July 2007
I thought traffic officers (not the real police) were supposed to help with clearing incidents/holdups etc . . . . .
M 40 last night. I was northbound, one accident just north of Marlow - 2 mile queue. In the queue was sat a highways Agency 4x4 patiently waiting with everyone else. Only a 2 mile queue because . . . . .
Just a few miles up the road was another southbound accident - 5 mile queue this time.
So what were the highways officers doing?
Suggestions . . . . . (btw: I haven't a clue what they were doing). Read more
I just love my new CRV except...... The amount of oil it uses.
In the hand book it says 625 miles to a litre and at £10 a litre makes this expensive motoring.
I spoke to Honda and they said "didn't they tell you about this before you bought it" .....NO they didn't.
My last 2 litre diesel Hdi went between 12000 mile services without even topping up.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
{Subject header elaborated on to include the problem - DD} Read more
After all the engine has had an unofficial 4 oil changes in the `extended service interval`.
I thought that when I read the OP too.
However I've run several company Peugeots with 20K service intervals that haven't needed any oil (ran one to 120K miles) and my current Merc did 18500mls to its first service and I only added 0.5L (and it didn't really need that - it only asks for oil if the level drops by 1L).
Following on from the "Dealer attempted rip-off or fraud?" thread, my question is about servicing. As soon as the car is out of warranty, why take it for a regular service? Let me clarify, I would always recommend an oil and filter change when due, but you can get that done at most quick fit places for around £20 - £30, air filter once a year, brakes obviously need to be checked but these can be checked every 6 months or so, depending on mileage done each month, when the oil filter is done. I'm not saying that this 'schedule' must be followed but taking your car to a main dealer for servicing seems expensive when I can only think that they 'suggest' to change parts when really they have a few more months or 1000's of miles left on them? The only reason I can think of taking it for a regular service is that it may stop your car from breaking down, but hey, a car regularly serviced can breakdown just as much (I've had such an experience) . I'm thinking how much money can be saved by not regularly servicing against getting work done as and when needed instead of being replaced ints nearly nearly broken/worn out? I'm not condoning servicing or non servicing, but I know people who regularly get their cars serviced and people who don't and in my opinion neither have any more trouble with their cars than the other?
Personal experience, bought a 5 series from an indie I sued when I lived up north (Stoke On trent), but when I moved down to the south west I took my 5 series to a main dealer for a service who recommended £1000 worth of repairs, I promptly drove the car back up north to get the car assessed and repaired at my trusted indie, however the indie recommended not doing any of the work 'at the moment'. One of the repairs was to do with a bearing on the cooling fan/area, and now my dad has the car, still hasnt broken or been replaced 6 years since the main dealer recommended the change.
Thoughts anyone?
{Typo in header amended - DD} Read more
>>The other point (that my wife made the other day) is that we've not had a "mechanical" based breakdown since I started having cars serviced rather than repaired.
Lucky you. Parts can fracture unexpectedly. Alternators and starter motors can fail with no warning. Coolant pipes can spring leaks. etc. etc. etc.
Regular servicing can have little impact on such failures. You wouldn't replace a head gasket on a Rover annually, would you?
On the other hand, poor starting in winter can be rectified with new 'plugs etc. etc.
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The above should not be construed as a recommendation or advice. Be
Hi Folks,
Hi I have a Peugeot 92' 1.8 Turbo Diesel. Could you help me, I need to drain the water system entirely for an antifreeze change. The radiator is the easy bit. When I need to be underneath the engine to empty the block, if say I'm sitting underneath facing upwards with my legs facing outwards and in front of the car where do I find the bolt/grub screw ??
Many thanks in advance.....................Lills
Subject line tweaked - PU Read more
My Astra 1.8 is suffering intermittent starting problems. Sometimes it starts first time no problem but occasionally the engine turns over for a few seconds before firing. It has never failed to start but can be quite frustrating. I have been told by a well meaning colleague that it may be the cam sensor needs adjusting. The vehicle has had a top end rebuild and seems to have started this problem. Any thoughts.
{Subject header amended to make less vague - DD} Read more
Also check the earth to the coil pack - if need be, run a new one directly to the battery earth, it isn't a long cable run.
Number_Cruncher
(The title doesn't tell us what the thread is about, but in this case Nsar can be forgiven. HJ)
Just been away for the weekend. As we're leaving we come across a plod car parked on our track with two plod with an A-Z out. Being a helpful sort I stop and ask them which house they are looking for. Oh we're looking for... (my address)...that's me I say. Thanks, here's an NIP we had to deliver because of the postal strike.
Apparently it's a better use of our money to send a PC and CSO scuttling round in a patrol car to hand deliver NIPs than it is to wait a day and put a stamp on it.
