October 2009
Well, I've had it a fortnight. Or to put it another way, for two thousand miles. It's a company car which I was given with a new job.
Spec is Tekna 150 bhp 2.0 diesel auto and includes, leather, bluetooth, six speed slusher, panoramic glass roof, xenons, keyless, dual climate, switchable/lockable 4wd and 17" alloys and headlamp washers. This one is metallic black with black trim.
I'm used to large estate cars so I was worried that it might feel a bit small. It's not too bad on that front with a good usable boot and subsequent loadspace with the seats folded.
I'm also going to be continuing to do a fair mileage so comfort takes precedence over most things and it doesn't disappoint here either. Seats are very adjustable and the steering wheel can be placed for rake and reach but I still can't quite get the position as natural as my old Mondeo. Not bad though.
I like the big glass roof. Not as much as one which opens but it still makes the cabin airy. There is an electric sunblind if required.
Its been years since I had an auto. Still not sure I like them really but it was a boon yesterday when I was stuck in a mega jam on the M6. It has the option to self shift with a sequential action if prefered. I think that will be my favoured technique on long descents especially in wintery conditions. Otherwise it picks up well enough and changes smoothly but I do dislike it shifting gear mid corners, doesn't feel right but I guess I'll get used to it.
No sports car but it bowls along briskly enough and has plenty of pull from the remarkably quiet and smooth diesel engine. Handling, as might be expected feels a little top heavy but it grips well enough. Copes well with speed humps.
The switchable 4wd is controlled from a rotary dial next to the gear selector. It has the option of running permanently 2wd or auto 4wd which allows some power to the rear wheels when the car decides it needs it. there is a third option of locking it in 4wd for very slippery conditions but even that will revert to auto 4wd when a certain road speed is reached. I hadn't really felt the need for a 4wd but who knows it might come in handy one day.
The keyless entry and ignition is amusing but strikes me as having no real benefit as indeed do the rear parking sensors. It has huge door mirrors and on a relatively compact vehicle with a high seating position has good all round visibility. Having a beepy thing to tell you what you can already see is a bit of an indulgence but again maybe they will prove useful. Clever though.
Auto lights and wipers likewise. Good toys but seem to me to be extra to requirement. Xenons are very good though. Glad I won't be funding any bulb replacements mind.
The glass roof was a bit of a worry as we use a bike rack but I found a clamp on backpack style one to fit.
Fuel consumption is only OK at 38mpg but apparently these are not famous for being frugal.
So far so good. Read more
My car drives for about 20 miles then the ABS & alarm set lights come on & all the dash indicators stop working but it will still drive perfectly but once I stop the engine it will not start for about 2 hrs & even then I have to hit the top of the dash board before everything comes on. I took it to a Chysler dealer but got the impression that since I was not buying a new one they couldnt be bothered, they put it on the diagnostic machine tested it & said there was nothing wrong with it & charged me £55.50p+VAT.
so I headed home & guess what happened after 20 miles? yes you have guessed it.
I got back & complained to them but all they said was bring it back & leave it with us.
which isn't very handy as I live 100 miles from a Chrsyler dealer, plus how much more are they going to fleece out of me. Having read one of your reports by BIGBUS it sounded similar so I took of the heater switch arround the radio & checked it I noticed that it had been re-wired and that all conections seemed sound so I don't think it's that. Read more
Hi to all and a happy new year. Thanks stbos I did down load to my hard drive after I realised what was happening, My voyager seems to be behaving itself and just as well as it's due the dreaded M.O.T. soon, hope you got all your problem's sorted.
A woman has voluntarily handed herself in after video footage was found on YouTube of her deliberately drenching a bunch of schoolkids at a bus-stop.
Story is here (SkyNews):
tinyurl.com/yldetus
YouTube video is here (not the original):
www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aeN6INOrUM
I think the comments section sums up the IQ of the average YouTube poster... and as for the driver and passenger - well some people aren't really mentally equipped to be handling a 1 ton piece of machinery... Read more
>>I have just found 70 brand new ZIP100MB and ZIP250MB cartridges at work and about ~100 SONY double density CD-Rs (1.3GB) whatever they are!
Your firm's on top of their Stationery cupboard then 'H' !!!
MD
Hi-
My Focus broke down yesterday- luckily a nice day, hadn't got too far and early afternoon so could get it towed to the garage. It had lost power on the dual carriage way, temperature gauge at max etc. It turns out there was no coolant, and I admit I haven't checked it for a while (will do from now on) though was only serviced a few months ago (no excuse I know). My garage is very good, immediately topped it up and ran it for ages. Couldn't see anything till they had it on the ramp and apparently its the core plugs leaking at back of engine? I didn't get a look. I believe they need some bits from Ford and a gasket or two. Anyway quoted around £165 if all goes to plan and the plugs prove easy enough to remove. Its booked in for Tuesday and we've not used it much, only to take son to nursery and back. But checked tonight and coolant appears to be mostly gone again (at least from expansion tank), so that's only a couple of trips to town and back- quicker loss than I'd thought.
