March 2006
While I was parked in a residential street today, talking on the mobile, an unleashed dog approached the right front wheel and lifted its leg. Before any fluid appeared I elbowed the horn and the dog jumped sideways, bouncing unharmed off the side of a slowly passing Ringtons Tea van which didn't stop. The dog's owner approached my car and rapped on the window with his stick. After I had finished on the phone, an exchange followed along the lines of me being some sort of potential dog-murderer and a thoroughly bad sort. I explained that I didn't think it was my place to provide his mutt with toilet facilities and that it shouldn't have been trotting around unrestrained in the middle of the road looking for a doggy gents in the first place. Apparently I am to be reported to the RSPCA, the Police and probably the Chelsea Pensioners. My reaction might have been different had the animal been harmed by its contact with the passing van. How would you have dealt with the situation?
Hawkeye
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Stranger in a strange land Read more
I would be grateful for a price guide for this Ebay Yaris. tinyurl.com/zmdbo
Regards
John Read more
Bobby, a wet car doesnt show scratches - as I know to my cost!
Please can someone tell me if the tappets are adjustable on the renault megane 1998 5dr hatch 1.6 rt?
Thanks Read more
Assuming its the 8 valve K7M engine the tappets are adjustable.
Inlets: 0.1mm- 0.15mm
Exhaust: 0.25mm- 0.3mm
Engine COLD
The DOHC K4M engine has hydraulic tappets.
Andrew
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Simplicate and add lightness!!
Mate of mine owns a Mercedes E320 estate avantgarde, 1998, 120k miles. It's an auto, and decided to stop moving forward the other morning whilst on its way to work. No horrid noises - just lost drive. I know how it feels.
Anyway, upshot was a tow to main dealer (Nooooooo!!!), diagnosis of completely lunched gearbox - debris found in the filter apparently - and a £4k quote to replace the box. Ouch.
Car's worth about 5kish. Otherwise good condition. The service guy at the Merc dealers was sniffing to buy it off him as spares or repair because he "wants the engine for his E200". Not suspicious at all, eh?
Any thoughts on how much a replacement autobox should cost for this car? Mate is in Cheltenham, if that helps.
Would you have the work done or cut your losses? Read more
Well, thanks for everyone's replies and expertise - all dutifully passed on.
He's found an indie in Gloucester who'll replace the box with a a used one for about £1k all in. He then intends to sell the car. The quotes from rebuilders were around the £2k mark.
He's also now bought a 98 R Mondeo 1.8 Zetec GLS to replace the MB. 150k miles for £495. I suppose we all come to it in the end. Just thought you'd like to know the upshot.
Hi,
My 1991 Renault Trafic 2.1 diesel camper van may have a problem.
When starting journeys, the van judders in first gear. After a few minutes of driving. it's okay. Is this a clutch problem.
As mentioned, it only does it at start of journeys then is fine. Could it be that it just needs to get "warmed up" first ??? Read more
Probably some condensation settling on the clutch plate during the cold nights we've been having recently. See what happens when the warmer weather comes.
Hi all,
I need to find out the value of a 2000 V Ford Explorer as of December 2003. Any ideas?
Thanks in advance,
Alex.
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Dr Alex Mears
MG BGT 1971
If you are in a hole stop digging...unless
you are a miner. Read more
Thanks Helocopter- really appreciate it!
And thanks to DD for the formatting.
Owe you both a pint...
Alex.
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Dr Alex Mears
MG BGT 1971
If you are in a hole stop digging...unless
you are a miner.
In view of all the categoric statements that traffic wardens have targets to meet, I decided to ask one. She said that wardens employed by the police do not have targets, but wardens who are employed by private companies who sub-contract to the police or to a public authority may have either a target or a bonus scheme.
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L\'escargot. Read more
I know a man who has a private clamping company and he openly admits that he does set ?targets? for his employees. Said targets are, he claims, not so much to raise money, but rather to ensure that his people are out working and not sitting around idle all day.
Not exactly the same question that was asked I admit, but a similar logic must apply don?t you think?
As a few of you may remember, I ploughed my wife's Vectra estate into a kerb in the snow a couple of weeks ago. It turned out to be an insurance job. I have now got the car back.
The car is an 'LS' model, about a year old when purchased. It had steel wheels as standard. Just after I bought the car, (it was a wedding anniversary present, ahhhh!) I fitted some SRi alloys to the car for her. Pukka vauxhall items, with pukka vauxhall locking nuts. Neither me nor SWMBO thought about notifying her insurance company.
Of course, a fortnight ago, bash the kerb, damage a wheel and various other items as well. In the car goes to approved repairers for assessment.
The following day, the penny suddenly drops and I go cold. Check SWMBO's policy details and it clearly states any modifications, especially to wheels must be declared.
I had a few brown trouser moments, expecting a for a phone call from the insurance company informing me the claim was not valid. At best I thought the insurers would not cover the cost of replacing the alloy wheel, at worst, they would not honour the claim.
Fortunately, everything went through ok, and they have replaced the wheel with a new alloy. Have I been lucky? Was it just not noticed? Or was the fact that the alloys are genuine vauxhall and not 'pimp' alloys a factor?
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let me be the last to let you down.... Read more
I can confirm that insurance companies vary widely on modifications, my alloys cost an additional £80 a year with my previous insurers, with the current insurers no additional premium.
Oh and the current insurers are £200 a year cheaper:-)
Hi,
I was wondering if anyone could maybe give me an answer on the tracking on my vectra.
It is a Y reg 1.8 LS petrol and has done 165000 miles.
I changed two tyres last year and asked them to put the new ones on the back and move the two old back ones to the front and check the tracking at the same time. After they had finished the steering wheel was off centre. So I took it back and the guy adjusted it again but when I drove it, it was still off to the left but not as much. Couldn't be done with the grief and lived with it.
This year I have done the same thing with the tyres because the front ones needed changing. I thought i'd ask them to do the tracking again. He said it was out and adjusted it. Now the steering wheel is out pointing to the right!
I don't want to sound picky but its just annoying.
What can you say when you ask for the tracking to be done and not sound awkward?
Moreover, Is there anything wrong with the car that could make the tracking difficult to allign correctly?
At the M.O.T. they said that there was slight free play in the steering. Could this be related?
Or, are the fitters that are doing the work just having a laugh?
These were two different garages by the way.
Someone said the steering rack might need changing. How can I tell if this is the case?
Thanks any help you can give us.
Mark
Read more
You're getting to the extent of my knowledge on such things regarding changing steering racks. It may be that the pinion can be adjusted to reduce the play in the rack if this is the problem.
However it always used to be that steering racks wore more around the straight ahead driving position and less towards the extremes of lock. You could try this and see if the play is different in different positions of the rack.
Another possible source of play, other than a loose steering rack, is track rod ends but I think this normally gives tyre wear problems.
Anybody else out there with any knowledge/experience of this sort of problem?
Brian
Hello
I live in London and wanted to know of any good salvage places where i would be able to purchase cars to fix up and sell on.
Thanks for any Help given in advance.
Cheers
Read more
The dealers are in there they get the pick and whats left is chaff ,they know whats good and whats bad .I looked at nearly new 75 and thought that would be an easy repair till a friend showed me an almost invisible crease line on the floor pan.Beware.
Browse
"anybody from Mars observing the dog-emptying ritual, the feeding, grooming and general fawning of some owners"
or, to keep it motoring, could it be the washing, polishing and general fawning of some owners.
Everyone to their own!
Chris M