October 2008
I guess this has been asked before so maybe a thread would suffice as an answer. We are looking to buy a run around, the social lives of our children demand frequent 10-12 mile trips to town and it's costing us fortune in diesel in the Smax and when two are going in different directions the Landy 110 gauge can be seen moving! Our eldest is also approaching 17 and we need a car for him to learn on.
The requirement therefore is: Economical, 3 door, low insurance group, cheap 2ndhand (maybe not so cool but too bad) budget £2-3k. Have looked at the Colt ,if this is the answer then which model, any other ideas.
We live a good distance from Auctions centres but are happy to buy there would an auction car buyer be the best option and how much commission do they charge
{Volume in header LOWERED!}
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Posted this originally in the wrong place I think. Have found an Audi A4 that looks OK except that it is now at 59k miles and last had a recorded service from Audi at 15k! The VW main dealer offering it will service it and provide 12 months warranty. Is this safe? Views pls. Thanks Read more
I would check with the garage that did the last service and enquire if there have been any other services recorded on their system. I bought a car that only appeared to have only 2 stamps in the service book, but when I contacted the garage it had 2 additional services on its records - so almost a complete service history.
like a blonde woman I am I drove my car without checking the water in there.
Both the temperature light came on and the orange engine warning light.
I stopped put water in. I have then started my car and the orange light is still on. Do I need to get this reset if so how much would it cost and is driving my car now going to cause more damage?
Any help with this would be gratefully recieved as I dont want to be ripped off!
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Spent a few days in Ireland recently.
We specified an auto from the hire company and got a Nissan Tilda saloon. It must look better in the 5 door version (which looks like a larger Note) because the 4, though it has its merits, is a very ugly car. However, with a 1.6 engine and a conventional auto box it took 4 people around in reasonable comfort.
The Irish do seem to love Nissans. There were loads of Almeras - many the 4 door saloon - Notes and Qashqais. I noticed at a dealer that they were giving 3 years VED on some Qashqais which is worth quite a bit since the Irish green car tax is eye watering though their petrol is less expensive then ours.
Ireland is a lovely country, and what was refreshing is that in our touring of County Kerry I didn't see a single speed, enforcement, police monitoring, fund-raising, average-watching or any other kind of camera but the ones being used by tourists to photograph each other and the landscape. Nor did I see anyone driving too fast or stupidly. Roadside signs said there had been 55 deaths on Kerry's roads in the last 4 years. Someone on here will probably be able to do something with that statistic. I think the lack of cameras made driving more relaxed: not because I wasn't going to get flashed and points, but because I could just drive.
Back in England last weekend we drove up to Holmfirth via the A1, A57 and A616. The landscape was ruined with warning signs about speed and sinister images of cameras. On the A616 just off the M1 huge gantries have been suspended over the road to hold cameras which monitor average speed. Outside Holmfirth the number of the road is painted on the white lines for the speed cameras so you'll know where you were when you got done.
Relaxed? Fun? Enjoyable? I don't think so. But top of the morning to you, anyway! Read more
Ireland is a lovely country and what was refreshing is that in our touring of
County Kerry I didn't see a single speed enforcement police monitoring fund-raising average-watching or any
other kind of camera but the ones being used by tourists to photograph each other
and the landscape.
There are already a few speed cameras, but very few. However, a big programme of speed camera installation is due to start soon, and the govt has been taking a lot of political flack over the delays. The plan is for unmarked and hidden cameras to be run by private companies on a bounty-hunting basis, focusing on the areas of the road network identified by the Gardaí as having the biggest accident problems: (see www.garda.ie/safedrive.html )
Hi I'm looking to get and Audi A4 avant diesel with less than 50k on the clock for less than 9k.
I want it to be under 5years old and would absolutly love a new shape one. I have been scouring ebay and autotrader for the last couple of week and the fewI have seen are gone almost straight away or have turned out to be dogs.
Is it possible to get this car for the money I have?
Any trader/audi dealers out there recently took one in part ex?
I know it's a long shot but after all it is a buyers market at the minute. (or so they keep telling me)
Thanks,
Pete.
