December 2007
Are you `leading or trailing edge` re cars and in general, why?
In other words, do you buy the new models straight off the production line or wait and buy later? What life experiences shaped your stance on this? Both with cars and other technology?
Ever been `burnt` by buying at the leading edge?
For me,
A newly introduced to the UK Fiat 126 taught me a hard lesson decades ago when it was off the road for months waiting for a transaxle bearing from Italy.
I remember being amazed on buying a first Ford after that and them being able to get the most obscure part, like a parcel shelf grommit, the next day.
With the 126, anything like that and you needed a scrapyard to find a part. But, a new model and none there.
Lesson learnt, buy a popular car off the trailing edge of production, lots around, build faults sorted due to a long production run and parts available in scrapyards.
But more than that, beyond cars, attitude affecting life experiences.
I can remember my father buying one of the very first calculators in the ? late 60`s or early 70`s? it cost around £70. Or about 2+ weeks wages, only to see them become almost free during the working life of that model.
Then a rich mate who bought one of the very first clunky digital quartz watches for £300 in the early 70`s only for it to be an expensive museum piece a few months later.
A work colleague only a few years ago, trying to make the best of his slow £3,000 ? (486?) bought in haste at the computer leading edge, only 18 months or so before computers were 10 times faster and 1/6th the price.
So to conclude,
All of these experiences have affected my choice of cars and I`m happiest just forward of the `trailing edge`regarding cars, new models and production runs.
How about you?
regards ;)
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hi all can any one tell me the correct battery for a pug 205 stdt 1993 1.8 turbo diesel .im not sure if mine has the correct battery on some time she struggles to start especially if sat for 5 mins with radio on and engine not running .been told the battery on her at mo is working fine and holding charge any thought gratefull?
slt Read more
some possibilities are ,bad earth ,faulty connection on battery or starter or lazy starter.
I would check connections first and that means take them off and clean them even if they look ok ,might save yourself a bit of cash
I have recently had the injectors removed and new injector seals put in and then the original injectors put back, this is because of a tinking noise. When I collected the car back it drives OK for most of the time but every now and then the accelerator just stops working, the engine still runs but whilst driving I just lose power and the temperature guage goes up. This only last for a very short while and the temp guage goes own and the throttle kicks back in. I also now have no in-car heating.... I took it back to the original garage who couldn't make the intermittent fault happen and took it to a second who said the same. I now have it back but it is still doing this and it's freezing in the car!! Any advice gratefully received please. This is a 3 litre turbo diesel car
Thank you
slt Read more
spo
I don't even have a 3.0 diesel listed - only a 2.9 ltr. Is this an import?
You appear to have a circulation problem with at least the heater. It's got to be worth getting that investigated on it's own and, hopefully, that might give some insight into what's happening when the gauge goes up.
Without the heater fault, I'd have wondered about a loose earth connexion somewhere.
Does anyone have any experience of Stormforce covers from CarcoverUK ?
Seems to be abreathable 4ply polesteer based material that is apparnetly breathable.
I need it fora Celica Convertible, but their stockists don't list this as a size.
Contacting them direct their email price quote claims
"Exclusive UK designs for your particular model"
when I asked for a quote from their website.
They are asking about £140 which is cheaper than lot of other breathable covers I've seen advertised
Does this mean they are able to make to measure from some kind of pattern database or just have a range of generic designs to suit certain size/shaped vehicles ?
Does anyone know of the provenance of their "Stormforce" material ??
I have seen much cheaper generic covers advertised (about 1/4 of the price) also claiming a 4ply polyester breathable material, and the close-up photos of these look very like the sample of "Stormforce" material that CarcoverUK sent through the post.
I don't particualrly want to pay 4x the price for the same material thats just been rebadged with a fancy name.
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Beware of the abravive nature of the material. When covering convertible/soft tops execess movement of the material can abraid the soft top on supporting edges and corners.
Been experiemnting with Smoothrite aerosol painton a 1930s bike I'm restoring.
Spraying a single coat goes on very well, nice and shiny, no faults.
Its says to spray another coat after 15mins.
Ive found this makes it either run or or goe orange-peely
Any idea if it can be left longer ?
