March 2007
hi, the nearside wing on my citroen has lost the plastic film that was over the paintwork,it sort of blistered then fell away leaving the dull paintwork under neath, what can i treat it with to restore it as best as i can to the original finish, its a shame because its been well looked after and apart from this problem its spotless..thanks Read more
Hi, I am thinking of buying a Toyota Carib but having problems getting an insurance quote for it. One company I tried said they were matching it against a Subaru Legacy and charging a small fortune as they couldn't find an appropriate uk equivalent. I was under the impression the Carib is the 4wd estate version of the Corolla, does anyone here own one of these cars and who did you get insurance through or does anyone know who I could try? Read more
We used to use AON for insuring our imports.
This should wipe the smugness off owner's faces!
Hybrid car crashes into Tacoma mini-mart
05:25 PM PST on Tuesday, March 6, 2007
KING5.com Staff
www.king5.com/localnews/stories/M_IMAGE.1110327b83...g
Miraculous escape for driver, clerk
TACOMA, Wash. - A hybrid car going somewhere between 30-60 mph blasted a hole into the side of a mini-mart store and gas station Tuesday afternoon, narrowly missing a clerk and sparking a fire.
The accident occurred at the Hosmer Food Store and 76 gas station in the 8400 block of S. Hosmer.
The driver, Art Robinson of DuPont, told KING 5 News that he just purchased the used 2005 Toyota Prius this morning only after he was absolutely sure it was safe to drive. Two different dealers gave it a clean bill of health - one even certified it.
A 2005 Toyota Prius Hybrid car crashed into a Tacoma mini-mart and gas station, March 6, 2007.
So what happened next surprised not only Robinson, but literally rocked the neighborhood.
The car began to act strangely. He was taking it back to the dealership when suddenly the car began accelerating even though he applied the brakes and the emergency brake.
"I could not stop the car. Because of its design I couldn't shift into neutral," Robinson said.
"It happened so fast I didn't have time to be scared then," Robinson said. "I'm scared now."
The car headed straight for the gas station where Linda Kinard was putting away groceries.
"There was just an explosion," Kinard said. "To me it sounded like a bomb and things were just flying all over."
Art Smith was pumping gas when the car went flying by him.
"I was at the gas pump and I heard this 'whooshing' go by me and the next thing I know, this car's in the building and at first I was shocked, of course. I didn't know what to think."
When he finally figured out what happened he ran to the Robinson's side.
"I said you need to get out of there, that's a hybrid car," Smith said.
The car caught on fire. That was trouble because Kinard was stuck behind a counter.
"It was very scary," Kinard said.
Art spotted her and helped her get out ahead of the fire. So while a new car owner's maiden voyage went down in flames, at least no one went with it.
"You can replace a car, you can replace a building, you can't replace a person ever," Smith said, patting Robinson's shoulder consolingly.
After the fire department put out the fire, they got back too, saying they were concerned about someone being electrocuted because of the car's high voltage system and all of the water they'd poured on the blaze.
They had to call a team of Toyota experts to help them get the car out of the building.
As for Robinson, he says he's going to try to make the dealership replace the car.
www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_030607WABhybrid...l Read more
Searching the website itself produces no results. Also have access at work to database with pretty much every news article published and nothing in there either, so would also call urban myth.
In Saturday's Telegraph Money was a very interesting article on the furture of oil prices. It seems that OPEC will not allow oil to fall below $50/barrel, but 80% of all oil is now being supplied by national oil companies and are not as motivated to adjusting supply to meet demand.
The demand growth is 1.2m barrels a day, yet demand has increased by 1.4m barrels a day mainly from asian demand increasing.
Another startling fact is that
"We have consumed 1 trillion barrels of oil since the dawn of civilisation but mostly in the past 60 years. There are another 1 trillion barrels in proven conventional reserves, possibly another trillion barrels in resource and let us say, for example, another trillion barrels that we have yet to find at all. If this picture is right, we have consumed a quarter of the 4 trillion barrels of accessible oil and we are only 25 years away from reaching the point we will have consumed half of it."
Demand growth from Asia is going to remain strong for 10 to 15 years and supply growth is going to be difficult. The most likely scenario seems to me to be one in which the oil price settles down for a period in a new $50-$70 trading range. If by 2009 it becomes apparent that the worst fears about the difficulty in growing non-Opec supply turn out correct, then a further significant upward move in the oil price to more than $100 in the early part of the next decade seems, to me, inevitable.
tinyurl.com/335xrz
It seems likely that we shall have only increasing oil prices in the future and we should all consider using less.
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Roger
A fine is a tax for doing wrong. A tax is a fine for doing well.
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Perhaps the 'global good' might be better served if all the hundreds of millions of pounds spent on dodgy research grants, for self serving 'researchers' was directed elsewhere.
