September 2008
I have come across this via a business contact, any thoughts?
www.trafficaccidentadvice.co.uk/ Read more
A good friend who knows absolutely nothing about cars approached me for an opinion yesterday. His grandfather is about to retire from driving due to loss of vision and has offered to sell him his H-reg Nissan Bluebird, a 1.8 petrol for next to nothing. I can't remember the last time I saw one on the road!
Grandad has owned the car from new and it has only covered 40k miles. It's just passed its MOT for another year and has service history.
Friend has asked me to give it the once over for him, and I should be able to cover most bases, however I was wondering if any BR contributors have any specific experience of this model as I've never dealt with one before. Is there anything particular to look out for on these cars? I'm sure most have been driven in to the ground by taxi drivers - this one has never been in such hands, but still it would be good to know if there are any known weak points before I go to check it out. The car has not been garaged, but street parked all of its life.
I'm not doubting Gradad's integrity, just aware that he's not clued up on motors and might not be aware of potential problems with the car. I'm not looking for problems with which to negotiate on price either, just things to bear in mind to make sure the car is safe, particularly as my friend has children.
Thanks for any advice. Read more
I've had two Bluebirds - a C reg and an H reg (which I just sold last year).
Both had over 150K on the clock when sold.
They are extremely reliable, comfortable cars. Not terribly economical by modern standards (25mpg round town, about 32 on longer runs on the 1.8). The SE spec has electric everything.
If my H-reg example is anything to go by, there will be minor rust spots, but nothing major wrong. The sunroof may leak a bit, but than can be fixed with some sealant.
The mechanics on these things are bomb-proof, and if anything does go wrong, they are easy to work on. Parts are not cheap, but you seldom need them.
having had a dead battery replaced the car is very noisy and has a distinct lack of power, it is also smoking heavily when trying to accelerate. local garage has replaced crankshaft sensor but problem still exists. can anybody help with a possible solution. Read more
thanks very much will give it a try
Just bought a 2001 Micra Activ.
The accelerator is very stiff & heavy, compared to my older 1995 Micra. Travelling in stop-start traffic is quite tiring!
Is this typical of some Micras, or is it a problem with the accelerator cable or throttle?
Thanks
Mike Read more
Thanks.
Are there any adjustments I can make to get a lighter throttle? As I mentioned, my old 1995 Micra had a much lighter throttle.
Mike
If anyone doesn't yet have the online Highway Code bookmarked, here's your chance:
tinyurl.com/2rvaah
Many queries arising on this forum are answered by the Highway Code, and you don't get more authoritative than that.
If you prefer it in print, it's still only £2.50 in the High Street or here:
tinyurl.com/5wnwt8
I do wish that the government would distribute it free of charge with VED renewals in the year a new edition is published. I have asked via my MP, and the minister's reply indicated that they were not so interested in safety as to stump up the relatively limited funds for so doing. Actually, when I asked what the supposed prohibitive cost was, the minister didn't know, so I gave him an estimate, and it was small in relation to essential government spending on "safety" programmes that bring in money. Read more
Just read it - when did they take out the bit about having a man with a red flag walk in front? Is that why people keep tooting their horns at me and showing me how long their middle finger is?
There has been a lot less criticism of CCTV in our town (which runs NPR software) since it caught a murderer.
I don`t mind being monitored. If someone wants to watch me plod around Halfords looking at oil and grease - no problem. The same with anywhere else.
If it makes criminals life a little more difficult, I`m OK with that too.
Having said that, I`m pretty laid back and can`t remember when I last felt actual anger as an emotional response in any context, let alone motoring and it`s often comic book ancillary antics.
It seemed to slip in by the back door a decade or two ago didn`t it? not really noticed as state control as the focus was on the technological problems caused by emission regulations.
Bottom line though is that the state seems to have introduced a severe control over a drivers civil liberties.
Hard to believe that `safe mode` has to be so severe, from an engine preservation perspective.
I suppose though, if any more power were available in safe mode, some drivers would not get it fixed and just continue to drive it under reduced power.
It just seems to be accepted that it`s `normal` to have cars that drop to a fraction of their normal power when a problem occurs with the emission system, with all the risk that entails in the outer lane of a motorway for example.
Is it really true that an engine and systems are not robust enough to default to a stored map giving for example 75% power for a few minutes before dropping further in order to get safely out of harms way?
I`m not convinced that driver safety is getting first priority with these systems.
What are your views?
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I'd really want some chapter and verse before accepting that state control was in play here.
