May 2007
My sons Passat 115 PD is generally down on power, no MIL light.
Suspect it may be MAF so would like to remove it to clean & possibly have to replace it.
The retaining screws look like they are 5 point tamperproof torx.
Does anyone know what actual size it is.
Has anyone found a stockist to buy just the one size, as most seem to just sell an expensive complete set.
Thanks. Read more
Hi All,
Just bought an MX3 (1.8i V6 version, 1996 at 77k). It needs a service soon, so I'm gonna start with the oil and work my way along.
Now I know about the HLAs, and how they can get clogged up. I've also heard some people recommend doing an Engine Flush during the oil change to clear them of any debris etc. I've also found sites with things like Wynns Engine Flush. Now although this seems like a good idea, I'm aware that there are potential problems.
A) You could free up crap which then doesn't clear and ends up in the HLAs, just making things worse.
B) Engine Flush is presumably full of Detergents or some sort. Surely if I stick this stuff in, it's still gonna be in the engine even after I've drained the oil and replaced it. Is this gonna cause a problem with breaking down the new engine oil and not providing sufficient protection.
Comments? Read more
My experience of neglected cars with engines with dirty oil and oil deposits..(Fiesta, old Rovers etc) is
change oil and filter
change again after 2,000 miles
ditto after 3,000 miles
then evry 5,000 miles.
Seems to work: Mark3 Fiesta had gunge on top of cylinder head and in rocker box cover... after the above routine almost all gone: helped by longer (15 miles) journeys.
For flushing oil to work on a badly clogged engine you would have to run the engine for a long time (hours) and possibly damage the bearings...imo
madf
Busy checking out insurance for Fusion 3, 1.6, 2002 and keep getting asked what type of alarm is fitted. When I tell them its Fords factory fitted they don't know what it is suprisingly. I've looked in the car manuals and on web but can't find any more info. Any ideas where I can look? Read more
Can't understand why the insurer's systems doesn't have this info.
They should have it, but more than likely are too lazy to look it up.
I was becoming pretty dependant on my Tomtom One - but after 4 months of use, when I switched it on, I got a tom-tom sound and a symbol showing the SD card with a red cross through it. I was surprised to find that the advice line issed by Halfords wasn't an Asian call-centre, but a confident young lady who told me that the problem was that I needed the latest download and she would send me appropriate instructions via e-mail. I duly carried out the sequence of steps and - deep-joy - the satnav worked again.
However, I'm not sure what "the latest download" is supposed to contain. I drove on the new Great Barford by-pass (A421) which links the Bedford Southern By-pass to the A1 and the Tomtom seemed to think I was driving through fields! The road, by the way, is so smooth that even my old Mondie stopped shaking, rattling and rolling. I would have thought that Tomtom would have known about it, though - anyone any idea how long it takes for this information to get through to satnavs, and is this the sort of stuff that comes in a "download"? Read more
I havent checked but piratebay probably throws up a couple of links.>>
Had a quick look on piratebay, but couldn't find anything obviously useful. There were a couple of photographs of well-stacked young ladies with the caption "Meet these girls from your area". I have to say, if they were in my area, I'm sure I would have noticed them already ;-)
I was fortunate enough to have a Mini Cooper 5 years ago - had a fun year then sold it on for little overall cost & was seriously thinking about the newer version, esp. Cooper D. The overall 'feel' from the various tests on HJ has been one of paradise lost, yes, some things have improved, but some overall fun/driveability has been lost, along with it seems, some ride comfort. I compared the new/new Mini with the old/new Mini in the showroom, to my eye it looked bloated & just too big. I totted up the cost of options & the whole package seemed more an exercise in 'options trading' (just like 'finance deals' are the real money-spinner for some main dealers) - the base car is made to look almost unattractive, but the options list soon makes the car look overpriced, imho,when compared to the alternatives.
I wouldn't be surprised if discount deals soon start to appear on DTD et al. Read more
Well I have owned both (a 2002 ONE & now a 2007 Cooper).
I think the new version is a far better car in virtually every respect.
I prefer the new chunkier looks, the build quality is far better than the old old I owned. The ride is much more civilised (16" and standard suspension) yet the handling is better in my opinion.
What else? The petrol engine is way better than the old Brazilian version. It is also far more economical and cleaner too.
The car itself may well be over-priced, but people are buying them. The residuals and £150 servicing package mean the car is not money down the drain like many other cars.
I am due to change the oil in my car soon. I have 2 part used 5l cans of oil (same spec and brand) which total up to 4 litres. I need 4.5 litres for the change so I have purchased some additional oil to the same spec as the oil I already have, but from another maker.
Question is - is it OK to fill up the car using the 2 different brands? Like I said the oil spec (10W-40 - I believe) is the same for both.
What else do I need to check on the label (if anything)? Read more
No problem. The mixture will just be an average of the two qualities you use.
anyone got any views on this? do you think it would be pointless getting it with only a 1.4 engine? Read more
Toyota Yaris......get one in the colour you want with the toys you want, so it looks different from the blue rinsers ones
pretty good engines, Toyota reliability, good crash protection, interior not too bad
My old man is thinking of getting on as a weekend, summer car. What are people's feelings on the Rover and any alternatives up to £2.5k ? Read more
Apart from the EOS? That looks good for a convertible without the qualification of 'for
a CC'
There's still a qualification needed though, as you rightly wrote; "for a convertible"
The 306 Cabrio mentioned above though looks pretty, pert, and just plain "right" in a timeless way without the need for any qualification.
Seen as my post about Carcraft has been stopped. Could someone please answer my query about warranty.
If I buy a 2 year old s/hand car which originally had a 3 year manufacturers warranty from new is the remaining 1 year transferrable to me on purchase? Read more
>>BCA?
www.british-car-auctions.co.uk
Clk Sec
Found a screw in a front tyre yesterday for the second time in six months. Last one was deemed unrepairable for being too close to the outer shoulder; this one is about 50mm in and the hole seems to be clean enough for the screw to have kept in most of the air I pumped in (in the pouring rain, of course) to get me home from Sainsburys yesterday.
I'll take it down to my friendly independent this afternoon but should I be expecting to repair or replace? Last time the front tyres were almost due for replacement anyway, so I replaced both; this one is 20,000 miles old but has done most of those at the rear and still has 6mm of tread. If it helps. it's a Pirelli P6000 and the screw is in the curved part of one of the lateral grooves.
Much obliged,
WdB Read more
Tyre repaired. Took 20 minutes and cost £15, which is £65 less than a new tyre. Screw had only just penetrated the casing, so had no opportunity to cause further damage, and the tyre had only been partially deflated when I noticed it yesterday. I suspect I know where I picked up this one and the one before, so I won't be parking there any more.
They're £85 exchange from your VAG dealer with 12 months warranty, there's plenty of posts on here re the quality of the ebay items.
He guarantees the item will reach you in good condition, but will it work and for how long?