October 2007
I don't get the polish out very often but I do like to get a coat of the stuff on before winter sets in. So last weekend I polished wiff's Honda (Jazz). I'm using Meguiars cleaner / polish / wax so that's 3 separate applications and polishing off and every one of them went on & polished off a treat. And boy does it shine.
This weekend I did my VW (Passat) and I'm knackered. Every coat "stuck" to the paint and needed a lot of hard work to polish off. It looked like the paint was covered in thousands of tiny specks which caught and held the product. What's going on?
JH Read more
hi I have a 1995 diesel and have noticed steam coming out of from of grill occasionally. On looking the coolant level was quite low and radiator seems quite corroded. Have topped up and used radweld. Any advice on anything else I can do to help. A new radiator not an option for me right now. How long do you reckon be ok to drive like this? cheers Nic
SL Tweak
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The Nissens replacements seem to be the best - I had a Behr one fail after only 3 or 4 years.
Take the fan assembly off first, then the radiator comes out fairly easily from underneath. Use genuine PSA coolant at 50% with distilled water and make sure you bleed the air out (1 vent cap near RH engine mount).
659.
Hi,
It's my first time in here so be gentle!
I've got to give my company car back at the end of the month and I need to buy a run-around. I get the train to work most days so won't be covering many miles in it.
I used to have a Diesel Rover 75 which I loved but I'm not sure I can afford another now - my budget is £2.5 to £3K.
Any suggestions are welcome, I want something that isn't too crappy looking though I'm realisitic about what I can expect for the budget I have.
Thanks a lot everyone.
Matt Read more
If you loved your Rover 75 why not get a petrol one? Pleny for £2-3k.
1997 with brake problems. NSR shoes had delaminated and drum fell off easily. Will the offside come off??!!
Rotates freely, but roughly, but will not budge, even with puller. Any suggestions?
SL tweak Read more
only the handbrake and bottom shoe locaters then
i got mine out thinking back by drawing the drum out then getting a long screwdriver behind the shoe locating bits and carefully waggling each side out,as i said it took me a while and it can be a problem,ive never had to smash a drum off though or if i have it was a long time ago
Went looking for a Focus estate yesterday (see:
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?f=2&t=56...8
). Had a drive in a private 2001 1.6 Zetec, but it seemed like too much hard work to get it moving- obviously it was going to feel slower than the 200bhp Leon TFSI it's replacing, but it also seemed less lively than our 1.0 (mk1) Yaris.
So on to a dealer 2001 2.0 Ghia, and that was more like it. Dealer was happy to show the paperwork, and I've put down a £200 deposit, for pick up next weekend. However, while looking at the V5, I noticed that the model was stated as CL rather than Ghia. Dealer said it was just human error, and I accepted this in the excitement of getting a (sort of) new car. Later, getting an insurance quote, entering the registration resulted in the system displaying the model as a 1.4 CL, although it let me change this.
I'm reasonably confident that everything is above board, but what should I do to make sure? I guess the first thing is ask dealer to check that the VIN(?) on the V5 matches that on the car- is that his responsibility, or mine?
John Read more
snipquote
Many thanks- did that, and the info there corresponds to the car I've put the deposit on. I think that pretty much confirms it's just the DVLA that have the wrong info, which I will attempt to correct once I'm the owner.
I wonder why Ford customer services couldn't (or wouldn't) give me this info when I rang the other day, or at least mention the website. Three cheers for the HJ forum and its users.
John
Hi folks,
I've noticed that when accelerating in 4th or 5th gear at certain speeds, the revs increase rather like they would if I'd put my foot on the clutch. I get this surge of revs, without the speed increasing as it should, which then dies away as the car eventually picks up speed.
The car is a mk1 (1999) Focus with 70k on the clock. This is only noticeable at the moment in 4th and 5th gear and only at 40mph+
Is this clutch related ? I've never had one go faulty or had to replace one, so I'm unfamiliar with the symptoms.
Or could anything else be causing it ?
