October 2009
It's the time of my annual journey into the Kafkaesque world of insurers. Last year our au pair, who has been off the policy since his return to the Czech Republic in July, had a tyre burst on him on the motorway. The tyre shredded along its length and damaged the bodywork, causing about £1200 of damage so we claimed.
This incident is both a 'driver at fault' accident (huh?) and, I am utterly baffled to find, something that counts against me when I am renewing the policy on the car.
The insurers take into account (no fault) claims when I was the driver of another on another policy, which I can sort of understand. But how is the car, or any of the named drivers on the policy or the public at large, or the man in the moon at any greater risk because a driver who now no longer even lives in the country once had a tyre blow out on him?
Is there any insurer out there who has even the most basic grasp of risk? Or are they all 'make it up as you go along' charlatans?
Yours more in hope than expectation....... Read more
Sorry about the delay in posting the finished articles. Away from home unexpectedly will post them tomorrow. (I haven't got the submitted articles on this machine as I downloaded them onto my other laptop at home) Read more
hi all i recently got a 1999 mercedes a160 v reg its a 1.6 peteol
i got this as a non runner the problems are when the car is running there is no throttle nor will the heaters or electric windows work
any ideas or suggestions would be greatfully received Read more
hi all i put a new battery on the car today and all the above is now working fine.
how ever i cant seem to stop the alarm going off i have put in new batterys in the key fob but it still wont lock/unlock doors
any ideas
Since I took the missis looking and she likes, they are the price of a real car mind Read more
No I boned the very decent( seriousley) sales person about this "quirk"
You know French Car and French law requiring one to carry spare bulbs
that one could not fit
seems this feature has now been redesigned
Anyway the reason for my query was that I cannot get a test drive in the Quickshift
Nor in a Kia Ceed diesel auto
nor in a Toyato Auris die MMT
But we could order one in for you Sir
Like i sign a sales form
geddit, scheesh
or prhaps a test drive in a different model like a petrol T/C automatic
doh, indeed, but hey they are trying ( very)
So the missis says stuff it the weans can drive for her
buy a manual
she still likes the Modus, local dealership
low insurance for the weans
good height for acess
good mpg(for misery guts me)
& hey surley after the Laguna electrical debacle
they are bound to have improved
Que?
cheers
The engine management light comes on, on a regular basis.. the vehicle seems to perform ok and when i press the brake pedal the engine management light goes out...?
Has anyone else had this problem or have any idea how to solve the problem..?
Many thanks
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Please somebody reply :-)
I am having the exact same issue. ...
As some will know, I'm currently selling a car. I've been surprised at how little interest there has been so far (although this is the first weekend it's been up for sale), especially as we thought that we were pricing to sell.
I got a Glass's guide price for the car, indicating £2,330 as a private sale price. Even at £1,995 I've only had a couple of calls, and there they were looking for serious discounts.
Is this sort of disconnect between guide price and reality normal? I'm a bit sore about having paid for a guide price that seems to be so far out, although it will make for a good lever to avoid dropping lower if I get someone interested.
Also, any tips? It's in Autotrader (print and online), has a fresh service and 12 months MOT. What else should I be doing? Read more
Quick update. It's all gone rather well. Sold for the £1,995 asking price to a nice family as a first car for 18 year old daughter. Bit of a result, should hopefully be a good car for her.
Cheers for the advice all.
Gord
Noise is a virtually constant "Thrumm" "Thrumm" in a low pitch, (Not a high pitched squeal) in time with revolution of wheels.
Most apparent on overrun in second especially when engine is warm, but is "there" at all speeds and in all forward gears.
Recent Main dealer workshop checks exclude Brakes, H/brake ( acting on front wheels),Bearings, suspension, drive shaft. ( visual and external examination only) No oil / fluid leaks apparent. Gear changing is not affected and AFAIK, there is no apparent wear of clutch friction plates.
Suspicion has fallen on the clutch / flywheel, internal thrust bearings et al., as this was replaced in its entirety under warranty in Mar '08. (Very little is known as to WHY this work was carried out, all I complained about was a noise when in 2nd / 3rd gears.
Noise disappears completely if the clutch pedal is depressed at any speed and in any gear, to return when clutch is let out again and the vehicle is being powered normally.
Car is booked into M/Dealer for a repair later this month, would I have any chance of appealing to Citroen for a partial refund citing just 20,000 miles since replement of components?
Any advice or best guesses would be gratefully received Read more
The intermediate bearing on the driver's side drive shaft,
Maybe an engine/gearbox mount.
Wheel bearing.
I have a 99 focus 1.8 petrol and its driving me nuts.
It has developed a high idle at normal driving temperature, it used to idle aroung 800rpm but is now up to 1000 rpm. The revs also surge when i stop at lights/traffic etc.
For example if i am going 40 mph and stop at lights dip the clutch or flick into neutral the revs will rise to about 2000 rpm and after a few seconds settle down at 1000 rpm.
I have put a new iac valve and speed sensor in the car but the car still surges.
I have had a vacuum hose replaced recently by a mechanic who said that the old one had collapsed, when he was installing it he pulled away and took it to the boss of the garage and seemed to show him something, is there a chance that the hose was the wrong type?
I have also been told that it could be something to do with the pcv hose/valve.
Anyone have any ideas to what this could be?
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It sounds a lot like the throttle position sensor. I had the same problem with mine.
It shouldn't be too difficult to get a garage to replace it for you. Alternatively it's not a difficult job to do yourself. Its at the top of the engine bay (follow the throttle cable) and is held on with two hex screws.
I suppose if you're going to overtake, you're going to overtake, but this must have been a trifle disconcerting.
The real challenge is to work out what does the overtaking I think!
Safe for work, and runs about ten seconds. Blink and you miss it.
www.collegehumor.com/video:1922738
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No way is the"camera" car doing any great speed.
It isn't mimsing HB. Doing 90 odd.
Passing the time away at work, I have often found myself in fits of laughter at hilariously bad car interiors.
I ask you, the good people out there, to please share some particularly abysmal examples (pictorial evidence greatly welcomed)...
to get the ball rolling, a personal favourite:
The Talbot Tagora
www.rootes-chrysler.co.uk/images/develop/devtagora...g Read more
Remember this from the mk2 Astra GTE in the 80's?
I seem to remember the mileometer and tripmeter on those things were mechanical rather than than electronic. Vauxhall simply replaced the traditionally stylised numbers with numbers in the shape of 7 segment LEDs.
Browse
Thanks jbif, I appreciate you taking time to find that paper. I will read it
I think you probably understand that the thread title was tongue in cheek.
I also think that we are grinding to a halt and that we will never agree on the 'logic' of infering risk from circumstances which do not exist.
Maybe an actuary with time on his hands may stumble across this thread and shed some light.