November 2007
***** This thread is now closed, please CLICK HERE to go to Volume 11 *****
As the thread indicates, anything silly can either be posted here, or gets moved here at the moderators discretion.
Volume 9 is filled up, so it's locked. If you really feel the need to find it, along with any other previous silly threads, then use the Forum Search.
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Today I was followed by one of the craziest learner mopedists. I was on a winding A road, wet surface, behind a line of traffic moving about 40 - 45 mph. I see in the mirror a motorcycle coming up fast behind. Superbike? No - moped with L plates. The rider had been doing a wheelie. He followed me really close, revving his engine and then riding with his hands off the handlebars. I thought motorcycles had twist-grip throttles, but he definitely had both hands off! He also stood up - this was at speed, and then he appeared to be lying back so that only his head was visible above the handlebars - he might even have had his feet on the handlebars, I couldn't make out for sure.
I came to a 30 limit and I thought he'd try and pass, but no, he stayed really close, and was at one stage riding along looking behind him - not just glancing but for 2 or 3 seconds! All the time he was also swerving about.
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I can remember as a 16 year old 'Fizzy' rider doing some back breaking school holiday work picking potatoes...... the rotten ones would be bunged in a separate pile
one day i was the instigator of a childish moment which consisted of throwing some of these manky spuds at a passing Lambretta/Vespa rider who had an unusually loud exhaust... and soon everyone was throwing them
the sudden increase in the exhaust note at the rider's panic stricken view of raining potatoes had the whole field in stitches
only trouble was, about a week later in the pub (yes i know 16yrs old, but every one did it) i got introduced to a friend's friend who came out with this story of......" i was riding past M******* Farm the other day when..............."
and i'd already told all my mates, so had an awkward moment......fortunately he saw the funny side
I have a y reg VAUXHALL ZAFIRA and the fuel gauge doesn't seem to register correctly. It is quite erratic with the indication. I has an ASTRA a few years ago which did a similar thing and there was a chip in the rear of the dash display. I changed it and it seemed to cure the problem. Does my ZAFIRA have the same chip and how do I get the display out?
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There are no user serviceable parts on these.The only thing that can be replaced is the illumination bulb for the mileage display.Could it be a fault with the tank sender?
I've found an old car (pre 1963) in a basket which I would like to buy, but the owner wants a lot for it because of the number plate. The registration is 33 EXF. I remember from somewhere that if you sell the reg of an old car like this the dvla allocate a number which is then non transferable, and these numbers often have an X in them.
I'm not bothered about the plate, but I don't want pay over the odds for the car because of the plate and then discover it's non transferable, so is there an easy way of finding this out? Read more
Ask to see it's current log book. ISTR it will say "number not transferable" if this is the case.
Even old lumps of rust ought to have had a new V5 issued.
We often discuss common rail concerns, but I came across this today.
Thought it may be interesting due to the pics of the engine internals.
link
uk-mkivs.net/forums/1/841326/ShowThread.aspx
comments? Is VW moving to common rail as a result of these pumpe duse failures?
Regards
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In practice the PD is elegantly simple - a pre-requisite of reliablity. The HP common-rail is - and will always remain - a pig's breakfast and should have been dropped as totally impractical at conception. Nothing that complex will ever be durable unless built by NASA with an open chequebook.
I've certainly heard that VW are going CR; but I've not had the pleasure of working on their Le Mans car, or any of the new A8 diesels - yet.
Still; a VW-built mass-market CR system should give a nice boost to the pension fund....
Hi, I have just got myself a really nice 1998 1.9Turbo Diesel Sport [3door]. I am thinking about installing an after-market exhaust system, but I'm not 100% sure if it is road legal and what bits I need to buy if I were to go for it! ...Also, what performance gains are there, currently my car is fully standard, but with 17" Alloys [with some ultra low profile tyres - about 1" of sidewall!!!], I am also looking to lower the car [not stupidly low, maybe about 30-40mm; would this mean an aftermarket exhaust would not fit because the end boxes look a lot fatter than the standard ones!
Any advice would be very much appriciated! ...Also any good links to fitting the exhaust?
Thanks. Read more
I'm always late on posts like this but, but here is my 2p's worth.
The 306 turbo diesel engine is a very good starter for what you have described. Contrary to what has been posted previously an exhaust will provide you with extra power and does not need to sound like a tractor. A stock exhaust system contains baffles in the silencer boxes which can restrict the flow of gasses escaping from the engine, but replacing the entire system with a free flowing one can free up a few extra bhp.
