December 2008
When I arrived home and my Ford Focus 1.8 (petrol) was idling I noticed a smell of bad eggs so I got out of the car and bent down to smell near the exhaust and I think it is coming from there.
I have read on motoring websites that this can be caused by a bad catalytic converter and if so what other symptoms are hallmarks of a failing cat. converter.
Also it says that another cause of the bad smell is if the engine has mechanical problems - what do they mean by this and how can I find out ?
The engine has covered about 78 000 miles and is a 1999 model Read more
My Honda has done 181000 mile and on Friday last developed noisey steering,on a smooth road surface all seems well,but on rough surface the steering creeks and feels notchey? My local garage could find nothing wrong with the steering but replaced a anti-roll bar link on the rear suspension and lubricated the suspension bushes to cure the noise.The noise is not so pronounced now but the steering is giving the same symptoms?? Read more
Ok I have this really dumb question. I have bought a 2nd hand Ford Mondeo 2003 TDCI Diesel 2.0 car and have been driving for 6 months. I have noticed that people tend to pour in water or battery water into their cars. However mine does not seem to have any compartment to pour battery water. I only pour in engine oil when its at low. Thats it. Does my car even use water, Pls advice as Im not good at all with cars. Thanks Read more
I never worry about using tap water!
My bad, what I meant to say was not corrosion, but limescale. I live in a hard water area and the scale that builds up in the kettle and the steam iron persuaded me to use demineralised water in the car cooling system.
I'm going to buy a 2006 3-series and after reading lots of reviews I was all ready to go for the 320d SE. However, 2 things have started to sway me towards a 325i SE:
1. I'll only do 10-12k mile per year and therefore given the higher cost of diesel the difference in running costs will be fairly small and will probably all balance out when taking into account the higher cost of servicing a diesel.
2. The credit crunch seems to have hit the price of larger petrol engine cars more than diesels and there are some 325's available at pretty keen prices at the moment. I intend to keep the car for 3 years so even after depreciation I'm guessing that I wont be any more out of pocket for buying a petrol rather than diesel car.
Just wondering what your thoughts are on this - do you agree/disagree with my thinking? Read more
It's reassuring to find you both in agreement over the 325i although I'm going to look into the 330i as well now that CJay mentions it. I'd planned to stay away from the Sport model as most opinion (on the internet at least) seems to be that the ride is too firm for anything but motorway driving. Any opinion on this? Also what's the auto like in the BMW? Cheers.
Hi,
My engine warning light recently came on. I took my car to my local garage (not Ford branded) for them to diagnose what was wrong.
They have told me both Oxygen sensors have failed. One suspected open circuit, the other suspected short circuit.
They advised total cost of repair would be GBP350, including VAT and cost of diagnosis.
I have now asked for a breakdown which is as follows:
All plus VAT:
-Cost of diagnosis (EMS test): GBP50
-Two new Oxygen sensors: GBP55.95
-Two hours labour @GBP68 per hour
They've told me half the labour (ie 1 hr) was to diagnose the problem, they had to check some wiring to determine if the sensors were actually dead or if it was a wiring problem.
Does this seem reasonable?
It seems like a lot of money to me. Perhaps I am a bit annoyed that my expecations weren't managed very well as I was told diagnosis would be GBP50+vat, and now they've basically added another GBP68+vat making total cost of diagnosis = GBP118 + vat.
So is this reasonable? Thanks in advance for any thoughts. Read more
Thanks both for your responses. And a great idea asking for the fault code numbers. I will definitely do that.
Just an update, just reached the 6 month mark & almost 6000miles with a Freelander2 auto. Well what can I say, Hasn't returned to the dealer yet as it has been faultless.
Fuel consumption now vastly improving with a 340mile round trip 80% on motorway with crusie control returned 37mpg at 70mph over 170 miles & 42mpg over 170 mile return trip with the cc set at 65 on the return
I know that there was a post saying that the auto box hunts around gears but I cannot even make it hunt even at 30 mph on narrow roads. The auto box has been a dream & after 33 years of motoring finally converted to auto.
The performance 4x4 with only a 2.2 engine is excellent & the ride & handling is great, extremley quiet,Kids love sitting in the back as the vision is so good & load space is good.
I now smile every time a park in a car park there is always a good gap when vehicles park iether side! guess they don't like getting their doors dinged. When ever I parked my Jag in a car park cars were always nearly hugging the thing when I returned & door dings were common.
