May 2009
An old topic, perhaps, but it would be interesting to hear backroomers theories on why this country has no home grown car industry to speak of, despite such having such an illustrious history in car manufacturing.
Surely Britain could have had a car industry as strong as those in Germany and Japan (were.......), we had the engineering nous to produce some great designs, so why did it have to die?
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hello everyone.
my peugeot 406 2.0 HDi seems to smell of fuel whenever i drive it,i can normally smell it either inside the car or outside the car once i get out of it.
has anyone had the same problems as me because i want to get it sorted but need good advice before i take it to a garage as i dont want to get ripped off.
thanks for looking.
Andy Read more
thanks for your reply mate.
if by brimming you mean filling my tank up full then that may well indeed rule that one out as i only ever really fill up to half of tank of fuel.
someone said it may be an injector pipe would that sound right ? i honestly appreicaiate replies from here as you guys have helped me in the past and the advice has been spot on.
many thanks
Andy
I'm looking to replace a broken bumper grille on my Focus, but without removing the bumper completely, i'm struggling to find how It can be changed.
Any tips would be helpful,
thanks Read more
Yeah the bottom grille, thanks for the help though
A couple of days ago I tried to start my car with the mobile phone charger plugged into the cigar lighter socket.
It seemed the starter circuit was isolated, not even the click of the solenoid going in.
Removed the charger 7 all OK. Reploaced the charger still all OK.
Is this in order?
If so how is the starter isolated ?
I have tried it several times since with trhe same result.
All suggestionsn gladly received. Read more
how does my cheap Tesco mobile charger know whether it's plugged in to my 12v car or my 24v lorry?
It probably uses something like a power transistor that accepts an input voltage between 'x' & 'y' and then gives a regulated output of 'z' volts.
As said, in a transit tourneo 2005 125 (45,000 miles, due a service), the engine cut out or went into limp , after stopping and switching of it restarted and has doe 5 miles no problem
EGR is uncoupled (has been for a while) and has been returning 38mpg.
any ideas folks? Read more
have done, also on the mondeo forum, as its basically the same Tdci as is fitted in mondeos of the same year. thanks
I suppose we had better duck the latter.. but the 70ft narrow boat cruisers... You could just live on one, cruise down to London, get across the channel... whoops!!! lets discuss motoring....
I`m retired, but the boss is definately not - so it rules out disappearing into the blue yonder, whether that`s a boat, motorhome or caravan.
Tempted by Motorcaravans... but it would have to be a small one (multipurpose) - and the smaller (romahomes) don`t have showers - without a shower, whats the point? Sure days out and so on, but for the continent over a couple of weeks?
A caravan then? there`s room here, the tiny Freedom caravan is only 750kg and would easily be pulled by the 200nm of the van.
That said - nearly £9,000 for the Freedom would buy at least 100 nights in hotels. That`s around 10 years worth of hotel rooms, given that most of our holiday effort is visiting family in the far east.
A canal boat then? Another TENT....? Maybe not.. Still tempted by bikes - but.. but but...no.
Funny really how you have all the (possible) plans and so on, but continue the status quo..
Is it just me? have you actually suddenly bought a caravan (insert your own device) and enjoy it?
It`s the perception that it may have to be highly structured - bookings - that puts me off.
To be like a rabbit dashing from one burrow to another and hoping there`s room to get in. That the rabbits might be curtain twitcher rabbits assessing whether you should be in the C (cough) Club by your parking, grey slacks and cardigan or worse.
Such as being invited in and interrogated..
Actually Campanile is sounding better as I write - perhaps see you again on the French battlegrounds in September.
What price freedom though?
Thoughts? ;-) Read more
>>> You could carry a pan of batteries and charge them while, er, charging about. <<
Phew! you had me worried there for a minute, I thought you were going to suggest plugging into municpal street lighting which is strictly verbotem and a criminal offence.
I've just got a Discovery 3 that was treated three years ago with Supaguard inside and out. Now, whilst it's clearly done a very good job, can I apply Autoglym super resin polish/extra gloss protection on top of the treatment?
I don't have to worry about invalidating the Supaguard warranty as it's expired. Thanks!
made model non-specific - may be of interest to owners of other brands Read more
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It sounds dubious, but they actually lift tiny imperfections/microscopic debris from the surface of the paint leaving it impressively smooth, ready for a top-coat of wax or sealant.
Before the wax or sealant, I'd polish the paint to get the best shine and remove any marks or blemishes the clay bar didn't get rid of then wax or seal.
Finally gave in to washing it myself this AM. Here is a shot from within the older Punto going through our local hand wash/valet.
www.oilrag.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/sixpoundsvalet.jpg
What has become a fatiguing challenge at times - was done with care and in a fraction of the time I take.
It seems almost all the local cars go through here - at the point in the pic the Punto has had it`s soapy pressure spray and is waiting for the Gentlemen in the picture (washing the car in front) to hand wash it - then around the bend are a team of three - two men and a woman, who leathered it off with smiles and courtesy.
