September 2008

7209vk

The car began to stutter and cut out when travelling at slow speeds, then overnight stopped working. In the morning would not start but turns over.
I have checked the spark plugs, HT leads, changed fuel filter but no joy.

Someone said that there is a fuse for the fuel pump, but can't locate it.

Thankful For Any Help Or Ideas.
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7209vk

This sounds like a good posibility, will try this at next available time. Will let the feed know please keep great suggestions coming. Thanks

Akin

My fellow backroomers I have been trying to find the cheapest dealers for my Honda Accord 2005, 75000 mile servicing, so far amongst the franchised dealers the cheapest is 350 pounds while amongst the independent it is 200pounds. I find the franchised prices too expensive (or are they not?). I stay in Coventry during the week and in London on weekends. I need some advise on any known good cheap Honda independent dealers in these two locations or should I just go for the franchised dealers. T he car is out of warranty. Read more

Collos25

Do the diesels need the valve clearances checked every 25K, as other Honda engines do?

Not on the 2.2 2003 on.

Peter

Two years ago, I had to carry out a rapid stop to avoid a van coming out from my left.

I stopped OK, the car behind me stopped with good clearance, sadly the driver in the third car did not stop in time and ran into the back of the second car pushing it forward. My car was not damaged in any way. My wife and I helped calm the other drivers' nerves and cleared the road of debris. Names and addresses were taken, mine as a witness not for any damage etc.

I have now received a letter from a firm of solicitors informing me that as I crashed into another car and forced that car into another I am liable for damages. This is patently untrue.

On ringing the solicitor's claims department, the young man actually confirmed my version of events and gave me a car reg. number that I have never owned.

I propose to reply to them to outline the series of events as it happened informing them I am only a witness and the car is not mine. I shall then send a copy of this letter plus theirs to my insurers.

As these matters can gain a life of their own, what advice can the BR's give to me so I may rapidly resolve this case to my satisfaction?

Thank you in advance.

Peter
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deepwith

jbif, OP has made some 190 posts.


Paul Robinson

My daughter who lives 1 1/2 hour drive away in Bristol had a new pair of tyres fitted to the rear of her Fiesta. She only did local journeys for the first month or so then the first time she got on the open road she had a vibration coming from the rear at about 60 mph then disappearing about 65 mph. No vibration coming through the steering, she's confident it's coming from the back of the car.

She phoned the garage and asked them to balance the rear wheels, but they are very reluctant to do so, suggesting it might be 'a more serious problem' so she's now not keen to take it back to them. What do you think?
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Graemetdci

The symptoms described certainly could be a balancing issue.

In the first instance, I would get her to take it to a reputable local tyre dealer (I'm sure there must be plenty of good indies in the Bristol area) and get them to check the balance of the rears. If this solves the problem, great.

I have had tyres fitted in the past that were clearly not balanced properly (fronts and rears) and needed to be re-balanced - sometimes I had to go to another tyre fitter to get it done properly.

If the problem still persists, then she should get it checked out by a good indie garage in case there is something more serious going on.

Is there a Ford RapidFit near to her - they could check the tyre balance and maybe inspect for any other problems at the same time - I never had any problems with them when I had my Focus.

ifithelps

I only ask because some fairly innocuous stuff seems to have been 'taken down' recently.

Obviously, a free-for-all is not an option and I think we can all see the sense in 'no naming, no shaming'.

So I'm talking about the margins, that difficult grey area of what is acceptable and what's not.

The other point is should we as users have any say in the matter?

If we do, I'm content to abide by the consensus.

If we do not, then at least we know where we stand.

I hope this post doesn't get taken down, but of it does, I'll have my answer, won't I? Read more

Pugugly

Just to add my twopenneth. I removed the Motorway Police thread as the OP* had requested its removal - which is a fair enough reason in my book.

* As MLC said further up the thread !

Nsar

This is just odd.

