October 2006
Going round a roundabout we heard a very loud clunk underneath, but assumed it was road debris and thought nothing more. Shortly afterwards the air-con stopped working but we didn't make the connection at the time.
Assuming the air-con needed re-gassing I phoned the nearest air-con specialist to get an estimate and make a booking. The specialist's response, over the phone without having seen the car, was staggering - "It'll be the condenser, mate, it always is".
Wary of the use of ESP to diagnose car faults, I took the car the the second nearest air-con specialist. He quickly diagnosed, correctly, that the air-con compressor clutch had come unscrewed and fallen off. He promised to investigate parts availability and/or cost of new replacement but failed to get back to me despite daily requests for information.
Having found that one "expert" is an idiot and the other can't be bothered with customers just re-inforced my reluctance to pay any professional to look after my car. There are no doubt good professionals out there but I can never find them!
My own research on the net soon showed that compressor components aren't available, just new compressors from £300 upwards.
A bit of lateral thinking got me a compressor from a scrap yard for £58, remove the clutch driven plate, oil seal and securing bolt and fit them onto my car with plenty of Threadlock to prevent a re-occurrence, hopefully. I'm aware of the need to keep air-con gas components scrupously clean so the rest of the compressor went in the bin. Read more
i have just got a mk2 golf 1.3(1991)...there is a crack in the manifold...i have been to a garage and they say i need a new manifold...the problem is that as you prop already no the bolts are so rusted that theres no way i can get them off easy...anyone no a easy way of doing this...ive been told its going to be a hard job....
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Angle grind or file a flat surface on each side of a stud and then use stilsons to unscrew.
Morning all,
I?ve done a forum search and turned up a couple of different methods of resetting the remote central locking for a Peugeot 406, however the various combinations don?t seem to work on my newly acquired 2002 HDi.
Please, does anyone have the definitive method of resetting? The remote fob has two buttons, one large one with a locked padlock symbol on, the other a small one with an unlocked padlock symbol on.
Many thanks for any help,
DB
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Do you mean programming in the key fob? If so the later models, which yours probably is, need to be programmed by a dealer, around £35 if I remember correctly.
Has anybody had success with 'Scratch Vanish' ? I have a silver SAAB 9-3 with a coin scratch (can't feel it) about 4ft long. I wonder if this product will work.
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if you cant feel it your in luck..it may well polish up
some of these scratch remover compunds are rather harsh, meguairs scratch x is gentle and kind to your paint...although it may take a few applications to see a result
if you need any help...pop over to www.detailingworld.co.uk
The four page advertorial in the Telegraph on Sunday descrbes the C8's Land Departure Warning System.
Is the C8 now competing with Easyjet and Ryanair?
I think we should be told. Read more
I like that, charging the kids 50p for a KitKat, less than an hour outbound and I would have got their pocket money back!
Car is due for M. O. T. Rang a few garages it seem they dont do free retests anymore. Most want to charge 20 pounds. So if it fails its going to cost 60 pounds. Another rip off.
{Shouting amended - DD} Read more
Its a business decision for the vehicle testing station in question.
In my part of the world there are either discounted tests (as low as £25) or free retests, but not both. Some places are at full price with no free retest of course...
A few weeks ago I was seriously looking for a Cupra 20VT or 2.0R Impreza hatch, but I have just been given a wild card.
A friend of mine, and his family, have relocated abroad for work, and I have discovered his Legacy Tourer ( 2004 -2005MY-Spec B manual) is possibly up for sale. I wish to remain friends with him and would dearly love a car like this, and I imagine his options are to sell it to a dealer, thru the auctions, or dispose of privately. What realistically should I offer? The cheapest I have seen is £12,995 on Autotrader from a dealer, and my budget is less than this!
I was hoping to pick one up at auction in a few years time, but the opportunity is now!
Can anyone please provide me with a Glass's valuation, and what he could expect to realise if it were to be sold back into the trade. I would rather make no offer at all than an insulting offer!
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Nsar
My friend returns with his family shortly, and I will post specific details of the vehicle, and his asking price - always assuming that it is beyond my budget!
From What Car:
? 75-based Grand Prestige launches brand in China
? No date set for introduction to the UK yet
? Nanjing still plans to build MGs at Longbridge
Rover 75s will go on sale in China later this month badged as the Roewe Grand Prestige.
The new Roewe brand is being launched by Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) which bought the copyright for the Rover 25 and 75 last year. Ford bought the Rover brand last month, so the Chinese needed a new name.
While SAIC has revealed the badge for the new brand, it hasn't yet shown how it has adapted the 75 to transform it into the Grand Prestige.
SAIC has committed more than £700million worth of investment to develop production of the car for export, but hasn't given a timetable on when, or even if, this will include the UK.
Nanjing Automotive, meanwhile, continues with its plans to restart production of the TF roadster at the former MG Rover plant at Longbridge next year.
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There have been press releases recently to the effect that Stadco (who made F/TF pressings) has signed a deal with Nanjing to move the press facility to Longbridge and restart production. There are apparently various "STADCO HGV this way" signs around Longbridge so something seems to be going on.
Must admit I never thought we'd see another car come out of Longbridge but I am beginning to think there may be a small number of TF's emerge sometime next year. Whether anyone will buy them is perhaps another matter....
Anyone with any advice on this?
Car was running fine, but now turns over but wont start.
Local garage is suggesting an electrical sensor?
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check basics yourself if worried
spark?
fuel?
immobilisor?
I am looking for an adapted vehicle for my disabled daughter.
And have been looking at a vw transporter t4, and an 03 Renault Trafic
Can anyone advise me on witch of the above is better
Any help would be appreciated.
{Shouting - ie, upper case text only has been amended - DD} Read more
The Transporter has a FAR better reputation than the Renault, though much of this due to the way VW USED to build vehicles!!
You will possibly get a better idea, by test driving a couple of van versions, to get an idea of how they feel, to you.
The VW will be more expensive initially, but MIGHT prove less expensive to maintain, if you can find a good independent specialist to look after it - easier than the Renault.
But you MUST check the original use the van had - if it wasn't a conversion from new. You don't want something that did a million miles before the previous owner!!
VB
Browse
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Dont think the condenser on my focus is long for this world either.
I had a rattle from the plastic guard at the bottom of the condenser and when having a look saw the bottom inch of the condenser had rotten away and was laying on the guard, some of the fins are also hanging loose aswell.
After talking to a chap about getting it replaced all he said was its gonna cost ya so if it still works dont try fixing it.