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AND they could pick up pizza on the way back to home base! Bargain!
Pizza Base!
Following on from some of the threads about main dealer alleged 'rip offs' I thought that BR members might like to know about the Right to Repair Campaign which is being run by the Independent motor repair trade across Europe.
Motor manufacturers have been working hard over the last 10-15 years to keep repair work in their franchised dealer network. In the past they've lobbied the EU to ban aftermarket replacement parts (which failed, thankfully) and they are now lobbying to keep repair work in the dealer network. One way in which they are trying to do this is by using the car's electronic systems to effectively 'veto' any repairs until the replacement part is coded (or 'commissioned') back onto the car. Some BR's will be aware that this already happens when some ECU's, dashpanels, MAF's etc are replaced, but with about 50% of cars now using CANBUS it could soon be that even very minor repairs cannot be done (or cannot be completed) unless the car is taken to a franchised dealer and 'recommissioning codes' are paid for and input to the vehcle data network. This will put main dealers in complete control of much repair work.
The independent sector accross the EU has started a 'Right to Repair' campaign to fight this trend. An article on how it can affect consumers is here:
www.r2rc.co.uk/home/images/r2rc/right%20to%20repai...f
The Right to Repair Campaign has a website at:
www.r2rc.co.uk
I would urge BR's to read this. This is also maybe something that HJ could raise in the press. Its something I feel quite strongly about (for obvious reasons).
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I also use Linux (am using it right now), and I can't fault it. OK, I use the user-friendly Ubuntu distro, but everything just slotted into place, and my SiS video drivers were included with the distro. I know just how powerful Linux is compared to the dumbed-down mainstream alternative, and that's exactly the reason we can be optimistic about the future of repairing - the sky's the limit. Maybe TVM is right - maybe some entrepreneur will set up some sort of automotive programming business and hire out their services via the internet to independent garages.
Yes, the skills/technologies have advanced considerably in the past 20 years - gone are the days of adjusting the fuel/air mixture with a screwdriver. Cars are currently being "tuned" by blokes with laptops - advancing this to require computer setup of each individual sensor/component is just the next step away from traditional tinkering.
Having looked at the available cars still about, most seem to be either very expensive ( £7000 for 25k 190E ) or falling apart.
As a result Im trying to come up with some alternatives. The two that spring to mind are the VW Jetta and the BMW 316.
I know the BMW is just about as solid as the Merc, but how about the Jetta? Are they on the same level? I know they are heavy to drive, most VW's of that age are but how bombproof are they? Read more
The 940 is more modern, but I prefer the style of the 240.
Honda Accord may well be a sound choice, but its also exceptionally dull and as part of this choice, I want a car that I like, not just one that does the job - I have a 'white goods' car now - I want to change to something with a little character.
Anyone care to share their opinions on the two shortlisted? I like both, would probably keep around 3 years, and go for Petrol over Diesel. Any personal experiences, good or bad, of either model very welcome.
Many thanks to all. Read more
To add to WDB's comments above, I had an S60 before I got the V50. The rear seat area of the V50 feels more spacious than the S60 did, partly no doubt due to the taller roofline, and in my case a light interior replacing a black one.
Although very comfy, the front seats of the V50 are definitely smaller than the S60's though, and overall the car does feel smaller when you're behind the wheel.
Boot space is obviously better than the S60, provided you're prepared to load up to the roof and lose your rearward vision.
Someone told me the Jag looks like the old Volvo V40..?!
Does anyone know if a car is written as a "Category D" (ie not financially viable to repair) whether you can settle and buy back your own car from the insurance company (presumably this is kept by them as part of the process as will have some value). I ask because my Dad has a very good high mileage mondeo which someone kindly hit damaging both doors on one side. He offered to have two scrap doors painted and fitted but this was still too expensive for the other party and so he wanted to go through his insurance.
When getting quotes as part of the insurance claim he's been told repair will likely be deemed non viable leading to a write off. Clearly he has a perfectly good car, looked after by him with known history that he'd be happy to have fixed with a couple of scrap doors. How do you go about this through the insurance? Will they agree a value and then allow him to buy back the "write off" at a lower sum?
All help appreciated. Read more
I know someone who was knocked of his motorcycle, minimal damage to the bike, he was offered £2600 which was more than fair and bought it back for £750 as a Cat C or D and it cost him £500 to put it back to better than before, so he made over well £1000 but for the fact that the bike is now worth less than it was. So your approach can work.
Browse
They can't nick them but they can stop on the hard shoulder and block it just before a slip road, and have a "chat" with offending drivers (and looked like they were taking reg. numbers to pass on to police?). It appeared the lane 1 drivers were quite reluctant to let these people back in!
I saw this being done on the M1 just after the Traffic Officers first became operational, but not seen it again on any recent hold ups.