March 2007
Question 1 on '53 Astra
Friend of mine recently bought a 53' reg 1.6 Astra Club with the 8v 1.6 petrol engine. She is complaining that the ABS light comes occasionally, and sometimes the speedometer stops reading.
Before we take it back to dealer, does anyone have any ideas what this might be?
Thanks Read more
Typically, how many computer microprocessors are there on a small car (eg Yaris) and how many on a top of the range Merc or BMW?
I am shortly doing a talk on the history of computers and just want to show how ubiquitous they are now. Obviously, I can list all the control functions I can think of, but I do not know which have their own computers and which are combined together.
Miany thanks
Mike Holland Read more
Depends what level you are taking uP down to. There could
be half a dozen in the radio/CD player alone. My
old electric aerial had a PIC chip in it.
Electric Mirrors - the list could be enormous.
I think there are hundreds in most modern cars. Microprocessors can be had for a few pence these days, so they end up using them for just about anything. However, the kind of microprocessors used for electric wing mirrors are likely to be very different to the ones used for ABS or in the radio. The quantity of processors really doesn't have much of a meaning. Although I suppose some cars may have ones microprocessor performing the tasks that multiple microprocessors may do in another car. I would expect cars with regenerative braking etc. to have a few extra microprocessors. The extras eg, electric windows would also be likely to put the numbers up.
03 fiesta:
How do you gain access to the rear bulbs?
The light unit seems to be fixed from inside the boot, but I cannot see any fixings.
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Thanks, I 'll give it a try.
I see the M3 V8 engine details have been released with a max bhp of 420.
I am suprised it only equals the RS4 - they usually like to play games with nudging each other up the bhp scale.
Have we seen an end to this between the German big 3 I wonder.
I bet it features in the Internationla Engine of the Year awards as most BMW engines tend to. Read more
I know I'm a bit biased towards Audi, but I've looked at both and overall I think the RS4 is probably still going to be a far better car than the new M3.
The Quattro system alone can seal this, but coupled with the superb interior and bespoke seats & wheels on the RS4, I think it is a very tough act for BMW to match, given that the 3 series itself has a rather lukewarm following compared to the old shape 3 series.
Just had a letter through the door inviting me for a scooby test drive with the option a free return flight to New York if I take them up on the offer (of the test drive).
Not sure what business sense that makes and hopefully it will not be a repeat of the Hoover debacle - I would not have thought so though with a company like Subaru. Read more
I got one of these about a month ago. After reading the small print I discovered it would not cost much more to fly from my local airport at my own convenience. I wrote this on another forum at the time:
"Having read the really small print, the main restrictions are dates, airports and max 6 night stay, none of which are a problem. The catch is that taxes are not included and any additional flights are expensive - £249. The offer would cost about £450 for swmbo and I to go to New York from Gatwick, there's an extra supplement (unknown) to fly locally. Through normal channels, we can fly direct from Manchester (about 10 miles away) for £564. Worth it just to be able to get a taxi to the airport."
Just work it out for your own circumstances and see how it compares to a normal paid for flight. hth
Driving around recently I have noticed a lot more small boxes fitted half way up lampposts with a big padlock fitted. Does anyone know what these are for? Read more
There's one in Egham not far from a bus stop...
Friend has a turbocharged Skoda. I don't know the model but it is a smallish hatchback, four years old from new . The turbo has gone down and she she is being asked £1200 to fit an new one. I have no experience of turbos but is this a reasonable life and cost? Read more
I think the Skoda Fabias use a KKK (at least the vRS is KKK, not Garrett)
Right, baring in mind that th.is will be about six months down the line, I'll be changing my car (6 year old, 1.6 focus) for a new (18 month old) small hatch. I've figured that with £8,500 (I've saved up) I should be able to afford a decent one? Trouble is I'll be wanting a diesel, that will achieve a good mpg and a minimum of 18 months warranty left that wouldn't depreciate too much over the next 2/3 years (perhaps worth £5000 in a couple of years)? Also I wouldn't want to be taking a huge step-down in driving ability, so I'd be looking for about as much performance and handling ability of the Focus. Is this even possible? I've been considering taking the new wave of larger superminis (Yaris, Grande Punto, 207, Clio etc, maybe SEAT Ibiza) out for a test drive, but i've found (in the past) ten minutes around the block doesn't really tell me much and they all feel much the same...anyone have experience of this type of car? Read more
Cheap, reliable diesel that's good to drive?
Kia Rio 1.5. You can get these for about £7500 at a number of brokers, and newer Kias seem to be holding their value quite well.
Interesting offer in my local rag last night:
MB E-Class 220CDI Avantgade Auto
Cost £33k
Customer deposit of £5k
MB "donation" of £3k
£319 a month for 36 months
Final to pay £16k
Now £319 a month for a new E class sounds good. Deposit isn't too high. But the final payment of £16k looks a bit high to me.
Will my MB dealer be prepared to give me £16k trade-in come 3 years old, let alone £20k to go some way to recoup the initial deposit of £5k.
Thoughts? Read more
Please note that the USA List Price in $ is probably
less than the list price in £ in the UK
Merc's aren't though - an E350 is $60K. Of course there's no tax in those prices, that varies state to state, so if you added our VAT (not MB's fault) then you're at $70K, divide by 1.85 and you're over £38K.
Power steering noisy and fluid full of bubbles. I have been told this is because a pipe has been removed and reconnected and will be expensive (£278 + VAT + labour) to replace, also told this is very unusual as it mostly happens only when damaged in a collision.
My question is could this have happened while a water pump was being replaced about a month ago?
Sorry for lack of details of the parts involved as I have not spoken to the mechanic, I was told this second hand.
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Many thanks.
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Thanks, that does help. Are iffy ABS sensors a common thing?