March 2009
Buyers beware!!!
I purchased a Volvo C30 2.0Ltr Diesel Powershift (Auitomatic) back in December 2008. I am in the main, highly deleighted with the car except for its appaling fuel economy. I purchased this car after owning a MkV Golf 1.9 TDI DSG (Automatic), owing to the Volvo's stunning good looks (in my opinion lol) and chose the engine and gerabox being as near to my Golf's spec as possible. The Golf always returned very near to the government figures ie over all consumption of 48 MPG. The absolute maximum I can achieve from the Volvo so far after 3000 miles, is just over 38 MPG which is just short of 10 miles less than the publised figures for this vehicle. The dealership has been very supportive, more than I can say for Volvo. All complaints sent to Volvo have simply hit a very polite but nevertheless "brick wall". They just do not really want to know. The latest reply from Volvo to my dealership stated "the economy I am getting is realistic for the car" and that there is nothing further they can do, apart from the suggestions already made, which have failed. All car manufacturers protect themselves from misrepresentation by adding such words in their brochures' as:- "figures produced in perfect driving conditions and subject to the way the cars are driven". I do not consider 20% below the published figures to be realistic but obviously Volvo does?? I know I am not alone in this situation, I have read on this site alone, other people experiencing poor fuel economy from Volvo's 2.0 Ltr diesel engine. Volvo obviously have no conscience regarding their customers, especially when they publicize what a caring organisation they are with excellent after sales service and so, NO MORE VOLVOS' FOR ME!!! Read more
Being still under 40 I am wondering if I have already reached the 1/2 way point.....
Browsing the Classic Car section of Ebay and saw a car I have liked for years and I instantly fell in love.
1991 Jaguar XJS 5.3 litre V12 convertible in black, cream leather and a history file going back to the day it was built, stuffed full of receipts showing exceptional love and devotion. Long conversation with SWMBO followed, and the next day we drove the two hours to see it.
Smitten. Going to collect it tommorow. So excited.
But in order to get it I have to spend a fortune on a shed to take all the stuff currently in my garage to get it in, pay for the insurance, breakdown cover, inevitable expenses, etc, etc.
The question is: Is life now over or am I just about to start an exciting new chapter? Read more
Old MB has filled out a bit hasn't he !
Hi,
I recently purchased a merc c320cdi (w203, previous generation) - lovely car, fantastically smooth and powerful. However, the car pulls to the left slightly, so you are conscious of correcting it when driving on the motorway, for example.
I had a 4-wheel alignment done, the guy really knew his stuff and talked a lot about the fact that mercedes have a unique steering system. The alignment was only slightly out, but it was corrected anyway (he corrected the thrust angle). Whilst the car was on the ramp, the guy showed me the driver side front type - it was quite worn on the inside edge, but loads of tread in the middle. The mechanic said he was quite surprised by the wear and wondered if it was just the fact that I have a sports suspension setup on the car (my car is one of the very last w203 models, so has all the kit on it as a sell-out model).
The alignment has made no discernable difference - the car still pulls to the left.
I'm wondering what might be causing this and what my next step should be. Any advice?
Many thanks Read more
It looks like the alignment has done a good job of straightening up the toe, and therefore the thrust angle.
However, there's still some asymmetry on the castor.
As per bigtee's post - another cause of asymmetry is now the badly worn tyre.
I have a Sports coupe which I believe has ifra red remote locking. The problem is it will only lock/unlock the doors if the key is pointed at the drivers door handle and within a few inches. Is this the way it is, or should you be able to operate from further away. Have good stregnth in both remotes. Some one has mentioned a receiver in the roof area would need replacement Be interested in your comments Read more
I had same problem it was a fuse in boot look for the 7.5 amp fuse and replace
Whenever I hear one with a loud exhaust, they always seem to be revving very low.
Do they fire two pots simultaneously, therefore only one bang per revolution, or is there some other reason? Read more
Off point as well bhoy wonder:- I saw a smart car (the one with only 2 seats) & it had parking sensors on the rear bumper. How bad must you be at parking to need those things on the rear bumper? You can turn around in the seat & touch the back window for peats-sake! How do these people pass their test?
My niece has a 2005 Vauxhall Tigra 1.4 which has done 35,000 miles. She asked me today if it was a big job to change the cambelt. A friend of hers has suggested it may be due for renewal.
I have changed cambelts several times on Novas and Corsas and these fell due at every 4 years or 36,000 miles (40,000 on later ones).
However I am aware that Vauxhall switched to camchains on some Corsa engines and wonder if this extended to the 2005 1.4 engined Tigra. Before I discuss doing the job for my niece does anyone here know whether her car will be chain cam or belt please.
She lives quite a way from me so it is quite a trek to look under the bonnet of her car, and she wouldn't know.
Thank you.
Ron
Read more
Thank you again.
Traded in my trusty fiesta car (worth around £700) & stumped up £1,175 cash for a van I need to transport my musical equipment. It had 10 months MOT (but no advisory note) and mileage was 78,000.
