May 2008
I may have asked this before, but can't find it on a forum search.
This morning I was following another car on a single-carriageway road when we were both overtaken by a biker on a fairly big machine. There was plenty of room and seemed to be no problems but after he had completed the manoeuvre he waved his left (offside, this is France) leg before accelerating away.
I've seen this quite often and can't explain it. Is it an acknowledgement or a complaint? Read more
hi can anyone help . my airbag warning light has just lite up on the dash board.
how can i solve this problem ,is it safe to drive the car or is it for a garage to sort out.
many thanks dave. Read more
thanks for the help. cheers....
the brake pedal on my 306 has started hissing every time i start up and the brakes are really stiff as well taking their time to kick in, the car has 115k on clock and has abs brakes, to be fair i havent checked the brake fluid being a novice and would appreciate any help / solutions i could get thanks contriutors in advance. by the way it is a 1.9td meriidian on a T plate. Read more
Although it makes no difference - the servo has failed, and should be replaced as a unit - it isn't the diaphrgm that has split.
With no force on the pedal, there is vacuum on both sides of the diaphragm - these are suspended vacuum type servos - so, even if the diaphragm were split, there would be no airflow through the servo, and, no hissing.
The fault is that the valves which allow atmospheric air into the pedal side of the servo, and vacuum into the m/cylinder side of the servo are stuck open. This also explains why there's no pressure difference building up across the diaphragm, and no pedal assistance.
The end result will be the same - replace the servo, taking care to ensure that the pushrod has some clearance from the master cylinder piston, and all will be well again.
Just got failed for Emissions and Poor rear brakes...
Thing is after failing me he said have I got somewhere to plug it in?
''No'' I answered it's my first MOT (new driver)
I noticed the person before also failed on Emissions and the Clerk/Worker ''i overheard'' advised the customer to come to his house where he could fix/plug it into his computer thingieMeJig....then after failing me he asked if i'd know where i'm going to get it fixed up...after giving me 3 cards i left not liking the place regreting choosing it...I will fit another catalytic converter and attempt to tighten the adjusters in the drums, or maybe its the brake assist not working...
oh yes i heard that over or just really heating the engine will produce less emissions
ANYWAY WHAT THE HELL IS MEANT BY ''INDEPENDENT?''
ALL I SAW WAS JOKERS AFTER LINING THEIR POCKETS Read more
I would definately say definitely and independent are two of the most commonly mis-spelled words on this forum.
It's been annoying me for weeks.
Have any Backroomers owned or driven one of these? The one comment I can find states that the auto is "slow witted".
I have to replace my Jazz [with cvt] so I know this will be a hard act to follow.
One major factor in the choice is that the Totota dealer is much closer to where I live.
Any comments much appreciated.
Screwtape Read more
This looks like a different Gnu from the Will de Beest who has been with us for some time and with whom I usually agree heartily.
The Yaris is less versatile and practical than the Jazz but my elder daughter has had two 1.3 Yarises and both have been excellent and quite a bit livelier than the Jazz that SWMBO had in 2002. "Low-rent" - I'd say serviceable, and the money has gone on the bits that matter. This is her second Yaris - 54,000 miles in two years and no problems so far.
Mazda 2 - daughter and I have recently had a run in one (1.3) and it seemed nothing special, whereas we have just tried a Suzuki Swift 1.5 and this was quite impressive - interior seemed better finished than Swifts used to be, and it was very lively three-up, and I have to say that none of us - me, daughter or salesman - resemble Twiggy.
Octagon Bracknell are excellent for Toyotas - another Yaris is on the fact of it more expensive than a Swift, but if they can do a good deal that's what she'll have.
A while ago, I asked BR'ers their thoughts on the problem of the M'way fast lane being congested, whilst the slow lane was clear, or the irritating person in the middle lane doing 60.
The consensus was that 'undertaking' was a bad thing, and people should use the M'way properly.
Being a naive chap, with too much money to waste on second class stamps, I wrote to the DoT and suggested to them that a little reminder sign on the sign 'M6' or whatever as you join the M'way on the slip road, to the effect of 'keep to the left unless overtaking'. Just to put the thought in people's noggins. And at minimal outlay.
I've long believed that those who govern us are in a different reality from those who are governed, one where common sense is ruthlessly hunted out and purged.
