October 2009
I am thinking of buying a 2004-2005 Prius. Can anybody please let me know what to look out for, any real problems in this age of the Prius and whether I'd be better getting a Ford Focus.
Many Thanks
Welcome to the Backroom - moved to a standalone thread. Read more
A friend's TD has just had it's third turbo at 45000 miles: with the new turbo was a sheet warning that on some VAG turbo diesel installations if the crankcase breather filter is blocked, the pressure build-up slows the return flow of lube oil from the turbo oil drain -into the sump.
This can cause oil leaks past the seals on the turbo shaft, and oil may then carbonise around bearings and piston-ring seals in the turbo.
Worth checking the filter is clear and the crankcase is not pressurising if this is a possibility, turbo's are not cheap to replace. Read more
I bought a Golf GTI from a main VW dealer (paid cash and CC) from their Used Approved scheme back in summer 08 - car was 18 months old at the time and since them have had no major problems with it.
Present day: I want to sell the car so I contact a mini dealer about a part ex so, when I tell him the reg, he comes back to tell me the car is listed as stolen/recovered a year before I purchased it. He uses Experian Motor check. I then pay for a HPI check myself (hpicheck.com) and do my own check and stranger still it comes back clean as a whistle.
I contact HPI who inform me that the adverse details were on their system however they were removed by the police. I have contacted Trading Standards as *before* I purchased the car I asked the sales guy who told me that "none of their cars have a bad histroy" So in effect they have lied to me. I have been contacted by VW dealer in question who, after a week of faffing about, informed me that my car had been stolen approx 6-9 months before I bought the car hence why it was on Experian. They said it was stolen from the forecourt and recovered 24 hours later (apparently). The dealership said my car's adverse history details have now been removed so everything is hunky dory! (Washing hands of situation).
I intend to fight this all the way and claim damages as I certainly would not have bought the car knowing the adverse history it had. Trading Standard have told meto write to VW and to contact my CC company as I paid an amount on CC and they can fight for me. I need to find proof of where a car's previous adverse history can affect the price. Any ideas?
Thanks
qh Read more
I think this debate is pointless unless we know if the OP is really out of pocket for it. I gave up trying to px my immaculate mazda with FSH and low miles, squeeky clean. Was offered stupid price. So, dealers gonna try and rip you off whether its stolen or not on its history.
If you want a good deal then worth selling private or using auction sites/webuyanycar etc.. I'd go with the opinion its not worth "fighting for", its not like you've just purchased it the car its self its sound so why worry? They will always pick at something.
Good luck.
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8281981.stm
....and the procedures needed to turn off the engines in vehicles with keyless ignition.
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OK - if it gets really boring on your own head be it !
hi, ive had my car into garage and no fault codes, so i started playing and found a air leak on the intercooler pipe which i fixed but it still seems poor on mpg its a estate model 53 plate with 83k on the clock if i drive it steady im getting early 40s to the gallon please any help will be much appreciated ps someone did say it could be the fuel temp senser but i dont know where to find it or if it has one Read more
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In August last year I bought a pre-registered Mazda6 with 8 miles on the clock for just over £14,000 from a main dealer. In June this year I was involved in a head on collision in Spain and the car was a write off.
Mazda, without any pressure from me said that I qualified for a new car of the same type, and have just paid over £16,000 more for a new Mazda6 on a 59 plate, despite the fact that my policy states that new for old only applies if you are the first registered owner of the vehicle.
I wonder if the fact that the car that crashed into mine was overtaking a police car at the time had any bearing on their generousity. Read more
Sex and Games Abroad SFAIK
Hi Guys,
I am a first timer on this site so be nice.
I have been on the web all day & have had enough. My wife wants a new car & I/we cant decide on what to get.
She has a BMW 118i & wants something bigger, we have two dogs & two kids. I have a transit connect which I said she can use at any time, but this did not go down to well.
The choices so far are:
Mitsubishi outlander: Looks nice, has all the toys.
Freelander: I like them but they feel small inside.
Mini estate: I sort of like them, but i am 40 years old so will I feel daft inside it.
BMW 320d estate: Bigger version of what she has now, I like them.
Nissan X trail: Same as the outlander but cheaper.
A few years ago we had a Frontera 2.5td which was a monster & I hated it. I know technology has moved on since then but I am still not sure about 4x4s
So any comments or pointers will be very welcome.
Cheers.
Paul. Read more
Oulander is quite a nice car, but in Mitsi form with it's 2.0 litre engine i stall the thing times, Pug/Cit version (all have mitsi transit labels) as said have the bigger engine and it has got some poke...there's also an auto box in the offing if it's not already available it will be pronto.
It's a twin clutch box, probably along the lines of DSG...whether thats agood thing depends on your point of view.
Pug/Cit worth looking at.
As for the Frontera, they were old hat when new, i remember well trying to get 2.3D engined models onto our very steep old transporters (though 2.8 versions much better), usually needed low range, similar to 2.5 Disco's, they couldn't pull themselves on either unless in low.
Taken this afternoon off due to severe gales and parked my car up at home
Next doors gate has blown off in the winds and damaged my car door and smashed the mirror off.
I have a short cctv recording of the gate coming off its hinges as evidence (5 seconds)
My neighbour who rents this house apologised for the damage and i told her to get in touch with her landlord so as to get my car sorted
How do i proceed please?
Ive taken photograpghs of my car damage and also pictures of next doors gap where the gate was Read more
thanks pugugly
im awaiting their response
I have a Ford Mondeo Ghia X 2.0. When in 2nd, 3rd, 4th or 5th and you push the accelarator down to the floor the car begins to jerk and the speed does not speed up as quickly as it should. It's like the car does not respond quick enough and speed up really slowly.
Any ideas what the problem could be?
Thanks Read more
faulty ignition coil.
Now, this ain't a whinge or complaint, just a few comments.
I know there are not many Sunderland road users out there but those that are will know what I'm writing about.
Recently, we had the craziest junction in the UK (World?) built just to the South of the city, near Lidl. Almost every use of the junction was either physically impossible, dangerous or unintelligible. However, credit to the council, they quickly rebuilt this junction and it now works. Hoorah! Except, who paid for the additional engineering work and has the original designer been sacked on the grounds that hallucinogenic drugs should not be taken whilst at work!
Now, extensive work is being carried out to make Leechmere Rd. and Essen Way, both dual carriageways in urban areas with no pedestrian crossings, safer for pedestrians. Again, hoorah! However, the random nature of the work and coning off the road led to a a car on its side yesterday morning.
Meanwhile, there are dozens of traffic lights in the city that have been twisted around by vandals or moved spontaneously so they cannot be seen. It would appear that all the radical changes to the roads have led to a neglect of basic maintenance of the existing system.
Sorry for my rant, just had to get it of my chest. Read more
Yeah not sure who's idea it was to divert a main route down residential side streets, morons.
Just wait and see what happens if they get away with closing the bottom of Chester Road (outside the Uni who are apparently pushing for it) and divert the traffic onto the bottom of Durham Road... Makes you wonder what they smoke in their office!
Browse
A cynic might suggest that givernment might be more inclined to give tax breaks on a car which must burn taxed fuel for all its use rather than a car which could be powered by untaxed electricity some of the time or even all the time for some users.