February 2006
Can anyone tell me what the ecu that is situated in the bulkhead plenium chamber controls Read more
anyone aware of any good websites which will explain the true life costs of diesel vs petrol ownership.
also - a valuation please
fabia comfort 1.9 d 29,000 51 plate.
Read more
The diesel most have much higher costs in terms of depreciation,
insurance or servicing costs, as the lower cost of fuel and
the higher mpg of the diesel needs to be lost amongst
those three running costs.
The diesel dosn't necessarily lose more depeciation: it depends at what point in its life cycle you buy and sell it. In general, disels seem to depreciate more slowly from new, but depreciation curves can vary from model to model.
Look at the secondhand prices in a guide like Parkers to get an idea.
Hi,
I started a disscussion the other week about how I was thinking about buying a BMW 325 diesel. Well one come up close to me, and I only went to look out of interest. £1500 later I was the proud owner of a 1994 325 TDS SE with 170k. Think that was a good price? It is a bit high on the miles, but I'd heard these cars last forever! If anyone has any advice on things I should check on the car please fire away!!!
My main query at the moment is to do with remote central locking. The car does have total closure, if you lock it with the key, and hold it turned, any open windows close. I haven't got a remote fob for it but I would like one, and would like it to the windows as well. BMW said for around £70 they can get me a fob, but how do I know the reciever bit on the car is in good order?
I don't know why the original fob is not with the car, prev owner never had it, so am in the process of tracing back further prev owner's to find out the fate of the fob. I am hoping it went flat / got lost / broken, but are worried incase it was the car end of things that failed so it was given up on.
Anyone know how I could test the car end to see if a new fob from bmw would work. Or does anyone know if I could get a new fob another way - retro fit alarm that could be piggy backed to cenral locking, and the windows?
Any help would be greatly appreciated - I'm near Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk if anyone knows any local car alarm specialists would could help.
Cheers, Jim Read more
I've got a 99 MkIV Golf 1.8T 20V on 110k motorway miles - & along the lines of a rec from HJ in 1999, I have changed the oil/filter every 5K with Halfords fully synth (and coolant, waterpump and belt every 50K).
How long should or could this engine last?
It was also used on passat,A3,A4,A6,TT, Leon,Skoda etc. - must be lots of them about - is the turbo fragile? Anyone experienced failures? Its seems to me that its only just run in - now returns 40mpg regularly - or am i just deluded?
Incidentally its never been anywhere near a VAG dealership- sourced in Holland and maintained indepently - this is the way forwards I recon Read more
Welcome back and thanks for the update.
The Ka is much maligned: if they are as rust-prone and unreliable as some make out, how come there are so many pre-2000 ones still running around? And they're a hoot to drive. SWMBO had one in 1998 and elder daughter had two in a row soon after that: I don't think we've had anything as nippy as that since. And they are surprisingly relaxed at motorway speeds.
Megane's not been too well recently, the last week it's been down on power and yesterday I put my foot down hard on a dual carriageway and it had a momentary 'don't want to play' attitude. I've noticed it's been rougher at idle as well. When I got home I phoned my local dealer and when I gave the symptoms was told to take it for a really hard drive and report back if no better.
So I did. Choosing my route carefully to avoid cameras, I gave that tiny 1.5 engine a change of diet from its usual pottering around. Took it up to 5000rpm for a while, you should have seen the black trail coming out the back. Definitely loosened some crud, it was still a bit smokey when I started it this morning. But the difference in performance is amazing, it feels a different car. The acceleration is back to normal, instant throttle response and a crispness that I had forgotten about. And it's back to its usual smoothness and impressive refinement.
Well worth it on these modern diesels, it would appear. Just watch your licence... Read more
>>Well worth it on these modern diesels, it would appear. Just watch your licence...<<
Yeah yeah - I think that's just an excuse you diesel drivers wheel out just to have a bit of fun ;-)
Good for the engine indeed. Next you'll be telling me it's healthy to do on a regular basis!
...ever!
I have a problem. As you've probably guessed from the "Big Saloons" thread, I'm putting the feelers out for potential car ideas. I don't have any money so nothing's happening for a good while yet but it can't hurt to think.
My problem is this. I love my car. I know you all laugh and think it's ugly but I honestly think that it's one of the nicest looking cars you could have for less than 10 grand. (Bearing in mind I like bigger cars). Obviously I'd have a 5 series/A8 etc etc in a shot as they look gorgeous but realistically, I'm never going to be able to afford to buy one that's anywhere near half decent.
