February 2009
My Fiesta makes a characteristic squeaky sound from the auxiliary drive belt. I've heard other Fiesta's making the same sound and a Focus that drives past my house every morning does the same thing.
I've replaced the the tensioner bearing, the idler and the water pump, though not all at once, so can't rule these out completely. It doesn't have air con or power steering. I wonder if it's the alternator bearing but with the belt off, the bearing seems fine and it's quite an expensive part to replace if not the source of the problem.
I've changed the belt itself which cured the problem for a while, which I don't quite understand, but now it's back.
Any ideas? Read more
Well time for some Scottish input here.....
Woke up this morning fully planning to take the train to work but when I saw the snow covered car I just couldn't resist!
Cleared all the snow off with a large squeegee blade thing normally used for the house windows. Drove into Glasgow relatively OK, in fact nearer Glasgow traffic was better than normal due to there being less of it.
Have had quite a few heavy flurries but nowhere near what down south have. Journey back home in the snow as well but traffic moving, albeit slower than normal.
My son is out sledging and snowball fighting with his pal and I have to run pal home later on. Just so happens that on the way there is a huge big snow covered Lidl carpark which will be empty at that time............
Its times like this you appreciate the Altea's conventional handbrake instead of the Scenic's auto one......
How many backroomers are honest enough to say that they have taken the car out today purely for a "play"?? Read more
BBC now reporting that a shipload of salt, on its way to Norway, has been diverted to UK as the Norwegians can manage without it, pesumably!
Yet another texting driver who, "felt there were times when using a phone while driving was acceptable"
tinyurl.com/dn7so5
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i want to reply to but seriously think this thread should now be locked.
sorry doctorchris but we have to wait before we comment!
When very cold my handbrake seems to stick on. I haven't got the time to sort it out, or know where the problem lies to have a go myself. In the mean time are there any issues parking my car overnight in 1st gear with the handbrake off? Read more
Had this problem with my Mk2 and later Mk3 VR6. Seems to be caused by the small rubber "bellows" on the very end of the cable to the calliper either worn away or full of holes. Just a small amount of water gets in, freezes, and the cable jams. I used to not set the handbrake and leave it in 1st gear.
I remember trying to obtain just the little bellows (about as thick as a pencil and about 2 inches long) but VW could not supply. Had to buy the whole cable! In the end I got some Mk2 Golf cables from GSF for about £8 each and just pulled the bellows off and fitted them. Changing the cables is actually not hard, but ideally done from underneath and it is a fiddle.
Jack rear wheel, take off wheel, handbrake off, use pliers to pull cable off linkage. Bit of wash up liquid on the rubber, some bad language and it slips on. Refit. Job done.
I also took off the handbrake trim inside car to get at the cables, and trickled some oil down the cable - the logic being it would trickle down.
You certainly don't want to be pulling a dragging wheel down the road and hit a patch of ice. It will lock, and the figure of eight you make in the snow or pinball off 3 other cars is an insurance liability!
Got renewal from Carole Nash this morning. £177 up from £168 last year.
I remember seeing someone mention an offer at Bennets on MSE and had a look there.
12 months cover for 9 months cost as a credit crunch breaker.
Got a quote for £106 for what looks like similar cover - a slightly greater excess though.
So, R1 + SLR650, fully comp, protected NCD. Ancient git, loads of NCD, garaged, alarmed (on R1) rural postcode. DOC
www.bennetts.co.uk/12for9/
It's a brave biker out in this weather today - the lad down the road on his scooter got about 3 yards out of his shed before he fell off (gently!). They have no idea of physics or mortality - just wacked the throttle to the stop and the inevitable happened.
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Although it took months and a number of calls for them to get the second bike on my policy on the MID database - so my experience of them wasn't as pleasant as yours.
Hello ... for my first post ....
I have just taken delivery of my third (used) berlingo ... a 1.6hdi (92). The following problem appears to have surfaced which I will report to the dealer, but I am wondering if anyone has any advice first so that he can't pull the wool over a dizzy female's eyes!!!. Very occasionally, when I release the accelerator in order to brake, the engine appears to continue to accelerate and I have to "fight" to get the brakes to operate. It is not caused by me accidentally continuing to press the accelerator ... I have checked. On reaching the top of a steep hill on Sunday I released the accelerator, the engine started to rev faster and the ECU light came on momentarily. Any suggestions please.
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Hi, I bought a similar model, new, in 2006. Occasionally the engine races when you release the accelerator. Must be something to do with the engine management system. Not a huge problem since you can just press in the clutch, but definitely something wrong. According to the garage I bought it from, others have had the same problem. Possibly this helps with your case!
Vectra 3.2 Elite Auto 04 70k.
The smelly Vectra has been written off. Not just on cost grounds (£3800 to repair), but also they don't believe they would be able to completely rid it of the creosote smell. So I'm waiting a call in which they are going to make me an offer.
Vx site says Glass's gives following p/ex values:
Excellent condition: £2930
Average condition: £2630
Below average condition: £2310
Parkers says (based on 40k miles)
Franchised Dealer £4,935
Independent Dealer £4,715
Private Good £4,180
Private Poor £3,340
Part Exchange £3,645
Autotrader doesn't have many but those that they do are quite varied in price. And are mostly dealers, so would presumably be open to some negotiation.
Does anyone have any idea whether I'd be doing myself if I held out for £4k?
Replacement will most likely be a Mondy btw, if anyone knows of a decent one at a good price (Ghia/Titanium/X spec) Read more
Just accepted £3750 which is reasonable. Would have been due major service (inc cambelt) within about 8k, front tyres nearly due, also rear shocks needed something doing (not serious). Oh, and the bodywork left a little to be desired - generally good condition except damage over o/s rear wheel arch (Mrs in multi storey), rear bumper probably needed respray (careless driver, not us!) and general imperfections.
All in all not too bad.
Update - would add that More Th
hi people
a quick questions, i hope someone can give me some advice on...
1. is it essential to have the fronts the same as the rears? (e.g brand/make etc), i have new tyres on the front, but the rears i was going to get some budget/midrange ones
2. i have new V rated tyres at the front but i saw a special offer ina garage for H rated tyres, which i was going to put on the rear is this wrong to do?
anyone Read more
If it was mine id stick H rated tyres on your car it won't do over 130mph.
A few years back the vauxhall cavalier 2.0i came with 195/60v14 tyres on dunlop as standard, thats because they made so many v rated tyres vauxhall got a good deal and fitted them.
My grandads merc A160cdi has a 3x v rated and 1x h rated and passed 3 mot's.
Gulp! Yes, you can see the bullet holes. A very bad case of road rage or was he one of the bad guys? We'll never know.
JH
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From th picture it looks a Silvery finish!
I thought it should have been Gun-metal.
Hi
My Focus cut out and wouldn't start again. Garage report is Fuel pump, replacable with recon part for £600+ labour. I asked if poss to fix with 2nd hand part to save £ and was told that this is not an option due to part coding/decoding or something?
Can anyone advise on a cheaper alternative,
p.s. I've also seen horror stories on net of pump been replaced only to find out that the Cam shaft sensor was to blame and £1k had been spent needlessly.
Please help. Read more
Browse
Thanks Woodspeed.
I've used that very spray, though I'm afraid it hasn't worked. This has made me wonder if it's a bearing rather than the belt.
However, I've replaced the belt a couple of times (had the problem for a while but it's getting really annoying now) and the noise stopped for a while both times. This would suggest it's the belt and not a bearing!