My Brakes are currently "80% worn". These are the original VW Brakes fitted from new, I've done 40k over 2 years so it will take a while for them to get down to 90% worn.

But what is a safe pecentage worn for Brakes? Is changing them at 80% wasteful or sensibly cautious? What is the MOT requirement (I guess this is a thickness rather than percentage)? Read more

This may be of help to anyone that cannot lock the doors remotely using the key plipper. I have tried various "fixes" to no avail, but this worked for me.
Disconnect the green connector on the driver's side near the ECU. Start the car and drive the car for approx 30 minutes. At the end of the drive with the engine still running reconnect the green connector. Turn off the engine, remove the key and try locking the car remotely. Read more

Since the dip in temperature round these parts, the only way I can get my motorbike to register anywhere near normal on the water temperature gauge is to use the old trick of blocking off half the radiator with a piece of cardboard.

That got me wondering if owners of modern cars with big power outputs and bigger air intakes have to do similar in winter to get any heat into the engine ?

Not sure if this is miscellaneous or green motoring. Read more

Hi,
My mk. 2 Clio cassette/radio has lost it's code after I disconnected the battery for a while-got no log book when I bought it. I see recoding companies advertising in the 'Useful Website' section of Honest John. Are these the best thing to do?
What about replacing it with a Renault cd player off e-bay - has the radio to be fit/ compatible with my '97 model? I would like to retain the use of the stalk buttons and display. Read more

Drove 20 miles. Stopped at the shops, inside for 1/2 hr. When returned to car, engine fault light (yellow engine pic. with "Zap!" sign on it) was illuminated, continually flashing, engine she not start. 'Phoned RAC from shop tele (5 mins), RAC on way. Outside to check.... engine fired up! Much joy. RAC cancelled. Back to car. She not start! Flashing engine fault light, lots of cranking, no go. Called RAC again, towed to garage in middle of night. Car dumped on forecourt by RAC man, still wouldn't start. RAC man, he say fault with key chip/reception unit thingy.

In a.m., self to garage, with spare key. Car started no problem. Also started on main (normally used) key as well as spare. pink fluffy dice Garage checked on diagnostic kit - "carried out Tech 1 check, found intermittant fault with ECU. Light now off, if prob reoccurrs, will require a new ECU". Is this flannel?

So. This car phutted out at a roundabout 3 weeks ago, re-started after a minute or two (can't remember fault light being on). It re-started OK after, no trouble since. On this form, a sticky air valve has been implicated.

I drove the car back 10 miles from the garage - no problems (3 stops en route). It started just now. Will the thing go TU again soon? Is there anything I can attempt to fix? Garage have estimated £440-ish to fix - more than the car's worth.

Any ideas? Read more