March 2008
I bought a black cab in 2005 on hire purchase and have since made half the payments. I want to hand the cab back as I am leaving the cab trade and moving abroad. After writing to the finance company, I have since found out that this is an unregulated agreement as the cost of the cab amounted to over £25,000. They are refusing to let me terminate this agreement without paying the outstanding money owed (I,e, the other half). Where do I stand on this and how can I get them to come and collect the cab whilst making no further payments. I know the new consumer credit act 2006 comes into force on 6th April 2008 abolishing the £25,000 limit so that ALL HP agreements are covered under it but will this cover current agreements or just new ones set up after this date? Read more
Did a quick search and couldn't find anything, so...
I've noticed some new cameras at the eastern end of the M40 where it becomes the A40. Mounted in pairs like the average speed ones you see on M-way etc roadworks, and on yellow gantries with what looks like the Motorola logo. I think they are placed in sets of two, one pair facing and another pointing rearwards.
Are these new Big Brother tools in our surveillance-obsessed society, or merely suppliers of real-time traffic info to ordinary folk that have subscribed to a service? Read more
I found this on the HA site, regarding the proposed works:
www.highways.gov.uk/roads/projects/17835.aspx
"A40 Denham Viaduct Strengthening and Parapet Replacement"
Coil spring broken so I?ve got the whole leg from the scrapyard. As expected the pinch bolt?s seized. Tried a 4? scaffold bar, hitting a spanner with a lump hammer, warming the joint & WD40. Any ideas please? Also is it practical to remove the strut and knuckle to drill the pinch bolt out on the bench if necessary?
And why is it necessary to remove the hub, driveshaft etc - if I can get the pinch bolt loose and remove the anti-roll bar tie rod can?t I just drop the whole lot down and withdraw the strut upwards?
Thanks in advance.
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This was a really bad job.
After (separate) hours of gentle warming & Plusgas, hammering etc I got the bolt to move about 1/32? before it rounded off, so I had to drill it out anyway, in situ. Wish I?d done that in the first place. Still difficult to open the pinch enough to get the strut out. It didn?t need the knuckle etc removing to get the strut out but only because the coil spring was broken, I had to mess about with 4 compressors to get it back in and it was a frustrating 2-man job.
All in all it?d probably be easier to follow Haynes and remove the lot as one, then it?d be easier to drill/unbolt the pinch bolt and knock the strut out on the bench. Also less likely to damage anything.
Has anybody actually seen a Fiat 500 yet? I have yet to see a single one on the roads... Read more
if there are selling its good for fiat, didnt they do this in the 1950s with a cult small car?
just a shame fiat cannot sell anything else but this sort of thing.
How many fiat deales are there in the UK anyway Ive never seen one
Didn't this site used to have some sort of tool for finding new cars based on criteria you entered, and comparing them side by side? From what I remember it was pretty good, but I can't find it - if it's still here, apologies (busy day) and could someone please point me in the right direction.
Otherwise, is there a website that lists all cars available in the UK in price (and perhaps other user-selectable) order? I remember one of the motoring magazines doing this occasionally and it was quite useful.
Cheers
John Read more
The one on here was called motormatch.
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=51333
That's it! Thanks DD, and there's a screenshot near the bottom of the developers' web page:
www.arterysolutions.com/
Wonder what they did with it after the 'trial'?
BR, I need your help.
I'm down amongst the heathens on the South Coast (Hailsham, just north of Eastbourne) and will be leaving for civilisation at about 4pm Friday. I can't change the departure time so key question is do I go East around London via Tunbridge Wells and Dartford for either M11/A14 or M25/M1 or West via M23/M25/M40?
Thanks all.
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I use the M6 toll. Expensive but has always been free of traffic and fast. Saves the hell of the normal M6 - but at a cost.
Hi folks!
I am considering fitting some reversing sensors on my car and would appreciate any feedback from others who may have done this. I prefer the type that fit into the bumper rather than those that just clip underneath. Would anyone know if it is necessary or advisable to remove the bumper to do the work, or met with any other complications. I have seen some that have been fitted into the rubber bumper insert and wonder if that could have been an aftermarket fit. Any thoughts on this guys? Furthermore, there seems to be a wide variety of models and prices, but does paying more get you more I wonder. I think I prefer the type that has an audible signal only over those that have a dashboard display.
Many thanks, David. Read more
I think Autoexpress have an article on aftermarket reversing sensors this week. Probably worth a read.
Have you ever fitted a 3 point seat belt in the middle of a 99 sharan to replace the standard lap belt. If so could you tell me where the parts came from and the price. Many thanks Rich bevan
{year added to subject header - just like the 3 separate requests ask you to do} Read more
My understanding (as a former Galaxy owner) is that MK1s (i.e. pre 9/01) cannot be retro-fitted as the necessary fixing isn't present on the inside of the cant rail. On MK2s it's theorically possible but an enormous job which would involve changing the roof lining!
Securon offered a 3 point kit which was a bit crude as it consisted of permanently bolting a reel on floor behind the middle chair. How much of a nuisance that is depends on how often you take the chairs out.
The knowledgeable and helpful owners group at www.fordgalaxy.org has a pinned thread concerning this.
ive had this car a month and been reading that the mpg is shocking on this car just done a 60 mile run on the motorway and got ,1st 30 miles at 75mph at 27mpg on the dash read out ,then the next 30 miles back home at 60mph was 40mpg is this good i think it is ,whats your thoughts
regards tony Read more
Hi, as per my thread elsewhere I have the same car which I am trying to get out of as quickly as possible!
You do not have any faults-if anything 40 mpg is a great result from this car!
My average is now down to 31mpg, and best I have seen is 39. This Focus is a great car but thirsty if used as designed-ie with the 115ps 1.6 there is little appreciable power until 4000+ revs so if you want to drive at a reasonable pace then economy suffers badly. If you try driving gently you may as well get out and walk!!
So, in summary, you are unlikely to get better mpg, usually a lot worse. If you can live with this then fine-enjoy the rest of the car. If not, try to chop it in quick for a diesel like I am!
Hi
I am looking to buy a new car having had problem after problem with the last 3 used cars I have purchased.
Been looking on the net and I am interested in the lease plans where we pay a deposit and then pay a monthly payment for a period then hand it back at the end/pay to keep it.
We need a family car and have a budget of around £230 per month - can anyone recommend suitable vehicles? I like the look of the Nissan Qausqai
Subject line tweak Read more
Op, check out www.lingscars.com
Shocking website, but I have heard good things about this mad woman's company....
Lots of lease companies advertise good headline rates i.e. "£99 a month" but don't tell you (until the small print) that you have to pay £1k or £2k deposit, plus a fee for this and that...
From what I understand of lingscars, you just pay what it says i.e. £99 including VAT 3+23 = 3 x £99 up first payment followed by 23 payments of £99...
Check for yourself but thats how I understand it.
Browse
unfortunately, they lose most of their value in 3 years as the new version TX4 has now been brought out which effectively means earlier versions are valueless (if that's even a word!) Good old Ken keeps on bringing out new requirements on emissions etc which makes the old versions obsolete quickly and a newer version gets churned out until he finds something wrong with that too and so it goes on...