December 2008
I've just noticed that the high level brake light cluster is not working on SWMBO's car. Other brake lights are working fine.
Does anyone know if this fault could be fuse related or something more serious? It was too dark for me to start messing around pulling fuse covers off etc so I will look tomorrow.
Assuming it's not a fuse are these light units easily fixed? I presume the light is an LED unit and therefore a replacement is the only cure? Read more
My car is fitted with a BLAUPLUNKT radio cassette (i think it's the model 2040), which also works the 6 disc CD changer in the boot. The problem I have is that the radio has stopped working. When I try to turn it on, the round light on the button lights, but nothing else. The CD doesn't work either. I've checked the fuse in the back of the set and it's OK, I've also checked the fuse in the fusebox and it's OK. Any ideas? Read more
My left front disc appears to be stuck on leading to wheel wobble. I limped home on a slow speed, no warnings on the dash. Has any body experienced this before any advice before I take it to the dealers on monday it has got 15.000 miles on the clock.
TEABAG Read more
I have had exactly the same symptoms as teabag3120 on two occasions, both resulting from brake binding. It was only the nearside front that was getting extremely hot, but the steering kept 'wobbling'. I think it was because the binding would 'release' at some part of the rotation and then bind again. This alternate releasing and binding, perhaps due to a warped disc coupled with sticking caliper pistons, may have been causing the 'wobbling'.
I posted a while back about sticky brakes. Well the problem still persists.
It started 3 months ago when I drove through a deep puddle on the first proper cold day we had. After that, the NSF wheel started squeaking and there was noticable drag up hills.
I had it in the garage, they said yes caliper was seized and they freed it off and for a few days all was fine.
Then the OSF brake started squeaking too so in it went again and they freed that caliper off and for a couple of weeks all was fine again.
Then yet again I detected a certain amount of drag, plus economy wasnt what it usually was. This time it went into a Daihatsu dealer who checked all the brakes and discovered that the handbrake linkage was seized. They sorted that and for a week all was fine.
Then I started to get an squeak again from one of the front wheels which doesnt happen everytime and seems to happen especially when the brakes have been on for more than a few seconds, such as waiting at traffic lights. There is also the tell tale feeling of extra drag up hills and economy is well down on the usual.
So, is there likely to be something causing the brakes to stick or is it a case of something needs replacing? Ive spent £130 so far on this problem and if Im to spend anymore, Id rather have an idea about whats likely the cause and best way to fix it as it is getting a bit annoying now!
Thanks in advance for any pointers folks :-)
Read more
Had the work done today. I spoke to the guy who worked on it before and after, explained exactly what was happening and when, he responded in a way that made me think he knew what it might be which was reassuring!
Got my loan car, 3 hours later got a call, all done and no charge as they had worked on the brakes before, even though last time they had worked on a seized handbrake mechanism so I felt they had done something worth paying for and was prepared to pay again, but they didnt want any money.
I didnt understand all that he said but he did say he had dismantled everything, cleaned stuff up and something about copper grease? He also said that on the side that was squeaking, the disc was corrosed slightly so he also cleaned that up and the pads.
Verdict? All fixed, the car has its urgency and verve back uphill and in the higher gears, so hopefully it is now fixed permanantly. They said if it reoccurs, pop back immediately.
Thanks GB for your words of wisdom, I did atleast have a basic understanding of what they did thanks to yourself!
How can I find out if my c220 cdi has a particulate filter/
Thanks
Andy Read more
Thanks very much for your help.
Hi Guys,
I'm looking for help in saving my sanity regarding the old co car v cash battle.
I'm about to start a new job with opt out option. Previously for the last 15 years i have been a company car user with varying cars through the years.
Like many i now have the option of taking cash benefit along with repayment for the fuel i use on business mileage.
As a newbie to this i like many hit the net but with about 20,000,000 options i have thankfully stumbled on this site and hope your help will be useful in my search for sanity.
Basically i have option of multiple co cars to mainly GM, if they are still alive!! so Saab, insignia,Astra ect.
Cash benefit alternative is £460 month, 14p per mile claimed for business mileage from my home base. i believe i can claim back tax benefit up too 40p??
My mileage will be approx 30k per year business and 3k private
40% tax slave so the £160 or so wont be going too the tax man if i opt out
I am looking at 1 year old Audi A4 s line 140bhp. nice car!! approx 17k and as I'm going to be on the road this much i would like to drive something of my choice
Can someone help as to which is the best option???? before i go mmmmaaaddd!!! Read more
The decision to opt out and take a decent cash allowance usually makes more sense if you're a high mileage driver who pays higher rate tax.
