June 2008
Saw a new looking Bentley somethingorother today with the regn.
RONNIE
Couldn't see any obvious evidence of 'tweaking' on the number plate so does anyone any idea who owns it?
Just curious....... Read more
Saw a Merc estate police car with all lights and sirens blaring attempt to barge its way down the A1(M) in North Yorks this evening.
I happened to spot it in my rear view mirror and pulled over, but several drivers did not.
It took an age to get a motorhome to pull to the nearside.
The police car was swerving from side to side in a vain attempt to get the motorhome driver to realise what was behind him.
I couldn't hear the siren when the polis was behind me.
If you're driving a motorhome and can't see much in your rear view mirror, how do you know a police car - sirens/lights or not - is there?
I've some sympathy for the motorhome driver.
I wonder if the police driver would agree?
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i was always under the impression that the only advantage that most of our specials had was that it gave them the oppurtunity to see if a career in the police was for them as for recruiting from the specials quite a few actually got turned down the first time they applied, i dont think as MLC says it has any real advantage and can be more of a hinderence (but hey they have to get PCSO's from somewhere :-) )
chap in his eighties, wearing a hat as worn with ledenhosen and a small goatee beard, accompanied by portly wife and at least 20 nodding dogs on the back shelf - speeding along a major road at between 25 and 35 mph .... what was he driving? Read more
Well, a Kevin car has gotta be a Focus surely ?
When turning left I'm sometimes getting a squealing noise from the front nearside. Sounds like brake squeal, but brakes are not applied when it happens. Any ideas what's causing this ?
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I was wondering if it was the bearing, so thanks for the confirmation. I'll get it checked.
Hi,
Hope I'm in the right forum for this!
Does anyone have any opinions or experience with either the Toyota Auris (TR grade) or Nissan Note (Tekna grade)? Which car would you recommend if you had to make a choice? Are there better cars in the same bracket as these?
Right now I'm leaning towards the Nissan, but I've read a few user replies at whatcar.com and some people are not happy the experiences they have had.
All replies would be appreciated, thanks. Read more
Thanks for the replies!
Just on the off chance!
A big thankyou to the Astra driver who flashed me yesterday to warn of a mobile speed camera in the Buckinghamshire* area! I was doing a little bit naughty 50 in a 30! The camera was well hidden by trees!
* Not saying the more acurate area due to obvious reasons! Read more
well that was just uncalled for. i am entitled to my opinion as much as u are.
looks like the M6 to the west of Manchester will be somewhere to avoid tomorrow.
www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1053938_tru...o
Posted only as a notice to anyone who may be affected, not as a message of support or criticism.
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Just giving this a bump in case anyone on here this morning might be planning to travel through there later today.
2003 (03 reg) Ford Fusion 1.4 petrol. Just coming back from town & lost power, it wouldn't go above 15 mph. The digital display was flashing "EAC Fail". The engine was also reving & dying on tickover, but not cutting out. Switched it off, restarted & all is fine.
Any ideas what it was/is?
Thanks Read more
my wife has also had this problem, with her car, (same model) only happened twice but now the engine light has appeared on the dash and is on constantly, any ideas?
I like the current models of both companies and would like to gauge opinion as to which company is the better for reliability, customer satisfaction, servicing and resale values. I know there are numerous surveys to read, but I'm interested for comment from existing owners and those that have owned vehicles from both marques and which they prefer bearing in mind the above.
In anticipation of replies, thanks. Read more
Much the same as krs above - maybe because we have the same dealer.
Toyota dealers seem to be controlled more by central hq (IMO) than other dealers so they can try and assure the quality of service.
e.g free bottle of wine and £10 petrol voucher if you suffer a recall (which in itself is not good for reliability) but they do try in my experience.
I have studied Japanese companies in detail and their customer approach differs massively from western companies.
For what it is worth Toyota were motoring brand of the year last year in the Which surveys (lot's of referencing Which at the moment - sorry) and Mazda were top spot this year. In summary I would say - reliability - even, Service - even, residual values - Toyota. But of course buying and running a car is a wonderfully variable thing.
The most horrifying things I have seen done to one of my cars was ...........
(a) Balancing the front wheels on the car. This was a procedure carried out in the 1960s when McPherson Strut suspensions were in their infancy and front wheel balance was very critical. The claimed advantage was that it balanced the whole of the rotating parts, not just the wheel and tyre. The car was jacked up at the front, the existing balance weights were removed and then the wheels were spun up to speed by pressing a motorised roller up against the tyre. (I can't remember whether the roller pressed on the tread or the sidewall, but I remember that the tyres got damaged by the roller skidding on the tyres.)
The vibration was so severe I thought the bonnet was going to fly off!
(b) Testing the dampers. Again in the 1960s. The front of the car was lifted (by about 500 mm if I remember correctly) and the car was then dropped. The motion of the body was recorded on a strip chart. If the top spring mountings and inner wings were a bit rusty (as was common in the 1960s) the car didn't survive the test! Fortunately mine did survive. Read more
Years ago I dropped my "pride and joy" Westfield off for an MOT. Returned later that day to pick it up only to find one of the mechanics doing doughnuts in it in the yard. Full and frank exchange of views and no charge for MOT resulted. Some small revenge was exacted by dint of the fact that the forecourt was gravel and their shiny new tow truck was behind my car as I set off to leave. ;-)
Browse
I am hoping my ice-cold W12 AYE plate might confer some extra value to my old Audi. Nothing worse than being mistaken for a sluggish V8...........