March 2006
The new road tax costs just make a joke of the law and labour goverment in this county
how can you tax a car on its emissons when new (ie whats on the log book).
So a three year old 100,000 worn out 4x4 or similar can be taxed for the same money as a new one ?,when the old one is clearly smoking it self to an early grave but just scrapes thru a MOT each year.
What about the blasted Buses and Lorries that fill the air with rubbish
Also i belive they should tax it on egine size not emissons anything over 2litre ,tax the thing sky high so only people who really need a 2litre car bother
We no longer need cars in this country which can do 200mph and most cars even small hatchbacks can do 100mph easily when the speed limit is 70mph!
There is another answer to get people out of cars ,give affordable public transport that is pleasant to use
The M25 between junction 9-14 has remained the same congested carpark since completion of roadworks and its only going to get worse
got any good ideas ?
Read more
Not me!
I'm a little premature here, but eldest son will be 17 in 9 months and will be wanting to learn to drive. I know there's lots of stuff here on the site about young people's insurance, but these things seem to change so quickly that I'd appreciate some up-to-date advice. I need to know my options and think of the best thing I can do for him.
OK, first, we are let's say financially-challenged (OK dirt-poor). I have absolutely no chance of paternal support.
I am very reluctant to try to teach him myself, one because I am the world's most nervous passenger and two because even in the best of circumstances these things are always fraught with problems. (I remember my own Dad teaching me, with horror).
But, driving lessons costing what they do, I think I am going to have to bite the bullet and do most of the training myself, followed by a course with a driving school to get him ready for his test.
Insurance is obviously an issue. I'm currently with Budget, which gave me the best deal for me, when I last renewed. But am I best asking them to make my son a named driver on my insurance, or getting insurance in his own right (don't know if this is possible) which would at least protect my own NCB.
Also, for anyone who has ever taken their kid through a test, am I better giving him some practice in my car first, and then getting proper lessons, or the other way round?
Any comments gratefully received.
HF Read more
I've not heard of Kelso, so am presuming it's a little far away from us.
But the pass rates quoted here are abysmal! If we're saying roughly 2 in three will fail, that really is not good.
I've been considering the intensive week-long residential courses, but worry that with these it really is just cramming with the sole purpose of passing a test, and with very little proper experience of roads and what driving's really about.
Oh and the Admiral multi thing is not good for me as I am only a one-car family.
Thanks to everyone - I'm glad I've got plenty of time to think about and investigate all alternatives.
HF
Used to subscribe to Street Machine back in the late 90s and right back to 83 ,looked recently and appears to have gone ,anyone know what happened ,I know colin burnham was tring to keep it going and he still does Amercian car stuff,just suprized its no longer was very popular back then .
your comments please
Read more
We used to get this occasionally many years ago - much better than the Max Power type mag - but I haven't seen it for ages. I think it would be very hard to keep a minority interest mag going in the current climate as advertising in general is declining. We used to get Jalopy too.
2001 xsara hdi estate,excessive road noise and vibration at high speed.have done all the usual stuff,run each front wheel in turn on the jack,spun the rears,nothing untoward.no play in the driveshafts.the vibration can be felt through the body not the steering wheel,are they prone to any engine/gearbox body contact? has done 116000 with full dealer service to 100000
Read more
Usual rule of thumb is that if vibration can be felt through the body and not steering wheel, then the problem lies with the rear tyres / wheels, and not the fronts.
When were the tyres last balanced?
2000 Yaris with alloy wheels.
Just found one tyre at 19 psi not 33 psi on a routine check so I am looking for a reason.
It is a new tyre one month old Continental and has done 200 easy miles then unused for two weeks
Before any further use it will go back to the tyre depot for professional checking next week.
What could be the problem.
1. Depot under inflated it. Unlikely
Three new tyres were fitted to match the existing almost new Conti and no handling problems.
2. Some toe rag let it down. I do not think so
3. Puncture. Close examination found nothing so no suds used.
4. Soap suds on valve. No indications
5. Soap suds on valve seat. No indications.
6. Soap suds around both beads with the wheel flat. Nothing
That leaves me with a couple of thoughts.
A. Tyre is not seated properly when driven / flexed.
B. The wheel is porous.
The alloy has some corrosion but nothing that seems drastic.
