October 2006
My gf managed to kerb my front n/s alloy over the weekend. She's stripped off the protective bumper on the tyre, and gone thru the lacquer, putting a 10 cm long graze on the alloy.
Does anyone have a recommendation for someone in the W Mids who could sort this out for me? Also a ballpark for what would be a reasonable quote?
Also, I'm assuming that the bump strip on the tyre is not structural and I don't have to worry about it. Correct?
Cheers!
Gord. Read more
SWMBO's Yaris started playing up yesterday; It seemed to loose power/revs momentarily at anywhere between 2-3k rpm. Didn't happen all the time and not at a specific engine speed.
It is coming up for a service and will be booked in soon but I'd like to have an inkling of any potential problems before I hand it (and my wallet) over to the garage.
TIA.
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Thanks, though I suppose I should have worded my question a bit better.....
Given the situation with the EM light etc. and the previous power loss episodes - would I be better off taking it straight to a dealer?
Has anyone had any experience of buying one of these?
What condition are they generally in?
thanks in advance
noz Read more
If you ever have cause to visit Swindon (don't ask), you will notice rather a lot of Civics and CRV's. The reason for this is that the Honda factory that builds civics and CRV's is located on the edge of town and a car lease scheme that includes servicing and insurance is available for employees at a favourable rate. Some of the cars will have been genuinely cared for (I know of a few families who cherish theirs) and some of them are routinely thrashed, as ultimately, any long term damage will be someone else's problem.
I guess the usual rules apply: buyer beware.
f2
What's the earliest you can (legally) display a new tax disc?
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L\'escargot. Read more
I renewed my tax on-line, only reason for doing so was i couldn't find my documents and they check them electronically. Problem solved...cheers...Keo
Noticed the car was a bit noisy last week , like the door wasn't shut properly. On closer inspection, I found the front passenger door way out of alignment and a number of marks in the paint where someone had obviously tried to lever open the door at the top . Is this a tried and tested way to break in to a vehicle ? - you'd certainly need a lot of force to gain entry - personally I'd break a side window for quick access... Read more
In Brussels last year I watched, from a cafe ,as the 'parking police' removed a whole line of vehicles by forcing a crack in top of door, inserting wedges and then using a sort of 'endoscope 'undid the handbrakes and towed the car onto a lorry.
Is that better than the 'crane' they use in London?
Just a thought which might just save some of you from learning a lesson the hard way as I did this afternoon.
I was checking tyre pressures on the Mercedes B-class at a filling station, having not done it for ages, and even at 13,900 miles the first service is apparently still 5000 miles away. One of the valves sheared and the tyre went flat. Nowhere in the wheel-changing kit was there a spanner or key to unlock the locking wheel nut, and I had to call Mercedes Assistance out.
I had fondly imagined that on a new car this would have been with the rest of the wheel-changing kit, but no. The Mercedes man had a good look and we couldn't see it anywhere.
So maybe those of who suffer from alloy wheels (one of the most stupid and unnecessary embellishments a car can have) should all have a look and make sure the key (a) exists) and (b) is somewhere we can find it. I suppose I was lucky that it was Sunday after church and not on the way to a business appointment, or miles from anywhere.
Fortunately SWMBO's Mini One and daughter's 1.3 Yaris have steel wheels - yippee.
One good thing - Humphries fitted a new valve free - not worth the hassle to do the paperwork. Read more
I thought garages had to maintain airlines. Don't weights and measures, or whatever they are now called, check these things? Same as they do the pumps on the forecourt?
Hi,
I am going to france on Friday Morning. Need to be in dover at 7am, so I thought a nice overnight run should avoid all the usual congestion.
Then someone said something about the A2 being closed overnight ?
Is there something I need to worry about or can I assume that setting off round midnight will get me there with lots of time to waste.
thanks
Mark Read more
And fuel in Luxembourg is cheaper still - or at least it was (for diesel) a few weeks ago when we drove across Europe.