I'm probably being thick, but can anyone throw light on this. In the first cold spell of the winter here in early November, for the first time ever (I've had the car nearly three years and have always kept it in the same place on the drive) I started getting frost on the inside of both front and rear screens. I put this down to one or two things - the airport valet parking leaving the windows partly open during a week in late October or damp golf gear left in the boot for a few hours (twice). Consequently, I garaged the car and using a fan heater dried the inside thoroughly. That seemed to sort it and I've had no problem for a few weeks - or so I thought until this evening when I had the problem again. Ironically, the cold snap of the last few days had dried the air so thoroughly that this morning I had no ice to clear from the screens despite a temperature of -5C. Any ideas of what might be causing the problem and of a pemanent solution? Read more
The BSIs on PSA cars don't seem to have any protection from condensation, so turning the air con off is a baaad idea. Recirculation is not meant to be permanent either, just a short-term solution for when things get stinky. Leaving it on long-term your car will start to smell like the inside of my laundry basket...
Hi everyone
Got a bit of a dilemma coming up and I thought I'd seek opinions.
At the minute I have a (company) Focus 2.0 tdci Titanium, around 2 1/2 years old on a contract hire. Annual mileage approx 40,000. It needs to go back soon (slightly earlier than planned as mileage is over the contract amount). I own the company. Or some of it at least!
I'm not sure what to do next in terms of replacing it. In terms of requirement, no smaller than a Focus type car and quite happy with bigger. Would also prefer to be moving upwards in quality as 40k a year is a long time sat in the car - a while ago it looked like my car was going to go to a new employee and I was looking seriously at an A5 3.0tdi or a BMW 123d (very different cars I know but I liked them both for different reasons!). However the credit crunch may have put a bit of a stop to this. Insurance costs are not a concern as I have any car cover under our fleet policy.
I've liked having the contract hire as everything is covered & service is very good, but it's not good for the high mileage and also I suspect quite overpriced at the moment due to uncertainty of used values in 2 or 3 years time. So that's not the way to go I suspect. Also I don't want to get stuck with anything for that length of time that is not my A5 or 123d or similar!!
But I suspect the best thing to do would be to get hold of some money and be a cash buyer for a car.
Should this be nearly new - keep hearing ads on the radio for ex dem (I think) Vectra 1.9cdti 150 SRis for £8k ish - surely a year later with 40k extra miles it won't have lost a fortune - or a bit older? Have seen almost new 123ds for £16-17k which while tempting I don't want to tie up that much money at the moment as company cash flow is iffy to say the least.
Or I can do long term rentals on a similar Vectra for about £400 per month all in, for this level of mileage, with servicing etc - ideal as on one month rolling contracts and predictable cost but probably a bit more than the depreciation on something else.
Really what I'm looking for I guess is the cheapest way to do 40k per year motoring for say up to a year. Don't mind too much how but reliability is absolutely imperative hence only looking at nearly new. And the nicer the car the better. The theory then being that in a year the economy might be a bit more stable and I can get something better. I am only in my early 20s so slightly concerned about image but not overly.
I've not owned my own car for some time and never for very long (my record for ownership is 10 months) so not too up on the pitfalls! Really I would love to hang on to the Focus for a bit longer but the lease company are not prepared to let me buy if off them.
Any thoughts? I know really I need to do some research in terms of costs, economy, etc but just looking for any bright ideas really before I get down to the job. Sorry for the long post!
Thanks in advance Read more
Falkirk Bairn - have you a link to a site for day-rental sales?
Hire companies in Jersey etc were always a good bet, but that appears to ahve dried up in last 12 months.
Came to polish my Jag xtype last night (2005, 110k miles) for the first time and used a polishing buffer machine with some autoglym polish. After buffing it up the paintwork is not silky smooth and glossy - more of a slightly rough feel to it. Could this be due to the cars high mileage and probably lack of polishing previously? The car was an ex fleet car so i doubt anyone has ever polished it, though it is in very good condition. Read more
There are some great video's on youtube of Claying and how to apply it etc.
See below for the product which I used. Sound isnt great but you will get the idea.
uk.youtube.com/watch?v=yfEfLGL59GI
I used Meguirs but I think il find a cheaper alternative next time. Car looks A1 now, (i did spend 5 hours on it!)
My girlfriends dad even commented on it today and said it looked like the bodywork was made from glass, and he is into cars about as much as im into needle work!
I am looking to by a used, New shape S 320 CDI has anyone seen them at auction yet and how much are they going for ? Read more
Many thanks.
Browse
Might be the cable from main body to tailgate - common fault on cars with tailgates.
This is speculation but plausible.