Technology will naturally adapt to what's available....it's just we won't be able to afford it because we've been taxed to death, in order to 'encourage' us to stop using our cars.
Hi folks,
AA says this journey is 55 mins - as I'll be cutting it very fine to get my flight at 13.10, just wanted to know from "local knowledge" if there are any hidden nasties on that route at that time of day.
Thanks Read more
Thanks for all the suggestions - just found out that the meeting has moved so there's simply no way of making a 13.10 flight - I'll schlep back up North and fly from Liverpool - that'll be a real pleasure on Maundy Thursday!
Which is better for day to day average use (yearly mileage 6 to 12k miles)?
I don't really understand why people nowadays prefer diesel cars. Except for 4x4s (where huge torque is required from diesel engines), I can't see any good reason for going for diesel (the cars tend to cost more) and parts are expensive as well.
Moderators, if the topic is discussed before please merge this thread. I could find this comparison afer a search. Read more
"Petrol vapour is heavier than air so the fumes linger at ground level and soak into the forcourt base causing a risk of ingnition at the flash point level normaly waist height ."
Apart from the bit about petrol vapour being heavier than air, that is total garbage.
We have had lots of P vs D thread on here. There is no right answer - there are die hard petrol fans and die hard diesel fans. For most people however, it's a combination of the right car at the right price, regardless of the fuel - and many don't even notice (witness the number of diesel cars getting filled with petrol).
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RichardW
Is it illogical? It must be Citroen....
I am having terrible trouble buying one of the most common cars on the road! Main dealers have told me on various occasions that 1) they cannot guarantee a price for the Galaxy next month, so I would have to order and then the price would be agreed 2) that I cannot have the LX with parking sensors, they would have to be after market fitted 3) that there are no Galaxys like this in stock.
I thought that we negotiated a price, and then the dealer ordered it for me... how naive. I then went to a well known internet broker who, on his website, clearly stated I could order my galaxy with options for £16.5k. I paid my deposit (by CC) and was then 'phoned to say that "there aren't any Galaxy's around at the moment" and to "'phone to discuss my requirements".
Is it Ford or are these problems just created by brokers and dealers? Can anyone recommend a place where I can get a New Galaxy LX with parking sensors and metallic paint for close to £16.5k and no blarney?! Thanks guys.
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There's an owners club for most things if you look!!!!
And besides, The S-Max is an MPV for people that don't want to admit it!!! (I'm about to become one of them soon)
My Xantia has a squeal when I turn the wheel left as I am going along, it doesn't happen when the wheel is turned and I am stationary. someone suggested changing the drive belt which I had done yesterday but it has not made one bit of difference. It has been happening for about 2 years now and has sailed through the MOT twice so I am totally confused as to what it could be and cannot afford to take it to a garage just for a diagnosis. Has anyone got any idea what it could possibly be please?
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It sounds obvious but have you checked for signs of the wheel arch liners rubbing or being rubbed by the tyres, are the tyres the right size, are they same on both sides, are the wheels the correct ones (correct offset etc.)?
If the drive belt was slipping it was squeal with the steering on lock even when stationary.
Steve.
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Xantia HDi Exclusive.
XM 2.1 VSX.
Hi,
HELP AND ADVISE PLEASE.
my van has failed its mot on uneven rear brake application.(o/s/r low)
i have free up the load sensor linkage and renewed the wheel cylinder to the o/s/r. i have been back for a retest and the reading is still the same, low on the o/s/r, i was told the difference allowed is 24% mine is reading 60%.
the calipers seem ok,
i missing something else?
cheers
steve Read more
We have had our '98 Clio 1.6 8V RXE since it was two years old and only 4000 miles, it has been a great car, now 45000 miles, drives as new, no corrosion just a few dings, all in all a much better proposition than a friends 2000 Yaris.
However I have noticed for some while, probably for three years or so, evidence of oil on the front of the engine behind the exhaust manifold, just a slight dampness.
We now have a couple of drips on the drive, looking under the car it is dripping off the sump plug, the lowest point, the front of the engine is now 'wetter' and it seems is slowing acumulating enough oil to run down and form a drip over time, the oil level is not noticably dropping.
I have taken the manifold heat shield off and the only place I believe the oil can be coming from is the head gasket (though I have not ruled out the cam cover) I changed the coolant about three months ago, the old was spotlessly clean despite its eight years and the new still is perfectly clean, the level is fine and the temp gauge rock steady.
I have heard of HGF on this engine, IF it is the head gasket seeping oil then any views as to whether this inevitably leads to HGF ?
Should I attend to it or just clean it up every couple of weeks ?
Thanks. Read more
Yes a new one every time. Thanks.
Browse
he could always get a can of lacquer from halfords and re-lacquer it
sorry dont know what car year etc but if its say 8 years old then its worth the effort rather than take to a bodyshop
cover everything you dont want painting though and get a mask OP