September 2007
My aunt has an auto polo 1.4. It has 26000m on the clock and since she has retired she makes lots of short runs in the car which (you've guessed) won't restart due to it's 'computer' becoming 'confused'!!!!!!!!! - AA man told us. Anyway she's now had a bump in it and wants rid of it. Is there a car out there that can make short runs and restart everytime!! Needs to be an auto and about the same size as the polo. Money not a real problem or any engine type.
Thanks
Burt Read more
I'm looking to buy a filter wrench but really don't know which one to go for. I've got a swivel head one but I tried my level best to loosen the oil filter on my Mazda 323 TD last weekend without any luck. The oil filter is away from the front of the car and there's no way to do anything with it from the top and there's not enough room from the bottom either.
Please let me know which one would you recommend from these or anything else if its not mentioned here!
www.autoexpress.co.uk/products/products/53433/oil_...l
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I've used the screwdriver method successfully before, the only downside is that it's messy. I'd try it, but be sure to put the screwdriver RIGHT through the filter (i.e. so it pokes out the other side). It should then take the strain without breaking up. You'll need a big screwdriver though, and a hammer with which to insert it! ;-)
I missed HJ's announcement of the relaxation of duty on this sort of fuel for personal use (tinyurl.com/2zutd2 ), but it came up on the radio yesterday, together with a discussion on DIY conversion kits for spent oil from chippies. What particularly amused me was the admission by HMRC that the previous arrangement was costing them more to collect than it was grossing, so it's not really generosity on their part!
The vendor of the kits was getting his oil for 5p/20 litres, thus making it very economical, even with the £700 needed for his outfit, and the supply of methanol and caustic soda required to do the chemistry.
If this catches on though, I can see market forces pushing the oil price up rather quickly. Can you buy into used Wesson oil futures..? Read more
I forgot to add that when he was saying you can save fuel if you
chip the car...
I assume you'd buy the chip from the chip shop at the same time as you bought the waste chip oil ;-D
I bought a Mazda 323 last week, its 99 V plate and back arches have a sign of rust. Is there anyway of stopping this rust besides getting the arches re-sprayed? Read more
MazMan, let us know what you're quoted. Incidentally, check behind the rear number plate where rust is also appearing on my 5 year old 323
it's a 1993 214 with a 1400cc k series twin cam.
took SHMBO shopping last night and she wouldn't start afterwards (the car) lots of clicking and whirring noises but nothing from the starter motor. After some head scratching the memory cells kicked in and reminded me of similar issues with my old mk2 Escort. So out with the hammer (doesn't everyone carry one?) and whacked the solenoid, tried the key and it started! Is this a known problem and is the solution the same as the Escort (ie take it off and clean it) or something else? Read more
thanks for the advice guys - between this and the Toyota i've got a busy weekend ahaead of me.
Having a discussion here about drum brakes; does anyone know when the last car that was marketed in the UK and had drums all round was available and what that car was ?
I am assuming that if Trabants have disks all round that it wasn't marketed here and so wouldn't count.
It is either going to be something like a Lada or else something from the UK in the 60's; but does anyone know for sure ?
cheers
Stu
{slight adjustment to header in case any pedantic types think you're referring to musical instruments all round the car ;o) - DD} Read more
I think your appreciation of current braking technology is slightly behind the times. The braking force from a current motorcycle, say the Suzuki GSXR1000, with twin front discs, each having a six-piston caliper, is phenomenal. In a contest, the Suzuki would be stopped before the Triton had compressed its fork springs.
Those motorcycle drum brakes were great for providing hard braking - the first time. Subsequent uses got less and less effective. The other problem is that the leading shoe design uses a self-servo effect to get more braking, which makes fine adjustments of the braking force difficult to make. There were no self-adjusters on them either, so you had to be tweaking them every few weeks to keep them working properly.
The beauty of discs is that you can just fit the pads and largely forget them. They're self-adjusting, and the braking force is instantly adjustable for more or less braking as required. Trying to do a 'stoppie' (braking wheelstand on the front wheel) with a drum brake would be disastrous, as you need to constantly adjust the amount of braking force. With modern disc and pad materials there is also very little delay caused by cold or wet discs.
If you had an electric car and a B & Q wind turbine, what annual mileage could you do, assuming no other recharging? Read more
For Sofa Spud - The question of overall efficiency was looked into in Australia a few years back when a TGV-style service was being mooted. On the basis of total energy expended from the hole-in-the-ground to wheels-on-road or track as the case may be, the long-haul diesel coach came out as the most energy-effcient people-mover. The comparison was between normal trains, TGV-type, car, coach, and airline. The actual numbers have escaped my memory.
