January 2006
My 4 year-old Passat was factory-fitted with VW "Donnington" alloys. These are 14-spoke split-rim jobs and the rim is seriously discoloured due to, or accompanied by, blistering of the lacquer.
I also discovered today that one of the wheels, where I've had what I assumed was a slow puncture for a few months, is actually corroded on the inside such that the airtight seal failed. The corroded part is actually the same piece of metal as the external rim, moulded around the edge of the wheel.
4 years seems a bit short for the wheels to start rusting. Have I got a case here to beat up VW? The car has only done 64k and has been regularly cleaned. Other than the rims, the rest of the wheel in each case is in sound condition. (I've got some photos, but unfortunately I know of no means of publishing them to the web). Read more
Pace drivers for motorway (lifted from www.autotrader.co.uk)
23 January 2006
Pace drivers for motorway by Alex Eckford
Road chiefs are recruiting "pace" drivers to make sure motorists stick to speed limits.
The trial scheme will see volunteers employed to keep a steady speed of 70mph or less in the third lane of the motorway.
More than 30 motorists have already applied to be Community Pace Drivers in Doncaster, Yorks.
The town's metropolitan borough council claims accidents which occur at lower speeds result in less severe injuries.
However it has come under fire from road safety gear suppliers Speedsafe, who have branded the scheme foolhardy and incompetent.
Speedsafe spokesman Paul Smith said: "Imagine the chaos caused by a pace car at 70mph in lane three of a motorway."
"This level of incompetence is breathtaking - safety depends on drivers adjusting speed to the environment." Read more
I'm not sure about the basic model at work here
-- does an increase in speed necessarily reduce congestion? Congestion
is partly a function of the time gap between vehicles, which
doesn't alter if they all speed up by the same amount.
At higher speeds the time gap is usually increased for
safety, which is why for example the M25 has variable speed
limits to slow drivers down when there is congestion -- at
lower speeds, you can fit more vehicles on the road.
In theory if everyone maintains the same gap in time rather than disyance, then that will determine the capacity of the road in vehicles per hour - e.g with a 2 second gap, and ignoring the space actually occupied by vehicles, the capacity would be 1800 vehicles per hour. This is not speed related, but of course everybody would get there quicker.
Speed is one of those causes. And it also exacerbates
the consequences of accidents.
Agreed, other things being equal. But clearly there is a trade-off between reasonable speed and risk. You appear to think 70 is the right trade-off for motorways - the consensus appears to be nearer 80.
In the 1960s 60mph in many cars was a reckless speed. In the 1970s the front of a Mk3 Cortina would lift worryingly at 80mph. Cars are on the whole much more capable now. Unfortunately driver behaviour has not improved, and neither of course will the human reaction time. I would settle for 80-85 as a reasonable trade-off - actaully the de facto limit now for about 50%? of cars. Separate the 56mph trucks and it could be higher.
A mate of mine is in the market for a soft roader. He's narrowed down his search to either a Nissan X-Trail or Hyundai Tucson. He could possibly stretch to a new Tucson, and is impressed with the Hyundai warranty package. If an X-Trail, it would be second hand. I think he prefers the looks of the X-Trail, but has read a few horror stories on other forums about reliability and customer care. Any thoughts people?
--
let me be the last to let you down.... Read more
Santa Fe is being replaced in Europe and USA right now by an updated version (Santa Fe Grand??) but nothing inherently wrong with the old one. Will tow more than the Tucson and on a par with the X-Trail. Depreciation only worry if it is not a longer term purchase so hard negotiations downwards on current stock recommended. I think sat nav may be one euro in France on the old model.
And, worth checking where the air intake is on the Santa Fe if any trips to Morocco are planned. On the similar Sorento from Hyundai's subsidiary Kia, the air intake is in the air flow behind one of the front wheels which is hardly a good idea for an off-roader which might (just) be used in muddy or sandy and dusty conditions. No deserts in Korea for the designers to think about, presumably.
More useless information: the Tucson is the top selling SUV in Belgium. I don't know what that tells us about the Tucson which seemed perfectly OK until I read that.
These any good? Read more
Yes, basically GM's Delphi spin-off bought out Lockheed brake co. Lockheed are one of the best names in the business. I have used many of their discs with no problems at all.
from Wiki...
With the decline of the British Motor Industry, and increased competition from manufacturers in Europe, AP saw its sales shrink. The Leamington Spa site was gradually reduced, until the business was broken up, and its mainstream automotive division was sold in 2000 to Delphi Automotive Systems. The braking division, The Lockheed Hydraulic Braking Company, was sold to an Indian multi-national, who supplies brake systems under the name Caparo AP Braking. [3]
Blue's unfortunate experience last night reminded me of this. My dad always had a one-bulb parking light that clipped on to the driver's window (in the days of dynamos it probably didn't do to leave your sidelights on too long). I've had several cars in the past that allowed you to put the lights on on one side only, but that doesn't seem to be universal by any means.
Maybe the market has disappeared because nobody seems to pay much attention now to the rules on parking and lights - i.e. you MUST park facing the 'right' way and use parking lights unless in a 30 (or lower) speed limit and at least 10m from a junction (HC rules 222-224)
If I have to leave my car on the road overnight I will turn it round if necessary to face the right way - I take the possibly over-cautious view that if anybody does run into it through their own incompetence, I don't want to give them an excuse to blame me.
Has anybody actually beeen taken to task over these regulations?
