March 2007
I have been using Castrol oils for the last 15 years, and the GTD plus for the past few years. I went to buy some this afternoon but have discovered that it has been re-branded, put in a 4 litre container and had an increase in price !! What use is a 4 litre container ? just means that you've got to buy two !
Does anyone know why this has happened and is this 'more for less' marketing going to happen to all oils ?
PS. what's the best alternative for GTD plus ? (it's for a 306 diesel and Berlingo diesel - both non-turbo). I always like buying decent oils. Read more
Hi all, I'm thinking of getting rid of my astra 53 reg 1.7dti estate. Is there a website I can look at that can give you a rough idea of how much I'll get p/ex? Thinking of buying an 06 diesel meriva.
Many thanks Read more
Thanks all, went to dealer today and bought a meriva! I got just over 4k for my car so really pleased. Pick it up in just over a weeks time.
Thanks again
got a 206 14 hdi 27k on clock when i put mt foot flat to the floor i get i can only explain is a diesel knock and the mpg is rubbish 1 time i will get 62 then 33 then 50s then back down to 40s could this be a sticky injector if so how can i fix will injector cleaner do it the car runs great Read more
anyone have any experiance of leather repair or re colouring ?
i have a 10 yrs old black leather interior that has a bare spot where the colour has worn away
i see theres some wipe on dye products that claim to cover the marks...or a sort of paint and clear coat system
im just trying to figure out whats the best way to make a lasting quality repair myself Read more
I find the best solution is go to local furniture outlet, find a swatch in the correct colour and ask them to order you a touch up kit for that particular colour. Best to pretend you have a sofa from that manufacturer in that colour, 9 times out of 10 they can get you it relaitvely cheaply.
Anyone (SjB?) know of how the door wood effect trim surround is removed on the Volvo S60? Is it clipped / screwed / heatstaked on? I am hoping that it is clipped on or screwed on, but has anyone actually removed one?
I fancy a change :-)
Thanks
BB
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That vibration noise is driving me mad in my S60!
Nokia have produced a mobile telephone with satnav as well as internet compatibility. Now when people walk down the road shouting furiously at their lovers like drunks or terminal Tourette's syndrome sufferers, they can also be led to walk into trees and lamp posts or fall down people's areas.
It can only be good. Read more
As mentioned earlier, the just released Nokia N 95 has satnav built in.
The satnav provided is CoPilot Live. Which? magazine tested satnavs in March 2007.
The CoPilot scored 50%, the lowest score, the top score was 89%. Which? said "The CoPilot impressed us least of all the satnavs we tested".
So perhaps use a different one?
Surrendered my company car today and was told by the driver that it was heading for BCA auction at Bedford. If anyone's going there soon, and are after a Toyota Avensis T3-x D4D (53 plate), then I can vouch that RV53 YOW is a sound car - shame LEX didn't accept my offer to buy it....
Would be interested to know what it went for as my offer of £6k was rejected.....
John Read more
Lex always seem to want close-to-retail money for end-of lease cars. I was interested in my 330d but they wanted silly money.
Hi, I've a high mileage (135k) 2000V 2.0 petrol Espace that sounds like diesel at tickover. The car has been serviced, new cambelt, modified tensioner and hydraulic tappets fitted yet the noise persists. As soon as the revs rise the noise disappears and the car runs fine. Any ideas?
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have you managed to get the noise problem sorted yet? I have an espace 2.0 ltr petrol and have exactly the same noise problem as yourself ,noisy on tickover and coming from engine area ,but slightly increase revs and noise goes ,only difference is mine has only done 35,000 mls
After weighing up options suggested in my previous discussion on what vehicle to tow a one horse trailer and horse, I am now in a quandary as to what 4x4 diesel to buy. I want the smallest vehicle capable of towing a minimum of 1500kg, with the most economical fuel consumption, as I clock up a fair mileage. I have had conflicting reports about the Landrover Freelander, any feedback welcome! I have a budget of up to £8000.
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Have seen a few owners very happy with the X-trail for towing horses. One has used his for the last 3 years to tow a horsebox and a 16.2 and a 15.1 horse weighing 1800Kg all up. Honest grown-up looks rather than the hairdresser styling of some in the class with a wash-down plastic-lined boot for the mucky stuff and the dogs. Top of the range models have leather seats, sat-nav, sunroof, xenons and all the toys as standard. With 4x4s it tends to be a trade-off between off-road and on-road ability but the X-trail does pretty well on both counts. Like the Honda CR-V it automatically switches from 2x4 to 4x4 as it detects wheelspin but unlike the Honda can be locked in 4x4 if the going gets heavy or 2x4 for economy. The Kia Sorrento does well off-road but not so good a ride on tarmac, then there's the heavier stuff if you need more weight.
I'm seriously starting to feel the pinch recently with my car, I put it into an independant specialists for a new clutch yesterday as the old one feels a bit saggy and sometimes I get a judder through it, I also asked them to check the handbrake as despite a main dealer Inspection 2 it still wasn't working right on one side of the car.
The garage were excellent and called me within an hour to say that they think that I'm being premature with the clutch but that they've looked at the rear brakes and they need replacing completely, new discs, handbrake shoes (it was totally non-operational on one side of the car) and a recommended new set of brake pads as the ones that were on were very cheap. I got the whole lot done and I've noticed the car does seem to brake a little better now, and the handbrake works correctly, which is a novelty for me. :-)
However, they've checked the rest of the car whilst it's in, and for the MOT it's going to need new front wishbone rear bushes, new brake lines from the front right to the rear, and new rear suspension top mounts. Total cost of all of that work will come to around £500, plus the cost of an MOT, it's going to be an expensive month! :-(
Oh, whilst it was in he also mentioned that my front brakes were worn but still serviceable, apparently they're fitted with very cheap quality components, which came as a suprise to me as I put it in at another (no longer recommended) local garage recently and asked for OEM fit replacement front brakes. I'm not a happy bunny!
Anyway, there's no particular point to this post, I just wanted to ramble about how unfair it is that everything seems to always go wrong at once! :-)
Actually, now that I think about it, Aprilia may be able to help with this one - The guy at the garage said that he has M3 wishbone bushes available which can be fitted to lesser models, he believes that they will prove to be more durable in use than the standard ones. Do you think it's worth trying this or could it have adverse affects on the geometry of my front wheel alignment given that the bushes aren't meant to go onto a 323Ci wishbone?
Blue Read more
Anyway, there's no particular point to this post, I just wanted to ramble about how unfair it is that everything seems to always go wrong at once! :-)>>
This statement, for me, defines the difference between running a banger and a non-banger. My old Mondy is a banger - and I just wish that everything would go wrong at the same time so that I could make the easy decision to throw it away! It was a new battery last month, new tyres this month, new cambelt/service in two months time and goodness only knows what the MoT test will throw up in August.
Browse
Trouble is that you don't know what you're getting with unbranded cheap oils ... although I suppose if they've go the correct specs on them you can't go wrong. Anyway, what's an extra couple of quid on oil when you're paying £600 in fuel between service intervals.