December 2008
See news story to right.
Cameras to be fitted to the back end of buses to monitor people driving too fast/close, with a warning issued accordingly. A few questions spring to mind:
The back end of most buses are so filthy, especially at this time of year, how would the cameras ever work?
If the car behind the bus is speeding, surely that means the bus is speeding too?
Of course, we never see buses being driven badly, do we?!? I mean they always pull into bus stops, and never pull pout in front of traffic, do they?
Read more
Have my eyes on a very tidy 99 T plate Jag XJ 4.0V8 LWB sovereign 68K miles, for £3995 and full history. Have looked at the pros and cons on HJ, only 2mpg difference between the small engine and the 4.0. Anyone run one of these on a day to day basis? What is the reality in running one, mpg not too important. Read more
There's an XJS on autotrader at the mo for £1200 with 12 months' MOT...
Fortunately it's in silver-grey, which has to be the least attractive colour any car has ever been made in.
Hi- We just had a new heater matrix fitted at our local garage (as the heating had stated only blewing out cold air) and that's now working fine. Only issue now is, and it could be a coincidence, since this job, the button on the dash to open the boot has not worked. The car was only repaired the other day with the heater matrix, and when I picked it up the radio said it needed a code (I luckily had the stereo book in the glove box so could enter it). I had no reason to open the boot that night, but noticed it the next day. I press the button but hear nothing, suggesting it isn't even trying to open the boot. Would anyone think the boot release issue could be related to the repair of the heater matrix? Any chance it would be disconnected or something like that?
The boot release on the remote still works fine. I like to run these things past the experts before heading back to the garage.
Many thanks in advance. Read more
The boot button on my 2001 Focus has been gradually getting more hit and miss, now packed up completely. Remote key opens the boot fine. How do I remove the button to check contacts or replace, please?
I've been happy with this car but it has now developed a gentle surging motion when travelling over 40 mph. The engine emissions warning light also comes on but intermittently, i.e. not for entire journeys. My wife tells me that it judders when going downhill.
Garage has cleaned out throttle box and given the tank gas treatment. Wife says car slowed abruptly coming down steep hill. Garage suggestion - replace accelerator cable, which seems an odd solution. Any thoughts?
Read more
Tks for the advice. Just had this done. Throttle position sensor up Swanee. cost to replace 250 smackers. The nearest main dealer wants 370 for the job!
Couldn't resist it - and as a little celebration (early I know) - I'm going to wish you all a Happy and safe Christmas, thanks for the discourse and the interests that you've provided on here.
I'm off tomorrow to a remote bit of North Wales - doubt whether we'll have any signal for my dongle to work up where we're going so I'll be away for ten days or so.
Rob (the other one) Read more
Yes Traffic Taleban country - that's brave of you!!
I reckon 1 in 3 cars where fitted drive along with their front or rear fogs on. Today was a classic example, visibility was miles yet people still have the flipping fog lights on. It is really really driving me insane now.
Is this just ignorance or do people think it looks cool? I have seen a few offenders being pulled over.
Another minor pet hate is people in these modern cars with LED rear clusters who hold their car with the brake pedal at lights, use your flipping hand brake, I don't want your bright lights hurting my eyes thank you very much! Yes I caqn see you have a 4.6 litre Vogue, but we both know its leased and you are not keeping up your payments so stop driving like a pratt.
Sorry for my late night rant can;'t sleep as usual.
Finally I really really hate people that don't indicate at roundabouts, it causes me problems as both a driver and pedistrian. I realise on BMW you have to active the indicators via the I drive system which involves downloading the latest security pack from Munich and then having to activate it, but you could always use arm signals!
Read more
We used to DREAM of 'avin' an Escort Popular Plus! :)
I had two ~ 1.1 Daytona Yellow followed by 1.3 Signal Yellow.
Wife currently has a 2000 Mazda 323 1.5 with around 85,000 miles on the clock. Wife has said that she wants a Nissan Note for her next car and I would prefer it to be a diesel.
Cost to change budget will be between £1000 to £1500, bassed on a 2006 1.5 DCi Note, I think we will have to wait until 2012 before this comes feasible, or have a got my caculations wrong.
BTW would do people think of the Note and can the DCI engine be remaped Read more
Thanks for all the replies, what are the Notes rivals,are any of them six years old, if so will see what prices they are fetching as this should give some idea of what the Note will be worth at six years.
hi i was just wondering does anybody elses mondeos average fuel consumption gauge does it go down in mpg when the car is stood still when it is running as i thought my car was being poor on fuel and i have just realised that everytime i stop at a junction or to stop at anytime while my engine is running the mpg will go down even though iam not moving and takes ages to go back up as i do urban driving and it says iam doing on average 25 mpg i know thats wrong can anyone help Read more
If in 15 minutes you have used 0.5 gallons of fuel and covered 15 miles it will read 30.0mpg.
If you then stop and leave the engine running for 5 minutes and it uses 0.1 gallons of fuel at idle going nowhere you will have still covered 15 miles ut now used 0.6 gallons in 20 minutes so the mpg read out will now be 25mpg.
A friend of mine, a very respectable lady with impeccable character, is very upset over being caught twice by mobile cameras going over the limit in areas where it was 30 but intuitively it looks like it should be higher. She couldn't see any signs. Anyway, I had a discussion with someone over how draconian her punishment is and how worried it made her, having 6 points and feeling like a criminal, when uninsured unregistered vehicles just do what they want. This other person just kept saying, "she shouldn't have been speeding." No matter what mitigating circumstances there were and how certain elements of the cases were unfair, all this person could keep saying was "she shouldn't have been speeding." His air of superciliousness and self-satisfied smirk were annoying to say the least. Think of Norris in Corrie or maybe a self-important traffic warden. He really wound me up. He won't do it again though because I killed him. Read more
I drove past a speed camera last week that had been burnt out.
it made me smile.
Maybe it was burnt out due to bananaman's lady friend in his story driving past it several times a day. LOL ;0)
hi
just a quick question
is it ok to use Millers Diesel Power Sport 4 in a new shape focus 2.0 tdci 134 bhp.
not looking for a performance boost. just for the lubrication benefits
thanks Read more
It is an ongoing problem. SFAIK Government policy is to have 5% bio in diesel at some point in the future yet dicussion in the BR seems to suggest that some manufacturers say NO to any biodiesel in the fuel. So Long as the fuel used meets the appropriate BS there shouldn't be an issue but don't bet on it!
Browse
Cyclists using cycle lanes! Whatever next? They use the pavements, mostly.