February 2006
I'm travelling from Canada to England next month with my husband and children for a family gathering.
I'm trying to make this as inexpensive as is possible.
We will likely be renting a car. I fear if we just book something at the airport, we would likely pay a premium rate. Is it possible to pick up a car at the airport (likely arriving Heathrow, departing Gatwick) that is not from the more major expensive agencies?
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Some thug (to put it mildly) has hit my windscreen and placed three smallish cracks (viewable from inside) on the right hand side, bottom corner of the windscreen (as viewed sitting in the drivers seat). there are also some small stone chips too nearby, also created by the thug(s).
I think the stone chips are well outside zone a, buy within zone b, but are only 5mm or so wide. So i think im ok there.
Hoverer regarding the cracks are these a straight failure, or can i get away with it if they are within the designated limits.
Many thanks
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I'm calling advertising on that one, as this is a UK forum and that link is from Oz.
What on earth you hope to gain from that is a mystery unless it's pay-per-click....
Thoroughly enjoyed watching Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman heaving their BMWs across central Asia - if you think our roads are bad, have a look at Mongolia.
Can anyone identify the little grey van that seemed to manage the near impossible Siberian terrain (albeit with substantial amount of help at times). Looked a bit like a VW Camper with 4WD but obviously Russian built. Read more
Looks a bit like the old BMC 15cwt or a Commer.
Where is the worst driving area in the UK?
I nominate Luton.
I moved here from Slough, and the Thames Valley seems very good in comparison. Even South Devon with dopey grockles (trippers) seems good. But Luton!
I have several near misses each week. On one 7 mile jouney I had 3 near misses. Yesterday I had to brake suddenly to avoid an impact with a car pulling out of a side road. This is not unusual. I've had numerous cars use the left hand lane of 3 to turn right at a roundabout while I use lane 2 to go straight across. I've seen this happen to many other people too.
And at roundabouts it is common for a car on a side road to stop with 1 metre of more of its bonnet sticking out into the roundabout forcing me to stop, or swerve to avoid an impact.
And they ignore traffic lights. They might have turned red, but they'll stream across and then stop in the junction, preventing traffic from side roads from moving.
What is it with these people? They have a complete and total disregard for the Highway Code. Oh, and don't get me going on about parking!
Fortunately the place is jam packed with safety cameras. So we can all sleep soundly then. Phew. And there was me beginning to worry.
Leif Read more
Leeds. "Only posh southern folk stop at traffic lights, I'm reet important me". Never been in a place where people are so aggressive, and I lived in London for 5 years.
This weekend, SWMBO & I went North. On the M40 between Junctions 8 and 9 on the South (Westbound) side of the road I could have sworn that I saw a shrine - a plot about 6 feet by 4 feet with a cross about 4 feet tall.
Were my eyes deceiving me? This was just at the side of the motorway, a few feet beyond the hard shoulder.
Are such things permitted and what was it about, or to whom is it dedicated? Read more
And in Yugoslavia years ago when we used to pass through on the way to Greece. Most popular seemed to be a steering wheel (upon which the driver perished?) on a wooden post with a photo of the deceased replacing the badge/horn button on the boss. On some stretches of the dreaded (single carriageway) motorway (autoput) from Zagreb to Belgrade they seemed to be every few yards. Just as many on the coast road from Split to Dubrovnik/Titograd. Numbers may have had something to do with Yugoslav assumption that if you were overtaking, oncoming traffic should get off the road to allow you to complete the manoeuvre - difficult if drainage ditch or rock face alongside road..
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Phil
93 micra 1litre LX.I drive 3 miles and it starts shaking very annoyingly.Its been like that for 3 weeks.first occasionally,now I can only cross the road before having trouble.I bought it in really dab condition,but reasonably priced.
Other symptoms:it burns oil - I refill 1 litre every 250 miles
petrol consumption to high- 8.5 litres/100 km
I hear a sparkly sound geting permanent when engine hot.occurs at the 1st spark plug and causes a kind of electric power drain since the engine would cut out.pulling out that plug seem to keep engine running.also switching on lights makes engine struggle and die quicker.
can anyone help?
Ive got the sparkle plugs changed, sparkles cleaned and interchanged. Read more
that,s good news ,thanks scott.tried resoldering no results.
