September 2008
It's time to get rid of our 2002 V6 Omega, so just looking for some views from you knowledgeable lot.
As a family we take a leaf from comrade Stalin book and plan 5 years ahead budget of all our motoring needs for 10000 miles/year.
We do mostly motorway miles. We includes all of our spendings = petrol+insurance +maintenance+VED , never buy new and try generally to drive the most comfortable car we can get for £3000 x 5 years = £15k.
Just had a look at Autotrader and found that four years old VW Phaeton petrols go for £8000 to 12K. Say we get a not very high miler (at 50k miles+) do you think we can run it within our budget? or are we looking for troubles?
Our budgeting system worked well in the past and we like to keep it that way.
Read more
My 1.3cdti won't start from cold, and misfires when coming out of overrun. When starting, the tank fuel pump runs for a fraction of a second and stops. I have to keep turning the ignition off and on without cranking the engine until the tank fuel pump runs continuously and then it will start.
Anyone got any idea why?
Read more
My 04 1.3 cdti car in this cold spell over the last month seems to be getting worse to start. Today it is stuck at my work car park in Greenford and finally after 1/2 hour still won't start. It was needing on off on off etc key turning until I heard a sort of extra pump noise to the fuel pump clunk..then it would start. I also wonder if it could be something to do with the inhibitor security. How much is the injection system relay and where is it located ? I can't see it being the fuel pump as once it started it would run fine.
Just very early stages of looking at used cars, any one have experence of owning a Volvo 850 GLE 2.5 Estate with a manual gearbox circa 1995/6 vintage. Just really interested in likely fuel consumption. I live in fairly mpg friendly Norfolk which helps a little. The fuel consumption figures are likely to determine if i look at them any further.
Anyone know if govt fuel figures were compiled for cars back in the mid 90's? and if so can one access them anywhere.
Thanks in advance
Mark W Read more
Many thanks guidence so far. Think i am going to hold fire for the moment, but this is the ebay car that sparked my interest. Should point out i have no interest other than the fact i have followed this seller over last few months and is not that far from me, and i like his selling style! Have never met the guy.. Specializing in Volvo's and Rover 75's.
220279230140
As always your thoughts welcome.
Thanks again
Mark W
A fire officer told me a few years ago that since unleaded petrol has been introduced they have been called to lots more vehicle fires, and that more catch fire in collisions than they ever had before.
What brought this to mind is that there was a recent accident nearby where the vehicles burst into flames on impact according to witnesses. I have noticed quite a few patches of burnt tarmac on our travels down the A9 where other accidents have occurred so wondered if there was something in what he said. Read more
Carbed car engines would run at AFR around 10:1 to perhaps 12:1
Not if they were correctly adjusted they wouldn't! Nor am I convinced that hot manifolds were the likeliest ignition source.
There was certainly a Watchdog type featue on flammability of brake fluid on hot manifolds
Yes; I recall watching it. The anecdotal evidence from the period of sudden increase suggested that the cars exploded on, or shortly after, impact; suggesting that it was leaking fuel that caught fire, rather than the slower fire spread that would be associated with brake fluid.
My second Ring RAC600 tyre inflator (see tinyurl.com/5euotr), which was an Autoexpress best on test, has just failed after 15 months. The first lasted only 5 weeks. It was a great piece of kit, but I don't really want to buy another given it's poor reliability record. Have I just been unlucky? Can anyone recommend an alternative at a sensible price? TIA. Read more
"much quicker than a footpump"
I nearly bought a bicycle 'track pump' from Lidl on that basis recently, as I think the length is the important thing (or more exactly, the swept volume). I do have an electric one in one of those emergency start boxes, which usefully makes it self-powered, but it's noisy and slow, and the idiotic 0-300 psi gauge annoys me, when I only use the first tenth of the scale!
Let the system take its course first at least.
The system says
McLaren?s appeal to the FIA Court of Appeal in Paris is not expected to be heard before the Italian Grand Prix in Monza next weekend, but an FIA official said that he was ?not sure if it would be admissable [sic]?.
So it seems the only way to make the FIA aware of the widespread concern about this matter is via the petition.
Read more
>>>No not this time but at least the FIA can have a weekend off
What, with Hamilton trying to get past Raikkonen again???
Hello everyone
Just replaced the indicator relay on our meriva under the passenger side wiper under bonnet the yellow one and made no difference they are still flashing very fast. very confused was led to beleave this was a common problem. now very stuck and out of ideas.
any help much appreciated Read more
Do the hazard warnings work ok?Also is the fast clicking evident with the indicator switch in the neutral position?
Hi all
I've recently purchased a one year old (2007) Ford Focus 1.6 Zetec Climate. It didn't come with ISOFIX as standard but I paid the dealer to have it fitted retrospectively.
The wife went to Mothercare earlier to buy the ISOFIX base for the seat and when the assistant looked up the car she said that they would not sell the base as the Focus doesn't have ISOFIX fitted as standard and even if it's been fitted afterwards it wasn't tested and therefore is likely to be unsafe.
Obviously I only want to use a base if it's not safe but is she right? If the dealer had someone fit it I assume they would only do so if they were sure that it's been done properly.
The question is, should I use the ISOFIX and try and find a base from somewhere or should I bite the bullet and not use it (and have wasted the money to have it fitted)??
Anyone else using ISOFIX with the Focus?
Cheers
M Read more
If you trust the dealer to have done the ISOFIX work to the same standard as it would have been done in a Ford factory, buy an ISOFIX base off an internet retailer.
As an owner of two cars with ISOFIX as standard I'm not a fan and both our seats are seatbelt secured ones.
I have just bought a (nearly) new car. Is it worth installing a tracker device?
If so, which sort? What are the different types? Read more
I suppose it's also worth getting a Tracker fitted if you have a half-decent car just so that you can check-up on the antics of the dealership staff! (Particularly nice Audi ones)
Hi everyone. I started a thread on here the other day about trying to find a good supermini for under £7000. Well as I stated in that thread, I have been offered a 58 Reg (brand new) 3 door Fiesta 1.25 Style Climate for £7195 OTR.
Is this a good deal? Are they any good? I had one as a loan car a while back, and I loved it, but it was very thirsty (it had only done 3000 miles though.....) Is this normal for a Duratec-powered car? I do a lot of town driving as well :(
Many thanks :)
Read more
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zetec
This will explain the confusion. It is now used as a trim level, but the history is somewhat different.
The Yamaha engine was known as Zetec SE, before the use of the trim name. What I had not realised was that Zetec was used as early as 1992 as an engine range name.
pmh2
Ditto. Well worth a pilgrimage to worship the cut-away W12 engine on its pedestal.......and then walk back to see the even more complicated astronomical clocks built nearly 500yrs ago.
[there's also palace room full of rare expensive trinkets to entertain a less mechanically minded partner while you're contemplating these marvels....or driving the Phaeton around their virtual circuit ...it's free!]