May 2007
Does anyone know what the size and thickness the rear brake pads are on a 2003 Vauxhall Astra 1.8 SRi?
Your help would be very much appreciated. Read more
Its often a common policy of economic car ownership to buy at 2 or 3 years old to lose the high initial depreciation, but (IMHO) times have changed and certain models pose enhanced risks.
Decades ago when I learnt to drive as a teenager (and as a consequence work on cars) any inadvertant abuse of the car was tempered by a growing mechanical sympathy due to understanding and being able to *visualise* what was going on, in for example the clutch, or oil flow around a cold engine.
Most of the new cars of that era were bought by the relatively wealthy older people who tended to look after them.
Well.. There was Auntie Nelly, slipping the clutch a bit and witless about the mechanics, but the proposition I am making is that *new car abuse* is often more extensive and model specific today.
There are two models in a manufacturers range, discussed in another marque specific forum. One is typically bought by pensioners or young female drivers. It has few problems and seems a reasonable bet at 3 years old.
The other model seems to have taken over the role of the old modded Novas or Corsa`s of a decade or so ago however Its not a Vauxhall.
This newish, large supermini is often bought brand new by 17yr olds who are getting their first car, courtesy of parents. so none of the suffering of personal saving, doing without things as a result applies.
Whoo Hoo then :)
Some are chipped as soon as purchased, run off the limiter at every gear change even when cold as though its a computer game. A group of owners ran some on neat cooking oil with no concerns of the fuel pump and injectors, One guy banged a new one into second gear to overtake a truck seemingly putting it beyond the limited engine speed on the changedown, then held it at the limiter, blue smoke pouring out the back. It reportedly doesnt have the same power now and he`s puzzled why. ( really puzzled that is, no mech awareness at all)
Their cars have lots of breakages and faults and often there is putting water into the sump (other fluids into the wrong places) and going the full 12,000 miles to the first service without opening the bonnet. Oil pressure lights coming on during cornering due to almost no oil and running it like that until finally getting advice on what it means and then putting in some cheap oil. Astounding examples of ineptitude and knowing and unknowing mechanical abuse charactorising their period of ownership.
The general plan is to keep quiet about a lot of this and then move them on at about 3 years old..............
Our economic buyer who would not dream of buying new, then buys these cars....
So IMHO, some particular `cult`models are a real risk these days, far more than in days gone by.
Then there is the petrol into common rail diesel and running it 40 miles until it finally chugs to a halt, quietly part exchanged and coming soon as a nice " someone else has taken the initial depreciation 3 year old" to a dealer near you.
As for me? There`s no way I`m going to buy a small sub £8,000 car used, I`ll take the hit on buying new, then keep it 15yrs.
I also think I`m turning into Victor Meldew, I wonder why?
Regards
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>>ping the limiter snatch the next...
And once the engine is properly warm, what's wrong with that?
Number_Cruncher
In general, for same spec cars, between manual & automatic which is cheaper to maintain?
I've never owned automatic cars so far. 2 cars I owned in the past had to undergo clutch replacement around 70k miles (cost around £175-ish each time).
This time I'm looking for an automatic (mostly for my wife who recently started learning to drive and after several lessons still having fights with gearstick & clutch).
Other than slightly lower fuel economy, is there anything about automatics I should be aware of?
I'm yet to decide which car to buy though. Read more
One may begin to wonder about genuine American auto box reliability. You know, those exotic ones (to us anyway) like Buick LaCrosse, Chrysler LHS, Chevrolet Lumina or Pontiac Bonnevile. A friend of mine fell in love with Oldsmobile Aurora MY '2001 4.0 V8 and 4-speed auto, brought it to Europe and... it packed up on German autobahn doing about 170 km/h or so. The box itself just couldn't stand such a pace, those cars are designed to cruise and that's that. Pity, as they produce automatics since forever...
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Free enterprise is the basis of western democracy.
i need to fit one new front caliper (old one keeps sticking) i recently changed the fluid and had a real job getting the rears to bleed properly even with the load valve forced open
so my question is...when i fit the new caliper can i just bleed that corner?
1991 g60 golf with abs Read more
I have always undone the connection and then quickly stuck a wooden wedge or golf T into the end to stop the fluid running out. Bench bleed the new unit, filling to the brim, and likewise plug the hole. Refit caliper, then quicky reconnect. Leave the joint a turn loose, and gently press the pedal to expel air at the joint, like getting air out of a domestic radiator. Tighten up. Usually there is no need to do any other bleeding.
THE SCENARIO....
driver banned for 2 years. Insurance company voids policy. Tax disc valid until late 07. Car left on public road outside house, but not used.
Police have told me 2 different versions of the law: 1. The car can be legally kept on the road but must not be used in any way, as long as the tax is current. 2. The vehicle must not be on the road at all with no insurance.
Anyone have an authoritative view on the matter?
Thank you in advance gentlemen. I use "gentlemen" generically, I refer to all humans who reply. This is a time-honoured and correct usage of the language. I refuse to pepper my sentences with "his or her" and such nonsense. Read more
"Whilst steaming drunk."
OK confession time. Many years ago had been celebrating a win in a local pub with clients.....got a lift home of course. At that time we shared a street with a Traffic Officer with whom I was very friendly (and still am) - I arrived home somewhat more flushed with success than usual. His wife phoned to say that they had some top-soil for me and that I had to collect it there and then as they urgently needed the space, so off I toddled with a wheelbarrow with a serious steering defect (i.e. me), I may not have been steaming drunk but the Health and Safety risks I posed that afternoon still make me cringe.
