March 2007
Driving up the M23 this morning I noticed the matrix sign before the M25 junction had displayed "Keep left unless overtaking". Finally some useful reminders to all the MLOC members! Unfortunately it was just before the motorway splits off into slip-roads for different directions, so keeping left may have sent you in the wrong direction. I can't say I noticed whether it made any difference, as the rest of the M23 came to a standstill after that, but at least the thought that counts.
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I expect these to be about the same price (£495):
1995 M Vauxhall Cavalier 2ltr GLSi 5 door hatch back met green e/windows s/roof c/lock tow bar 11mo. MOT 5mo. tax.
1995 2.2 Automatic Honda Accord Estate (Aerodeck?), leather , air cond. 5mo. MOT, 10mo. tax.
Which might be the better bet, from the point of view of running costs, potential longevity, repairability, style?
Any help would be much appreciaed. Read more
Ever read Molesworth rites agane? I seem to remember FT went on to be a big success in environmental circles...
At the risk of upseting Imagos, I would like some info ref private parking enforcement companies. On Saturday we visited our son in Leeds city centre where he rents a flat.A new block with some allocated parking bays but plenty of space to park without inconveniencing others. We have done this for the past year without a problem, and always leave a note of which flat we are in. This Saturday at 19.25pm we were issued a ticket demanding £80.00p for not displaying a valid ticket or permit. Upon looking around we did notice new signs refering to parking and a long and complicated spiel of do's and don'ts. The ticket was issued by a private limited company. Does anyone know if it is legally enforcable? Can they get my personal details from the DVLA? We do abide by the law and fair play and would not park in a position that would upset residents. We park close to our son's flat because my wife cannot walk very far. Also the car had been there all day so what possible made it such a problem at 19.25pm on a Saturday night well away from the road? Help. Concrete. Read more
we found that most of the time our visitors couldn't get in because the spaces had been trespassed upon by shoppers
And how did you know they weren't visiting other people in the block of flats?
How's Gengis?
...and some samples of US drivers' mishaps and one 4x4 driver's remarkable adventure:
player.clipsyndicate.com/player/play/425
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by Read more
Look at the braking, especially of the driver in that thing with four headlamps....
Reports that there is going to be a 'significant' hike in tax for 'gas guzzlers'. Should we all take a punt at what we think Brown will class such a vehicle to be! My bet is that anybody with a normal family saloon is going to be hit very hard. Can't have the working man clogging those roads and preventing the political elite from getting where they want to go.
I can feel my blood boiling already!! Read more
Of course, once we no longer smoke or drive and consume no non-food consumables, tax receipts will be halved, and would have to be recouped via income/other taxes.
But worry not, there will always be something that you do that the Government feels justified in taxing because it's bad for you/us/the world/our party/MPs pensions etc. Ultimately they need 40% [and rising] of the country's total earnings and the only issue is how they get them with least uncomfortable [for them] squealing.
Does anyone on the forum have a Ford Ranger 2. - if so I would appreciate any views on the vehicle with particular regard to any reliability issues ???
Thanks Read more
My Dad has owned a 1995 Vitara as above since it was six months old. I have always hated those cars but he liked it and it's now his 'runabout' second car.
I borrowed it at the weekend and found that more often than not when pulling up to a junction the engine revs would drop off and the engine would die. It always restarts instantly. Apparently it has done this on and off for the past two years or so.
I have two theories, idle control valve (does this car have one) or leaky inlet manifold gasket (this was the cause of an identical problem on a midi van I had years ago).
Is this a common fault on these? All ideas appreciated!
Thanks Stuart Read more
I think I might have posted this on here before but cant remember.
{Using the power of the forum search I found and merged it with the previous posting - DD}
My Dad has a 1995 M reg Suzuki Vitara 2 litre V6 which he has owned from almost new. Although it is now the hack-about second car he needs to sort a problem with it cutting out. I borrowed it to tow a car trailer recently and approaching almost every junction it cut out. It restarts immediately on the turn of the key.
