March 2008
I've just watched the repeat of Traffic Cops shown on Monday, and they stopped a woman in a Berlingo for having gone through a red light. However, she went over the first stop line on amber and only crossed the second stop line ahead of the cyclists' area on red.
Since amber is still stop, I understood there were still grounds for issuing a ticket, not helped by it taking ages for her to pull over, but it seemed harsh.
However, I wasn't sure of the rules and so checked the online Highway Code, and found out that both stop lines do apply. If the lights go to red before reaching the second line, you must stop behind that second line.
I must admit I didn't know that. The number of times I've read the Highway Code, I'm surprised I had forgotten it - at least I know now. Must be the bad influence of living in London, where many times now I've nearly been knocked over when crossing a road on foot by cars ignoring the lights, even with police cars waiting at the junction (once was a police car itself).
While I'm posting this thread, does anyone know if traffic lights are allowed to have staggered stop lines? Near where I live, there are a few junctions with three lanes for going ahead, but two of those drop into one just after the junction. If I'm in one of the lanes that merges, I never draw up alongside a car already waiting, instead staying half a car length back (or forward). It then means that my car, the one in the other lane, and all the ones behind us, are pre-staggered, ready to zip merge. If the stop line was staggered, the traffic would do this automatically, reducing the fight for the front or the of opposite both cars letting the other to go first, holding everyone up. Read more
After 2 years of endless problems with my company car a Pug 307 I gave up and decided to get something which is easy to maintain DIY.
I drive about 60 miles a day and when I say easy to maintain i mean a car like it use to be 10 years ago, if I need to replace a burnt out bulb I can just go and do it in 5 minutes, a car that is frugal on diesel and servicing don't cost the earth.
Got to be a used one as we are a 'green' business and easy to maintain as we have our own workshop. I had a look at a 2004 Rover 45 Diesel and a Civic 2002 cDti, what do you think?
Roy Read more
oilfilter
I agree with maltrap and mss 1tw, go VW group.
I own a 199 VW Polo TDI (90) estate. I've had it 6 years. Now on 92k. uses no oil, does 60mpg year on year. I've never had to replace, battery, discs, pads or shoes. Just routine oil, fliters and coolant + a set of glow plugs as a precaution and the rear section of the exhaust gave up. Any external light bulb can be changed in minutes too. Indy servicing by a trusted 'old school' mechanic (who knows his stff) costs between £120-£150 every 10k. Body is as new and tyres last well too. Just find a good one and don't look back.
All my previous cars Vauxhall and a single Renault and good old British Leyland (who remembers the Marina and the Allegro? were carp in comparision.
When picking the colour for my new company car I chose what I thought was a shade of silver ie Avalon. As it was a new shade I tried to check in my local dealer what it was, without success. Just to warn anyone thinking it is silver, it is in fact BLUE, more like Tonic.
Had it been a private sale I would have rejected it but as its a comp car its no big deal.
Its a nice shade but I have had a lot of blue cars and never a silver one.
My friend chose Vision and he is now worried what it will look like!
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As a web-savvy bod you should understand it's almost impossible to get colours "right" esp if they are light tints. Just how can a CRT/LCD display a "metalic colour" - no it can't, I hear.
Whatever happened to the Pantone sytem? - maybe updateed to include "metalic" covering modern car finishes....but in reality your dealer is at fault . . . . happy to take the Order and earn Commission. . . . . but not concerned the customer is happy with the car. Can't be difficult to sell cars, I guess.
Oh alright, blame Ford for not supplying a few paint-panels for the dealer to display.
Hi all,
A colleague has a '99 Megane Cabrio; a month or two ago, the display on the dash for the radio/temp info stopped lighting up. If the sun hits it at just the right angle then you can make out the display, but under normal conditions (and in the dark of course!) it just looks blank. Is it likely to be the backlight? And if so, how easy/difficult is it to get these displays out - is it a straightforward "remove some fixing bolts and out she comes", or is it a full dash out job? Or is it something else?
Thanks for any help/info! Read more
I did try the Fonz slap, but unfortunately, despite my nonchalant stance, no joy! Thanks for the replies folks, we'll whip the dash off this weekend (hopefully) and have a look and get it sorted.
Hi all
Today whan starting my wifes 106 1.5 diesel the alternator belt snapped, i got a price for a new one from my local autosave which was about £8.00 but i don't think its a job i can do myself, does anyone know how long it should take and a rough cost of fitting as my local garages around here aren't the most honest. and my usual garae is to far to drive the car to.
Many thanks
escortgti Read more
Thanks very much for the info 659, i woudn't want to jepordise my engine for the sake of an alternator belt. i will see if i can find someone decent locally to do it rather than chance it.
Hi,
In October last year I bought an '04 reg Almera 1.8S Auto with 20,000 miles on the clock. In Feb it was due for a service (at 29,000 miles) so we took it to our local nissan main dealer.