Im gonna check out ebay
hi all, have just got myself a second hand renault laguna estate 1995 nice car except the outside temperature reading is -40 which i know is totally false. does anybody know if there is a common fault to these systems that can be easily fixed? Read more
thanks guys you lot are to good !!! the guy gave me a spare n/s mirror complete with sensor and the one fitted too the car doesnt have one fitted looks like problem solved cheers guys!!
I know there have been several threads on this subject,- can anyone tell me how to access them? I've tried the search facility, but it only brings up the FAQ answers.
I think I may be using their services soon!
P Read more
I'm in Horndean - draw your own conclusions!
I believe there are others in Hampshire - Fareham?
Chris M
Does anyone know if the 1.6 engine in the ESi is the same engine as the 1.6 VTi spec in the same car? I recently found out that the 1.6 ESi is actually a VTEC (I looked under the bonnet of a car for sale), and was wondering if I bought an ESi, could I get the engine remapped to upgrade it from approx. 125 bhp to the 158 bhp of the VTi. If anyone knows whether this is the same engine, and if it could be easily upgraded, then answers appreciated! Thanks. Read more
Yes, sorry I was referring to the hatchback CRX. The one the OP is referring to is not worth buying. Too slow and two heavy unless you get the VTec engine from day one.
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
On Saturday afternoon I decided it was time to wash both our cars. They are parked on the road alongside my house with my wife's car in front of mine. I washed and then dried my car with a chamois. I then washed my wife's car. When I came out of my side gate with the bucket with a chamois in it I saw three 14 year olds (2 boys and a girl) walking in the road (its the entrance to a large cul de sac), the girl and one boy stopped and kissed whilst the the other boy walked close to my car's drivers side. I heard a feint noise that I could not register as to its origin, but sounded like a scratching noise.
I started drying my wife's car and when I dried the drivers side I notice a new scratch across 3 panels. I felt sure it was not there when I washed it a few minutes earlier. I then looked at my car and found a scratch at the same height across 3 panels. It looks like a craft knife has been used as the cut is very crisp.
This group of 3 youngsters all live within several hundred yards, as I have seen them arround many times before. I do not know their names or where they live, but with a bit of checking I could easily find out. The area I live in has over 750 homes built in the 1970's in a rural setting bounded on all sides by sites of Special Scientific Interest.
I went in the house and told my wife the bad news about the cars. To put it mildly I was furious. My wife then phoned the local community officer (LCO) and left a message on the answering machine, and I then reported the damaged to the local police and received a crime number. We have had dealings with the LCO before over vandalism and theft and know there is a thick file against a number of local youngsters, but they are missing the final bit of proof - hopefully I can now provide it.
My wife's car has been damaged on the drivers side in the recent past with other deliberate scratches and a broken door mirror. I shall be filling the scratch on my car with a fine brush to stop any rust starting. When my wife obtains some retouch paint I will fill her scratches as well. In neither case do I think it is worth claiming on insurance due to the excess and as both cars are R-reg.
I know what I would like to do to these toe rags, but I doubt if I will have any direct contact. I hope they suffer a stiff punishment under the law and they are forced to pay for respraying both driver's sides of our cars (I can but hope).
What do you think should be either suitable punishment or what you would like to do to them?
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Roger
I read frequently, but only post when I have something useful to say.
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Update.
The police have been round to see me twice at the end of last week, so they are taking the matter very seriously. They have also been making some house to house enquiries.
Whilst I have been at work today there has been a major development. A close neighbour had the number plate of his BMW ripped off whilst it was parked on his drive. Unfortunately the incident was seen by the owner who went out and collared one of the trio. He is a very fit and tough young man, and not afraid of having a go. He managed with the help of another burly neighbour to detain all 3 of them. The police were called and arrested the youngster who damaged my cars. The tall youth and the girl were questioned and allowed to go on their way.
It was also interesting to be told that a Mercedes emblem was found in the hedge of the house next door. It seems this toe rag has been very active locally, hence the police interest. My wife heard the language he used and it was all F'ing and blinding, so I am glad I did not have to get directly involved.
I was prepared to be very patient about identifying this youth, but events have now meant that justice can now be done. Especially as there is now another witness who has detained this yob.
Just cannot wait to get home to hear the full story and see exactly what action the police are going to take.
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Roger
I read frequently, but only post when I have something useful to say.
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Back in 2006 when this thread was first created people hired cars from airports. Today no one needs one.
So go SPAM elsewhere you scum.