June 2008
Need to get a new job in the near future.I was in the motor trade from the early 70's to the early 90's and got out because of the very low basic wage, the August and January new car delivery spikes,the preponderence of the Leasing companies,the gradual erosion of new car margins (which I was paid on) in favour of retrospective bonuses (which I was not),and the raping of the sales dept. by the service dept. preparing used cars for sale.The previous credit crunch also meant that almost nobody could get credit.
Can anyone involved in the trade tell me if things have changed at all?I've heard that basic wages have improved but how is it these days trying to make a living selling cars?
I was thinking of a Citroen dealership as they do seem to be on the up,do some very economical/low CO2 cars and advertise well.
Any information would be much appreciated.
Thanks
Isisalar Read more
hi, doing the timing belt on an 1.6 16v astra this afternoon, everythings gone well up until undoing the cambelt tensioner bolt, it's a shallow torx headed bolt and it's seized in and stripped the head. anybody got any ideas on removing it? it's been heavily soaked in plus gas and now im about to go for some gentle with my pencil blow torch. how do the pro's deal with this as it seems like a bad piece of design to have a bolt like that for the job, a conventional hex head surely would have been better?
chris Read more
Chris
Hey; it worked, that's all that matters - result.
Hi,
I've had this 1.25 Zetec for 6 months now. It only came with one Ford Transponder key, so I got another cut at a local locksmiths, for around 30 quid.
The replacement is a 'Silca' brand key and has worked fine for 5 months, but lately its been failing to turn the immobiliser off, it can take 2 or 3 key insertions to get the car to start.
Yesterday it wouldn't work at all, after trying for 10 minutes, I went and fetched the Ford original key and the car started first time.
Can these keys lose the transponder code? Is it a known problem? I'm planning to return the key to the locksmiths for reprogramming or replacement, if they will do it. If not would it be better to get an original Ford spare key?
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Went back to the locksmiths shop. Turns out there is a small battery in this 'Silca' brand of replacement key, not just a transponder like the original Ford Keys.
The locksmith reckoned the battery had gone flat, changed it for free and its worked fine since, he said the key might have been in stock for a while hence the flat battery.
Morning ,
I am having a devil of a job locating a supplier in the east sussex area for small (20 - 25L ) of Methanol for bio diesel production - all people want to do is sell me 250L + which is a bit over the top for me at this early stage , any one help with this ?
thanks Read more
What about chemical suppliers?Our company obtained alcohol of all sorts from them.
On the kia website, they list 2 rio's.
The normal rio - and another rio.
their is no difference as far as i can see from the photos?
What is the difference?
does the 08 qualify for the 7 year warranty?
very confused.
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Interesting reading, I run an '07 diesel Rio and reckon it is a cracking car. Looking at the 2008 specs Kia have introduced a 1.6 petrol into the UK line up and removed the full size spare wheel from all models - replaced with a spacesaver. The VED co2 rating on the diesel has also been reduced from 121g to 119g which will give it a cheaper VED rating, I think this places it in the £35 VED bracket. I'm not sure if the weight saving from the wheel change puts it in a lower bracket or if Kia have changed something else as well?
why did ford dump this engine after a couple of years : one of their best offerings in a while with respect to a mid range engine - worked rather well in a focus ?? reliability issues
slt Read more
It's to do with the implementation of the unit on the new Mondeo, production etc. Also Ford is changing their engine line-up in the months/years ahead and repositioning engine units according to their perception of market needs. Also the 1.6 115ps unit is a more complex and expensive unit to produce than the 1.8 unit which is cheaper and hence reflected on the bottom line.
Don't be surprised to see a modified version of the 1.6 Ti-VCT in the not too distant future and the demise of the 1.8 as the 1.6 125ps replaces it.
Also the Euro V standard and the need to improve fuel economy is pushing through a lot of changes in engine and vehicle development.
Car failed MOT on exhaust emissions caused by 3 faulty sensors(1 Lamda and 2 Nock).
Car displays ''RESTRICTED PERFORMANCE''and Jag dealer wants over £1000 to repair it. HELP AND ADVICE please.! Read more
Thank you--very interesting!
I will ask them for the code numbers but I expect them to stutter now!
My Renault Master van has been stood for about a year and won't start. I have by-passed the fuel solenoid and have fuel to the injectors (checked this by cracking the pipes), the engine turns over and exhaust smokes but no start.
I have checked out google and it seems to suggest the glo-plugs need replacing, would this cause it not to start-even on a warm day in summer? The immobilisor light is flashing prior to turning the key, it stays on solidly when the engine is turning over so my mate thinks that it might be an immobilisor problem. I wasn't sure as wouldn't this prevent the fuel reaching the injectors?
Any ideas? Read more
The immobilizer will stop the pump injecting fuel.
With regrets, [don't ask!], after living for 7 years in Spain, we are probably returning to Britain in the fairly near future.
Here, we have been happy with our Skoda Fabia 1.9tdi, which we bought new here in 2001.
It performs very well and is reasonably economical, particularly as the price of diesel here has, until recently, been substantially less than petrol. (As an aside I filled up with Shell diesel in Gibraltar last week for £0.81 per litre, whereas in Spain it is now 1,29 Euros per litre).
We are both retired on VERY modest fixed pensions and economy of purchase, road tax, insurance and VED are of prime importance - to the exclusion of pretty well any other criteria.
So - should we keep our Fabia (LHD) in the UK? Generally used car prices here hold up well compared to the UK, so selling here and starting afresh might be a good option.
We will not be doing huge mileages in the UK, but will need a car to transport us and two young grandchildren, plus occasionally their mother. No dogs, thank heavens!
We have driven and liked a FIAT Panda 1.2 active, but it might be a smidgen too small.
Any sensible suggestions in the used car market? Remember,cost is critical.
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I'd suggest selling the Fabia in Spain and buying another Fabia with RHD when you come back: they've made them since X-reg so there should be one to fit your budget whatever that is.
If your mileage won't be high, go for a 1.4 100 bhp petrol model - they go very well.
This could be worth a check on all Fiat 1.3 multijet engines as deployed in the different models.
I found the auxiliary poly V belt was quite badly cracked on the drive surface at 2.5 yrs and 20,000 miles. (2005 Mk2b Punto Van)
Allegedly this belt is supposed to last the life of the engine so I was quite surprised, but its easy to replace.
At first glance the belt may look fine but
I found the best way to check the belts inner surface for cracks was to run my fingers over the surface of the belt as it folds back over the tensioner pully.
Then I drew a belt run diagram and put a socket wrench on the tensioner nut. Pulling back towards me on the wrench took the tension out and the belt just slips off. Same with the replacement. (non aircon, my model)
At only around £12 (OE) and taking less than two minutes to do, I thought it not worth arguing the point over whether the old belt was fit for further service.
Anyone else with a 1.3 Multijet and low mileage belt cracking?
oilrag
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"dearth of wax-hoyle..:) "
I knew you would say that!!
It was my first experience of an automatic tensioner too, much easier than in the `good old days` when I seem to remember levering alternators back with all sorts of things to get the tension. ;)
Browse
Having done quite a few test drives recently I noticed how many of the salesmen had been in their job only a few months, so there could be quite a lot of people in the same boat as above.
The honourable exception is Jewsons Skoda of Oxford where the same people have been there for the four years that I've dealt with them. My third Octavia is coming from there.