February 2008
Got my Golf booked into main dealer for a service, which I was quoted £290 for, then yesterday I got a call from said dealer to ask me if i wanted the brake fluid changed as it hadn't been changed for two years at a cost of £50, as he caught me off guard I agreed. After thinking, I considered this to be expensive, so I phoned another main dealer who have quoted me £273 all in! Now whilst I'm talking to my new friendly main dealer, the service chap asks me why I am phoning about a service as the last time I had the long service interval done, I told him that the computer is tellingme that I need a service, to which he said that if I drop the car down they will plug it into the computer to check. Now I think I know what has happend, when I bought the car it had been on long service intervals, but the main dealer that sold me the car did a 10k service, and I imagine changed the computer accordingly, now when I then had a service a few months ago I requested to be put back on the long service interval, I guess they havent reset the computer. And main dealers wonder why they have a bad name, I am awaiting a call from the garage that I have it booked in for them to tell me why another VW Main dealer can do the same service for substantially less!!! Furious! Read more
SWMBO sent me this link which is a good way to test your reaction times as a driver ..
tinyurl.com/45ddg
The best I have managed so far is bobbing bobcat ....Be warned - its addictive.
Read more
0.23 sec average.
But I think I'd be slower shooting tranquilizer darts if I had to steer the car at the same time :-)
hi there john, when dome fuse ie is fuse box there is a sssshhhhhhhh noise cominf from speakers, even when radio is turned off. we have changed fuse, it still does the same. when fuse is taken out the noise stops but then we lose central locking can you please help. toyota previa 1993 k reg, 2.4 auto
{which part of the 3 separate requests asking for the year and engine details to be included in the subject header are you finding SO difficult to understand?} Read more
The dome fuse is the one that supplies power when the ignition is off, ie radio prsets, central locking etc. Reckon you've got something with your radio. Pull the power to it (not the fuse) and see if it stops.
Two reported today and I have heard of several more traffic news updates refering to them in the last week.
'The M5 northbound in Gloucestershire has reopened after a fire on a hay lorry closed the motorway earlier.
The incident happened between Junction 13 for Stroud and Junction 14 at Falfield.'
and
'Police marksmen had to shoot a number of badly injured pigs after an animal transporter caught fire on a stretch of motorway in County Durham.
Both carriageways of the A1(M) were closed for a time after the incident between Carville and Chester-le-Street in the early hours.'.
Lorry fires seem to be an ever increasing factors in Motorway closures. Any one know what the figures are per year ? Read more
>>
>> Furthermore extinguishers have
a limited lifespan I wouldn't want to depend on one that was more than five
years old.
Contents of some first-aid kits also have "use by dates".
Can anyone tell me the frequency of which brake fluid should be changed? Is it two or three years? My car is booked in for a service, but got a call from the garage asking if I want brake fluid changed as they havent got a record of it being done in two years. I know that its hyrdoscopic (?spelling) so I agreed to it, but I want to make sure the main dealer isnt pulling a fast one, they want £50 for this privilege, OK its VW, but this seems a bit steep even for a main steeler. Before I get shot down for taking it to main delear which I'm not happy about, the reason is that I'm only letting them do it to get the warranty stamp.
Thanks in advance Read more
If the car is on a lift, it's a 5 minute job, and who knows how cheap their fluid is. I can do my Passat (and indeed I do) in 10 minutes on a gravel driveway, without lifting the car, just by feel. The fluid costs me about £2.50. You are supposed to cycle the ABS, but all the dealers I have watched do the brake fluid never bother. Incidentally, when asking them, Vauxhall used to do mine for free when I had an MOT and they really did as I would always wait and watch!
I see that a north west motorway was shut for most of wednesday following a one vehicle accident. One person from the vehicle died whilst FIVE others were taken to hospital.
The vehicle involved was a Land Rover Freelander.
Doesn't that vehicle only have FIVE seat belts ?
If that is the case, surely a prosecution should follow if the vehicle contained SIX people in total.?
