July 2009
I was on the A4 heading for Marlborough in Wiltshire today when I was overtaken by a police car with lights flashing and certainly not 'hanging about'. Two minutes later a second police vehicle overtook me in a similar fashion. As the police cars overtook, oncoming traffic slowed to allow them to overtake. A few minutes later I came upon the police cars, stopped at a mini roundabout where there had been a minor bump between two cars.
Although as far as I could see, the police cars were being driven in accordance with high-speed emergency driving, such driving is obviously an added risk factor on the roads and I question whether it is really necessary to drive like that on the way to a minor bump in a town street. Read more
Hello,
I've got a 9yr old 1.4 auto Polo which is having trouble starting. It's an intermittent issue and it's been back to the VW garage twice with no faults found. I'm starting to loose hope this can be fix before it causes a more serious issue, so I'm looking for some help and advice.
The car turns over ok, but splutters and chugs until eventually it bursts into life, often it needs some help with extra presses on the accellerator. The car does few miles, probably 5k this year and is serviced properly, however a service is due soon.
I've bought some HT lead testers, which I'll try tomorrow... any other advice greatly appreciated.
Regards
H. Read more
Just an update for anyone else who might have this issue in the future.
After having the battery checked I decided to return to the garage. They say it's now a problem with a temperature sensor in the engine that regulates the fuel & air mixture. So when starting from cold it's not getting enough fuel... fingers crossed this is the end of this. Thanks for all the helpful advice.
H.
My 2001 406 2.0 petrol model has suddenly developed a minor flood in the front passenger footwell. This appears to be rainwater rather than any engine fluid as it is odourless, colourless and reasonably clean. There is no sign of leakage from above, the headliner is dry and the courtesy light holder hasn't filled with water (as I once experienced). My thought is that a drain may be blocked but pouring water down the gutters seems to suggest that water is getting through the drains. Has anyone experienced this kind of problem?
tony p Read more
Total guess, but as the pollen filter is on the passenger side in the engine bay, that's the first place I'd look to see if the cover is on properly.
www.puravent.co.uk/filters/display_filter.php?id=1...5
Either that or the scuttle drain is blocked up with old leaves.
My old dad always used to honk at blind bends or summits on narrow roads, and I do the same. But I seem to be the only one.
Has it gone out of fashion? Is there a better method of signalling to those approaching that you're there (I realise they may not hear anyway)? Read more
I think the only time my car's horn gets used is during MOT tests. I'd had the car about 6 months before I realised I hadn't checked whether it worked or not.
I'm now about to have to replace a fourth tyre in under two years of having the car. The first two (on the nearside) went to potholes; the third (offside) to my carelessness in hitting the kerb (at about 15mph) going round a roundabout; and the fourth (offside) got a slow puncture and bulge in, I think, the same incident.
The tyres are all Goodyear Eagle NCT5, size 215 50R 17.
I am new to alloy wheels - this is the first car I've owned in 20+ years to have had them - and I'm happy to admit each of the problems has had a cause - and I've been careful of potholes since. But it's getting quite an expensive business.
Are Goodyears particularly fragile tyres? Is there a decent brand that is tougher? Or is this normal?
I'd happily switch to steel wheels and tyres of a greater profile, but am wary of affecting the warranty and/or handling etc.
Read more
You might benefit from getting tyres with XL (extra load) designation they may be a
little stronger in the sidewall and a tyre with 'rim protector' (small lip around the
bead edge) might help too.
My Avensis has NCT5s, and there is a side protection lip on them - not especially big, though. Haven't found any particular problem with the tyres except for the first front set which wore out quickly due to bad wheel alignment on the car (bought new!).
Right - off to Madeira in September. Booked a hire car at Funchal Airport, staying at Ponta du Sol.
Driving, sightseeing and "must do" tips please.
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I've never bothered hiring a car in Madeira as the taxis are cheap, plentiful, friendly and in excellent condition.
Well worth taking the cable car up to the botanical gardens. Take a picnic and make a day of it. Eating your sandwiches looking out over the sea is a lasting memory I have!
HarperCollins are giving away the chance to spend an afternoon driving a tank. Simply answer three simple questions here:
www.fly-apache.info/
for your chance to win this once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Read more
Woo-hoo! I got the answers right! Now please, please, please let me win!
Regular readers will know I fell out with VW big style after 2 horrendous Mk 4s and vowed I'd never buy another. However, those pesky Germans produced the Mk 5 GTi which I always hankered after having driven at launch.
I managed to resist buying one as the bitterness was still too raw at that time. However, I've finally succumbed and after several years (happy years I might add) with a couple of Saab 93s I've bought a Golf GTi Mk6 which I got yesterday.
First impressions are all positive. It's a stunning looking car and is fantastic to drive whether screaming round country roads or tootling round suburbia. The quality is excellent and the dealer has been excellent throughout the buying experience with a really pleasant salesman who knew his stuff and did stuff when he said he was going to do it.
Two things will actually make or break this car for me. One, the reliability. It can't be worse than the Mk4s but I am hoping that it's at least pretty good. Secondly, the dealer. I am using a completely new dealer so am hoping that the pre-purchase experience is mirrored in the post purchase experience. This is where VW have fallen down in the past for me and where the Saab experience was so much better as I had an ace dealer.
I'll keep you all posted. VW do get a bashing on here and I've been one of their biggest bashers. They really don't deserve me as a customer after last time so it'd be nice if this was a good experience for once. I've got fingers and everything else crossed..... Read more
I loved my MK5 GTi as well - alas it had to go :-(
now i dont think there is any excuse for speeding but if your caught then you pay the price but how long should you have to keep paying the price for a minor offence
tinyurl.com/m2fjt2
Subject line changed to something less vague Read more
In response to X, the child support thing is not just aimed at driving licences but passports as well. Parlaimentary committtees and advisory bodies have advised against on human rights etc grounds and becuase of the relatively low level at which the decisions will be made. Govt still ploughing on however.
Penny pinching on the CI scheme is not just a a Labour vice; Michael Howard cut awards drastically as Home Sec in the 1990s.
Hi ,i have a mercedes clk w208 and i need to replace the rear subframe bushes can they be done on the car ,if so how big a job is it ? thanks. Read more
Browse
A lot of variables here.
Depends on what the caller told the control room....the fact that it was at a junction , with increased chance of further collisions and congestion..background on one/either vehicle...officers diverted from another call, seeking to clear this to get back on track.
Control rooms have a real problem judging the severity of incidents from phone calls. Callers are often in shock , hard to understand, etc... you can ask more questions but each question you ask delays the eventual response.
I once sat in on a call in a control room from a driver on the M4. She had stopped to advise
about a car on the central reservation, and the family in it were trying to walk across the carriage way to the hard shoulder. There wasn't a traffic car within 10 miles that was free. The operator had to have great presence of mind to advise the lady while doing what she could to find help elsewher on the system.