March 2008
Hi
Just taken delivery of a new Focus Zetec Estate and there doesn't appear to be a way of dimming the dash lights?
Is it via the menu somehow?
Cheers Read more
***** This thread is now closed, please CLICK HERE to go to Volume 2 *****
Budget 2008 announces reform of the vehicle excise duty (VED) structure. From 2009, VED will be restructured with new bands, based on carbon dioxide so that people gain financially by choosing the car with the best environmental performance in a given group. The financial difference between the most and least polluting cars will increase, so that making a small change in car emissions has a greater financial impact. From 2010, there will be a new higher first-year rate based on carbon dioxide emissions, to influence purchasing choices.
Specific changes include:
?? six new VED bands from 2009-10 ? including a new top band (band M) for the
most polluting cars that emit more than 255g CO2 per km;
?? reducing the standard rate of VED, in 2009-10, for all new and existing cars
that emit 150g of CO2 per km or less, and increasing the standard rate of VED
on the most polluting cars to £425;
?? from 2010-11, extending the zero rate of VED, during the first year of
ownership, to all new cars that emit 130g CO2 per km or less ? the EU proposed
target for average new car emissions in 2012;
?? holding the first-year rate for all new cars that emit between 131 and 160g
CO2 per km equal to the standard rate in 2010-11;
?? introducing for the most polluting cars a first-year rate of £950 in 2010-11;
and
?? providing a £15 or £20 discount for alternatively fuelled cars in 2009-10, and
£10 in 2010-11; and aligning the alternative fuel and standard rates of VED
in 2011.
165 posts in this one - now locked and called Volume 1. Read more
There are cases where a pre 2001 car pays higher road tax than an identical post 2001 car.
I have a Vauxhall Astra diesel, with a 1700cc engine which has emissions of 132g/km.
Because it is an X registration car, the current road tax is £185pa, which is due to increase to £200pa.
But had it been a Y registration, or later car, I would be paying £120pa, which would be due to fall to £110pa.
I don't think that this is a vote winner with me!
Hello. What does the law say regarding what has to go on a new number plate for a new car? Does the dealership have to have their details printed on it or can I request just the registration number and nothing else? Read more
Just put insulation tape over the dealership name. I have done this for years.
Need to suggest cars for my dad who is 6'6" and want a new "luxury" car - I have no idea which are good or not ... any ideas welcome! thanks Read more
Sorry - forgot the topic related bit of my post ! :-(
My tall friend ( 6'6" ) currently has a BMW 5 series saloon and finds it very comfortable. His previous Passat was too cramped but the Mondeo he had before that was fine.
For further trivia from me my two Golf GTIs very very uncomfortable but I didn't seem to care at the time ( especially the pre-cat 16v ) too busy keeping it out of ditches to think about the seating position !
Hello All,
Father in law has always liked Rover 75's and has taken a fancy to a yr2000 2.0V6 model stickered at £3400. It has 50k miles. Not sure which model.
Has anyone got any information about this engine? There seems to be more info on the 1.8 (not very positive), the 2.5V6 (better, especially in MG 190BHP form) and the BMW sourced diesel (recommended in the CbyC, with the XPOWER pack). But there's not much chat about this 2.0V6. Is it good or bad? To my mind he should buy either a 2.5 or the diesel, but I'm ready to be corrected.
Also, what is a sensible price to pay for a 50k yr2000 Rover 75?
Any help appreciated
Thanks
Read more
If you think VED is high on bigger cars, just wait.
I expect it to double in 5 years.
Easy target and Government needs the money - it has spent it already.
For the first time in 20 years of having company cars thrust upon me i can now buy one for myself. The question is what experience has anyone out there got of the 520d 177 auto as a 30k+ mpa motorway muncher? Ride and economy important, top speed and acceleration not so. Read more
I picked up my new 520d SE in October 2007, it being one of the first 177 revised models. Previously, I had a Porsche Cayman S which I had run for 18 months. The BMW (spec'd with leather, prof sat nav, dark poplar wood) cost less than half the price of my fully loaded Cayman at £27k (big discount thanks to Drive the Deal-inspired negotiation) but, to be honest, I was also expecting a big come down in every respect, dynamically. 22k miles on, I can honestly say that I don't miss the Porsche. The humble 4 cylinder diesel, whilst obviously failing to raise the hairs on the back of your neck, provides as much power as you need in 98% of situations and works well with the 6 speed auto box. I can count on one hand (okay, maybe two!) the number of times that I have genuinely missed the Porsche's power under day to day driving conditions. The build quality on the BMW is faultless. The tasteful poplar wood and leather give it a sense of occasion that is both surprising and vaguely embarrassing given the price. Passengers have commented on the luxury of the car without knowing whether it was a 520, 525 or 530d (so I did the cheap trick of de-badging). In respect of the question of motorway miles, only yesterday I did a round trip of 490 miles from Harrogate to Newport in South Wales. The computer stats were amazing: average mph of 69 and 51mpg (make sure you reset your computer from the factory US setting - to start with, I thought that I was only getting mid 30's mpg due to the US setting). As for your ride and comfort points, the key thing is to stick to the standard 17 inch wheels. Although it may lack the 19" glamour of the bigger-engined modles, the 520d doesn't look 'under-wheeled' and rides very well. All in all, a complete bargain with incredible quality and all round performance for the money. I just wonder what they can do with the new model due in late 2009...
