January 2008
I went to look at a car which looked good value, being sold by a main dealer. It was 13 months old/13,000 miles.
Two things put me off - the first was that it had spent its year as a hire car and so the interior was a bit tired. The second was that it had been late getting its service (was due at 1yr/10,000 miles but had happened at 13 months/13,000).
To what extent would this affect my ability to claim on the 3-year warranty? The dealer told me I'd be fine as long as the car was being serviced at one of their dealerships, but that seemed to be a bit weak to me (and their dealership is a long way from home). Read more
My son has a Mark I Ford Mondeo (M Reg) and the ventilation / heater fan doesn't work. Is there a known problem (like the fan speed switch) on these models, or could it be something more serious like needing a new fan? Read more
Leo
Stick your head under the dash on the passenger's side and look up at the heater box.
You'll see a square plastic plug with four hefty wires on it. It will likely be melted into the resistor block it fits into.
Remove the two screws and the whole unit will come out. Ford do a repair kit of resistor, block, terminals and six inches of wire. You just cut the wires and solder in the repair section.
I'm sick to death of 'speed' per se, being blamed for so many accidents in this country. It's becoming more and more apparent from road accident reports, that it's a lack of attention/proper observation that is the number one factor. Inappropriate use of speed is certainly still evident but nowhere near the level of 'where did that come from' or 'I didn't see you !'
Like many of us on this site, I drive for a living - cars, vans, buses, trucks, etc. I also use a motorbike for leisure. I've driven over 5 million miles in 20 yrs & I'm sure others have surpassed that. The point I would like to make is this - speed is only as dangerous as you or other drivers make it. Even the best driver, using all his/her skills, experience & judgement can be caught out by someone elses mistakes/stupidity. It could be safe to drive at the maximum speed limit on a certain road one day and then madness to do so in thick fog the next. Experience, responsibility and a sense of mortality helps most of us to stay alive by deciding what is safe or not. But it must be galling for those who've have had friends/relatives taken away from them by idiots who consistently put others in danger. More observation, patience and fewer distractions (mobiles, game stations, books, etc) would save many more lives in this country than the current vogue for cash-cow speed cameras. But that's another issue ! Read more
If the laws of this land are dished out with contempt...then unsurprisingly some people will treat them with..er.. contempt. >>
I agree Westpig, respect is reflected, if the legislators treat the people, in this case motorists, with respect then the people will have respect for the legislation.
Over zealous enforcment of at best controversial legislation is contray to this approach.
People, motorists, should be required to be highly trained, perhaps psychometric attitude tests applied before a license is issued, be given clear and fair rules to abide by and then be empowered thus bringing their individual responsibility to the fore.
A development of the "Effect of Speed on economy" thread, though a different point:
This is a little simplistic and does not account for appropriate gears etc however an engine does not run at it's most efficient at very low revs, i.e low road speeds, therefore while increased drag and rolling resistance will generally cause it to consume more fuel at higher road speeds the engine is likely to be operating nearer peak efficiency at higher road speeds and therefore will be more effectively burning the fuel it is using and thus be emitting much less in the way of hydrocarbons albeit while producing a little more in the way of CO2.
So perhaps:
CO2 is not the best measure of emissions.
MPG is not the best measure of a vehicles enviromental credentials.
Reduced average speeds do not deliver a corresponding reduction in harmful emissions.
Read more
It is all relative an engine is much more efficient at peak torque than it
is at idle.
True, I was thinking of effectiveness in terms of fuel conversion.
CO2 maybe unburnt hydrocarbons no because the latter is a matter of how completely the
fuel is burnt as opposed to how much fuel is burnt.
When warm, the ECU will do its upmost to keep incomplete combustion to a minimum. It does this by knowing what proportion of oxygen should be in an exhaust gas, checking this is correct by the lambda sensor, and adjusting the fuel mixture accordingly. It also adjusts ignition timing in comparison to throttle opening.
The engine designers will do their bit by adjusting the valve timing, amount of swirl, and compression ratio to achieve optimum performance and emissions over all rpm, with a bit of compromise.
The catalyst takes care of the rest by converting HCs into water and CO 2 using the remaining oxygen in the exhaust gas. Likewise with CO.
So you really shouldn't have many HCs in the exhaust whatsoever.
I own a C5 2001 model. I have been having endless problems since the time of purchase. I love the car, however the problem is not so much as the car compared to the regional Citroen and their agents. 2 years ago i had major repairs on the car - Oil back harness, P/steering pipe, Gearbox renew, p/steering reservoir hose replaced. Now after 2 years i have to do the whole thing again. 1st repair cost RM 17,800.00 and now another RM 9664.00.
Need to now in the 3S system the agents purchases parts directly or through the regional office. Reason for question - if parts are faulty who is responsible. Presently both parts are pointing at each other.
Have ur all encountered a problem like this.
Dr. Clement Anthony - Mal Read more
My Volvo 2.5 SE is approaching the 240k mark, when it will be due its third cam belt change. I am now using a local non-Volvo garage for servicing & they estimated that it will cost about 200 - 250 pounds for this and for renewing the water pump, which might as well be changed too as it driven by the same belt and would have experienced similar levels of wear.
Is this true and /or sensible?
Thanks in advance. Read more
Sounds like good advice.
