February 2009
Where do I find it?? Read more
I had to drop off some things for the Young Master, to a different place this a.m. Wonderful driving conditions, great fun, except for getting stuck behing a Ka grinding along al <10MPH for a little way. Continuing the journey, helped an incompetent (who, none the less had a spade in the boot, but had forgotten it was there!) out of a snowdrift. Nearly at work, remembered I'd forgotten the YM's wellies!! So, I had to go all the way home again and get them! Fantastic!
I love it - driving in the snow. Do you? Read more
I have a snowflake button on my 98 Nissan QX (acquired from QXman 1/05/07)
Pressing this shuts out 1st gear on the autobox. Enables a really smooth takeoff on the slippy stuff. QX has reasonably wide tyres 205/65/15 .
Way back in the seventies I recall using a Fiat 124 to run around in some dire weather in the West Midlands and had great fun going up the Portway on the Rowley Hills using full width of the road and a Z track. Not much else moving at all
Phil I - even older now - not necessarily wiser.
Interesting (for various values of interesting) article here:
isc.sans.org/diary.html?storyid=5797
Seems that they leave a fake parking violation on the car with a web address to see the details. OK this is in the states but what's the betting it will be on a high street near you soon?
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to add, what I find interesting is the potential set up here.
Imagine an advert in the local paper - or free admag.
Wanted, part time, self employed parking monitors. ABC parking control ltd are looking for motivated self starters to work on our new contracts providing parking services to companies in your area.
tel 07123 122323
So the people are interviewed - potentially by phone, and get the job. All they have to do is take photos of badly parked cars in their area and apply a parking ticket to the car.
The owner sees the ticket and visits the web site to see the 'evidence' They then have the chance to pay online or whatever.
The owner and the ticketer have no reason not to think that this is a real operation.
Or say that you get a letter in the post claiming that on your recent visit to France you have tripped a speed camera? ~(someone records the numbers of cars coming off ferries)
It is making the scam more plausible. Of course the companies will turn out to not exist or be shells or whatever, but how many people will be caught in the meantime?
I am taking junior to look at Corsa C 1.0. Does this car have a chain or belt? Thanks.
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It needs to be the 1.0 for insurance purposes as my son is only 17.
Thanks for the advice.
i have a nissan interstar , same as renault master van lwb, 2004 , 6 speed gear box, it was working fine and parked it up over night, the next day the clutch peddle goes to the floor... so it cant be driven, there is some oil leaking out, but not sure from where, i think it is possibly the slave cylinder, has anyone got any ideas, and how would i change it if it is ,,, why has this happened when not in use ? any help please. Read more
"Maintenance access is not even on the design brief for cars any more. "
Not necessarily. You are buying the wrong cars.
Japanese cars are by and large easy to work on. Lift the bonnet on a typical Japanese car and you will find it all logically laid out with routine service items easy to get at.
I remember a while back seeing some data on typical workshop times for repairs. I think it was an Autodata manual but may be wrong. Anyway the Japanese cars scored well. Also specialist tools are rarely needed and working on a Japanese car is a joy - things are designed to come apart and go back together easily. Next time you have an opportunity have a look at the electrical connectors the Japanese use compared to some 'other makes'. It's no coincidence that in many Third world countries you see almost exclusively Japanese 4x4 vehicles. A breakdown could cost you your life and many garages have the most basic of tools and equipment. I know quite a few mechanics who drive Japanese. I think that says it all.
Ford are quite good in this area as well - Mondeo clutches excluded.
A lot of people don't think about these things until they get a nasty bill, placing more emphasis on style, image, gadgets and other such nonsense.
"I hesitate to suggest that our leader should do it though. Occasional comments are one thing, but a published list of heroes and villains would seem to some firms like fighting talk. And they fight dirty, big as they are."
There's no need - as I mentioned above, the data on workshop times is available, these days probably on the web as well. All it needs is for people to spend as much time looking at the data as they do deciding what trim level or extras to specify. The information is out there for those who wish to use it...
Rear Heater intermitant excess smoke. car is freezing takes about 20 miles to warm up Engine Fault codes come up 01409 - Repeated flame front degradation and 01413 metering pump V54 oper GIR can some kind person tell me what these mean ! Thanks Read more
Replacing the glow plug in the underfloor heater usually cures these faults.hth
I want to go home*. I'm in Oxford, does anyone know how far the snow reaches? I can see 2 inches out of the window.
Car has ESP and I'm a careful driver. Is it ludicrous to think about attempting this?
Cheers,
David.
*Home is in Devon. Don't want to hang around for the weekend in Oxford, it's boring and OXF61 to Bournemouth has been cancelled 4 days in a row now. Read more
Ive been to Heathrow airport and back today from Birmingham and was surprised how clear the roads are. I guess people are staying in and avoiding the roads.
Dropped the wifes folks off at the airport and got to use the father in laws new range rover TDV8. What an amazing car and great on the motorway.
There is a news item on the right, "ASA rules in favour of Smart car".
It revolves around whether a Smart car could drive from London to Edingurgh on a single tank of fuel. The ASA has now allowed the claim by Mercedes-Benz to stand.
Isn't ther a very simple way of proving - or otherwise - the validity of this claim?
I would be prepared to do the run for them, all expenses paid , of course. Read more
I just came back (last night) to London from a place close to Bordeaux. I didn't fill up again in northern France as the price difference in diesel is hardly worth it any more and the speed was 130kph or more (ssh!) most of the way. I reckon there's still enough in the tank to run around locally in London for a couple of weeks.
hello all,
i have just bought a car that has cigarette burns and i have seen repair kits for this sought of thing , can anyone tell me are they any good ! i no there are companies that can come out and fix burns and use it, just wondered if any of you have ?
this is a website that has 1 sought but there maybe others
www.repairproducts.co.uk/page5.htm
what do you think Read more
sorry about the link , :
realy its just a bit of insight as to any of the diy fabric repair kits im after , like you say wrecks to riches had it done and what i am hoping is, are the diy kits the same as the interior companies !!
i have done a bit of research on the net and theres a choice of using actual fabric , i supose cutting old out and patching in with glues or the newer type mixing different fibres to get the colour you want and then with a trim pencil matching the original trim
cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3501...5
cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageNam...1
i hope these links work
Can anyone help please? I bought a new buton unit for my remote and programmed the door central locking fine. How do you do the ignition / immobiliser? Do I need a new key part as well? Have black key with blue tag. Read more
You need two working keys (ie. two keys that will start the car) to program a new key.
Does the old remote still start the car ? If so, you should be able to program the new remote, even if you're re-using the barrel. Check the handbook for instructions, otherwise you'll find that info online I'm sure.
If you don't have two working keys, then you'll have to take a trip to a Ford dealer or specialist.
Browse
I've found it;it's next to the "Driving school fix"-otherwise known as idle upspeed device.