April 2008
Every other car I've ever had has had rear drums with a castellated nut and split pin. This car instead has a weird nut ( actually what looks like 3 or 4 thin nuts contained in a cage ) which I assume is some sort of locknut. It appears to be done up very tight. How is this supposed to work and what torque is needed? Also there doesn't seem to be any internal oil seal to prevent grease from the bearings getting on to the brake pads. This is progress??
Many thanks for any help Read more
When the owner ordered one with a stick shift, I don't think this is quite what he had in mind.
kuvaton.com/kuvei/jeep.jpg
Read more
Blimey, that looks awfully near the driver's important regions
Today my wife asked me to pop in to a dealer near Dublin to see the new A4 Audi 2.0 diesel. Both of us were actually very impressed with what we saw.
I am puzzled about the different terms used for climate control.
In Dublin they have " Automatic air conditioning ,with sun sensor".
In the UK they have "Cimate control".
Please can somebody help? I have had "Climate control"with my excellent but ageing Seat and I love it and wouldn't want anything inferior. The salesman was very helpful, but he insisted that the Audi today does have climate control even though they don't call it that here. Read more
Thanks for that info. TeeCee.
My Seat Toledo 1999 which I bought when living and working in Devon, had pages of extras and it was the upmarket setup at that time with Seat. It had the full climate control (buttons,not the big round controls on the more basic model of Toledo).
It is just I am very weary of the way you often don't get all the extras in new cars like you would in the Uk. We have to pay a fortune more for cars here in Dublin. I am just not sure of the words used for the new Audi A4 diesel here as compaired to the same car in the UK.
"automatic air conditioning, with sun sensor" (in the Irish Republic)
"Climate Control" in the UK.
I think it must be the same thing.
Since cars were developed makers seem to have copied each other and just added subtle changes to distinguish their own models.
The latest fad seems to be for gaping radiator grilles which look particularly aggressive.
These look like the archetypal tailgaters' cars-"I'm a big fish, so move over, or I'll swallow you."
Audi seem to have started the trend, now being copied by many, e.g. Ford & Peugeot.
And while I'm at it, why do the recent BMWs look so sinister and nasty, particularly in the darker colours?
It seems to be something about the swage lines along the sides.
Am I being too sensitive?-Why did my old Bullnose Morris radiator make the look so sweet?-and why does the old Bugatti radiator look so "right"? Read more
I certainly didn't buy my one and only new car a 2004 Subaru Forester on
looks. It is one of its weak points.
I too have always thought Subarus lacking in beauty although those bewinged and bescooped WRXs with drainpipe exhausts certainly look purposeful (but a bit too purposeful although they are far from all mouth and trousers: I prefer the anonymous, slightly shabby look of a true Q car).
But my daughter's bf's parents have a 3-litre Forester that looks better, or less lumpish, each time I look at it, and of course it is undoubtedly a very nice car different from the general run.
These basking-shark Peugeot snouts are not nice in my opinion, yawning or grinning and catching tons of insects instead of plankton. Cars look better and are probably more aerodynamically slippery if they have small holes in their noses or none at all. But it's a matter of taste, no right or wrong here.
Evening all
My mate had to have a replacement clutch in his 2005 Focus 1.6 Zetec Climate a couple of months ago. The car had only 43k miles on it at the time of failure and to add to that the car has covered predominantly motorway miles. The clutch failed in the 'usual' way i.e. slippage when accelerating uphill, and cost £700 to replace.
Rarely have I heard of a clutch failing in any car at 43k miles, unless it's constantly been driven erratically. Most cars I have come across have covered well in excess of 100k on the original clutch. My old Peugeot 309 1.9D was still on its original clutch at 150k and my current 306 1.9TD covered 172k on its original clutch. My mate's 1998 Passat TDi is also approaching 150k on its original clutch and my boss's BMW M5 has just had a clutch replacement at 120k.
And as if he hasn't suffered enough already, he called me on Sunday to say that he is now having problems engaging gears and the car seems to be well down on power. He has it booked in tomorrow to see if they can diagnose the problem.
Have any other Focus (2004-2007) owners experienced these problems? Two of my work colleagues have the same car with similar mileage and have had no problems whatsoever. Maybe he has just been unlucky- (his family have never had much luck with cars)!
Would be interested to hear of any Focus owners with these symptoms.
