November 2007
Until a couple of years ago, when my insurer imposed a compulsory excess of £100 on all policies, I had no excess whatsoever. (I still have no voluntary excess.) Do all insurers now impose a compulsory excess? If so, how much is yours?
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L\'escargot. Read more
HJ has tested the new Mazda 6 over at www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=300
Looks like a very promising car.
The bit that especially interested me was "The 2.5SL came on 18 inch alloys with 225/45 tyres, so naturally bump-thumped over sharp ridges and potholes, but the 215/50 R17s on the 1.8TS2 were fine and I guess the 205/60 R16s on the S and TS would be best of the lot."
That led me to wonder . . . if there was an option of 15 inch wheels, would they be better still? Read more
Tyro
The 15 inch option (if it were available) would work out needing (rough calc.) 195mm/65%
profile tyres - exactly the same as a W124 Mercedes coupe I had - very
comfortable over any sort of bump The
only recent car I've noticed with 195mm/65%x15inch has been the Golf MkV
I've got this size wheel and tyre combination fitted to my mazda 3 TS, so mazda do do it but its not even a size on the current 6 let alone the new one.
For anyone interested, there's usually a few sets of mazda3 15"s on ebay.
Our faithful Punto has been in the family from new and has now done 55K. I wonder if any Backroomers can provide a scientific explanation as to why we have always noticed quite a marked clutch judder when taking up 1st gear when the weather turns cold and damp. It disappears after running the car for 10 mins or so but is very irritating! Read more
both of our Punto`s do it, as did the previous Doblo and before that the Uno.
we just regard it as `normal`
I had 7 Toyota's over 25 years, (from starlet right through to Camry) so assume I know the brand a little.
The new Corolla is out in Europe, Eire, the US, RSA, Aus. All we get here is the Auris, that is NOT the corolla.
This is the corolla,
www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0v4CE4XNaU
and
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrOWjCpE9Hw
look on autotrader ie, its there, they are even going 2nd hand now.
Why oh why have Toyota UK let us down. I really like the car, and am ready to downsize, but just cant get one in the UK. Do I import?
Also the 6th generation Camry is out. Do we have it here. Do we heck. And to think that you can get a Hybrid new in the US for £14k. We are being ripped off here again, and the £ is so strong against the us $ .
www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJBfcPrjlCU
$31k is £15k in the video. Where are we going wrong!
Thanks for reading
Read more
Although they do tend to be good at recalling
them when necessary.
There is something to be said for that, and the level of aftercare exemplified by such things as the unofficial extended warranty on oil-thirsty VVTis.
High level Toyota execs have also made public statements that quality must be improved. Considering that they are still in the top rankings of most reliability/satisfaction surveys that doesn't sound too bad. I don't think they are quite relying on former glories, they seem genuinely keen to get back there.
FWIW, after 14 months/22.5k miles, my Avensis feels pretty much as it did on day one. Nothing rattling, nothing broken, no faults. Sailed through two services with no problems (as it should!).
Hi all,
Ten days ago I pranged my 04 Accord Exec, reared into a gate. What a mess! Rang Churchill, no problem, they had it booked in inside 24 hrs, I got a loaner, the menders (UK Assist) kept me informed of dates, and I had it back in a week. The job is really good too, with a 5 year guarantee.
Can I just say premiums are one thing, but when you need help these guys were brilliant, thank you Churchill and your team.
Am I allowed to add that it was all UK call centres, which made a heck of a difference too.
Dennis Read more
We've had really good service from Norwich Union Direct. Wife bumped another car in the car park - other owner said they'd get their husband to fix and it'd be about £20. Then two months later left a bill in her work pigeon hole for £350.
She hadn't reported the accident to NU at the time (despite me telling her she should do). But they were very good about it, and paid up for the other car. Given that she now was making a claim, my wife also got her car fixed (needed new bumper). Great service from NU.
Can anybody offer some help on this?
I have had a call this evening from an elderly friend who has a MB A150. His computer was showing the next service due at 30,000 miles and then suddenly showed it was needed in 30 days - it's now showing 29 days.
It's a 56 model and done about 6,000 miles. He bought it as a demo model witth 2,000 on the clock. He's now worried that the car has done a greater mileage than that indicated. He's not technically savvy and is fretting about it. I think it's a glitch on the computer and wondered if anyone knows anything about these models and can offer some advice.
I've promised to 'phone him back after consulting the oracle. Read more
Thanks for that. Seems like you've answered the question.
I'll 'phone him tonight and put his mind at rest.