When we picked it up it started hesitating (particularly under acceleration) & wouldn't rev very high without making alot of noise. It went back to the dealer & it was found to be a faulty spark plug fitted on the service. When this was replaced it completely solved the problem and it drives perfectly now but there's one problem.
We regularly check our fuel consumption (by the 'fill-the-tank-up' method) & before the service we were consistently getting 36 to 38mpg. Since the spark plug problem we've used 7 tanks of fuel (doing 2,500ish miles) & got the following mpg figures:
First tank after the spark plug problem = 30mpg
Second tank = 30mpg
Third tank = 38mpg
Fourth tank = 30mpg
Fifth tank = 35mpg
Sixth tank = 32mpg
Seventh (& last) tank = 32mpg
It's running perfectly, no problems at all, there aren't any warning lights on the dashboard, the brake pads were replaced on the service & the brake callipers were fine (plus it's accelerating and braking OK) so it's not the brakes binding & there doesn't seem to be any black smoke coming out of the exhaust.
The dealer has said that they can't think of anything that was done on the service that could cause the mpg problem & that all they can do is to do an emissions test (to check the engine's running OK) & 'reset' the engine management system.
Has anyone heard of this type of problem (particularly with Nissans!) before or has anyone got any suggestions???? Read more
I know for the last few weeks (since around the time of the service come to think of it!) there has been some road works causing quite a bit more congestion than normal on the motorway my girlfriend commutes on so, at the risk of sounding really stupid, the variation in mpg COULD be explained away by the congestion & not necessarily a fault!
Even though I'd feel a fool if it did turn out to be these roadworks, that's great if it won't cost anything to fix!
Thanks!
Hi, My car is a 02 civic 1.4s, done 73k. It has some grinding, whirring noise in Neutral and becomes quite loud in 1st and 2nd gear. However there isnt any noise when the clutch is down.
I took it to nationwide for a check but all they said was some internal problem with gearbox..... and quote me for at least £1200 to replace it.
Is it likely to be problems with bearings or i will need to replace whole gearbox ? which one will be cheaper ?
also i want to know roughly how much will be the labour cost for gearbox change.
I'm extremely worry as i cant go to work without my car, hope someone can help, Thanks Read more
My 1.4 Civic Max 96000 miles, has developed the same problem. Noisy in the 1st to 3rd gears on acceleration and noisy thrust bearing at idle , clutch out.
I had it on the ramps at a garage yesterday and the knocking was quite apparent. ...
I have just spent £1700 on repiars for my car but am STILL suffering problems. Having replaced the engine (reconditioned), clutch, manifold and various other pieces. When they were road testing, the car kept stalling when coming to a stop, but then starting first time again. The garage also got a full diagnostic carried out and the engine was set up correctly.
However, the car has started stalling again - when I am driving on the dual carriageway at speed then coming to a stop, the revs drop and I need to rev the engine to keep it live. The car is OK when driving slowly around town, but it is jumping a little when I put my foot down.
This whole saga has been ongoing for almost three months and am starting to loose faith in the garage. I feel like just selling the car buts it only worth about £1500 so would be making a huge loss.
Any advice????
{year added to subject header after a forum search. Would have been easier if you'd added the info yourself though} Read more
I have heard on earlier Mondeos the EGR valve was vacuum controlled and could be
blanked off to improve problems. (Apparently easy to do yourself).
That was certainly true on the mk1/2 TD models, and yes it was a doddle. Pull off the vacuum pipe from the side of the valve, insert a tight fitting ball bearing or similar "obstruction" into the pipe, and reconnect it.
Mine never gave any trouble though, so I can't comment on the effect. It comes highly recommended on the Mondeo Enthusiast's site, however.
Cheers
DP
Hi, we have received a strange item at one of our charity shops and keen to work out what they are. Any takers?
i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii181/Glasgow_Hospice/...g
i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii181/Glasgow_Hospice/...g
They may be something as simple as stacking picnic cups, but why 6 different sizes? They come in a leather case about 6-7 inches high. I am sure the "cups" are plastic but they seem to have a "bone" type colouring to them. The base of each cup is clear plastic.
Any ideas? A Magician's? Though doubt they would have clear bottoms!
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I know that Superdrug sometimes sell them at a discount.
They sell them cheaper in Costco too, packs of 60 first class stamps for £19.19 = 31.9p each last time I looked. I wonder what price Royal Mail sell them for wholesale?
The left indicators are functioning as they should. Turning right is a different matter. The relay is clicking and the lights appear to work on the outside. However the little green direction light on the dash appears to have stopped working. Same with Hazard warnings. Just the left arrow flashes.
Could this be a faulty relay or connection in the indicator stalk or has the bulb in the dashboard given up the ghost. I would assume if the bulb has gone in the dash I will be shafted going to the dealer.
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This could be a fault with the indicator relay .It is situated in the fuse box to the right of steering column behind drop down plastic panel.It is a double relay yellow in colour.Put your finger on it while operating the indicators to locate the correct unit.hth
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The set of lights in Esher High Street has a staggered stop line (south bound on Old Portsmouth Road).