February 2009
Motorists are 30 per cent slower to react when talking on a hands-free mobile than they are when they are drunk, according to new tests. They also remain slower than normal even up to ten minutes after having a conversation because their concentration is affected, according to the study.
The study by the Transport Research Laboratory found slower reaction times for drivers using hands-free mobiles than for those who were above the legal drink drive limit.
The tests included getting motorists to brake suddenly while driving at 70mph.
Compared to the stopping distance of a driver in normal circumstances, the over-the-limit driver took a further 13 feet before coming to a standstill.
However, the driver using a hands-free mobile phone took 26 feet, exactly twice as far, before coming to a halt.
Measuring concentration levels and the time it took for the brain to fully focus on the task found a 30 per cent reduction in reaction time between the hands-free mobile phone driver and the over-the-limit one.
Discuss ? Read more
Hello everyone! How the devil are you all?
I know it's been quite a while but I need some advice and who better to ask than you!
The Vectra has played it's last evil trick on me so it's going. I've purposely parked it in rough areas and stopped short of leaving the keys in, in the hope that someone would have the decency to steal it - alas, it still "graces" my driveway with it's horrifically dull presence.
Anyway, in true Adam style, am I looking at "cool" cars? Noooo. Am I looking at young people's cars? Nooo! I'm looking at Volvo S80s! Well, one in particular. The car in question is a 2004 (but on a 53 plate) Volvo S80 2.4 manual and when I say it's in immaculate condition, I mean I couldn't find a mark on it anywhere. In fact, the only bad point was that is was missing the cigar lighter (I'll have to pack the Robustos in) - other than that, faultless.
I went up to see it today and, well, it's my kind of car. It's me all over in fact - big, dull, lazy and....has lots of toys. However, this has divided the household like you wouldn't believe. Dad's mate is a mechanic who has warned me off them saying when they go wrong, they go wrong (big time) and would cost me a fortune so that has instantly put Dad completely off the idea. Mum is in the "Well if you're happy, get it" camp, sister likes the silver doorhandles (don't ask), girlfriend says to get it (but hates mine almost as much as me) and my uncle tells me I'm a grown man so I should shut the hell up and buy the damn thing. (He didn't say "hell" but you get the idea)
So, my dilemma is what to do. I've weighed up each option (get it or don't get it) and I just don't know what to do. I get the feeling that I would regret not getting it but that isn't necessarily the best reason to buy a car is it?
Is this mechanic right? Would the car bankrupt me? I've scoured the Net and can't find anything that afflicts the 2.4s that would cost too much - I know suspension is a bit of a dodgy issue but it's all cheap stuff from what I've been told. On the test drive there were no knocks and it pulled nice and clean. It's had two previous owners, has done the right side of 60k miles and will be serviced, taxed and MOT's if I buy it. Somehow, the guy will take my car as part ex and so, the Volvo will cost me 1600 quid (plus my car, which, spookily enough, has done the exact same miles as the Volvo).
So BR, over to you. Ignoring the "what the Hell are you playing at buying a Volvo S80?" argument, I like stupid big cars like this. I like being weird. And I like buttons that fold the wing mirrors in. But I don't want to go out and buy a car that a month down the line will cost thousands to fix.
I'm going to sleep on it and then go to look at it again tomorrow morning when I'll make my decision. Your comments, as always, would be gratefully received.
Many thanks,
Adam
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How did you get it for this money? How much was the Vectra worth? AND where did you get it AND do they have another one??
VBR.......Martin.
It's been corrected now.
I have just bought a 2005 307SW 2.0 90bhp. I changed the oil and filter this afternoon and attempted to drain the water from the fuel filter as per Haynes. (I have previously owned low pressure Peugeot diesels and have never drained the water, but changed the filters regularly.) I released the drain screw, but saw nothing leave the clear rubber tube (although there was some gurgling). The logical next step would have been to release the fuel inlet to allow the filter to drain, but I didn't proceed because I couldn't see a priming pump. Haynes says that some 2.0 diesels don't have priming pumps but it doesn't explain how to prime the system. How should I drain the water and how should I prime the system ?
Also, Haynes mentions that when you replace the fuel filter, the housing may break and has to be replaced ... is this true?
Thanks in advance for any comments. Read more
I was wondering if anyone could help with the following:-
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(Apologies....a bit of a rambling story......)
'95 Xantia.....when starting 1st thing a.m., it takes a long time for the suspension to rise.(approx 1 minute)
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What happens is that the "stop" light stays on for approx 20 secs, during/after which the brakes do not work at all. (depressing the brake indeed re-illuminates the "stop" lamp)
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I pump the brake several times, and then the rear decides it wants to raise to the correct height.
