May 2007
Test drove one yesterday. I can live with the restricted vision (thick A and C pillars) but the awkwardly place foot rest is a real bind. Has anyone else found this? There are several complaints about it on the What Car? site. There is a excellent large Fiat service station locally and the manager thinks (but is not sure, never been asked) that it can be removed. He says there is something on the parts list called a "footboard" but says the illustration is evidently different from the footrest in the car. Read more
I'd posted a while ago about the utility of DIY in-car video recording - maybe the subject heading was not clear (no replies!).
A few of the recent "idiot, camera, crash" programmes have showed footage from privately-installed video recordings - a growing trend in the USA, it would appear.
There must have been times when other backroomers would have welcomed an incident/accident being caught 'on tape' (provided they weren't the guilty partry, of course!).
My question is: would such 'unofficial' video evidence have any weight in either a courtroom or insurance claim setting? Read more
would such 'unofficial' video evidence have any weight in either a courtroom
or insurance claim setting?
Yes.
We have a 7 month old baby and 5 grand to spend on upgrading our TINY clio. The two choices that we have ended up with are a Focus and a Golf. My partners brother works as an assistant manager at Fords so I do feel that The overall parts and service for the focus will be alot cheaper in the long run but We can't help loving VW Golfs for thier reliability and the fact that they are much better looking! Can Anyone please help us with our dilema!!!!! ta! Read more
Many thanks Dox - that is interesting as I had always considwered chain cams to be bullet proof.
You learn something new every day.
Good evening fellow petrolheads,
Have just bought a 51 Escort van with LPG conversion and it goes very well and cheaply. It is a bit slow to return to tickover when on overrun but settles to about 800rpm which seems a bit high.
At its recent MOT the mechanic suggested marking the idle speed control valve then taking out its retaining bolts and rotating the valve a touch to reduce the revs. I took the valve off but the set screw holes are not slotted so it looks as though it cant change position.
The stop for the throttle is just a 1/8 stud but although that looks as though its threaded into the alloy housing - it doesnt look adjustable.
Its just the same on petrol or gas . How do I slow it down and /or make it shut off better on overrun, please ?
You havent let me down yet so thanks in anticipation,
Mike
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Hi Screwloose,
Thanks for the advice - sorry I have been slow in replying - been away working - using the Escort at 6p per mile - good old gas.
I think its an 8 valve CVH "old" type unit - I suspect Ford used these up on the run -out Escorts. The "flare" idle you mention may be the problem - I will try to check the injector and other connections - it runs fine but is a bit reluctant to slow down until the revs eventually drop off . Thanks again.
May I come back to you for bodge solution if I cant sort it, please ?
Mike
Hi,
My can is sick - it loses power and stalls, has poor idle revs. A garage suggests that the mass air meter could be damaged. Does this sound right??
I've located the part, but can't remove it since it's clipped to the hose. What tool do I need to remove it??? (I can't see how it's tensioned since it's right at the back). Do I need a tool/ screw head to undo the clip??
TIA,
H. Read more
Drove to Luxembourg and back over the Bank Holiday weekend for an event - 1100 miles in total. Route was Calais/Dunkerque, Lille, Valenciennes, Namur and then down the E411 to the Grand Duchy.
Very much enjoyed driving on clear and open roads through green and pleasant countryside. Was surprised at the poor state of the E42 from the Belgium/France border down to Calais on the return leg - regular stretches of very uncomfortable poor condition surfaces really tested the suspension - not something I expected on a main French route.
The Belgium services were an eye opener for me. My 9 year son went to the Gents at our first stop and came back dismayed as the two 'guardians' of the loos had refused him entry because he couldn't pay the 30 cents fee they were demanding! Apparently this is common practise. Though the signs invite payment if you are happy with the facilities, you won't get near them unless you cross palms before entering. It is the little things people remember and this behaviour, repeated at all four stops we made, certainly put me off Belgium as a place of friendly welcomes. The 'requests' were made quite rudely and imo to treat children in that way is pathetic..............
However it was a very enjoyable trip. My 2.5 V6 averaged 32 mpg and we cruised for hours in real comfort. Luxembourg is a great place with great people and we will certainly return. (Petrol prices at 1.11 Euro per litre made filling up less painful).
The route proved very picturesque and just as quick as taking the southern route via Metz. I had bought an in car DVD player for son and have to say it was the best £70 I've spent. Return of the Pink Panther, Garfield 2 and Around The World in 80 Days, resulted in hoots of laughter from the back throughout the drive and never once did I get 'are we nearly there yet?'
Driving on the continent is definitely for me. Read more
Personally never had a problem with the belgian services.
Happy to let my children go on their own and have never had them refused entry. In fact when I have accompanied them and put a euro in the tray to cover them I have more often than not been told that they dont accept money for children. But there are all sorts of people doing all sorts of jobs !
I for one am happy to pay for clean well maintained toilets (they usually are ) in preference to free dirty ones (england).
Totally agree about driving being a pleasure (mostly) abroad though.
Just found (by smell) another petrol leak on my 1996 320i. On inspecting the hoses on the top of the fuel pump housing, I found 1 inch depth of petrol around and on top of the head of the fuel pump. The manufactures original joint was leaking on the larger of the two hoses. I think this hose links the 2 parts of the fuel tank together.
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Hi.i spent all my money on a 1996 polo auto 4 weeks ago and ive been ripped off by a trader in enfield as the gearbox was leaking oil and not engaging properly after only doing 50 miles.i took the car to vw and they have taken out the gearbox and found that the torque converter has been welded up and they cannot take it apart to change the seals without wrecking the box.does anybody out there have any tips on repairing this problem or have/no anybody who has a gearbox for sale.i know if you go to a dealer everything has to be done by the book but im desperate and im low on funds now so any tips will be very much apreciated.thankyou. Read more
Evening All
Just been promoted and have a car allowance burning a hole in my pocket !!!
I was advised to go down the route of a PCP but having seen the prices at Motor Provider thought it might be as cheap to buy myself.
I'm not look at anything too flash (small family car) and wondered whether there were any catches to the quotes on their web site (too cynical for one so young!!!!)
Can anyone shed any light on thier experiences or recommend any other brokers in the North of England (I'm based in Oldham) that might be worth a look
Cheers
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Have to agree with what was said about Motorpoint. I visted them at thier Derby location after travelling up from Essex. Very helpful and all the cars I saw looked very good, both in quality and price. Didn't buy from them though as they didn't have the colour I wanted at that time, so I returned south and bought from a local maindealer , using the Motorpoint prices to leverage an excellent discount...
Is it just me or have the good old fashioned 'rock solid' reliable marques gone forever?
Mercedes and VW used to be synonymous with quality and reliability; no more it seems.
Now it appears that the 'if it's your money, buy Japanese' adage is slipping, as I read more and more about manufacturing economies biting into the historical reputation of the likes of Toyota and Nissan.
Is there a single manufacturer that can claim the crown?
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I have always owned and got very good service from VWs. As you can see from the previous letter, I have owned a Seat Toledo TdiSE from new and it has proved to be far the best car. I worked and lived in South Africa for 18 years.In South Africa they almost worshipped Toyota. The sales slogan out there was: " Everything keeps going right Toyota". In those days they were mostly telling the truth.
Do you remember the large old Toyota small truck they tried to destroy on " Top Gear". It was even blown up in a skyscraper demolition, also drowned etc etc. It still started!!
It can't be much worse than the Aygo/107/C1, I found it quite stressful driving one of them, especially when I had to reverse! The Panda is pretty good with visibility, how about test driving one of them? I think the Corsa will be just as bad as the Grande Punto too because it's the same car.