When combined with a stage 1 tune which can be done yourself in under an hour you can realistically expect to see an increase in power to as much as 110bhp while keeping all of your fuel economy and sometimes you can even reduce emissions too as the engine will be burning fuel more efficiently.
My advise is to take a good look round for information. There are a number of free guides at www.club-306.com including a step by step guide to the stage 1 tuning procedure. The forum area on this website is very helpful too however you will need a membership which does cost a few quid but then how much would you be willing to spend for good quality advice. Club-306 also offer a number of discounts including an exhaust supplier and a few insurance companies.
I have had over 7 years experience with 306's and I once owned a 1998 1.9TD myself and had a lot of fun with it. If you want to see my diesel tuning guide pop over to www.johns306.com or drop me a line.
All the best,
John.
Has anyone else got RAC Red cover?
You paid a one-off lifetime fee of 15 pounds and have to pay about 47 pounds for each breakdown.
As we rarely breakdown my wife ( I no longer drive because of failing eyesight ) joined in 2000 and had the piece of mind knowing for a nominal sum we could use the RAC.
Seemed a good scheme but I understand the RAC soon dropped it but continued to honor the original members.
Anyway, we recently got a letter from the RAC MD saying as an "improvement" they were ceasing cover from Jan 2008. They offered a 25% discount on normal cover.
As I understood it the 15 pounds was a lifetime one-off payment and we have written a complaint.
The RAC general T&C's do not seem to allow the RAC to do this but perhaps I have missed something.
Anyone else been affected or got any comments?
Thanks for reading
MartinVF Read more
I have a 100 mile round trip to the 'office' and so clock-up well over 20K miles-a-year.
I need a car that will give me cheap motoring (including residual value) - we're not paid as much as the pilots! I'd also like a car that will transport me in comfort. Most of the drive is on dualed roads and, after a hard day on console, I'd like to be transported in a fashion as near as possible to autopilot!
My budget is 10-15K. I currently drive an 8-year-old, 2ltr, petrol, Mondeo, which is getting towards the end of its life and with 80K on the clock would appear to be almost worthless.
Any advice would be very much appreciated! Read more
Why do you think that an 80k Mondy is towards the end of its life? They should take the miles pretty well, and 80k is about half of a minimum life mileage, I'd suggest. Your mileage, while high-ish, is just perfect for keeping a car in condition.
Total left field choice - Mazda Xedos 6 - not expensive, well-appointed and robust. Boring choice would be a Passat diesel.
I have recently purchased an 05 Mondeo LX from a 'Ford' dealer.
The Owners handbook is dated 02 and things like the heating control system refer to rotary controls rather than the push-button one fitted.
Have I been given the wrong handbook?
Can anyone with an 05 model tell me what version of handbook they have?
Thanks Read more
That date is the date of the last revision to the book,not necessarily the date it was printed.
Following a newspaper article we contacted a UK company who wanted people to go to Italy to collect their new fleet of motorhomes and drive them back to the UK on trade plates. As we have relations in South of France it seemed a nice idea. The new vans are to be collected mid-February and you then have 7 days to bring them back to this company's UK depot via whatever route suits you. Flights out and return ferry will have been prebooked.
Now the company have sent us various docs. to read and sign prior to departure. One of the forms is a hire agreement doc. The question is are we actually hiring the motorhome or working freelance on behalf of the company as vehicle delivery drivers driving on trade plates?
The second query concerns a £500 returnable security deposit to be paid prior to departure. This is to cover for any damage to the motorhomes internal fitments etc-not collision damage which is already covered by insurance. This is payable by credit card and is charged to my card immediately and then refunded within 7 days of our dropping the motorhome back at there UK depot "unharmed". Now previously when leaving credit card security deposits for car hire the hire companies have merely taken a swipe of the card and destroyed the swipe on return. Nothing was charged to the card in advance like this company is going to do. Comments??? Read more
From how this arrangement is described - don't do it.
They are selling a motorhome and making a good profit and yet are using inexperienced people to get them to the UK. In fact I would not be happy buying a new motorhome that someone has already used and put miles on. Surely they should be transported somehow.
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Too late ... My thread has been put in the Silly Bin....
(I`m abandoning it ;-)
Maybe........