June 2008
Advice needed please.
A couple of problems - when waiting to pull off with car in 1st gear & clutch depressed, the car begins to rattle & judder; have to put it into neutral to stop this happening - does not happen all the time.
Secondly, & especially if I've had to "crunch " the gears, the car gets stuck in reverse; rattle & judder happens as described & have to let the car stall to get out of reverse.
Changing gear in general is sticky & crunchy.
No warning lights coming on.
Any ideas anyone - serious or simple?
Many thanks.
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Well it looks like the UK will not be getting road trains any time soon.
tinyurl.com/6yfqr9
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My feeling exactly on this one B308.
There are times when you have to admit defeat.
Pat
Collected my C5 2.0 HDi last week-end. A large saloon, Mondeo sized. Concave rear window seems cute but has no internal impact. Much less slab sided than the rather ugly C5 1 it replaces, and smoother more Citroen lines at the front; somewhat Beemer-styling at the back. Not as spectacular as the C6 but a good effort.
It's quite as quiet and refined as I had hoped. One of those that feels as though it could go for days in 6th at 1500 rpm sipping fuel. It really is silent, so the laminated windows do work. Engine feels powerful enough for me, but it won't burn rubber off the lights, and it is very quiet from inside. The suspension is wonderful if you like comfort mode; I went for the wafting-Citroen style over the optional, conventional springs, since the fluid-based suspension is Citoren's USP in my book. The difference is most pronounced over undulations rather than potholes by it copes with both as well as anything I've driven.
Minor gripes include an overly complex SatNav [Navi-drive] which almost does the washing up - MP3/CD/phone/etc all in one, and a tendency to get into 4th rather than 2nd when changing down, as 2nd is well left due to 6th speed box.
Wide internally, such that I can't rest my right arm on the door as it's out of reach!
The dash is clear and clever, but there are many controls which will take time to get used to - akin to using a computer, with menus/select and so on. Those on the steering wheel [centre module stays in a fixed position] are easy enough, controlling volume, cruise control/limiter, radio station etc.
I like the reverse gear parking aid in such a large car too. It's not that easy to gauge width when turning left tightly but I'll adapt I hope. 1st 200 miles at 45 mpg in mixed driving which I hope will improve further.
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I have never driven a C5 but I did drive a Peugeot 206 which had the worst gearbox i have ever driven. Also a 207 which was a lot better but not as good as some modern Fords, GM cars etc.
Citreon really have come on lots of late. Im quite tempted by a C5.
£80 off 4 x 18"
£40 off 4 x 16/17"
£20 off 4 x 15"
If you are a member (or know a member) & need 4 x MIchelins then it may be worth a phone call
My D-i-L needs 4 - 225x45x17" Michelin Pilot Sport Noramlly £115.xx inc VAT so it makes it £105 - which is pretty good - unless you know better!
I have no connection withh Costco other than as a customer. Read more
On the TV over the weekend - National Tyres are doing BOGOF'S on Avons & Barum tyres presently - selected (very...) sizes only.
tinyurl.com/5lswwc
Plans for a congestion charge for Greater Manchester are being announced today which, if introduced, would be the test-bed for national road pricing. An alliance of Greater Manchester businesses is calling for a petition for a referendum on the issue. You can find out more about the proposed congestion charge and sign the petition at www.stopthecharge.co.uk
Please pass the web-address to everyone you think may wish to sign-up
Thanks
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Dead right Nsar, a great show of opposition might stall 'em a bit. If your lot are anything like ours they make their plans and wait for the cries of protest, then move the goalposts alla the 'transport authority' and do a they intended at first...
Our lot (Basingstoke) installed humps with our taxes against a strong local petition in a road with a very good safety record. they now say the humps belong to the 'county council' so they are no longer their responsibility.....neat and has totally stuffed us here.
Hi, my daughter has a Corsa that has a slight, but continual, misfire. I've changed the plugs and am in two minds about either changing the coil pack (@£ 140) or the camshaft sensor. I'm a novice so any other thoughts would be most welcome. - Is there possibly a test that could could do to investigate further?
Many thanks
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Are you sure it's misfiring? I hired two new ones a few years ago, and thought they were misfiring, I didn't even know they were 3 cylinders until afterwards, but kept thinking it was a 4 cylinder running on 3.
I own a regular 2004 mondeo 2 litre manual petrol. My friend acquired (very cheaply), a Rover 827 Sterling automatic on an M plate (1993?) and claims not only is it faster than my car but also apparently more fuel economical as well because the engine doesn't need to be pushed as hard. Does anyone know if this is true? Read more
There's his commentary on this shortened version too, especially the best bit where he rattles the o/s door mirror on a stone wall at 100 plus '... if we get the line just right we should hear the car touching the stones... (RATTLE) ... yes, (smugly and who wouldn't be?) there it was...'
On Saturday 12 April I test drove the a Mercedes CLK320 W209 on a 52 plate at an independant dealer called in Enfield
Due to no naming and sharing I have withheld their details for the moment.
No fault of theirs but note that the test drive was on narrow residential roads and traffic clogged A10.
On the test drive I noted clunking from the suspension during general movement and a loud clunking on speed bumps, I commented on both to the manager during the drive but otherwise was impressed the cars condition was generally very good and the history seemed to check out.
The Manager told me the following:
The car had just come in in part-exchange, this was born out by the fact it had not been valeted yet.
