November 2008
Does anyone know if the Focus 2 1.6 100 engine is fitted with a timing chain (as stated in HJ's Car by Car Breakdown) or a timing belt which some others seem to say?
Pete Read more
Very well done. The quality is great.
I suspect that not everyone will like the, er, music. Indeed, more sedate people will probably be feeling a little queezy after the first 10 seconds. Maybe we could have a genteel version that begins at the 14 second mark? ;-) Read more
thanks much appreciated
I'm thinking of investing in some new tools - sockets, spanners, ratchets etc etc
We all know "you gets whats you pays for", so ideally I'd love to buy a set of Snap-on tools, but hey this is the real world and I can't afford them!
My question is. . . can anyone recommend a brand(s) of decent, reliable and well priced tools?
What tools do you use? Cheap, car boot stuff, or something a bit more expensive?
Be good to hear everyones opinions.
Maceman.
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I'd agree with much of the above; Snap-On are superb, Halfords good value and reasonable quality. Some of the Aldi stuff is good, some is Sunday market standard; you takes your chance.
Don't forget that you'll always lose more tools than you'll break, and no manufacturer givesa a guarantee against that!
My advice is buy the best basics you can afford (socket set, screwdriver set, pliers) and add to it as you need to.
If you have a branch of Machine Mart nearby, have a look in; and check out their shop-soiled returns section. Hint; take only the amount of cash you wish to spend! ;-)
Good point from Mapmaker, only buy what you need; personally I use more A/F than metric but I have a lot of older Yank stuff.
Because we're on heavy soil which isn't free-draining, the inspection pit in the garage accumulates water in it after periods of heavy and/or prolonged rain. This wouldn't be quite so tedious if the floor of the pit had been designed with more thought. My pump will only pump pown to approximately the last 10 mm, and hence because the pit floor is essentially horizontal the last 10 mm has to be ladled out manually. Now ........ if the floor had been sloped down slightly towards one end the pump could have been situated at the lower end and the remaining water would have been much less. Also, my pump needs a minimum of about 50 mm depth before it will prime itself, so it won't pump an initial depth of less then 50 mm. Now ......... if at the lower end the floor was stepped down 50 mm in depth for, say, a 300 mm square in one corner to form a sump into which the pump could be placed then the pump would prime with even the smallest depth of water in the main part of the pit
Unfortunately the pit was here when we bought the property so I didn't have a say in its design! As it is, the pit is more trouble than it's worth. Read more
Very nasty if untrained types work on airconditioners etc.
the aicon gas is heavier than air, and also poisonous.
Likwise where ventilation is open, due to C0 from running engines - there's been cases of the CO building up in the pits.
I was travelling at around 40 mph when the car experienced a virtual total electrical failure. At first the breakdown mechanic suspected a battery failure, he connected a battery booster and it no effect. The battery is only about a year old I had no problem starting the car about 5 minutes early. The fault gives the appearance of a flat battery but when you place a drain on the system like turning on the interior light the temperature gauge goes pass the hot mark even though the engine is cold and the ignition lights illuminate. The car doesn?t have an immobiliser and the effect seems too widespread to an ECU fault. Does anybody have any ideas? Read more
May be a good idea to check the main battery earth to the engine and also the earth lead to the body.hth
BBC Reports
A man has admitted perverting the course of justice by taking photographs of his registration number on another car to attempt to escape a road fine.
Richard Scott Kirton, 26, of Braunton, Devon, jumped a red light in his red Mazda MX-3 in September 2007.
He claimed a cloned vehicle with his registration had committed the offence and submitted the pictures as evidence.
After pleading guilty, he was given an eight-month suspended sentence and told to pay £1,100 in fines and costs.
Perverting the course of justice ! He was lucky not to be sent down for 8 mths and not had it suspended (bebefit to him of overcrowded Prisons)
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The driver must think £60 and 3 points looks cheap. Read more
And a crackdown needed on the rotatable number plates openly sold to bikers. Spot rear operating camera, cue solenoid to hoist plate to horizontal. Alternatively, a cord onto a hinged plate. Sadly for the outlaws, the mechanism is obvious. Hopefully the traffic cops are fully awake/aware and waiting at gathering points.
Dear all,
Wonder if anyone has had experience of, and/or the solution to, the matter of blowing headlight bulbs on a 406.
My car is currently getting through at least 1 a week and it's a proper pain in the posterior!
Cheers.. Read more
Are you sure you are not touching them with your fingers when you change them.
Ive just found out that the car i bought 2 years ago is a Category D write off by the insurance company. The person who sold me this car did not tell me otherwise i would not have bought it. Isnt there a clause that the seller must admit if the car has been involved in an accident and written off. Read more
As DD says, it depends if you asked the question or not, but even if you did it's only going to be your word against his.
If it's any consolation, Cat D is the least "serious" of the write off categories, and many Cat D's have very minor damage.
It's too late now, but *always* do an HPI check when you spend more than beer money on a car or motorbike.
Cheers
DP
Just written off my 53 plate Mondeo 115 bhp TDCI Graphite Estate (basically an LX with alloys, 6 CD changer and all e/w). One owner (me - bought the car as a pre-reg), VGC, FFSH and 51k miles.
I've been offered £4,250 as settlement. For those in the know, is this a fair settlement?
I've been through autotrader, but there's very little of similar spec and mileage out there. Also, I understand Parkers prices are only rough.
Insurer has to re-instate me to the same position as before the loss. Therefore, I have to source a similar car privately for £4,250 they've offered.
Anyone in the trade or otherwise knowlegable, know if this is an decent offer?
Thanks in advance.
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Just written off my 53 plate Mondeo
1. Your fault or third-party 100% to blame?
I've been offered £4,250 as settlement.
2. By your Insurance Co or the third-party's?
Insurer has to re-instate me to the same position as before the loss.
3. If your own Insurance Co. , then is that what your contract with them says?
4. If third-party Ins. Co., then ask them how they arrived at the figure. If you do not think it puts you in the same position as before, refuse the offer and sue them.
Hello Fellow credit crunchers,
My son has bought a Puma which has had a minor shunt at the rear near side, minor panel damage which I can sort out but the rear near side wheel kicks out at the top . I think it has been kerbed and the rear axle (?) beam is bent slightly and needs changing. The strut looks fine and it looks fairly straightforward spanner work to change the axle but I wondered if anybody had any advice before I start and is it correct that this is the same part as on a similar year Fiesta, please ?
I know its only November but Happy Christmas - it will soon be here !
Cheers,
Mike Read more
Thanks Paul - will try the website. Mike
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The HWDA Duratec petrol engine is a belt.