December 2007
I have the chance to buy my aunties Ford Focus from Motability.
It is a 2005 (05) 1.6 LX 5 door in Metallic grey. Its done 38K with FFSH and one owner.
Cosmetically it has a light crease in the door and a ding in the back bumper.
1.What is its market value?
2.Is it likely to need expensive repairs soon after (e.g cambelt)
Many thanks, Norman. Read more
The Low Emission Zone (LEZ) will start on 4 February 2008 and will apply 24 hours a day, every day of the year. It will affect diesel-engined lorries over 12 tonnes in weight.
From July 2008, it will also apply to all lorries over 3.5 tonnes, in addition to buses and coaches.
Operators of vehicles from outside Great Britain will need to register with TfL.
The Low Emission Zone (LEZ) covers most of Greater London, following the Greater London Authority boundary. In some places it deviates from this to allow for suitable alternative routes and turnaround points.
All roads, including certain motorways within the boundary, are included in the zone. The M25 motorway is not included, even where it passes within the boundary.
All parts of the Congestion Charging zone fall within the LEZ.
If you drive within it you will need to pay the Congestion Charge in addition to any applicable LEZ charge unless you are exempt.
The scheme will be enforced by cameras just like the Congestion Charge.
Therefore, the existing CC area could easily be extended overnight to include this larger area!
Be aware!
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run car to normal operating temp adjust heater to hot still blowing cold, changed thermostat there my expertise ends its winter im cold please help!
regards Daniel
slt Read more
well undo the hoses from the bulkhead side of the bypass valves (assuming you have them) and attach a hosepipe to the "out" pipe, this is the one that connects to the metal pipe that runs around the side of the engine. How you attach it depends on what you have to hand, I found a jet nozzle that wedged inside the rubber pipe very nicely.
You might also want to divert the water coming back out of the other pipe somewhere to stop it spraying you and/ or the engine electrics. I think I used to short hosepipe to do this.
Now just turn the water on (gently at first as the matrix is designed to take about 1bar but mains pressure is way more than 1bar) until there is a good flow flowing. Once the water runs clean then you're done. See if it has helped...
the idea is that reversing the flow will shift any muck that came in (back the way it came in)
as a word of caution, replacing the matrix is a pig of a job, so don't risk over-pressuring the matrix if you suspect that there is a blockage somewhere downstream of the matrix
I was recently involved in an accident where I was hit from behind. The third party has accepted full responsibility.
I have just had two estimates carried out on my car, one by the garage and the other by the insurance company's engineer. The garage estimated the repair cost to be £3300 and the engineer £3100. The main damage is to the chassis which requires straightening on a jig.
I have done an online estimate of my cars value and it has come back with a book value of £3600 to £4000 depending on the condition. My car is missing a front foglight and needs a new nearside wing mirror, so it is not it top condition. The retail price is around £5500.
Will my insurance company write it off?
I appreciate your views. Read more
I always get flak for this; but I'll say it again. This is a classic example of just why it is often a mistake to claim off the other party's insurer.
Claiming against the car's owner, with their insurer merely an interested party, is my preferred method of dealing with a 3rd Party claim. That way you retain total control.
Visited my local Ford dealer yesterday. Told the nice chap there that I wanted a car with (politically-correct, apparently) Stability Control. He told me I don't need it because I don't live on a hill. Read more
the sticking door handles are not a new feature on the mark v golf, they are carried over from the mk2. jag.
I hear what your all saying, but I love my work and it suits my role in the family - I am if anything, likely to be the 'housewife' as I work fairly short hours, esp in winter, which means that ill be effectively earning a reasonable wage for that role. My fiance will also be working fulltime so its not as desparate as it sounds. Honestly, if I work more than 6 hours in a day, thats exceptional. I have trouble with my back and knees from working too many hours in this trade so working the short hours works for me. Oh and id rather kill myself than apply for benefits.
