August 2007
After months of procrastination, I have finally chosen a new 5 Series SE Touring to replace my "Brilliant Silver" Mercedes E270.
When it comes to colour choice, black or some sort of metallic silver, grey or blue seems the obvious default choice from the somewhat limited BMW palate (compare with Audi or Volvo) - it's what everyone else has after all.
But the other half quite fancies deep green, having decided that all these, together with gold, burgundy et al were definitely out. I quite liked black but decided it liked to much like a hearse in SE mode so I had settled on silver but am being told I should open my mind and buck the trend, and, besides, it will match her green Mk1 MX-5 on the drive.
I'm not so sure and I've never seen a 5 in green, and it struck me that it's seems to be disappearing from our roads as a colour - as if to prove the point, the only green in my son's entire Top Trumps Supercars book is an old Aston Martin Zagato...
I am quite happy to go for it but I can't help there's a reason there aren't many about - or am I sucked into thinking silver etc is the only option. Order gets confirmed tomorrow... Read more
As you will know over the last couple of weeks I've been looking for a replacement vehicle see www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=54813&...f
and have now purchased a Mazda 323 1.5 2000 year model. Swmbo is pleased that we won't be visting another dealers forcourt for some time. Read more
We have a 99 323 which I got from new. Brilliant car. Totally reliable (it will probably blow up now I have said that). My only quibble is that the seats are poor. Everything else is great so I can live with the seats.
Going back to an original problem I had here: www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=42212&...e
I have since bought a new alternator
Due to electrics problems, I bought myself an internal volt meter, which enables me to see the voltage as I drive the car.
I bought a new battery the other day thinking that my previous one was getting abit old now, so that may be a weak point.
For the first day or so of having the new battery, whilst driving, the voltage showed 13-13.5 volts.
But now, just a few days later, the voltage while driving drops to 11.7v.
At night, with the lights on, and the bloweres on, the voltage is barly above 11 volts.
Is there anything else that could be draining the voltage?
As I said, I have changed the alternator, and the battery.....both in the last 6 months.
Shouldn't the nomal running voltage be at least 13 volts? Read more
I called my girlfriends dad to try and jump start my car. It still wouldn't start, and the jump leads were getting rather warm.
So I resorted to calling the RAC out expecting to have them tow me to the garage.
The RAC man immediately managed to jump start my car.
He checked the voltage, and agreed it was low, and then checked to make sure all the relays in the fusebox under the bonnet were ok....they were.
He thought it could be the alternator, but commented it looked new, and I confirmed this by telling him it was only aboout 6 months old.
He then removed the 3 pin connetor on the alternator, and looked at it.
He noticed that the middle pin of the plastic plug was slightly melted, and came to the conclusion that the spade connector wasn't making a good connection.
He fiddled with it, and bent it slightly in order that it would make a better connection....and it did.
Voltage immediately went up to 14volts, and there was a charge going through to the battery.
He suggested replacing the 3 pin connector.
He went away, and I took the car for a drive, and the voltage remained at 13+volts
When I put main beam on, and the blowers, the voltage goes down to a minimum of 12.6volts now.
I still took the car to the garage for them to check it over....and the conclusion they came to was that the 3 pin alternator connector needed replacing.
They did this, and it cost me £32 to have that replaced, and the rest of the charging circuit checked. All else was fine.
Thanks for your helpful suggestions guys....at least I have made some changes that needed to be made.
Would it be a good idea to change the alternator belt now?....also the power steeering pump belt?...hoepfully to try and get rid of this squeal?
Sorry this is so long winded.....but I thought it best to include as much info as possible to help anyone else with similar problems
Can anyone help me identify the wires left after a thief ran off with my Sony radio at the weekend so I can attempt a diy replacement? Car is 2000 Honda Accord 1.8.
I seem to have
Blue
Red, black stripe
Black
Blue, yellow stripe
Grey, red stripe
Yellow, black strip
Lilac
Grey
Red, white stripe
White, green stripe
Violet, white stripe
Red, yellow stripe
Brown, white stripe
White, red stripe
Any help gratefully received!
