March 2008
I have purchased a new insurance policy and it allows me to drive other cars with the owners permission with third party cover. If i was to buy a second car and only use it in emergencies would i be insured to drive it or has that car got to be insured too? Read more
For anyone interested, I've just seen 10,000 come up on the Golf's odometer, in 6 months or so. So far - so good.
HURRAY
Most things.
Engine was fairly lively from the start - even more so now. You soon get round the potential sudden rush of power over 2,000 rpm by judicious use of the accelerator.
Very good balance between ride and handling, and the steering is more direct than the (outgoing) Audi A4 and much better than my previous B-class Mercedes.
Fuel consumption 46-55 mpg - excellent and 10 mpg better than the B-class which was also 2.0 litresand 140 bhp.
Excellent front seats, with all the adjustments you could need - the steering wheel also adjusts both ways so if you can't get comfortable it's something you ate.
Good precise gearchange: I miss an automatic less than I thought I would. I could have had DSG, but the Mercedes drone put me off 4-cylinder diesel automatics, possibly for life.
Touching wood, nothing whatsoever has gone wrong or fallen off. They build these in Mexico, so in between dancing on their hats the workforce seems to have done a good job.
Residuals should be good - What Car says a healthy 48 % of cost retained after 3 years, compared with 40 % for the equivalent (and similarly priced) Octavia estate, and better than the A4 Avant 2.0 TDI (costing nearly £6,000 more and only 45 % after 3 years).
BOO
Noisier than some rivals (though much quieter than the B-class), but the noise is only really noticeable on hard acceleration. It's much quieter and more relaxed at motorway speeds than the petrol 1.6 Nissan Tiida we hired recently in South Africa.
VW need to copy some of the newer designs for folding the rear seats. They fold flat (unforgiveable in an estate if they don't) but you have to remove the headrests first.
So 9 / 10. My natural habitat is still an Audi, but the V6s are too expensive, and you can't justify the extra cost of the A4 2.0 TDI over this, when the Golf does about 95 % of the job. Read more
Just some thoughts on diesel autos.
A couple of years back I had a C-max 1.6 tdci auto, which has a cvt box.
As such as you pulled away, the engine revs would reflect how far open you had the throttle, so it could be a bit "buzzy" until you lifted off to cruise. I liked it a lot, apart from its slow take off from rest. It did around 40 mpg.
My wife now runs a VW Eos, 2.0 tdi, with the 6 speed dsg box.
This I think is very good. Near instant smooth gear changes. It also does not hang onto each gear for too long. The only small problem comes if you perhaps approach an island with your foot off the throttle, and suddenly decide to accelerate. The box will then give a jerky change as it goes down 1 or 2 gears, but I don't think it is alone in this, all auto tend to. Its giving 45 mpg in mixed urban motoring.
Mind you if I was buying VW diesel dsg I think I might head for the spanish variants......!
Does anyone have any tips? I will be driving down next Thursday to Folkestone and getting the 7:45pm Eurotunnel, making a stop at some point along the road, possibly in Ghent, and then driving through the next morning to Efteling, a theme park somewhere near Eindhoven.
I see I will have to pay about £5 for the French tolls to get to the border. Are there any tolls in Belgium or Holland? Are there any funny rules that I have to comply with? I understand the GB stickers are now optional, but how about headlight adjusters, etc. Read more
Thanks for the feedback! I am with you on the Tunnel - quick and a
really easy check-in compared with the Gestapo at the airports. >>
Yes, tunnel every time for us too.
Once we we actually played football in the carriage, with staff watching (we were the last vehicle in the high roof carriage).
My brother has bought a car but has not yet passed his test. He has insured the car on a provisional basis. I have been driving for almost 4 years.
Can i take him out in it (he will be driving) on learner plates on the insurance he has got? or do i have to be insured on that car as well? Read more
well the good thing for me is he has already had a number of lessons with an instructor. i think now he has bought a car, he just wants to have a few hours driving it around
Twice in the last week have returned to the car late in the evening to find that both front windows (electric) fully open.All doors still locked etc,fortunately nothing stolen.
Have removed fuses for now.Any ideas would be very much appreciated.
Read more
You are either holding the remote locking button down too long when locking it or the button is getting accidently held down after locking, it's the global opening/closing feature on the electric windows. It also opens the rear electric windows where fitted and the electric sunroof, imagine the sun roof left open all night in the rain :0(
Hi there,
long time lurker etc etc.
I've been flipping back, reading through some old posts, in both the General Discussion
and Technical rooms, and I've got a question for Screwloose and any other mechanics
who predate the era of pervasive engine management systems.
