June 2006
My brother in law has a 1999 metallic green Audi A4 and he has said in the past he has bought Tcut metallic green polish to get some football scratches out of his bonnet surely if he has done this he will have rubbed away the clear lacquer layer that is sprayed on top of the metallic paint. Could someone tell me what the clear lacquer coating is applied on top of the metallic paint for, in other words what is its function and what are the consequences of removing this clear lacquer layer.
Thanks
Read more
I bought a full set of tyres from a well known company. When I got home (probaby 0.2 mile) I had a look at the tyres and one of them had a split of about 2cms on the side wall.
So the next morning I went straight back to the dealer and he said it is their company policy to sell the customer another tyre and send the defective tyre back to the supplier for inspection. If the inspection reveals it was a manufacturing fault then I would be reimbursed. It is obvious that the split was there from the start. I wish I had checked while I was still there.
I can see how this is often a sensible policy but as it was clear the tyres had barely been used this seems mad and inflexible. And what is to stop them saying I kerbed it and not reimburse me?
I'm speaking to him tomorrow by which time he will have found out from his boss what they "can do".
Any suggesions as to how I deal with this if he insists I buy another tyre and wait for refund? It seems an unfair policy to apply to everyone.
Thanks. Read more
Credit card co's don't spend mega bucks on legals, they simply take the money back from the vendor, assuming of course, that it hasn't been done through a 3rd party.
Morning folks,
I have very recently (Friday morning) purchased a 1996/P plate Audi A6 2.6 SE Auto.....saloon
Drove it home & went out for a drive in her that weekend, loverly to drive, but went out to the car yesturday (Saturday) morning & it wouldn't start.
I had a mess around with her yesturday by...
1 - checked all the fuses & relays (swapping with some out of a breakers yard)
2 - plenty of fuel in her - I checked the pressure at the fuel filter & there's plenty of fuel squirting out !
3 - checked the spark plugs & there is no spark at the plugs.
4 - Checked the ignition modules at the front of the engine, but still no spark
So I'm presuming that the gadjet that sends the spark to the plugs isn't working - what module sends the spar to the plugs ?
Could it be some sort of cut off switch ? - do the A6's have a hidden switch anywhere as the Fords do ??
What do you lot think that it could be ??? Read more
Is there a distributor on these - I thought that they were coil packs only ?
Hi posting this again to see if anybody knows about the Rover air flow meter. I got passed a quote fro dealership for a grand total of £335 for replacing air flow meter plus labour (and new air filter). I sourced a meter for £110 (compared to Rover's £180 before VAT). Just wondering about fitting the meter. Is it a serious job? Has anybody done this one themselves and have any tips? Does the ECU error message on next service make a difference to the running of the engine??
Read more
Try
forums.mg-rover.org
and go to the 75/ZT section
My X reg Astra Mk4 has chewed its way through the cams and cam housing. It seems that the housing is as rare as rocking horse poo. Does anyone know a possible source for these or decent used engines? I have tried Megavaux for the housing and were told they have a waiting list for them! Read more
Bradford grinders?!?!
Further to my last post about geting hold of Mercon V auto fluid.....
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?f=4&t=42...4
It seem Mercon V is a synthetic fluid with a higher spec than Dexron III.
Only fluids I Can find that meet this new spec are AMSOIL Universal ATF, which comes from the US, only supplier Ican see is demon-tweeks.co.uk and they want £40 for 5litres
Mobil 1 synthetic ATF also meets this new spec, but I can't see a place to buy in the UK (online at least).
Can anyone tell me is it OK to use Dexron III instead, and change regualrly, eg every 6months or 1year (I do approx 8,000 miles a year) as this is an easy job to do.
I intend to use my Mazda6 for towing a 4berth caravan, so wish to installa fluid cooler, and replace the very fluid regularly.
Need to do a fluid change in the meantime anyway, as stuff in it is discoloured....
Apparnetly Mazda6 autobox is same as that used in Ford Focus, if that helps (anyone know what fluid gets used in this ?) Read more
Wonder if any BR's can help point my 11 Y/O in the right direction.
He's said for the last 4 years he wants to be a car designer. I'm sure he does not know exactly whats involved, but we try and encourage him except.... How. His good ponits are
1/ Very inteligent much brighter than i was at his age all his reports from school to date are faultless
2/ Has the potential to be a bigger petrol head than me!
3/ Can gave valid reasons (for a 11 Y/O) Why he thinks certain car shapes are good or bad
Bad points
1/ Very lazy possibly because he's so clever and finds work easy
2/ Not very artistic as a family we're not (not especialy good at drawing)
3/ does NOT like getting his hands dirty, which as a practical time served engineer annoys me! as a result has little intrest in the oily bits of cars/engines
He starts secondary school in September. If this is what he would like to do, we would like to get him on the right path now. I'm thinking along the lines of him studying ether car design straight away or Mechanical engineering then branching off to car design
Any advice or pointers in the right direction would be good Read more
I'd decided the same thing at age 11 too!
