May 2007
Our VW. Sharan runs fine, but when travelling on a motorway at speed the temperature gauge goes up towards the red, I have changed the thermostat but it is still the same. The fans cut in as they should, but this does"t make any differance. The car is a 2001Y reg and has done 80,000 miles.The problem does not always occur every time. But seems to be more regular now. I wonder if anyone out there could shed some light on this subject. Thanks in advance. Sparky 100.
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It's looking a bit battered these days and I just wondered how to actually remove it so that I can replace it with a new one.
Does it unscrew because if it does it's very tight!
It's a 2002 VW Passat. Read more
My disk is very battered and has now fallen off due to busted clips.
Does anyone know the VW part number for just the disk?...
My brother has a 1.4 Y reg clio the timing belt snapped on the motorway on friday,i have not stripped it yet what damage should i expect,the car has done around 50k,is this above the recommended milleage for a belt change? Read more
More evidence for the golden rule, always replace the lot, pump, belt, pulleys.
Does seem a bit worrying. I note that Mr Wilson is engagingly frank about a fairly carp and offhand bit of driving of the sort most of us do sometimes if we are honest enough to admit it. Plod in this case seems to be being a bit heavy-handed. But don't the police fly provocative kites like this sometimes to explore the possibilities of new laws, or even to point up their absurdity and torpedo them? I like to think so anyway. Read more
Not sure whether it applies in Scotland or whether they have their own version
The Story -
Time for the privately owned 2.5 year old MB E Class 320 to go along to the MB dealer for its service. With 42K on the clock I expected a standard £200 to £300 service. Collected the car and was told that will be £800 sir (mouth hangs opens and starts to go white).....Now before you start with the " If you must drive an MB then you must expect the high service costs that go with the ownership etc etc" I should point out that:
1) This was a B service which required 4 hours of labour as it has "Large Maintainance Scope" and requires draining of oil from the auto box!
2) No call to warn me that the cost will be nearly 3 times the normal service cost
3) BECAUSE THE CAR IS STILL WITHIN WARRANTY WE CHARGE 20% MORE FOR PARTS AND LABOUR
Yes .....Thats what they told me 20%... more for parts and labour just beacuase the car is still in warranty...I couldnt believe it so I asked for the reason and they explained:
" Well sir you see we try to offer a 20% discount to all car owners when the vehicle is older than 3 years (read ex warranty) to encourage them to continue to use the main dealer for their servicing needs"
(THINKS.... So Ive been ripped off by 20% for the last 2.5 years then £350 Im guessing)
Whilst I ask whether they use different rates of pay for the service techs or lower quality parts after 3 years I realise what a rip off main dealer servicing has become. IMHO blackmail is at work here as we feel obliged to protect our warranty and have to use the main dealer and they over charge us by at least 20% (possibly more ) for the privilage....
I then explain that I am now a really upset (No swearing) customer and I refuse to pay the extra 20%. Following a chat with the service manager I recieve a 20% discount (thier words not mine) of £130.
A result or just what I should have paid?...You work it out
Am I "Encouraged" to use the dealer next time when my 3 years is up...You work that out too
THE MORAL:
Check your next service bill if you have a warranty covered car and ask " Are your labour and parts rates the same after my warranty expires?"
--
\"Eagles may fly in formation but Weasels dont get sucked into jet engines\"
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I would be very unhappy if my dealer presented me with a service bill for £800. At 4 years, my Mazda6's most recent service and MOT, I was invoiced £255.
Clk Sec
As I drive a diesel car, last night I was chatting with my brother in law who's got a Daewoo Lanos 1.6 with LPG fitted. He was telling me on full tank £20 he achieves around 400 miles. I was really surprised to find that out because there's no way any diesel car would even do 300 miles for that money.
What I really want to know is how good or bad it is to drive an LPG car comapred to a diesel one on motorways.
Also if LGP could achieve such remarkable MPG then why aren't manufacturers pre-fitting them on their cars? Read more
This page www.iwemalpg.com/Diesel_LPG.htm says that it's not legal to use LPG in a diesel system.
Is it true and if so why?
I don't know. I just did a Google search and found lots of articles and places doing diesel conversions, especially popular for trucks.
