September 2006
Hi All.
After noticing a toyota townace that had seats that fold down into a bed, I`m interested in getting this style of vehicle. I`ve also noticed that mitsubishi delica also have this. What other vehicles also have this facility of creating a bed? I have less than £3000 and would prefer something for less than £2000 so what are your suggestions, opinions etc.
Thanks
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I have a 53 reg astra estate and the clock keeps changing. It will say the right time or sometimes it will be an hour fast. Anyone got any ideas? when our car was in for repair vauxhall lent us a meriva and that had the same problem.
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Somebody at work has a Meriva with the same issue.
Do you get a small clock face symbol on the display? If so, this means auto-update is set, if not, it is not set. Whatever it is set on, try it set the other way.
I own a 1999 Honda Accord 2.0 LS Vtec 4 door Automatic. On starting from cold in the morning with the air conditioning or heated rear window on the drive belts squeal.
It happens for the first 10 minutes from cold
It only happens at tickover or when i pull away at junctions
It is particularly bad on damp mornings
I have replaced the following items in an attempt to cure this:
Honda drive belts (a/c and Pas)
Air con compressor
Alternator
Also it has recently had both timing and balancer belt and a Honda battery.
The belt tension has been checked 3 times (independant garage-trusted and experienced)
Any ideas folks before i go bankrupt!!!
Last thing to change is the crankshaft pulley next week
Both belts on removing them had lumps of hard plastic in the grooves-burnt belt??
Thank you
Greg
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Problem is finally fixed at last!!
The old crankshaft pulley was removed. The pulley had worn widthways in each groove with massive steps at the bottom of each one. It was badly glazed and as smooth as glass so no grip.
No noise in all conditions for two weeks so fingers crossed.
Here's to another year of economic motoring.
Thanks to all.
Hi, just wanted to know after reading about the mondeo mark 3, ie the latest model at moment available about the supposed problem there is regarding the auto gearbox on them going wrong after 60k. Does it exist because it is stated about this problem under the whatcar guide about the car. Read more
The Jag uses a ZF 'box. The earlier examples have been troublesome (lots of TSBs), but recent ones seem to be good.
The four-speed Mondeo box is the old CD4E introduced in 1994/5 - its a dog of a thing and the reason that Ford basically got out of designing auto transmissions. There was a 'class action' case in the US involving owners of low-mileage cars with failed CD4E's.
The term 'Durashift' is a 'branding' term (like 'Zetec') and Ford apply it to all transmissions. The 5-speed+tip box in the 2.5's does seem to be good, presumably as a result of the ZF input.
The Focus 1.6 'box is actually a Mazda FN4AEL which Ford re-designate as 4F27E. I think the original design goes back to JATCO, with modifications by Mazda.
The Durashift CVT's that Ford produce are essentially of ZF design and of similar construction to the ZF units used in Minis etc.
A fair quantity of milk was spilled onto the carpet of my new VW Golf and despite mopping up as much as I could and cleaning with disinfectant, I've been left with that sour milk smell which is getting worse as the bad weather approaches.
Besides changing the carpet, does anyone have any advice to give with regard to curing the smell? Read more
I only work for the group (Financial Controller) - it's good stuff, but very new, but we aren't sure of it's uses, we sell it in dried packets, so needs mixing up - will do some more investigating and see what's on offer - might get some to see if it works on oil on the drive ! It's main use is in cleaning ponds/lakes/rivers !!
Hi
I have had my A2 for 3 years. Always serviced by Audi Garage.
The car has developed a coolant issue which apparently Audi can't resolve - they have been in contact with Audi Germany who say to replace the engine. As the car is 3 years old and has done 120k miles they are basically saying the car has had it.
This is particularly annoying as they have just charged me £800 (to replace the thermostat, radiator, water pump etc )- no change to the problem.
Is this reasonable? I feel aggrieved at losing a car probabaly worth £5k if it did not have this issue.
To be fair the garage has tried hard.
I do not know what to expect as the engine is aluminium (I think) and obviously Audi have discontinued the A2
Grateful for any advice.
Anthony
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Yes, likely head gasket or cracked/porous head. I would get it to an independent repairer - even so, you will need to brace yourself for a fairly large bill, but less than the cost of a new engine!
