February 2007
I've had my 330i 'vert a couple of weeks now and love driving it. Had the hardtop off at weekend, even better.
I am finding it hard to resist trying out the performance i.e. extending the rev counter if you know what I mean.
One thing makes me think. The previous owner was I believe a 'middle aged female' and with respect to all ladies everywhere it is probable/possible that she didn't extend the engine in this way.
The low down torque that these 3litre engines have in reality mean that don't need to use the revs and couple with a 6 speed close ratio sick shift, you can make very swift progess without exceeding 2500 revs. That leaves 4000 revs to play with!!! (legally of couse)
The car has done 25k and as you would expect runs a smoothly as silk. I guess I'm being over cautious here but would appreciate any views on this as I want to have a bit of fun!! Read more
Hi all,
Moving house shortly, and need to realise some cash. Will sell my MGB GT come spring (hope for £3k+), will therefore need a second vehicle to replace it (other half is keeping her MX5).
So what I'm after is a car costing under a grand that fulfills both the bangernomics and classic criteria.
Any ideas?
There's a nice J plate Scirroco on ebay at the moment going pretty cheap. And a mint 1976 Toledo went yesterday for £870- liked the look of both! I'm not fussed if it's fashionable, just interesting. Must have 4 seats and a bit of boot space.
All advice gladly accepted!
Cheers then,
Alex.
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Dr Alex Mears
MG BGT 1971
If you are in a hole stop digging...unless
you are a miner. Read more
Rover P6 or Triumph 2000/2500? Both as cheap as chips and cheap bits. Should be able to get tax exempt too. Always found them reliable if maintained. Just watch the rust, but you'll already know that being an MBG owner.
Whatever you buy for that money, old or modern, will have close to zero depreciation, so classic insurance and no annual cartax will make a big difference in running costs.
Dare to be different!
I am looking at an Octavia estate as replacement for my company Mercedes E270CDi Elegance automatic which has been superb but which carries a large tax liability. I am seeking good performance, some comfort and space and decent handling in a very tax efficient package.
I have discounted A4/ C Class/ 3 series etc on grounds of cost.
I haven't driven either of the Octavia 2.0TDi 140 or 170 vRS diesel models yet and before I do was wondering what anyone's experience of either is?
HJ reviews suggest the 140 engine and DSG go very well together and offer good performance and decent economy. I prefer auto but is the manual 170 diesel vRS worth the premium or is the vRS that much better with the petrol 2.0FSi?
Any views much appreciated. Read more
AutoBild said it would be similar capacity-wise to the old shape Passat estate.
Morning all,
My passat's timing belt failed at the weekend, possibly fortunately at idle as I turned the engine over. The car is a 52 plate 2..0 sport with a verified 34K on the clock & has up until the last service, a full VAG history. As the warranty expired in November, I had the last one carried out independently.
I believe the recommended timing belt interval is 80k on my car, so my question is should I be complaining to Mr. VW or is it just pot luck on timing belts?? Read more
Ok
I've had a peek at the service book & the interval is 60K for my car - no mention of time based intervals. I see that VW UK appears to be mandating 4 year changes & the last VW dealer service I had was in Nov 2005. It was serviced again independently in Nov 2006, but as a four year old at Nov '05, should VW have recommended the change at that point?
Will be picking up a hire car at LAX airport and spending a few days in the Venice/Marina Del Rey area before heading to Las Vegas..
Any major do's and dont's driving in the States?
What are the 'must dos' for visitors in the area.
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I wasna fu but just had plenty. Read more
I agree with much that has been said. IMO you must go on the Pacific coast highway between LA and San Francisco, it is fantastic. Also I loved the Yosemete and Death Valley.
My advice is to hire an American car, the cops always seem to have stopped a Merc or a BMW. If you are looking for "gas" or a motel, they are always at motorway exits. I found Best Western motels very good. Have a look on their website before going and get a brochure at your first stop. Another tip is to get a coupon book at a gas station, they give you discounts at various motels, but keep it hidden untill they say that they have a vacency. If you are over 55 years old you can get a senior discount at most motels.
