March 2008
... continue to amaze.
Case in point: A guy near me selling an average looking 12 year old jap pickup truck. He wants $3,800 for it. Later the same day I passed what looked like a late 1980s relic with rot on the doors and they wanted $1,000!
Yet looking on the austin rover forum there's a guy wondering about putting a new 200 quid clutch in his 12 year old Primera which he says still has many many more miles in it, because this is more than the car is worth. Read more
hi,
im really hoping someone can help me, i have a 1999 ford fiesta and the stereo in it has died on me...
i got a flat battery a few weeks back and asked a friend to come out n jump start me...i assumed he knew what he was doing but got suspicious when spark and smoke started coming off my engine...i think he'd either let the leads touch or wired them up wrong...anyway after a small panic we finally got my car going and everything is fine except that my radio just does not work now
it doesnt even switch on to allow me to put the code in or anything...i changed the fuse in the box to the bottom right of the steering wheel...i went to halford who got radio out for me (it was factory fitted) and recommended getting a new radio from a scrap yard...
i ordered one from e-bay, plugged it in and even this new one doesnt work!! the seller has a full money back guarentee if the equipment doesnt work so im pretty sure that tghe radio itself is fine...
im running out of ideas as to what it could be! as you can probably tell im not a car expert and i hate having to ever take it to garages cos im sure they just completely make up whats wrong with my car and pluck a price out the air to charge me so if anyone can give me some advice i would be forever grateful!!
jo Read more
Hi Jo
You can take your car and both radios to a car stereo shop, where they can test them for you, Im not sure about rates, but usually they are not expensive, also they can test your car´s wiring to see if there is something damaged and fix it for you, and reinstall the radio or the new one in the car.
Usually this places have some fee for testing and installing sound equipment, but ASK THEM BEFORE they start working how much this will cost, to see if its convenient for you, because sometimes they are not clear and charge a lot of $$$. Maybe someone here can also suggest some place near your location to assist you.
Hope this helps
Javier
My partners has a 1999 renault laguna and she is having problems selecting reverse gear its seems to have got to the point where she needs to turn the engine off then select reverse gear and re start the engine to get into it, any suggestions would much be appreciated.
{Year added to subject header. I would have also edited in the engine details had they been provided, but seeing as you failed to spot the 3 separate reminders.....} Read more
Sounds like the clutch is dragging.
New record contender here: tinyurl.com/2tnw6r
Best I've done is a 4 day test with a VW Passat in 2002. This was arranged via the firm's fleet people and is a great way to try out a car. Read more
>>6,200 kilometers (3,850 miles)
Pah. Amateur.
Does anyone know the likely dates of next years Geneva show?
I was hoping to go next week for a day, but there does not seem to be any sensibly priced or timed flights available now.
Read more
having a couple of tyres fitted at kwik fit the other day and they had a sign saying spend 50 pounds and we\'ll do your aircon for 25 pounds. Having just spent £99 at a VW main dealer for the same thing I felt this was good deal so I\'m passing it on to others who might save themselves a few bob. Read more
I think it's just a reminder that there is often incorrect information to be found on the web.
As for Mapmakers posts, one of the things I like about this forum is the differing views, without it this forum wouldn't be much fun. I like hearing both sides of an arguement, it helps you get to an informed decision. Over the years there's been a few things I've changed my view on after reading discussions on this forum.
I can't comment directly on the air con con as I've never had to have an AC system fixed. I forgot to say in the earlier post that my A4 is a 1999 model, so AC has been working for 8/9 years without ever being touched.
I've probably tempted fate now and this will be the year it stops working!
The single most annoying feature of the Ulysse I\'ve just bought is the PINpad you need to key 4 numbers into before it will start. I assume it can be de-activated; does anyone know how please? Read more
thanks elekie - good point re security but I'm more worried about the wires breaking and leaving me stranded as the PINpad mounting has broken and allows the thing to dangle. I'll disable it whilst sourcing a mounting for it.
The government has announced further use of the hard shoulder during congestion periods.
I have reservations, as this part of the motorway always appears to be littered with glass, vehicle crash debris and parts of truck tyres.
Unless these areas are permanently swept by the highways agency, I will not be driving along them. Read more
I do see your point of view YB, but, I can't go along with it.
people in higher regard than those of the normal road user.
As far as safety, injuries and deaths go, we're all absolutely equal.
risk reduced as much as possible.
If this (flawed but fashionable) phrase is followed to its logical conclusion, each incident, even small incidents would close the road. The thing that's missing is the idea of balance, the loss sufferred by those held up, the loss to business and trade.
>>We will have to agree to disagree
That's OK! It would be a dull discussion if we all just nodded our heads in synch!
As yet, the M42 experiment has not shown significantly worse accident stats to normal motorway. When someone can show me real data which prove that it's a significant extra safety risk, I might buy into the reduced safety argument.
Reading an article in a car magazine that gave tips on how to save fuel, you know the sort of thing - remove your roofrack, check tyre pressures etc!
One recommendation was to switch off your engine when stationary eg traffic lights.
Now I know VW and Citroen have previously sold stop/start cars that did this automatically but is there really a saving to be made? I understand it will put more pressure on a starter motor but I have never had a starter motor break down since my Talbot Samba so maybe they are up to it nowadays?
On what circumatances would it work - I would assume engine would need to be at full operational temperature for instance?
I tried it today coming in to work at some lights where I need to wait for 4 light changes before I got through and one of the hindrances was that people seem to edge forward. So lights change to red, everyone stops, and then everyone starts moving forward again closing up on the car in front meaning I had to to start the engine as there is now 2 car spaces in front of me!
{typo in subject line amended} Read more
Starter motors are not generally problematic these days - short haul vans don't seem to suffer unduly.
A diesel will idle at an air/fuel raio of 50:1 wheras thanks to our idiotic adoptation of catalytic convertors a petrol idles at about 15:1. There is therefore a much longer "payback" time with the diesel.
A diesel engine always requires excess fuel to start it and this is automaticlly selected by the fuel system whether it is a mechanical pump or is electronically controlled. This accounts for the tell tale puff of black smoke which occurs when a diesel is started, accompanied by a slight surge (with a mechanical pump) as excess fuel is automatically deselected and the engine then idles on the governor.
So, bearing in mind that excess fuel is a greater volume per shot than normal max fuel, I would recommend leaving a diesel running unless a stop of more than about 3 minutes is envisaged. Diesels are harder on starter motors too.
659.
Bought an Audi A3 with a 51 plate and wanted to change the wheels for ones from a 2005 model.
Change from 195/65/R15
To 205/55/R16
Question is - would they fit?
Cheers Read more
The change in tyre size is okay, but unfortunately it looks like it will not be possible to bolt the 2005 wheels onto a 2001 car.
The pitch circle diameter (distance between the centres of the wheel bolts) is slightly bigger on A3s from 2003 onwards (2mm bigger). Looks like the offset will be different too.
See: www.bikerlifestyle.co.uk/tech/pcd/pcd.html
Happy to be corrected if someone knows better?..
HTH,
Rich.
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it's a bit of a mystery to me as I'd imagine with such accessible new vehs and aggressive leasing deals alot of American friends of mine never seem to be in anything other than almost new cars (at least once college years are over).
Also I think in the US there is more over production than here so imagine there is alot of offloading of vehs at mad cheap prices new...