What's the betting the DPP don't prosecute though ? Read more
Get a 'read only' button, just like mine ;o)
Locked.
hi all,I was wondering could anyone offer some advice.
lately I noticed a slight tinee flutter sound when i accelerate under light load,I brought the car to the ford garage and they told me it was avanced timing in the pump, when the car is under no pressure the sound does not appear this happens in 3rd 4th and fifth gear as far as I can tell,the car does not emit black smoke and drives fine with loads of power.
but is annoying especially when on a smooth road(when their is less road noise in the inside of the car.surly this is not a normal sound,
thanks in advance
{subject header amended to include brief detail of the problem being asked} Read more
Sorry mate about 14 miles ,moylough is the name of the village
The most recent problem was when No. 2 injector was out of calibration. New software cured this.
Car also ran smoother with less 'pull' in the lower gears around town. And less soot out the back when I floored the accelerator.
Now, however, mostly when starting from cold and only at around 1500-1800rpm in any gear there is a quite audible clatter/splatter of the engine. It is momentary even if I then deliberately stay at that rpm. It does not happen all of the time. The clater/splatter duration is slightly longer if I accelerate more slowly. At all other rpm there is no similar noise. I fully appreciate that a diesel clatters anyway on acceleration.
The car does not appear to lose momentum, as it might if it were firing on only 3 cylinders (I'm thinking that No.2 injector is not quite right). Read more
I only ever drove a Euro IV Mondeo TDCi (demo and then mine for four years). I can say at low revs it was noisy. I mentioned on here a few times and it seems I might have been alone - but most probably had the Euro III.
On the move it was fine and on motorways as quiet if not quieter than the previous Passat 1.8T.
EDIT: I meant to add that whilst noisy it did not have the symptoms posted by Red Baron. It did have problems with two EGR valves though.
Wonder if anyone here has a Renault Modus automatic?
Would be interested in feedback on how it performs etc. How smooth, or otherwise is the gearbox?
Any specific problems with them - I see on the car by car breakdown it is Nissan based rather than a renault box?
There seem to be quite a lot available at around 3 years old - are they likely to be motability cars? Is this a good or bad thing?
Any other thoughts on a small(ish) auto for around £6000? Would like 1.6 engine or bigger as have found the few smaller engined autos I have ever driven are too sluggish.
Andrew Read more
Yep I just bought one yesterday a 2005 with 50,000 full servos history nothing in the paperwork about any problems I paid £1500 for it one owner ,the trans mission is used by protons amongst others,they suffer from slow changes from 1 to 2nd but is seen as natural and they need the fluid to be clean ,loose cone tions and or corrosion on fuses and connectors need to be checked if you get any probs .mines a 1.6 it pulls well and is smooth
But I'm going to flush the trans out and change the fluid ,if you get one best get a diostic meter you will be needing one !
Good luck with it !
I treated myself to an electric tyre / air pump from H'fords a couple of years ago. Now, SWMBO managed to run over it on the drive this afternoon. Yes, I know...... Tee blinkin' Hee ! Naturally, apparently this is my fault for leaving it there as opposed to hers for not seeing a largish brightly coloured object in plain view in broad daylight etc etc ! Never mind, no harm done to the tyre, but the pump is definately no longer of this world. Having reverted to the trusty foot pump I have decided that I no longer do that. (too undignified or something...read lazy) and I certainly don't trust forecourt air pumps to be accurate.
So... Can anyone recommend a good replacement electric one please? Read more
This is the one I use it is very good
www.international-tool.co.uk/products/product.asp?...2
Browse
.jpg)
I second everything you say Westpig. My local indy is great, it consists of the owner and his two employed mechanics. The owner works on the cars himself and supervises the others. He has maintained both of our cars in their various guises for six years and a combined mileage of over 300k. He has never overcharged and we have never had any problems between visits for servicing. He takes the time to explain what he has done or what he recommends and why. My wife's most recent car was bought new from a main dealer four years ago and has not been back there for servicing as I am very comfortable the our local guy does a better and more thorough job. The added bonus is that he will also source and fit tyres at a better price than any multiple chain or internet source.
For a possibly trivial aside, my last three cars have been Mondeo Estates fitted with TDCI engines. He seems to have no problem in keeping them in good order. I have now decided to see how far this latest one will go. It is already at 140k and is still on original everything which is not replaced in normal servicing, except brake pads and front discs. I have told my, now friend. at the garage of my intention and we are jointly looking to see if with a combination of his mechanical skills and with my intended avoidance of solid objects to see if 300k is reachable. He has another customer whose car he has worked on from new who has 350k on his diesel Audi A6 Avant.
Here we have a chap who is a total enthusiast about his business, who gives good service and charges fairly. He is not surprisingly always busy.