Looking at buying a nice panther black Y reg 2001 Mondeo 1.8 Zetec, seller says it's a cam-chain jobbie, says 'Zetec' on the boot lid and 'Duratec' on black plastic engine cover, and I can see a cambelt that looks shiny and in need of replacing, service book shows no stamp in the schedule for cambelt replacement.....it's done 80k miles so I'd replace it yesterday!!! Should I worry that it says Duratec not Zetec on that engine cover? I thought I knew it all but you never know.......any feedback from Mondeo anoraks greatly appreciated.......
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>>Economy? Economical or cheap to make, if you mean the latter then it would not have had >>a chain cam.
Both! The Mazda designed and made unit is a fine unit when new; however there are concerns that durability is an issue. I am aware of two engine failures both with the 2.0 litre version. I understand that many people will claim they are the perfect engine and run to over 1 million miles etc. It is a fact that they have been more engine failures with this unit than the legacy Zetec-E. Ford is struggling to keep costs under control and this engine is more for their benefit and accountancy balance sheets than for the customers benefit. Yes chain driven units may be more expensive to make but this engine especially in 2.3 form has had a high number of failures. The 2.3 has been available in the US for many years.
I agree about the 1995 1.25 and 1.4 units being high quality and tractable units. The 1.4 in 90bhp specification does however sometimes burn out its valves by 70-80k. The 1.4 75bhp version would be a more durable selection.
I took my new laptop away at the weekend and tried to set up a new location for using it. Put in my host's landline number and got an assortment of error messages, Unable to connect - The modem is blocked from connecting - etc I had put in the land line number from which I was dialling and I thought that would be enough? It works OK back at home so I am a little puzzled. I am going away again in a couple of weeks and it would be useful to get on line while away from home. If I have the necessary vast password or key, can I get into my hostess's home wi-fi network, as an alternative to a dial up which seems a bit iffy? Thanks from a computer nerd/geek!
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Some recent updates on the aforementioned Russian site:
www.theregister.co.uk/2007/05/21/allofmp3_voucher_.../
www.theregister.co.uk/2007/05/24/allofmp3_voucher_.../
www.pcpro.co.uk/news/113982/allofmp3-denies-link-t...l
Apologies if this has been covered, I had a look.
My sister-in-law has a Toyota Avensis Verso D4D, manual gearbox. High mileage now, think she said 140K. Well serviced. She likes it, and it goes nicely. Save that for a couple of years it has had a problem. She has to make it rev a little (more than usual) before trying to pull away, or change up if going uphill at lowish revs (revs that should work fine). She has adapted to it, but occasionally forgets. When this happens it all but dies and there is a pause before she can drive on. (I haven?t driven it, or been in it when this happens.) Not a long pause, but if she has pulled out to cross a busy road?
She likes the local Toyota garage. Save that they haven?t cured it. She has mentioned it at services, but they just say the diagnostics show things are OK.
Until recently I had an Escort TDI. A mechanic friend told me a small pipe on it that sent a signal (as pressure or vacuum, something to do with the turbo) should be cleaned out after a time. I have suggested to her that she ask if there is something similar on her car. Or that it may be that there is a sensor or electrical actuator that is no longer working properly and the diagnostic check only covers it as regards continuity or lack of, doesn?t check its function.
I have suggested that she get a Haynes manual to look for possibilities to ask about. And that she take it to a different T garage for its next service, as they may happen know more.
But has anyone come across anything relevant, please?
(And thanks in advance if anyone can kindly advise, in case I can't log on again soon. For some reason I have trouble on this site using my PC) Read more
And if the catalyst is faulty that should have been picked up at the MoT.
Not necessarily; I had a problem with loss of power in my previous car (a SEAT TDi) and it turned out that the catalytic converter was somewhat blocked. Car passed its MoT fine, and in fact it took ages to diagnose the cause as there were a number of possible causes, such as MAF, intercooler, turbocharger etc.
Because the problem had occurred over a period of time, when the cat was replaced, it was quite a revelation to have all that power back and the turbo whistling nicely again!...
I know it's a strange question but I've just filled my car up and got about 3 MPG less than normal.
We have had lots of rain at the moment so the roads are wet and have some puddles whick surely must affect rolling resistance. I drive mostly motorways but my tyres are quite wide, 235/45 x 18.
Have other people noticed this or am I typing rubbish? Read more
So...Return journey, Generally Downhill, very little rain, less wind...39.7mpg
I