May 2007
After a lot of "um-ing and ah-ing" SWMBO finally decided on a New Corsa 1.4 Design in Silver with 5 doors at the end of March. I collected it today so we are finally a two car family.
Price at dealers was within £15 of internet price so I was happy, with GM card points and no part-ex total price was a chunk under £10k so I was happy too, well as happy as you can be ... price included a full tank of petrol and car mats as well. Nice flowers for the wife too.
So look at car - salesman says - the valet is a bit of a mess - and we also mucked up the tax disc - taxed to 03/08 not 04/08. Here's a voucher for a free 20,000 mile/12 month service, and if you pop it back first thing next Saturday morning we will re-valet it for you. I just smiled and said thank you.
Insured for under a grand with Frizzell as well - two inexperienced drivers - both less than three months from passing test - one a 17 year old girl - no no-claims bonus - and business use for me too. So that was good as well.
Collected it today and have to say it looks very good.
I also really enjoyed driving it home, and taking it out this evening. Clearly needs to be run in and get some more flexibility - but very precise and light to drive and no squeaks or rattles yet! Feels very well put together.
So what do SWMBO and eldest daughter get really excited about - the car now has an AUX socket so they can play their MP3 players over the stereo system!!
I need to get a life!
Read more
1. BMW e36 320i auto. It's done about 140k miles now and it's my friend's car. The car has no reverse gear now, can only go forward, but when going seems to be going fine, is it the reverse gear needs rebuilding or the whole gearbox?? How much is it going to cost him to repair it? (The car is worth about a grand.)
2. Honda Accord 98 R reg Automatic, 2.0 petrol, 108k miles. One of the automatic gearbox oil pipes came off one day, it was oil all over the place. We reconnected the pipe and put another clip on, pushed it to the side and added oil. It went fine for about 10 miles, then started to slip and will not go at all. Then pushed into garage and left for a while and seems to be working with a little bit slipping now, but a bit worried about taking it out coz it will take ages to get back again if it fails again! Is it the gearbox already damaged or is there air trapped inside the gearbox? Will it help if taken out to run? Or do i need to bleed the gearbox?!
Any help would be great! Read more
I suspect the Honda was underfilled. It may now be damaged (burnt clutches from low line pressure).
The BMW is now 'spares or repair' I would say....
Hi,
Xantia 97 all of a sudden all lights failed, no headlights, high beam, sides, dash lights.
Indictators and brakes lights & hazard work ok. Everything else on the car works fine.
We have checked all the fuses and can not find any blown, seems like a main power fuse gone but can't find any blown.
The haynes manual is useless does anybody on here have any ideas, good job the nights are getting lighter!!!.
Thanks Steve. Read more
i cant find a fuse for main beam on this so suggest you look under the bonnet for one,its french so probably tucked down the side of the battery
Really nice 82yrold lady next door, managed to reverse out of her garage - it's a bit awkward for anyone to do this, but during her attempts to turn, she stopped & then reversed into a stationary Golf, didn't know she'd done it, moved forward & repeated the collision, again unknowingly!!
These were low speed, direct & heavyish, impacts. She was faster than most of us would reverse, as she does over rev, while she tries to turn & move onto the steep incline, towards the garages.
She did quite a bit of damage to the Golfs bumper, but didn't shatter it, which was lucky. The guy was in the Golf - he was pretty amazed at what she'd done (twice!!) & accepted her £100 cheque, rather than prolong things.
So no injuries, but the usual 'what if...' thoughts are in my mind, it really was a rapid movement & certainly a nasty result, if a person had been behind her.
How do I, without appearing a busy body, suggest she might now want to think about using taxis, instead of driving. She does use her car for lots of journeys, for her church & friends & is a very active lady. Also she's articulate & with it, just a little hard of hearing, so I'm not suggesting 'daft old bat' or anything disrespectful, 'cos she isn'tl!!!
VB Read more
Some good POVs on this thread. HJ was spot on saying it's not age it's condition.. I always have mixed feelings about my dad driving, he is 70 odd now and I think "maybe it's getting worse" but if truth be told, it's always been off-competent.
