May 2007
Volvo may have the jobs of the ball boys/girls in it's sights soon!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztNItBkcOqw Read more
GALLARDO 5.0 , 2 Doors, Coupe, Petrol, Manual Transmission, Registered 04-03-2004
Auction is BCA Tewkesbury, 15-06-2007
Guess it's from the gains of some criminal activity, as it's not got any blues n twos!!
No idea how they'll value it, either, shouldn't be any reserve price on it.
VB
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My 407 coupe had tyre pressure monitors (that seem to be behaving themselves). Washing the car today got me thinking about changing a wheel and how they actually work. I checked the manual and there was no mention of having to disconnect anything. It did say that with the spare on, I will get a warning that the wheel is effectively 'missing'. It also said (predictably) that I should consult my dealer when changing tyres.
So how do they work and can an old tyre fitter put new tyres on. (Cars only got 800 miles on it so far, so no worries yet) Read more
Therefore the fact that the auto wipers use it even on low sensitivity really gets
up my nose - I find the highest speed more distracting than useful.
>>
Gets up my nose too. Adjustable intermittent is eminently preferable.
Hello guys,
I've lurked in the mists for a few years and now and the time has come to replace my current car. I require some advice/opinions which will of course be greatly appreciated.
I am after a replacement for my ageing P plate 1.0L Citroen AX. It has served me well having done 13,000 miles during the last year I've owned it (including two 1,000 mile round trips to Cornwall - I must have been crazy).
After enduring the basics I've decided to treat myself with a nicer drive and have around £2,000 to spend on the right car. I don't do many miles and this will only reduce with my new job - around 150 to 200 miles maximum a week so efficiency is not that important.
So the car I'm considering is a facelift (post 2000) Vauxhall Omega Elite with the 2.5 V6 petrol engine and an auto box. The car has all the bells and whistles (aircon, leather, auto box, nippy) I'd like plus I've always admired the subtle styling which in my opinion still looks 'new'. Also I presume the servicing parts are cheaper than similar alternatives.
I've seen these cars selling on autotrader and ebay for between £1500 and £2000 which seems ideal for me.
My questions are -
What are people?s opinions on these cars (I've read the Car by Car breakdown and would like something more specific)?
What alternatives are there in this price range for a similar spec?
Many thanks
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Well I've never owned a facelfit Omega, but I've done about 150K in older 2.5 and 2.0s.
A few thoughts on the engine at least:-
Vital ( for peace of mind) that cambelt, idler pulleys & tensior are changed every 40K.
The oil cooler seals tend to go eventually, repair is fiddly as the cooler is in the middle of the V.
Like all ECOTECs they seem to eat cam and / or crank sensors every 30-50K for no good reason.
The crankcase breathers block, leading to the idle air control valve gunging up, causing stalling on idle; and oil being pushed out of the cam covers and into the spark plug recesses.
Some parts are silly prices from main dealers ( HT leads for a 2.5 V6 are just under 200 quid), but most are available from various independants now, Autovaux for example.
I'm still happy driving them, just bear in mind that they are a big, relatively complex car, so you won't run it for years on small change.
There's a helpful Yahoo group here, before I forget:-
autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/omega_owners/
My 5-door 307 has central locking and the rear offside door will not unlock. Is there a good way to unlock the door without dismantling all the inside panelling? Will this be an MOT failure, with it being a rear door? Any assistance gratefully received! Read more
Going north bound on Devon section of the M5 tonight about 2 miles from the Somerset border and spotted what looks like the PIPS Spike system bolted to the railings on a bridge. Consists of small light grey tubes,one over each carriageway. Thought at first these were speed cameras but a bit of digging tonight has revealed they are probably ANPR devices. Can anybody confirm this (and the location too) Read more
Queen?s Award for PIPS Spike
1st Apr 2005
Hampshire-based PIPS Technology is proud to announce that their innovative Spike number plate reading camera
has been awarded the Queen?s Award for Enterprise 2005 - the UK?s most prestigious Award
I wonder if the queen's name should be attached to these kind of enterprises. How about "The Erich Mielke Award".
Well,
Picked it up yesterday afternoon and it was all mine for 4 whole hours. The roads were quiet thanks to some obscure football match and the weather variable from dry to damp to wet and back again. It was driven along duals and Mways and more interestingly along A and Bs......
The Car.
