July 2006
I have just been doing some work with some people (sorry cannot be more specific on the web) on why Japanese Companies (regardless of product or service type) are so successful and profitable.
The tools and techniques they use are very clever.
I saw actual documents from a car maker that listed all the key CUSTOMER requirements and then listed all the Car functionality that needed to be built in to meet what the customer wants.
This led to some discussion from Lexus owners in the group as to how well they were looked after by the Company.
1st individual was emigrating from the USA to UK. They got a good buy back price and so sold back to the delaer. the dealer subsequently offered to drive the family to the Airport to catch their flight - knowing they would never get business again. Guess what they drive in the UK ?
A colleague considered dropping his 5 series company car to buy GS300. He test drove the Lexus for the weekend and when he returned his company car was fully valeted - with no subsequent pressure to buy the GS. As it turned out he stuck with the Comapny car option (Lexus not on the list).
Also I remember a friend who pulle dthe garage door down on th eboot of his IS200. Took into the delaer for repair. They quoted him a price but when he picked it up it was done FOC.
No wonder they win Customer staisfaction surveys every year.
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I see Honda have now started making their own plane and engines (with GE).
I understand Lexus are also using their V8 in a small prop plane also.
The flying car can't be too far away!!!
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/5216972.stm Read more
The flying car can't be too far away!!!
Or a new advert.
A bigger choir?
A bigger parts bin contents on the move?
It has just happened to me. I filled up Toad with Optimax at exactly one pound per litre; that is £4.56 per gallon; the next step is the £5 gallon, I suppose. (Is that why they do not allow us to see gallons, to disguise the true disgraceful price?)
Toad had an nice outing today, but it takes some of the fun out of blowing at 16psi wondering about the mpg and hoping that is at least in double figures.
The funny thing was, we were run into by a sheep. Here was this silly animal capering in the road, egged on by some colleagues on the proper side of the fence. So we just stopped dead, to let things sort themselves out. It was not expected that the creature would leap in the air and then run into us, as happened, before it ran down the side of the car to the rear; whereupon we withdrew rapidly before worse happened. No damage.
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Be that the White Whale coming, Captain Ahab?
Hi - this is only my second post, but would appreciate views/advice. (have made it as short as poss!!)
A local independent garage has serviced Mrs T's 98 Polo. It needed new front pads and disks, which were fitted. Everything seemed fine on pick up, although there was a tiny bit of drumming from the front, which I put down to the new pads and disks bedding in, and then 18 yr old Miss T took the car to the seaside for the day.
Miss T came back today saying the drumming had got worse, and the car really 'shook her arms and sounded awful'. I got in and drove it about 5 yards and the noise was indeed dreadful.
Anyway, phoned garage (it had done only 80 miles on since the service) and they said bring it in and we'll look at it.
I got up to about 30 mph and thought a wheel would fall off! I stopped, removed the front near side wheel cover to find the wheel nuts almost undone, and the wheel close to coming adrift!.
Rang garage again, took pictures, jacked car up, tightened wheel and drove to garage.
I have been good customer of this garage for about 10yrs, with 2 cars being maintained by them. They were very apologetic, took car in for inspection immediately (I questioned other wheels, and the cambelt they had fitted - my confidence somewhat shaken).
On inspection the wheel would appear to have not been refitted correctly, and there was a fair amount of swarf etc from the wear and tear. They are giving me a new wheel and nuts (and a courtesy car while they do it) - and have reassured me that everything else is ok.
Now my question - is that enough? Should I ask for more (maybe credit on next service?) or what? Could there be more damage down the line? They have been very helpful, flexible, cooperative and couteous (its a long established family business which I am always happy to recomend). What would some of backroomers do in similar circumstances? Read more
ok - thanks for these. The garage are falling over themselves to make amends, and I'm quite happy with their response. I just wondered whether there would be any longer term damage, but I guess not. Thanks
T
My Clio is in the process of having a new gearbox, but I'm wondering whether it will be cost effective to have a new clutch at the same time...
It is a 1.6 16v 6 year old model...covered about 86k..
{Car make added to subject header, as per the sticky message request at the top of the page - DD} Read more
The gearbox is out, You have access to the clutch assembly, You would be a fool not to have a new clutch kit fitted.
Why is it nowadays, with increasing frequency, I read road tests or reports on cars where the ride of the car is criticised for being too firm or harsh?
