August 2009
Saw one of these this morning with this "hard cover" and realised this was what BMW had used for its styling of the X6 rear!!
tinyurl.com/nvqcw7
The above link doesn't work. Not sure how long this one will?
www.mitsubishi-accessories.co.uk/images/accessorie...g
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They don`t meed my needs at all. Problem is that I can remember reading mag`s decades back where there was great technical detail, such as clutch plate diameters - gearing and so on.
(and so avoid that HA van with its 6" clutch while competitors had 7".. (maybe. memory)
That said, I found the latest Car Mechanics a breath of fresh air under it`s new Editor - introducing engine management systems - in the last issue. In a way that is actually about DIY that is and not seemingly endlessly about `old Rovers`
But most other mag`s are just what I call `lightweight reviews` - might as well not bother.
So, I was in Smiths yesterday surveying and eclectically browsing - as you do, like a cow in an alpine meadow - a bit of this a bit of that. Nothing worth the money and still waiting for next months Car Mechanics.
Then I came across `Tornado` .. had to buy it despite the £7.99 (Yorkshire moths escaping from wallet) because of the glorious technical detail on this new steam engine..
If only car mag`s were like that.. OK only six of us would buy it, but... Read more
I used to be into tractors, but not any more...now I'm an ' extractor fan '
I'll get me coat
Ted
will the rearlight units off the 06 model,the chromestrip type, fit straight on the previous,non chrome strip type,on the mk111 mondeo? I quite fancy changing mine.
my car is an 05 ghiax. cheers anyone?. Read more
sorry rtj70 if I seemed abit rude I agree with you, now we know what the reflectors are for,thanks to Kith, I thought they were just for decoration.(hence my user name)
Hello All,
Any help would be much appreciated.
A friend of mine kindly changed the timing belt on my Focus Tddi W/2000 and basically screwed it up. Belt came loose on the motorway :(
The AA towed it to another (more reliable) friends garage, and he has stripped the head and replaced the 8 valves but now it will not start.
He has replaced the fuel filter and pipes but still no joy.
It would appear that the glow plugs were damaged and they have been replaced as well.
The car will start on easy-start and will tow off as well, however emitting white/gray smoke after towing.
He believes it may be a problem with the injectors.
Has anyone else had an issue with the injectors or glow plugs after a timing belt failure? Car worked perfectly before the timing belt issue.
As mentioned, any help would be appreciated, getting desperate now for the car back :)
Thanks
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I always thought it was the Honda Legend from 1990. Does anybody know of any earlier examples? Read more
I'd not try it. It does not take much to trigger one when fitted to a car - hence difficult to fault find.
Remember they transport new airbags to dealers in a metal container and a dealer does not keep an airbag in stock.
Hi, I drive a 1999 T reg Vauxhall Zafira which has developed yet another annoying fault. Whilst on a motorway drive two weeks ago, the light which shows the engine and a spark (the ignition light?) came on and stayed on for about 60 seconds. this continued throughout the journey which was about 120 miles each way. At the longest, the light was on for no longer than 3 mins.
The light does not seem to come on during normal urban driving.
We did another long motorway journey (again about 120 miles each way) and the light is coming on intermittently and again for no longer than a few mins.
The car has been recently service and passed the MOT three days ago. It had a new alternator fitted about three years ago and we had a new battery not long after that as the failing alternator had damaged the existing one.
We are getting sick of this car, two clutches and a gear box last year thanks to a bad recovery driver forcing the car into gear, alternator, two front sets of tyres, engine difficult to work on.
Anyone got any ideas? Is this a serious problem? It only seems to happen when my Husband drives the car.
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I'm probably not the best person to advise, I ran my previous Omega for about 3000 miles in 'limp home' mode...
I suppose the 'witty' answer is to go,but don't let hubby drive.
