In the last few days I had a bit of a job changing gear until last night the car crunched into reverse, then refused to go into any gear apart from reverse. The only way I could move it was to put it in first with my foot on the clutch while the engine was off then start the engine. This morning I found that the clutch cable was slack inside the engine compartment and I had to tighten the clutch cable adjustment nut as far as it would go. Then it worked fine.

I drove the car on a local journey, and got a mile from my house before the clutch hit the floor. I paid £40 to get it towed home. I looked at the cable this evening and found it did not look like it was frayed at all. However, it had become disconnected from the pedal and the cable had retreated into the black plastic clutch cable cover, which sits somewhere below the windscreen.

I am trying to figure out why there would have been so much slack in the cable in the first place - even while it was still obviously attached to the pedal??

I should mention that when the cable was slack and I had to force it into reverse gear the car was juddering like mad, but after I had tightened the adjustment nut it changed gears just fine - for a few minutes anyway. Read more

just seen my second favourite car advert. my first being the one honda made where car parts roll onto others etc etc. well its the new skoda ad, where they build a car out of cakes and sweets. simply amazing

{Subject header amended - DD} Read more

can anyone tell me how easy it is to remove this please? i will be fitting some reversing sensors and theres a lot of metal behind it, thanks Read more

Just had my 306 a/c model back from the auto spark and he told me the cooling fans are kaput

just wondering if this is an easy diy job if i can source some fans?
Its 2001 facelift model but the only problem i think ill have is that the multiplug to the fan couling is completley stuck!

Any tips appreciated

Also if i look for second hand parts what should i be looking for considering its an aircon model - however the aircon doesnt work and im not planning on fixing it due to high costs Read more

Please could someone advise me on whether I have a problem or not. I parked my new (February 2007) mini cooper on my rather steep drive earlier this afternoon and went indoors with the shopping. Ten minutes later there was a very loud bang followed by a car alarm. Needless to say it was mine; the car had aimed itself squarely at the garage and has bent the door (up and over variety) back so that I would imagine a new door will be required. Fortunately, the damage to the car is minimal and amounts to a couple of tiny specs out of the paintwork on the bumper. I suppose the distance travelled was only about 5 feet but the force exerted was evidently considerable owing to the gradient. My question is this. The handbrake was on (most definitely, checked when I got in the car to reverse it back up the drive) but I had not put the car in gear. It is possible that the brake was not pulled right up to the limit as I have always understood this is bad for it but it was certainly almost there. Should I go back to mini or is this due to the fact that I did not put the car in gear. Having been used to an automatic I did not really know that this was essential when parking on an incline. In other words is this my own stupid fault or could there be something wrong with the car? Of course, there is also the matter of insurance - would household buildings/contents cover the garage door and would there be a query over the safety of the car?

Any advice gratefully received. Read more