March 2009
i have started to hear a knocking noise coming from the front driverside of my car. it happens when pulling away and accelerating but stops for a second while changing gear. any suggestions as to what this could be? and how much its going to set me back to repair? cheers Read more
I've been looking at a lightweight Enduro or trailbike and came across TOR Moto in Brighouse.
All their bikes are around £1500 and they describe them as having very durable engines.
However, they are very coy as to where these bikes are built, I suspect they are Chinese.
Does anyone have any information on this company? Read more
Doc,
Have a word with David Sykes at David Sykes Superbikes in Peterlee.
I've no direct connection with his business, but know him and know he treats customers properly.
Just had 4 new cheapie Nexem tyres - had to take back for rebalancing but still a very slight judder at motorway speeds. Took front wheels off to have a look at weights...60g on O/S and a massive 80g on N/S - a 25g weight banged onto edge of rim and 55g of flat weights stuck on at same point of circumference.
It's not the [alloy] wheel as there was no judder before and only small weights needed for perfect smoothness. I don't think I've ever needed more than 30g weights to balance a wheel recently even on bigger sizes as tyres are much rounder than they used to be.
Do any experts here know what the tolerance should be? Should I ask for a replacement?
I would be grateful for any advice. Read more
Many years ago when i was a tyre lad most Michelins i fitted needed very little in the way of balancing.
Not all makes were the same.
I'd go with the general feeling here, i wouldn't have cheap Chinese ditchfinders on my cars at any price.
Also should i look at a car to purchase and find similar rubbish fitted i walk away assuming all maintenance and repairs/replacements to have been equally poor.
Just had the engine blow up (con rod through cylinder block) on this car, wondered if anyone any idea what could have caused it. It was lumpy and smoky at start, been like this for a month - thought it was glo plugs and was just about to change them - is this the cause. Also thermostat always cool - it ran at about 75C.
Mechanic says it could have been water up through air filter that got into hydraulics.
Any advice woud be welome to stop it happening again.
Also now needs new engine - should a mechanic put new cambelt and headgasket on as matter of course?
Cheers Read more
In France it was reckoned (and there was once supposed to have been a 'class action' against Peugeot over the problem but I don't know what came of it) that 1.9 diesels from 95 to 99 could be iffy.
Hi,
I am sitting here with a knackered steering colunm switch which incorporates the lights, indicators fog lights on one side and the wipers on the other with the Radio controls being removable.
The indicator side is the part that is defective and is non-removable. The local pug dealer has told me that I can fit a new one myself but will then have to take it to the dealership to be reprogrammed. Can anyone out there enlighten me on this please as I am waiting for GSF to deliver a new one which was ordered this morning!
Many thanks in anticipation.
All the best Steve Read more
Thanks RichardW.
The new one is now in and working fine. The Pug dealership obviously omitted that it didnot need reprogramming if it wasn't traction controlled!
I had to re-assossiate the key to get the central locking to work again by turning the ignition on, pressing the lock button for ten seconds, turning it off then removing the key. Wait for five seconds then it worked again.
This information is for anybody else to try if their key stops working the central locking.
Thanks again RichardW
Inspired by the inverter thread, I thought I would count the number of leads I have.
One for the mobile - used occasionally.
One for the EeePc - used rarely.
One for a travel mug -used rarely.
One for a rechargeable spotlight - used rarely.
One for a deioniser - never used.
One for the punctured tyre inflator supplied with the car.
That's six, all with different plugs on the appliance end, whch is something of an achievement in itself.
How many leads/chargers/cigarette lighter gadgets do you have?
Read more
PDA cradle is wired in.
One for Nokia phone - rarely used
One for bluetooth GPS - only used on long journeys when the charge runs down)
One for Siemens phone (for colleagues travelling with me so very rarely used not)
One for cold box. Rarely used except when on holiday.
1-3 extension lead for when I need more than one - usually GPS and cold box.
Come on, HJ, why the sales pitch for the bargain Seat Ibiza?
Can we all expect star billing for our used cars?
Your public needs to know. Read more
A 5 year old Golf Mk4 would be a far better buy, in which case the Seat would be worse buy. I suggest you view Autotrader and see realistic prices then when you buy a car you will be pleasantly surprised.
Does anybody have any experience of Honda Varadero's? Having recently passed my CBT, i am keen on the above, but dont really know what to look for.
Budget is about £1500, so presuming something around the 2001 mark would be in range?
Where is best to source them? I am watching a couple on ebay, one of which has done 34k miles, is that likeley to be an issue?
Thanks in advance Read more
Also www.xrv.org.uk
Afternoon back-roomers!
I am in search of some advice (and hoping to be led astray.....) from you fine people.
I will be taking delivery of my first company car on Friday (I will be working on site, and have taken the car so mine doesnt get ruined) and am wondering what to do with my exisiting Golf 2.0 GT TDI.
It is an '05 reg with 70k on the clock. I paid £10.5k for it a year ago, and am somehwat unwilling to take a massive hit on it. I presume i wont get much more than £7.5k for it now.
Now i have a practical car from work, i quite fancy swapping it for something exotic, like an Alfa 147 GTA, or some form of convertible (Saab 9-3 Viggen?).
My question is, do garages usually entertain straight swaps, or am i better off trying to sell it privately. My concern with the private sale route is that people seem to get scared if a car has done more than 40k miles, whatever its age!
PArt two of my thread is to recommend something fun, but not ridiculous (no XJS V12's) to replace it for around the same money. Maybe one of the above, or a Cooper S?
Read more
Unless you hate the Golf (and nothing in your post suggests that you do) then keep it.
If you see something that takes your fancy (aprilia v4 ?) then go ahead and change, else why bother taking such a big hit ?
Why isn't the golf 'fun' ?
(I thought it was only me that preferred the Mk iV :-) - but it's some time since I drove one)
Well, thank goodness it has appeared at last. I have been worrying about the rear hat room since I got up this morning. Phew!
Could this be HJ's favourite rich person's runabout? He has certainly sold it to me, even the diesel which in its more muscular form gives the car a sub 6 second 0-60 time. Wow! Read more
Lud good point on the special order bit. If it's special order you can probably get smaller wheels no problem. And probably at no extra cost - they will be saving too.
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Left hand Drive shaft is easy to do yourself.
Get driveshaft, new or second hand.
Loosen wheel nuts and drive shaft nut a little.
Jack car right up high. Really high.
Take wheel off
Disconnect lower arm from wheel hub (Actually really difficult but no special tools)
Remove old driveshaft and slot new one in before oil comes out.
BUT the driver side (right hand) one was impossible for me as the intermediate bearing could not be moved at all.
So it COULD be £20 if you do it or it could be a scrapper.