June 2006
I heard on the radio today that when swedish cars are three years old they have an MOT test which is so strict that it demands that the cars entire braking system is replaced.It was claimed that lots of cars are scrapped early in their life and replaced with a new one, has anyone ony knowledge of this ? sounds like a good place to buy a second hand car. Read more
I've just recently sold my car. (yesterday)
I have yet to inform my insurance company.
I wonder if any BR's could advise on what I am thinking of doing?
I will shortly be getting a company car which will be insured by the company. However in about 12mths or so I am contemplating getting a Honda S2000 or similar.
Now I have 8 years NCB - I don't really want to loose that if I get the Honda. My father drives a Rover 600 which is insured soley in his name and is fully comp. Can I transfer my insurance to my fathers Rover?
So basically there would be two fully Comp policies on the car.
Is this allowed or would this cause lots of problems?
Any advice would be appreciated.
--
306 2.0 SE Cabriolet Read more
The £45 is stated on the back of the insurance certificate.
I spoke to the insurer - not the broker.
Not sure if I can name them here or not - They use the "Horatio Nelson" look for their advertising. Hopefully you'll know who I mean.
--
Fiat Uno 60S, Rover 214SEi, 306 2.0 SE Cabriolet - Currently carless
This might be of some interest. A friend of mine works for the post office and and his yard full of Transit vans was done over. Every van had only the drivers airbag stolen. The thieves gained access by 8< SNIP 8< publicising how the thieves got into the vehicles isn't the wisest of things to do, hence the deletion - DD Read more
Ford security has never been very good, Alarms with built in flaws & just look how easy the PATS system is to bypass.
this morning i was driving along a dual carriageway in town, speed limit is 30. Approaching traffic lights which are showing red. No cars in front of me. On the other lane there is a car waiting at the traffic lights. In my rear view mirror i caught a glance of a mitsibishi evo weaving in and out of lanes at high speed. he over took me and swerved into my lane, nearly hitting the front of my car, then slaming on the brakes straight away to stop for the lights. i had to brake hard to prevent running into back of him. i had a young kid in the car and was very angry , i was about to get out to have a freindly chat with him but the lights changed and he zoomed off. if i was alone in the car i would have drove into him and scratch his new car.
i was wondering where does one stand if someone cuts you up and slams his brakes on. since he has taken up your braking distance you would probably run into him. who is at fault? Read more
Do you have a lot of accidents then??
jc2, in the 50 years I've been driving I've made 4 claims in which my car was moving, and 2 when it was parked and unoccupied. I'd be interested in what your record will be after 50 years. I've had the maximum NCD since at least as far back as 1975, and a protected NCD since 1986. The point was that I always let my insurance company sort it regardless. I don't see the point in having insurance and then doing the work myself of sorting out who's to blame and who's going to pay for what.
--
L\'escargot.
Guys I bought a used Mazda 323 from a local dealer. Its V plate 1.5 and has got 38k on the clock with Mazda dealer history stamps untill 23k miles.
I changed the radiator water the other day and I'm going to change the oil and oil filter. Is there anything else I should do to make sure it stays as reliable as they're meant to be?
I've got geniune Mazda oil filter (cost me only £6) and I'm going to get Magnatec 10w/40 oil unless there's something better you could recommend? I've checked the air filter and its fairly new even though I bought a new one from Mazda when I went to get the oil filter.
Read more
I have had a 323 for nearly seven years now and it is a great little car. I just had the cambelt done and it cost me AU$750 (40 pence to AU$) which did seem very high but it is a big job. I haven't had any "pulling back" at any speed but it wouldn't hurt to change the plugs and leads. Sounds sort of electrical but no doubt some one better informed will be along shortly.
The only thing I don't like about my Mazda is the seats. The don't adjust enough and lack lumbar support. A cushion or backrest is the thing to use.
i have a '96 mondeo whose insurance is due next month. just had the car Mot'd. i had done about 4k miles in a year. it was the same for the previous year. i am also unemployed. last year i used confused.com to obtain a quote. i put myself down as employed and then unemployed with low mileage. i was suprised to find the premium was higher for unemployed with lower annual mileage. i rang the insurance company and was told they don't go by the mileage. being unemployed you are more likely to drive more often.
can anyone recommend an insurer who take mileage into consideration. don't think my car qualifies for classic insurance :-) Read more
Footman James also include Europe wide breakdown/recovery cover as standard, I use them for both of our cars (Octavia & Superb).
I have only recently heard of this branded product. I went to VW Gti International at Bruntingthorpe at the weekend. There was an agent there for the polish, but the girl on the stand knew very little about the product.
I currently use Autoglym, Super Resin and Gloss Protection. It's good.
Is Meguiar's as good? Zymol is expensive but produces excellent results but I cannot afford the Zymol prices. Read more
Just to make it clear Polish & wax are 2 different things.
I've just got some Rejex via a group buy on Porsche Net, the guy who did the group buy reckons it's the dogs....
Apparently it lasts ages and means the car cleans quickly with just a rinse over, they say use it on all surfaces including windscreens, glass, lights etc. It comes from Helicopter technology apparently & is used on aircraft.
www.corrosionx.com/rejex.html
& No haven't used it yet but will!
Following on from the stretched car thread ,would someone care to take me through a step by step guide on how to go about making a stretched car. Can you make them as long as you like as long as they're roadworthy?
Would be curious to see any pics of unusual motorbike-car three wheeler hybrids Mobylette + Bentley for instance ...
Stretched Zafira anyone ;-) Read more
If the wheelbase was long enough you'd need special permission and a police escort.
I was censored the other day on another thread for calling white stretch limos prostitutes' boudoirs on wheels, using another word for prostitute.
My daughter has complained that her 98 1.4 306 smells of fuel when driving and seems to need more trips to the forecourt.
I have not been able to check car yet as she is some distance away.
She has checked for signs of leaks in an around the engine bay with nothing obvious. Smell is in cabin when engine is running, mostly round town.
My thoughts are (if it is not a leak) over fueling and possible temp sensor issue. She has not noticed ay running issues as yet.
Is a temp sensor or it's wiring likely to be at fault?
Thanks
David Read more
OK Car is now off road and will be looked at this weekend.
No sun roof fitted but windows would have been open in this heat
So a full visual check will be carried out starting at tank-fuel lines and into engine bay.
Hopefully there will be tell tale signs, must remember to put the fag out before poking around !
David
Hi I have a Ford connect, T220, Diesel, and do 120miles a day....mostly on motorways...I was wondering what is the most economical speed I should try and maintain , to save on fuel.
Thank you Read more
Yes, I think that both AS and Manatee make valid points. Near maximum torque, the engine is producing the most power per unit fuel burnt per unit time, but, owing to aerodynamics, the power, and hence rate of fuel burn you need goes up rapidy with increasing speed.
If these were the only inputs, then I think L'escargot's view of slow, high gear, small throttle openings is right, but, you also have to include how much you value your time - this means that the optimum speed is different for everyone!! Students can happily sludge along without a care, while pensioners, for whom every last second is vital, could be steaming down the fast lane, as quickly as they dare!
Number_Cruncher
Browse
Unfortunately it's not quite as straight forward as that. Taking the car out of the UK is the easy bit, this document may help:
tinyurl.com/mk4u5
The hard part starts when you try to register it in France. I know some expats who did this and it took almost a year of letter writing and irate phone calls to sort everything out. They even had to get Mercedes in Germany to write a letter confirming that the car in question was a genuine Mercedes!!
Unfortunately the husband is no longer with us but he gave me the advice to buy a car locally, not import one.