October 2008
Whilst on my travels in Cornwall last week I came across a fantastic little second hand market in Padstow.
There sitting all alone in the car section was a 10th edition Part no: AKD 4092 (10) British Leyland Motor Corporation Limited (1970) publication for the Vanden Plas Princess 1100 1100 mk.II and 1300 complete with addendum for the Lucas Pacemaker battery (type A9) and an additional addendum AKD 4092/2 for the ignition/starter switch and steering lock (when fitted).
This is a hard back (red coloured) bound book and consists of 74 printed pages and is in a very good condition.
Oh! If only modern day cars were as simple to run, maintain and own as then but with the convenience of the technology we have within them today on them!
Then again greasing and oiling was someting of 'chore' when you owned one of these vehicles as I read it but home servicing was a complete doddle!
Within the schematics of the wiring diagram there is a mere 118 components and 9 coloured wires to trace through - how easy is that to trace a fault compared to a modern day car?!
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how can i activate the booster heater on my sharan without the weather being really cold??? Read more
A good diagnostic scan-tool can operate all the functions and diagnose the control ECU for the auxiliary heater - Vag-Com is good for DIY use.
As Police actions are a hot topic at the moment on the forum, thought I'd post these. (I know they're as old as the hills, but they're still good- No 10 is a particularly good one)
From the US obviously:
Some type of police officers have a sense of humor too....
These 16 police comments were taken off actual police car videos around the country:
#16 "Relax, the handcuffs are tight because they're new. They'll stretch after you wear them a while."
#15 "You know, stop lights don't come any redder that the one you just went through."
# 14 "If you take your hands off the car, I'll make your birth certificate a worthless document."
#13 "If you run, you'll only go to jail tired."
#12 "Can you run faster than 1200 feet per second? Because that's the speed of the bullet that'll be chasing you."
#11 "You don't know how fast you were going? I guess that means I can write anything I want to on the ticket, huh?"
#10 "Yes, sir, you can talk to the shift supervisor, but I don't think it will help. Oh, did I mention that I'm the shift supervisor?"
#9 "Warning! You want a warning? O.K., I'm warning you not to do that again or I'll give you another ticket."
#8 "The answer to this last question will determine whether you are drunk or not. Was Mickey Mouse a cat or a dog?"
#7 "Fair? You want me to be fair? Listen, fair is a place where you go to ride on rides, eat cotton candy and corn dogs and step in monkey poop."
#6 "Yeah, we have a quota. Two more tickets and my wife gets a toaster oven."
#5 "In God we trust, all others we run through NCIC."
#4 "How big were those 'Just two beers' you say you had?"
#3 "No sir, we don't have quotas anymore. We used to, but now we're allowed to write as many tickets as we can."
#2 "I'm glad to hear that Chief (of Police) Hawker is a personal friend of yours. So you know someone who can post your bail."
AND THE WINNER IS....
#1 "You didn't think we give pretty women tickets? You're right, we don't.
Sign here." Read more
The worst one is that American ex-policeman with the grey hair. >>
You mean Sheriff John Bunell, Lud.
Hi can anybody help a lady in distress!
My car would not start yesterday...it would turn over but not fire?
I called the breakdown recovery and after he failed to start it he asked me to turn it over whilst he looked under the bonnet....within a few seconds she started fine!
he told me that there was air in my fuel Pipe? and showed me how to pump it whilst somebody turned it over.... he advised I filled it up to the brim. Which I did last night. The car started great this morning but when leaving for home this afternoon it did the same again, I got a work friend to pump the 'black balloon' and 'voila' she fired up!!
(I can actually see air bubbles in the tube where the diesel flows through) I know I will have to take it to a garage as I can't carry on doing this...but has anybody any idea what it is???
Thanks Read more
Bought a new car yesterday to replace the Accord - picked up a VW Passat 1.9 TDi 130 with 90k on the clock. Delighted so far but wondering about the best way to drive it for optimal fuel efficiency.
Fairly spirited driving around country lanes and A-roads has led to an average of about 45mpg, but driving the same roads very carefully and essentially "mimsing" along only gave 38mph.
Is this due to the characteristics of modern diesel engines? I used to have a 1.9TD Xsara, but that did 45mpg no matter how I drove it. Read more
My 5 speed B5.5 100ps gave 44mpg overall and never varied much in the 110,000 miles I did from new. Envied those who claimed to get 55mpg!
Observed today on her majesty's highway, a white Nissan Skyline, with very loud exhaust system, and a 5 digit registration. The format was 3466x where x is a digit 1 to 9. The number plate was black, with polished aluminium numerals.
There were no symbols on the rear of the car indicating nationality.
If my memory serves me correctly, vehicles registered after Aug 1973 have to have reflective number plates.
Can this registration be legal?
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Thanks for your replies guys. My curiosity is satisfied.
Oh, and Tron, the numbers didnt fade, visible at all distances (as far as I could see) . This was in daylight by the way.
Thanks again.
I have just spent a couple of hours trying to find (Doncaster -Sheffield to Birmingham International) the cheapest same day return fare by train.
£63 is the best fare I could find and 2 hours 23 mins travel time.
No wonder no one uses trains to travel.
£63 just also happens to cost the same in LPG fuel for 1000 miles of road travel...
...so guess how I will be getting to the NEC at Birmingham when I go soon?
Even with parking costs of £8.00 at the NEC I will be quids in!