I did a broad range of subjects at O level, dropped Chemistry because I was rubbish at it but did ok at maths and physics.
Did maths, physics and art & design at A level and then did an HND in Automotive Engineering at Coventry. A really good basis because it's hands-on as well as theoretical. A few friends of mine went onto the Industrial Transport Design degree at Cov, I did a Mechanical Engineering degree because I knew I lacked talent with the magic markers.
I got a placement at an automotive tier 1 supplier during the university summer holidays, got taken on when I graduated and went from there.
Easy, really
Perhaps a good first step is to contact the universities, ask them what GCSEs and A levels they like to see for applicants and work back from there?
Gareth
Ive just got back off holiday from there and I was amazed at how many old cars there are there.
Loads of Morris Minors and I mean loads - I never went on a trip out without seeing 2 that i hadnt seen before.
Also VW's are very popular - many Beetles and Campers around.
Also saw a Humber Sceptre, Rover 80, Talbot Samba Convertible, countless 1930's cars in brilliant condition, a 1950s Alvis Convertible, well worn but clearly in use parked outside the local chinese and so many more esp 1960's cars.
Strangely, I saw about 7 Renault 11's although nearly all were somewhat smokey.
Lots of 60's/70's Landrovers around and a huge number of 1980's cars that I havent seen since I was a child, yet here they are all collected on this little island. It was totally bizarre but for a car lover, alot of fun spotting cars that you dont really see anymore.
Many of the cars were driven by older folk although there is just about every car dealer represented on the island so its not like these people cant buy new cars, they just dont seem to.
Even the early 90's cars like the Metros and Fiat Uno's were remarkably rustfree - Im guessing the climate somehow helps?
Just thought id share the highlight of my holiday and wondered if anyone else had been there and noticed the same thing. Read more
Its well known that the IoW is in a time warp
and 50 years behind the rest of us.....
------------------------------
TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
Like the captain says as the ferry docks in Cowes "For those of you who want to adjust your watches, the local time is 1955"
Hi
I'm pretty convinced I've found a ticking eminating from the control box behind the change pocket on the drivers side in our frog-eyed Fiesta on bumpy roads. It sounds like a relay not quite latching, i.e. a loose connection somewhere.
I've already established this box controls the rear demist and it says it controls the alarm and central locking too. Question is, is there any possibility of it breaking, as it needs to take me to Paris on Monday, and wiping out a critical system or two? As I don't know where the loose connection is, i don't want it to fail something important!
Any thought?
Thanks
--------------
Mike Farrow Read more
hi
i am a novice in cars but have to do 170 miles a day for work.
i recently got myself a 3 year old deisel estate Skoda and i have noticed for the past couple of weeks that there is a gentle tug to the left when i am on the motorway. i mean i have to kind of keep a slight pull on the steering onto the right to keep going straight ahead.
i have had my wheels checked today and everything seems to be fine.
can any kind person suggest what could be causing it?
many thanks in advance Read more
hi
i really appreciate all the advice and help i am getting here. many thanks
just for info
I do exist - i AM a real person and have a real problem - or at least it is a problem to me.
i spoke to the dealer today - he did not sound surprised - his immediate diagnosis was a tracking problem which he says is a possibility even when nogotiating a pothole. on my query he thinks very highly of ATS Euromaster and i think that's where my next post of call is going to be.
i haven't swapped the tires for 2 reasons:
1. would like to see what the professionals diagnose hands on - will phone ATS tomorrow to get an appt - couldn't get the time to phone them today. will of course keep you posted about their diagnosis.
2. haven't had the time really - i leave home at 0715 hours - drive 85 miles to work and work 9-5. then get home around 7 absolutely nakerred. not really in a position physically to do anything much after tea. i'm sure i'm not the only one who has this routine in this backroom and many of you will know how that feels.
by the way i noticed today that i have to keep the steering turned very slightly to the right (by a few degrees) to keep going straight. i spoke about this to the dealer and he is convinced it is a tracking problem.
any thoughts on that??
Browse
>>I think someone is getting confused about the water based bit. The water is simply
>>the solvent that allows the paint to flow as it is applied.
True technically water is a solvent, but in the refinish industry the accepted terms are 'water based' for paint that is based on water, where as the traditional VOC based paints are known as 'solvent based'.
>>Non-metallic single coat car paints are also water based.
No they are not, they are still 'solvent based'. The technology isn't good enough yet to make a durable vehicle paint finish that is based on water.
>>The lacquer is for protection & to make the paint very reflective.
The lacquer provides a coating to protect the fragile basecoat and makes it shine. Basecoat by its very nature dries to a matt finish and needs the lacquer to make it work otherwise it would just be a dull finish. Lacquer is also still 'solvent based' for the same reasons as the non-metallic single coat paints (direct gloss colours).