{Header amendment - DD}
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Maybe a UK/US issue, but there's one certainty - black will be your ground. You'll need a multimeter and a lot of patience to work out your other power wires (constant, switched with ignition, and switched with headlights), and a bit of luck to work out the speaker wiring! I'll have another Google, and post back if I find anything useful.
Includes this one on the Skye Bridge - nice afternoon on the West Coast! Click on the camera icon to see the view
www.trafficscotland.org/lev/views.aspx?mi=skye
The other cameras are via the icons on the map of Scotland Read more
Traffic cameras are OK; but there are better options.
www.camvista.com/scotland/scenic/eileandonancastle...p
www.camvista.com/scotland/scenic/oban.php
www.streamdays.com/camera/view/cuillin_hills_isle_...e
www.camvista.com/scotland/scenic/stonehaven.php
www.camvista.com/scotland/highlands/lochness1.php
Posted on behalf of friend.
Vehicle involved is a Rover 75 saloon, I.8 turbo petrol, on 03 plate.
If the vehicle goes through water and underpan gets wet the vehicle cuts out. No fault codes, no warnings.
Left alone for 10 mins vehicle starts and runs no bother.
This has occurred three times so far and friend scratching his head and he knows a fair bit about motors.
Any suggestions.
dvd
slight tweak to subject line - PU Read more
Checking/clearing all three plenum drains and the ECU housing for water would be a good place to start. There's a series of how to's and free advice available on the owners club forum (free to join).
www.the75andztclub.co.uk/forum
hth
R40
Does anyone know where I can get the white (lithium based?) grease used to lubricate the caliper slide pins on the brakes?
It's the stuff that comes in a small foil sachet with the caliper overhaul kits. Audi are willing to sell me the stuff for £35 VAT for 100gms. I would prefer to pay less. It doesn't seem to be stocked by the local motor factors, and I don't need anymore brake overhaul kits.
If it makes any difference, the fronts are Girling G60s, the rears are Lucas 38mm 'Collette' calipers.
Thanks,
Ian.
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I am quite happy to acknowledge your experiences with this product and personally will desist from using copper grease on these components in future. Further, I will inform Comma of your comments as obviously they, and many d-i-yers out there, from your experiences, are unaware that there is a problem in these cases and for safetys sake they should warn people not to use their product on brake slide pins.
Do not wish to turn the BR into some Hello type vehicle, but thought that this may be a motoring angle we have n?t covered before where BRs can report the occasional sighting. Have been deliberately vague with the location below for purposes of the celeb?s privacy.
Anyway, here goes:
Sighted restaurateur and TV chef Rick Stein at an airport in the SW last night driving off in a rather nice 911 Carrera S. The Porsche was only spoilt slightly by a ding on the near side back wing.
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Back in the '60's I was passed by Diana Dors driving herself very fast in a pristine white S1 Bentley. I was much impressed being just a nipper.
abs unit catches fire apparently? Read more
"
its a new recall the previous fix didnt work "
Typical GM engineering then:-)
madf
How many Backroomers drive with their head in contact with the restraint - i.e. actually using it as a 'headrest'?
I'm aware of the importance of correct restraint height, but don't find it comfortable to use them for support when driving. I have noticed that some drivers do adopt a 'rally driver' stance with arms fully outstretched and head thrust back into the restraint (needs baseball cap wearing to one side). Read more
=>> Odd - I much prefer to rest my head against the head rest. That's what
it's for.
Actually that not what its there for at all. It is a head resTRAINT. It is there to stop your head flinging backwards and breaking your neck. There should be a minimal gap btween the back of your head and the resTRAINT, and the bulk of it should be level with your eyes.
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< Ex RF, Ex TVM >
Browse
In my experience dark green is one of the colours which is less visible to other drivers. My first two new cars were dark green and dark blue respectively and they both suffered a lot of damage when parked in carparks. As soon as I changed to bright colours the problem ceased. It might have been a coincidence but I'm not going to risk buying dark colours again.
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L\'escargot.