I have finally talked him into getting an automatic: he is a 3rd gear on the motorway 5th gear to overtake from 30 type driver, but the only thing that clinched it was my mum getting osteoporosis. So, illness above pride. : )
Today my wife & I drove round 4 dealers to get a price on hers & to get a replacement hopefully within weeks only to find that 3 out of 4 shook their heads in dismay at the 22 month old part exchange & to be told that any model of car in any colour that I wanted to order would be September now as manufactures have stopped stock vast quantieties of cars! this is for one of the most popular makes of cars built! 1 dealer I went to offered at least 1000 more in PX without any pushing & could offer the exact model spec & colour I wanted & deliver in 2-4 weeks. 3 out of 4 didn't even know that the manufacture offered a 50/50 purchase deal that saved a fortune over there normal finance & they didn't even know it exsisted.
I don't ever want to hear a salesman winge again I don't sympathise Read more
Priced a pre-reg pickup on the Mitsubishi site. Found a couple of dealers offering what I wanted (including leather) at a price which was fine. Contacted the dealer who had one (2 hrs south of border) and sent a similar request to Glasgow dealer who didn't have any listed. Got a call from dealer in south who said, yes we have one, that price is only indicative, we need additional £250 for paint choice, on a vehicle which only came with metallic as a no cost option???? and also it would be an additional £500 for leather.
Said thanks very much, I'll keep it in mind.
Received a call from the Glasgow dealer two hours later, and yes, they had one, no cost for colour choice, and for leather - could they call me back? Phone call an hour later, and yes, I could have the leather at the price I had said I was willing to pay.
Easiest purchase I made, and am I happy? You bet. Would I give this dealer repeat trade? Funnily enough, the pickup was a replacement for a Suzuki I had purchased previously from the same group.
Keep a calm head, know what you want, be realistic in where you expect the dealer to meet you on price and there is no reason why you shouldn't get what you want, and a reasonable p/x. After all, if they can't meet your needs, there are lots of other people happy to take your money.
Chap at work has 98 1ltr Micra with running rough problems. ( Have already used the forum search )
Local main dealer did diagnostic ( £40 ) and declared the problem to be the Lambda. Cleaned and replaced, no difference. Then decided new TB required at £400 recon unit. No chance said the owner. Second trip to main dealer, dealer, removed TB, cleaned and replaced it. Car drove for approx 700 yards when the same problem re-appeared. Back to main dealer who pulled the plug off the Mass Oxygen Sensor and taped it out of the way. Car now running fine.
Question is, are there any possible implications of running with this item disconnected, engine damage, increased fuel consumption, etc, etc ? Thank you Read more
Thanks to Bell Boy and Screwloose for the replies.
The owner described it to me as the Mass Oxygen Sensor, I have no experience of Nissans so I took him at his word. I presume that he is referring to the MAF sensor and will confirm it with him when back at work on Tuesday, also advising him of the warnings given.
Many thanks to all.
Rgds.
Guys.. ive battled and battled with an oil seal I have on my 98 Escort.
The Crankshaft Right hand oil seal is the leaker !! How much would a garage charge to replace this... Or is it as easy as Mr Haynes says it is ?
Cheers Read more
Hi
Apologies in advance for long winded post. Hope someone out there can offer some help and advice.
Some five weeks ago I purchased, on credit, a 6 year old peougeot 206. I drove the car home and parked up for the night. I got into the car the following day and it failed to start up. The neighbours and other half tried to jump start for some time but this proved worthless. I rang the dealer who came out on Monday afternoon, got into the car turned the key, and it started it up straight away!! You can imagine how stupid we felt. I drove the car to work the next day ...fine. When I had finished my shift I got into the car and the same thing happened, car would not work. Informed the dealer who came to my work place and tried to start it, which did not happen. He jump started it, promised to take it away and look at it. His colleague drove it off. I rang them the next day and he was adamant I had just left the lights on drained the battery and that there was nothing wrong with the car. This is crap!!
