January 2009
Hi,
Feel cheeky as ive just registered and this is my second cry for help,Hope im not pushing my luck but i really dont know anything about cars or engines and being short of cash need to ask and hopefully learn a bit so i can save on garage costs.
I have had the car 2 days and noticed today first time i took it for a run,that there is a droning noise that gets louder as i go faster,cant work out if its from front or rear.The best way i can describe it is it sounds like a noisy diff which i had happen yrs ago on an old mk2 escort i think it was which was cured by putting oil in.It seems to start at around 20mph and as i said gets louder with more speed at 70 i cant even hear the radio lol.
Any ideas/pointers welcome,bit scared and skint to take into a garage at the moment.
regards Ian. Read more
Hi,
As subject says just got a cheap car for my daughter.Needed a couple bits sorting but very solid body wise only rust is on front valence.
Anyway one of the problems is starting it in the morning it cranks like a good un but wont fire up,someone suggested trying easy start which i have done and true enough it starts first go with a squirt of easy start.
As im not exactly car or engine savvy i could do with a few pointers if possible as im told its bad to use easy start to much.Once its started in the morning it starts normally all day.
regards Ian. Read more
Ok problem sorted,whilst tracing back the wires from the relay I found a break in one.After fixing and waiting overnight the car started first time.
Thanks to all who helped,really appreciate all the advice and I now have a little more
knowledge which is priceless.
I have a 50/15 compressor (50 Ltr). I have a good selection of air tools with PCL couplings.
I recently bought one of those small ones complete with the tools which is handy for dragging down the drive and pumping up tyres etc. This one has different couplings. I dont know what the official term for them is.
Problem 1. My tools are therefore not interchangeable between the two compressors. Is there some sort of adaptor available that will allow me to interchange tools between the two?
Problem 2. I have been eyeing up one of those in line filter/oiler regulators to ensure all the damp is out and the air tools are lubricated. However If I have an oiler is it not going to put oil down the air line to the tools; which is the pupose, but what happens if I then connect a spray gun. Will it not pump oil into the paint which isn't very healthy for a quality finish.
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Very little spraying these days.
I've seen a small oiler at Machine Mart which could be cobbled together with a small piece of line and a male and female connection and then fitted right up to the tool with only the tool that needs oil.
Yes I agree, a couple of drops into the tool prior to use would suffice after all I've been doing that for 30 years.
Please excuse this as a first post!
I'm looking at a job switch which would reguire a cross country, mostly single carriageway A road, 45 mile commute.
As the job is a shift work one, one consideration is that I need to be able to manage the trip in all conditions ie snow etc.
The budget is £10-12K (cash buy) and (personally) I want something sporty(ish) although the all weather requirement (possibly?) suggests maybe 4x4?.... We are still debating whether it'll be a 2nd car or the main family one (we currently have a 6yo 1.6 zetec Focus) and one thought was another Focus? A nearly new ST is in the price range (or is this a mid life crisis for this 50yo, lol?), as I've always had a soft spot for fast fords, in the past I've had a XR3i (mid 80s) and RS2000 (mid 90s) escorts.
New or nearly new or what? Diesel or petrol?
The commute itself would account for 12K miles a year, and I'd hope to keep the car 5 years. The jobs worth about £500 a month more than I currently get, so I don't want to blow most of that on petrol and other running costs, lol.
Any thoughts or suggestions on where I/we start looking/test driving?
Cheers,
Angus
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Anyway, after an awful lot of humming and hawing I've decided to buy a new Impreza 2.0 R 5dr from Motorpoint for £10.5K.
I've weighed up the pros and cons of a Cyprus import etc and it still makes sense to me, so I'm just wondering if any of you have anything else to add?
My arguments are still that I'll be using it for a 40ish mile cross country commute across Perthshire and Fife. and the AWD is an important consideration when the other guy doesn't get to go home until I get there. Family commitments also mean regular trips to Kintyre and the Western Isles so more winding A roads etc. In total about 18K miles a year.
Although I'm 50yo and not a boy racer, I do have a history of cars that made me smile, my all time fave was my RS Escort in the early 90s. I know the Impreza is no looker (according to some!) but I do believe it to be a good drivers car and will be a reliable workhorse for the 5 years I intend to keep it.
OK, the wife drew the line at the WRX and the daughters were muttering about mid life crisis etc, but it still makes sense to me. The girls (19 & 22) still threw a strop when I suggested taking them off the insurance to keep the costs down, lol.
Any further advice, before I lose more the the £100 they've got just now?
Cheers,
Angus
I have to drive from Leics to Whitehaven, Cumbria tomorrow morning (leaving about 5.30 - 6am)
Have as usual when I have not done a journey before, looked up viaMichelin route planner and :-
1 Recommended route is M1, A50, M6 to Penrith then A66 to Whitehaven. Estimated time 4hrs 1 min.
2. Quickest (!) route M1, M18, A1 to Scotch Corner then A66 to Whitehaven - estimated time 3hrs 59 mins (a whole 2 minutes quicker than route 1!!
Any opinions as to best route?? (I know you will have!)
It's business not pleasure so scenery (and driving "fun" will have to wait for another time.
Thanks in advance
Phil
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Shhh ! I think you woke one.
I have an astra 2.0 dti and the problem has been getting steadily worse. It starts fine but one it has warmed up the emmisions and cooling lights come on, the rev counter drops to nothing and loses power. It will still run but there is hardly any power there and other times it will just cut out. It has been checked for faults but it comes up fine. Does any body know what the problem could be? Read more
Hi
I have a peugeot 406 HDI 2.0 diesel estate, 2001 (Y) reg. I have noticed in the last few days my speedo does not always work when I first start my car, but after about 21/2 miles it starts working and then it appears to be OK for the rest of the day irrespective of how many times I stop and start the car. Leave it over night and it will not work again for the next 2-3 miles,then it's OK. A freind has told us that there is most probably a censor on top of the gearbox or somewhere, that most probably needs removing for cleaning or replacing. No other instuments are affected. Help true or false Read more
Ok, I sit corrected. Glad you sorted it tho.
OK drink and driving isn't funny so don't get all pious.
But....
www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1090559_dru...r
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It was one the level 2 ones... he drove down the centre of the road and then round a roundabout... and yes there were pavements withg dropped curves... it was just pure stupidity... I believe someone reported him and the Plod had words...
hi
could anyone tell me how change the steering lock on a 2000 ym 1.4 civic and will i need to get new key reprogramed to car .
thanks in advance any help would be great Read more
I'm sure that a new steering lock can be ordered to vin number so that the original key can be used.Changing the lock requires dismantling of the steering wheel,airbag and lighting/wiper switches to gain access to the security shear bolts that secure the lock to the steering column.hth
Hi there,
I am currently thinking about changing my car and the new Galaxy looks very good.
What is the lowest sort of figure that I'm likely to pay for a new model Diesel Automatic? Pref something with parking sensors (maybe Zetec or above).
Any suggestions would be welcome. Alternatively, are the prices likely to depreciate more than other cars in six months or so?
Many thanks, Nigel. Read more
Well he was certainly a fan of Top Gear.


Mother-in-law in boot?
(blowing exhaust?)