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sounds like the clutch but also the diaphram worn out so replace both plus the slave cylinder while your in there
i did a clutch for this reason on a fiesta the other week but being tight put a reconditioned clutch in courtesy of my local factory (dirt cheap see) anyway the clutch works fine but it now hawks like a door to door brush sales man on speed
Well my much loved 120d is going back to the Lease Co in a few weeks and the cash alternative is going into bricks and mortar. So the logical option seems like a 2.0l petrol Mondy. I've seen that 51/02 Plate examples are possible on Autotrader, what would I be able to pick up at auction - could anybody advise please.
I'm open to any other suggestions that you might have, but I do want something that is enjoyable to drive if possible. I do 12/13 k miles a year and have two growing boys and a Springer Spaniel to shift.
Thanks in advance
P Read more
I paid 3.5k for my 51 plate 2.0l zetec mondeo. 2 and a bit years ago at auction.
Thermostat failed and some suspension pieces needed replacing in 40k miles. I replaced the rear bushes with the aftermarket ones for longevity and a better ride.
Very pleased with the value, drive and reliability. 35-37 mpg on mostly A road's, heavy traffic.
Will be selling shortly for a new c class, expecting to get about 2k for it @ 100k. Imagine I will pick up another one from auction as a second car in a couple of years.
A mate and I were out in Rye today and bought an old Daily Mail motoring map in a bric-a-brac shop.
It covers Southeast of UK on one-side 4inches to the mile, with a larger scale map of London and suburbs on the other., I would guess 1inch to the mile.
It has a red cover.
Was wondering if anyone could help date it ?
There are no (C) dates on it anywhere.
I think it may be '50's but can't be sure, it sold for 6 shillings
There are no motorways on it, but on the London map the Blackwall tunnel is marked, as is Croydon, and Hendon aerodromes. and the Wimbledon-Earls Court District lineis underground (it used to be BR at some point).
There is also a a railway line through where Merton Savacentre etc. and Merantun Way (A24) now are (no railway now !)
The Southeast Map doesn't have Gatwick airport, but a small aerodrome is marked near Tinsley green, the wrong side of the main road to where the current gatwick is.
A3 bypasses kingston, but goes through Esher and down the Portsmouth Rd to Cobham.
There is an advert for Goodyear tubeless tyres - cheaper than a tyre-tube combination apparently, and lucas batterys with "2year insured life" !
Amazing how small towns like Brighton & Crawley look on it !!!
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Have a really good look around the edge of the map for any printer's info/marks. You may find a sequence of numbers which may include the year.
Just thumbing through this weeks Autocar in the petrol station (as you do) and spotted a group test with Golf, Focus, 308 and the new i30. Apparently the i30, Focus and Golf are virtually inseparable, the Focus is the best drive, the Golf the best residuals and "image" (usual stuff), and the i30 "arguably" a better all round car than either of them.
One part of this test involved "blindfold" driving as well, under controlled conditions. One tester got out of the Focus swearing blind it was the Golf because of its weighty, solid feel. I thought I was going mad saying the S-Max I drove recently was as well made as any VW I've driven, but it seems if improved Ford quality is an illusion, I'm not the only one falling for it.
I know Hyundai have had moments of brilliance before (with the Coupe mainly) but it's nice to see them properly challenging the "establishment". 3 grand cheaper than a Golf model for model too.
Cheers
DP
--
04 Grand Scenic 1.9 dCi Dynamique
00 Mondeo 1.8TD LX
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Yes, my profuse apologies for rounding up in such a cavalier manner ;)
My BiL's E46 had a puncture due to a screw in tread, as he's away it fell to me to sort it. The tyres were bought and fitted at our local National tyres almost a year ago to the day and he paid a fiver for "insurance" - puncture was repaired in 15 minutes, wheel replaced and properly torqued up. The cost ? zero, nothing, zilch - No quibble, brilliant.
Handy that edit button ! Read more
Not free repairs, but a 5 year guarantee (of sorts) www.justtyres.com/guarantee.php
& they have some pretty good prices, too!
Mrs V had her first set of Toyos on her Mx'5 a couple of months back, for about £120 all in, from them
The Bridgestones were down to just over 3mm, even wear at 33k, so replaced early. We'll see how long lasting these grippy ones last!!
Without punctures, we hope!
VB
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Thanks J1, and all. No they're both garaged, VW is older and mine from new so it looks like I have some bad habits. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.
JH