Three questions

1. Why did she do it?
2. Why did they bring the prosecution?
3 Has she got a moustache?

www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1069151_one...m

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jamie745

My mother has a blue badge and i remember all the many problems she had getting it in the first place as even if you apply for one on the grounds of having no head and no legs the default answer is always 'no' but eventually she was able to get one but it was a major hassle.

On the subject of discretion, isnt it shocking that Police have no choice but to apply full force of the law on minor motoring offences, yet cant do anything about hoodies burning down furniture stores? What a sad state of affairs in our society. If you commit a speeding offence and a rape in this country you're statistically four times more likely to get away with the latter than the former. Work that one out....

Nomag

About a year ago my BiL aquired with my help a "bangernomics" 1108cc Punto with the FIRE engine. It has given him 20k of uneventful service the only expenditure being a new lower engine mount.

About three weeks ago he suddenly lost all drive, picked up by RAC and towed to garage who found driveshaft had come out of the gearbox! I was very puzzled by this, apparently they could see nothing wrong, the "clip" was still in tact so they simply pushed the driveshaft back into place and replaced the lost transmission oil.

Since then the car passed its MOT but a repeat of the same thing happened again 2 days ago. This time the driveshaft has been damaged. BiL has bought a second hand driveshaft from ebay, my question is has anyone come across this before and what might have caused it, there seems little point repairing if it's going to keep happening, and of course this is bangernomics, so there might be some sense in a quick fix and then getting it sold (it owes him zero, but has a years ticket, it was bought for £400) Read more

jp147

I own a UK Ford Focus which uses the IB5 manual transmission. The car is a 1999 T with 76000 miles on the clock.

Can someone please tell me how many miles and/or years this type of gearbox generally lasts for.

Additionally as the service guide that comes with these cars does not mention needing to change the manual gearbox oil, does this mean that most people don't bother to have this done and so just hope for the best ?
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jc2

Replied to 0n 26/09.

Steptoe

After last years MOT fiasco www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?v=e&t=56...6, I was resigned to very probably scrapping the Volvo when tax, insurance, and test ran out simultaneously at the end of this month.

However it seems that the tester has mellowed this past 12 months as he has failed it only on a lower ball joint and rear silencer, both fair cops. I have priced the bits up at about £75 and they are easy DIY fixes. I have got a t?inernet price for comprehensive insurance of £104, so including the VED and allowing a few pounds for a can of supermarket oil & a filter, my fixed overheads are likely to be less than £9 per week. (obviously at 23 years old depreciation is nil, market value is only a little over scrap value)

Is it possible to run a car (legally) any cheaper than this?


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Steptoe

Just to reassure those backroomers who are now trying to avoid all dodgy looking 740 estates, the car is in fact fairly well looked after, it's just that as I now do a very low annual mileage the normal checks & service replacements would only be required every two or three years [conversely oil changes are more important]

Front discs & pads, front flexys, rear shoes, inner & outer track rod ends, plus all tyres & rims have been replaced in the last 6K miles [all new items, apart from the rims :)]

I suppose I really ought to dispose of the car, but the enormous load capacity & towbar are incredibly useful, for example I used it this year to do an entire house move [contents, not the building ;-) ]

kymmbo

hi i need help!!!
my lovely maisie has been running like a dream, but all of sudden she wud not go into gear. had to turn engine off put her in gear & then start her up. pain in butt at every junction i crawled to garage & they charged me £135.00 & said she wud be ok now, but she isnt. clutch doesnt seem to be doing its job, i can change gear without even pressing it!! prob not good sign! please help me, im bit skint & need to go back to garage & kinda look like i know wat im on about! they see a silly blonde woman & think every day is Friday!!. help!!! x Read more

Robin the Technician

Hi,
Its always worth checking the cluch pedal as well. Run your hand up the pedal as far as you can to see if you get any kind of fluid on your hand. If you do it'll be the cluch master cylinder - a bit of a common problem. Reasonably easy to change except the two retaining bolts which definitely need two people to refit.

Hope this helps