Anyway get car back and same thing happens again. He takes it away...yet again..and I collect it from the dealership on the Saturday morning, with nearly 90 miles more on the clock and an empty petrol tank may I add. I have written to them expressing my concerns and quoting my rights under the sales of goods act etc and also sent the same letter to the finance company. Anyway this has happened twice since, yesterday being the last time in my opinion as I have lost all faith in this car and have just had enough.
I rang the dealer offering him a final opportunity to put right any faults and he has said "out of 1 month warranty not my problem so prove I have sold you a car not of satisfactory quality". Quoting what I have read on he I told hi the onus was on him to prove he hasn't sold me a car not fit for purpose. He then eventually told me I could bring it to the garage and they would, as a gesture of good will, have it repaired at cost price, which I am obviously not happy with. I informed him I will be contacting trading standards and the finance company and that I wont be using the car anymore.
From now I am at a loss as to what I can do. He has said good luck to me basically, laughed and said I wont get my money back because "no-one is gonna put a gun to my head" as if thats what its going to take.
Has anyone come across a situation like this or can anyone please tell me what to do from now?!!
Thanks in advance for advice offered and thanks for taking the time (during beers sips) to read the post. Read more
I think the OP has to consider what would make her better off:
1. A working car (ideally at no cost to herself); or
2. A refund.
She then needs to work towards one of those goals.
If she's paid £3,500 with £1,500 interest on top then clearly she's better off going for a refund and getting out of the finance deal also. At £3,500 she should have her pick of 2001 206s.
If on the other hand all she wants is a working car and negotiations with the trader have broken down then she should simply get the car fixed at her own expense and sue the trader for the costs. Then she can have the joy of sending the bailiffs in when he refuses to pay his CCJ - and worsens his trade credit rating for good measure. She *should* only be talking about a couple of hundred pounds at stake and she can't be made liable for his defence costs in any event - so if he wants to pay them, it's up to him.
Given that her action would be for breach of contract, she has six years from the date of the breach to sue - so there is no urgency in her going to see a solicitor. As she would be responsible for her own fees (if she chooses to incur any), my feeling is that she's better off talking to Trading Standards first but not spending too long on it. After that, she can discuss matters with a solicitor without having prejudiced her case at all in the meantime.
I have read to-day,Sat,5-5-07., in your "Choose a Car" section that there have been problems with the X Trails diesel engine, as I have just bought an 06 model with 19,000 miles or so on the clock can you enlighten me as to what the problems are so the I cab be on the look out for them and perhaps try and eliminate them if that is at all possible.
Thanks.
Frank Breen Read more
Read Car by car breakdown on the left menu
Nissan tech bulletin dated 24th April 2006. Problem is described as hesitation on overrun between 2000 and 2400 rpm with Euro step 4 dCi engines. Most pronounced in 5th/6th gear. It is caused by an incorrect calibration of the EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) - operating at the wrong frequency, and to prove that the problem is caused by this, the garage has to drive the vehicle around without the EGR connected to see if the hesitation goes away. Nissan is working on "electronic countermeasures" in the ECU to deal with the problem. Proper fix with Nissan dealers from end August 2006.
I am sure that I have seen a posting referring to replacement of the ARB bushes without removing the front subframe. I have searched and not found.
Is it practical and possible?
--
pmh (was peter)
Read more
Thanks oldman for that, it was that, that I had remembered seeing!
Almost as good as the way to get the master cylinder out of Morris Minor (for the first time) by levering the torsion bar out of the way, rather than remove front offside suspension!
--
pmh (was peter)
The problem with the valet was not the inside or the outside, but the door frames etc - they just didn't do them - you only notice it with the doors or boot open.
Problem garage had was that the valet guy left at noon on Saturday and I collected the car at 2pm.
The tax disc problem was simply an admin problem.
Both problems were pointed out to me before I really had chance to see the car - with apologies - and the free service was offered before I said anything.
I know knocking is common but in my view that is a good dealer not a bad one.