Any tips on the best way to deal/avoid this?
I've done what my manual says - "turn the blower on and aim air down the sides"

This is and old Passat estate - no air con, no blowers down the back

The manual doesn't say what temp to blow at and I can't experiment too much while driving as I can't see - esp out the rear side windows

any advice gratefully received

Read more

I have a escort 55 1.8d van and the air bag light is flashing on the dash i have tried to take the steering wheel off but it won't come off does anyone know how to get it off

{Shouting amended - DD} Read more

I was fuming this morning whilst in the car listening to a debate on Radio Five Live speculating on the contents of Rod Eddington?s report on road pricing, I did not catch all of the show however the presenter, Mathew Bannister, did not help my blood pressure, he tended to defend the principals of road pricing when almost all phone-in callers were against it hence not presenting the neutral stance one expects from the BBC. Also the main studio guest was, I think, David Begg who was/is chairman of the Commission for Integrated Transport, an independent body created by the government (there is a contradiction in terms if ever there was one!).

Mr Begg (if it were he) compared road pricing with using a telephone, the amount that it is used it effects the amount that is paid, his analogy was to the effect that in comparison with using a telephone roads are free at the point of use! However he completely neglected that fact that even drivers of 50mpg super minis / diesel cars pay around 6 to 7p a mile to the government in fuel duty alone!

It was pleasing to hear that the matter of congestion being a cost to business is being acknowledged. Though how the hell does road pricing help? To use but one example - driver X has to go from A to B to be there at 9:00am, he needs his car because he uses it for business during the day thus road pricing will either:
-Cause him to change his job - his employer suffers.
-Cause him additional cost - he has less disposable income therefore contributes less to the economy.
-Cause his employer to compensate him for the additional cost of travelling - thus reducing their competitiveness, their ability to create additional employment.
- etc.

The answer surely needs to be a greater proportion of the exchequer?s income from road users being invested in an integrated transport policy, i.e park-and-ride schemes, cheap and secure parking at rail stations and an immediate focus on all bottlenecks that exist in the transport network, be it congested roads or the overcrowded trains that make rail travel an unappealing alternative for drivers.

However the key step in my opinion would be an acknowledgement that the continuing focus on speed reduction on the roads only serves to increase congestion. It is recognised that congestion is as much a causal effect in accident rates as speed so - where appropriate - resources should be targeted at increasing average speeds thus journey times would be reduced. This would providing a saving to individuals and businesses alike, a real boost to the economy and a reduction in emissions all without a consequential increase in accident rates.


Regards.

Read more

Capacity? Three mighty cc (cc, not litres) producing an "awesome" sound, according to the ad I saw.

Straight-through exhausts, twin "carbs", piezo-electrical ignition. Neat-looking little thing.
Pics and spec at tinyurl.com/yefruy

Have one sitting on your desk, turning a generator to charge your mobile, perhaps?

(I have no connection with the business.)

Zebra
Read more

I have a 318CI - I recently had a rather expensive mishap (£304 to be exact - documented in the technical matters forum).

I am now thinking of getting an OBD reader to understand what is really going on with my car - hopefully I might be able to attend to the faults myself.

Can someone please recommend a good reader - there seems to be so many out there, don't really want to buy something that is cheap and not do the job it is intended to do.

Thanks in advance. Read more