January 2009
I mean not by choice, not planned short ownerships.
Mine is three months, sold my car this morning for £250 spares or repair. I kind of regret it but at the end of the day I just did not have faith in the intrigrity of it.
My previous car was 9 months but that was slighltly unusual circumstances.
I have a feeling I am going to be one of these people who have owned 40 cars within the next 20 years!
So what is the shortest ownership people have had here? Did you buy a car for £400 only to find the cambelt snapped the next day? Read more
Hi,
My Son's 55 reg Mazda 6 decided it would not select 1st, 3rd & 5th on Friday. About 9 months ago he had a gear change cable failure where the outer casing plastic bracket broke. This was replaced by the place he bought it from and he's had no problems. The AA man took the battery & tray out to see the cables and they 'seem' to be moving. However I wonder if anyone out there has any advice or guidance. The lever is very stiff and no matter how you try it will not go into any gear by pushing the gear lever forward. I've not heard any horror stories about Mazda 6 gearbox's so i suspect its not that.
Anyone out there have any ideas?
Thanks
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the heat shield (at least that is what i think it is!) on my focus has come loose in 1 place. It makes a rattling sound when I am in a low gear. Does this need to be fixed ASAP - how much damage is it doing to my car ? and is it a big job?
Thanks Read more
Tin foil (available from most kitchens) can be an acceptable alternative.
Hi All,
Just bought a replacement rear door off ebay which was advertised as off a 1998 model.
However after reading the Haynes maanual I'm pretty sure the fixings for the door card are pre 1996. Also mine is central locking and the doot I've bought is manual also the window mechanism doesn't work on the door I've purchased. Firstly, I wondered if anyone knows will the door fit my model and secondly can I swap the window and lock mechanism from my damaged door? Read more
We have two touring by car (well - austerity van ;-) trips this spring to still sort out. The previously mentioned run down past Azincourt - route Napoleon and into the top of Italy. Plus possibly a trip into the north west highlands of Scotland in a rented cottage north of Applecross.
Unsure of the latter - but need to start planning the March trip shortly
Any advice on missing school holidays in March and May in France and on the best chance of finding hotel vacancies (on the day) abroad?
Previously we have only headed south from Calais in late May or September.
It`s around 500 miles to get up to north of Applecross from here - only a little less than Reims.. another day from there would be passing through the Alps..
Which would you prefer and why? ;)
I`m having trouble deciding - or to put it another way - I have to present viable plans to the boss shortly ;-)
Cheers Read more
I have been over the Bealach Na Ba in low cloud. Not much fun but amazing even if it is overcast.
The Applecross Inn has excellent seafood and beer.
Day trips out from Applecross might be a bit of a pain. Which ever way you leave you have narrow winding roads for 45-60 mins.
We normally rent a cottage. 1000 mile round trip from Manchester and around the same on 3 or 4 long day trips.
Lochcarron has been a good base with reasonable access.
The North Western corner above Ullapool and around to Tongue through the Geo Park is spectacular.
It is single track with passing places but there is little traffic and good visibility of the road.
With the Highlands, the gales mean the rain doesn't last too long. In my experience.
.newsoftheworld.co.uk/news/141549/TRAFFIC-WARDENS-FAKE-PHOTO-EVIDENCE.
html
Parking restrictions have less and less to do with safety of other road users and more about making easy money.
made non-clickable Read more
You don't see the headlines because not enough people have the time or inclination to actually investigate the validity of a parking ticket. I understand that the success rate of those who appeal against parking tickets approaches 50%. For some people £60 is an easier option than taking time out to see the extortionists in court or at an Appeal Hearing.
I have a V reg focus 1.8. When i got it there was a over revving problem in idle when the car comes to a stop. I changed the speed sensor and it stayed the same, however when i run the car with the senor unplugged it drives perfect. I have tried cleaning the connectors and still it stays the same.
Also when i driving when i try to put power in to the engine it gets very smokey for a few seconds and then dies down/ i would say ist when i am accelerating hard to get on to a motorway revving up to 70mph and then dies down. any ideas.
Since getting the car it has had, New timing belt, Full oil change, New speed sensor, New starter motor, and got new drive belt to put on.
any ideas?
Cheers michael Read more
My Father has a 1998 1.6 Renault Scenic automatic. It is kept in a garage. Twice in the last three months it has not started and had to be recovered to the local Renault dealer. Both times it had stood overnight in the garage. The dealer has now decided that the UCH (universal control hub?) is defective and needs to be replaced at a price of around £400. Is there any other solution? Could it be a defective connection or a drop in battery voltage? Is there any independent specialist who can check out the fault and perhaps do the repair for less? We are located in Ashford, Kent.
I wonder if the car is worth repairing but he has just spent £350 on it (tyres, exhaust and mirror) in preparation for the MOT.
The car is important to my Father as he not very mobile and uses it to get around.
shouting hushed Read more
Dont know much about renaults. but the fuse he is talking about would probably be the one fot the ecu. im not sure but renault may call it the universal hub thing that you mentioned.
My car has recently exhibited a cold start problem. Two faults found - a brake fault code (unrelated?) and all 4 glowplugs were dead. The fault code was cleared and the glowplugs replaced. Result - still fires on what sounds like one cylinder from cold with lots of smoke and lumpy running. I can drive away and within 100 metres it's running cleanly and once fully warm seems to run as it should. I've looked back over some earlier posts on the 2 litre HDI and found in Screwloose's experience they are ---"Without doubt the most difficult engine to diagnose - bar none". Has anyone experienced this cold start problem and found the answer? Screwloose would like to take a stab?? Any help appreciated. Read more
Is there proof that all the glowplugs are getting power, the HDi's don't need them to start unless really cold but they are used for the first few minutes to smooth the cold running. If all glowplugs are receiving power then it sounds likely the injectors are faulty. Was the car read with a main dealer tool (Lexia/Actia)? Such a device will allow you to read the live data and get the most specific info.
Steve.
www.honestjohn.co.uk/news/item.htm?id=5651
Interesting advice from Cobra - but is it in the best interests of personal safety given today`s knife culture?
We leave our car keys on the coffee table in the lounge at night - in the belief that car thieves are pretty serious if they have made it that far.
Would you prefer them to take the keys and go? or look you up in the bedroom while you are asleep?
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Thats what happens when you criminalise guns, only the criminals have them.
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4 years, 11 months. (Ford Fiesta Mk III)