May 2008
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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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 ?
Hi,
Did a search and found nothing recent on this subject. Drive this section only a couple of times a month and some time ago I stopped looking out to see if cameras have been installed. Then last night on M25 south, just about to peel off down the M3, I noticed camera boxes on the overhead gantry. They looked different to the ones that used to be on that section before the widening, which were same as currently between M3 and A3.
Have they been there long and did I miss a ton of newly installed cameras before I got to the ones I spotted?
Cheers,
Dave Read more
I thought so:-
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=56088&...e
The introduction of electric power steering in recent years has brought about an outcry from the motoring press about the lack of feel these steering systems impart. Even BMW have reverted to a traditional PAS system for their M series models, having allegedly admitted that they cannot get the required feel using the electric system from the lesser models.
Does anyone know what the technical reason for this is? Do the systems not work the same way, but with the simple substitution of a belt driven pump for an electric one, or is it a fundamental change in design? To my untrained brain, electric systems would appear to offer an advantage, as the level of assistance (and therefore by consequence, feel) can be controlled directly by the pump operation. Clearly though I'm missing something.
There have always been awful PAS setups using the traditional method, but equally there have been some brilliantly weighted and accurate steering setups (Pug 306, Focus 1, MX-5 and doubtless many others). I have yet to see a review of anything with electric PAS being praised for its steering.
Why is this?
Cheers
DP
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Been on that "Gatport Airwick" one a few times and the one at Stansted. Still feels like witchcraft if you are standing at the front!
RoSPA recommend that motor cycles use daytime running lights. Even the 1999 version of the Highway Code recommends it.
So why oh why do the motor cyclists in Lothian & Borders Police not even use their lights when it's foggy, teeming with rain, a bad light? Should they not set an example to other motorists? Or do they just think that, with their high-vis jackets, everyone will see them? Or, because they're plods, no one would dare crash into them if they couldn't be seen the through the spray thrown up by a 38 tonner? Read more
Hear Hear. In 40years I have never ridden with daytime lights(if given the choice) - some of my old bikes have no lights ! Even on quick modern Japanese bikes I have never hit anyone who "hasn't seen me" and I've fallen off a few times(often my fault). I've had people and cars "not see me" but I was taught to assume the worst and act accordingly. I raced bikes for many years and maybe that got rid of the madness that afflicts some.
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.