Read more
I meant to say this was in the car park at Twyford station, in case it looked as if I was following him!
Hi - Am hunting for a good W124 estate in the Glasgow area. Read over HJ's advice and am a bit stuck for what to look for on the self levelling suspension? Seen a couple of cars, on promising 94 280 that went before I could get it checked by my mechanic, and a tired but cheap 1990 230 that had an obvious thump from the back left. Seller pointed out a reservoir in the the engine bay that he said ran fluid to it. Anyway, left that one alone. To test, is it as simple as getting a friend to climb in the boot and see it the car comes back up, and is it essential that the s/l works? (thought the clunk on the 230 could be a solved by changing the shock a'?)Any general advice on the cars very much appreciated - I know there are people here that are big fans. Frustrated as there are few around and wild price variations. Thanks! Read more
Well done and I hope you enjoy the car as much as all the other owners seem to.
Perhaps you will join the MB Club and keep us posted about your experience.
I would get your wiring harness checked. It's not the M104 engine but the problem reported above affected engines other than the 104. There's a long thread and a secondary one running on the MB Club forum right now, with some good explanations and photographs.
I have an old Samsung N500 but I cant find the charger for it.
I have looked for a cheap one on you know where and cant find one (there is one person selling them but the feedback is very poor,plus the chargers they sell seem to get them alot of negs so I wouldnt buy from them)
Anyone know what other samsung charger would fit this phone? Read more
I'm served by Sefton Council - it supplies refuse bin bags and garden waste bags free, along with two big green containers for recycling bottles and tins, plus blue bags for recycling newspapers, magazines etc.
The collections are made on time every week and, if there's a public holiday, the lads get back on track within a week by working on a Saturday to catch up.
The only problem with all these bags is that many people don't always put them out properly, causing problems for drivers trying to park or get into their drives (motoring link!)
On top of that Sefton has provided a free travel pass for senior citizens (including men from the age of 60 from 2002 onwards) for many years - it covers an area taking in the whole of Merseyside as well as including as far as Chester and is applicable for buses, trains and ferries.
It does mean that motorists can leave their cars at home if they are just going into the town centre, at least where I live, as the bus services are excellent. There's one every 10 minutes on my particular route.
So Gordon Brown's free travel offer last year for pensioners didn't cut much ice on Merseyside - even more so as from April Scottish pensioners will be able to travel anywhere in Scotland for nothing....:-)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
Hi
Im having emission problems with a 99 golf.
Brought it to fuel injection/emissions specialist.
Was charged £1250 to replace ecu, map sensor, O2 sensor and CAT.
Worked ok for a few days but has failed MOT again on emissions.
CO of 0.78 (allowable is 0.3).
Any ideas on the cause? The garage are claiming that the problem is that there is some oil getting into the system ('car is running a bit smokey'). and that the stuff the replaced is 100%.
Pulling hair out trying to get this resolved. Any advice? Read more
Thank goodness for that. Well done.
A not-dissimilar story:
tinyurl.com/7soze
I am currently in the market for a small van. Is the transit connect any good in terms of reliability and build quality. other options are the vw trasporter and merc vito, your thoughts.
Regards paul Read more
I've driven one week in week out for the past year.It's a TDCI 90 hp.It hasn't been reliable.Firstly it had a terrible whine which I presumed was the g/box but turned out to be a bearing on the lower pulley of the alt belt.It failed and left us stranded .Secondly it deposited all it's power steering fluid on the ground -a faulty seal.And thirdly make friends with the local Kwik-Fit guys 'cos it consumes tyres at an horrendous rate-7000 miles per front set.It gets hammered-what van doesn't and the torque in the engine is phenomenal-hence the ripped up tyres
Hi all,
I am working on a Rover 25 K-Series engine, when the car was brought into the garage it was pressurising from the oil filler cap (or rocker cover).
A compression test was carried out on the engine just to see what figures we were getting NO 1 cylinder:40psi, No2:55, No3: 35, No4:120 - Something was evidently very wrong with the engine.
With the k-series engine being notorious for a dodgy head gasket, we took off the head and found that it did require skimming and a new head gasket. Before fitting we checked the bores and pistons which were fine.
The proper head gasket was fitted, new stretch bolts were added and the engine was timed up.
Following build up the car refuses to start (even with a pull).
Another compression test was carried out - all figures were less than 50 psi (should be around 120 - 150psi).
A tablespoon full of oil was put into each cylinder, and a compression test was carried out - all results were above 120 psi. (you may be thinking what we were thinking - piston rings).
Before taking the engine out we looked at the problem in greater detail - and unfortunately found that the plastic oil level indicator fitted to the bottom of the dip stick has been melted off - Indicative of an engine which has been running in boiling oil (i.e a cooked engine).
Sorry for the long introduction - my question is:
Is it worth installing new piston rings into the engine to see if the compression returns, - the engine was running when we picked it up (albeit with very low compression), or once an engine has overheated is it useless?
I.e, I don't want to throw good money after bad, but on the other the other hand I am quite prepared to carry out the work if the engine may run again with no other problems
I would also be interested to hear from anyone who has fitted new rings to an overheated engine and found that it cured the problem.
Any information would be greatly appreciated
Many Thanks,
Stephen Laughlin
Read more
Thanks for the responses guys, pretty conclusive then - new engine!
Stephen
Browse
The problems seem to be over the last four or five years.