December 2005
Hi all,
I'm fairly sure I need new shocks for my VW Passat(02). I assume it's better to get them all replaced at the same time. Does anyone know how much I should reasonably expect to pay at my local garage?
Should I try and source the parts myself from the internet and just get the garage to do the fitting? Read more
I had an accident a couple of weeks ago where the other party didnt stop at his red light, claims he didn't see it, and went straight into my drivers side of the car, as I was turning right when the light was on green. He's to blame, admitted fault to the Police etc. so all that it straight forward.
Got a call from the insurance assessor today who confirmed the car is a write off. I knew it would be. If it wasnt before the fire brigade cut me and my mum out of it it definately was afterwards.
The insurance assessor has said that I can only get £495 for my car. It was/is a 1995 M Reg Ford Fiesta Sapphire. 1.1 engine with 45,500 on the clock. I bought it for £995 a year and a half ago and was hoping for about £600 for it, after all I now have to find a new car when I wasnt particularly looking for one. I think I'm entitled to ask for more for it but would like some further advice. I've looked on around and found that similar cars with similar mileage are going for upwards of £600 with some being sold for £900 so I dont think that £495 is enough for my car. I definately wouldn't have sold it for that much and therefore don't see why I should accept such a low figure purely because some idiot didn't stop or see a red light.
Am I being silly by asking for more? Should I accept the first offer from the insurance company?
Also, I now have to look for a new car. I really only need it to get me to work and back and rarely do more than 15 miles a day. Saying that I don't want the equivalent to a lawn mower and would like something with a little power etc for times when I do need to go further. I've been looking at the Mark 4 Fiesta, about a 1998 or 1999 plate really, with the 1.25 engine as from what I can gather the 1.3 engine of this age is having some problems. I also like the Renault Clio of about the same age but would like the RT model as it has a higher spec but there arent many of them around that I can afford. I've considered the Seat Ibiza of the same age and although I like the look of it I don't have a clue about them. I only have around £1500 to maximum of £2000 to spend and am after some advice on what is the best small used car for this money. I dont really want anything earlier than 1998 if I can help it. After all it will be my 3rd car so I think I should be entitled to spoil myself with something a bit newer by now.
Any advice greatly recieved!
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I was in a similar situation some years ago where the insurance company of the lady that hit me offered a low price on my elderly car that had been lovingly looked after for 16 years. I took them to the small claims court for the value I wanted. It worked. I guess they did not consider it worth fighting for the small extra amount involved.
Hi there
I just joined this forum today and this is my first post so I hope you guys can offer me some help.
Background story is this, I have a Toyota Avensis on a 3 year personal contract hire from Toyota Financial Services that I use solely for my job and all was going swimmingly as the £471.72 per month that I pay Toyota for the vehicle was being nicely balanced by the car allowance that I recieved from my employer. I am 10 months into this contract. At the end of the term, I simply give the car back and there are no further payments to be made. In this deal, if I continue the lease after 3 years, I get a new Toyota and I have no options for buying the car after the lease ends.
So all is well and good and then at the end of November, I got made redundant from my employment. Company was taken over by large PLC and although I am good at my job, I am excess to requirements and so given the boot.
Now my situation is that I have a car, 10 months into a 3 year contract and having put my situation to Toyota, all they have offered me is a buy out of the contract at 6.8K and they take the car back off me!!!
I cant afford to keep the car, its too expensive, I cant accept a job unless it offers a car allowance and they seem thin on the ground.
Please, someone, offer me either a technical loophole to get out of this or some good advice whereby if I have to keep this car, I at least get to own it at some point!!!
Thanks in advance new friends!!!
Mike Read more
Hmmm. This is why I buy a second-hand car cheaply with my allowance and pocket the rest.
If the company doesn't like the idea of me driving around in a £1500 5-year-old Hyundai that's their lookout.
Our Leon Cupra requires all new discs and pads- where is the best place to buy them from? I live in Bromley. I want good quality, at the best prices.
www.buypartsby.com appears to offer good prices, but are Delphi and Mintex top quality suppliers? I have used Mintex in the past but have no experience with Delphi products.
I am considering using EBC greenstuff pads at the front, are there any reasons not to use these pads?
Thanks.
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Thanks again Aprilia for reasuring me re Apec. I am a real worrier!
I went for a longish drive yesterday and found the brakes much better than before.
