June 2009
Tomorrow, insh'Allah, we will acquire a Chrysler PT Cruiser. It's a better class of motor than my 16-year-old £250 Escort Estate, with leather/suede seats, a/c, cruise control and all those sort of things as well as garishly shiny wheels. It's a 2 litre petrol manual, about 2002 I think, with sensible bumpers. A couple of small parking dinges but clean, fully serviced, under 60k miles, just had its suspension bushes replaced (London speed bumps, bad-o).
It's quite a pleasant car with nice switches, doorhandles, badges and so on. Drives OK and is comfortable of course. My wife will be able to drive it (the Ford has always had niggling running problems I didn't want her to have to cope with).
But I am already feeling ambivalent about it. It's worth ten or fifteen times what the Ford is worth, on paper anyway, and is going to cost twice as much to insure. My mechanic sucked his teeth Aussie-style when I mentioned it, and muttered something about expensive parts and tiresome repair procedures. It will drink a bit more than the Ford too. I'm afraid it won't go about its work in that sturdy, no-nonsense, slightly thuggish Ford style, and it will of course be rather less invisible (although there are lots of them about so no one will think it interesting).
I will like it of course, as I like virtually all contraptions with wheels and an internal combustion engine. But I'm worrying. And I don't want to chuck the poor old Escort away like a worn-out glove. It's done me incredibly well considering. Read more
From "The Daily Telegraph":
www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/5552263/Caterham...l
Homologation certificate for wild Seven sports cars paves the way for the company's expansion. Read more
Fishing for a tyre, 185x70R14, fully fitted inclusive prices....
F1 = Admiral =£44.76 + lifetime puncture service.
Nat'l = Wanli = £39.50
KFit = Debica = £47
BCirc = ??? = £38.87
Humph. Read more
I have tried a few different specs of tyre in the past and will always stick with good ones from now on, my old Mondeo has four Eagle F1's fitted now.
There is a bewildering array of these. Do members have sfggestions as to the best please? Read more
I am with Directline and for me by far it worked out the cheapest. The cheapest confused.com was actually 80% more expensive! I saved around £600 by going to DL. However it does depend purely on circumstances.
Anyone know why the price gap between the two has pretty much narrowed to zero again ? My local's selling them for exactly the same price, it's wasn't that long ago there was a 10p difference ! Read more
I reckon VAT will be increased to 20% within two budgets.
Why do you cap it at 20% ?
Under European guidelines they can put 7.5% onto the existing rate.
Currently the UK has one of the lowest rates of VAT in Europe. It could be worse.
The UK also has a zero rate on most basic foodstuffs. Other countries charge a rate for staples.
I'm not defending the 17.5% rate just saying it could be a whole lot worse.
For the past week I have walked past a '55 plate Outback for sale privately. It is not for me...I always want a sunroof, and would like blue with cream leather..this one is green. However, it does look immaculate both inside and out (cloth interior)...decent T &T, MOT, full main dealer service history and the most surprising thing is it's sticker price of.......£3995. Looks like that Spec B is getting closer to my budget! Read more
Update.
The 55 plate 2.5 Outback is still for sale...now reduced to £3495 ono.To recap...green over grey, 3 owners, FSH, cloth trim and no sunroof. High miles, now on 117k. First owner for 3 years was International Motors, the current owner has had the vehicle since Nov '08 and runs the Outback as his second car.
Having spoken to him it seems a genuine sale. It has probably not sold for several reasons... I think a belt change is imminent and could be costly...first one done at 65k...low mpg (probably mid 20's), manual (is this good or bad?) wrong colour and not leather interior, most Outbacks have a large sunroof, and next year's VED may be £300+?
I can see it dropping to £3k in the not too distant future, when it should make a sound buy if you plan to run it for a few years, have a good indie and can afford the petrol.
Can anyone please advise me the correct oil to use in the gearbox of my car Read more
I'm not sure if anyone can help me but about 10 days ago I was taking my car to be part exchanged when I saw a camera van along the way.
Now I dont think I was speeding but I'm waiting the 14 days just to be sure.
I havent sent the logbook off yet as I dont want any NIP's to go to the new address.
Can I be sure they will come to my address and not somone elses as long as I havent sent off my part of the logbook, as I dont want to have to worry about this for 6 months?
Thanks Read more
If you hang on to the V5 then they'll just apply for a new one.
they wont want the car unless its got one ,i agree with the rest though
www.honestjohn.co.uk/news/item.htm?id=6396
This raises the simple question: Without laying out several thou' is there an easy way to turn my £250 Escort (owned for over 12 months) into c.£1100 cash?
Dave TD
(Mods: If this belongs in the Scrappage volumes please move it, I thought it was more sidebar news related though.)
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1. Pre-sell the car on eBay.
2. If this is true, "?We expect that some franchised dealers will be pleased to secure unused examples of these popular, newly-registered cars, despite the inflated prices, because their demonstrator stocks have been depleted over recent months. It is likely they would find a buyer quickly and still clear an acceptable profit.?
Try talking to the dealer. He might pay you £750 cash - he'd want to split the profit with you.
hi m8 i have a v reg 2.5v6 mondeo that had an intermittent prob it wouldnt start! turn ign on if fuel pump goes car will turn over and start
if i dont hear pump car wont turn over to start!!!
if it wont pump/turn over i leave ign sw on and wait!!! (Well up to the other day that is) after waitin i rtn to the car hear the fuel pump going I know the car will start and has never missed a beat when running!! (seems to be the longer I leave it the longer I wait ie; long wait in morn, drive to paper shop 500yards away car starts on the button leave in car park all day long wait,,use it at dinner time short wait???)
i hav bridged fuel pump relay(pumps)i have bridged starter relay(turns over) but still wont start whats missing is an earth signal from the ecu to turn everything on and allow to start suspect alarm ecu ,engine ecu or poss bad earth! The other day after waitin about an hour!! Car started and I started home 70 mls got 5mls and car started to mess about something elec poss a relay was cutting/pulsing in and out fast (but could not hear it and never have!)came to a holt,tried to start was ok got 500 yards car rtns to jerkin/pulsing to this cutting in and out
everything was cutting/pulsing in and out, alarm light fuel pump fuel pump relay (changed( still the same)) heater stopped blowin so turned to relays wiring etc wriggled everything inc under dash no change turned ign off waited turned on no flashing lights pulseing fuel pump waited 45 mins fuel pump came on started car got home with no prob 80 90 mph But has not started since I have left ign on all day and still fuel pump wont cut in and car wont turn over do you hav any ideas about prob
thanks fletch
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Was Leonard Rossiter Belgian?