September 2006
Hi there
I bought a Passat TDI 130 form a dealer in March this year with 9900 miles on it, car first registered in May 05. The car was serviced at the time I bought it (VW policy to service cars that look like they'll need a service within the next 5 months). Now, after 5900 miles of steady motoring, 2500 of which touring in france (55mpg!) and the rest mainly motorway and extra-urban on flatish terrain, the dreaded service indicator light is telling me to get it serviced in 1900 miles! And here I am thinking I'd get around 18k miles before the 2nd service, not 7.8k!
So what's going on? I definitely haven't driven the car in a way that merits a service after only 7.8k, so there's either a fault or the garage didn't reset the service flag when they did the service. I called the garage up and they said '..........possibly a glitch, bring it in and we'll reset it' Hmmm......if they do that, and don't change the oil at the same time, will the car still monitor the existing oil properly or will it be confused and let the car run with nackered oil later on? Is it possible for me to detemine whether or not they did or didn't reset the service flag at 9900 miles? (just so I know the score).
Your advice appreciated Read more
The drink driving limit is in the news as the government has turned down a suggestion of a lower limit for under 21s.
That might be a slightly strange suggestion. However, I think the law needs tightening. Currently if you are over the 80 mg limit, that is a serious motoring offence and you get a 1 year ban, yet if you are just under the limit no offence has been committed. Therfore it would make sense to keep the 80mg limit with the mandatory ban but bring in a lower limit, say 60mg, carrying a fine and penalty points.
Read more
I used to work in the rail industry and to avoid mis categorising posts the company declared all posts "safety critical"
That meant I could drive legally to work with 70mg but could not go in to work when I got there (IIRC the limit at work was 15mg - set by legislation, not the company and backed by random testing).
Shouldn't driving be considered similarly safety critical and isn't there a discrepacy already?.
Hi NC,
The following link relates to a patent application by Yamaha for an innovative intake system that is rumoured to be employed on their 2007 R1 superbike, rather a lot of reading though by scrolling through you can get the idea. Primary and secondary injectors, upstream and downstream of the throttle butterfly, variable length inlet tracts, variable volume manifold etc.
v3.espacenet.com/origdoc?DB=EPODOC&IDX=EP1655464&F...4
Any thoughts? Perhaps on it's application in cars.
Regards. Read more
Well of course. That's how new ideas come to market. CVT transmission is a very old idea going back to about 1904 (Rudge motorcycle used in the TT used leather-belt CVT). It had various problems and didn't catch on. The idea was revived in Germany in the 1930's. Again didn't really take off. Van Doorne had some success a few decades back - again didn't really take off. Then we have had more recent attempts that look a bit more promising - but the jury is still out. Usually its a case of good ideas waiting for more advanced materials and manufacturing processes to make them viable.
All-alloy multivalve engines with twin cams were built in Germany around the time of the start of the First World War, but it took very many decades before they became 'the norm'.
Folks, I'm about to embark on a 1700 miles roundtrip to France and I took my car in for a full service in prep for the journey.
The mechanic tells me that load compensation valve has seized and would cost between £300 to £400 to repair! its a Citroen Xsara 1.9 diesel.
I can't afford that. Should I risk the journey or cancel? I will be travelling with my g/f.
Is it dangerous?
Is the price fair?
I just don't know what to do! Read more
Jsut as an off-the-wall idea, why don't you take it easy to the coast, then get it fixed when you get into France - probably a lot cheaper, and could be tackled by most garages not just a main dealer?
Hello all and thanks for taking time to read over my problem. I drive a 1998 Peugeot 406 TD and recently a knocking sound has appeared. This sound is coming from the drivers side and over the weekend I found that the anti roll bar attached to the shock absorber had gone and changed it, thinking that this was the problem. The ball joint was worn and loose. But the knocking still remains.
This sound only happens intermittently, some mornings when starting from cold it is a quite loud knocking sound and other mornings nothing is heard. When I was changing the anti roll bar I also noticed that the top of the shock was a little oily (damp looking) so I will have to change it also as it is possibly going. What I was wondering would a shock that is going be responsible for a knocking sound? This sound is quite a dull knock, but can be very loud at times.
I will have to eliminate the shock absorber, but is seems more like a sound of an engine mount. This morning as I was coming to work I was jerking the car easily via the accelerator and it knocked every time I did this. When I stopped and turned of the engine and restarted, the knock was very loud. Then I drove a little more jerking the pedal again and there was no sound at all, then when I slowed down it did make a sound. This is what makes me believe more that it is an engine mount as the engine would move quite a bit when starting and stopping, but why does it not happen all the time? It's really frustrating to be honest.
On some bends you will here a slight knock or going over bumps, but again this doesn?t happen all the time. It is really hard to pin point exactly, I have had my father holding the shock absorber while I start up and when it does make the knocking sound he couldn?t really feel any vibration in the shock itself, which leads me to think it's more an engine mount or even something else.