Hi,
I have just taken the Rocker cover off of my Focus to take a look at my camshafts to see if one had snapped. It hadn't and both turned when i put a spanner on the crank pulley. However, i noticed that at the gearbox end of the cams, the recesses where a bar can be fitted to stop movement of the cams are not lining up. Does this mean my valve is out? And how could this have happend?
Jon Read more
Not necessarily, the cambelt could have slipped between the crank and the camshafts making them appear that they are all still in sync. But if it is in good condition and nicely tensioned then it is unlikely to be your problem.
Hi,
I've recently bought an early (52) new shape Vectra. It has an old Nokia kit in that fits neither my phone nor a pop-port adapter, so I need a new cradle and to get it plugged in. The cable goes into the dash through the 'bits' tray beneath the heater controls. The tray pops out easy enough, but I think I need to remove at least the panel with the heater controls, if not the stereo too in order to gain access to the Car-Kit control box.
I was stunned to find that the Haynes Manual isn't available yet. Anyone know the correct/safe way to access this area? I did have a look at accessing via the foot-well, but the moulded panels seem to go right back around the hand-brake and rear vents etc so that looks like a lot of effort that may not lead me to the control box anyway.
Thanks
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Guessing that the phone kit is wired up to the stereo. Either remove the stereo by undoing the 4 grub screws and double din removal tool ( www.caraudioplus.co.uk/images/al_vaux.jpg ) - a coat hanger bent into the same shape will suffice. Or see if you can access by removing the glovebox.
There might be some info on www.forum.vectra-c.com .
Hello all,
im 19 years old, and i need some advice on getting my 1st proper car, i had a citroen AX before but it had to be written off and im now looking for a proper 1st car. i have been looking at peugoet 206 on the trader and i have found nothing within my budget. with only £2000 i would like to get a car with the same characteristics of the 206 with the 'boyish' look. i have looked at clios year:1999+ and havent had much luck, the engine size i was looking at was 1.2 or anything in the insurance group 1,2 and 3. if any one could give me some advice on what to look for next as i need to get a car within 1 1/2 weeks, any help would be great :D
thanks Tom Read more
Knowing what I know now (if only I had known when I was your age:o), if I was in your situation I would without hesitation endeavour to buy a Honda Civic (the most recent that £2000 will buy)...in order to get reliability and minium maintenance costs.
Visit www.hondabeat.com/highmiles.php and you will see why.
Do let us know what you decide.
I've never owned a brand new car till now. But thinking of buying one!
Just wondering exactly what things are covered under manufacturer's warranty? Most cars here come with 3 years warranty with exception of Hyundai (5 yr) and Kia Cee'd (5+2 yr)
On Hyundai website, they said brake/clutch/lights etc. are covered for 2 years only. Rest of components 5 years.
Most other manufactuers include the clause that wear & tear are not included.
Could you please highlight your experiences what things are not covered??
If the car is under warranty work, do they provide free courtsey car for that??
Cars I'm looking at - Suzuki, Honda, Ford, Hyundai, Kia, Mazda, Toyota mainly (within £10k)
Thanx Read more
You will usually find that the item you are claiming for isn't covered!!!!!
Every time I hear this phrase, I get a mental picture of Terry Pratchett's Duck Man, and I wonder what the other wardens look like.
I haven't had a ticket for twenty-odd years - it must be the sun getting to me! Read more
I support these cameras - the Council I work for buys DNA swab tests so that traffic wardens who are spat at can try and pursue the offender in court.
This happens on a daily basis, and I don't think people realise what they have to put up with. In my short experience, getting in a car tends to make people think they're invulnerable from the law, and take strong exception when they're caught out breaking it. How many times has someone cut you up, but then react aggresively when you point out their mistake? It's just the same with parking.
I don't think many poeple on here works in a job where they can be verbally and physically insulted like this, and it almost to be socially acceptable. And if they did, they would want their employer to take all reasonable steps to prevent it or bring the offender to justice.
OK, it's easy to blame parking wardens for the system, and no-one likes getting a fine, but as the article says this should actually help the facts be presented should a driver wish to appeal a PCN they think unfair. And whislt there is the odd wheel out of a parking bay, the majority of tickets I see are on cars parked illegally or in disabled spaces etc. The time limited spaces are there for a reason too (often to encourage use of local shops and ammenities instead of all day commuters).
The cost of the equipment will no doubt be covered by income raised from fines such as ASB, littering and fowling (all of which is good news for residents) and the fact evidence will probably help parking decisions be upheld on appeal.
To prove I'm not a Council stooge, I do admit there is an inherant contradiction with council's trying to increase parking compliance, but still financially relying on parking income to help provide transport services.
I'm not sure of the solution, but I'm sure it won't be council tax payers being willing to pay higher llocal/national taxes so that parking fines can be reduced for those motorists who chose to park illegally.
That chap in the Mail article wants people to be able to get on with their own business without being continually harrassed?
"Business" as in breaking the law and abusing public servants when they try and tackle them?
He really, really should try being a parking warden for a few days if he wants to know the meaning of the word harrassed.
And regarding the comments about the ethnicity of wardens, it's most likely that British citizens aren't willing to work at the low wages offered. Again, would the public pay more tax so that more educated wardens could be recruited on higher pay?
er, no.
I'm not a Council stooge, but there's 2 sides to every story, and I think it is important that there is some balance on here (unlike the Daily Mail of course).
Ian
Ask at a quality motor factors and they will tell you all the dimensions and what else they may fit .