December 2008
Hi all.
I'm looking to replace our 1997 1.4CL Polo.
The Polo has done is 52,000 miles - mainly used for lots of short journeys around town.
The Polo is our 2nd car and only does c. 3,000 miles a year.
We're looking for a youngish car that is ok for these journeys but can cope with the odd motorwar trip. Needs to be ultra-reliable and safe. Doesn't have to be sexy.
Cash budget is £4,500 plus whatever we get for the Polo (say £500).
I'd like to keep the new car for as long as possible - we hope to move house in 2010 (likely big mortgage)
Hyundai Getz jumps out as a likely candidate; preferably 1.4 in CDX trim. Any views? And any suggestions for an alternative?
thanks. Read more
I have been reading on 4car a spy shot account of a Honda Accord estate 4 wheel drive our testing in the USA.
There is a view that they will sell it in europe.
I am a fan of Honda but can't help think that this will be another overpriced car that they will try and compete against the A6 allroad on price (I have no doubt it will be a better car than the allroad in terms of reliability & engineering) but will not deliver anything better than the Legacy.
I really do think Honda need to re-market the Accord because I don't know about anyone else but I think I have only seen 1 on the road. I appreciate it is not a good time to be selling cars but it is definitely not a good time to be trying to sell what is a very good car when priced against the Passat etc in the A4 and 3 series market. Unfortunately most people don't look past the badge in this sector IMO, and as such will not buy an Accord. Read more
Purchased a ford Focus TDCi about 4 months ago and it ran fine with no problems. Local garage changed the fuel filter about a month ago and for about a week it started and ran ok no problems, some of these journeys covered over a 100 miles in a single trip.
Short trip to local supermarket refused to start but left for 30 minutes got it going, then it cut out dead on return journey at speed which was frightening as all power was lost. Managed to get it going again but over the next few days same thing happened and it seems a common problem which others have referred to in previous posts.
Car taken to a diesel specialist who said....The new fuel filter was a poor quality he had seen this problem on other cars so he fitted a new bosch filter.
Over the past 3 weeks the car has been fine, so if it was ok before the filter was changed and has been ok after another filter has been fitted it seems almost certain the problem was down to a dodgy filter.
My reason for this lengthy post is that others may have similar problems so before spending loads of cash (which others have done only to find the problem persists)make sure you have a quality fuel filter fitted.
I know nothing about filters (and I don't work for vw) but I think there is some additional item incorporated in the fuel filter for the focus but no doubt others more technically minded can enlarge on this subject. Read more
Very interesting - next time I take my 02 Focus into service, I had already decided to supply my own oil to Ford's spec, so I will hunt this filter down.
I am convinced that some of the issues people have raised with these cars is partly down to the fact they are a bit particular about servicing to the right spec.
Fuel spec is important, too - I run mine on BP Ultimate, and use Miller Diesel Power - well worth it as the engine runs much better, and is so far at 150K with no (touch wood!) problems...
This is one piece of Amrican legislation I don't think anyone would mind being introduced here unless you are a CLOG member, mimser or, new one on me, slowpoke !
tinyurl.com/5mqc2k
(MSN money link)
I don't think it will though.
Surprised to read some US States have similar keep right(/left) rules as used throughout Europe. Read more
An alternative view that I am sure that I will be flamed for, CLOG recruited thousands of new members after the creation of the WLYOC (Won't Let You Out Club).
How many times do you see a dual carriageway with nothing on the inside lane, but a whole string of cars in the right lane full of WLYOC members. With thoughts of "mustn't let them out, mustn't let them out" running through their minds.
And when a slower car on the inside lane does need to overtake, what do the WLYOC members do. Yep, make life as difficult as possible by closing up the gaps or tailgating.
So what is such a person likely to do when they have managed to get out and there is a short gap and then another HGV a little way ahead? Correct, the WLYOC has recruited a new member to the CLOG.
And you only have to happen a few times for that to become ingrained and people just get in the habit of avoiding the inside lanes.
Over on the Fiat Forum we have at least 4 Panda Crosses that have shown a warning light on the dash that the 4x4 system has failed when required in slippery conditions. Given that this is a rare car in the UK this failure rate is inordinately high. As this is a new fault, nobody has information regarding how it is to be fixed but if anyone else has suffered a similar problem it would be interesting to know of it. Read more
Hi,
My vectra runs very well especially on the motor ways, but i find if i am in traffic or idling for a while the responses when moving off is slow or hesitant, it is not the clutch, i had the timing belt changed recently but it was doing it before the belt change, any ideas what it may be, some times it responds better than others, i have noticed that it idles compared to my previous cavalier lower, around 500 instead of 900-1000 on my cavalier, is this any thing to do with the response from standing to accelerating
Regards
Ron Read more
A 150 mile round trip commute was mentioned in a recent thread.
Couldn't think of a reply to that, other than comiserations.
But it set me wondering what sort of journeys to work we all undertake.
Mine is 10/11 miles in the car in light traffic followed by a 10-minute park and ride bus journey, and a short walk to the office.
Door-to-door in under 45 minutes, and it's reliable because we don't really do traffic jams here in the North East.
Overall, it's far from unpleasant, even at this time of year.
What's your commute like? Read more
Guided busway >>
Think there's a stretch of something similar on one of the main A-roads north out of Leeds.
The buses have a coulple of jockey wheels low down on each front corner which run along two rails.
Effect is like running between kerbs that are only a few inches wider than the bus.
I have just bought a De-icer from Halfords (It is a spray, and says concentrated on the label), but does'nt tell me how to dilute it. I am just wondering if I should dilute it or I can directly spray it on the glass with out diluting it.
Any adivce is greatly appreciated. Read more
The rubber suckers that stick it
to the inside of the screen ..........
Eh?
After my thread when looking at a 2002 Octivia estate TDi where I was dissapointed in the ride quality I wondered about the Series II. Has anyone traded up to have experience of improvements in ride comfort and overall cabin noise levels? I see from various reports that they changed the suspension and stiffened the bodyshell on the series II which ought to have adressed the issues that stopped me buying the 2002 car.
David Read more
Thanks guys. I still get this feeling that I ought to be able to get on with an Octavia so will try and find an affordable Series II to test. However if they do suffer high road noise levels despite a decent ride I may have to pass again. Shame if that's the case.
David
Having locked the car either with the key or the remote, both doors and boot are secure.
However, after about 3 minutes, the car then repeatedly tries to lock itself - you can hear the solenoid clicking in both front doors every two or three seconds. This continues until the car is unlocked - so many hours if left.....
Any thoughts on what might be causing this?
I've wondered about sticking lock mechanism, or possibly the convenience control unit (don't know whether this car has one - my old Seat Toledo did and I had CL problems with that car also).
Thanks Read more
Browse
I have owned many autos over the years and not once have I ever had a situation where LFB was of any use. Its not rocket science to adapt to the way power is delievered at low speeds in autos. If you have any finesse with a car, it just isnt required.
The only autos ive thought are arkward in low speed situations are the DSG type boxes and Smart, which arent proper autos anyway. The Smart I know was always arkward reversing up to things on a slope, such as my driveway. I had a custoemr was a DSG Golf as a loan car and inching it into his garage was comically hard as it had a lip that meant he needed to blip the throttle and then brake before hitting the wall.
Ive never had an auto that doesnt have a strong enough creep that it can make it up most slopes and even if you have to give it some throttle, power delivery is usually soft initially allowing for precise inputs.