Anyway, highlights from the reply:
1. Keeping to the left is in the Highway Code, so people should know it and follow it anyway.
2. It would be unwise to have such a sign, as it would lead to 'driver information overload'.
3. Such signs could be dangerous, as they might distract drivers from more important and safety critical signs.
4. They do sometimes use VMS signs (are those those texty gantry things?), but don't like to bang on too much as people stop reading them.
5. They have produced a DVD, which can be found at such and such address, which the AA and RAC thought was rather good.
6. Their TV and media campaigns are targeted on potentially fatal practices, which this ain't.
I'm lost for words, really. i don't understand a reality - even in a world where education has to be in 3 minute chunks with music and flashing lights to keep the attentions span above that of a goldfish - where a sign saying 'M6' and also 'keep left' will cause people's brains to overload. Time to rip out those signs on the escalators on the tube saying 'stand on the right'. I'd love to see the stats of how much the DVD cost to make and how many people actually saw it - other than those who know its contents already.
Peanut
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The comment above about how can we regulate people to operate goodwill is easily >> answered - if they won't do it voluntarily make them do it on pain of a
fine or points. The word would get round PDQ.
You think? See mobile phone laws for evidence that it makes hardly any difference at all.
If it were snipers posted on every motorway bridge however....
My daughter takes delivery today of her Fiat 500 Pop. Insurance expires end of month and via Confused.com have had 2 competitive quotes from Admiral and Elephant (appear to be the same company). Has anybody out there any experience of the after sales service provided by Admiral or Elephant. Or point me in the direction of any other insures that have worked well for you, my daughter 24 years old, 6 years NCD, no points. Thank you.
Richard Price Read more
You could have used your edit button.
I had a "minor" service carried out on my car yesterday and they also replaced the rear brake pads ... cost £236 and they also stuck in a fuel additive £12.50 which to me is 2 bags of coal ... They didn't ask me if I had any running probs and Almera's are not known for injector fouling + I only had less than half a tank of juice to which to add the ad.
How many cans of Gasoline Additive do they manage to flog in a week ... a month ... a year !!! Read more
Good point Screwloose ... I know there is an issue with them melting, and being the headlight aim was so far out, that is where the finger of suspicion points to.
I'll have to get in touch with the dealer and get em to do a check for me as I've not owned the car from new.
I have read in this forum various strange activities by parking wardens. I suggest that Auckland [ N.Z. ] has come up with one of the best.
To begin with, the Parking Warden department has a Marketing Manager. Quite how one "Markets" a parking warden was not explained.
The aforesaid Manager has taken delivery on trial of 40 Segway electric scooters, [ those ones with 2 wheels on an axle set at right angles to the direction of travel,] "In order to improve the mobility of the wardens and thereby improve our service to our customers".
She obviously knows the jargon, but, as it was arranged at functionary, not Council level, the Mayor didn't know about it. He has expressed displeasure at such apparent stupidity, as have many more of us. The idea of a parking warden howling along the busy main street footpath on his barely-controlled Segway does not sit well with the populace.
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I haven't checked up on whether they are actually banned, but I haven't ever seen them in any real use here either. Personally, I think that I could check more pay & display tickets walking along the footpath than someone trying to control a Segway as well as read the time printed on the tickets.
More than a third of second-hand cars on forecourts in Leicester were found to be unsafe, police have said.
An operation by Leicestershire Police and trading standards officers targeted car sales garages across the city, with trained staff carrying out inspections.
Police said faults ranged from tyre defects to faulty suspensions and excessively tinted windows.
A total of 28 cars were removed from sale by trading standards officers to either be repaired or disposed of.
Consumer protection
Garage owners could face a fine of up to £20,000 per car if the vehicles are not either repaired and pass an MOT test or destroyed.
Leicester Trading Standards manager, John Fox, admitted he was disappointed by the results of the operation.
"Clearly this is a problem that needs addressing with garages in the city," he said.
"I want to remind all used car dealers that it is not acceptable to put unsafe cars on the forecourt.
"Just repairing them at the time of sale is not enough, they must be safe when first advertised.
"We have the power to issue a suspension notice for any unsafe car that is being offered for sale. This power is designed to ensure that unsafe goods are not offered to consumers."
Comments ? Read more
I went to buy a car once-car drove OK but all four tyres were very worn;pointed this out to the dealer who swapped them with the car standing next to it.I was OK but who bought the other one?
It's to shake out the doo doo. ;-D