I was just wondering if anyone else has had a similar problem with a knocking sound and if they could recommend anywhere else to look or check around the engine? The car has approx 89000 miles on the clock.
I have also when around all visible nuts on the engine mounts to see if any may have been loose, but they where all tight.
I could really use your advice on this one!
Cheers,
ZenZen
Read more
In regards to being on the move Reggie, no this can happen when starting up in a stationary position.
Cheers,
ZenZen
Saw this film last night on BBC3. I know it has been discussed on here previously, but it has to have some of the best car chase scenes in the whole of cinema history.
Anyway, what really annoys me about all films is the way that they ignore the real life potential of the cars on the screen. An Audi S8 wth nitrous injection will be more than able to pull away from a 205(!) in a few seconds. Why make a point of getting a character to demand an S8 with nitrous, if they didn't use it to its full potential. They even ignored (in the screenplay) the fact that the BMW in the final scene was an M5!
It's the same in American films. They get two cars chasing, but on a open road, the faster one still can't get ahead or pull away.
Read more
I spent the enire film convinced it was Meryl Streep, which shows how many films I see.
Disappointed with the plot! Good Lord that was stupid and unsatisfying! Have to admit the car chases were not very thrilling either - left the room to get a drink in the middle of one of them, it was so silly.
Ooh, I've turned into James May over the weekend. Sorry!
Hello everyone,
I'm a complete newbie here and hope my query is appropriate.
I'm looking to change my old Renault Clio for a bigger car. I've got up to £9,500 tops to play with and want something diesel and an estate.
Diesel for the obvious consumption concerns and estate because I have a dog, could be getting another in the not too distant future. I also don't want anything with sky-high miles - preferrably under 40k.
I've been looking at Parkers, Whatcar and this website and think I should be looking at (in order of preference) Ford Focus 1.8TDCi, 2) Skoda Octavia 1.9 Elegance (it's 110bhp, I think the Ambiente at 90bhp may be a little underpowered as I may buy something to tow in a few years) 3) Vauxhall Astra (if I can get a new shape in my budget).
I also love the look of the Renault Megane 1.9 dci but am worried by the reliability score. I wouldn't touch a Pug 307 for the same reason.
Ideally I'd go for a Japanese car but they don't really come in my price bracket. Though out of desperation I have driven a n inexpensive old-style 113bhp Nissan X-Trail (not the new 136bhp) and loved it - if I could be persuaded of its reliability and reasonable costs.
Despite my eco-concerns with a 4x4 one would be pretty handy as I spend many weekends in the year parking on wet and muddy fields at dog shows - though I've only been REALLY worried in my Clio once or twice.
I am at a loss what to do. Diesel estates in my price range seem to be like hens' teeth...it seems to me I can either go up a price bracket and there's plenty of choice or down a price bracket and settle for something older and with more miles on the clock, which I'm loathe to do.
Am I looking for something that doesn't exist or can anyone suggest an alternative?
I look forward to hearing from you.
Read more
Have a look out for a mazda 6 estate.I reckon you may just about get one for that money.
Basically my alarm works fine apart from the fact the keyfob doesnt turn it off!!
The doors unlock ok but without the rapid indicator flickering, then as soon as you open anything the alarm blares and doesnt stop until you put key in the ignition and press the button on the inside..... Then the indicators flicker as they should and the alarm stops ----- just like it should do when I unlock the car with the keyfob.
The control box is fine, and Ive tried the one from my spare car which I know worked, and the result was the same. Its baffling me but there must be an easy solution.... Read more
Some might remember I had a conversion done on my toyot carina e 2.0 engine in Poland. I have done about 15,000 miles, and the conversion has paid itself with a nice profit of £200 so far.
My father got a conversion done on his toyota camry 2.4 litre vvti year 2002 car, and it ran wonderfully for 600 miles or so. It now judders on gas, but is fine on petrol.
Any ideas what this might be, and where he might be able to sort it out in England. He lives in Brighton (SW London).
Also to say the camry is a brilliant car. We brought it recently, it got us to Poland near the Russian border in 24 hours from the UK. 1500 miles or so. Amazing and wonderfully confortable. 39mpg on petrol, gas about 26mpg (careful driving...90 miles per hour max). Best car I have every driven in fact.
Thanks again Read more
Try him direct:
ralf@njumaen.de
This is getting a pain, tried the usual - new wipers(bosch), cleaned it &, the blades, using halfords screenwash, scrubbed with washing up liquid etc but I cannot get rid of it.
Anyone got any ideas ?
Read more
I use
Bohle professional glass cleaner aerosol
from the local trade glass supplier, quite cheap too.
The cheapest method is to use plain clean water and a bit of folded newspaper.
Was it the Maxi or the Allegro that had an "oil change sensor"?;it supposedly measured the pressure drop across the filter-after a couple of month's production,it was quietly dropped.