Hello all,

I bought a automatic X-reg Vauxhall Astra from an independent dealer back in March which included a 3 month warranty from the garage. Unfortunately today the head gasket has gone, I know nothing about cars so don't know if this is something that I've done or could've prevented but it's too late now anyway! My question is, I've only driven approx 1000 miles in it since I've had it, I literally use it to drive to the station and back everyday so has very little use. In your opinion, is this a fault that could've been present when I bought the vehicle plus would I have any comeback with the garage that I bought it from even though it is past the 3 month warranty that they gave me? As I have very little knowledge on cars is there anything I can do to try and recoup some of the repair money?

Plus, as this has happened once what is the likelihood of it happening again - is it a recurrent problem?

Thanks in advance. Read more

I am trying to judge how fair a price I have been quoted for replacing the cambelt on a Fiesta 02 1.4 Zetec petrol .Any comments?
thanks

{Slight amendment to header to include car details - DD} Read more

Hello

I have just purchased a 06 plate Mondeo Ghia X 2.0 Petrol 11,000 miles

How do I reset the ECU

Can i just remove the ECU fuse from the fuse box will that do the trick.

My reason for doing this is that I don't want the previous owners driving habits to lower my fuel consumption.
--
(I am not a mechanic)
Martin Winters Read more

In a thread about the B class and it's auto box I said I would soon be driving a VAG 2.0TDi 170 with DSG. I now have and I've done a first review:

After two years and 32,000 largely trouble free miles (two minor warranty claims) in a 140 PS A3 with DSG I decided to upgrade to the 170 version with DSG (now S tronic). The car was ordered in the second week of March and I took delivery on Thursday.

Changes to the car

It?s noticeable how the A3 has been tweaked in the last few years. The front suspension has had some major redesign work carried out, the bone shaking ride on the Sport and S line models has been refined. I test drove an S line with 18 inch 35 (?) profile tyres and it drove very well - a Sport version I drove 3 years ago tramlined badly and you could feel every bump. This gave me confidence to opt for a no cost upgrade from 16 to 17 inch rims on the new car - an option which would have cost a few hundred quid a couple of years ago. The standard wheels are multispoke and look the business, but are a devil to clean!

I think the only item externally which distinguishes the 170PS over the 140PS is the exhaust pipes which are twin chrome and are horizontal to the road (similar to the petrol engines with twin exhausts), the 140PS has tailpipes which point to the road.

Inside the central area of the dash has changed slightly to accommodate the new Audi Concert stereo which is deeper than the old stereo so the hazard warning switch are under the radio and the climate controls are slightly lower down. The new radio displays the channel alongside the button, so no having to remember which channel is assigned to each button - when you have 18 FM stations to go at this is useful. For anyone into cricket or the shipping forecast LW bands are no longer offered. The radio station is now displayed between the speedo and rev counter, something which wasn?t available on the SE unless you chose the drivers information system option.

The drinks holder above the radio has been changed to a drawer for fuel station loyalty cards and is now below the radio, as is the ESP button. They have added a ?bonnet open? warning to the dash and a few other symbols for options I don?t have.

A couple of other interior changes I?ve noticed are the passenger seat no longer has a ?seat belt not fastened? warning and the boot now has two more curry hooks!

The engine.

At start up there?s a diesel engine rumble under the bonnet., but inside there is no more than a background rumble and there is absolutely no vibration into the cabin. This car seems quieter than the old one. Either the soundproofing has been improved, the piezo injectors are quieter, or it?s a combination of both. Whatever it is the sound is not intrusive.

The Drive

I have been driving an Aygo for the last 12 weeks, so anything with oomph would impress and my memory of the 140PS may be fading, but the 170 is much quicker. A slight application of gas results in brisk acceleration..

At the moment I?m being gentle and not exceeding 3,000 revs, but so far such excessive use of the right foot has proved unnecessary. By 3,000 the torque curve is tailing off and the car is going through the gear changes. In auto mode and gentle driving changes are made at just 2,000 revs, with a bit more right foot it still changes at less than 3,000. It will be in 6th at 45 mph if driven gently.

Power delivery is continuous with gear changes happening at the right time to ensure very rapid progress, but even when the revs get to 3,000 the noise is not intrusive.

The extra 20% of power and the increase in torque is very noticeable, especially at higher speeds where 6th gear is more than capable of getting you to illegal speeds very quickly. In the 140 it is tempting to drop to 5th, but doing so does not improve acceleration greatly as you are on the edge of the torque band.

With the 170 a paddle change from 4th at 30 mph will put the car in 5th, likewise at 40 it will go into 6th. In the 140 a change to 5th won?t happen until about 35 and likewise 6th isn?t available until about 45. IMHO this does seem to labour the engine and the car does drive you so it?s not something I will do on a regular basis.

Once into the cruise the engine settles down to turn over at between 1500 and 2100 revs (70 mph) and is very quiet. There is some tyre noise, but road surfaces have a big effect on this. The car is fitted with Pirelli P Zero Rosso tyres - 225 45 17.

The car comes with a top up of Mobile EPS oil - their latest fully synthetic oil which is suitable for VAG cars requiring 507 grade oil. The oil cap still says ?Audi recommend Castrol Oils? though! As a result of this change you no longer get a Castrol case for the oil which sticks to the boot side using Velcro (I should have kept the one form the old car!), I?ve also noted this oil is more expensive than Castrol

From my first 250 miles the 170PS engine seems more refined than the 140PS and I?m looking forward to using more of the power as the engine beds in.

If you can afford the premium for the 170PS I?d recommend it and S tronic is a perfect match to control the on/off power delivery which can be experienced in the manual cars.

What else?

Looking at the manual it seems the turbo, supercharged 1.4 is available in the A3, but not in the UK.



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Hi,

This is my first post on here.

Wife has been offered a job in East Manchester in an area called Miles Platting. I have never heard of it.
We live in Bradford, West Yorkshire.
If she takes the job she will be commuting there everyday. Work hours are from 8am through to 4.30pm.

had a quick look on the AA website and it recommends we get onto the M62 west and leave at Junction 18 to join the M60. Leave the M60 at junction 20. Then join the A664 the A6010.

My question is has any one on here got expericene of this commute, or any idea how bust the roads are going to be. Even if its not for the full commute any comments will be appreciated.

To start work at 8am what time would be reasonable to leave home.
What about coming back home. Whats the traffic going to be like.

We live about 5 miles from the M606 motorway. It takes about ten minutes max to drive there in non rush hour traffic.

I can remember when I was working in Doncaster, getting on m62 east then joining the A1 south, it was a nightmare commute, taking about 1.30mins at least and traffic was regularly at a standstill.

Thanks Read more