Seriously I'd get the codes read - either by an auto electrician or the 'paperclip trick' and see what the faults are. It might be a false alarm or something intermittant, if you go for it make sure you've got breakdown cover!
edit :thinking abitmore,does hubby tend todrive the car harder ( higher revs) than you, or vice versa? Maybe a problem that only appears at briefly at higher revs.
I currently have a E39 523 touring in Petrol...
Every garage I have spoken to has said Diesel great to 50K then expect big repair bills - you'll be lucky to get away with less than £5K before 120K+. They then contrast with the 2.5-3.0 straight 6 petrols ("which are bomb proof"). On those numbers any saving in mpg will be completely wiped out by repair bills.
On my sample of 1 I've had no major problems with my E39 - the worst being a water pump (and the only time it has left me by the roadside in 70K of driving it). most years it just goes in for the annual service, with no additional costs!
What are people's experiences of long term realiability of Diesel and petrol engines? Which would you buy?
I'd like and E61 530i or 530d - which is better on a 3 year old 50K as a buy? Read more
With proper servicing done regular using genuine filters and top quality oil both engines should do 300k, but it also depends on how they have been driven from new and you expect service history with a 3yr old car.
Id say if you do 18k + miles a year go for the diesel me i only do 9k so it's petrol for me, but servicing is the key especially oil changes with a diesel these 20,000mls seem too far & 12k seems a much better option if you want it to last.
But thats my opinion, i work on the railway our engines are guarateed to 400k but they only last that with regular oil changes & filters etc.
My 2 lit TDCI will crank but not start. I then starts and runs as normal at the second attempt. Has anyone else.experienced this problem and found the solution. Read more
If/when this problem occurs it's also worth checking if the steering feels heavier than usually irrespective of the steering setting (i.e. Sport, Standard, Comfort). If the steering does feel heavier, especially noticable during low speed turning, then it's likely software update will fix both the steering problem and the starting problem.
If the same problems reoccur then suspect a problem with the electronics that holds the software, you shouldn't need to keep having software updates to clear the same problem every few months.
Here is a pic of the engine in our 7.5 yrs old Punto 1.9D.
www.oilrag.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/engine.jpg
Yesterday did all the gaskets on the top cover to stop a slight oil leak - also blocked off the EGR valve with a gasket cut from a Gunk can. (more on that later)
Then ran it down to Meadowhall and back and changed the oil and filter - using Shell Rimula R4.
I`ve normally done 3,000 oil changes (filthy old IDI engine) which are half service interval and the cams and cambox were clean (black oil accepted) no sludge or cam surface wear, at 56,000 miles
It`s occurred to me that with the EGR system no longer loading the oil with soot from the exhaust - that I might let the engine run to 5,000 miles or so on the oil.
If there`s interest in this thread I will write later about the EGR blanking.
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Thanks for that, Spospe, I was thinking about the effect..
I've entered BMW in the make field, but in truth it could be any model of car.
On Friday I took my car in to my usual MOT garage around the corner from work, only to receive a phone call at the end of the day saying that it had failed due to excessive wear on the front tyres.
This was something of a surprise, but it's possible as they've been on for around 20,000 miles. They quoted that the "lowest they could do budget ones for was £260 all in".
After I picked myself off the floor, largely from laughing (the previous set were around £160 (235/45/17 94Y) declined, collected my car and glanced at the tyres.
Once I got home, I was straight out with the tyre tread depth gauge and there's at least 3mm across all of both tyres.
Now I've managed to get another MOT today and it's passed with flying colours.
As side from them trying to rip me off for the "excessive" tyre prices, they've blatantly failed a car which should have passed.
Do I just go to VOSA and report them? Also any suggestions to getting my MOT fee back with minimal hassle would be appreciated.
Cheers.
Made vehicle non-specific Read more
>>I'm with Lud.
I'm so pleased for both of you. ;>)
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If you put a BMW badge on dog muck , they'd still be a bunch of idiots buying them !!!
it just shows, taste doesn't come with money
MVP