If you drink in the British manner I would have a few at several bars, they don't seem to like heavy drinkers, esp in Arizona and New Mexico.
Have a good time, if anyone asks if you have met the Queen or anyone else say yes, they love it.
One last tip, take an empty suit case and buy your clothes there, they are cheap and in plenty of sizes, esp large sizes. It is the only place where a shop assistant has called me a thin guy, I have never felt so pleased. (16 stone)
The remote locking fob for my V6 TDi Superb stopped working suddenly after 3.5 years and 36,000 miles. The original, spare one works fine. I purchased a new battery, put it in the fob and it didn't work. The handbook says it might need re-synchronising, so I followed the procedure in the book - still no joy.
The local Skoda dealer says the fob has probably failed and I will need to bring both fobs and the car down to the garage for them to fix this - approx cost, inc. labour, about £60.00
Any one got a better idea please?
Read more
I'm just about to tackle replacing the brake pipes (they are corroded) on a Mk3 Golf. Looking at the 6-way union block in front of the bulkhead where the 2-in and 4-out pipes go it appears they are all M10 brake unions as you would expect...except one. One of them appears to be larger, it took a 13mm spanner instead of a 11mm spanner. The pipe is still normal 3/16" gauge, and I can't imagine an imperial union would be used. Is there such thing as a M12 brake union? I'm guessing this particular one was tapped out at some point in the past, so has a larger union on it.
I haven't crawled under the car to look at the connections onto the calipers. Would I be right in assuming that they'll also be M10 unions onto the flexible hoses too?
Read more
I would not worry about rusty nipples,just replace the cylinders.They are not expensive and it would be 'spoiling
the ship' to leave them.I bet they will be wet anyway.Re 'Hopefully I can put some new unions of the end of the pipes',if the pipes are steel they will be very difficult to flare without using a vice mounted tool.I often find the easiest way,in the long run,is to replace the steel with Kunifer,a bit more work but it makes it all a lot easier.
The Telegraph on-line makes interesting reading this morning. The DfT has released figures for the road pricing scheme:
1. £600 for the box to be fitted (and how are you going to ensure every car on the road gets one?)
2. £62 billion (yes, billion) to set it up - which given this Government's track record on estimates means it'll probably end up being nearer £200 billion
3. Nearly £7 billion a year to run (including setting up a "debt management" and debt collectore to make sure you pay
I'm finding it hard to find any redeeming features to this whole plan. Think or what that £62 billion could do to the entire transport network in this country. I bet that money alone, if spent properly, would have a greater impact on congestion than road pricing ever would.
Read more
Might it provide a timely boost to real off-road drving along routes recently opened up by ramblers...........
At the week-end I saw a car transporter loaded with 10/12 new,unregistered left hand drive Opel Kadetts on board. This was on the M5 in Worcestershire travelling south.
Would these be from Ellesmere Port where I thought, though I could be wrong on this, GM make them as Astras? There is a huge compound of unsold cars close to the M5 near Avonmouth on down the M5, their destination?
Seemed very odd for new left hand drive cars to be transported around the country. Wouldn't GM be making their left hand drive cars at their continental plants? Read more
Wasn't the Chevette also called the Kadett in its Opel guise? - Yes but much nicer looking cars without the dreadful shovel nose and a far better set of engines.
I've been quoted £85 labour plus parts for a cambelt change on my 1996 1.4 (AEX) Polo.
Is this a DIY job? I am reasonably competant with the spanners so happy to give it a go as long as there are no special tools required.
Price doesn't sound bad and I know the local garage well as my borther in law does all their tyre fitting there, however if it was a simple job then I am prepared to do it myself - cost of parts is about £65 including waterpump. Read more
Book time is only 1.6 hours, and no special tools required according to Autodata. Suggest you arm yourself with a Haynes and see whether you think you are up to it. Looks pretty straightforward, but bent valves are not much fun if it goes wrong!
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RichardW
Is it illogical? It must be Citroen....
Browse
"I've had my 330i 'vert a couple of weeks now "
What? You bought a GREEN one? i thought they only came in Silver?!
;-)