January 2009
This amused me rather alot, no offense to any Ford lovers.
One of my customers, a long time Fiesta owner, rang me up yesterday thanking me for some recent advice. I just said that as she was thinking of replacing her 03 Fiesta with a brand new one, have a look at the Daihatsu while shes looking over the Ford ( in same showroom ).
Now I didnt think much of it at the time, but when she rang me up and said she had changed her car I thought she meant for a Sirion. But no.
She had a look at the new Fiesta. Hated the styling, found it very claustrophobic and terrible visability, not to mention expensive and a bit tight inside. She even gave it a good test drive but just couldnt get on with it.
She then spied a Terios and liking the initial look of it, asked to take it for a spin.
Her exact comments were ' it felt just like my car as soon as I pulled away'. She said that it cost the same as the Fiesta but was much bigger, excellent visability and the clincher apparently was the 5 year warranty, 5 year roadside assistance and 5 year free servicing.
It just amused me that someone could go in for a Fiesta and come out with a Terios thinking it is the better car and yet, read press reports and you would think the Fiesta was the best car in the world. Apparently you cant make a universally liked car and can even alienate your existing customers. Read more
Hi, my engine management light has been on for some time now, initially it was very sluggish on starting but has gradually got worse, would think there was kangaroo petrol in it, but the fuel is fine and has recentle been serviced just before this recent problem arose, its now hard to get over seventy and can nearly come to a halt as the power somes just isnt there, on starting there is a whining noise which gradually goes away. Finally the tempature guauge is always at zero unless i am siting stationery when it will gradually rise thus giving good heat. Could it be this airflow meter causing these problems
{Shouting amended. Some of us are trying to have a lunchtime nap!!} Read more
GET THE CODES READ
sorry mods...
Just had a spark plug ejected from my Espace! I thought there was a problem with the manifold/exhaust due to the noise but garage found spark plug had come out.
Engine is longitudinally mounted so plugs run front to back making good access to rear two plugs nigh on impossible.
Waiting for mechanics verdict, but looks like he won't be able to rethread the hole in situ.
I assume the only alternative will be to remove the head and have the hole rethreaded, and that this would mean new head gasket, head skimming, possibly new timing belt etc at same time?
Can anyone advise rough cost of this or any alternative remedies?
Not sure whether cost will outway value of car.
Any advice appreciated.
Read more
Update.
Garage just called and apparently the plug somehow 'un-wound' itself on it's threads! No damage - new plugs fitted and drives fine.
Sounds crazy to me, but not complaining!
Maceman
is the wake up procedure for a 406 2.2HDI the same as a petrol? i.e the 3min rule. thanks for any help advice given steve. Read more
My Diesel D-4D automatic has had its "engine assist" fade in 2000 miles from new.
Engine assist is the partial engagment of the clutch when the brakes are released to make the take up smoother. My 2006 car (same model) had the same fault.
Is this a known Yaris gearbox fault?
I have a friend who has a Auris with the same gearbox problem.
G3lcs Read more
Just got it back from garage -- no mechanical adjustment reqd. They just reprogrammed the on board computer --- "assist " is back and car is as new.
Not holding breath tho, it will fade again if the last car is anything to go by.
G3LCS
SQ
After my wife has been driving for a while and the engine has warmed up occasionally the engine management light comes on and it cuts out. After a couple of minutes it starts up again and all is okay. It always starts first time and only started doing it yesterday. Any ideas? Read more
Ideally the fault code(s) need reading out, which takes away the guesswork of what the problem is.
Try the paperclip trick - www.topbuzz.co.uk/info/fault_codes/fault_codes.htm
Offhand, I can't recall where the diagnostic socket is on the Corsa-B though.
My car has done 60K miles and has never had the exhaust additive topped up. Should I get it topped up, or wait until a level warning light comes on? Read more
My commute takes me over this roundabout every day, nearly every time you see people deliberately using the wrong lane - I can live with that they know what they are doing and don't generally hold anyone up.
You also see many who haven't a clue and do hold everyone up like the artic this morning who changed lanes only to think he was wrong and to change back, then realised he was right in the first place!
The worst set of lights I have ever seen for people running the red is exit slip road from the northbound M42, you would need 5 or 6 bobbies for EVERY phase of the lights if you wanted to catch everyone who did it in the evening rush hour.
Is this the worst in the UK - or do you know different?
www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=418500&y=284500&z=3&...f Read more
Yes the roundabout I mentioned has traffic lights on it. So when they are on red you run out of space to change lanes and end up blocking the 8pm exit if you are headed for the 10pm exit. Daft.
For those who use the road noticed a 50 sign this morning, swear it was not there yesterday.
There is a camera there as well - you can bet they have changed the speed it is set at.
Now why would they do that, at rush hour (or so) you cannot do 40, in the evenings it is dead, in summer the bikers use the A38 going the other way. Only remember 2 accidents on that bit of road in 12 years of commuting along it. Read more
daveyip - other than temporary limits and restrictions (actually closures) during the Ryder Cup this section was NSL until this week. Never been flashed driving past the cameras at 60 on the sat nav.
Up til yesterday Between Bassets Pole and the A45 it was all NSL, this is the only section with a posted limit.
On this day in 1921 the first British patent for windscreen wipers was issued. tinyurl.com/a3nzzw
{typo in header corrected} Read more
On this day in 1921 the first British patent for windscreen wipers was issued.
No it wasn't. At least GB 28,390 issued on 21st June 1911 (Search under GB191028390).
BIG
Browse
Sat around they shouldnt develop problems though.
My dads car sits around for week sat a time and barely managed 1500 miles last year and yet it always starts.
Look at how long some of these new cars sit in fields before they get delivered - if that is so bad for cars, they wouldnt do it would they?
Her Fiesta didnt have battery issues but some obscure electrical gremilin which they apparently fixed in the end. I certainly dont think a car with 9k on the clock with full Ford history should be unreliable, it should still feel and behave fresh out the box.