September 2009
Could anyone give me an idea of the price you would expect to pay to spray three doors on an R reg Pug 106 - presently red, should be mustard? And where one should look for the cheapest option?
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I would like to see if anyone can come up with the "killer" argument for my current quandry.
In February we ordered a 1.8TFSI Audi A3 sportback which arrived in time for the 09 plate registrations. It replaced a Saab 9-3 and at that point we planned to make this our only car by also retiring our old Mazda 323 when its MOT expired in September (as I was taking the train to work).
When the scrappage scheme came out we went and replaced the 323 with an i10 - which is a surprisingly good car and the Mrs is delighted with it.
The thing is that the A3 is now getting occasional use but otherwise sitting in the garage looking lovely but also sitting in the back of my head saying "lot of car money doing nothing".
The A3 is fantastic - fast, quiet, comfy but gave me 52MPG on a recent trip to Peterborough. I have no financial pressure/need to sell it, but I am aware that to keep the car I will need to shell out just over £16k (including the balloon) over the next 30 months, which would buy me a lot of car fun elsewhere while also saving me 10k into the bargain.
A chat with the Audi garage this morning has yealded an offer for the car of just £2k less than I paid for it - which was about £1,500 more than I expected.... This has made the decision even harder....
So - is anyone able to help with a practical method for deciding whether I should go heart or head?
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1.8 TFSI ain't a diesel.
Oh dear. I think it's the same engine I have praised in a friend's Octavia 1.8T.
Hangs head in shame, but doesn't wholly change mind...
Played rugby yesterday. By the side of the pitch between the 22 and 10 metre lines, behind some mesh barriers, was parked a gleaming late reg 5 series BMW M ...
Last minute of the game , our fly half gets the ball from a line out and hoofs it into touch, a huge hanging kick... the ball flies through the air and lands , with a huge thud, on the car's front NS wing, leaving a ball-sized dent. Ref blows for full time. Ouch... Nobody came running
Subject header given a less vague title, and one that doesn't upset the swear filter Read more
>> You used to get 'shoed' ( kicked ) out of scrums
>>
Darn Sarf a 'shoeing' was not so much being kicked, it was running your studs across your opponents ribs and back. Well, he shouldn't have been there should he?
Of course, if this happened to oneself, being nancy boy Southerners, Mummy's chauffeur was on hand to whisk one back to the Hall, where nanny and nursey would tend to our every need.
If you are, then do you want my used copy of 'Car Mechanics' from 3 months ago that goes through how to do it ?
I'm done with it, I used the article to do the cambelt on a Y reg Xsara so rather than just throwing the magazine in the recycling bin I'd see if anyone else can use it.
I'll post it FOC, I am not asking for any money for it.
let me know if you are interested,
cheers
Stu Read more
now taken
Hi,
I have recently bought a Mondeo Zetec TDCI 2.0 (140) Hatchback (silver, 09 reg, franchised dealer, ex-demo, 5000 miles).
In another thread (www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?f=2&t=78...0) it has been strongly suggested to me that I should invest in GAP insurance (I turned down the 3 year/£399 GAP insurance offered by the dealer).
I am intending to get fully comp insurance (probably from Admiral for about £550-650), I'm not sure if this include like for like replacement in the first year.
I just wondered if anybody could please advise where the best place to go for GAP insurance would be. Am I better off taking the Ford insurance (even if my main insurance offer like for like in the first year, the Ford scheme offers delayed GAP insurance - starting after the first year)? Or would there be a better route to take?
Due to my personal situation I am not sure how long I will keep the car for. There is a chance (maybe 50%) that I will sell it within the next 18 months, if not I would imagine keeping it for 3-5 years.
I punched my details into the GAP quote tool on Autotrader and got a 3 year quote for £102 (which seems to be the total for the 3 years). They also mention Invoice insurance (which I assume is the full amount you paid for it) and Vehicle Replacement insurance for new/nearly new vehicles (not sure if an 09, registered in March, counts as nearly new).
Any advice here would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
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I've just ordered a new (08) Focus this weekend and came up against these two subjects. The salesperson told that she (yes, she) had to inform me of these two products and let me know that I could purchase them if I wished. I declined on both counts and that was the end of the matter. No hard sell and nothing further to discuss.
No more difficult than declining extra topping on a pizza
Some interesting developments in Massachusetts with a "right to repair" bill that aims to force car manufacturers to open up the information needed to repair modern cars. Predictably, the manufacturers are opposing it.
