July 2009
Hi - HJ has given me permission to put the call out for any Backroomer who would like to take part in a feature on home servicing. It's for Auto Express, and I'm after anyone who shuns the garages to service their car themselves. It'd be more minor service items like oil changes, replacing brake pads, spark plugs, things like that. Nothing your average Back Room chap couldn't cope with!
If you're able to help, click on my link and email me with your name, age, profession, car and location. Profession is important because we want to show that regular people can and do tackle service jobs themselves.
Nothing too strenuous required. I'll have a chat with you and a photographer will pop by to take your picture.
Thanks in advance!
Nick (Goodness knows where Ben came from) Read more
A particularly pointless car that started life in the supposed luxury car bracket with a handle on the rear windows... electrically operated rear windows being a purchasable option. Mean while just about every tin truck from the land of the rising sun was arriving here fully kitted out.
tinyurl.com/nltr32
Plagued with electrical faults and more rattles than a Mothercare store , it was doomed from the day it was launched. At least now it is out of its misery.
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it's Land Rover that's having the problems at the moment within JLR...
Aye, but it's not quite as simple as just cars sold, it goes deeper than that...
Seem to be having overheating probs with my 106 diesel, getting a dribble of very hot water from the overflow beside the pressure cap after a long run. Have changed the cap to no avail and now wonder if perhaps the fan is coming on or indeed if the thermostat is working. Any ideas anyone? Read more
just to be sure, you are confident you haven't just over filled it?
as i had this many moons back, had a leaking rad cap, and just kept topping up as needed, then got round to replacing the cap, but i filled up to full upon new cap and had leaks for weeks, simply due to it being too full. just a thought
i have done a compression test and it was 230 for each cylinder. The car has done 158,000 miles but i do not know if another engine has been fitted. Do you think it is too high or is it ok? The engine runs ok. Any help please
{some punctuation added to make for easier reading} Read more
move from 5/30 at your peril, I would stick to the Ford advice. The heads needs the correct oli. You may be lucky though.
A friend bought a 2004 XK8 - very nice it looks too. But it is losing coolant, although there is no apparent leak. He has reported it to the supplying (Jaguar) garage as it is still under their warranty, but they can apparently find no fault.
Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't coolant loss with no apparent leak mean head gasket failure? Read more
any decent garage would have a pressure tester for stuff like this
IN April 2009 (1,000 miles driving ago) I bought an Grand Espace Initiale from a car dealer in Edinburgh. I took the scenic route back to the North East of England and the car drove beautifully. I was delighted. The next day I was able to try some motor way driving and found that over 60 mph it quickly overheated. I booked it into my local Renault dealer and thought that the computer would identify the problem. As the car had only 62k miles on the clock I didn't envisage anything serious. The garage said that they were having difficulty identifying the fault and could I bring it in again. The findings left me speechless. They said that it needed a new engine at a cost of £9,443.00 - much more than the car was worth. Renault customer services said that the would kindly pay 20%
After smelling salts I then went onto the Internet and tried to find a solution. Initial thoughts suggested that it may be a water pump then a local garage advised that it was probably 90% likely a head gasket. (which one I don't know) However they couldn't do it as they said that it needed specialist Renault tools. ...... Oh no, not the main dealer again!!! Does anyone know of a reliable garage in the North East of England, with the necessary tools, to do the job. I can't afford to scrap the car. I've had an Espace for the last 10 years with relative trouble free motoring. Ive just retired, spent all my money and hoped that this one would out last me. So far, not much luck. Thanks, Read more
Take it back to the dealer and get your money back you are entitled to full recompense.These are horrible vehicles and in 3.0 form in perfect order its worthless in the trade.
Evening,
We have sold the the girlfriends Citroen C2 and now she wants to get a MG MGF convertible. Now i know there will be a few people that will be gasping for air right now but we will be buying one over the next week or two.
Can anyone give me some advice on what i should be looking out for from a personel point of view. (I know about the K series engines and the troubles they have with regards to HGF so i am confident in that dept)
Our budget is £2500 max
Many thanks
Adam Read more
One thing never mentioned with MGFs is their excepional economy - my sisters VVC used to get 38 ish average and nearly 50 on a long run. Compared to her 1.6 MX5 which barely managed 32 mpg yet was far less powerful. These engines dont work very hard in the MG and the K-series is known for being efficient aswell as fragile.
When I had a silver car, as soon as I drove it off the forecourt, all other cars seemed to be silver. Now I have a black car, and all other cars seem to be black!
The question is, if all other cars appear to be the same colour as the one you drive, where are all the other colours........doh! Think I need to lie down for a while. Read more
White seems to be making a big come-back - looks great on some cars (new
Audi TT) awful on others (an X6 I saw the other day)
Yes, I'd noticed that as well, loads of white 58/09 plate cars around, mostly sporty VAG products.
The vast majority of Insignias I've seen have been black, a few grey. dull dull dull. Only one in a bright colour, a metallic red.
Whilst browsing i came across this online supplier of oils etc.
Millers XFD fully synthetic diesel engine oil 5 litres at £29.99, never seen it this price for years, free postage too.
Is this too good to be true, am i going to get me fingers signed..;)
tinyurl.com/m9qdnc
If it's kosher i'll stock up with a couple of years worth.
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Few European market oils for diesels use the API system. IIRC, any ACEA graded diesel oil is automatically given API CF, which is a very old standard - but irrelevant to diesel cars. It depends on the maker, but many specify e.g. ACEA Ax/Bx, plus their own spec.
anyone absent mindedly typed in honestjohn.com rather than .uk? What a horrid cheesy website! Read more
I like the 1980 Sedan deVille.
If I lived over there, that is what I'd drive for sure.
I also like the phrase "Actual Miles" seems much more honest phrase to use than that which we in the UK are accustomed to.
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Update.
This week's Auto Express.
They used me, who are the other two? ;>)