August 2006
Letter in today's ST Motoring section headed "Cycle of Despair". Writer says "So what if you let rip while the lights are red? Cycling is one of the last great freedoms isn't it? Not any more! Teams on expensive lightweight bikes with combat shorts and Nike trainers are nabbing cyclists on fixed penalties at £30 a pop" The man got a Fixed penalty and complained that he had to wait 20 minutes for the officers to check if there were any outstanding warrants on his name. That is the sort of arrogance that makes cyclists unpopular - the writer was 52 years old BTW!. What an idiot! Read more
Recently hired a Ford Focus TDCI, quite impressed with performance and economy regularly averaged over 40mpg quite easily with an average of 45mpg rising to 50mpg on motorways (a/c always on) 2/3 people seated. Engine pulls well although sounds a bit "grough". Engine only had 5000 mile on the clock so not really run in. Is this about right?
Any thoughts or comments.... Read more
I had a C-Max earlier in the year with this engine, the 110 bhp version, did 1400 miles or so in it from new, your description fits with my experience, not as refined as the 1.8 TDCi in the old Focus (that is now available in the new Focus/C-Max) IMO or my Mondeo TDCi 130 for that matter.
Reading this am's Sunday T***s - a German prosecutor has described the payment of bribes to people within the VW / Audi purchasing group as normal ! The investigation suggest that this is spreading to BMW and also PSA.
VW chairman is suggesting this practice is inflating the cost of supply contracts and damaging the firm financially.
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I think I have a solution for him - market the car as desirable with good image (see recent thread from akr) and inflate the price to cover the costs !!!!!!!!
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You're not wrong TVM. How could I become Sir Pugugly I wonder ?
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735310 - Total sense in an upside down world.
Can anyone out there please advise of a supplier/stockist for these oils in the SW of England?
Thank you. Read more
www.shop4parts.co.uk has the oils and many other parts for fiat/alfa cars. Oil is cheaper here than at poweralfa.
I'm planning to change my car, and my current shortlist has been narrowed down to Ford Fiesta, Skoda Fabia and Seat Ibiza. Any advice on what to go for and why? Read more
I'm sure this is very much going to depend on how much you want to spend? brand new or second hand ? and the spec you want , aircon etc ?
I've just come back from Italy for the umpteenth time and it struck me while I was there how Italians generally do not seem bothered by the badge on their car. They all look very stylishly dressed but their car seems to be entirely a tool to get from A to B, thus the proliferation of old Fiats and little runabouts.
I've also travelled a lot in Germany and it always strikes me there how different they are too. True, BMWs and Mercs are still seen as a cut above but VWs are totally run of the mill. That's why they sell thousands upon thousands of them every month.
The reason for my post was why are we so obsessed with image when other countries don't seem to be that fussed? Why do we seem to think that VW is upmarket when the rest of Europe see them as runabouts? Why are Italians happy with their beaten up little runabouts when we all seem to aspire to the "greatness" of a Polo because it's got a VW badge on it? Particularly when we know they're pretty ordinary cars.
Is it something to do with the British class system I wonder? Didn't that die a death decades ago? And isn't it interesting how other countries take pride in their national products (Italians buy lots of Fiats, the French buy lots of Renaults etc.) when we went out of our way to buy anything as long as it wasn't British?
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>>ts an excellent and balance post from a motortrade insider ;-)>>
One of my mates, who I encouraged to go Mercedes in the early 1990s, had a succession of brand new S-Class models both petrol and diesel, whilst his wife has had the C-class models for when she needed to drive herself and the main car was not available.
Over the years even the S-class models, superb though they are, have proved less and less reliable from the point of view of annoying but comparatively minor faults.
As a result the last Mercedes owned - a long wheelbase S-class - after its two year stint gave way to a brand new Bentley late last year.
It's been all quiet on the problem front since then...:-)
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
Just don't try these at home.
video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6024236845037075358
{As per all vid clips, link made non clickable to prevent HJ's bandwidth charges going through the roof. Add http:// to the front of the link and copy/paste into your usual browser url bar - DD} Read more
Made I Laugh. Regards Peter
Having covered 12000 miles since the time I bought the Passat, I have now almost reduced all 4 tyres to a bald patch!
After much forum searching I have now narrowed my choice to the following ones.
1)Goodyear F1 GSD3's(lots of backroomer recommendations however does not seem to be available in 195-65-15 size for the Passat)
2)Kumho Ecsta- ultra high performance-don?t know much but supposedly as good as any others.
3)Toyo proxies-superb dry performance
4)Lastly the Michelin Pilot Primacy-both good dry and wet grip.presently the front two tyres,but looking to see if there are any better alternatives
With an average mileage of 25k a year, Im looking for really good grip and dry/wet performance abilities over everything else!
Im not as bothered about the wear and tear ,and likewise would probably prefer something that is dearer but has a greater chance of keeping me on the road should an emergency arise!
Any comments/advise thanks in advance.
John
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I can recommend the Toyos.I`ve now done several thousand miles with mine and as you say,dry grip is superb.What if they dont last as long a harder compounded tyres,at £50 a corner(which is what I paid) you can`t go wrong.
Got a 2.5se Legacy tourer which is working out just fine after 6 months of owning it.
But I have a real itch for a Spec B.
Anyone done this move with a Subaru dealer? What was the cost to change with similar age/mileage examples? Read more
hmm.... I've got exactly the same itch.
Mrs Wilco has 'persuaded' me to resist so far....
I've recently bought a W-reg Nissan Almera 1.4, and have noticed a knocking noise coming from the offside-front corner of the car, when travelling at speed (from 50mph ish).
Sounded at first like a dodgy driveshaft, but I took the car to a good local garage, and they did a "pre-MOT inspection", found no problems with the wheel bearings, driveshafts or CV gaiters. Brakes were also fine. The only thing I've not considered is tracking - could this cause a constant knocking?
Knock is also apparent when steering lock-to-lock (i.e. parallel parking). Any suggestions welcome.
Thanks. Read more
tracking wont cure knocking .
you did the best thing get someone else to look at it and they failed
its strange it only does it from 50 mph and parrallel parking,i would still consider it to be a cv joint
if it was my car the next thing i would do is jack both sides well clear of the ground and run the car up to 50+ and listen for the noise at a careful distance trying to pinpoint it,maybe the garage could do this for you as im sure they will have done it before on a car
i would make sure there is no excess travel in the strut top mountings as well this could well start knocking at 50+ and also in the parking routine (cant spell excersize)
Browse
Cycling is very dangerous nowdays.
I try to give them a very wide berth (better safe then sorry).
However, on Friday night on the way home one was riding along the middle of the road (an A road btw), making it almost impossible to pass him safely.