January 2006
The Old 200TDi Disco is getting long in the tooth now, and although functionally it's fine, I'm concerned about future costs. It's going in for its MOT soon and the news maybe terminal. It nearly was last year.
Currently the disco fulfills the following purposes:
1) Seats a family of 4 comfortably. I am 6'4", my 13 year old girls are 5'6" and 5'2" respecively. they are still growing. We need a LOT of legroom.
2) Pulls a tipper trailer fully laden at 2.7 tonnes. The disco has a towing capacity of 3.5 tonnes but I wouldn't like to tow this weight with it, so something that "boasts" a similar towing weight would be good.
3) Is 4 wheel drive with diff lock. I would gladly go to the more modern traction control as is on the TD5.
I may need another 4 wheel drive to replace the disco with.
So far I have considered the following:
Disco TD5
Nissan twin cab thingy - poss new on some 0% finance deal
Nissan Patrol
Mitsibushi L200 twin cab
Other suggestions please, and comments.
Thanks
Hugo Read more
What size of job or specail tooling is required to do the 60K cam belt and tensioner change on this vehicle. Any idea what a main dealer would charge for this. Regards Peter Read more
"The diesel pump timming need re-setting with VAG.COM or similar after the belt's been off. Otherwise it won't start very quickly afterwards."
Not on a PD.
Its timed off the camshaft.
Wife left lights on in car in station car park. Tried to jump start it but the key fob doesnt work so wont deactivate the immobiliser. Any ideas. It is a factory alrm / immobiliser, i have got a very unimpressed wife who is 50 miles from home. Read more
its not had the head gasket done either which is quite unusual for a Rover.
Hello Lads/Lassies
Just bought a Pug 406 1.9TD.
A couple of times the Engine dianogstic light has flashed on for a few seconds then goes out.
The car seems to run fine and it only seems to happen when coasting down hill
I did clean the engine so maybe its water but that was a while ago
Any ideas?
Read more
My daughter was involved in an accident where another driver,for whatever reason,did not stop at a wide,5 way crossroad and a collision occured,which pushed in, the front quarter of her small car and caused quite extensive damage.She was on the main road when the car just drove right in front of her and she had no time to stop.
She obtained his details and on looking at his insurance policy number,even though he is with a different named company,the composition of his policy number is identical to my daughters suggesting that they may be insured with the same company.
Now,as she is only TPF & T,( first year driving just completed )her insurance company has informed an accident mangement company,who in turn has got in touch with a firm of solicitors to hopefully pursue the other driver to recover costs.She needs a hire car while this is sorted out,and usually, this is no problem as the cost is charged to the other drivers insurance.
BUT,if as is suspected,both parties are insured with the same company,where is the incentive to push for the hire car when obviously,there is no second insurance company to reclaim the cost from ?
Read more
I have heard that digital cameras are not too helpful in this regard in that the results can be manipulated on a computer! A film camera is preferred and I know that their pictures can be altered too but apparently they are the preferred option. Still very cheap at Boots!
anyone watched this?
if they do these cars up, do they just do the exterior, and not any mechanical or electrics on the car, becasue if not what would be the point on doing up a car on the exterior only ..... becasue no doubt the mechanics of the car wont be very good either, i never see them do anything majorly mechanical (unless i have missed a bit)
the ones that i watched, in particular the Morris Minor, it just sounded as rough as before.
If you are going to "Restore" and I use the term Restore very losely, then you may as well do everything.
--
1983 (A) Vauxhall Astra 1.3L
1993 (K) Vauxhall Cavalier 2.0i GLS
1999 (T) Renault Laguna 1.6
Read more
................, Tim Westlife ..................
LOL!!
--
1983 (A) Vauxhall Astra 1.3L
1993 (K) Vauxhall Cavalier 2.0i GLS
1999 (T) Renault Laguna 1.6
just bought a diesel estate for work it is a 2000 astra estate diesel 1.7dti.
The problem im hving is my heater has packed up.It doesnt let any air through at all.But today i started car up and it came on.But its not working again,can anyone help please.Ive tried taking the stereo out but struggling with that.
Does anybody have any ideas what can be wrong?
Could it be something wrong or lose wires?Also the lights doesnt work well on the heater panel.
