March 2008
From The Times. Don't think anybody has posted this here yet...
timesbusiness.typepad.com/money_weblog/2008/03/the-ten-crazies.html
links to The Times aren't normally allowed. I'll let this through this time, but as a non clickable link. Read more
Hi all. I had an annoying bump in an 'outlet' type car park last weekend. I was by myself and trying to ease out from the side of a parked white van which had reduced my visibility to zero. I had parked nose in, and had no option to drive forward. As I crept back, I felt a bump and saw a flash of red. A car had swiped across my back end, with the collision starting at his rear offside door. The damage was a slight crease in the door, scuffed paintwork and a crack to the plastic insert. My bumper suffered scuffed paint. We exchanged numbers with a view to possibly sorting it out without insurance. But his repair quote is half a grand!
I initially assumed it was my fault, but is this the case? Most cars backing out (and nosing out for that matter) of car parking slots are at least half blind and hoping other cars spot them before they are able to see properly themselves. So is there not a duty of car on the drivers doing the 'finding a slot circuit' to watch out for this. I want to be fair on the bloke, but fair to myself as well.
Anyone know the rules?
Thanks
Martin Read more
Unfortunately, if you drive blind, it is always your fault.
It's unfair as you are caught between the devil and the deep blue sea.
In future, if you reserve in, at least you can survey the area BEFORE the parking manoeuvre, rather than reversing out which has restricted visibility. Also, you could pip the horn as you reverse.
There is a 51 plate S Type V6 auto for sale at a dealer I know with just 38000 miles on the clock. The interior looks like it has never been sat in, astonishing looking motor and i have fallen in love with it. On sale for £6995, What should I be aware of?
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6K tops, although a mate has just pxed a 'Y' 35K 3.0 se auto sat nav silver for 8.5k against a Shogun ex demo long wheelbase doofer machine. Where will they place that Jag then?
VBR.........MD
Duplicate post removed.
Also original post edited to remove accusations as could be considered naming/shaming. Read more
I'm looking at a VW GOLF 1.9 TDI 5 dr it then says TREND. It's on a 05 plate. 36,850 miles. Anybody any idea what it is (S, SE, Sport). Is it a local dealer upgrade?
Any valid opinions on it as a private buy for £9k? Currently running a Skoda Octavia Ambiente 2.0 on a Y. 130k. Is it worth switching to diesel in spite of the price differential. I do a 40-mile daily round to work on country roads + usual extra trips, hols, visits etc.
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The Trend was also sold in Ireland.
Last week i was running out of diesel and i can feel the car jerking by then i was 2 min away from the gas station so i managed to get the car to the gas station and feel the tank with some diesel. But couple of minutes i realise that when i start the engine there is a massive smoke coming out of the exhaust expecially in the mornings or when i have parked the car for a while and start it. I want to know if my runing out of diesel has affected the engine. Read more
Moved over from discussion - can you please include the year and engine in the subject line.
I own a 4 yr-old Suzuki Ignis Sport (22,000 miles only). I intend to keep it for at least another 4 years as I am very pleased with it. My question is to do with the forthcoming 4th year service.
My local Suzuki dealer is quoting me £280 for the 4-year service (£160 for parts, £120 for labour -2 hours).
A *proper* local garage has quoted me £160 (they seem to be honest and have a good reputation).
I have obtained a Pricing Job detail from the Dealer and it mentions replacing the spark plugs (£90 -which is nearly 60% of the total cost for the parts). The rest is what you would expect, £22 for the oil, £11 for an engine flush, etc. I am wondering about the necessity of replacing the plugs.
The independent garage says that it is not necessary, that it's the sort of jobs where dealers make their money, etc. I have checked in the Suzuki book and indeed it is part of the 4-year service.
Not knowing much about cars, I have no idea who is right. I do want to keep the car for another year, but I do not particulary want to pay over the odds for jobs that do not need doing at this stage.
What should I do?
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Thanks Chrome, very useful. I was wondering whether they really need replacing, but I suppose I'll go along and have them replaced.
What do you mean by your opening sentence "Got to be a good ind garage at 4 years old!". You reckon it is a little risky?
My local (well, I don't shop there!) Morrisons has done it again - increased all of their prices on all fuel types at the pump.
This means everyone else will now follow and increase theirs.
BP. Shell etc are currently cheaper to fill up at - well, they won't be this time tomorrow will they?
LPG has increased by 4p whilst everything thing else has gone up by 2p per litre.
How can they justify this? Is this a Government price increase or corporate greed?
On top of that, the free air and water (yes, water) has been replaced by a machine that you now have to pay 20p to use - unless your purchase of fuel is over £15
The car wash is now £2.50 for the basic wash.
Just totally pink fluffy dices me off!
Rant over! Read more
Sorry, but none of these have materialised yet and there is considerable doubt whether they ever will. The replacement Air Tankers have bit the dust as they were to be financed by through PFI, which the current credit crunch has knocked on the head. (Thank goodness, the whole thing was a farce)
Trident (Polaris went years ago) replacement.....nothing but paper shuffling at the mo.
Aircraft Carriers....we might get them in around 15 years..then again we might not.
AFVs....they keep rehashing the old kit.
The defence budget has been slashed, with more to come.
Howdo all, I'm hoping some people out there who have bought a new pre-reg car can give me some advice as I got a confused response from my own insurer on this.
Is it easy to get insurance on a pre-reg car that you happen to own (as well as being the main and only driver on the policy) but not having the V5 document and as such not being the registered keeper.
If anyone has tried a number of insurers I would totally appreciate a list that accept this.
Any help appreciated. Read more
apologies, just seen a number of other messages explaining similar situations. Should've done a search first....doh!
HI guys, im hoping for some advice on which car to buy next. I had a Fiat Brava which has gone to the great garage in the sky so i'm on the look for a new car.
Ideally, i would like a diesel and like the look of the vauxhall Vectra but have been told its not great for short journeys (15 miles down motorway to work) and ones i have see (51 reg) have about 140,000 on the clock.
I have a budget of 2k ideally would like to spend £1700. Does anyone have any suggestions???? Read more
At 15,000 miles a year with a diesel is starting to make some sense.
Buy the nicest Peugeot 405 1.9 TD saloon you can find (about £600) with a long MoT. Fill it up with 80% vegetable oil from the shelf at Tesco/Asda etc for £0.70 a litre, and 20% diesel. You can also use a 306 1.9 diesel, a Citroen ZX and a Citroen Xantia. In any case make sure the injector pump is made by Bosch (easy, it says so on the side)
Totally legit so long as you a) keep receipts and b) use less than 2,500 of veg oil a year.
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A while ago here, there was a nomination for "swine-of-the-week" for the parking warden who ticketted a car whilst the driver was just nearby helping a hit & run victim until the ambulance arrived. { Unfortunately, we haven't moved on here form the old English law of resposibility meaning that you help people at your own peril.}