When you consider how everything else on modern day cars has improved beyond imagination, to that say of twenty or thirty years ago, we have now cars where the ride leaves much to be desired when subjected to our ever deteriorating road surfaces.
I read condensed reports in the What Car Magazine where time and time again the suspension is criticised and this even is even apparent in recent cars such as the new Ford Focus and Honda Civic.
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I think alot of it is part of a trend to conform to a expected "performance/sporty" norm even among manufacturers of family or conventional saloons/MPVs.....
In the 1970s and 80s there certainly was alot more "choice" in ride handling compromise - there were many French cars and even British ones where the accent was on highly absorbent rides (think of almost all the mid and larger Peugeots/Renaults and all Citroens and Triumph 2000, Austin Maxi, 1800, Princess, Ambassador) which were popular with consumers and had a distinct offering in terms of comfort. Yes none of them were pretending to have sports car handling...but then the vast majority of their owners correctly realised that they would never be hurtling along testing the car's limits and for the 99.9% of the time would be offereing them a cosseting ride.
Since then I observe that manufacturers seem to rather than design a car to be more distanctive and offer something different instead they benchmark against what they believe is the class leader and copy its ride handling balance. In the last 15 years those benchmarks have been typically Germanic be they the Golf or BMW 3/5 series and increasingly biased to apply sporting set ups to cars that never would in earlier times to have such a bias....
So then we get almost all cars offering a similar "firm" ride as that is perceived to be sporty and follows the Germanic norm.
Hi ,
We have recently bought a kia sedona (01) . It seems to have a very sloppy gearbox/lever . It can be a knightmare getting into gear at times and when going into first or fith it twangs like a spring . We have had this looked at by the garage we got it from and they said it was the bushes , they were done and there does not seem to be a great change , They say that this is the same with all Sedona's . Could anyone help please? Thanks Read more
get in another sedona and compare to yours.....
Right, another question with a long history in the backroom, so I'll be careful to only ask about one sub-section of the topic.
Having read the many opinions and ideas, I'm satisfied that it will be worth doubling up on my oil changes on my Accord (2.2 i-CDTI Tourer). However, I'm not sure when to start.
Frist 12.5k miles is easy. All (Okay, most. Okay, some) advice says leave it. Then start changing on half schedule.
But. I do mainly high speed, very easy on the car stuff. It took 10k to (nearly) stop burning oil, and at 18k is only really now loosening up to give 45+ mpg and feel more responsive.
So, my question is, in my kind to the oil and engine, only just bedding in situation, should I leave this lot in for the full 12.5k as well? My gut feeling is that I should, but I?m also influenced by having no time to do the chance before going on holiday, and it?ll be on more like 20-21k by the time I?m back, where it starts to feel a bit pointless.
Any thoughts?
Gord.
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That's what I was thinking. For the moment, my intention is to pay the £5700 balloon when it's 3 years old and then see how many miles I can get out of it. As long as the easy life continues, I hope it will go past 250k, although my requirement for it not to be off the road in an unplanned manner may intervene before that.
Saying that, if so, might make a good car for anyone on here into bangeromics!
Itsa MK 3, 1.8 diesel, 5 speed. The drain plug on the gearbox has a little shaft protruding from it about 3" long, what is that and is it safe to take his thing out without upsetting anything? Read more
I think syphoning sounds the safest option and in this
weather the oil is pretty runny.
Oh no it's not! Unless our summers have got hotter than last year...
... 2 hours is small price to pay if you've got an afternoon free rather than jacking the car up and undoing supension components etc. But yes madf oldman is right, I only managed to get 2/3 - 3/4 out by syphoning, I deemed this enough though :-P
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Mike Farrow
Mods - excuse "Discussion" not "Technical" as I expect the former forum to attract more traffic.
A visitor has just locked themselves out of their '02 Mondeo hatch at our house. Realising that the keys were on the boot floor as they closed the tailgate, they tried to catch it with the result it is only half locked.
Before we take advantage of the few millimetres of "slack" that exists between tailgate lip and bumper upper edge, can a BRer describe how the latch works in the even it will be possible to "spring" it with bent metal strip (I have some) or similar.
No, the visitor is not a member of any breakdown service and will simply ask a family member to drive the 30 miles to our house with the spare key if need be. Would like not to do this if possible, hence the question first.
TVM! Read more
Sorry, just seen this though reckon the 60 mile round trip would be the answer, could have been a nice excuse for a hour or so on the Hornet.
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Not quite a garage extension free of charge; but outstanding none the less: www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?v=e&t=34...4