September 2009
rubbing / grinding noise from the front end possible the engine when driving, appear to be no issues with power, brake pads were changed approx 4k ago and new front tyres approx 2k ago.
Noise appears worse at lower speeds and when engine cool Read more
Afternoon does anyone know how to remove the metal black security box at the back of the engine on a 1.2 clio year 02 thanks in advance
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The best way to remove the top cover is using a small makeup mirror.
This allows you to see the back of the box.
You will see a small brass wheel with holes round it.
Use a small drill the size of the whole to rotate the wheel unit the cover comes loose.
The latching mechanism to put back will be apparent once you see inside.
Hopefully the loom will be only just starting to to chaff through and you can repair with self amalgimating tape.
Securing the box can be done by positioning the box and wedging a small piece of rubber at the right hand side, secure the rubber with a squirt of silicone from a gun.
I have used this method with success.
Best of Luck.
My bil is looking to change his Mitsubishi something or other people carrier, and wants to replace it with one of about the same size with much the same loadspace (rear seats flattened) and lowish rear access for ease of loading.
He bought new last time but might consider a recent low mileage used.
Something with 2 or 4WD might be useful.
Any thoughts?
Thanks. Read more
Might not fit your BiL 100%, but I have Grand Espace and its HUGE. I shift music stuff once a month and ferry loads of kids (brownies/guides etc) from time to time. SOOOO comfy and all the toys too. New was £25k, but on an 06 under £10 and just manages 40mpg on a run. I've found low down pulling power suffcient to cope with damp grass at open air gigs.
Also have Megan Estate, which as others point out estares can pack a huge amount. Not the same high up seating position, but at 55mpg is great on the wallet.
Both of mine for sale as I want to buy new, and both very good NCAP results.
Over the past month I have spent 6 hours in a driving simulator at Leeds University as part of a research project looking at the continued automation of driving and the effect on drivers.
The simulator is very sophisticated and akin to one used for pilot training. The car you ?drive? is a Jag S type automatic housed in a dome. The engine, bonnet etc have been removed, but the rest of it is intact. Speedo and rev counter work as do warning lights, indicators repeater light etc.
After 20 minutes of accompanied training to get used to the controls - the steering is a little light and there isn?t much feeling of acceleration - you are left alone to drive the tests. You do believe you are driving a car with the added bonus that you can drive at whatever speed you like ? I don?t advise much over 85 though as you do get thrown around the bends.
Ahead and around both sides of the dome is a large wrap round screen showing the road and surrounding landscape. To achieve a rear view the mirror housings are embedded with flat screens and the rear window of the car has a projected image which can be viewed through the mirror. The only downside with the set up is the definition of the large screen so it?s quite grainy and appears out of focus. If this could be HD it would be very realistic.
The drive is 30 miles of typical motorway with about 6 junctions along the route.
Over the course of the two visits I did six drives of the same route. I can?t describe in great detail what you do on each trip as others may be doing the same tests. I can say there is no intention to trick you and every situation you come across is very realistic ? even the BMWs and 4x4s tailgate you and lorries pull out without indicating just as you approach!
The first visit is more about you as a driver and how you are affected by the automated systems in the car. Activities are undertaken by the driver and road conditions are ?normal? with three free flowing lanes with traffic becoming heavier as you progress with the test.
The second visit involves the driver playing a game which requires you to speak to someone over a hands free connection. The game is played by children so not difficult, but it is very thought intensive and the road has more hazards to make the test more interesting. There are no prizes, so no incentive to get the task right.
It was during these tests where it confirmed what I always thought and what we are told ? doing anything mentally intensive and driving safely is extremely difficult and in certain situations virtually impossible without compromising safety.
Sharing thought process between driving and the task is very difficult and you can?t give full attention to both all the time.
When I noticed a hazard I went straight into thinking about driving, but as a result once the hazard had passed I had no clue about the task ? I had completely forgotten what I was supposed to be doing!
The other side of the coin was demonstrated vividly.
I was concentrating so hard on the task I completely missed two of a standard set of 200 yd countdown lane closure signs with the inevitable result ? I ?crashed? into a queue of traffic whilst doing about 70 mph.
I was asked a series of questions about the drive and I failed to answer half of them. Not that I had forgotten, I had simply no recollection of what the question was asking about.
A period in one of these really does bring home just how mentally challenging driving is and how difficult it is to undertake intensive, but not necessarily complicated activities whilst driving. For me this does include using a hands free mobile for demanding conversations as I crashed while using a hands free system to play a child?s game.
If you get the chance to go on a similar driving simulator snap up the chance.