I`ve convinced myself - save effort for more worthy tasks such as actual servicing.
Two points then.
1) Have you given up yet - doing it yourself.
2) Car wash memories - tell what you`ve seen.
I wish I could remember car wash prices in past decades because the last time I really used them was to put the Old Mans (white) Victor 101 - through one of those revolving brush washes in the mid to late 60`s.
I remember it actually rocking the car if you were not `square on` to the track - talk about a soft touch!
Another time I saw a cars wiper complete with arm caught in the overhead brush and being pounded against the roof at around one bang per second... Some of us pulled out of the queue and drove off at that..
What have you seen?
Just a note. Some of you will remember I tried to write about car washes a few days back.
This time can we keep certain comments about the actual workers out of it?
I try to create interesting upbeat threads but if they end up deleted i might as well just read a book!
All the best, to you all, this sunny bank Holiday
oilrag ;-) Read more
BTW I'm still seeking advice on how to clean a chamois
leather.
I don't clean the chamois, just rinse it and i don't let it go dry, after use i fold it up and pop inside a plastic bag and put in the fridge..that way they usually last me a couple of years of weeklyish use.
By the way following HJ's cleaning routine thats put most of us to shame by the sounds of it.
I bought some Meguires Quick Detailer (spray and wipe) a few weeks back, gold brand or something, i use it like a sort of Mr Sheen for the car body...the paint comes up lovely, well worth the money.
I did both vehicles today in about 20 minutes, so expect torrential rain in Northants by morning..;)
My sister is going for a 'year out' there in July, mainly travelling and hopefully a bit of work when the mood takes her.
She asked me the other day if she could drive on her UK license and I honestly couldnt say - anyone know the rules and regs on the use of UK licenses?
Also if she does take to the road, anything significant to be aware of in comparison to UK roads?
Any other general Aus tips for the traveller Im sure will be appreciated, she currently has no plan on what to do and where to go, just 'everywhere' apparently!
Thanks in advance :) Read more
Hi! Sorry...this is going to be a bit rambling but I hope it helps!
*Motoring bit*
Lots of good points mentioned above. A small note about parking....always park the car in the direction of travel. If you spot a space on the other side of the road you have to do a U-turn before parking there (the time spent turning around normally means you lose the spot but at least you won't get hit with a parking fine!). Traffic wardens (or Rangers as they're known here) generally patrol in pairs and won't take pink fluffy dice from anyone!
Definitely make sure she is aware of how much distance there may be in between towns, especially in the Northern Territory and Western Australia. A lot of visitors, myself included, found it very hard to comprehend the distances! 5 hours of driving with nothing as far as the eye can see can be very daunting. In these regions (esp. NT) always make sure you have lots (and I mean lots) of water and if you break down NEVER leave the car. It may be the only shelter from the sun that you have.
In the cities be very careful of taxis and buses! Driving in Sydney is sometimes not for the faint hearted! Nobody seems to use their mirrors and people generally don't like letting you in! Apparently you have to give way to buses....if you don't they'll barge their way in regardless (bit scary when it's a bendy bus!) Red lights don't generally mean stop! As a pedestrian ALWAYS check that the traffic has stopped when the little red man turns green. Many a time a bus/taxi etc has come speeding through a red light and nearly taken out a pedestrian right in front of me! If you are turning left you have to give way to the pedestrians if the little man is green!
As said earlier the police are everywhere! RBT (random breath tests) are set up all over the place and at any time of the day. They can also do random drug tests if you seem off your face! On long weekends double demerits applies....i.e. for an offence you'd normally get 3 points for, on a long weekend you'll get 6 and risk losing your licence.
During school term there are 40kmh zones where, between certain times in the morning and afternoon, you can't go over 40kmh. You'll generally know where these are thanks to the large signs and people all slamming their brakes on!
Dawn and dusk are the times when the 'roos are at their kamikazi best! Watch out for the Emus and Wombats too....both will do serious damage to your car. The number one rule over here is that you NEVER swerve for an animal. So many people have crashed and died trying to avoid killing a furry beast when, if they'd just gritted their teeth and hit it head on they may only have had to deal with the problem of some serious dents and/or the remains of a native animal sticking out of their front grill.
*Travel bit*
I've spent the last 3 years here. 1 year's worth of travelling and 2 of studying in Sydney. I've only got one last bit to see then i've pretty much done it all! This is what I'd suggest:
As she'll be arriving in July I reccomend she flies into Perth (only 5 hours from Singapore). The weather won't be particularly warm at that time of year down south but it's a perfect time to head up the west coast. Wildflowers were out, everything was green and healthy and it got warmer and warmer the further north I travelled. There's heaps to see, my favourite being the Monkey Mia where they have regular visits from wild dolphins and Ningaloo Reef near Exmouth - at Turquoise Bay you can literally walk off the beach and within a couple of metres you are surrounded by tropical reef fish and amazing coral! (It takes about an hour or so to reach the Great Barrier Reef from Cairns.) I'd recommend getting one of those waterproof digital cameras for her travels...the disposable ones are rubbish and you do tend to find yourself snorkelling a lot here!
