June 2008
Well - going next Saturday, three of us by bike from various parts of the UK.
The GS has been prepped now - new tyre last week, 6k Service on Thursday. The last time I went abroad by bike was in 1981 (as a pillion) so the preparation has been pretty thorough. A number of lengthy UK trips has proved the GS to be everything said about it, fast comfortable, economical and totality capable in all conditions (apart from snow). The bike was loaded yesterday with the luggage I intend to take - Small Touratech tank bag (day bag), a Motarrad soft bag, and BMW Top Box - supplemented by an excellent Knoxx Rucksack. Items have been listed as to where they'll stored for the trip. Just taken 10 minutes to programme the excellent Garmin 2610 SatNav. Anticipation is starting now to kick in. Can't wait. Read more
I was reading a classic car mag recently which featured an old advert for a new 1984 MG Metro turbo, I was amazed to see the purchase price was around £6500.
If the equivalent vehicle was available today I reckon it would sell for around £12000, which is quite low inflation over a quarter of a century.
I remember my parents house being worth around £25000 in the mid 80's , it's now worth 10 times that, so if cars had gone the way of houses your Metro would be costing £65000 these days. Blimey!
I also remember the Astra GTE costing around £17000 in the early 90's, the modern day VXR costs around the same today. Amazing really. Read more
It may well be possible to argue that motoring is cheaper. I really don't know. Even if it is, it still feels expensive. Most of the cost element of it feels a bit similar to the emotions one feels about a visit to the dentist. You know it is probably a good thing but...... :-(
Hi guys,
My VW passat will not start up. There a warning light which says "STOP - Oil Pessure LOW"
A garage has checked it with code reader & show nothing. It turns over but will not start.
Has anyone got any ideas???
Thanks
Darren
SLT
Read more
Are you sure this is not an immobiser problem, did the garage check that the key can be seen by the system and is the fuel pump running whilst cranking. Regards Peter
Has anyone used Nationwide Autocentre for a replacement clutch. Ours on the Mondeo would probably last another couple of years but for this years towing holiday to Scotland in August. Having looked at the route I must get it done before we go.
They claim trained technicians, quality parts and give a two year warranty. Cost is about £320 for my 2 litre petrol which seems good.
David Read more
SFAIK they were taken over by, and are presumably backed by, the AA. Is that good thing or a bad thing?! Would one describe a Nationwide auto Centre as a Fast fit type of place? I used to use them for servicing when I had low tech diesel cars and now they won't service anything with a common rail as they don't have the equipment to deal with them, so my local branch told me when I asked.
My 306 rebuild has very badly worn linkage selector rods on the gearbox.
I managed to get a new long arm. but need two short arms.
The problem seems to be that the rubber deteriorates and the arm jumps off.
Australian dealer has said 2 weeks and 30 bucks.
Geeze gold plated.
The long one cost me $20.
Anyoen know what other model arms fit this 5 speed box.
Also anyone know if the 6 speed GTi gearbox fits the XUD9 engine.
The ratios of the 5 speed do not suit Australian outback driving
especially 2nd gear on winding mountain dirt roads.
it runs out of puff.
Third is great.
Anyway of improving the rev range of these engines safely?
Read more
the ratios are completely wrong on the 6 speed box, you'd also need the gti 6 steering rack and to cut a hole in the chassis leg too.
you can do what's known as a stage 1 tune to the engine which will push the power up to 115bhp from the standard 90bhp which should help, do a search on the web there's plenty of info on it.
the linkages cost about £60 for the 3 in the uk, not cheap for what they are and there a dealer only part. if yours are continually falling off they can be secured with the use of zip ties in the short term.
chris
I have fitted a D8A engine in place of a DHY, the fuel pumps are slightly different.
I had to change the blue conenctor over so I could get the stop solenoid to work and want to know what is the microswitch activated by a cam on the throttle arm?
To mount it on the XUD110 pump I will have to drill two holes through the casting (you can see the molding) but when activating the switch manually nothing seems to happen.
It looks like the cam only activates the microswitch up near full throttle anyway.
What does it do and what happens if I don't fit it?
I also need to know the location where the spare grey plug goes left over.
And why my spedo and tacho dont work.
Read more
Chris solved.
I found the white connector and stretched it around the back and fitted it to the sensor and covered it with the heat pouch.
The tacho was the grey lead it works fine.
Very interesting rev limit range speeds are totally unsuited for Australian driving conditions.
We have 40K 50K 60K urban
70 80 90 100 110 country.
1st is too low and the turbo runs out pof puff.
2nd is too fast in boost range so you have to back off
3rd is great 4th is 20k over state limit 5th at 2500 rpm is off boost and no power at the legal limit.
Only comes on boost at 120-140 way over our state rural limit.
Ah well.
Thems the breaks.
Mooching around some dealerships today, the thought occurred to me that I could, for 5k, have a bit of automotive fun.
What set my wallet tingling was a 52 reg Jaguar X-type with a petrol V6 - very nice car proper wide Jag alloys made the sometimes awkward stance of the car look right, it had full leather, the sticker price was 5.3k with MoT, Tax and 12 months warranty. I reckon I could easily get that for less than 5 grand - should I have some fun.
What went through my mind as I was looking at it was a comment Mrs P made, her usual savvyness dropped for moment. We had just met a couple at a concert, we walked with them to the cars, they got into an 03 X-type, she turned round to me as we clambered, our then, recently acquired Skoda - and commented as to how well off they must be (there was no envy !) in that sort of car. Not realising that the Skoda was worth at least twice the value of their Jag.
Persuade me not to buy something like this ! Read more
Don't know if you can wait a bit and find an XJR. That is a
great car
Seconded. I had a passenger ride in one of these (a P plate V8 version) and it gave me that lovely punch in the guts feel when the driver opened the taps. I still don't think I've ever been in anything that accelerates so relentlessly.
All the time you're in leather cossetted comfort with carpet piles thicker than in my front room at home. Lovely V8 burble as well, albeit quite heavily silenced.
My fear about owning one of these would be retaining my license. It just goes very fast with very little effort.
Cheers
DP
I was involved in a accident on the M5 two weeks ago. The person that hit me has admitted liability and their insurers are going through the process of working out what I'm owed. My car (A N reg Mondeo) has been declared a total loss. The Third Parties Insurer's want to offer me list price for it. But the cars material worth to me is/was more than just the list price, a bird in the hand and all that.
So the question is; Do I have to sit still for the list price or can I demand more? Read more
They have a duty to put you where you were before the accident. Research on the online Autotrader to find identical models with similar mileage and length of MoT, and clip those ads. You won't get more than the market worth of your car before the crash.
Looks like Boris is going to allow motor-bikes to use bus lanes. May be worth going there now
on the bike ! Read more
Of course they won't. They'll get hog-whimperingly plasterado on the first few bottles and pour the rest over each other's heads, just like they did in the old days at Bullingdon Club dinners.
Better than the last lot who used to smash them and then jam the broken ends in each other's faces. Bit robust, what?
Another piece of German technology which will prove essential for British driving conditions, ie driving to the shops or forming an orderly queue at anything between 50 and 80 mph on the motorway.
Or have I missed something here? Read more
I recommend the military road along Hadrian's wall. A mixture of tricky bends, amazing straights and two dips in the road that send your insides flying up and down. No cameras and the few police are too busy patrolling the adjacent A69. Have still not seen a Porsche on it though, maybe they're afraid of grounding the front of their cars on the dips.
Browse
Just found this photo on my phone - Givet on the Franco Belgian border - superb food and drink, superb weather, superb susnet......well it was just superb.
i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa13/Pugugly_photo/170...g