November 2006
Sad to see this today: www.jacksons-ltd.co.uk/
Jacksons have gone into administration. The bodyshop place did a lovely job on putting Polo back together in 2002 and I have had nothing but old fashioned good service when I've been to the Skoda dealership to look at Fabias, even though I made it clear it was for a company car. They always seemed quite busy both in sales and service.
The only bit that never seemed to work were the Fords in the Motorland section - that bit of the business always looked a bit shabby in my opinion.
I hope the excellent Skoda team manage to get jobs somewhere else.
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When I have hot air directed only at the feet in my Golf, the passenger's feet (not that there are normally feet there - most days it's just my lunch and handbag) get hotter much more quickly than mine. Is that the same in most cars? Is it because the pedals block the heat on the driver's side?
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Could the gaps in the carpet and insulation on the drivers side let through just that bit more fresh air causing the drivers footwell seem just that much cooler.
What you want is a thermocouple (to position midpoint in the heating duct exit) and an anemometer (to measure the 'wind' speed).
How do I get the old ball joint off? I've drilled out the 3 rivets and got the end off the wishbone, but the vertical bit at the top won't come off the hub for all the effort I've put in. Left it all to soak in wd40 overnight, although it already moves around a bit so not seized in.
I'm thinking I'm gonna have to hammer it out from the top but the drive shaft is in the way to get anything to it.
Help would be very much appreiciated, as I'm now stuck with a car in bits that can't even be towed to a garage cause I can't get it back together... Read more
Have you had the tracking checked since the job. Regards Peter
Hi
The last couple of days my Peugeot 206 1.4 HDi (2004) has started to misbehave.
When the car has just been started from cold and has not been running for more than a couple of minutes the dashboard sometimes decides to reset itself following the sequence it follows when I first turn the ignition on. The engine carries on running normally but it's very uncomfortable being sat at traffic lights with the dashboard going crazy and clicking at me (assume that's solenoids or something behind the dash being reset).
I haven't experienced this when the engine is up to temp so am guessing it's linked to cold starts and possibly the ECU?
Any thoughts on what might be causing it would be very much appreciated - the car is still under warranty but it's always better to go the the garage with a rough idea of what the problem might be.
Thanks! Read more
Thanks sparks - I'll take a look and see if I can see the earth lead and any problems with it.
I've just bought a 1997 Rover 623GSI with verified 72k on the clock. It's got a full Rover main-dealer service history, but I've only got the book. How can I find out what's been done at the regular service intervals and if the cambelt has been changed?
Cheers. Read more
Phone the dealer whose stamps appear in the service book. They should have a more detailed record of what they have and haven't done to the car.
After top up oil, Shell petrol garage does'nt do it, I need the 5/30w semi.
Not found anywhere on the net where I can buy Shell stuff in general which is odd.
Thanks. Read more
Rimula is a very high detergent oil designed for large relatively slow running diesels.I used to use a fill of this or Rotella whenever I bought a "new" secondhand car to flush the engine out in the days before car oils had detergent in.
Hi, the hatch gas struts on my 2005 Mazda6 make a "eerrck" when I open them, its much worse in damp weather or when frosty. Its not the hinges, I have greased them all. I noticed at the end on the metal shaft, there is a shiny patch which looks like its been rubbing. Is it save to put a little oil(3in1) on it??? Its dry as is the other side.
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At different times I have used either WD40 or a silicone spray to overcome this on a Mondeo estate. The results have lasted for months with no ill effects to the struts or seals.
Am i being unrealistic?
I've just driven back from Norfolk having visited rellies and on the way up enjoyed empty straight A roads, where you could get a move on... and the odd car/lorry that didn't was easily depatched as it was a gloriously clear sunny day with loads of vision...
on the way back however was a different story completely.........dark, no street lights and i don't know the roads.... however if the car in front would only switch their main beam on on bits where there is no one coming, i might be able to see the road and judge whether i could overtake
unbelievable the amount that just don't bother............ inconsiderate and ignorant of the car in front....or do i have to accept that i've just got to match their 45/50mph mph on a national and be more patient.
I have my opinion, but would welcome others Read more
This thread came home to me as I was er travelling home tonight. Car in front was on main beam on a rural A road, no opposing traffic, I was on dipped beams behind him as he took a left hander at a healthy appropriate speed caught a glimpse of shadow/shape in his lights, it was a cyclist with no lights on, the advance warning gave me plenty of time to avoid swerving. Nice driving from him, idiot on the bike.
I know this will be modded and end up in the Silly thread or something, but I'm sitting in the middle of London, less than 1,000 yards south of Tower Bridge.
Last night they started at 5.30 and went on until after 11; incessantly.
Tonight it is the same - if not worse.
It's like being in a war zone.
Yours curmudgeonly, and seriously considering going to sit on a deep tube line with the newspaper and a brown paper bag and a half bottle of whisky where I cannot hear anything,
Mapmaker. Read more
They are usually all year round here. Fortunately there doesn't seem to have been as many this year. There is somebody nearby who likes to let off a really loud one (just one) at random times of the year at about 2-4 o'clock in the morning. The last time really sacred me, I was shaking for a while, and I couldn't get back to sleep. I felt terrible the next day because I had so little sleep. Around here they seem to be going at all times, even at mid-day.
Can you suggest any source of information available to mere mortals regarding servicing & maintenance of the VW T4 vans? There is no Haynes manual, and VW say that that type of info is not available in a form which is useful to the private owner. Help please!
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That's sad, I lived in Basingstoke until 1985 & a guy I went to school was an apprentice there.