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I went on a motorbike simulator at the university I work at (not Leeds), though sadly it was nothing like as involving or enjoyable as that sounds - much lower budget. The main point of the exercise was around hazard awareness. They were looking for motorcyclists and non-motorcyclists, and as I'd never sat on a motorbike before in my life, I had to concentrate very hard on where the throttle, brakes and gears were. Consequently I'd killed about three pedestrians and had a head-on collision with a Land Rover within the first five minutes.
It was quite a nice distraction as a one-off, but the simulator Davey talks about sounds much more interesting, and useful for improving one's own driving.
Hi Guys,
I am new to this forum so a big hello !! to everyone.
My old Toyota ('98) was recently hit from behind (not at fault) in a rear end collision.
Though the damage was not too much, considering the age of the vehicle and the market value it has been considered a total loss. They are not providing me a courtesy car as it is a total loss.
My insurer is yet to provide me a value but I don't think even after negotiating it would be worth loosing 2 years of NCD which will be suspended until the costs are recovered from the 3rd party.
I need to immediately buy another car and hence cannot wait until the claim is settled.
I am contemplating the following:
1. Withdraw my claim from my insurer, cancel the policy (shall get refund for 6 months!!) and insure my new car with another insurer (who provides courtesy car even in total loss!!) with 2 years NCD. I took some quotes and on a £6K used car, I'm loosing approx. £600 the very first year if there's no NCD. In addition, I need to start building my NCD from scratch if I claim from my insurer.
2. Pursue the claim directly with 3rd party insurer OR through a claim management company OR in worst case just forget about it (approx. £1000 loss, the best my insurer may offer). Do we need to disclose such claims while taking a policy if they were not paid by your previous insurer and do these affect the NCD? I guess no but any feedback is appreciated.
Any suggestions, pitfalls on the above approach are greatly appreciated.
Considering the UK insurance market (ripp off racket!!), I now have a tendency to NOT CLAIM from your insurer until you have built up protected NCD and hence go for cheap cars until then and hope for the best:) That brings me to another question.
Is the NCD accumulated on cheap cars (say £2000 value) valid on a £40K car as well? I think so but you never know.
If yes, then my BMW is only a few years away. If no, I'll always buy cheap cars and claim only after I have a protected NCD !!
Thanks,
Sam. Read more
Thanks a lot teabelly, martin and Nial for your replies !!
A few more details:
1. The 3rd party accepted liability verbally on the spot and we exchanged the details etc. The elderly guy was also very apologetic. The details he provided are in his own handwriting.
2. On the day of the incident I missed to take any pictures of his vehicle as he pulled up off the road even before I realized and came out of my car. However, I took the pictures of his vehicle (showing front bumper damage etc) a couple of days later as it was still there awaiting recovery.
3. I was provided a hire car from a credit hire company which made me sign that if they cannot recover from 3rd party insurer, I'll be liable for all charges.
When I contacted my insurer, they said it's only a standard process and they have an agreement with the credit hire company that they'll not charge you but didn't give me anything in written though said the call is recorded and they have noted this on the claim record as well.However, I was not comfortable with this and having researched that the credit hire company has been on BBC watchdog, I returned the vehicle after 2 days.
My insurer than told me that they'll provide me a courtesy car (through the bodyshop) which they haven't as it is a total loss. I haven't been informed of the total loss by my insurer yet but only by the bodyshop.
4. My insurer also informed me last week that the 3rd party insurer has no such incident reported.They have sent across the allegations and now shall wait for 2 weeks to receive a reply.
I called up my insurer again and found the following:
a. The new car that you buy after total loss goes on the same policy as the old car.e.g. old car considered total loss after 5 months on the policy,
the new car is then on the policy for the remaining 7 months and once the insurer recovers the charges from the 3rd party insurer you get one year NCD on your next renewal provided no other outstanding claims in the 7 months.
b. I can go back to credit hire company and have been assured that I won't be liable for any charges due to the agreement between the insurer and the credit hire company.
This would mean the car would be available immediately and can keep it until one week after I receive the total loss cheque.
c. I can hire a vehicle and use the receipts to recover the costs once 3rd party admits liability using my motoring legal protection.However, this may or may not be recovered.
d. It will take atleast another 2 weeks for my cheque to arrive considering offer, negotiation and agreeing a value.
I still have 7 months on the policy so positively the claim will be settled before my next renewal date and I'll earn 1 year NCD.
I also do not see why the insurer will drag the recovery process as it's their money they need to recover except my excess which is only £100.00
Considering the complexity of handling the claim independently when the 3rd party has not admitted liability yet and I need a car immediately, going through my insurer seems to be a better and easier option.
