March 2007
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
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.
Just seen an advert for the Proton Satira Neo in todays NOTW.
www.proton.co.uk/satria/gallery_exterior_1.asp
Looks quite nice and they are pushing the links with Lotus.
Just wondering if anyone has any opinions on the car or Proton in general. You don't see too many around.
GK Read more
Protons sold on the back of (a) an existing network (they started out being sold at Lada dealers), and (b) Japanese-style reliability (being nowt but previous-gen Mitsubishis).
Unfortunately both of those have now evaporated. The Ladas have gone, and the bomb-proof mechanicals have been replaced by a hodge-podge of a few Mitsubishi bits, some obscure and unproven home-built engines and a lot of Renault castoffs. It's sad really, but the Proton of today just isn't as well made as the Proton of 10+ years ago, when they were a typical Far-Eastern "look past the cheap plastics and there's a damn good car underneath" effort.
That said they do seem to be finally bringing in some half-decent designers, and are producing a series of quirky, but distinctive and quite attractive cars.
On my way home from the coast , cruise control set at 70 mph power dropped spanner light came on i could easy get back up to 70mph , my first reaction was to think the turbo had packed up. when i got home istopped the engine and started it up again with no spanner light and power was back to normal.
Can any one help me solve this problem or have i to pretend it never happened and hope it never will. Read more
al
It went into limp-home for a reason; all sorts of possibilities as to why - get the fault-codes read pronto.
The airbag light on my Astra dashboard has illuminated. The handbook states 'see Vauxhall dealer'. Anyone have this happen to them and is it costly to repair. Does it have to be a Vauxhall dealer or could my local mechanic fix it as I know how much dealers charge. Lastly should I just ignore it, or is it an MOT item. Many thanks
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Lee
A Tech II will do it: but a Launch will either claim it can talk to it - but fail to communicate; or it'll produce a garbage, undecipherable, hex code and tell you to "refer to technical manual!"
Why do people waste their money on those things? They're not even cheap.
I recently purchased a renault megane 1.4 Rt, with 65k (serviced and 12 months mot). It's been running fine, but today I went to pick a friend up from the airport, and the cars temperature was very high after getting home after about 2 1/2 hours. The temperature light came on, and I stopped the car, and gradually let it cool down to about half enough to get it home. When I checked, there was very little water, and replaced this. I took it for a drive, and the fan was kicking in fine etc, but after it gets over about half the temp, it begins to struggle, i'm not sure the fan kicks in at all. When i checked the water again it appeared to be ok, and i checked the dipstick, the oil appeared normal. I opened the oil filler cap, and it had what looked like a mayonaise substance under the cap-greasy when wiped off. When it's getting too hot, i noticed the heaters inside start to blow out cold air. Another thing, i don't know if it's relevant, but when the engine is warmt the rev's are dropping when idle to roughly 7-5 , as apposed to 10 when you start the engine. Could anybody help me? Do you thin it would just be a matter of the thermostat, or something deeper? Thanks Read more
thats why i said how long have you had it because i was going to say take it back to them they should do it for nothing
HI can some one tell me if my scenic is OBD1or OBD11or EOBD. i have tried to find a plate to say, but with no joy. its been a long time since ive done all the coding, or will the dealers tell me?
it is a renault scenic 1.6 RT 1998 petrol Read more
Very simple code readers available from www.uiftech.com for OBDII, etc. Easily found on ebay, search for U480, U280, U581 or whatever.
They have their limitations, but you can at least check if there is a fault code logged and may get an indication of what it is. I have the U581, and have found it to be fairly useful.
Won't help for the Renault, though, sorry.
i wonder if someone can help? i have an 02 mondeo 1.8 lx. the central locking system works fine with the key but if i try to lock the car with the key fob the car locks then unlocks immediately. i have replaced the battery in the fob and i have tried reprogramming the fob as told in the manual but still it happens. theres no gap, not even a second between it locking then unlocking it just does it straight away.
i know i could just lock it with the key but i want to exchange the car and want everything working well.
any ideas? Read more
ive the same problem with my brothers car the problems coming from the drivers door it happened one day after he washed the car ill be looking at it this weekend so if i have any luck ill let u know
Will an M reg 1.8 turbo diesel with intercooler go on to a S reg 1.8 endura de .Both Ford Escorts. Read more
Pre-facelift then-the one with IRS.The engine should fit being virtually identical but you may run into problems with the wiring to the injection pump but then the previous pump should fit.
Hi All
I need to book a car for our family holiday this summer.
We are flying to Alicante, can anyone recommend a car hire company in this area (pref located at airport).
Need a five seater with decent boot space, ideally scenic type car or focus estate
Many Thanks
Jonathan Read more
Record Rentals are my preferred company as all inclusive and comp insurance and no excess. Regards Peter
Browse
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.