4 months down the line, after breaking down twice and having to replace minor parts, I decided to get it inspected by a reputable vehicle technician. The power steering has a bad leak as do the wheel cylinders and the following is in dire need of replacing to make the vehicle safe to drive: track rod, anti-roll bar, exhaust system, front tyre, rear wheel cylinders & brake shoes, suspension mounts. It also needs the diesel injection fuel pump replaced but I understand there is no advance warning to identify a problem with this component. The total cost for getting it back on the road in a safe condition is estimated at £1,500but could be as much as £2,000, depending on whether the steering pump and a wishbone need replacing.
I have contacted the car sales proprietor and asked he either give me an alternative vehicle that is roadworthy, get the van repaired at a garage of his choice or pay towards costs of repair at the garage where it currently stands or reimburse me. He says he is not prepared to do any of these things and I don't have a leg to stand on because I've had the vehicle for more than 3 months!
I have only used this van on a Friday & Saturday night, done less than 1,000 miles. The salesman guaranteed me that the van had been inspected prior to my collection and was in very good condition both mechanically and cosmetically. The technician who has inspected my vehicle is willing to confirm that deterioration of these components would have been evident at pre-inspection 4 months ago.
I have since accessed the MOT advisory note and the brake system, corrosion & tyre are all noted on there. The other faults are all noted on the previous advice note of 2007!
I have sent a recorded delivery letter to the car sales asking for what I mentioned above and have reported it to Trading Standards. Any idea of where I stand with this? I cannot afford to pay £2,000 to fix the van so it will have to be sold for spares/repair or scrapped which means I have lost a hell of a lot of money for 16 weeks worth of motoring in a death trap of a vehicle!
How can these traders get away with selling vehicles they must know are a danger on the road? More importantly, how do they sleep at night? Read more
Rattle>>Unless the guy can prove the advisories have been done it gives you a very very case I would have thought.
Eh??? An advisory is exactly that. It's something that currently PASSES the test but in the opinion of the tester might not at some point in the future.
To OP, I'd say that you've got little chance of getting money back on a banger bought 4 months ago. You could well have done 10,000 miles in it, and clocked it. If I were the judge I'd throw the case out. What you're asking is just not reasonable.
***** This thread is now closed, please CLICK HERE to go to Volume 2 *****
Hi all
SWMBO needs a new car. Her current Micra is 11 years old and we feel it's time to change.
We've driven a few cars and she has decided she wants a Fiesta. She favours buying one of the last of the old shape cars but I would prefer her to buy a new shape Fiesta, as it is safer.
All set to do a deal (though local Ford garage don't seem particularly interested and we should be great customers - paying cash and no part-ex) - but then I say - hang on, is the Govt going to introduce a scrappage scheme and give us £2k trade-in on our old car? And, if they do, will the scheme work only against new cars or cars up to, say, a year old? And will we see any benefit - or will the dealers just increase the price of the new car?
I know the SMMT have been pushing this and that there are similar schemes in other countries, but what's the general feeling in the backroom as to whether this will be introduced? I guess if the March new car sales are really poor, it may be more likely.
Having this sort of scheme hanging around in the background is a bit silly because I would have thought other people would react in the same way I have and that the outcome is even fewer people buy new cars until we know whether the scheme will get the go-ahead? Read more
Great:
Announce a scheme..
And sort out the detail after.
Par for the course for a bunch of incompetents.
I know that the battery is under the passenger seat. I have pushed the seat forward and pressed down on the two grey tabs, which releases the back floor mounting of the seat. But the seat will only tilt forward 3 or 4 inches. Is there anything else I have to push or release in order to tip this seat forward so I can get the battery out? Read more
Thanks very much Richard, I'll give it a go.
John
hi my abs lights are staying on my partner has looked at one so far drivers side there was wire which was broke can you tell me is this the sensor itself . it is attached behind the disc thankyou diane
slt and text talk re-hydrated Read more
Certainly the broken sensor wire will cause the ABS warning light to come on and it will remain so until repaired. The light may have to be switched off using a scantool.
In the meantime the brakes will work normally but will not have the ABS function and your insurance cover may be compromised.
Browse
Hello there, sorry it has taken so long for me to reply but I never thought my email would go into publication as I really had slated Volvo. The way I test is by filling up till the diesel is just in the neck of the filler, shaking the car on numerous occasions to get rid of any airlocks. Set the trip to zero, do a couple of hundred miles and go back to the SAME PUMP, fill up again, take the miles and do my calculation. It still isn't doing much, if any better with 6000 miles on the clock. The most I have ever had out of the 53 ltr tank is 390 miles and that is driving 20 miles into the low warning light. My Golf had only a 3 ltr larger tank and I got 510 miles to the light just coming on so a big difference. What is interesting is that there is very little difference in the consumption whether just knocking around or on a run or a combination of both. Thanks for your time.