Can anyone confirm that agreements such as between my insurer and the credit hire company do exist and I can trust my insurer on this regardless of the contract I will have to sign with the credit hire company?
Thanks,
Sam.
Recently for work I have had several hire cars to take me to the other end of the country and back, and I have noticed this fad of having the dials on the dash surrounded in tubes
I find them really distracting and it seems that everything on the dash is squashed up and the instruments are contained in these ?funnels? , I really struggle to see anything on the dash and find it quite of putting, as I have to look down these ?pipes? just to see anything ? I like a dash that?s clear and well laid out, it just seems that everything is squashed together (warning/information lights on the dials them selves obscured by the needles) the smallest temp and fuel gauges and everything at the end of a tube, all in the name of design
The fiat Bravo (Brava??) we had recently I could not see the top of the rev counter or speedo for these ?pipes?
Am I been boring? I just find myself really distracted and get a claustrophobic feeling when trying to work out what im supposed to be looking at
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Thanks i just though it was just me beinbg boring lol
I just find that everything is cluttered up as well, not neatley and clearly laid out, in reference to needles on the dials obscouring the warning/information lamps
I just find it a little annoying, and i agree if you own a car it has to be asthetically pleasing its the little things that you have to live with on a day to day basis, and it has to be right esp as you spend a lof of money on a car.
I need some advice regards an engine replacement on my Toyota Avensis 2.4 VVTi.
Approx 3 weeks ago, the engine packed up and was eventually towed to a garage with suspected cylinder head problems. The diagnostics showed that cylinder 3 was damaged and further inspections indicated suspected crack(s) in the head.
The stem valve seals were replaced and the smoke stopped but there is more damage in the bottom end.
The car has since been looked at by another mechanic who has confirmed that it is not worth his effort to rebuild the engine. He has recommended a replacement, but will not do as he has had warranty issues in the past i.e. when a replacement engine component failed, the engine supplier has argued that it was due to poor fitting. Hence he has advised I get a company to supply and fit.
The only problem I have is who should I use? I have a number of comapnies who have all stated that they can do the work, but I have heard of numerous horror stories.
One such company is offering a 5yr/60,000m warranty, but the terms and conditions state that all services must be done with the same company, who are within thier rights to charge exhorbitant servicing costs - thereby resulting in several thousand pounds worth of future costs.
Another company has been accused of obtaining the car and then falsely stating that other components are at fault - thus increasing the cost of repairs. As they have the car and have removed the engine, your hands are tied and you feel compelled to pay the rising costs.
I am also finding it difficult to get these so called specialists to provide me with a legal set of terms and conditions that clearly define the work and what is in fact gauranteed.
Can anybody please recommend an established and reputable garage/specialist?
I am desperate to get the car repaired as the rental costs of a replacement vehicle is beginning to hurt the bank account.
{correct year entered, following an email confirmation} Read more
Try VEGE engines.
www.vegeuk.com/engines.php
They are the only ones I would trust.
HJ. Many thanks for posting this on my behalf. I own a 1953 Austin Champ. Austin B40 engine I recently fitted new condenser and points. Not having a great deal of experience with points I did the best I could, the engine was running fine for around 50 miles, when it stopped. This happened really quickly and I was not aware of any degradation of performance (if thats the right term for a Champ) On checking the points I saw a spike of metal from one to the other and was thus closing the gap. Quick file later, reset and away we go. However I am concerned that a spike has built up so quickly. Is this because the timing is incorrect and needs re setting? or is it that the points are moving after being set.
any help would be appreciated
gtgeoff Read more
yup,
new condenser bought, didn't bother bending the tab over as it fits quite easily. Couple of quid from a land rover dealer. Spare bought as well. Now runs fine. Lesson learnt. many thanks.
geoff
Extra vigilence behind the wheel today lads
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8240992.stm
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We're not European - we are English Welsh Irish & Scots.
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Correct, and we live on a scruffy, bankrupt little island off the coast of Europe.
Leaving the car outside and unused creates disc corrosion especially in the winter time. Try a month at Heathrow, for instance. This can really reduce disc life.
Is there anything which can be done to preserve the discs during such a time? It would seem that most moisture barriers would lessen the friction in the brakes.
Any suggestions? Read more
Go take a look at the cars sitting outside on dealers forcourts there discs are just the same as yours.!
Some of these cars sit there for a month too so don't panic, when you come to drive it away gentle braking while driving will clear the discs very soon.
I'll take a guess that when they changed the rear discs tbey used a bit too much off the wrong sort of force to remove them and knackered a wheel bearing.