The old brushable stuff would craze and peel if overpainted after more tha nthe specified time unless left about 6weeks to fully cure
Ive already had to strip off one lot of paint as it ran and don't want to tempt fate by leaving any longer between coats if its going to craze or do somehting else.
Anyone any experience with this aersol stuff ?? Does it craze if left a few hours before a another coat, or can I levae it longer say a day or so ?
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I would recommend waiting for the summer, unless you have a warm, well venticated, room for doing it. I did some spraying a few weeks ago, and haven't noticed any problems. I did primer, metalic paint, and then a clear coat.
With primer you shouldn't leave it longer than 24 hrs because it's hygroscopic, and mustn't put it in wet/rain. I waited 15 mins before each coat, and did very thin coats. I did it too thin the first week, and noticed that, after a gentle rub, I was through the colour coat. So I did a few more coats of colour, and didn't bother giving it a rub before the clear coat because I didn't have enough time.
Good luck!
My Father has an 05reg Picasso 2.0 hdi lx. Its on a Motability scheme.
Its coming up for his renewal time and he asked me the other day whether i`d like to buy it. Its mint condition with 32k on.
He`s going to ring whoever deals with it and ask them for a price
Has anyone a rough idea how much its likely to be? He said they offered him a large discount last time.
Thanks for any help. Read more
hi not sure if it's much use to you still but i bought an ex Mobility 04reg Picasso 2.0 Auto Desire with 26k for 4400 on friday at auction - had a trade book value of around 5100 and could be put on a dealers lot for 6500+
trade value currently for your fathers is 5475 so anything from 5500 and below and you're laughing - a dealer would want 7k for something similar and on a well known auto trading website currently the cheapest 05 2.0 lx is 6500 so anything less than that is a result too
good luck!
I am over in the US at the moment and we (brother & I) want to put 16" wheels on a his daughters 2001 (3.1 v6) Buick century, which is factory shipped with 15"
More detail: Car has Firestone P205/R70 15 inch, We have some 16" Snow tyres (tires) 215/55 16" and want to purchase 16" rims.
The car has auto tyre pressure, but so what if that does not work proper, but I wonder of any big issues of the extra inch!
Any comments.
Thanks
Dennis
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The infomation on Tirerack clearly shows that the 16" wheels will be fine, along with the Blizzark snow tires.
This will cause some anguish. I can see parking attendants jotting down registration details willy nilly.
tinyurl.com/ysmnfs
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I understand that parking attendants have to note your road tax serial number to validate the ticket .
what if you left yours upside down on the dashboard ?
and before all you cynics jump to point out potential fines for no road tax, these days the DVLA is online and the police / attendants can find out you're taxed on the spot .
if DVLA write threatening fines , just say it fell off - can't see a court convicting on this ??
Does this work ??
Has anybody ever seen a stretch Morris Minor. I passed a dealer last week who has one on the forecourt. I think that it is for sale. Hope springs eternal in the human breast !! Read more
There was a double-ended Ausin A30 in the Plymouth area, owned by a dealer. I saw it once - it looked like it was reversing. I think I was on a bus at the time. That might be the car you're thinking of.
The best Morris Minor conversion I know of is to fit the body, complete, onto a Range Rover chassis. Looks good and purposeful!
Is it my imagination?.....but are Smart Car drivers some of the most aggressive and annoying road users ever?
I have been driving rather a lot more than usual in the past month or so, especially during the day. If I have been carved up, tailgated, or seen someone else carved up/tailgated it is either White Van Man or a Smart driver.
To be kind, I suspect it is because they are small and nimble and can dart into places better than a lumbering people carrier or whatever.
I always get the impression that if a Smart driver braked hard enough, the thing could somersault. Read more
Not going down the road of the usual "they've got a...................(insert particular motoring prejudice ) and they are bad drivers line". Thread locked.
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I think I've always been trailing edge for the simple reason that I can't afford to buy a new car that I would be pleased with!
The best trailing that I've done yet was a 323Ci BMW Coupe, at the moment I'm trailing a runout MK2 Mondeo and an MGTF, I've no complaints about either car and feel that I get a lot for my money out of both of them, I can't wait for the warm weather to start driving my MG again. :-)
Blue