Supposed to kickdown from (unadjustable?) throttle position sensor but only works very late, unless already near changedown engine speed. Also seem very underpowered unless I manually change gear, even in "sport" mode. Thanks in advance.
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I want to fit a digital speedo to my Citroen Xsara 02 LS 2.0 HDI as the kms dial is so poor to read. Is this possible? Do later models have the same or similar dash? Read more

Hi folks, just thought I would post to say that after lots of thought and discussion, I finally went out and bought a Nissan Almera.

I tested a few Almeras and looked at a few more, and was pleased enough that I didn't bother testing any of the more-expensive-but-less-reliable alternatives.

I looked at several, but the one I bought is an ex-Motability 1.8SE automatic 5door hatch, just over a year old, mileage in the low teens, pretty much immaculate. I paid half the RRP of a new version of the same thing, and several hundred less than I would have paid in the cheapest of the supermarkets. I'll be picking it up later this week.

I brought two friends along for the testing and buying phases, which was very useful: they spotted a few things which I might not have spotted, and being faced with three assertive women seemed to usefully disorientate the sales manager when we got down to the final negotiating :) A prolonged bit of haggling made enough of an unexpected saving to allow me to buy a new PC for a housebound disabled friend who's not well off, and relied on her now-defunct PC for keeping in touch with the world.

So I got a car of known provenance that I could do a decent test drive in, from a commendably non-pushy dealer with a branch near home, with enough of a price difference to help out someone else. I'm very pleased :)

Having done my testing, here's a few comments on the Almera:

Likes:
* good forward visbility, no serious blindspots
* ride comfort adequate, not as good as an old French car, but felt better than a Focus
* handling is fine: feels very secure and predictable, mercifully free of excitement
* autobox smooth, road noise low, engine quiet in normal use (growlier when kickdown used, but it's fast enough for me that won't be needed much)
* brakes powerful and progressive (no snatch)
* seats and driving position comfortable, lots of adjustment (though no reach adjustment on wheel)
* plenty of room in the back for two adult women with two adults in the front, boot quite generous
* stereo sounds good in both front and back
* leather steering wheel nice to hold, minor controls easy to use
* steel wheels rather than alloys

Dislikes:
* poor rear visibility, redeemed a bit for parking by the bleeping sensors
* speedometer in the facelifted model not as legible as in earlier Almeras (smaller, with numbers only at 20mph intervals). Another style-over-function step backwards :(
* multi-function computerised thingy on dashboard is over-complicated, but at least there are steering wheel controls for the stereo
* spare wheel is only a space-saver
* Not sure where there will be room on the dashboard to plant a satnav
* no tie-down points in the boot, though there are nets at the side for small things

Overall, I prefer it to any car I have driven in the last few years. I can feel very confident behind the wheel, and it suits my relaxed driving style very well.

Anyway, many many thanks to HJ and everyone else here who helped me make my choice of car, and gave me so much useful advice on the buying process, and particularly Aprilia, whose tecnhical expertise was invaluable. Without the wisdom of the backroom, I could easily have ended up spending significantly more on the same car, or paid the same sort of money for something much older, or settled for something inferior.

Big thanks, too, to all the motoring journalists, fashionistas and badge-snobs who coo over other cars and sneer at the Almera. They saved me a lot of money :)

Once my new wheels are finally on my driveway, I'll be changing my backroom nickname from NoWheels to NowWheels. Thanks to Machika for the suggestion: www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?v=e&t=35...0


Name-change time: NoWheels + Almera = NowWheels Read more

Hi,

99 model, mk2 with 85k. Car struggles to get 18 in mixed driving, even when driving with light foot. Cruising on motorway at 60mph returns just 24mpg. I know from other owners of same car, that they can get around 25mpg in mixed driving, and up to 32mpg at a steady cruise.

Car has been serviced regulary. Oil and filter last done 6 months ago. Platinum tipped plugs were replaced at 60k service.
Changed air filter 2 months back, no mileage improvement. Have used fuel injector cleaner too. Was going to replace distributor cap and rotor arm, but was told these don't have them, being coil on plug.

Any ideas what I could try next, without necessarily visiting a main dealer? I suspect it may be worn oxygen sensors?
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My Pug 405 estate if left for a couple of days won't have enough oomph in the battery to turn it over.

The AA man says battery OK (its less than 2 years old, but I'm not saying it isn't, as they can lose a cell or somesuch) and that I have a current drain of half an amp somewhere, which is a problem - we pulled out all the fuses, and checked cooling fan relays but it wasn't there.

S I disconnected the battery for two days to remove the drain, and of course the car started up

Then, another guy told me that half an amp is normal, as the clock and radio memory use that much when the car is sitting. Just seems like a lot of current to me for a clock and a memory on a radio......Leave the interior or side lights on (I think a 25 W bulb is about half an amp) and you'd expect your battery to take a tumble afeter a couple of days.

Anyway my last 405 (a saloon) would sit idle over a two week vacation and start up easily when we got home.

Anyone know what the usual drain on the battery of a 405 is, with all the doors shut, and just the clock and radio memory drawing current, etc.

Better yet anyone had this problem and got an idea ?

Thanks all.
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