Spend a few days in Broome before heading to Darwin. If she buys a 4x4 for her travels then the Gibbs River Road which runs from Derby to Kununurra through the Kimberley region is a must (there is a tarmac road that circumnavigates this area)! 'Winter' is the only time of year that it is manageable by the inexperienced! There will be plenty of other backpackers that will be keen to car share.
From Darwin she can either drive down through the centre, visiting Alice Springs/Uluru/Kata Tjuta etc and continuing south to Adelaide or she can drive to Cairns and head down the East Coast. I wouldn't recommend doing the 'red centre' any later than October/November. I was there in September and it was already starting to heat up quite seriously. In the height of the summer the flies and heat would be unbearable! She could always head to Alice from Darwin and then make her way over to Cairns on the East Coast (other than Coober Pedy, there isn't much between Alice and Adelaide!). Late September in Cairns was perfect. Heading down the coast as summer arrives means you arrive in Sydney around November/December in time for Christmas and New Year. Nothing quite beats watching the NY fireworks over the harbour although I don't recommend being close to the action....you lose the effect of the many pontoons of fireworks spread throughout the harbour. Heading to South Heads (near Watsons Bay) will give you an amazing view of the harbour!
After Sydney carry on South to Melbourne either via the coast road or through the Snowy Mountains. Do Canberra just to say she's been there but avoid staying too long! Probably the most boring city I've ever been to!! Tasmania is awesome and overlooked by many! You can take the ferry over from Melbourne and it's v.easy to drive around! From Melbourne head along the Great Ocean Road via the Grampians National Park to Adelaide. Visit Kangaroo Island and the wine regions before heading across the Nullabor Plain back to Perth. Don't forget to head down to the south west to see some pretty amazing trees! (not as boring as it sounds!)
A very useful travel forum can be found here: www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/forum.jspa?forumID=...3 and if she's planning on staying in hostels then this website is pretty helpful when looking for a decent one! www.hostelz.com
Phew!! I think i'm done!! Hope this helps!
She's going to have a ball!
What are your Happy memories? Can you give us a `sound bite` (literally that is) and a bit of a write up?
(Based on an 8yr olds memory of a `Desert Rat` friend.)
It`s 1955 and the crack troops that defeated Rommel in the western desert are again heading towards the coast - radiators boiling in old pre war cars, some with mastic oozing from cracked cast iron water jackets..
Kindly click the utube link below and let the music run in the background as you visualize the steady clop clop of these side valve metal donkeys creeping slowly in long lines towards the coast.
tinyurl.com/28fwrj
Kids peered into other cars as risky overtaking was the order of the day. "A Sunbeam coming alongside? no problem, it`s entitled to"
The shame of being in the old junk heap that has to stop halfway up Garrowby hill - boiling like a kettle.
Several hour later and most are at the coast - Fathers are sitting on the sand dressed it suits, sports jackets and ties - knotted handkerchiefs covering heads that had yet to show even a trace of grey.
For these were `safe` days. The bloke in the next little wooden holiday chalet was ex commando, another a desert rat - aircrew - you name it..
A coastal patrol bomber used to fly over at dawn and the Old Man was out of bed like a cat - before he even awoke..
You had to be careful about that - not to retrieve your beachball off the chest of the still sleeping deckchair bloke in case he had a war tuned `reaction`...
I knew in later years an ex Chindit who had to get his wife to lock him in a separate bedroom, for fear of a waking reaction..
Time moves on. There was a mature beech forest on Garrowby hill - with cars of this era pulling in steaming like an A4 Pacifics. Then suddenly it was gone - felled and lost taking the charismatic memory association with it.
Then a hardwood forest replaced it.. I bet that too is gone or going, much as the parents of the era and their friends - the entire `hard steel & knotted handkerchief generation` surely - almost too.
The landscape changes as does the veracity of memory.... soon in the merest flicker of geographical time our typing fingers will be stilled too. Eternity beckons..
So why not major on happy threads? Threads that uplift the human condition and that give a boost to being alive..
Now`s your chance - tell us about happy bank holiday motoring memories
Regards ;-) Read more
I remember with fondness, one bank holiday weekend in Tenerife where all the natives from "up north" would decend upon the sunny south.
We were sitting on some rocks watching the Gomera ferry depart and close by us were a family of Tenerifians and I mean Family - inc. G'dad G'ma & upteen Hijo's (children).
A member of the family, came over to us and gave us some of thier boiled Canarian potato's which were like nothing I've tasted since - such kindness!
Simple really: more reliable and better built foreign competition. That James Ruppert guy wrote a "bestselling" book on this subject: news to me as i have never seen it on the shelves but may buy it it I see it.