April 2009
It's quite easy to check whether the figures shown on your trip computer are of much value.
Immediately before you fill up add the number of miles remaining (as indicated by the trip computer) to the number of miles you've travelled since the last time you filled up. This will give you the range of the tank based on your recent journeys. Immediately after you've filled up see how many miles the trip computer says you have left. This will also give you the range of the tank based on your recent journeys. The range shown on my trip computer after I've filled up is consistently about 60 miles less than the range calculated before I've filled up.
I accept that this doesn't take into account exactly how full the tank is after each fill, but the consistent difference of mine (equivalent to about 7 litres) satisfies me that I have come to the right conclusion ~ which is that my trip computer is just a toy. And it was just the same on my previous (similar model) car.
The other thing I've noticed is that although the average fuel consumption display is capable of reading to 0.1 mpg, when the reading changes it invariably changes by 0.4 or 0.5 mpg. For example, it will show 38.2 mpg, 38.7 mpg or 39.2 mpg but never anything between. Read more
Wondered if you guys could help
Replaced a water pipe on my Corsa 1.5TD the one directly under the thermostat housing, pipe has a bend in it so went to main dealer to get the part and fitted it myself, problem was couldn't remove the pipe unless I removed the thermostat housing itself, I tested the thermostat in some boiling hot water and all was ok. but not before I had ordered a new thermostat because I thought it was this that as at fault..
Anyway I replaced thermostat housing but noticed the gasket was a different size and didn't fit the housing properly so put it back with plenty of jointing compound but wondered if it would do the job and wouldn't leak, as the original seal on the housing had loads of rubber compound on it..
Well after putting it on and doing the best I could, started the car and you guessed it, water leaking from it. Restripped it back off and the housing had a crack in it obviously where the water was coming from..
The crack had appeared because it was under stress from the bolt that had done the housing up and the gasket had created a gap..
Weird thing is when I ordered a new Thermostat it was a completely different size to the one in the housing and would no way fit inside it..Am I right in thinking someone years before bodged it and put a different thermostat housing on the car, so now I don't know whether there are two different types of thermostat housing which fit this particular model Corsa diesel 1.5TD LS L reg
Can anyone enlighten me.. Read more
Scrapyard I'm afraid or source the part over the internet, but you saying that! When I bought the pipe from the main dealer his printout from the computer wasn't very detailed at all and for a while there he wasn't even sure he had the right piece of pipe..
Thats why I'm asking on here..
I there chaps i have a 1997 renault clio 1.2 model and its misfiring like chuff at low revs and especially when i floor it . i have changed the H/T leads, air filter, spark plugs and the problem still persists. do you think that dirty fuel injectors are the problem.
{no need to repeat the car make/model in the subject header. The drop down menus take care of that for you. Now edited out of main subject window} Read more
try a coil,done a couple of them now!
Just had a look through the tax calculator in parkers website, but it requires you to identify the car/model, before it give bandings & costings.
I wondered if there is a site, where the actual bandings would list cars, which fall into each scale.
Or am I expecting too much?
VB Read more
Much obliged.
VB
Hi. Battery (2.5yrs old) suddenly died today, I did have the radio on (not full ignition) for a couple of hours prior to trying to start, within three attempts of turning it over the battery was completely flat. Radio/1st ignition was taking 0.22A so shouldn't have drained the battery that quickly?
Question is what is the recommended power needed for this car? Current battery is rated as 580Amps Cranking and 20Ah, tried to jump from a petrol car rated as 550 Cranking but it didn't even try to turn over. Recommended battery options at local autostore are 480/56Ah or 540/60Ah. Seems a bit pointless buying a new battery with lower cranking power than the existing one, espeically as this did struggle with cold mornings last winter.
Thanks
Mike. Read more
Hi thanks for the link. Will go for a new one to be safe. I think the problem is the low ampere hr rating (20Ah) on the existing one. Its been tested and is in good condition but, it might have loads of power but it can't apply it for long.
Same thing happened on the previous battery which gave up soon after it was quickly flattened when trying to start the car with rescue (less than 10 short attempts) when the fuel pump went. Yet a neighbour spent ages cranking (a minute+ at a time!) his Escort van every morning through winter.
Thanks all.
"...An interesting new moderately sized car with chunky tyres and four-wheel drive that goes well on the road and is economical is..."
Clipping from the HJ column on Saturday last : Is this the first sign of a return to decent tyres ?? Read more
I think i know the answer, but i'll ask anyway.
Mrs Mare got flashed last September. We went through the nominate the driver business and had a letter that it was too high to be dealt by fixed penalty.
The last correspondance was from Safecam to say that the case would be considered for prosecution.
Yesterday we had;
1 - a letter from the DVLA asking for Mrs Mare's licence to be endorsed
2 - a letter from Taunton Deane magistrates entitled Notice of Fine and collection order, asking for £425.00.
WE HAVE HAD NO SUMMONS.
Mrs Mare would have of course pleaded guilty. I'm not here to defend her driving. She would have liked the opportunity to discuss sentence and fill out her statement of means and the like.
At present, we know Mrs Mare has a fine. What we don't know is the damage to her licence.
Any flashes of inspiration? Do you get another go if there's no summons?
Thanks
Read more
ends up in a worse position than she is now.
What was it? 90-odd on the M5? :)
51 in a 30. Stupid, not necessarily because of the risk to pedestrians, but it's a dual carriageway for 250 yds with two sets of traffic lights. Someone in a fast car who doesn't know the area will come up to the lights just going onto green, duck into the right hand lane, toe it and pass the queue before the car at the head has got in gear. It was the Brislington Tramways on the A4 if you know it.
Not defending her, mind. She knows she was wrong.
I want to change the coolant on our 1.5dci with air con. Usually this job is straightforward - remove bottom hose , empty , fill and bleed but I can't find an easy way to get at the bottom hose to let the coolant out. Any one had experience of this vehicle? Also can someone confirm the volume of coolant needed - I've got several figures depending on where I look it up. Read more
grab the stuff that comes out in the wifes washing bowl and measure it in milk bottles
make sure you put the same type of anti stuff in
or is anyone else getting a disturbing picture instead of a car at video road test? Read more
No I did too, thought it was the wine.
I sent a signal to the moderators.
I have the chance of a Fiat Panda 1.1 , 07 reg, 8000 miles for £3K off a colleague. The idea being this would be our runaround car, some local commuting, shops, local trips with the odd longer run. And most importantly, low insurance for both my teenagers to learn in. It's either this or something a good few years older such as a Yaris, for around £1.5 to £2K - Yaris because of bulletproof reputation and all round good reviews. But it would have probably 60K plus on it.
Any suggestions, what's the Panda like in terms of reliability in the real world? And I have a dim view of Fiat dealers..... perhaps just prejudice. Advice welcome please! Read more
The diesel makes the Panda feel more like a grown up car and is the one you want if you'll be doing a lot of motorway work.
Browse
I liked the Renault computer. When the range indicator got to about 60 miles, it would just beep at you and show two dashes. You could almost sense the Gallic shrug and "pffft" as it did so. ;-)
"Stupeed rosbif eeediot. Hurry up and buy some fuelle and stop doing zis to me." ;-)