By way of comparison, the hundred-thousand horsepower straight twelve diesels in container ships are now about 51% thermal effciency at the flywheel, burning refinery leftovers. Gas-turbine based cogeneration plants running on natural gas are alleged to be about 43%. Both without taking into account the energy cost of getting the oil & gas out of the ground, transported, and processed.
At last the Matrix signs on the M4 are being put to good use. Driving home from my weekly commute tonight the matrix by J8/9 stated "To J13 - 30 miles - 28mins". At first not sure if this was advice, guidance, a warning? - then it struck me, it was a challenge. Get to J13 (30 miles away) in less than 28 mins. Easy peasy, you might think, a mere 64ish mph at 11.30 at night - no problem, no need to rush, just pootle along. But they're sneaky......there's 4 miles of roadworks around J11/12 with average speed cameras forcing the speed down to 50, so precious minutes are wasted. Starting to get a bit tense now - was I too complacent at the start? Need to press on between J12 and 13. Despite the pressure, I make it comfortably with 3mins to spare and so I arrive at J13 to be issued with the next challenge "To J15 - 20miles - 18mins". By this time I am more accustomed to the higher speed and decide to take no chances in the early stages and keep my foot down. Two minutes later I reach the next Matrix sign telling me to slow down to 40mph - two lanes closed, workmen in road. 'CHEATS!!' I yell....but I keep my cool, edge past the hazards and back on to the open roads driving like I was back on the autobahns. Again, I make it to J15 with 3mins to spare. Matrix sign issues next challenge "To J20 - 40miles - 38mins".....but I decide that's enough excitement for one night, so head off home on the 419 for a nice cup of tea...or maybe a glass of wine?
So, I think I passed the novice stages - I am hoping for a stiffer challenge on next weeks journey. Read more
the money spent on these signs is largely wasted
99 times out of a hundred the accident warning/speed reduction is regarding an incident long since cleared
other advice is of the motherhood and applepie variety telling you to take breaks etc
im convinced the poor idiot from serco paid to keep the messages up to date just takes the mickey now as he knows there is no come back for poor service
Hi Guys,
My Daughter has an '02 Corsa 1.2 which is immaculate. However, she's asked me how easy it would be to fit Air Con to the vehicle. I've thought of getting the stuff off a scrappie but does anyone know if the heater is different? Anyone out there done this before? I can do all the work myself but would like to hear from anyone whose either done this before or looked into doing it.
Look forward to hearing your advice and guidance
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These are the views of Robin the Technician with 35 years in the trade. I fix, therefore I am... Read more
Thanks for the definitive answer. I don't think I'll bother. Winters here as autumn this year was August, so I don't think overheating is so much of a problem.
Again thanks.
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These are the views of Robin the Technician with 35 years in the trade. I fix, therefore I am...
I have looked up the highway code online regarding overtaking, but unfortunately it doesn't tell me if I am right or wrong. I have had a couple of incidents recently where I am driving along a road where there is no left turn, and the vehicle in front of me indicates with the left indicator and begins to slow down as if they are pulling over.
In one incident I went to overtake as this was happening, but the lady decided she didn't like the space she was pulling into so put her foot down while I was overtaking thus leaving me in the lurch as I was unable to overtake her and had oncoming traffic heading towards me. In another incident a driver also put his left indicator on, but kept driving at the same speed; fortunately there was no oncoming traffic so I was able to overtake - thinking about the incident now there was nowhere for him to go so I have no idea why he was indicating.
My question is am I wrong to overtake before they have pulled in, even if they have slowed down to a snail's pace and the only possible manoeuvre for them to make is to pull in to the side of the road?? Read more
There's another thread about a u-turner who collected a poor fellow on a moped - perhaps going imprudently briskly down the middle of the road, but no doubt with a headlight on and so on - breaking the rider's leg, and then sued him for compensation over a scratched door. Many posters seemed to think the car driver was in the right because the court had decided in his favour. Didn't sound like it to me.
I do U-turns but I don't do them when people are bearing down briskly. That is very carp driving.
I second the Daihatsu.
My mother-in-law has had a little Cuore automatic from new and also only ever potters down to the shops in it. It's been doing that for over a decade now without a hint of a problem. The little Japanese "K" cars are designed for this sort of use....