Was a demonstration 335 saloon with 1.7k on the clock, it came in a light metallic blue with a tan leather interior, it had a horrid (to me) sequential auto (about 1.5k on the price), tan leather interior (about 1.2k apparantly) 18" optional alloys (I think they're about £500). Anyway, the engine is probably the best six cylinder BMW motor I have ever been behind, no make that the best petrol engine I've ever been behind - ever. There are few superlatives without resorting to clichés to describe this motor. totally compliant in town, with a heart of pure gold on the back roads, total smoothness and near silence (apart from what I suspect is a tuned exhaust sound), I have seen a BMW bike ad with the by-line "Unleash Civilization" it would certainly suit this car - it is a beast in an Armani suit....brilliant brilliant motor. Everything is just right inside, the leather's aromatic properties overcome the trend of recent BMWs to smell gluey, I immediately felt at home in this car, I could close my eyes and know I was in a three series despite the fact I'd never driven the latest shape version. Just right.
Roadwise.
BMW seem to have overcome the problems they had with the run flats, despite it's 18 inch wheels, the ride was flat and smooth (definitely smoother than SWMBO's Golf), handling on some of my favourite bends was predictable and as safe as anything, there is no drama in this car, everything happened as expected. overtaking was totally effortless (as it should be) - maybe it was slightly disengaging to drive, only because it is so good, very very good. To me this is the acme of the chassis and engine maker's art but it didn't make me want it enough, everything is so sorted, so competent that it fails to thrill. I have to be honest Tony Pond's IoM video was very much in my mind when I tripped this car. I swear if I took the Golf along these roads it would excite and involve me more. it even failed to skit across the acres of white lines that decorate one of my bends like the five does and maybe that summed it up - too sorted. Nice car though.
I'll buy one of these when I'm sixty. Read more
if you want to enjoy yourself, get a classic......something like a TR6/ 20 yr old 911/ Austin Healey 3000/ E Type (if you can afford it), etc
then you can use a modern, reliable, possibly boring machine everyday when you need/want the comfort reliability etc......and enjoy yourself when it's play time
ive got an inspection lamp (240v) normal size bulb rough service, with a bayonet cap but i want to put a 12v bulb in it , i cant find one any where , do they exist so i can cut the plug off the lead and put croccodile clips and run it off a car battery, so basically i need a 12v 50 watt bayonet capped bulb? cheers Read more
They cause letters to get mixed up - "viewing"
Warning light not illuminating on dash when ignition is switched on.
But when main wiring harness is disconnected from abs module warning light illuminates.
ABS module has been to specialist reparer and has checked out ok.
Also diagnostic equipment has been unable to link with ecu both at the specialist and by two other systems.
As of yet I have not taken car to the agents?
Any help or ideas would be very welcome. Read more
Hi Screwloose,
Latest developments, tried the screwdriver levering the e.c.u against the modulator body no success, I took the chance and purchased a second hand e.c.u unit plugged it in and bingo the a.b.s warning light lit on the ignition test but failed to go out after about 2-3 seconds, so plugged the the scanner in and it communicated with the e.c.u and came up with o/s/r wheel sensor u/s so tuesday i will change that and see if all is ok.
I will let you know the final outcome,
John
Hello, the car is a 1999 T reg volvo s40 2litre 16v wih 150k on the clock and FSH.
the problem is since friday it has started to jump out of 5th gear. it only does it when lifting off the throttle at about 60-70mph, if you put it straight back in then it jumps out immediately, if you accelerate then put it in then it will stay in for awhile. at town speeds and below 50mph it is fine, there are no noises whines etc. from the box.
things tried so far are, new gear linkage bushes fitted, has greatly improved the change but not fixed the issue, also i have got some parts left over in the kit that i can't seem to find a place to fit, i have replaced the bushes on the gear lever under the centre console, the bushes at the base of the gear lever under the car were it meets the long linkage, and the other end of the long linkage where it meets the gearbox, but ive still got 2 big nylon bushes left and 2 smaller ones along with 2 o rings. i suspect these possibly go on the smaller bar that goes into the gearbox that is joined to the long linkage at the gearbox end. can anyone confirm this?
also i have changed the gearbox oil and refilled with 3.5 litres of comma ep75-80w which is the correct spec, there were no traces of metal in th old oil. and i have checked the engine.gearbox mountings as best i can by rocking the engine, and also revving it when stationary and can't find any excessive movement.
and as it's a renault box ive had the gearbox carter of the end and double checked the torque of the nut on the 5th gear cluster which is fine although ill be fitting a new nut anyway tomorrow but this is a known problem with this gearbox so i checked it anyway.
so does anyone have anymore ideas? i really need to know where the remaining bushes go incase that is the issue, i am also about to go check the linkage alignment although i don't suspect this to be the cause as it's so specific when it happens and i wouldn't think a bit of misalignment would throw it out of gear
any help greatly received
chris Read more
yes ive checked the mountings. it isn't the cable operate linkage. after adjusting the linkage some more it seems better but still does it just not so frequently. i have also managed to find another worn bush in the linkage which wasn't in my refurb kit so ill get that 2mrw and hopefully that should be it
cheers
chris
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Started watching it with a mixture of bewilderment and slight contempt...but it's actually quite sweet really! :^D