Limp mode is invoked when the ECU detects a fault code. As Screwloose and others will tell us the code is not a diagnosis, just an indication. The same code may point to more than one possible fault with differing consequences. Given the risk to expensive bits, cats being the most obvious, it's not surprising that designers err on the side of caution.
I've had the Xantia (110HDi) go into limp and the effect seems to be to limit the engine to 3000rpm. Reaching limit rpm in acceleration is like hitting a steep hill, but using the gears carefully it's still possible to maintain a motorway cruise of 65/70. If limp cuts in over 3k rpm the loss of speed is relatively slow and undramatic in an M/way lane 3 scenario, though I guess it could cause some sphincter clenching in a marginal A road overtake.
Hi All
I was thinking of a focus/astra but starting to think about mondeo/astra as
1) More for money
2) Dont do alot of unsubsidised miles (10p a mile from work when doing alot)
3) Alot more bartering power and I have a very long brass neck
4) Tax hasnt gone up that much and people are overreacting?
I was thinking of spending £3000 to £3500 and my primary wants are easy to find (not alot of time to spend), extras not important but wouldnt say no, either doesnt break down or is cheap to fix.
My problem is that I am not very informed and I dont like that feeling.
I am thinking diesel but can some/ all of you give me your top tip for example
Where? - Specificly around West Yorkshire would be brill of more generic would be fine
When? - Pressure at end of month to sell etc
What? - Specific engine size trim and if possible optimum milage to have run out creases but not so high I will end having £'000s of "wear and tear issues"
I know there will be alot of people saying far east but I have 2 days to find something and I think there are alot of these cars about but feel free to call me a fool etc
I know I ask alot but I reckon some/all of you love having an opinion and waxing lyrical
Thanks
Andrew Read more
Thanks but hopefully gonna go for something local
...this is worth?
In a rare event of organisation, I was looking at my finances over the weekend and whilst they are in a bit of a mess, things might not be as bad as I'd previously thought.
When I sold the Focus, I took out a £4,000 bank loan, put some cash to and used the part ex value of the Focus to buy a Merc.
After that, something came over me and I turned into something worse than I could ever have imagined. I turned sensible (out of desperation and panic really) and bought this current hideous excuse for a car and for that, I needed some extra money.
You may have got the impression over the last couple of weeks, that I don't like my car. Well, I hate it. I don't know what came over me when I bought and I regret it terribly.
So, the thought has come over me, that if I were to sell it and make somewhere near what I owe then I might have found a way out of motoring hell. So, essentially, I just want to know what my car is worth if I were to sell it privately. I know I could value it but I never know whether it's Parkers or Glasses that is wildly inaccurate; besides, I wouldn't mind general opinions off everyone on here.
The car in question is a 2004 (04) Vauxhall Vectra Elegance 1.8 with 39k on the clock. Inside is immaculate and could pass for brand new; outside is what you'd expect - a couple of light scratches (being black doesn't help) that I suspect would come out if I polished it lovingly. It has had (within the last two months) 4 brand new very good tyres put on it, it has a 4 disc changer, the full (but none colour) information screen, 16" alloys, air con, rain sensing wipers, dimming mirror, cruise control and all that jazz.
There's nothing wrong with the car apart from being the most boring piece of machinery I've ever used (and I'm including the kettle in that statement). It drives fine, is smooth and I daresay plenty quick enough for someone who isn't me. But sadly, I've started to hate the damn thing.
Part exing it is out of the question - the only purpose of this exercise is to clear most of my debt. I've done some rough calculations and if I manage to make over 4 grand on it (or something close) I might consider getting rid. I'm clueless as to what it's worth though - I've got a feeling that after this tax malarkey, even though it's a small engine, the value will have dropped horrendously.
So chaps - what do we reckon? Am I stuck with this or is there a way out?
Many thanks in advance,
Adam
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1.8 according to the OP. (Sniffs haughtily / self-righteously and departs for work........)
;-)
making my way up the Hamsptead hill at 10.30 am on my pushbike , I was passed at great speed by the biggest rigid lorry possible , must have been 15 tons odd if not more. This thing nearly knocked me off the bike, and then proceeded to weave like a sports car to avoid oncoming traffic, in the process knocking branches off high trees.
I caught up with the thug at the next traffic light , began berating the moron driving the truck ( he looked the type to usually drive a one headlamp old BMW ) , but he gave me two fingers and screamed off at speed again
I noted down his reg - it was liveried and belonging to a well known firm in the soft drinks business - am still seething 3 days - this guy will kill someone.
What to do ? police won't be interested until he actually kills, I am sure. I am prepared to make a statement , but will plod just laugh me off ??
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;-D Harleyman!
Legal advice is obviously aimed at England & Wales and not Scotland or N Ireland