Thanks for any help or advice in advance
Cheers. Read more
Any idea if you can get any tools to get the stereo out?
Get a coat hanger and manufacture into the shape of the following picture:-
snipurl.com/ltvl
Then poke down the holes.
This is from the times:
Safety devices 'dull reactions'
Electronic safety systems designed to minimise human error could actually make drivers more dangerous by lulling them into a false sense of security.
The effect, dubbed “highway hypnosis” by researchers, is a state of mind brought about by reduced stress and drivers having little to do.
A study at Brunel University looked at the effects of two systems: adaptive cruise control (ACC), which electronically maintains a safe distance from the car in front, and active steering (AS), which monitors the white lines in the road and adjusts the steering to keep the car in lane.
Researchers tested 44 drivers in a simulator to see how quickly they would respond to an emergency.
When both safety systems were switched on, their reaction times were considerably slower.
“If a driver has little to do the capacity to respond to unexpected events is dramatically reduced,” said Mark Young, who led the research.
What it doesn't say is whether the AAC meant they were travelling a greater distance behind other vehicles so there would have been the same response distance as they were slower but had a greater distance to react within.
teabelly Read more
If, in a few years time, you find yourself on "autopilot" doing 80 on a M-way...
Then, as you idly look in the mirror, you notice that the car 50yds behind is a Renault, also running with "hands-free motoring"... and you suddenly realize that the only thing stopping him smashing into the back of you are his "ultra-reliable" French electronics....
[You'd be even more worried if you knew that his system had malfunctioned three times already; but his dealer had repeatedly told him "no fault found!"]
I can see a whole new market opening up for giant bull-bars on the BACK of cars!
My daughter's driving has been coming along, albeit slowly (and expensively.) Although she has failed one test already, I was out with her in a dual control car the other day and even I could see that she's made a lot of progress and to most intents and purposes can actually drive now. Another test looms.
Which brings me to the point. I've been think of buying her a cute little Citroen C2 1.1 Sx. One a couple of years old probably.
Anyone have any experience of the reliability of the C2 or aware of any issues with the car ? It looks like I'll pay £5k+ for one from a dealer with a warranty and I'm not that fussed about depreciation on this amount of dough because she'll likely keep it five years anyway.
Am I barking up the wrong tree ? Should I be considering a different car for her ?
Once again indebted for the wisdom available here. Read more
Yes - I see that www.autobytel.co.uk/ have new base-model Aygos for £5995 - that's even cheaper than I have seen the Citroen C1 at... Although when I saw a C1 the other day I was surprised at just how short it was.
The Aygo/C1/107 clones all got 4 stars in the NCAP tests.
Somebody sideswiped the Focus last night whilst it was parked and drove off. I don't know whether to count myself lucky or not but I'll let you decide from the pictures! Naturally they didn't stop, so I have to pay for this myself, especially seeing as my excess is £400.
So, how much do people reckon we're looking at here?
It obviously needs a new mirror, and the rear quater is going to need filling and spraying as the metal is deformed slightly, was thinking I could maybe get away with machine polishing of the door and wing...
Tell me what you think!
i38.photobucket.com/albums/e103/TDCISOM/DSC00153.j...g
i38.photobucket.com/albums/e103/TDCISOM/DSC00150.j...g
i38.photobucket.com/albums/e103/TDCISOM/DSC00151.j...g
i38.photobucket.com/albums/e103/TDCISOM/DSC00152.j...g
Blue Read more
Ahhh.
I took the TSB bulletin in too to prove it was their fault - maybe that got his back up.
Browse
Thanks for all the replies so far.
TU, the disco is towing mainly for private use. It tends to be Waste or building materials. It is not "goods" as in what you're thinking of. Does this answer your question?
Martin, I had thought of the van but to be honest, having got stuck even with the TDi with a tonne in the trailer I have discounted this, plus we do need a family vehicle. The current TDi is the first car we've had that we're all comfortable in
We have thought of combining SWMBOs transport and the disco to get an auto 4x4 but I'm not keen on this as it took years to get her behind the wheel of something, and I don't want the hassle of her not driving again, that is something I cannot afford to happen.
Having said that, a look over last year's MOT has revealed that on reflection, the mileage I have done in the last year really does not warrent spending new car money. I'm hoping it'll get though the MOT without too much trouble.
Thanks again