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I then test brakes...eventually they "bite" voilently (probably on third attempt after previous pumping having seemed to kick the rear of the car into life).
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All is then absolutely fine.....ride is good, system remains pressurised throughout, until it has been resting overnight.
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This situation appears dangerous, but we have just got used to it over the past year, carefully testing brakes before moving off completely.
All 4 x corners are springy (spheres replaces over past cople of years).
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centre one in engine bay also replaced......have nil persistent ticking from pump.
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I removed filters/reservoir today, hoping to find filters clogged....they were really quite clean, despite my not having changed the LHM for 7 years!! (just a few black "gritty" looking bits)
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All washed in petrol thoroughly today, blown dry with hair-drier....re-assembled, filled with hydraflush....exercised to limits repeatedly, depressurising at lowest setting.
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The only sphere I haven't replaced is the rear middle....looked a pig to get at.
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I will test tomorrow a.m., but I am already convinced that I have not fixed the problem, in light of the clean filters.
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I would be grateful if anyone had any suggestions as to what the cause could be.
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Many thanks, Steve
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Hi Stevie.
Completely knocked out to read your fault/description !
I have PRECISELY the same symptoms on my 1998 xantia 1.8i estate !
Can't tell you how concerned I've been regarding brakes etc.
So far, no help or advice from anyone that helped. What was the result for you when you changed the centre sphere? Did that solve everything? I've only changed the two rear ones, so far. I don't think any of the professionals I've talked to even believed me ! Or maybe they thought I was just being a fussy git. Reading your stuff was a REAL Hallelujah moment.
A hypothetical question here for the techies. I remember back in the mid 90s a supercharged Mazda 626 Diesel that only had 70 bhp but quite high torque. So let's imagine a car with say 90 BHP from 2-2.5 litres but with say 280 lb ft of torque. What would it feel like on the road?
I'm not that technical but would be interesting to read your views. Read more
No, its the Coupe, but the engine is from the Sonata I believe.
my golf gl is misfiring. Iv put new spark plugs in and the leads are still fairly new, I've changed the dist cap and rotor arm .... what else can I check and change? Read more
Interesting. How did you troubleshoot it to a fuel pump? How easy are they to change on these?
James
Hey, just bought the above and found that the idle is 1500rpm. when ive looked at the throttle body there was tape covering the idle control vavle. took this off and give everything a good clean and even bout a new throttle body with ICV. now the car still idles at 1500rpm but once the acclerator is touched it revs on its own between 1500rpm - 2000rpm constantly. Only way to gain steady idle is to block air going through Idle control vavle even though this is new. any ideas? thanks. Read more
Does anyone know the true cost of Metalic paint and why car makers charge so much extra for it?
Im looking at possibly changing the Jag for a BMW 5 series and on the American BMW website the amount you get included at 'no cost' is quite surprising.
No cost options for automatic transmission and metalic paint are common.
I realise the USA is a differnt market and auto over there is pretty much standard but it still makes me think we get a a raw deal in the UK. Read more
As i said - dont worry about it. They make very few cars with flat
colours these days so when you order a car just tell them you dont want
a flat colour and you aint paying extra for metalic. They wont argue the point.
If you ever get a dealer to the bone on a deal they won't include metallic. If they do include it you're not getting the best deal yet. Same with getting flowers or "free gifts" and mats.
FYI...
On ITV's This Morning programme today they had an item about buying new and used cars in the credit crisis.
They had Quentin Wilson on and he went through several deals he had found - a 23K Citroen for 16K, a Peugeot and one of those VW Eco cars which is 14K list apparently but he found one from a dealer for about 10K.
Anyhow, he concluded that you should be aiming to get at least 20 to 25 percent off the price of any new car in a dealer at the current time!
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>> Is that with or without trading in your old car?
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I believe it was if you walked in with a wad of notes - no
trade in.
So it won't apply to the vast majority of new car buyers.
Browse
Agree with barney100. When in pedestrian mode, amazing number of drivers don't event see me standing at side of road waiting to cross.
I try making eye contact with drivers in effort to stop to let me across road
I often make successful eye contact with driver who are NOT on phone
But very rarely make eye contact with someone who is speaking on their mobile (they generally just hold the phones, the Police in Wales have no control over use of mobiles)
I know there is a response to say "just because they don't make eye contact doesn't meant they haven't seen you" but why the difference between phone/non-phone users?
If shows that concentration is badly affected by using phone
Oh, and some divvy in the office says you should get a reward for texting and driving not a fine, because she's so clever at doing it. I try not to think about the horrific statement she is making.