November 2006
Just after some reassurance; I'm about to have a go at replacing the alternator and am wondering if I should just cough up and pay a prof.
I'm fairly happy that I'll end up with a pile of bits on the floor but am more concerned about how easy it is to gett the correct tension back in the belt. Is this just a case of getting the positioning right on the bracket thingy?
Any advice would be greatly recieved.
Read more
I see its ok for plod to speed to collect takaways ,magistrate in Rotherham believed everyword from the police officer about an accident call 20 miles away in another city.In reality the man was collecting a preordered chinese meal for himself and his colleages he is treating the law which he is supposed to uphold with absolute contempt ,because of behaveour like this how can you you believe or trust anybody in uniform. Read more
No I'm a provincial mouse. Not funny really expecting Officers to be firing on all cylingers, especially after a quick change and after the lunch adjourment. I very nearly won a breathalyser case in these circumstances once -- ver nearly threw a spanner in the works, but Justice did actually prevail on that one.
What does a fully loaded Maybach weigh? ; -)
Read more
I generally travel with about half the max load - it has a crawler first gear which overcomes issues with full loads on hills and I normally pull away in second even when loaded as its quite torquey.
It is low geared in general and I have had a heavy oak victorian sideboard and 6 boxes of magazines in the back and while it took more revs and more use of first gear pulling away, it was still possible to maintain normal speeds in a straightline and accelerate at a reasonable rate.
I referred to a speed limit, not a rev limiter. Speed limiters that I have encountered do not restrict the revs unless it reaches the set limit. Any limiter that limits revs in any gear is clearly a stupid idea by someone who doesnt drive.
I regularly drive newer Vauxhalls at work...... and the latest batch have indicators that seem to have minds of their own.
If you indicate left...in good time.... to give someone else a chance to pull out.......inevitably by the time you get there the damned things have turned themselves off
similarly, when you want to go the whole way around the roundabout and indicate early...... halfway around they're turned off again
also is it just me that thinks the Astra indicator lenses are useless and you can hardly see them flashing because they are so opaque Read more
After all the fun and games I had with my 55 Focus, I handed it back to the dealer who were superb in the way they handled the whole episode.
Anyway , I now have a 5 month 06 reg Astra sxi. The indicators are similar to the ones I had on the 53 Vectra a while back - similar but not exactly the same.
Having had experience of the Vectra set up, I can only say they were infuriating - especially because they cancelled just when you didn't want them to! e.g. going around a roundabout.
Things have obviously moved on in the last couple of years with this system - the set up on my Astra is superb. As above its one touch for three flashes and a firm shove to lock them down - on the Astra you can feel it when it locks,something I didn't notice the Vectra doing.
I really like it and wouldn't want to go back to the old set up.
earlier today at The Mailbox in Birmingham.
As HJ suggests in his car-by-car review section, they do look stunning in the flesh. I started off with the 2.4 Diesel but the one that completely won me over was the 2.5 Petrol-engined T5 Sport. It was painted in a sort of Pearlescent Off-White(?) colour and had the lower body kit bits done out in Jade(?). It really looked the part and although it was difficult to get a full appreciation of its performance (the 13-mile test-drive route almost exclusively used 40-50mph inner-city camera-laden sprawl) I would say that Volvo are almost certainly onto a winner here. Only 5,000 destined for the UK market in 2007(?)so a certain amount of exclusivity guaranteed too.
Add a bit of leather inside the cockpit and I think I could be tempted? Read more
Am going to The Mailbox do on Sunday! Looking forward to it...
Didn't get a brilliant write-up in Autocar this week, said it was much like an A3 dynamically, ie disappointing. I love my A3, so I might like the C30!
I'm sure you've seen the type, just wondered... Read more
I have a car Audi A6 based down at my MinL's which ahs suffered a very sluggish battery a couple of times due to lack of use 6 weeks or more. I purchased off ebat a Solar trickle charger for a but it now price of 9.95 Plus postage and fitted it a couple of visits ago. It is mounted on the rear parcel shelf as where it is parked that is the best daylight access and sure enough the panel has kept the battery up. Before the panel the battery ( it has a volt meter in the instrument cluster ) would read 11volts remember this is wheich the ignition on and quite a load, and the car would just start, now it reads just under 12 volts and appears quite lively. I tested the panel on a gel cell battery and nomitors the battery voltage and obtained, thru double glassing of 12.56 volts on a battery that originally measured 12.21v. ( two sunny days ) Regards Peter
what do you consider to be the most useless item a manufacturer has put in a car.
I don't mind starting with 'voice activated controls' for the stereo & climate etc........ i can never remember the exact wording i'm supposed to use and had to sit for an hour or so when i first got the car talking seemingly to myself so that the thing understood my voice........confirmed what the neighbours had been increasingly worrying about
can't imagine why anyone would ever pay for this as an option (was already in the car when i bought it) Read more
Wassock.
In what way was he related to a priest's gown?
Oh! I see.................
My daughter has a Rover 25 but has only one key fob for the reote alarm/locking. If I buy a spare key fob i.e. from EBay are programming instructions available? I know it can be done by ex Rover dealers but they charge an exorbitant amount.
Read more
Have a word with this guy. He reprogrammes Rover keys, for a reasonable price and does it right so I am happy to recommend.
www. lates600.com
My Astravan diesel started up today having previously shown no sign of trouble, however, the first thing I noticed was the Ignition light stayed lit, my thought was Alternator, but I then found that I also did not have power steering, so I am wondering if the fault may lay elsewhere, anybody have any thoughts on the problem. Thanks. Read more
LeePower and Dynamic Dave,
Thank you both very much for your help, it is really much appreciated, I shall take on board your advice.
Mylor.
I have a y reg 2001 peugeot 406 2l petrol estate ,the 20 amp fuse protecting my windscreen wipers has started blowing when i switch the control to auto rain sensor it did on three occasions . any ideas please also should i take it to a main dealer for diagnosis and any repair. ps i put a 30 amp fuse in it and it blew that one after a while . seems ok if i switch wipers to manul positions. Read more
Firstly, Dont put a 30 amp fuse in place of a 20 amp one, Fire risk!
Have you tried unplugging the rain sensor & then seeing if the fuse still blows?
The rear view mirror & housing should slide off the metal clip so you can get at the connector plug on the rain sensor & unplug it.
Browse
I have avoided responding until a couple of Pug experts came along. On an old 1.9 like mine this is a doddle, as there is so much space and a screw tensioner. The only problem is the bottom bolt which can stick. Can do in 15 minutes, including post-job checks. Obviously a little more difficult on the HDi, but the Haynes manual or similar should make this straightforward.
But are you sure it is the alternator? If your mechanical knowledge is such that you are concerned about the job, how sure are you about the diagnosis (as you haven't mentioned symptoms). You may be better going to a small independent autoelectrician for diagnosis and swap. The price should be less than a dealer by a massive margin, and you can witness it. Even Halfords (pause for gasp from Backroomers) do this sort of stuff now, and their charges are not that terrible as it is a fixed price usually (wish I had let them do the Punto diesel one)