My own car-owning history only goes back 20 years or so; I began with an '82 1.0L Mini
and I'm currently running around in an '03 plate Fiesta TDCi.
Whats striking for me, as a not-very-good fixer of cars, is how little it seems 'modern' garages can actually do in the way of fault diagnosis that isnt computer-driven- and more importantly, how often these diagnostic tools can prove to be wrong. I'm lucky in that I have an excellent local garage, staffed by both old-timers and young 'uns, that seem to get it right more often than not. I shudder to think of taking the Fiesta to a main dealer for repair.
There are many tales on this site of owners with both commonplace and mysterious faults
who faithfully take them along to their main dealer, get a diagnosis, get a part replaced, which often fails to cure the problem. Theres usually a bill associated with this- it seems that if the computer says that the problem is caused by part x failing, then this part must be replaced and the customer billed regardless, regardless of its effectiveness in curing the fault.
I guess my question is: granted, the vehicles of yesteryear were usually less complex than current machines- but have the old days of learning mechanical skills, gaining experience, and trusting intuition gone for good in our main dealers?
Apologies if this has ever been asked elsewhere.
TT Read more
To some extent it's already been done. TRW do the "id" system; the laptop-based remnants of Lucas' stillborn Diag3000 unit.
With a bluetooth interface and a wireless laptop it should have been a winner; but it wasn't well liked, had limited coverage, sank without trace and I don't know anyone who still uses it.
The problem for OE parts suppliers in this field is the question of software licences and IP rights. While the Chinese happily blag the entire diagnostic software from the manufacturer's tool without a second thought, OE suppliers don't want to upset their major customers and must pay royalties - making their tools totally uncompetitive against the unlicensed competition.
Magnetti Marelli Workshop Technology recently just abandoned all their loyal customers and pulled out of this country after finding that they couldn't compete with a flood of cheap Chinese rubbish, loaded with half-adapted stolen software, like the "Launch X-431...!" This move was not good news to those who had just spent over £10,000 with them.....
Such are the pitfalls of getting involved with the diagnostics nightmare - and why it's really galling when customers whinge about charging "just to find out what's wrong?" as though it's an easy, unimportant and cost-free part of the repair.
In replacing the front brake pads, I see the new pads have this interesting clip on outside of outer pad. As the previous set didn't have the clip, I'm unsure where/how this clip is supposed to be used. Does it just sit there? Is it supposed to wrap around the caliper in some way? Any insight?
Read more
Isn't that clip used to mount the pad to the piston (i.e clips into the piston recess)?
Most pads I've used in the last 5 years seem to have had them
I have broken the aerial on my Isuzu Rodeo pickup.
Quote from dealer is £170ish supply & fit or £70ish (+ VAT, I think) supply only.
Does anyone know where I could source one cheaper please??
many thanks Read more
Just spend the £70. It will fit, it will be at the correct angle, it will have the short piece of lead that goes down the pillar already attached, and the said lead will have the correct connector on it to mate to the existing wire.
hi
my handbook tells me to press the clutch when starting the engine
why do i have to do this ,and if i dont will it damage the car in anyway
regards tony Read more
I was competing in an off-road event. The handbrake button had been locked in for ease of handbrake turns, and it was parked in gear because it was on a bit of a slope.
I leaned in the window to start it, and let it warm up for a few minutes. I turned the key, it started, and ran!
I try to always press the clutch now before I start any car!
Well known national group - credulous son told need new CAT [1.4i, 114,000] cost 'around £400 all in'. I paid MoT fee, drove 2 miles to garage we usually use, 'sailed through' MoT - completely different emission readings, way below WKNG's. Usual garage not surprised, apparently local WKNG has a 'reputation' .
Returned to WKNG branch for explanation. Showed me their catalogue...'depending where the Lambda goes it's this one at £200 or that one at £300 plus labour plus vat - no, we've nothing cheaper'.
Told cats'r'us etc on internet around 50 notes and asked had they done the test properly - i.e. cat stabilisation, then last 5secs of 30 secs properly warmed up etc.. Showed me 'oil 80deg' on printout.......became defensive and belligerent.
Didn't get money back - letter to VOSA/trading standards.
Sorry if this is old hat to regulars but it's a new one on me.
De-classified from a specific make Read more
You can save monies by getting your car tested at one of these instead of your (not always so) friendly main dealer....
www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-mot#find
If your local council MOT testing centre is not listed here ring that Councils main switch board who will be able to help you.
Browse
It probably says something like:
"Not belonging to you, and not hired to you under a hire purchase agreement"