i am considering spending around 34k on a 1 year old bmw 330d m sport conv with all the extras and low mileage from a bmw dealer but wanted to ask your advice on how much they may be willing to negotiate on price ? i am a cash buyer ready to go as I have already sold my existing car and the entire money is in the bank, hence no part-ex. difficult to know how much lower to go in to start with and also as they are a top notch bmw dealer, will they negotiate at all ? what do you suggest ? and experiences or tips ? thanks Read more

I recently purchased a Morris Minor as a 'fun' car. It's a 1098cc engine of, I think 1960 vintage.

Which oil should i use in the engine? Presumably the engine is using 'old' technology, so the latest fully synthetic oils would be inappropriate?

Would a straight 20-50 oil be best? Are there any spec numbers I should be looking for?

Is it worth paying the extra for Castrol or Duckhams, say? Would Asda's cheapest be OK? Read more

Hi.
I got 2005 Ford Focus MK2 1.6 TDCI,93000 miles done.
When the engine is warm and at speeds exceeding 50 miles,sometimes I get light blue smoke coming form the exhaust, but only if I take my foot off the accelerator.Then if I put the accelerator again,the smoke disapears.It is not happening every day.

1.Valve stem oil seals-NO-it is opposite situation.
2.Emission test done-OK.
3.Had it on the computer as well and nothing came up,except some turbo faults.
4.Turbo has been changed at 80 thousand miles.
5.Injectors tested-OK.
6.No warning lights on the dashboard.

{moved across to tech matters}

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On holiday in Spain last week and luckily we had pre-hired a car. I had booked a Pug Partner on the basis that it was cheap, roomy, and a car I was genuinely interested in trying. At the airport we were upgraded to a brand new Renault Scenic 1.5DCi (400km on the clock). Over the next 10 days we did another 700km. Then this week our C8 was in for a service, and instead of the usual C3 I got a C4 Grand Picasso 1.6 HDI manual (8,000 miles on the clock). A chance to drive two competing cars within days of each other. So, how do they compare?

EXTERIOR
To me the new Scenic is just too bland and a retrograde step compared to the previous model. This seems to be a common theme in Renault's styling department at the moment. The Grand Pic is a far more adventurous design to my eyes, although maybe a bit bulbous around the front? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

INTERIOR
The Scenic has a smart TFT display screen that is just slightly easier to read than the Grand Pic's conventional digital display, but the rest of the interior is a complete victory for the Citroen. Better quality materials, more room around the pedals, and really clever seats that all fold flat, with a flat load-lip, making the transfer of a washing machine last night a complete doddle. The Renaults rear seats fold just like a conventional hatchback, leaving an uneven floor (although they can be taken out altogether) and the boot has a noticeable load-lip. The huge windscreen on the Picasso is great, really brightening up the cabin. The seats on the Picasso are also better. Both had stacks of room in the rear but the Citroen was roomier and I could fit in all seats (all 6'1" of me).

ON THE ROAD
The two cars are very similar as far as road-holding and suspension are concerned - but the Citroen has a slight edge on comfort. Both had electronic hand-brakes. The Citroens was a bit slow in operation but the car had a hill-hold which would seem to be essential with hand-brakes like this. If the Renault had a hill-hold, it wasn't working on our car, making hill starts very difficult.

The PSA 1.6HDI has a slight power advantage over the Renault 1.5DCi, and this really showed on the road where it goes very well, despite the larger body of the Citroen. I've driven this PSA/Ford 1.6 HDI in other cars and it is a great engine. A major fault with the Renault was the way it would bog down in 2nd gear at, say 10mph when you turn into a side road. It just couldn't pick up in 2nd and you would be forced to drop down to 1st uncomfortably. The Citroen can pull away in 1st with no throttle in the way that all good diesels can. The Renault needs revs to pull away, making town driving more of a chore - I stalled it more than once!

Brakes clutch and steering on both were similar, both had light, feel-free steering in the modern style - perfectly acceptable for the type of car, although doubtless some road testers would moan about them.

VERDICT
The Citroen would win all day long for me, which must be a bit of a disappointment for the head honchos back at Renault HQ. It is almost as if they hadn't even looked at the Picasso when designing the new Scenic.

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hi all, my key fob as stopped working due to the fact that my heater controls are on a perminent live, when i get out i have to turn my heaters off else my battery goes flat.

The other night i forgot, i was late for work and was in a rush. when i came out to go home i could not unlock my doors with the key fob - not enough power in the battery i think, i eventually got my door lock to open, it was a bit stiff to open due to the fact they never get used, anyway i got the car running. When i got home i went to lock it with the key fob and nothing is happening.

is it just coincidence the battery as gone in my remote or do i need to get it re-coded?

never experienced this before, thanks glyn..........

{I think you mean key fob, instead of key thobe? Also added some punctuation and broke up some of the sentences to make for easier reading} Read more