I am soon to take a flight to Bristol and will be picked up - flight arrives at about 3pm. The airport website directions are M5 Jcn19, A369, A38. Is this the best way or is a better option to go to jcn 20 of the M5 and cut across country? Read more
"The security staff are not keen on anyone waiting about in the pickup/drop off zone." If you mean the lane to the front of the terminal building, this is probably because the 10 minute free pickup parking area is just 30 metres to the side of the main terminal exit.
On Sunday, i got the fault light on (the one with the spanner, not the ECU one, highlighting a fault with something under the bonnet!). I stoppped the engine and it went out on the restart.
However, on susbsequent starts, the light comes on again but goes off after 30 seconds or so. I had a similar fault with an old Vectra - with the same engine.
There seems to be no symptoms - no jerkier running, no extra smoke, nothing, and is there isn't a murmur or twitch when the light goes off either.
As it goes out after a while - as if something has warmed up - could it be the air mass meter is coming to the end of it's natural ? I gather that it only lasts around 37 months on these, and the car is nearly 48 months old.
And it is due a service too, so a tip off before the garage have a look would be much appreciated.
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My 98 Vectra DTI does the same thing. Management light comes on at the first start up in the morning and goes out by the end of the road. If it stands all day it will do the same thing. Had my local garage check it out and his reader gave the fault as "glow device general error". He thought it was perhaps the glow plugs controller which was faulty. However decided to leave it until the winter and see if it has any problems starting when its cold.
With regards to this......
Hi guys,
At the weekend, I went with my brother in law has to pick up his new toy - a very clean 2002 Honda CBR600F which may or may not have a problem with the charging system - I would appreciate your views. In case you're wondering why I was riding it and not him, I should explain that I have TP cover on any bike and he doesn't, so I offered to bring it back for him. It was hardly a chore - it's a lovely bike. Well, nearly...
Anyway, this thing has tiny mileage (just 3,400 from new) and has done only 220 miles between the last two MOT's. When we went to look at the bike, we noticed the battery seemed a little sluggish turning the engine over, but it fired up and ran OK, and we put it down to the bike having been sitting around.
I only did a couple of miles on the test ride - no problem at all. Did the deal, signed the paperwork and went to ride off. Noticed the battery was still a little sluggish but again, she started OK so off we went.
After a mile or so filtering and stop/start (heading out of London) with rad fan kicking in and out almost constantly), the engine suddenly cut out and the battery seemed completely flat. We jump started the bike off the car, and it fired up instantly. I did notice though that whenever the revs dropped below 3,000 RPM, I could hear the fan slow appreciably and the headlight dimmed. I rode it the rest of the way back trying to keep speed and revs up as much as possible, and it got me the 30 miles back to mine no problem at all. It also restarted fine after it was switched off.
Once my brother in law had sorted out his insurance, he took the bike out an hour or so later. He called me to say it had cut out again, and sure enough the battery was dead (the bike had been idling for a couple of minutes at a set of lights). Again, we connected a set of jump leads, the bike fired up instantly, and all seemed to be well.
I left the bike in my garage overnight connected to an Optimate III. This showed the battery as being discharged but recoverable, and the lights all went green after about an hour and a half. For the lights to go green, the battery has to pass a 30 minute low current discharge test without the voltage dropping below 12.3 volts. According to the Optimate, the battery is actually OK. He rode the bike 70 odd miles yesterday and it was fine, although again we plugged into the Optimate last night, and it showed "discharged" for about an hour, before showing fully charged and OK. This was directly after a 30 mile motorway run, which struck me as a little odd. I would expect a fully charged battery after a run like this.
Have yet to attack it with a multimeter, but does this sound like a regulator/rectifier issue (or the beginnings of one), or is it simply a slightly tired battery. It does concern me though that the battery appears to be discharging at idle, or again is this normal, and its only a tired battery showing it up.
The bike has no aftermarket alarm or accessories on it, just the standard fit HISS "chip key" immobiliser.
Would appreciate any thoughts on this one.
Cheers
DP Read more
The symptoms sound awfully like what happened after I let my Hornet 600 battery completely discharge the first winter I had the bike; I didn't ride it at all, and it sat under a dust cover for probably five months. On charging it come spring, behaviour was as you describe. If the CBR in question has only done a couple of hundred miles between MOTs, then there is a fair chance it too has experienced such a fully discharged battery.
