May 2008
Gunsons - sweet nostalgia!
Colourtune and Carbalancer - where would I have been without them.
Used them pretty much on a weekly basis back in 1980, trying to keep my Hillman Hunter GLS on the right side of 20mpg. With it's 1725cc 4 cylinder Holbay tuned engine, and a pair of Weber 40DCOE sidedraughts (effectively one carb per cylinder), it was a bit of a handful to keep in tune (not to mention a bit of a handful to keep on the road too - the guy who bought it from me rolled it into a field!) Read more
Can anyone tell me if there is any tie up between the leasing companies: newcar4me, finance4cars and broker4cars? The websites look similar as do the prices, terms and conditions etc. Has anyone had any experience of dealing with any of these? Read more
I've no experience of the first company but have supplied cars to Gary at broker4cars when i worked for Toyota. He's a good guy and you shouldn't have any problems with him
I need to hire a car for two adults, a 10 and 7 year old (plus 10 days worth of luggage from/to the airport) in Italy this summer.
The Fiat Grande Punto is a bit cheaper than a Ford Focus to hire! Are they approximately the same size?
Both are showing in the same class as five door c/w aircon. I was wondering if the Ford is a bit more expensive because "us Brits" are more likely to hire this instead of the Fiat?
I don't want to make a p*ll*ck of myself when I arrive to find the Grande Punto only as big as a Fiesta!
I can find some sizes/specs. from the Fiat website, but the Ford website is absolutely hopeless, so I can't make a comparison here. I don't really want to wander around Sainsbury's car park looking for one of each to compare either. Read more
You'll go for the Focus and end up with a FIAT Bravo ;-) The FIAT model that should be around the size of a Focus. Remember you get a particular class of car usually and cannot be sure you'll get a Focus - e.g. you might get an Astra.
A while ago, my son bought an old 1992 high mileage Ford Escort with the old fashioned keys as a runabout. He says his car was recently driven without his permission as it had been found some distance from where he?d left it. But, because there was no obvious damage to the door lock or ignition, he hasn?t reported it. He?s been told that youths with old Ford keys can gain entry to and drive away various old Fords with high mileage and worn locks. Even a flat screwdriver will work with some! Is this true or just an old wives? tale?
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Maybe not far off the mark Dave. Company I used to work for had a fleet of 20 Cortinas delivered one day. The rumour that there were only a few locks was put to the test and everyone's key fitted at least three other cars.
Mk 1 Cavaliers were even easier. Just lift the drivers door handle and let it spring back. The locking button just popped up.
My old MG Midget could be started with the edge of a coin. Saved carrying keys I suppose.
I have now done just over 800 miles in my 325D auto. The OBC has consistently been indicating 37.1mpg. At the weekend I was able for the first time to complete a brim to brim test started two weeks earlier - 34.3 mpg actual.
8% miscalculation by the "on board computer." Some computer. Read more
That's accurate by VAG standards. I used my father-in-law's Golf mk4 TDI 130 for a week on the commute. I got 52 mpg brim to brim, which was excellent, but the computer was miles out, claiming 59 mpg.
To redress some of the reputation of French electronics, the computer in our Scenic is never been out by more than 2%
Cheers
DP
My Scenic just doesn't want to go! It pulls away and all seems fine till you get to about 2000 rpm, just when you'd expect the turbo to start kicking in. Then there's no boost or acceleration, in fact if anything it feels like it holds back a bit, like a bit of a flat spot. You can rev it through the gears all you like but it just makes noise but no acceleration. If you hit even the slightest incline out on the road, then its down the gears, sometimes as far as third, just to keep it going. Theres no excessive smoke or any other signs of anything wrong. any one got any ideas?? Read more
Thanks for info. I'll let you know how I get on.
I really must get rid of the rubbish budget Chinese tyres on my Mondeo III Estate, wet grip/braking in particular is hopeless.
I'm not convinced I need premium brands at £120 a corner and had been thinking about Vredestein Ultracs which I've liked in the past.
However Falken tyres are mentioned by several folks as good on a Mondeo and I'm just looking into them. The two possible types are ZE912 and FK452. I can get either fitted/balanced for £70 which seems almost too cheap if they are any good.
Wet grip is important to me.. also towing traction pulling a boat off a damp slipway.
Any thoughts or experiences of the Falkens??
Thanks,
David Read more
Good. I've just put a pair of 912's onto the rear of the Mondeo (205/55/16 @ £65 each fitted). I wanted something less pricey than Continental that were £78 each. The Conti tyres seem to wear quite a bit faster (down to 3mm after 12k) than any other tyre that I've had on the car (NCT5, Potenza RE720).
SWMBO usually drives the car. I've had no complaints.
hi, any one got any good tips on taking the piston back in to the calipier,i have a g-clamp but on the rear pads the piston has to be turned at the same time as the pressure is a applied.
any help would be greatly appreciated. Read more
i normally do these by hand with a pair of needle nose pliers, just need to perfect turning whilst pushing on the pliers at the same time.
chris
I will be starting my own business soon and need to very economical car to drive. Will be driving about 75 miles daily, 7 days a week. Need to replace my existing petrol car (30 mpg) with something that cheap to buy and run. Image not imporant, but no Micra, no French cars. The car needs to be reliable.
Any opinions. Thinking of the following diesels VW Polo 1.4, Skoda Fabia 1.4 , Toyota Yaris 1.4, Mitsubishi Colt 1.5. Any thoughts?
{slight tweek to subject line so as not to confuse buying a car with all the recent fuel related threads kicking about} Read more
In the reliability stakes forget the firdt one if that is a major criteria,the cit ci or any of its derivitves Pug,Toyota in petrol form would be my choice.
Hi I have a warning light which is a picture of a car with a key at the back - I have no idea what this means and dont have my manual - can anyone help? Thanks Read more
Immobiliser warning on the Roomster - guess they must be the same. Is it green ?
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Still got my Colourtune but haven't used it for years. My kit includes a plastic tube with a hinged bit of mirrored plastic to see down awkward plug recesses. From the days when one was allowed to alter mixture settings.