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Do you think the banks have done a great job then? Quite a lonely position I would have thought.
>which the Treasury does by borrowing at a low interest rate
Yes. It makes no sense to borrow at a high one.
>and buying preference shares at a knockdown price in the Banks and guaranteed to be repaid a preference dividend a high fixed interest rate
Yes. It makes no sense to pay too much or charge too little.
You would do the same, wouldn't you?
I'm looking to change my car, currently own 02 1.4lx Fiesta 5 door. Looking to buy 1.1 5 door CZ1 Mitsubishi Colt. With all the press stating that dealers are having to make major price reductions in order to sell any cars, I want to make sure I get a good deal on my next car.
I have £5,500 to spend (which includes px for my car - have been quoted up to £3k PEX at local garage). Looking to get as new a Colt as pos with 5 doors and air con.
It's been 5 years since I purchased my last car - and I'm rusty!! Can anyone give me any pointers to ensure I get the best deal I can. I have arranged with my local dealer to visit them on Saturday to test drive a few of the cars they have on offer. I'd like to be prepared to do a deal if I like one of the cars.
Advice please.
Much appreciated
Sam Read more
£2 750
07777 777777
I tried to phoning this fone number but there was no answer. I am intereted very in your car and I wish to buy it straight away. I am very trusty and will send you a bank draft for 20000gbp and ask you send me the car and the balance. Trust me the banking draft will not be countered.
Sorry, couldn't resist on a sunny sunday.Must be my playful mood....
Hi,
I left my house this morning to find that someone had broken into my car (Ford Escort). Nothing was taken, as there was nothing to take, but there is a hole next to the drivers door lock where they forced in a screwdriver. The lock still works so I don't think I have to replace it. Can it just be filled with something-or-other? After a quick search and a reply on another forum I've been told to have a small plate welded into the door. Does anyone have any experience of fitting these - how much does this sort of thing cost?
Another thing I'm thinking about is reporting it. I don't think for a second that I'll get anything from the insurance as I'm hoping the cost of repair will be less than the Excess. I have heard though that the simple fact of reporting it will necessarily involve the insurance company and so will effect my renewal whether they admit it or not.
Thanks in advance Read more
I've phoned a few garages and they've all said they need to see it fair
enough I suppose but I was wondering if it's something I could do myself. I
have no idea of what fillers etc. would be necessary .
AFAIK, you don't have to contact the insurance, only if it were major damage and you were going to claim on it.
Luke.
P.S: I work for da pigs :D
My daughter's 1994 Polo (1.3 petrol engine) has had an intermittent problem over the last few months.
Back in May the engine cut out on a short run from the supermarket. The mechanic was called out, arrived 20 minutes later and the car wouldn't start when they tried it. They opened the bonnet to see why, they tried to start it again and bingo it started - even though they hadn't done anything. When they took the car in to their garage to take a proper look they replaced the distributor cap.
No problems then until early September. Then on another run it cut out again whilst in the outside lane of a fast A road. This time she paid more attention to exactly what happened. When it cut out everything died - engine stopped and all the electrics died - the only thing working was the battery light on the dash. She was unable to even switch on the hazard warning lights. With the help of anoher driver she managed to get it pushed off the road by which time the electrics seemed to be working again but the car wouldn't start. After a few minutes (maybe 10 or so) she tried again and it started. Ten minutes later though the car cut out for a second time (same problem). She called the RAC who got there in 30-45 minutes. She tried to start the car and it started immediately. The RAC man followed her home expecting the car to cut out again which it did not. We then took the car to my mechanic who checked the car over thoroughly and said that he could find nothing wrong with it. He recommended that we disable the immobiliser which had been fitted when we bought the car as he had had cases where this had been causing cars to cut out. We did this (and the immobiliser was removed from the car completely) and the car seemed to be OK.
Now two days ago (mid October) the car cut out again. The sequence was everything went off (except the battery indicator), then the electrics came back after about 10-20 seconds. The car would not start at that point but when she re-tried starting it a minute or two later it started. She took it back to her garage who checked it over again. Confirmed that they could find nothing wrong whatsoever mechanically and suggested it must be something electrical.
The only other thing to note is the car has occasionally had a situation where whilst driving along it seems to lose a little power and then, almost immediately back to full power. This may be related. The most recent check confirmed that there were no problems with the fuel line.
As the fault is very intermittent I am concerned about taking it to an electrician as they are unlikely to be able to replicate the fault whilst testing it. So my question is: anyone had similar problems and, if so, what was the ultimate cause? Any other ideas as to the likely fault? I would just like to point the electrician in the right direction of possible faults.
I have posted this on another forum too but I am worried about my daughter's safety as nothing seems to predict this fault occurring - no warnings, nothing. So any ideas as to the cause gratefully received.
By the way, I have only limited knowledge myself so would appreciate fairly dumb explanations of things too.
Thanks,
Rob
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The electrician says it was a problem with a loose wire in the ignition switch. Hopefully sorted now.
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I dont normally visit autojumbles but your post Tron immediately made me think of the Race Retro show, which is held annually at Stoneleigh. Apart from all the cool old cars they have a big room full of stalls selling all sorts of old motoring publications, both OE and aftermarket books and magazines
Although probably not as cheap as a non-specialist outlet?
I wouldnt worry about that, there is always the ubiquitous Ebay for an owner to search.
;o)