Lets hope the next 6 months is as good as the last . keep you posted & Merry Christmas to you all.
I Doc
Read more
Pleased your enjoying the Freelander long may it continue.
I never even park next to a 4x4 or large van but sometimes they park next to me.
I've got the dings to prove it !
Earlier this summer my son had his license revoked for driving with no insurance...
*.**********
Instead of declaring he had passed (in april) he continued to drive his car with provisional insurance and then cancelled it. Lying to me that it had all been sorted.
He lost his license, the car and £200 in fines
Now he has retaken his tests and is looking for a new motor but I have a question....
When getting an insurance quote and filling in the detail about "license held for..."
Does he say that date he FIRST passed or the date he passed for the SECOND time after having his license revoked..
I cannot find anything on the internet about this so any help is appreciated. failing that I will tell the boy to pick up the phone and find out himself! Read more
Cheers to nooby for askmid I thought you had to pay to use any of these online data checking thingies. That will come in very handy
Yeah we are in low risk north wales... so all things considered £800 is nothing to whinge about. He's got a few car modding websites bookmarked i see here though. This lads running before he can walk.
Twas the night before Christmas
when all through the house
I searched for the tools
to hand to my spouse
Instructions were studied
and we were inspired,
in hopes we could manage
"Some Assembly Required."
The children were quiet (not asleep) in their beds,
while Dad and I faced the evening with dread:
a kitchen, two bikes, Barbie's town house to boot!
And, thanks to Grandpa, a train with a toot!
We opened the boxes,
my heart skipped a beat
- let no parts be missing
or parts incomplete!
"Too late for last-minute returns or replacement;
if we can't get it right, it goes in the basement!
When what to my worrying eyes should appear
but 50 sheets of directions, concise, but not clear,
With each part numbered and every slot named,
so if we failed, only we could be blamed.
More rapid than eagles the parts then fell out,
all over the carpet they were scattered about.
"Now bolt it! Now twist it! Attach it right there!
Slide on the seats, and staple the stair!
Hammer the shelves, and nail to the stand."
"Honey," said hubby, "you just glued my hand."
And then in a twinkling, I knew for a fact
that all the toy dealers had indeed made a pact
to keep parents busy all Christmas Eve night
with "assembly required" till morning's first light
We spoke not a word, but kept bent at our work,
till our eyes, they went bleary; our fingers all hurt.
The coffee went cold and the night, it wore thin
before we attached the last rod and last pin.
Then laying the tools away in the chest,
we fell into bed for a well-deserved rest.
But I said to my husband just before I passed out,
"This will be the best Christmas, without any doubt.
Tomorrow we'll cheer, let the holiday ring,
and not have to run to the store for a thing!
We did it! We did it! The toys are all set
for the perfect, most perfect, Christmas, I bet!"
Then off to dreamland and sweet repose
I grateful went, though I suppose
there's something to say for those self-deluded-
I'd forgotten that BATTERIES are never included!
My year 2000 1.4 16v Rover 200 has recently started to lose coolant. It has 105,000 miles on the clock and I have to top up the coolant level every 60-100 miles. It had the head gasket replaced in November 2007 (10,000 miles ago) and the oil seems to be OK.
However, I have noticed a white/blue/green residue across the radiator. A local auto retailer recommended that I use K-Seal but I have heard mixed reports on the effectiveness of this solution - and can sometimes compound a problem by clogging up the cooling system?
I would appreciate any advice on possible diagnosis and views on K-Seal. Read more
New rad is only around £60 plus fitting so why mess around?
Sounds like its tired and IMO knackered rads are the number one cause of head gasket failure on these Rover K series.
My car has just been fitted with a Unipart battery 096. Unipart say that plumbing in my car details with registration number, this battery is not the correct one for the vehicle and an 075 should have been fitted. Please, is there any consequence of running the car with this 096 other than the extra cost which I have now incurred in the purchase? Read more
No.
Sorry for the pun, but I'm thinking of changing my nearly 3 year old MkV Golf 2.0 TDi for one of the new Mk VI TDi's with the CR engine (140PS)
What do BR's think? I know that this engine (I'm assuming it's the same) has been out in other VW models already, but should I wait until it's proved itself before I give up my beloved PD punch! Read more
VAGs V6 engined diesels have always been common rail so its not new technology for VAG............Any better?
Browse
It is also more likely to occur if a non-manufacturer's cat has been fitted.Another reason why some replacment parts are cheap-they don't use the same washcoats in the cat manufacture and H2S is produced.