I put some suds on the alloy but no signs of anything.
One of the old tyres did loose pressure but was put down to its age. Thus, unfortunately I did not identify which wheel prior to the tyre change.
Are there any other posibilities?
It is now up to 33psi and I will monitor it for a few undriven days. Read more
An update on the problem.
I returned to the the tyre depot.
They did all the leak tests, checked the valve and found no tyre damage so all checks found nothing.
There did appear to be a small patch of corrosion on the inner rim which looked like it was caused by a weight clip.
They certainly used the rubberoid solution before refitting the tyre.
Since then it seems to have lost just one or two PSI.
I will continue to monitor the pressure.
Thanks for all the responses.
Yaris passed the MoT OK very recently but with a prompt to look at one of the front disks.
The O/S front disk has the usual small crust of rust around the very outside edge of the face on the outside.
On the inside face it has about half an inch of very slight pitting and rusty area all around the edge.
There does not appear to be a gradual change from clean to damaged area.
It is not the usual surface rust from wet disks left standing as seen after it is washed.
Any suggestions how this has come about etc.?
It is almost as if the inside pad is smaller than the outside pad. Read more
>>After 5 years it is likely that the caliper and guide pins need freeing up. It might be possible to have irregular disks skimmed flat if they are still thick enough, but that might cost as much as new disks.
I would agree, certainly sounds like caliper fault
--
Steve
The New Scientist edition of 25 March has an article about a new development of self charging batteries. The device uses bar magnets with the ends covered by an almost frictionless magnetic goo, sliding in a tube. About the centre of the tube is a generator coil. The tube is rocked from side-to-side, and as the magnets slide past the coil enough electricity is generated to charge a capacitor. It?s early days yet, but the first applications are to power navigation buoys at sea, rocked by the waves. Then there is a device proposed to keep mobile telephones charged up, rocked as the owner moves about.
What does more rocking and lurching about than a car ? Cars are getting more power hungry with every new model. As the technology develops will we see devices to recharge the battery as you move without additional drain on the engine.
Read more
"No such thing as free energy, don't forget it will take some of the car's momentum to set the magnet swinging.
Been able to get this technology for years in those torches you shake to charge a capacitor. Not sure what New Scientist is on about."
The idea is not new by any means, but the execution is very different. Some of the original shaken devices using moving magnets (e.g., torches) slide up and down with attendant friction losses, or work against springs and thus are quite inefficient. The thing about this new device is that there is almost no friction and thus vastly increased efficiency. It also uses a super-capacitor, which is relatively new.
And the car is going to swing whether you use the waste power or not.
I can't imagine that it will generate enough power to give the the battery enough charge to start the car, but it would recover some of the energy lost.
Has Audi discontinued this model - is there a replacement planned? Read more
Audi is bringing out the all new electric a2 concept car.
Supposed to be this summer but has now been put on hold until summer 2017....
Can I call on your expertise here chaps?
Have just been offered £4500 by a dealer for my Berlingo in P/ex but wondered what a reasonable price would be to ask for it privately. It's an 03 reg, had MOT yesterday, new front discs and pads, has A/C, new Michelin front tyres 3 months ago, 37k miles, Modutop, Sahara Gold metallic paint (OK Adam, beige!). No dents, dings or other damage.
Thanks.
--
Phil Read more
Lot of doggie people want these and wont consider one without aircon. Nothing worse than a hot and bothered dog on its way to a show.
------------------------------
TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
Am considering the above for my (pre common rail) 320d. Objective: smoother power/torque delivery, without undue detriment to fuel economy.
Questions arising:
- my insurer will probably accept such a modificaton - but at what sort of increased premium for the increased BHP?
- I believe the installation is more or less a plug-in and adjust operation with little or no drilling etc., and which can be reversed as and when the car needs to undergo some other form of diagnostic check.
Has anyone had experience?
Oz (as was) Read more
>> redafour - who was your insurer at the time?
>>
I`ve just had a hunt through my old documents and have
found that I was insured by Corinthian Insurance at that time
via a local broker.
Thanks.
Browse
It is all a crazy argument anyway. Put the tax on petrol and those that use a lot of it, will pay a lot of the tax. Simple. Also no avoidance.,