August 2007
After about 60 miles driven, the car looses about 2 pints of water. There are no indications of any leakage. The engine runs perfectly. No sign of any water coming from the exhaust pipe either. I am planning to have a compression test carried out, to see wheather the head gasket is leaking, but what other clue would be there to find the fault? Where does the water go?
Thanks. Read more
Sister in laws 2 year old has Clio refused to start on several occasions. Her local Renault garage told her it was the 'fly signal centre'
Has anyone any knowledge as to what exactly this is please? Read more
Saw one of these driving through Oxshott this morning. Powder blue on Italian number plates. I managed to nip out in front of it so I could have a good gawp at it in my rear view mirror.
Very cute little car, which with the ivory interior will go down a storm with the girls, I'm sure. Less aggressive/sporty than a MINI. Will doubtless be highly profitable for Fiat given its low cost base (Panda platform and Polish labour) but I think its downfall in this country will surely be the dealers? The MINIs success is largely down to the skill of BMW dealers who are on a different planet from your average Fiat dealer. Read more
The Astra is miles better than the BMW1, which is surely one of the most unappealing cars on the road.
And Minis are not that special.
Plenty of buyers will go for the 500 over the Mini. I would.
With a budget of around 5.5k, which one would get the vote?
We'll need a baby seat soon and I want to get a car that's practical and not going to let me down. Would be good to have something that's a good drive and not too harsh on the senses.
Was going to look at a Golf 1.8T today but having read around a bit it seems they have an undeserved reputation for reliability - the facts don't seem to match the reality.
Cheers,
L Read more
I'd go for an estate too if I had pushchairs and paraphenallia to consider (been there...). My other half has a new shape V70 as her weekend "garden centre" car which gets used for carrying plants, shopping etc. up to the brim evry weekend, when her MX-5 can't do the business . It's the second V70 we've had. Ours is a Y reg 2.4 (170hp) SE auto which was £5.5k with 75k on the clock. Servicing isn't cheap but it strong, comfortable, well equipped and very practical and been very reliable. Awful turning circle and alternatively floaty/crashy ride are about the only downsides...
Estates are so useful that I wouldn't buy another saloon but its horses for courses I guess.
In follow on mode from the ?small people reaching controls ? thread?, do you suit the car you drive?.
Are you a ?tall Guy? driving a mini with your head stuck out of the sun-roof, or are you ?dwarfish? person peering through the spokes of a ?Jags? steering wheel?.
To start it off, I?m 5ft 7in, but just try to bully me when I?m in(used to be ) my Tonka!!
Billy
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5ft 8in and around 9 stone. Rarely find anything I don't fit at mid range of adjustments, can happily drive Xantia, Berlingo and prev BX/205 combo as long as is safe without getting aches etc. SWMBO (5ft 2in but much shorter in the leg than me) usually just has to move seat and adjust mirrors on a driver change, though she does suffer from stiffness and "twitchy legs".
I'v learned to ride the eponymous bike with it's saddle fully raised (slightly easier than fiddling to get it 25mm shorter where it's ideal).
Seriously, raw height can be pretty misleading. Swmbo's sister and their uncle are much the same size seated side by side; when they stand and he unfolds his legs he's all but a foot taller.
...after hooking it up to a diagnostics, it showed a fault code for the lambda. Showed that it was stuck on "too lean", which would explain the hideous emissions results and smoke machine that my car turned into.
If I were to fit my own new lambda, would disconnecting the battery for an hour or two "reset" the ECU, and therefore have erased the fault code, and hopefully help me through a retest?
Many thanks, Karl. Read more
karl
Why blame the messenger? Unless it's faulty; [test it] then the poor old oxygen sensor can only tell you what's happening.
Why is it registering "lean?" What's this "smoke?" What were the two emission test results?
Forget all this "re-set" nonsense - these ECUs are very self-adaptive.
When I bought it I got my mum to do the check online at home, and I felt preasured as other buyers were turning up to look at the car, I have since discovered minor evidence of accident damaged, the report came back completely clean. If a car has been written off does the registration plate get recorded on this or just the VIN number?
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I was on holiday last week, so missed all the fun.
It's the sort of thread that you need a long, dark, winter's evening for isn't it? (The VX220 forum thread I mean)
I have a 1992 Citroen BX19TXD automatic. The suspension has suffered a number of leaks and pipes have been replaced by the main dealer over a period of months On the last occasion they could not get the front and back suspension to work together as self levelling. Either the front remained static while the back rose and fell or the front rose and fell while the back remained static. It was left with the front static and the rear operating normally but at the correct road height.
The car behaved reasonably well for about two months but then the suspension became solid. The rear suspension jolts violently all the time - there is no suspension by the feel of it. The impression is that the system is not working but, when static, the suspension responds to the movement of the height adjustment lever. The front suspension responds in jerks whereas the rear moves smoothly.
Does anyone have any idea what the problem is and, if so, the solution?
Model varient and year added to subject line - PU Read more
Peter
Someone's resurrected this one from the archive - check the date......
Just reading through the latest PlayJag magazine and came across an interesting entry.
A new operation has been launched in the UK to provide short-term comprehensive car and van insurance for periods between 1 and 28 days. All documentation is emailed directly to the customer for immediate printout. Policies are underwritten by Norwich Union. There's also an option to include roadside assistance.
I've just done one of their "Quick Quotes" and they came up with £12.60 for 1 day and £46.20 for 7 days to insure my XJ8.
Available at dayinsure.com
Kevin...
PS. Usual disclaimers apply including "No personal connection".
PPS. HJ, considering the number of questions that appear in the BR about short-term insurance - maybe they'd be a candidate for site advertising or a DT mention. Read more
When I bought another car before I had sold my previous,Zurich offered to cover both cars for two weeks for free.
A question asked by a mate.
Anyone know if the 307 2.0HDi 110 has an Intercooler system and if so, could be it fitted to the 2.0HDi 90 version.
Tweak to subject line to clarify what the thread's about - PU
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I only knew of it through the dealers that I do jobs for. Peugeot may have dropped them now - they kept them pretty quiet.
Browse
I would buy her some batteries now or she may miss-hear you and you get a nasty surprise for your Christmas present. Regards Peter