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In reply to the OP, the services of Joe Dowd have been highly recommended if you are looking to buy at auction. Google him with 'auction buyer' .
Best of luck.
Mapmaker, you should really look at the reds of the Languedoc - Roussillon. Miles better value than that thin, overpriced Borbeaux rubbish ;-)
***** This thread is now closed, please CLICK HERE to go to Volume 2 *****
Astonishing.
www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1071129_fam...r
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"and if you can work out a way that a police officer can ensure they get the truth out of someone they've stopped, patent it quickly, you'll make a mint "
Hasn't someone already patented Thumbscrews?? ;-)
I'll get my coat.
Had to go to Newcastle (from Manchester) last night and shared the driving with a friend who has a TDV6 on big wheels.
Was better than I anticpated, but not as good as I had hoped. The lower profile tyres made the steering wooden, and the ride too jittery. The damp white lines on the road also tugged the wheel occasionally. I wonder if the standard wheels make it a better drive?
The engine is quiet on a run, but rumbly at idle and with not enough shove from a standstill. Overall performance was fine but not great although the economy seemed to be pretty good. The Zenon headlights were pretty good as well.
It has a very comfortable driving position, helped by the fact you don't have to totally climb up into the car. However the driving position in the Subaru Forester remains in pole position for me.
The disappointment was the dashboard which is very plasticky and the steering wheel is too big and too thick. The stalk controls have little refinement and although using the identical SatNav system to my Outback, it is not as well integrated into the car's systems, so that there is no trip computer and it is not as easy to manipulate the SatNav on the move.
Overall its a fine car, but could have been so much better. I just kept thinking that my Outback did everything the RR did but far more sweetly, quietly, comfortably and probably for not a lot more fuel costs and a lot less purchase costs.
The most amazing thing of the whole trip was that having driven up at about 5:15pm and got back at about 11:30pm, I did not feel stressed, overtired or with dry eyes or any of the other things I used to get simply from driving back from London to Manchester in the evening. It must be a combination of a good cruising car and little traffic.
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The first 58 reg I saw was a white (quite smart actually) in Liverpool 8, being driven in this fashion - by a woman in sunglasses.
My drivers heated seat has given up on my 53 reg Mondeo. All the fuses are ok, the control switch lights up ok, there is power to the seat plug but no heat.
Anyone had similar problems or ideas?
Sounds like the element but just thought i'd put it up here for some pointers.
Ta Read more
Ta, That confirms what I thought. Today I had both seats upside down, followed the wires, among 4 that go to the cushion heater there is a red and a black, on the seat that works there was no resistance between them, on the knackered seat there was an open circuit. So the heater element on the cushion is busted. Checked the resistance on the backrest and both seats are ok there. Now to try get a new element.
Got a1.7 td escort. On a few occasions especilly after parked up with engine running or raining , the revs just go up as if you had your foot on the throttle full pelt. It chucks out a lot of smoke , it only last a few seconds. Any suggestions.
Assume its a 97 reg from the R designation in the subject line - accordingly tweaked Read more
Yes thanks for the reply . I will look into that one.
{shouting corrected}
sorry not sure of the yr or model type , tiz a gold coloured 4 door diesel corsa , , i was told the engine is the Isuzu one , anyway the heater plugs have been checked and work ok , but it seems that the glow light is going out early , and is struggling to start, is there a timer relay or something obvious that can be changed/checked?
thanks
alan
modified the post to reflect the engine type Read more
What make glow plugs are fitted to this?The resistance and current draw is critical on these Isuzu engine models for the system to function correctly.Use either genuine GM or equivalent NGK/Ntk types.hth
Browse
Mark 2 ran from about 1995 and was facelifted around 99/2000. That facelift is wat I was calling mark 3 and included a new interior as well as an improved exterior. A whole new model was launched in 02 (this is the one I owned), and was facelifted in a very minor way in 06, in which the interior wasn't changed and only some minor styling upgrades happened to the outside. This year a whole new model has been launched.
If I've got my official "marks" muddled up I apologise, however HJ seems to be ignoring the facelift on the mark 2 and applying a "mark" to the faclift of the 02-08 model which came in 06.