I looked for studies/research in this area but haven't found anything. Does anyone know of any evidence or figures to support this? The gist is basically this:
It is commonly known that cars in the same category have got bigger over the past few years. For example, a 1980s Ford Escort hatchback was 4.013m long while a Focus II, Ford's current class competitor is 4.342m long (nearly 13" longer for the old timers ;-) ). Similarly an 80s Sierra hatchback was 4.419m long and the equivalent mondeo today is 4.731m long, an increase of approx. 12". (Figures unscientifically gathered from Parkers)
So presumably even if there were the same total number of cars on the road as there were 20 years ago, the increased size of modern cars would take up more road space and result in 'congestion'. Given that there are also many bigger cars on today's road - MPV and 4x4s than there were 20 years ago and there are actually more vehicles anyway. What effect on congestion can be attributed to bigger vehicles, not just more vehicles?
Do wake up at the back!
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The significant reason for "in-town" congestion getting worse recently (10 -15
years) is the now universal one-man operated bus with doors. They
are stationary at bus stops just so much longer than they
used to be and we all sit patiently behind them. It
might save the transport co. a few bob but it costs
the wider community so much more. Rant over.
That is such a good point, I never thought of that. You're absolutely right. It's more than 10-15 years though, the last time I saw a bus conductor round these parts was when I was a small child in the 1970s....
So if all these threatened taxes are imposed what will happen to the money collected? Cars are still going to emit gases, aircraft engines likewise. they aren't going tp be modified so what is the money going to be spent on? Why are we going to act if USA and China aren't? Seems pointless and expensive. Global warming is happening but opinion is divided as whether it is anything to do with CO2! V Depends which biased report you read!
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Just what does go on inside Government Minister's heads?
How much can I claim in expenses? How big will my pension be ? Can we fool them again ? Can we get away with more stealth taxes ?
Can we serve the public ? NO
This has previously cropped up in discussions where the moderators have insisted that posting of video clips should be non clickable (ie, by leaving off the http:// part of the link). Where a clickable link had been posted, it was subsequently edited and the http part was removed and a comment added by a moderator.
All this came about following a post edited by HJ a couple of years ago because a clickable video clip hampered the site server by being very popular and thus slowing the site down to a crawl whilst the redirecting took place from this site to the video clip location. There was also a *misunderstanding* that it added to HJ's bandwidth costs.
I have now had confirmation that this is not the case, so we will be relaxing the regulations on clickable video clips.
However, please note:- If the clip redirects to a site where the content also contains adult related, or other material that could be deemed offensive, then PLEASE use your discretion and make the clip non clickable and include a disclaimer in your post informing so.
Please be also aware that I understand that many employers are now implementing systems that restrict the viewing of videos, online radio listening, and the like. So bear the following in mind when posting a clickable video clip. If someone who browses the BackRoom at work were to unintentionally click on that link, a report could get logged to their IT department. I'm sure you wouldn't want your clickable video clip to cause someone to be disiplined, or worse given the sack - so as I have previously said, PLEASE use your discretion.
Finally, clips will as always be scrutinised by the moderators, and if anything inappropriate is posted (whether clickable or not), it will more than likely be removed without notice.
DD.
ps, I will leave this thread open for discussion (for now), but I *can't* imagine that there is that much to discuss, other than the few pedantic comments of "see, I told you so"
pps, no doubt the occasional inept or ignorant backroomer will carry on just as before - leaving a moderator to have to tidy up behind them ;o)
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This is the video refered to in the last few posts.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sm_iYtMumcY {LL, that one definately needs making non clickable. Backroomers, view at your own discretion - DD}
Browse
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I agree with the 'tarring with the same brush' sentiment entirely Dave. I am in the building trade and whilst I have been trading as an honest, skilled tradesman for 13 years some people still view all builders as cowboys. That aside, when I go into a certain large DIY store they claim to have qualified plumbers, electricians etc on their staff. I have heard these people offer advice that is out and out dangerous and I cannot believe they haven't been sued yet. My theory is, if these people ARE qualified tradesmen, why are they working in that store for less than 12 grand a year? Similarly, how are people expected to trust advice about cars from individuals who are in some cases aren't even old enough to drive a car, let alone be qualified enough to advise people on matters such as servicing, parts or repair.
Just another 100% true story, when I recently visited that same motoring store on a Sunday as my local independant was unreachable due to flooding I wanted a condensor for my Mk2 Escort engined kit car. Not only did they not have one, the person I asked behind the parts counter looked puzzled then said they didn't get involved with air conditioning as it was a specialist job. Ok, it is an old engine but there are still a few cars about with condensors and points aren't there???!!!