It was this experience that prompted me to buy my Optimate III and the battery now in the bike is seven years old and going strong. Every winter or period of inactivity beyond a week or two, I hook up the umbilical cord and rest easy knowing it'll be fine.
I hope your problem is as easy to fix!
Whilst travelling back home along the M56 earlier this evening I had 'a bit of an altercation' with a lorry driver.
Approaching J12 westbound I slowed to 40mph and set the cruise control for the duration of the SPECS policed roadworks, I'm in lane 1.
I slowly caught up a horsebox, so moved to lane 2, (on checking my mirrors I could see a lorry in lane 1 some way back which I'd passed before entering the 40mph area, plus another car in lane 3)
Once past the horsebox I could have moved back into lane 1 but decided that I was gaining on a car ahead in lane 2 (I'm still at 40mph on cruise), plus I was about to start passing the on slip so there was the possibility of traffic wishing to join. With me so far?
Again I checked my mirrors and saw that the lorry behind me was gaining on me quite rapidly, plus the car in lane 3 was about to pass me. I've now passed the end of the on slip, so give the chap in front of me in lane 2 a quick flash of the lights (nothing ahead of him in lane 1), he doesn't respond. Almost instantaneously I am aware of the lorry now directly behind me, I would estimate maybe a car's length from my bootlid, flashing his headlights. I'm talking a full size artic here.
I am a tad snookered now, as the guy in lane 3 has begun braking falongside the car in lane 2 in readiness for the last SPECS cameras as we reach the end of the restriction. (some folk just don't understand SPECS)
The lorry driver then throws his wagon across into lane 1 and passes me whilst gesticulating to my partner in the passenger seat as if he has some coffee beans in his hand.
He then tears past the last camera probably on his 56mph limiter.
My partner wished to return to compliment so once out of the restriction I drew alongside in lane 2 to allow her to do this. (yes we know two wrongs don't make a right and all that!).
I was quite annoyed to say the least, here we were observing the temporary speed limit, only for this professional driver to behave like a complete norbert.
On noticing the company name splashed down the side of the cab I could not resist suggesting that we make a record of the telephone number, but my partner went one better and got her phone camera out, then took a nice flash photo which has come out rather well. (Taken from the side with an LED flash whilst driver was choosing to ignore us by looking straight on so no risk of blinding him)
Apart from showing the company name, telephone number and website address, the picture shows the side of the driver's face in reasonable detail, with a fag hanging from his mouth, along with a 'No Smoking' sticker on the cab window.
Do you think the driver will have been suitably shocked when he realised a photo had been taken?
So, if you're still with me, what would you do? Anything? Nothing?
I'd be very surprised if an NIP for speeding isn't winging his way anyway, is that enough justice for this type of driving?? Read more
Further to your conversation of specs and speed limits through road works, was travelling in my vehicle (artic) today on M25 car park, I was passing a lorry and a coach so travelling in centre lane, bearing in mind we are banned from using outside lane in a truck normally and definately in road works as a 6'6" width limit. I had my speed limiter set to 50MPH so still have to use throttle to speed up, got caught behind a driver in a black peugeot who was driving up and down between 45MPH and 48MPH, so as I was traveling behind him I was also altering my driving speed. Obviously the guy behind me in the articulated truck was getting pretty pee'd off at this, so after approx 2 miles of this (peugeot would not move left even when he had the room to do so) the driver of not just any truck, this was an M&S truck (although still 8'4" wide) went around the outside of my vehicle (I was back beside the coach by now) and when he got past me found he didn't have room to pull in front of me safely and also found the reason my speed was fluctuating so badly. so to combat this he sped past the first car (which had sensed what was going on and actually sped up!!) and indicated left to pull back to the middle lane. The peugeot however wasn't going to let him in, by which time I had pulled back quite a way. Anyhow just along this stretch the carriageway splits, two lanes on our side for any vehicle and a contraflow lane for vehicles under 6'6".
Just at the moment the truck was going to be forced into the contraflow lane he wildly moved left into the middle lane, the peugeot at this time had nowhere to go as a truck inside him, so did the next best thing and slowed drastically. the truck pulled in just missing the cones as he did so....
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Top Gear tested a "Smart For Four - Lounge" that converted into a bed. Richard and James had to spend 24 hours in it!