance company state, VW cannot charge for removing the dashboard to find a leak in the boot. Thats like changing a tyre and saying "oh well we had to replace your sunroof before we could find out what was wrong with the tyre, that'll be £600"
I understand that VW are out of pocket from investigating the leak as they have had to spend time on it. If the invoice was for "Time spent investiaging the damgage causing a leak in the boot" then the insurance company would not have a problem, but they quite rightly as they keep on telling me, cannot pay for items that are completely unrelated to the accident I am claiming for.
I would really really apreciate your help on this one. I have no idea what to do. I cannot afford to pay £780 for some new (now as wet and mouldy as the old) carpets and mars as well as £450 insurance accident. All for an accident I know nothing about.
Kind Regards
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I once took a 9 month old astra in to the dealers to fix a knock due to excessive play in the rear brake compensation valve, investigated and diagnosed by myself, which I expected them to fix under warranty. To my suprise, they gave me a bill which they said was for adjusting the tensioner spring on the valve, as adjustments were not covered under warranty. I paid under duress. When I got home I noticed that the drivers door was not aligned with the rear door when closed, it was further in. I checked the bill and the majority of the bill was for investigating the cause of the knock and adjusting the door and hatch pins. I immediatley went back to the dealer and queried this, as I had distictly told them where the knock was coming from and the the cause of it, verified by the charge for adjusting the tension spring on the bill, and I asked them to un-adjust the misalagned door pin and deduct the uncontracted work from the bill. In their favour, they agreed and did so. I was still peeved at having to pay for the adjustment of the brake valve because (a) at 9 months old the spring should not have stretched out of tolerance (car had only done 9000 miles), (b) it was not listed as a service item and (c) I could have adjusted it myself FOC.
What happens to those new cars that customers successfully reject under warranty because of persistent faults etc? If they are re-sold does poor old Joe Public get to know the antecedents?
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Mate of mine used to work for TRW, and was involved in the electric power steering on the Fiat Stilo, amongst others.
He had to go out to Cassino in Italy to do some final testing on production-build cars...they would break them, the factory would patch them up and send them on to the dealers...as far as I know, that didn't happen with the RHD cars though!
I wonder if anyone could offer an opinion/advice please?
I have an Escort diesel van 'S' reg non turbo and you'd swear I was carrying 5 tons in the back! Some hills are no go areas as there is such a severe lack of power.
I went to a local garage who suspected it was going to cost £300 to repair. I heard some muttering of a pressure pump as I was getting up off the floor.
Can this be right? And is there any way of adjusting it?
I believe its either a bosch or lucas but not really sure.
Many thanks in asdvance
Gareth Read more
You could experiment by advancing the fuel injection pump timing slightly,then taking it for a run to see if their's any difference in the performance.May be cheaper in the long run.
Never used one but thought, at such a low price, it might be worth keeping handy if ever the unexpected happens.
It's a car dent puller at very low cost and can be found at;
tinyurl.com/cr2co
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by Read more
i use one at work for dents, mines red and cost £15 as i bought it from power-tec its exceedingly good.A similar one can be found in poundland shops but i trust mine and quite often put my slide hammer on it for extra pull,i give mine 10/10
Hi all,
My Leon is in the classifieds at the moment (2003/53 Cupra, 45k, silver), and while I wasn't expecting a flood of enquiries from here, there has been no contact from my ad on the autotrader website (nearly a week now). It's up on AT for £9500. Is this vastly above book? It's comparible with the other Cupras on the AT site, cheaper than some. Is it just us over-ambitious Cupra owners, or is it generally a slow time? Any tips? I'm not desperate to sell, but I realise that the more time that passes, the less I'll get, and I'm hoping to buy a classic with the proceeds before the prices for these pick up again.
TIA,
Alex.
--
Dr Alex Mears
Seat Leon Cupra
If you are in a hole stop digging...unless
you are a miner. Read more
I've just bought a Saab 900 - 1994 Convertible. It didn't cost a very great deal more than what you want to pay. Whilst I was looking for one, it struck me how incredibly cheap these old Saabs are. £500 would easily get you a 94- hatchback with a pretty huge boot, or maybe even a -94 classic shape light pressure turbo. If you're after something slightly "different" it might fit the bill - just a thought.
"the vehicle is second hand therefore the same criteria is not that of a new vehicle"
Could anyone explain what this staement means with regard to the Sale of Good Act
Thanks Read more
Having re-read this thread to be perfectly honest I'm not sure an alarm/immobiliser fault on a car of this age or miles is really to be unexpected. Were you offered a warranty at the time and was it made clear the car was sold with no warranty?
It will really come down to whether the dealer can prove the brakes were OK at the time of sale.
I must admit if they've offered to fix the brakes anyway I'd be inclined to take the offer rather then persue what might be a costly case. If you are rejecting on the basis of the brakes there are simple things which determine the outcome:
1. Can the dealer prove the brakes were OK at the time of sale? If not:
2. Is it a reasonable enough time since purchase for outright rejection? 3000 miles and 2 months might be pushing this IMO on a car this old. If not:
3. The dealer is entitled to offer a replacement or attempt a repair. If they cannot effect a repair they may offer a full or partial refund. They can make deductions for mileage and depreciation of the car while you've been using it. Alternatively, you may claim compensation from the dealer and have the repair carried out yourself.
As I wrote in another thread today: The SoGA is not some sort of hidden warranty. It exists to protect the consumer from misdescriptions, goods blatantly not fit for purpose and unfair terms and conditions. It also protects the seller from spurious claims and specifically takes account of wear and tear, age, price and circumstances of sale. This is very important as far as used cars are concerned.
As far as used cars are concerned you should expect them to be roadworthy and legal at the time of sale unless described otherwise & described correctly. It doesn't protect much beyond that and the older the car the less it protects. The protection on new cars is better but you probably have a 3 year warranty anyway so only comes into play when a fault can't be fixed.
Browse
If you look in your handbook it gives you the procedure for re-programing the transponder in the key.