May 2009
Why did a lot of countries allow themselves to be led into converting from driving on the left to driving on the right? Why shouldn't all countries drive on the left? I seem to recall that we originally adopted the "driving on the left" system for a logical reason. I think we should try to persuade the "right hand" countries to fall in line with us and help to put the Great back into Great Britain. Read more
hi avin problems with my engine heres the symtoms...lots of blue smoke ,high oil consumption,oil in intercooler and intake pipes,sometimes revs its head off and wont stop only way to stop when this happens is to stall the engine!! thinking turbo? need some freindly advice what you think?car has just had new head gasket,timing belt,and re-con injectors ???? Read more
I was wondering if there was any homegrown car production on the African continent aside from SA?
I was pondering why it was that none of the big car companies has made a factory in one of these terribly poor countries as Im sure the wage cost relative to the rest of the world would be very low, but still very good for the employees.
I mean they send lots of aid there and thats all very well, but in the same way its better to help people become farmers rather than just send food, wouldnt it be even better to send some production capacity there and give them a chance to earn some real money?
Just an idea, I did a search and I couldnt find anything that immediately answered the question. I imagine there is a good reason, but what is it? Read more
When I worked in Kenya 10 years ago, I had a choice between a Subaru AWD estate and a Peugeot 504 - both assembled locally.
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?
Read more
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.
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.
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But Bilboman, if your mountain routes are sinuous, your tracks have to be narrower to negotiate the curves. Have a look at the Darjeeling Himalaya, one of the classic mountain narrow-gauge lines, still running (some) steam.
But there are some pretty large locos on narrow gauge - just go to the Welsh Highland and see the giants from South Africa. Quite out of character.
Motoring connection - you'll have to drive to get there ...