October 2006
Hi my girlfriend has a 1997 Vauxhall Corsa 1.4 16V ecotec with about a 100,000 miles. Yesterday she noticed smoke coming from under the bonnet and when it was opened the oil filler cap was lying beside the battery and the oil had covered the manifold causing the smoke. I take it there must be some sort of pressure build up occuring any suggestions what to check? Or is it terminal
Thanks Read more
Afternoon All, how goes?
As per previous notes, I have not changed my old clio and have decided to to run it into the ground and buy a car for the other half, she will not see it very often as it will be small and fast. Anyway...
I am having a few probs with the nearside front wheel/tyre. I have excess wear on the outside of the near side front and a creaking noise when I am on a right hand bend. A good example is when I am in a multi story car park and go down, it's a right angled turn to the right. The creaking is getting progressively worse as is the tyre wear.
I am on Goodyear Eagles GSD2 and had a similar problem with the near side rear, same wear etc. In this instance, shocks were replaced and no probs since. Anyone had similar probs and anyone know what the prob/cure is with this creak. Girlfriend says she can feel a vibration under her feet in the passengers side
Any views
Cheers all. Read more
MAny thanks for your views, it's booked in for Saturday morn at my normal garage. Will mention all views and get it checked. Many thanks folks, your views are as always invaluable.
Hi i'm looking for a secondhand car, and just seen a silver Rover 25, 52 reg, 1.4 iL, with tax & mot until 07/07, with 25k on the clock going for £2650,
I haven't had a proper look through out the car, just a casual look over, overall it looks very good.
Was wondering before I contact the owner to have a better look , any one with previous experience of such a car could give me some advise etc, what to look out for with this particular kind of car etc.
with regards the 25k on the clock, all the usual wear and tear signs such as scratching near the drivers door key hole are not significant, still very polished etc, the drivers seat looks good and the steering wheel doesn't look to shiny. the accelerator peadl still has it's rubber cover on it, so all looks good.
any advise will be great fully appreaciated.
This will be my first car in a long time, having saved up for it for a while now, so would like to make a good choice.
thanks for your help... Read more
In reply to Adam:
Yeah, fair enough!
I ahve a car that is 5.5 yrs old and I ahve had it from new. Main dealer serviced until 54,000 then Independent since then (Now 82K).
Yesterday an Engine Mgt Light lit up - phoned the Independent who sai - go to the main dealer as he might not be able to re-set the light. Fair enough I thought and booked it in to the new shiny gin palace.
Phoned at mid day - light re-set but there were other matters that thye could attend to
1) Fan Speed on 1&" needs new rheostat - I told them that poiint - go ahead - thye did not have the part in stock although it is a known problem
2)Front disk [pads and disks need attention
3)AC Condensor was thin and needed replacing
4) Rear trailing arm bushes needed replacement
Paid the £61 and left
Went to the Independent
1) New Rheostat required ( but we knew that)
2) 10mm left on front pads and disks are shiny apart from the edge
Original pads replaced @ 63K and have only done 20K since so are "nearly new condition.
3) AC Condensor - no opinion as he cannot tell
4) Rear trailing arm bushes were markedly better than standard -No play on bushes.
MoT would be no problem in forseeable future.
Return to Main Dealer
Director & Gen Manager
These are advisory and not necessarily required immediately
We parted with strong feelings, on my part, that I was attempted to be hoodwinked -
the Dir was adamant that he & his staff were right.
However on the phone if I had said go ahead I would have new pads and disks, new rear bushes and a new condensor - how much would that have been £800+???? - the car is worth around £2500 as a trade -in.
My parting shot - Its my 60th birthday on Thursday and I have £20K to spend on a motor .................
Dir - we never had you as a customer so we have not lost you - Yes but someone else will get my £20,000
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>> Longlife is thus a major
>>problem for service managers trying to make their upselling targets and
>>one wonders whether it will continue for much longer.
Rumours have been kicking around for years about the "longlife" vehicle - usually with a caveat that the only reason it hasnt been introduced is that the oil companies cant produce a long life oil.
Apart from an annual oil and filter change the first time many vehicles get anything like a proper inspection will be at MOT time.
The "small" service schedule should include a visual check of safety items but this can often be skipped by a technician under pressure to turn a vehicle round in minimum time and earn his bonus!
BCA notts are auctioning a car that is from bmw group open,
the car is a 4 year old 5 series, any ideas where their cars come from? Read more
Just announced a few minutes ago......
The Peugeot plant at Ryton will close early by January 07 with most employees not returning after the 2 week christmas shutdown.
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Was Charles {P} but someone c o p i e d my name with spaces. Read more
Apparantly they have brought the closing date forward because so many employees had either left for new jobs or had asked to leave. The plant would have been unable to function with the reduced workforce.
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I'd always assumed that people working here from other countries had driven their cars here.
I overtook a Lithuanian car transporter going North on the M40 last Sunday and it was loaded with Lithuanian registered cars!
I assume that they fly here and get their cars shipped separately.
Or was it some sort of operation smuggling Lithuanian cars into England to be sold on to the Brits to avoid having to pay speeding fines/have MOTs/ Insurance etc.... :-)
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I understand that UK cars are cheaper than Polish, and come in better mechanical condition.
Crash damaged salvaged cars shipped to Poland, repaired and sold on can be quite profitable if you know what you are doing.
Greg
Ive just taken the roof rack off my 306 hdi estate as i wont be needing it over the winter and the paint on the rails that are fitted to the car have some paint that has flaked off. (unavoidable i suppose)
I was wondering if i wanted to touch it up what paint should i use?
The car is black and it looks pretty obvious where it has flaked. Also its bare metal under the the rails which i dont want rusting. The rails on the car have a matt finish so i dont want to use anything to glossy
cheers Read more
Lightly tidy up with some wet and dry and try to feather back the edges of the existing paint as well as roughen up (key) the area where the paint has come off.
Spray up with some etching primer which can be bought in aerosols and finish in satin black spray.
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Fullchat
My daughter has had an intermittent problem with the car occasionally not starting, ie turning over but not firing. Up to now it has always started eventually ,sometimes after a few minutes or even the next day.
Althought HT leads etc have been changed, no real solution has been forthcoming, the usual response being that there is no fault to find when the car is driven into the garage after it has atarted! It has now packed up completely but needs a tow away for diagnosis. Before more of her hard earned cash is burned does anyone have any ideas? Read more
Many thanks for this. Sounds like deal so will give it a go.
Regards
Stuart
Hi all
I have an issue whereby my foglights come on when I put on my headlights. I havent changed anything (certainly not knowingly) this has recently starting happening. I turn the headlight notch and on pop the headlights and the fogs. Appreciate this will fail my MOT so need to fix. Would as always be very greatful for any advice/pointers.
Rog
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Send Chassis No and I should be able to email you the CCT for the model but I suspect the switch has failed. If the driving lights relay had welded closed they would not go off at all. Regards Peter
Browse
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I agree with Victorbox, these yellow plastic caps are easy to fit incorrectly. I'd stick it back on and see if it happens again. I'm not familiar with the crankcase breather arrangements on this engine but it is worth checking that they are clear if the car makes a habit of launching the filler cap.
I'm not sure if the rubber glove check is appropriate with these engines, most VXs I've had seem to have a postive crankcase pressure even when the breathers are clear.