Price sounds reasonable too.
An odd choice, I know, what with the cars being from two different classes, but my flatmate is considering her first car (parent funded) and wondered about experiences of the following cars:
2002 "02" Focus 1.6 16v Silver (special ed) 50,000 miles, £4,800.
2003 "53" SEAT Leon 1.6 16v SX 58,000 miles, £5,500.
2003 "03" SEAT Ibiza 1.4 16v (100) Sport 42,000 miles, £4,999.
From her test drives she reckons they seem similar, but doesn't think her test drives were very representative - the SEAT's were both driven on rough roads and felt it in terms of ride apparenty, and the Focus benefitted from smooth roads and seemed smoother. She prefers the style of the Ibiza and thinks it'd be easier to park, while the Focus has the most space and heated screen and seats. The Leon is the only 5 door, which she'd prefer, and is middling between the other two in terms of practicality and equipment - and in true female fashion she's not sure about the matt-red because she thinks it'll fade to pink - is she right?
The reason these cars were selected was because she likes the style of the SEAT's and I told her what a good car my old Focus mk1 1.6 was...but she seems to look down on the Ford as common and unreliable...
Something she didn't test, but thought about when she got back was on the 3-doors do the front seats (Focus and Ibiza) return to their original position or not? Obv she doesn't want to have to reset them everytime she lets me and co in!
What it comes down to, and why she's asked me to put this to BR's is what are people's experiences of the cars (or the engines in other VAG products - e.g. Golf and Polo) in terms of drive and reliability. She'll use the car for mainly town journeys, but will make a 150 mile journey home every 2-3 weeks, so it needs to be capable of motorway cruising and country lanes. Read more
Something she didn't test but thought about when she got back was on the 3-doors
do the front seats (Focus and Ibiza) return to their original position or not? Obv
she doesn't want to have to reset them everytime she lets me and co in!
Daughter has a 54reg (Mk4) Ibiza 1.2S. The seat slide and return was an option when we bought it, and even then only works on the passenger seat.
I quite like the car, although I'm not fan of the 3cyl 1.2 engine (but it is chain cam) in ours. I had a 1.4 Sport as a courtesy car and I thought it was a very nice drive indeed on our local (well surfaced) fast A roads.
One thing I wouls say is to be aware of the doors! On the Ibiza they're long and very heavily sprung. FIL has a 3dr Focus and he likes the fact that the B post is further back. The length of the doors can make getting out in supermarket car parks quite tricky.
The steering on this car has become fidgety and twitchy, particularly round town - motorways not nearly as noticeable. 26000 miles only, set of 4 Pirellis and tracking done 2000 miles ago. All was well then. Haven't hit any major bumps or pot holes. Just trying to work out if it is suspension wear or alignment issues before the Jag warranty runs out! Read more
whenever mine has got twitchy its alway's been tyres. tracking needs to be spot on.1 degree makes a big difference so find somewhere good at tracking.
Doc
Was at the scene of a vomit inducing accident yesterday involving a pensioner in a car versus a youth on a scooter.
All happened in Shenfield, Essex. I was walking along minding my own business when from behind me I heard the sort of sick making crunch you immediately associate with an horrendous RTA. It could only have been a matter of a second after the crash, that a Vauxhall Astra entered my peripheral vision on the left, pushing a motor scooter along under the valance........no rider! I looked behind me and saw the rider about 30 yards up the road, writhing in agony, his left leg at an angle you wouldn't even want to see on a pro' contortionist! He was screaming and it was all quite shocking.
What didn't help was a group of young chavvies standing around saying "look at his effing leg bro' that's smashed that is"
Tried to comfort the guy best I could and para-medic seemed to take an age. PCSO's turned up in a Smart Car and proceeded to do......erm......nothing, not even traffic control (it was rush hour on a busy road One of them went to remove the scooter, I had to tell him to leave it where it was because the real traffic police would probably want to photograph it in situ.
The poor old pensioner looked terribly shocked. I have no idea how it happened, but it was a dreadful scene. Read more
it's a mini r/bout...............
Probably would be better (i.e. safer) if it was. It is a forked T junction with the added spice of the garage forecourt, station car park, taxi's in rush hour, pedestrians to and from mainline station. Bad enough in daylight, but these dark rainy nights are a nightmare....you need eyes and radar everywhere.
I've got a 9 year old Clio that makes a repetitive "whoomph" noise from the front, that sounds like the noise is coming from both wheel arches. Too low to the ground to sound like it is from the engine. The noise only starts up at high speeds (over about 50mph) and after driving for a while. 1st time 5 hrs, next 2.5 hrs, next 45 min. It stops again when the car slows down. I think the car is also making a really low pitched booming as well - at higher speeds when it isn't going whoopmh.
Anybody know what this could be? The garage was no help, as it doesn't make it from standing.
Thanks. Read more
Could still be an aero noise; one of the many flimsy bits of plastic nailed under cars these days.
Browse
I disagree somewhat.
As a general point don?t dismiss hire cars outright.
I had a Mondeo ex hire car and it was faultless.
I?m sure HJ contends that the variety of driving styles they get from new means they are better run in than most.
Obviously don?t buy blind, but as (others have said) if the £ is right, don?t worry about it.