September 2007
I realise I'm about five years late posting this but having just driven a Mini One from London to Manchester, I've got to ask what was that all about?
Handling no better than any decent small car. Performance decidedly lacklustre and fuel efficiency nothing special and being inside the thing made me feel like I was at a family party where one of the children does a magic trick - initially quite charming, but two minutes in and the grin is becoming a little fixed and after five minutes you're thinking "don't milk it sonny".
I was half thinking of buying a Cooper S a couple of years ago and now I'm so glad I didn't. Read more
Some weeks now, on turning sharply to L (at times and not always) get a very loud single 'knock'. Think it happens when turning at higher speed. Seems to come from drvr/side front wheel area. Any ideas and likely to be dangerous?
Thanks
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anti roll bar bushes worn
Story goes here
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007...l
Five people have been killed after a car chased by police turned the wrong way down a motorway before colliding head on with another vehicle.
Whom to blame for the accident, the police or the culprits?
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"Whom to blame for the accident, the police or the culprits?"
Well the Back Room is not a branch of the IPCC - not to be debated here. Thread locked.
Wife has just got home after picking eldest up from school (before anyone suggests walking/ cycling was on way home from taking youngest out).
She got there early, so roads were empty. Parked near a junction, but with room for another car between her and the junction. Came back to the car and found she had a fixed penalty notice for obstruction.
We would like to know if this is worth appealing on the grounds that primarily she felt she had parked a sufficient distance from the junction. The secondary issue that has really got her fuming is that there were cars parked right on the junction, but the PCSO who issued the ticket totally ignored those cars as there were people inside- didnt even tell them to move the cars on.
We have got witnesses who saw where the car was (BiL and SiL) but what are the chances of getting this resolved in our favour, or will it be a futile waste of time and effort that could end up costing us more money in the end.
And yes, I do believe my wifes version of events. Like me, we both do silly things from time to time but she is very honest when she has been in the wrong.
My wife has also just said the women in the cars parked right on the junction knew the PCSO. Wonder if this had any bearing on them being allowed to park right on the junction causing an obstruction.
The road itself is a quiet residential cul de sac, leading to other cul de sacs just to set the scene. By the time she came back to the car, the entire side of the road she parked on was lined with cars.
PS really hard to stay objective writing this and not going off into a rant. Think I managed it though... Read more
PCSOs can ticket for Obstruction and pavement parking. Can't for yellow lines unless local arrangements in place. Its very confusing in some Local Authority they can FP for litter offences. Very confusing for Joe Public.
For two weekends running I've had the misfortune to go to Milton Keynes. One, the signposting is rubbish. For example, signposts off a main road like the A5 might just say 'Central & Eastern MK', with nothing about which smaller places 'central and E' might contain. Great if you don't know the area. Two, some signs point to a destination which then isn't mentioned further on. Three, road numbers aren't always shown.
Then, driving in darkness through one of the residential bits you might well come across a severe speed hump in brick with no advance warning sign and from which almost all of the white triangle road marking has disappeared. Tough if you have a low spoiler.
Is MK the only place where a 4x4 is essential and where the labyrinthine residential streets mean you need sat-nav to go shopping even if you live there? Unlike many, I've never till now been an MK basher, but the driving there makes my blood boil. AAARRGH! Read more
I fail to see why a 4x4 is essential for Milton Keynes. I have been to it and through it without a 4x4 and had no desire to be in one.
I've just bought a Mazda 323 TD and it seems the oil is leaking from the filler cap. What could be the problem, obviously besides replacing the cap?
s Read more
In some cases there is a valve inside the rocker cover, this was mentioned above as a PCV, which can become blocked, without removing the rocker cover you can't check this valve but you can check the pipe that it vents to.
If you look at the rocker cover on top of your engine there should be at least one rubber hose going towards your throttle body or inlet manifold. Make sure the pipe isn't kinked, then remove it and ensure it is clear.
Time to do the front wings on the old dear something I had hoped to do last Spring. Ideally I will pick up a couple of white ones from a breaker. My question is are the wings/bonnet/valance from a 309 exactly the same as a 205 just in case there are no suitable 205 ones around ?
s Read more
hi there
i need help on 2 things
i have a vectra c gsi 3.2 and need help locating the oil filter to do a change
and also how to remove front pads to change Can any one help me?
Cheers Dave
{Subject header given a less vague title - DD} Read more
If Haynes don't yet do one; you really should leave this to a pro.
This is quite a quick car; without a manual, how are you going to assess whether or not the discs need to be changed? Fitting pads on to a worn-out disc can be disastrous.
Thinking about purchase of a Nissan Terrano diesel 2.7TDI manual. Particularly interested in fuel consumption figures be it real world or govt figures. Also peoples experiences good or bad.
Looking at circa 1998/9 with about 70 -80 K mileage. This falls into my price bracket of approx 4K.
All thoughts welcome as always
Mark W
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Mine was an automatic. Got about 22mpg urban, 29mpg on motorway.
Look out for steering geometry faults, worn front wheel bearings and leaking tailgate door.
Latest Liberal Democrats policy. Banning petrol cars:
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6997957.stm
Views / opinions?? Read more
>>But were you (to take a random example) born with all the wisdom you carry now?
Fully agree, whatever clothes wisdom, it certainly isn't a nappy!
However, I cannot agree with the view that if someone is old that they must therefore be wise.
Number_Cruncher
Agree with your points, bristol (ooh er!) about Car. Of the printed mags these days, some of the Autocar writers seem the best of a bad bunch. I am thinking of Cropley, Bremner and Goodwin, biut the magazine as a whole is still too far removed from reality IMHO.