April 2007
For what it's worth Practical classics has reviewed 3/8" torque wrenches (for the lower end of the torque range) and come to the conclusion that the Halfords model (£49.99, 8-60 Nm) is best, followed by Norbar (£80.22, 8-60 Nm) and Tri Torq (£38.41, 20-100 Nm), plus Draper (£19.73, 10-80 Nm) as Budget Buy. Read more
Going to look at a Punto 1.2 16v Active sport today. 05 yr 54 plate. 24000m. When does the cambelt need changing. I did read that the Panda needs one at 36000m/3 years. Seems short, is the Punto the same interval. Read more
As the owner of a 2001 8v I can tell you they are best avoided. A mate bought an Alfa 156 at the same time as I got the punto, and we both say "....never again an Italian car..." He's in a Toyota now and I will only buy a Japanese next time.
I've been driving around in an old-version Yaris recently and it's a world away from the Punto.
cheers
I saw a report, in a recent issue of the Daily Mail, that three members of a mega rich family (father, mother and son) have been given jail sentences for perjury, regarding two instances of speeding involving the son. It appears the family were advised to lie by a certain well known lawyer, who specialises in representing the well healed members of society in cases such as this. He is now facing a charge himself, it would appear.
The family appealed against the original sentences and how now been given reduced sentences, owing to the fact that they were advised to lie by the lawyer (as if they didn't know what they were doing). Read more
Well well, Nick Freeman in court for allegedly conspiring to pervert the course of justice. Surely not? The fact that he gets so many people off speeding charges with elaborate and far fetched excuses has always seemed very suspicious to me. However, I guess he must remain innocent until proven to be a dishonest lying toad, oops, I meant to say "until proven guilty".
I have just returned from a trip to Australia where I spent some time in Brisbane. Around Easter is the holiday season with consequent focus on road conditions/accidents etc. Aus has a much more proactive approach with strict drink/driving laws and random testing is common. A couple of weeks ago the police ran a weekend check on all the roads in and out of Brisbane and checked a large number of drivers. They found that 1.03% of drivers were over the limit, well into three figures, although the limit there is 0.5% versus ours of 0.8% (I think that's right but am open to correction). They found drivers up to 5 times over (their) limit. The reporter in the local paper said that he himself had been stopped three times that weekend so I imagine it was pretty thorough. I myself have seen several spot checks in various parts of the city when all the cars on the carriageway are lined up and the drivers tested. It just makes me wonder how many drunk drivers there are in my local town where parts of it on friday and saturday nights are pretty much no go areas with drunks reeling around all over the place with all the accompanying unpleasantness that entails. I cant help but think that 1.03% could be on the low side. Whilst I am concerned at the creeping intrusion of government into every aspect of of our lives (ID cards, biometric passports, chips in dustbins, road pricing and consequent tracking etc) I cant help but think that a purge on drink driving similar to that on speeding would contribute more to road safety.
MGs Read more
"I cant believe anyone with any sense would risk a drink when driving there. The
limit is literally 1 small beer and thats it."
ABERDEEN
A motorist who thought he could drive after eight or nine pints as long as he wore a seatbelt has been jailed for causing the death of a friend.
David Curry, 35, took a car without permission and offered friends a lift to a party, despite having no licence.
Curry crashed on the outskirts of Aberdeen in September 2005 and Gregor Allan, 23, died of his injuries.
Curry, who admitted causing death by dangerous driving, was jailed for five years and seven months.
Hi all.
mark 1 galaxy key has an immobilizer chip in the key section separate from the fob. i have just paid £100 for a new key and fob and they want another £90 to programme the immobilzer chip.I am wondering if i could save money by taking the old immobilizer chip out and fitting it in the new key and therefore save the money.Anybody got any ideas if this is possible......i have to be careful as i only have one key that presently starts my vehicle. Read more
try this link you will have to do some searching but ultimately i think your answer will be get it coded or take a chance
www.fordgalaxy.org.uk/ford/index.php?showtopic=7886
Was passed at speed today by a motorcyclist with flashing blue light , siren, and headlight flashing on and off . The bike was not marked from what I saw of it and the rider was not wearing a uniform, just dark waterproofs. Any idea what organisation he might have belonged to. Read more
'Blood' bikes are clearly marked, are white and look just like Police bikes to make it easier to get through traffic. Stealth, for a blood bike, is not what you want.
The bike you saw was almost certainly an un-marked police bike. These bikes are to catch high performance cars and bikes that are speeding.
As a previous poster mentioned, the rifers of these bikes wear a much lighter weight protective kit.
Most people are aware of unmarked cars but not many people think a bike could be an unmarked police bike and I'm sure it catches quite a few speeders. Gloucestershire, maybe Avon, have a Suzuki GSXR1000 - you don't want to mess about with that baby!!!!
Hi guyz
am new to this
just wanted some information, basically ive recently got a new gearbox put in my audi a3 1.6, and ever since its using alot more petrol, its doin like 45-50 miles to £10. Before the change of the gearbox it was easily doing 70 miles to £10. i have paid 700 for the new gearbox, and just wanted to know what the problem could be????
a friend of mine said it could be the gear ratio, but the car is doing less revs than it used to with this new gearbox, but i am not that technical so i dont know. so thats why i need some help please.
thanks for ur time Read more
This difference is not enough to cause you such a harsh fuel problem, however if does appear to be the wrong gear box. Get the garage to check the code on the box and get it recorded you have a problem. Get them the check the ECU for reported errors at their cost not yours. Regards Peter
A standard issue police motorbike used by 22 forces poses a "serious" threat to riders' lives, a coroner has said.
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/6600897.stm
"The evidence that I have heard convinces me that at speed in excess of 80mph and in variable circumstances, which cannot be predicted, the motorcycle has a tendency to develop a violent and sudden weave which results in a loss of control with catastrophic results for the individual officer involved."
Read more
"would like to ride a plodbike in London, if only to clear the riffraff out of the way; of course, the down side is having to deal with the riffraff when one arrives wherever one is hurrying to. "
This thread has taken a distinct happier line. Thanks.
I went to a well known car supermarket in the Midlands today. Me and Mrs MLC had a look at a few replacement cars for her Fiesta. One car we looked at was on a 55 plate, 19000m and theoretically had a over a year of warranty left. I asked the salesman to confirm that it had been serviced according to manufacturers schedule.
It turned out it had never been serviced. " Warranty's no good then" says I. Salesman then tries to convince me that under 'block exemption' a warranty is valid as long as the car is serviced anytime within the year. It was coming up to two years old and he said "get it serviced now and again in a a couple of months and that will validate the warranty" So according to him, you can get it serviced 10 months late, then again bang on two years and all is well ." Not having a car serviced will only lead to the loss of the third year dealer warranty. The two year manufacturers warranty remains valid regardless!"
Now, he is either very ignorant or just a blatant liar. I wonder how many people are suckered into buying a car. I'm sure they are given short shrift if they return with a problem. Read more
No deals available........great pains to tell me how they sold at 'trade' prices (and gave 'trade' p/x). No discounts. However, I've found similar cars cheaper at main dealers this morning.
The hole for the keyring to go through on my key is broken, anyone know if there is a cover or something i can get for it instead of forking out for a new key? I know ya can get keys or ebay for like a fiver but its having them coded in which costs loads. Read more
if you are good with a soldering iron you can melt the plastic and repair these punto keys
alternative is to have another key cut and swap the chip over
be careful as if its in a glass capsule they break easily mind
Browse
Now where did I put that set of weights and the weight hanger my employer gave me as a leaving present when I retired? ;-)
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L\'escargot.