I had a Vauxhall Carlton and this used to do a similar thing and it was the idle control valve with was easy to sort. Is this likely on the Vitara or is there another possible cause? I had another similar problem with a Midi van and that was a leaky inlet manifold gasket.
All suggestions gratefully received!
Cheers
Stuart
i was taking a glance at the many threads on ebay here and i was just wondering if anybody fancied writing if they ever bought a gem or a pile of ........ I have purchased 2 cars of ebay, both for personnel use. First being a K reg bmw 316i. it was a great car and to be honest i wish i never sold it. i paid £1500 for it and sold it for £1700 6 months later.i never went to see it and bid "blind". i get to see it at least once a week as the guy who bought it lives round the corner, if he ever puts it up, i will probably buy it.
The second was a hyundai coupe, same as before, i bought it blind. i had many emails with the seller and he seemed genuine ( they probably all are behind a keyboard). paid 1400for it. after driving it home i realised discs and pads needed changing all round, which i got done at a cost of £250. since i have had it i have had bits done incuding bushes,1 ball joint and a service, which i deem to be satisfatory on a 10 year old motor.
i was pretty peeeeeeed of with having to change the brakes straight after i had bought it, but i take it as a lesson learned, and i still have the car now. its got leather, aircon and cruise control and i love driving it, so i dont moan.
does anyone want to share there first hand buying experiences? Read more
I've never bought on Ebay, but I sold a fairly new car on Ebay for over £12k and I can say had on heart that the guy bought a spot-on car for a very good price, and I never heard any complaint at all.
Driving around in the suburbs of Chicago where I live, I notice a large number of cars sporting radar detectors.
I've been lucky enough to never have received a speeding ticket either here or the UK (I left the UK before the Gatso craze really took hold). So I've never thought about having one.
I'd like to ask the forum: has a radar detector ever saved you from getting a ticket? I don't mean the GPS units which have the speed camera locations programmed in, but the ones informing of a radar source. Read more
Locally, there is a case going through of a chap who had a laser jammer fitted to his car to defeat speed traps.
Plod saw their laser was being jammed, pulled guy over, and off we go to court ...
The big debate is now that the authorities want to confiscate his car, under the 'instrumentality' law - the instrument of the crime becomes forfeit to the state, and in this case it was not just speeding, but the willfullu and knowingly going out of his way to obstruct.
Will be interesting to see if the Prosecuting Authority get their way.
On the same law, there have been several confiscations of vehicles driven by 'serial' drink-drivers.
Hi All,
I have some little problems with my first car which is a Punto 55 S 1996 (P Reg). As it is my first car I have no idea what I am doing when it comes to looking after the mechanical side of things yet!
Here goes...
Bought Car in January this year
Was all perfect until one morning taking my mum to work and I smelt some burning, then over heating light came on, I pulled straight over and my dad came to my need. There was no water in (But I had only checked my water 2 days before) So took car to a mechanic who found a leaky hose thingy and changed it (Its black and looks like a hose anyway)
Then I noticed my water was sometimes fine for weeks and sometimes disappears in days! and Oil not great either???
Then my car started doing bunny hops after a few minutes of running (Normally when I am entering the main road near to my home!) There is also a slight smell of petrol sometimes??
Then I was hoovering my car yesterday when I found my mats where soaking wet and both footwells have fluid in (Which my dad told me to taste to check to see if it was water or antifreeze. I thought he was taking the pink fluffy dice but he wasn't and it tasted very sweat!) Dad thinks it is heating matrix (He used to be a mechanic but like 15 years ago so he not totally up to date and does not have the tools anymore)
Can anyone advise on all or any of my little (hopefully cheap) issues?
Any help/advise will be greatly appriciated xxxxxxxxx
Kirsty
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And in the meantime, before your dad looks at it, don't let it run dry and overheat. Likely to lead to head gasket failure.
Browse
Many overhead signs in France just give time when there's nothing else to say.
I've never seen one yet that agreed with the car clock though...