I've also been having ideas of, when I change cars, buying one exactly the same as I have now - even the same colour just with lower mileage.
BUT - I want to hear the burble of a V6.
I think you know what's coming. Forgetting that I sound like some misguided youth who wants to slot a 2.0 Calibra engine into their Nova, what would you reckon the logistics are to this? I mean - I'm sure I read somewhere about it being done with something like a 4.0 RWD conversion but I can't remember it too well. I was thinking something like the 2.5 V6 as found in the Mondeo so nothing as garish as a 4.0.
The plan would be to buy what I've got now only a newer, less mileage one but for all intents and purpose, the same car. I'd even want the same colour. Somewhere to do it wouldn't be a problem either and I could get it done at a lot less than going into a garage to do it so bearing that in mind, a few questions;
1) Is it possible? Is the engine bay too small?
2) Would I need a new gearbox bearing in mind the box would be the 2.0 one.
3) What costs and processes would be involved?
4) Am I mad?
I realise this sounds ridiculous. I haven't had anything to drink and I'm of sound mind and judgement (I think). If someone like Aprillia comes and says "Adam - impossible. Forget it" then that will be the end of the matter but if there's just the slightest possibility it can be done, I'd really like to pursue it.
Yours gingerly,
Adam
2) Would I need an uprated gearbox
Read more
I'm intrigued now Kev!
I'll sign up and take a look at it in a bit. It'd better be good!
I,m thinking of getting a sat nav. I need one that I can use in either car that is easy to use and reliable, any advice would be very welcome. Read more
I have the Garmin i3,now only £150 at Maplins.Input is a bit fiddly until you get used to it.It took me to a little village in Worcester(from Leeds)last weekend, I only wanted the nearest ATM,thought it was odd when I passed Birmingham-no,I jest,it works fine and is a bargain for the price.
It's Saturday evening and I'm just beginning to come out of the post-Murrayfield depression.
Thought HJ's Jetta test would be a good place to test and it's got me thinking: is this the thinking person's Passat?
SWMBO had a 99 Passat TDI 110 as the family bus. I've got a Civic Type Grrr for everyday and an old and bankruptingly expensive Aston V8 for the three weekends a year when it's sunny and I can afford to run it. Sounds posh, doesn't it? But wait...
I can't get rid of the lorry because it's a family heirloom and it's not in brilliant nick (the age-old V8 story of dodgy sills and the reality of 'handbuilt' quality). But the Honda is not cheap to run and I'd thought about one of the new Passat diesels because they look very good. But is the Jetta a more sensible solution? Sounds it. Read more
I think it's fair to say the Passat
will have a much better residual value so it's a no
brainer unless you plan to keep the car long term.
not sure on that one, I've just bought a 2nd hand '02 Passat 130 TDI for £5999.
They all seem cheaper than the equivalent sepc / age / mileage golfs (on average a good 1,000) and the Bora was in between.
So I would be wary - a Jetta may well outlive the Passat in terms of residuals.
Personally I agree about the dull dash comments but the Jetta outside looks superb, understated modesty that gives out an image of high class engineering.
p reg escort with the sidelights and dash lights not coming on .are there any known problems with switch on stalk or relays that would cause them all to fail. someone had recently fitted towbar and electrics with piggyback connectors which I think were wrong looking at the colours but now disconnected,just wondered if this could be the cause,headlights on dip and main work ok but wonder if both are sometimes on at the same time Read more
thanks guys ,this is a repair that I got landed with ,it makes it easy to get told where to look for the fault
On the subject of cops in plain wrappers, which cars have we seen being used recently? We've all seen Volvos, Subaru, and Octavias - claims of black Fabias being used in east yorkshire too. Any others? Read more
In Cornwall a few years back I saw a silver Merc C-Class with complete AMG bodykit, very elegant and seriously large alloys (looked 18 or 19 inches), blacked out windows and a single police stripe along the sides. Couldn't see the back to see whether it was a real C55 AMG or a C180 with the bodykit.
Browse
As well as the drain hole on each side of the 75/ZT engine bay (top corners by the windscreen) make especially sure that the drain hole at the base of the ECU/pollen filter container is completely clear or the ECU takes a bath and so does your wallet.
A common design across several manufacturers-anfd a daft place to put electronic equipment.
Regards
M