March 2008
***** This thread is now closed, please CLICK HERE to go to Volume 151 *****
In this thread you may ask any computer related question for which you need help, advice, suggestions or whatever.
Usual rules apply,
No motoring related discussion,
No politics,
No Speeding, speed cameras, traffic calming
No arguments or slanging matches
Nothing which we think is not following the spirit of the thread
Nothing that risks the future of this site (please see the small print for details www.honestjohn.co.uk/credits/index.htm )
Any of the above will be deleted. If the thread becomes difficult to maintain it will simply be removed.
There is a wealth of knowledge in here, much of which is not motoring related, but most of which is useful.
This is Volume 150. Previous Volumes will not be deleted.
A list of previous volumes can be found by clicking Here
PLEASE NOTE:
When posting a NEW question, please "Reply to" the first message in this thread, i.e. this one. This keeps each question in it's own separate segment and stops each new question from getting mixed up in amongst existing questions. Also please remember to change the subject header.
Read more
Hi,
Can anyone help?
The drivers side door on my mgzr wont open from inside or from the outside!!! i can hear the door lock and unlock using the fob but if i pull the outer or inner handle the door wont open.
I have managed to get the interior door card off enough to see into the lock mech and can see that the rods are connected and moving the arms attatched to the lock inside the door. What i really need is a way of getting the door open so i can get at the mechanism properly so does any one know how i can do it??? is there some kind of release catch i can use inside the door for this kind of problem?
Thanks for any help you can give
David. Read more
hi i have the same problem have you found a solution yet
snipquote!
Have you had any further incidents of this, similar to what you reported at the start of Feb, like a loss of power?
Reason I ask is, just had a "stutter" on my new Mondeo, as if I had dipped the clutch sharply then re-engaged it, while at medium rpm on a dual carriageway, the engine note was also different and a bit more dieselly / "boomier" for a short time afterwards.
It was all fine and as normal on the journey home.
I'm wondering if the ECU ordered a DPF regeneration, and the stutter / new exhaust note was due to the regen happening.
Read more
Mine hasn't done it since - fingers crossed. Now around 8400 miles on the clock.
What I don't understand is why my previous Mondeo 130PS TDCi was able to be Euro IV complaint with lower emissions of CO2 without resorting to DPF? Okay I know the Mazda6 is 143PS but I've heard the Mondeo was closer to around 147PS in the later models.
I can see why DPF might be needed for EuroV and later though.
Does this work, or do the solvents in the second layer just remove the first layer? Read more
You want to be careful how much polish you put onto polished wood. Too much and it becomes smeary.
Surely you're not talking about a car, are you?
Hi, i took my 93 405 DT to a garage today because it has a knocking noise, the mechanic says the o/s bottom ball joint needs replacing. He has told me that the ball joint is part of the wishbone on the 405 and the whole unit will need to be replaced at a cost of £130. Does this sound right? I have never used this garage before as my mate always did work on my car but he emmigrated to Australia in january, so now i have to use a garage.
cheers
Jon
{year, etc, added to subject header - perhaps we need a 4th prompt on top of the 3 already in place?} Read more
No, but the ball joint is on the bottom of the strut assembly. Usually an air chisel shifts them (if you don''t have the tool) and a pair of stillsons tightens them up after coating the threads with threadlock.
Is it me or is this car unbelievable cheap. Or has it got something to do with the fact that it is going to cost a fortune to run on petrol and road tax? If I could afford it then I think I would be tempted.
tinyurl.com/38vung
Read more
2.8V6s are prone iirc to very expensive headwork.
The car market reminds me of 1972-74. (or rather it will go that way). Jaguar nearly went bust as sales halved and big cars were unsaleable as petrol prices doubled.
When you look at the cost of 4 new tyres on a quattro etc. You can be sure at £500 all maintenance costing over £5 will have been omitted or bodged.. probbly running on remoulds etc.
hi can any help i have a 2001 mk 3 mondeo zetec (petrol) with just a normal indicator
stalk i have seen a indicator stalk for a ghia x with computer info button for sale
would anybody know if the computer infomation would now work on mine or is there more than just the stalk needed? Read more
IIRC you need the correct display i.e. different instrument cluster as well as the stalk.
Just got back from a long weekend in Israel. Didn't use my regular company and got a 20,000 mile Focus 1.6 Auto. Thoughts....
1. Passenger seat is too low, especially for SWMBO and myself, both of us being about 5'7".
2. Cabin is quite nice, but bland and not as well built as my Outback (there's a surprise!).
3. Performance around town was poor. Lack of bite to the power delivery, noisy, gutless and uneconomical. On the motorway it was very nice, but there are so few opportunities to cruise the length of the country at 75mph that it would have been better with a five speed box (not four) with four short ratios and a very high fifth.