Why are there neither water nor oil temperature gauges on the 3 series E90?
In my neck of the woods a zero or sub zero start is the norm for up to five months of the year. In that period I try to make very gentle demands of a cold engine. In my Audi I can monitor both the water and oil temperatures and avoid high loads before they indicate that the engine has reached operating temperature.
Is there any form of indicator/warning, perhaps digital, in the BMW ?
Again on the temperature theme, When I read a car manual (only occasionally!) I see that there is often reference to a pre-heating system which can be set to warm the engine before starting in cold climates. In Canada (much colder for much longer, admittedly) few cars are offered without it. Yet I have never seen this offered as an option on any UK car. Why ever not? In Scotland, in particular, this would be a very useful facility.
I grew up in a era of mechanical sympathy being not mere desirable but essential to obtain year round service and economic longevity. Has physics changed? (I know the answer to that!) Can the heavy boots be used at any temperature in modern engines? If so, why? Is it a function of new lubricants?
With interest. Read more
I suspect that the engine temperature is monitored by a computer. If there's a problem, the computer will flash large red lights (or somesuch) on the dashboard.
In my opinion, it's much better and more reliable for the computer to monitor engine temperature and provide a large blatant warning than for the average (less than fully awake) driver to monitor a gauge.
Yes, there may be occasions where the computer misses something - like coolant temperature falling indicating a leak and a lack of water near the sensor; but, in many more cases, the computer will catch a problem that might be missed by a significant proportion of drivers.
Of course, given the perfection of most backroom drivers, who's eyes are rarely far from their speedo, or from their gauges, a temperature gauge might seem tempting, however, for real drivers, who, owing to their poorer driving skills must keep their eyes are on the road, having the computer watch engine temperature is a good thing.
Once you've pu the computer in charge of watching engine temperature, why bother the driver with it anymore? Why fit a dashboard gimmick, which does cost something to fit, and hence for the customer to buy, when its fuction is being duplicated and monitored more frequently, and with greater assiduity by the computer?
Hello
Practicality question - considering a Celica on 51 plate. Can they get a car seat in the rear?
Rgds
Richard Read more
Thanks so much for your reply. I was beginning to loose hope and thought the Celica really would have to go! Renewed hope!
hello all i am after some advice on my problem with my temperature gauge.when the ignition is switched on the gauge does move up showing it is getting power,but after driving a few miles the heaters become hot but the temp gauge doesnt move up at all,i have recently changed the water pump and timing belt and the coolant resevoir is full to the maximum mark, i was wondering if anyone knows if it could be any thing to do with the e.t.c sensor? any advice would be much appreciated thanx for your help adam Read more
remove cambelt? isn t thermostat on front face of head held on by two E12
torx bolts?
Thinking about it, you may well be right. I was thinking of the 1.6 engine.
Anyway, via google, I found this for the X18XE1 / Z18XE engines:
tinyurl.com/5685hl (links to www.astra-g-anleitungen.de)
And also this:-
www.astraownersclub.com/vb/showthread.php?t=135213
Car (33,000 miles) just 4 years old failed to start. No previous problems. After 10 days Ford dealer claimed it was a faulty solenoid valve in fuel injection pump and replaced the pump. Then said that the engine management module had burnt out and needed replacing.
How can this happen in a normally running engine or during diagnostic tests?
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The only burned ECUs that I've ever seen were down to jump-starts going wrong. ECUs use very little power, so they are usually on fairly light fuses.
Very few ECUs need replacing unless they are water or vibration damaged; [Vauxhalls] most, up until recently, are repairable.
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Do you mean the parafluffydise hanging from the mirror? ;-)