Although this is a US bill, and a state-only one at that, I think the concepts behind it are valid in the UK and other countries as well.
www.patriotledger.com/opinions/x1916876377/COMMENT...r
"Since the advent of congressionally mandated computers in vehicles more than 15 years ago (for emissions), cars have evolved into complex machines that are no longer just mechanical. Computers now monitor and control most systems in the car from brakes to tire pressure and all the electronics and engine fluids... [and] car manufacturers continue to hold back on some of the information that your mechanic needs in order to properly repair your car and reset your codes and warning lights... Massachusetts is now poised to solve this problem and car-driving consumers should pay attention this fall when the Massachusetts Legislature takes up landmark legislation that would force manufacturers to respect the right of consumers to access their own repair information. The legislation, known as Right to Repair, is seen by car manufacturers as a threat to the lucrative service business in their dealerships and they are massing their lobbyists on Beacon Hill in an effort to defeat it."
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The EU just decided that they no longer have to provide the info.
Dunno what its like because I haven't been able to use it yet!!
Today I tried to use the first bottle, that I bought a couple of weeks ago, and after a weak splutter or two the sprayer packed up completely. Took it back and swapped it and walking across the car park thought I had better try the new bottle and that didn't work at all, it just spayed air.
Went back in and with an assistant went through the shelf until we found a bottle that worked. Incidentally all the bottles that didn't work went straight back on the shelf!
Beware buying spray bottles from Halfords!!!
Regards.
FTF
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Please help? I have been trying to remove the rocker cover/ air filter housing? on my 306 cabriolet as I appear to have an oil leak from the back. I am struggling to get the cover past the brake cylinder for what seems like an eternity now. Any ideas? I have undone the brake cylinder so that it has some movement but this does not appear to have helped. Read more
Hi the book says to remove servo! but like first responder says just gently lever engine with a long bar and you should be able to wriggle it off, the cam cover gasket is prone to leaking so even if fitting a new gasket use some sillicone sealer as well, this also holds it in place while trying to get cover back on
Selling a car in need of repair on ebay, and being totally honest about the condition. So, not expecting more than £300 - £400 and that's where it's at right now. That bit is going to plan.
I did not anticipate the number of people who would say "end the auction now and I'll give you cash" and post their mobile number. Loads! And, some of them seem to get a shade aggressive when you ignore them.
Thank goodness I specified that the only paying option was paypal. So they can't win the auction, come round and say they've changed their mind and offer half.
I wonder how some of them would react if they came to get it and found that you'd filled in the V5 already with their details, when they intended to pass it on without an extra keeper appearing. Oh dear, sorry for being honest!
I should have put "paypal only" in big capitals to start with. Read more
I've bought a few cars on ebay, and have not had a bad experience yet. I've just bought a replacement Espace so the current one will be (hopefully) sold on ebay in a week or so. It's the first time I'll have sold a car on ebay, so I've taken on board the advice above.
Regarding Paypal I can confirm that yes, it is stacked very heavily in the buyer's favour - I had my fingers burned over some Primera spares a couple of years ago. I only lost a set of headlights that had been sat in that garage, plus the cost of postage, but it was a hard earned lesson. So, it's cash only, full payment before collection, no test drive without insurance and not unaccompanied, and no I won't accept any form of money order or banker's draft.
Any buyers for an Espace:)
Hi,
I have recently bought a Mondeo Zetec TDCI 2.0 (140) Hatchback (silver, 09 reg, franchised dealer, ex-demo, 5000 miles), and in the process I asked a lot of questions here, so I just wanted to pop back and let you guys know that I finally got it and to thank you all again for your help.
I ended up paying £13,625 (plus road tax) for it. Not sure how good a deal that is (they initially had it on for £14,500 - told me £14,000 was their best - I offered £13,000 and we ended up near the middle). I've been trying to get a price from Parkers.co.uk but they only have prices as recent as 58 (and I think that they may be a bit high, given the actual prices I have seen recently).
I did end up paying on the day of collection (they initially told me I had to pay 2 days earlier), went and signed the invoice at 10:30am and picked it up about 12:30pm. I took the 1 week driveaway insurance, which was pretty painless and doesn't seem to have any catches.
I'm enjoying driving it at the moment. It seems a smooth ride and the handling seems good, but I am far from being an expert on these matters because this is my first car. Still getting used to handling a bigger car than the driving school Corsa!
Getting about 43 mpg with a combination of country and town driving (I am going out everyday just to get a bit of practice with it).
Anyway, I won't bore you with more details. Just wanted to say thanks for all your help once again and hopefully, when I get a lot more experience, I might even be able to give some useful input around here! :)
Thanks again.
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I have got a quote from Admiral for £530 (will be about another £120 for windscreen legal >> and courtesy car I think).
I hate threads which list insurance companies as there are so many variables, but we've had one of our cars with Admiral for 5 years and this year the premium really jumped up. That's become standard on the renewal letter, but normally they'll reduce it if you call, but the quote on the phone was higher than the renewal!
We ended up going with Zurich Direct, who seem to be advertising a lot lately, so I assume are keen. Also used Liverpool Victoria on other cars for years but their prices vary - some people find them competitive but for others they're way out.
Sell the car and buy another - the re-spray won't increase the value by as much as it costs, so it's dead money.