***** This thread is now closed, please CLICK HERE to go to Volume 21 *****
(This thread was originally entitled 'Porn and Propeganda' which did not describe it accurately and since the last Top Gear Thread already had 98 postings I sarted a new one. HJ)
Most of us must envy aspects of Jeremy Clarkson's life and many will concede that he is an amusing chap who can probably drive quite well. Why, though, when driving the Bugatti Veyron recently, did he allow those repeated shots of the 'power dial' on the car's facia with the needle slamming into the stop at 1,000hp? Extremely naff in my opinion. More seriously, in the last item of the last number of Top Gear he seemed to be saying that it was easier to drive a virtual car on screen than a real one on a circuit. His argument seemed to be that all the g-forces were offputting, when we all know that without them, and with a couple of sticky plastic buttons instead of a steering wheel, we are in the scenery immediately, running over pedestrians and being pursued by virtual police cars prior to being dragged out of our wrecked car and quite rightly shot dead on the spot. That's what happens to me when I play Grand Theft Auto anyway.
Mr Clarkson seemed, it is true, not entirely convinced himself. But he said it anyway, a bit of script clearly written by someone else, intended to discourage people from trying to go fast in reality. Naff again, and wasted breath, surely?
Jack the Lud Read more
It's here:
forum.finalgear.com/viewforum.php?f=28
At lunchtime, I was accused of reversing into a car in a shop car park. The accusation was made by an employee of the shop who was in the car park at the time, who said the car belonged to a customer who was not present.
Though there was no sign of damage to either car, I gave the shop employee my details.
I returned shortly afterwards with a camera to record the fact there was no visible damage. The same shop employee came out and before i could explain what I was doing, told me it was against the law to take pictures without the landowners consent, and that he was 'excluding' me from his car park
Was he right ?
What would you do ?
Go on, get out of the car...
www.mikes-walks.co.uk Read more
It was no business of the shop employee for a start, it wasn't his car you alledgedly hit. I would have asked the guy to point out the damage to the vehicle you were in contact with. He would have been unable to do so and therefore had not a leg to stand on. I would then have reported the guy to his manager for threatening behaviour.
hi, ive got what looks like oil in my rad top up bottle,cleaned it out used the car for a week and its back, im not loseing oil from engine and the car runs fine with no lose of power any idea where its coming from, thax Read more
thax andrew and robin i will get it checked out asp,have a great new year
Tomorrow, weather permitting, I have been asked to view a Renault Megane by my young niece with a view to purchasing the car..
I'm afraid that I don't know anything at all about these cars, and have told her so. I can obviously make the usual checks that one would make before the purchase of any used car, but don't know anything specifically relating to these vehicles.
Could anyone on this forum give me any specific things to look for, please? The car is a very late 2002, it's the new shape, the one with the "bum". It's a 52 Reg, 1.6VVT Petrol Engined, and has apparently done about 30K miles.
Does it have a cambelt and, if so, what's the recommendation for changing it, please.
Thanks in advance for any advice offered.
Happy New Year to All.
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If you really must get involved with a Renault then get it thoroughly checked by RAC or DEKRA inspector. Don't be swayed by any 'warranty' that the garage may offer - not worth the paper they're printed on IMHO.
I hope its cheap - these cars are not well liked in the trade. I suspect the garage will be delighted they've got a punter for it, especially at this time of year, so if you end up wanting it then haggle very hard on price.
Did you know a major name in the breakdown recovery business charges you for a service you have not had.
My wife had roadside service from 1st September at x amount. To upgrade to relay and home start from December, she was quoted the annual amount and told you do not get a reduction for the period you have not used (September to end of November).
Have you come accross this before? I plan to switch at next renewal.
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Just looked at the ADAC website again and it looks like I may be selling them short by saying I'm covered for 200 Euro towing costs after breakdown or accident. It looks like the 200 Euro relates to additional cost such as securing the vehicle and storage. The cover for recovery after a breakdown or accident appears to be unlimited.
"Your car breaks down or has an accident and requires off-road recovery - Unlimited cover (also after theft)."
HI
I am looking at getting a new car. The dealer is offering lower finance if I sign up today and have the car registered today..so it will be a december 05 car . Is there any advantage in having the car registered in january as an 06 car from the resale point of view
thanks
alan Read more
You go by the v5 or hpi report and value it
accordingly,think of it this way in january 2007 its a 3
year old car if you look at it from a buying
view and as a leverage to buy it cheaply.
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How can a car, which was new in December 2005, be considered to be a 3 year old car in January 2007? Do we have a case of accelerated aging here?
Browse
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www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?v=e&t=34...8
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?v=e&t=91...0
I would seriously recommend you fit OE shocks sourced from a VW dealer even if you get an indie to fit them. Don't go for cheap aftermarket items, though Bilsteins are very good (might even be OE on this car). And don't fit adjustables - you're almost certain to adjust them wrong!!!