September 2007
The ST TDCi has suddenly started emitting blue smoke on start up and missing badly under engine load (esp 2-3K rpm). I'll confess to using supermarket fuel but, in my defence: it could be a bad batch as it started straight after filling up on Thursday and it's run fine for the past 11 months, there is a dearth of Shell/Esso/BP stations in this area that are convenient for me to use, and all my handbook says is 'use fuel that meets EN590' which I presumed was a standard specifictation, and don't use bio diesel. Writing 1000 times "I will not do it again"...
Questions: 1) Does this sound like the sooted EGR valve issue? 2) Should I put some 'quality' fuel in now (1/3 full) or wait until it's virtually empty? 3) Will such fuel do the trick or does it need garage attention? 4) Are there any additatives that will help the cleaning process (if that is the problem)? 5) Is Jet/Total diesel of the same quality (it's easier to find)? Many thanks for any help. Read more
Would anyone like to work out roughly how much they spend per hour to run a car ( total annual cost divided by approx time actually spent in the vehicle ).
I'm still working mine out btw. Read more
I have a friend who always has a Mercedes S-Class from new for a couple of years or, in the last instance, a recently discarded Bentley (a heap of trouble from brand new) and we once worked out it was costing him more than £3 a mile for his motoring.
He never even flinched...:-)
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
Wagon R with the Vaux engine. Large rubber pipe runs across front of engine, then changes to aluminium and turns downward through 90 deg, running down beside the dipstick tube, to couple into the front of the engine block. At least, I think it is the engine block because it is not possible to get direct line of sight to this point.
Pipe has broken off where it meets the block and a matching ragged edge can be felt but not clearly seen. Believe this pipe to be something to do with the aircon.
Has anyone seen this before please?
Thank you
s Read more
Thank you for the reply, I suspected as much and presume that this is a known fault. Appreciate the confirmation
Rgds.
Probably old hat now but:
jalopnik.com/cars/frankfurt-auto-show/mazda6-image...p
Maybe I should have waited ;-) No the Mondeo and therefore Mazda6 too wide. And I get my new car in October anyway. Read more
At least I do not look so stupid ;-) Thanks PU. Quite like the look of the outside and the inside not bad either. Shame (a) it's wider than even a 5 series and (b) not out yet. Then again I get the current Mazda Mazda6 at a lower monthly cost ;-)
Just been to look at the current new ford fiesta today for SWMBO and we both quite liked what we saw.
So I was just wondering if anyone on here has got / had one and could tell me what they are like to live with?
I know the Ka 1.3 has a lot of people slating the push-rod (?) engines and the lack of galvanising, but is there anything I should know about the Fiesta?
Model we were looking at was the 1.4 Zetec climate (with free sports and tech pack - special offer at the mo).
Any other suggestions for a better car for £8k new also greatfully accepted, but mainly looking for advice on the Fiesta.
Thanks
s
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Hmm whether it is a 1.25 or 1.4 it is a sweet revving 16v engine
that performs at its best if the revs are used it surely would haved zipped
up those hills with a satisfying zing as it revved had it been allowed to.
Cheddar - have you tried this engine in a recent model? Historically I would agree with you - these were some of the best small four cylinder engines anywhere. Our mkIV Fiesta 1.4 was lively, revvy and surprisingly zippy. In the current Fiesta they feel breathless and strangled. All the "zing" has gone, and they clearly struggle with the extra weight. The example I drove was also horribly coarse.
Underpowered cars can be fun if they're sweet revving (small Fiat syndrome). I think it's a sad indictment of the state of modern cars when a good 1400cc petrol engine can't deliver acceptable performance in a "small" car.
Cheers
DP
Must admit I'm impressed having seen some pics of the Ceed SW, I think it's better looking than the hatch - anyone else seen it? If I were wanting a new medium-size estate it'd be top of the list. Read more
The cee'd sw is very nice and good vehicle. Here in Slovenia it is one of the most affordable wagons avaliable at the market. SO it is selling very well here.
What are the numbers of cee'ds sold in UK?
Did you already see it's three door sporty sibling? Look here: www.kia-world.net/index.php/2007/11/23/kia-pro_cee.../
I have a Nissan Xtrail 52plate 2002,51k miles full Nissan service history.I have looked on Parkers and other sites for a valuation to sell private,the prices being quoted seem quite low compared to what similar cars are being advertised for in the press.
How much should i advertise it for and is Autotrader best place to sell if so online or in the magazine any help appreciated
s
Andrew. Read more
Put it on for just under 8k see how it goes.
Looking at the cars being marked up by EuroNCAP recently it occurs to me that their results are becoming increasingly meaningless.
Just about every new car on the market is getting 5 stars these days. This devalues the whole thing -- there must be differences between the best and the worst on the market? Read more
" Wide enough to lose a whole car "
Not to mention a bike! I was amazed to discover that Honda's new Civic has the same problem - does their car division not know they make bikes, too?
I'm afraid that NCAP just ensures that cars are being made to have nice safe accidents in...
Im taking a 93 Corsa SRi in part ex on my Fiat. It needs the rear bushes doing badly - anyone know the rough cost of this work?
There is also a wobble through the steering - not very bad but enough to be annoying! Any clues as to what could cause this?
Other than that the car drives very well so Im hoping it can be turned round quite easily.
s Read more
I spoke to my mechanic today and he said the knocking is most likely either broken spring/s or the tops of the shocks are broken. Good call guys. He didnt even mention the bushes so i think that can be ruled out.
He reckoned the tyres were prob at fault with the steering and a swap with the rears would most likely sort that unless there was a real issue with them.
Im looking forward to my guzzler - wish it could be a V6 Lancia Thema but as I recall, they arent what you would call solid on the engineering front. Still the classiest mainstream italian saloon of the 80's tho, even better than the Alfa 164 ( less showy ).
Just a quick question to put my mind at ease.
I bought a new set of rear pads and when fitting them found that one of the shims had rusted away and broke up when I removed the old pad.
I have refitted the old pads and am going to get new shims tomorrow.
A quick internet search refers to the shims as anti-rattle or squeal.
I am therefore hoping the car is safe to drive? 80 mile round trip tomorrow.
They are Lucas brakes on a 2.0 Xreg if that makes any difference?
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The pad would wear flat to the disc but the pressure would still be applied
unevenly across the pad because the piston still pushes out square to the caliper bore.
No it wouldn't. Think about it. Once the friction area had worn so it was parallel to the disc the pad backing (with shim) would rest at a slight angle to the piston, but in contact with it both sides (because of the shim). The pressure is only applied unevenly until the pad has worn parallel to the disc. In any event, the shim usually (but not always) covers the whole area contacted by the pad.
The shim is not there to change how the pad contacts the disc, it is there as an anti-squeal measure.
Thanks again, I was basing the cost on the Ult being 10p/litre more than standard at the station I used, but I'll do a more thorough check. I'll do the motorway run as soon as work/son's football/daughter's music/parent's evening/governor's meetings/eating/sleeping allow!