Valeting is indeed badly affected by the immigration issue however I have managed to tap into the upper middle class market who like their cars done at home and have an inclination towards a nice honest family chap who takes pride in his work and pays tax., thus they are willing to pay over the odds compared to the imported valeters.
It takes time to build up a customer base long term but its starting to grow nicely and in the next couple of years it will expand nicely.
No offense taken honestly, its good advice. I have sold my share in a property for £140k ( my nan has bought me out at a generous valuation by her choice ) and am looking at houses around the £120k mark, so my plan is essentially to stick £20k in the bank/premium bonds and spend £10k on the car. I still want to keep the car within a tight operatng budget though as Im not entirely convinced that the country is going down a good path economically, so I want a car that is well within my means, not one that stretches it.
My fiance and I looked at a Subaru Justy today and were very impressed with the interior space and general feel of it. I will have a better look next year, but it does look like a lovely little car.
Volume 1 can be found here
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=58191&...7
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It was said earlier in this epic thread - for a long term proposition, buy something you love, a car you are passionate about, a car that moves your soul etc etc (revert to Clarkson nonsense blah, blah, blah).
If that car happens to be a Subaru Justy, then so be it.
Not sure I fully agree with you BBD, I don?t think you analogy holds, as your skills are not content specific. But Michael's point is not entirely correct either; IMHO, if the Kia was nice and clean, then it?s an okay advert for a valet in my view. Expectations of a valet are not so high surely.
But much better than that would be a shiny old Rover, still going strong after all these years - that would be an advert for the business, I would say....
Apparantly the law has been relaxed on the use of veg oil as a fuel.
You can use upto 2500 litres without paying duty.
That's a common misconception and not correct.
Producers of "fiscal quality bio-diesel" are exempt from paying duty on production of less than 2500lts a year for their own use. [It costs HMRC more than that to administer and collect it.]
Straight vegetable oil that doesn't meet that exacting standard is a "Substitute fuel" and attracts tax at the full DERV rate. Users caught evading duty will be fined and have their vehicle seized and sold off in the normal way. [A nice little earner for the Customs.]
This is all explained in black and white on HMRC's website.
Portion of a thread moved over from Tech in here as it deserves a wider audience Read more
Make sure your ZX TD has a Bosche IP and then go ahead. I have a ZX TD and it loves it. Even in these cold months it starts first turn of the key in the morning (on 50% SVO).
Please help!
I took the dash clocks out to change the bulb yesterday and put it back, when I put it back, the car starts ok and all fine but the gearstick won't come out of park. I thought it was to do with the brake pedal sensor but when I press the brake pedal I can still hear a little clicking noise under the gear lever.
I think it's to do with the ignition - you cannot get out of park until the ignition is on, so maybe the gearbox is not sensing the ignition??
Is there a fuse I may blow when taking the dash clocks out that is to do with the gear lever lock? Or is there something else I can do??
I tried to disconnect the battery for a while but it remained the same...
Thanks...
Shouting amended in subject line Read more
Surely your local knowledgable friendly reasonable BMW dealership would be able to help?
Each time I fill up, now £60 for a standard 4 Door, the prices are still creeping up, now 102 is average for a litre.
Are we all complaisant, yes I see the odd post, but not a great deal. What happened to the very successful moves a couple of years ago.
Yes I know Crude has gone up, but the yanks still only pay $2.50 a gallon, and the £ is up on the $.
I surmise therefore we are all happy to just go along with it.
{Header changed to reflect the increase in diesel as well as petrol} Read more
If you want to blockade anything , try your local Jobcentre or other Government Office.
I think the law has been changed and you'll find a nasty heavy fine...
madf
Hi the other halfs lupo has a smashed fog light do you have to drop the lower bumper if so where are the fixings
Thanks Neil Read more
Have search here
forums.clublupo.co.uk/index.php?
Browse
I live near the boundary south of Croydon. 20+ new signs recently appeared on roads near here covering about 2 square miles. I'd hate to imagine the costs involved if these signs have been erected around the whole GLA boundary.