His car was first registered on 1st January this year and had about 2,000 miles on the clock when he bought it. Apparently, he thought the car had done some huge mileage before he bought it and the clock had been turned back.
Maplin currently have an 'Emergency Jumpstart and 12V Power Supply' unit (essentially a 12V 17Ah battery in a box) for £20, and since it also contains a compressor, thus removing the annoying part where you have to trail the lead around the car from the lighter socket, I wondered if it was worth having. The battery alone is probably worth the price, but a lot depends on the implementation - are the leads long/thick enough, does the compressor shift any air, etc? Has anyone here got one? Read more
JBJ - excellent spot. I've been after one of these for years now, since they were £100 or so, but never been able to justify the expense to myself! My compressor has just given up the ghost, so at £20 for a compressor and jump start etc this looks brilliant. I've just ordered one!
Problem solved it was the coil packs, car now runs fine,.
Just got to fix the dashboard light the one that lights up the 0 to 50 mph secment of the speedo, wouldn't mind so much is it was the one that lights up the dashboard from 70 mph onwards. As per usual the handbook makes no reference to the type of bulbs used any ideas?
Many thanks
Car - moved into a standalone and the subject line altered accordingly in view of the new problem Read more
Problem solved, rmoved instrument cluster and removed bulbs, checked bulbs no bulbs blown put insturument cluster back together and all guages are now lit.
Are pleased to have saved myself at least an hours labour charge.
Dear All
Technical help needed asap Replaced a 51 plated Mondeo that was working perfectly but high mileage in 2005 for a newer model Ghia 2.00 TDCI (9704 miles on the clock from a Ford main dealer). Took delivery August 2005. This new car started playing up almost immediately.
Two issues - first the brake lights - I would brake and the lights wouldn't come on or alternatively they would activate when no brake pedal/hand brake had been touched.
Secondly the vehicle would just loose all power. Almost lost my life on the A12 trying to visit my kids. By August 2006 this had happened three times. Had the vehicle checked out under warranty - 3 injectors replaced. Collected the vehicle September 2006 and was returned immediately for the same problem. 2 more fuel injectors replaced. I was told that the reason was "dirty fuel". In November back again all fuel injectors replaced and the injection pump. Again I was accused of using dirty fuel. Dec 2006 guess what back again more injectors replaced. Mileage 39,221.
By July 2007 all the same problems had returned. surging, cutting out, smoking and the brake lights still had a mind of their own. Was told the vehicle was high mileage - not even 50,000 on the clock - I remember the days when 200,000 was high mileage!
Sept 2007 taken into another Ford main dealer. Went in for diagnostics - was told a new engine was needed - conrods bent, rocker head damaged, pistons twisted with lots of loose nuts and bolts. In pieces and not driveabe (drove in!). Then informed two weeks over my warrantly - this car had been in Fords workshops 8 times in two years and had been serviced - problems just never resolved. Now carless and trying to get recognition from Ford's that there is an underlying problem with this vehicle. I've been told that "unofficially" that this is a known problem with this model and that there is even an internal memo floating around Ford's stating this. Fords Customer Relations Department are useless and are just looking for a way to say that Ford's can do no more. Searched this Forum and found loads of similar stories - same thing - even accused of using dirty fuel as well.
Help please - desparate - can't afford another car - still paying for this one! Really fed up with trying to fight my corner with this huge organisation - one Customer Relations person actually made my wife cry with her officious attitude.
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Aprilia says: >>Dodgy brake light wiring might cause power loss, but not 'surging, cutting out, smoking' as per original post. I would hope the dealers would also spot this early on... >>
If a faulty brake light cuts the f-b-w throttle when you have you foot down then then that could be described as cutting out, if you are on the overrun and you go to accelerate and nothing happens then that could be described as power loss, if it then cuts back that could be described as surging and under those circumstances it would chuck out a bit of smoke.
hi all.
im after some advice on my mondeo estate, 2.0L auto 2000 W reg. whilst driving i can feel a hesitating/ judder, this can also be felt on tick over. i have had the spark plugs changed, also the HT leads, also the fuel filter, but its still doing it. any advice would be gratefully received.
thanks
SLT to reflect the problem Read more
kevin
Good; they've done those tests. What were:-
The compression figures?
The vacuum level at idle?
The oxygen sensor voltages and sweeprate?
The airleak tests?
Browse
I'm 21. Excess is £250, £60 on windscreen replacement, and as of my latest renewal in a couple of weeks £10 on windscreen repair!