Martin
Read more
Looking for some opinions on something I was told by a garage after a tyre on my Polo exploded. Basically:
***If a wheel bearing (RHS front) has been swapped, would it be safe to assume that the steering geometry will not be affected?***
Background is that I put my car in for service (not a certified VW dealer, but I have used them before without problems) and as part of this, the RHS front wheel bearing was replaced as it was a bit worn. Otherwise the car was described as 'fine'
About 5 weeks and maybe 1500km later, one of the front tyres literally exploded whilst driving on a motorway. Fortunately, I was able to keep control of the car, and change to a spare to get me to a tyre place. Further inspection showed that both front tyres were worn down to the belts on the inside edges - literally no rubber remaining over 2-3cm of the tyre and any trace of the tread only remained on the outside 3-4 cm. These tyres could really be used in a 'black museum' of tyre wear.
I took the car in to a tyre place I trust and replaced the tyres and asked them to set up the steering. They said the geometry had been totally wrong, with the toe-in being about 1 degree wrong on both wheels, amongst other problems.
I then contacted the garage where the service was done. They were polite and tried to be helpful, but they were very firm in their claim that they did not disconnect any part of the steering. Furthermore, they said that they did not check the steering geometry as there is no chance that replacing the wheel bearing would affect this
I know for certain that the tyres were fine (well inside legal limits) before the service and that the car has not been crashed or anything like this. Most of the driving has been on motorways and major roads, so the tyres have gone from legal to fatally worn in a very short time. I did notice that the steering wheel was slightly off-centre immediately after the service, but did not think anything of it. The steering did feel a little bit odd at times, but nothing too significant, so I could convince mysef I was imagining it. I knew the car would be going through the Swedish equivalent of the MOT shortly afterwards anyway..
I should add at this point that I live in Sweden. The car was bought here and has only been driven over here. It is left-hand drive, but I don't think has any bearing (haha) on the situation
What I am lookig for is opinions from anyone with experience: Is what the garage told me correct? To me, it sounds dubious, but I want to be sure I am not being unreasonable in thinking that the bearing replacement could have caused the tyre-wear.
My thanks in advance
Niall Forrester
Read more
this may help those looking to buy a second hand car
you can now get the RAC HPI check for 5 pence.
register with topcashback website, then go through their rac car data check link (so it tracks) and you get £4.95 cashback, it does take three months to pay the £4.95, but still a bargain. Read more
Step-son is trying to avoid using insurance for a bump that was his fault. But dithered and did initially report this. He's now agreed with the third party to pay for the repair himself and avoid any claim on insurance. The other person seems okay with this - and he's moving to Spain in a few weeks.
After this is sorted step-son is going to get rid of the car to save money and cancel the insurance. He therefore needs something legally binding that the third party signs to say no claim will be made regarding damage to his vehicle or personal injury etc.
What I'm after is some advice on how to word such a document that the insurance company will accept and the third party cannot come back in 5 months to say he's changed his mind and wants to claim.
Many thanks. And hope this makes sense. Read more
"Spaniard" would not have to involve his own insurance, BTW. Easier for him just to contact your insurance; then no worries about his own excess. Your ins co would rather deal direct as it wouldn't cost them the extra costs of his ins co too.
If it is Insurance co who need the letter, they will need to specify what it says. Ask them.
MADF - your point only applies to CONSUMERS. That means a business-to-private-individual relationship.
i was just wondering do garage mechanics get the hump with people if they insist on seeing the old parts replaced on picking their cars up.
the reason i ask is because im thinking of marking things in the engine bay should it need to be repaired i want to be sure that im paying for new parts that have actually made their way into the car and not just as far as the invoice.
am i likely to get an irrate mechanic wanting to do nasty things with a 1" socket wrench should i ask to inspect the parts taken out and replaced? Read more
shouldn't be a problem with the mechanic unless he's got something to hide
chris
Hi Guys, i recently bought a 2000 Renault Laguna Sport but there is no manual with it. I have ordered the Haynes, but will that have general info such as what lights mean and tyre pressure. Does anyone know where i can get a replacement manual from.
Thanks Read more
Try e-bay. I have a Laguna II which arrived without a manual and I think I paid about a fiver for one.
Browse
.jpg)
you will need to fit new nuts of the same type, they are "one use" only.Any attempt to fit old nuts will result in damaging the thread on hub shaft.