The car had been supplied by the dealer to it?s previous owner four years previously and he had now brought it back and traded it in for an E Class
They already knew about the suspension and it would be checked and rectified
The car would be subject to a 144 point check, and would have a new MOT
The car would be given a 6 month warranty
I returned 1 week later to have another look, the car had now been prepared for re-sale, looked stunning, and had just had new front springs fitted for which I was shown the receipt. I placed a deposit on it
A further week later I returned to pay the balance and collect the car
I asked for the details of the 6 month warranty, expecting RAC or something, and was told the warranty was with themselves, and they would handle an issues, backed up by having 2 courtesy cars
I asked for a copy of the PDI (144 point test) and was told they didn?t have that to provide me, but that the car had been to the workshop for a complete checkout
I asked for the tax disk of my Peugeot 406 to allow me to reclaim the remaining road fund tax, and was told it would be posted to me, and it never has been.
At this visit, The Manager now told me that he in fact had not sold the car to it?s previous owner and that he had ?spun a story? ? his words not mine, he mentioned this after I had paid the balance and as we were walking to the car in a response to a comment by me.
Despite reservations about these responses I had now paid the balance on the vehicle and started driving home, again the roads were horrible and terribly terribly congested in the immediate vicinity of the dealer, but by the time I got home I realised the suspension was still knocking during general movement though the loud clunk on speed bumps had been resolved.
I called The Manager immediately and told him, he tried to explain that the new front springs needed to be bedded in, and I should give it a week. Not satisfied with that I drove the car in to Kwik Fit for a check, and within 5 minutes they diagnosed that the anti-link roll bar need replacing. With the car on the ramp, the antilink roll bar could be easily agitate to produce exactly the knocking noise I was observing. With the part available within 24 hrs I had this was done myself at a cost to me of £50, knocking noises immediately sorted!
I had also by this point noticed steering anomalies, the steering wheel pulls left by about 15 degrees, and of course the car pulls left, if the steering is manually centred the car pulls right. I asked Kwik Fits advice, they check the tracking and told me that it was out a little but not enough to cause the problem and that it would need further investigation. So I called the dealer, and was told by The Manager that this was wear and tear and not covered by the warranty and I would have to book it in to be looked at. I called back the next day and insisted it get sorted, the car is now back with the dealer.
Apart from the steering I am really happy with the car, though I have though reported some other (minor) issues to be looked at.
1. Parking brake is ineffectual ? cable probably just needs tightening
2. Electric controls for front passenger seat stopped working and seat doesn?t slide forward when backrest is tilted to get in the rear, in fact the seat base seems jammed in the full forward position, this may have been position there by my daughter who is quite small.
3. Boot handle doesn?t return meaning you cannot open the boot manually ? only by key fob
My issue is not really with the car (which is lovely in general), none of these are show stoppers (CLKs are apparently prone to the steering issue), my issue is with the attitude of the dealer and how he has continued to spin me a line everytime I have had reason to deal with him.
On dropping the car off today, I was told it would be £50 to put it on the Mercedes diagnostic tool to have the passenger seat looked at, presuming it is the switch at fault. I don?t make that presumption myself!
So the car is there now, incidentally the courtesy car is a state, it is 56 Renault Clio, service warning light is on, airbag warning light is on, the vehicle is filthy, with no water in the windscreen washer, and an empty fuel tank.
So advice from the forum members would be much appreciated as to what my rights are here and what my reasonable expectations should be
Guy
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Update...
Thanks for all thje advice. I remain in general NOT worried about the car, of the four things being looked at..
1. the steering, this is quite common on a CLK of this age and should be able to be rectified
2. The passenger seat, it is possible my daughter broke it
3. The hand brake, what hand brake cable doesn't need adjusting from time to time
4. Boot lid catch, not a bother really, be nice to have it fixed but no big deal
The worry has been more about the dealer attitude. So here';s what I did today...
When I booked the car in I asked "out of interest where will you send it", the chap said "paul Evans Mercedes"... so this afternoon I googled exactly that, found an independant Merc specialist called Paul Evans in Harlow and called him.
First I am pleased to say he has my car... very professionally he went through each point in detail. I asked him about the dealer and he told me he has done work for them for years and generally they are fine, but "typical car salesmen". He seemed happy to deal with me directly.
I explained that all I wanted was for the dealer to stand behind the warranty.
So thats progress of a sort.
he hadn't looked at the car much yet, but told me he would hopefully have it finished by tomorrow.
Guy
The brake light on our Fiesta has started coming on periodically when travelling down hill (eg, when coming out of a multi-story car park). We're taking it in to be checked over today, but what would be the most likely cause of this?
Thanks,
{typo in header corrected}
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or a bare wire earthing
I had a new engine fitted under warranty after 74K miles due to the total failure problems described here by myself and others.
Anyway new engine is running well over the last 2K miles. However watching the coolant level it seems to be dropping slowly where I've had to add one litre over 2k miles.
There's no obvious leaks and never any indication on the ground or around the engine of a coolant leak.
Any ideas. Is the leak so small its not obvious but could still be consuming that amount of coolant. Read more
Diesel head cracks use coolant, as do leaks in radiators/hoses/head gaskets. It does not 'vanish' is a sealed system, only by tiny amounts - say half a cup a year . That's my experience ( Had them all BTW)
Browse
Thanks fellas.
Don't have the expertise myself - does it need a new clutch or can it be bled or adjusted at a garage? How much should it cost - have seen fitting a new clutch advertised at £261 at Nationwide Auto-centres.
Kind regards.>> Indeed. Bleed or adjust and hope it's nothing too internal.