I wont use it at all unless really necessary, and will top it up, but I was surprised it had gone again. I just need some pink coolant...
My question really is, anyone heard of this happening, is it something fixable with one of those additives (not keen to do that but £170 is £170). I'm sure I'll stick to getting it done. It has been a very reliable car apart from the two breakdowns (other time was similar symptoms but was the water pump). Read more
If you are lucky the coolant requires a top up now the engine has got up to temperature and run a while dispersing any air locks.
If you are unlucky you have 'cooked' the engine and blown the cylinder head gasket.
Hi,
I have an ex police riot van which has 50K on clock. had it almost exactly a year - cost £1,750 off ebay.
had new alternator fitted about four weeks ago. last weekend it broke down on motorway and called AA out. They said the alternator was loose, the injection pump gar was falling off, the timing belt damaged and a fuel leak. Had to be brought back on truck.
They reckoned it would cost about £1,000 to fix. A guy we know said similar amount but also said that pistons probably damaged and that could be another £500.
He suggested a reconditioned engine as cheapest option but i'm worried that a reconditioned engine will actually end up being an engine that has done more miles than ours has. is this something i should worry about?
Have been quoted £295 for engine and told will take nine hours to fit but i don't have a quote yet for fitting. any rough ideas what that would be?
I have also seen on ebay ex mod crew vans with low mileae on 53 plates going for £3 - £4K.
So, what is best thing to do - fix the injection pump, timing and pistons? Get recon engine fitted? Or get ex mod van?
money very much an issue as will have to borrow whichever option go for and i'm pretty much on the limit of what i can borrow so i need the van to not cost much for next couple of years so need to decide which option will be most reliable as well as taking cost of that option into account. it's our only vehicle and we have 6 children and it's pretty much for school run etc with occasional longer trips for days out or holiday so doesn't get a lot of use.
if go for recon engine does anyone know where can get one that would have a decent warranty? can anyone recommend anyone to fit engine or do the fix?
i know nothing about mechanics and seem to always have trouble finding someone who can do a decent job.
any help much much appreciated.
tried ot post on technical forum as thoght that best place but LDV not in drop down list so can't. Read more
tried ot post on technical forum as thoght that best place but LDV not in drop down list so can't.
Moved across for you. There is some info in the sticky post When Posting A New Question To Technical Matters that tells you how to post to Technical Matters when the drop down menu's aren't applicable.
DD, BR Mod.
Hi just removed the gear box from the honda and there seems alot of play in the flywheel ! is this normal Read more
How can you spin it they two parts of the dual mass flywheel are coupled together. Detail the axi that it wobbles in. Regards Peter
The temperature gauge on my daughters Clio 11 8v does not work is this likely just to be a sender problem, if so does anyone know where it is situated on the engine? Thanks Read more
Hi - can anyone help solve my notchy gear change problem when changing from 1st-2nd on my nearly new Fiesta? Its 6 mths old. Could it just use some oil or is it something more serious? Thanks Read more
It's still covered by the manufacturer's warranty so take it to a Ford dealer.
Do any backroomers thinks that in future we could have predictive suspension on our cars. By this i mean a sensor would map the road in advance of the car giving contours depth of pot holes etc there by allowing the suspension to adapt and prepare for the road surface. This could give a far better ride normal suspension. Instead of reacting to an event that has passed it would be ready to deal with the event. Read more
I can envisage that if predictive suspension is ever developed and applied toa car, it will work less well than conventional suspension - a bit like how the tilting mechanism on the experimental Advanced Passenger Train made passengers feel ill or spill their drinks - although the Pendolino trains seem to tilt OK (I haven't ridden on one).
ie my dear old Galaxy is due her test on the 3rd Dec
Bought June 1998, 207, 000 miles, should good for another 50,000 or so?
She will possibly/probably need an exhaust, or moderate /extensive welding
brake pipes?
main light switch etc.
But running like a clock, & I love her to bits ( & too mean to splash out on a new motor)
I have booked her in for a "prelim" next Tue to get some idea of likely cost
just with the Vat increase next year
But the 2.5% extra on say £15,000 is only £375.00
Read more
cars dont rust anymore>>
Tell that to my Mondeo wheel-arches ;-)
Browse
The "governor" isn't insured for it yet. Must get around to arranging that....sometime...
:-)
Dunno if it's a Renault lump Cheddar. Kind of hope not after my last experience with that brand but whatever it is it's smoooooth. Uncannily, it sounds as if it has more than four cylinders. Sort of like a volvo 5 cylinder or a slightly rougher 6. Aural illusion I guess as I believe it's a four pot.
The whole package reminds me of one of those very clever multifunction digital watches. You can't help admiring how clever it is and appreciating all the tech but......I think it will be a platonic relationship.
Cut and blow dry anyone ?