What is surprising is that the 2.0 auto Chevrolet Tacuma we usually hire is more perky and better in the cut and thrust of traffic, although it is noisier and less economical than the Focus.
Pity, but I ain't swapping to the automatic Focus anytime soon. Read more
It's an older engine coupled to an equally old gear box.
99 brake and 4 speed. It's probably the weakest link in the focus chain to be honest. Even the 1.4 would be more pleasant.
If you want to try an auto in a Focus, the 2.0 tdci with the powershift gearbox (similar to VW's DSG) is the one to try. Otherwise forget it.
I personally reckon Ford are losing out by not fitting that box to petrol engines, they may do so with the new turbocharged units in time when launched. I even think the 115 brake 1.6 would be good as its a nice unit with plenty of go for what it is. I have heard the 115 brake is a little on the conservative side too
I bought a Mercedes from BCA Blackbushe and it came up as owing finance as its previous cherished plate now sits on another car which was bought on finance. I thought nothing of it as the HPi check clearly states the car on finance is a different one to mine. Unfortunately the Merc is too big for my girlfriend and I've had literally no calls from Auto Trader ads or eBay so I decided to enter the car into my local Manheim auction. After taking a day off work to go there I was told I couldn't enter the car as it showed outstanding finance. I explained that this finance related to a previous plate not the actual car and showed them the HPi print out but they wouldn't allow the car to be entered until it was removed from Experian. I managed to contact Experian and they've agreed my car has no finance but now they tell me they are awaiting a fax confirmation from the finance house before they can remove it from the register and I've already been waiting a week!
Is there any easy way of resolving this? I've tried to phone and emailed the finance company to get them to send on this confirmation fax.
In the past though I've had admin problems with cars I've bought from auction - in fact 2 out of 2 I bought last year were showing outstanding finance and a mileage discrepancy on a warranted mileage car. I eventually managed to get the cars removed from the register (the 1st was a slow finance firm that didnt remove it fast enough and the 2nd a blatantly incorrect entry into the mileage database) but the bottom line is when buying at auction and paying massive private buyers fees surely all cars should be 100% clear before being offered for sale. I'm told part of the problem is that the most people use HPi whereas the penny pinching auctions use Experian which is cheaper but doesnt give full details so if a car is showing finance because of an old plate these details wont be shown, it will simply show up as finance!
This has really put me off buying at auction but has anyone else experienced this? Surely I cant be the only one! In future I'm thinking I might try and do a cheap HPi check on any car I'm interested in before buying because once you buy even when it's guaranteed mileage and supposedly all clear from HPi you seem very much on your own in trying to get the car removed from the register. Greatly appreciate any advice and thoughts on this, I'm sure I can't be the only one who's bought at auction to find late the car incorrectly shows up on finance or incorrectly showing a mileage discrepancy. Read more
You are lucky getting the car off an Experian system so quickly as a few days.
sq
We are talking about two totally different Experian products here!!
Getting a car removed from their finance register is much simpler matter than resolving your above issue. Usually with a car issue like finance I have had the database changed within 24 hrs. I would imagine for the type of black list that you were on it would take considerably longer because of all the detection work involved.
Hi Everyone, long time no post, hope you are all well.
Towards the end of December last year, i received a letter from my insurers, informing me a claim had been intimated agaist me for an incident alleged to have occurred on 31st October, at 12.01am.
Now unless I was driving in my sleep, I have certainly not had any accidents in my car. After a couple of calls to the insurers, it turned out somebody is claiming I smashed into the back of them, pushing them into a post, causing significant damage. Since this is something I think i would remember occuring, I obviously denied any involvement, and as such my insurers have requested proof that I was at the scene.
My questions are
1) What will they require to validate the claim
2) How do I prove it was not me (will they come and check my car for damage/signs of repair?)
3) If they only require the claimant to provide details of my car, these are readily available on the Internet as they obviously have my registration no, what else will they ask for?
my concern is a significant rise in my premium for somebody claiming I was involved in an accident I know nothing about!
Thanks in advance. Read more
Exactly the same thing happened to me, Nick. I posted on here as well (forum search?) and got a lot of useful advice - as usual. It turned out that other BR'ers were in the same situation and my insurers told me this kind of thing is common. It is usually caused by someone incorrectly recording the reg. details at the scene of an accident, and yours happen to match. Your insurers will contact the other party and request more information. When the colour/ make/ model given in their account fails to match yours, you are in the clear.
In my case the other party refused to provide any more details and told us they intended to issue proceedings against me. Two and a bit years later and they have still not done so.
The only other hassle I had was getting my NCB re-instated.
Browse
.jpg)
click print preview and size to 'shrink to fit'