November 2009
Does anyone know how to spot the new model (ie not supercharged) Mini Cooper S? Is there any chance that a late model 2006 Cooper S could be one of the newer models? Read more
Hi All,
I have a heating problem in my Fiesta Freestyle 1.25i (Y Reg). It started about a year ago when I would have the heat control on cold and all of a sudden hot air would come through. This then gradually got worse until around May this year when I could not get any heat out of it at all. This didn?t really matter as the weather wasn?t cold then so I left it. About 2 months ago my car developed a coolant leak and needed a seal changed underneath the engine (not sure how else that describe it!)
I did some searching about the earlier problem on the Internet and found that it was most likely caused by a faulty heating valve, a common problem in Fiestas like mine. I took it to a garage so that they could fix both problems at once and had it replaced and everything seemed ok for the ride home, lots of hot air, I was happy. However, come the next day I got into the car and turned the heating up and nothing happened for about 30 minutes, then all of a sudden I got lots of hot air through. This seemed to have coincided with me hitting a stretch of dual carriageway and the engine having to work quite a bit harder than usual.
Summing up, since then it is only when I go on fairly long journeys (40 mins or more) or really push the engine hard that any hot air comes through. Even when the engine is at optimum temp and I rev it hard once the hot air will come through then go again if I go back to normal driving, so that suggests it?s definitely only working when the engine gets rather hot.
I thought that it may have picked up some sort of air pocket so I have run the engine from cold to optimum temp with the reservoir cap off but this has made no difference. I even asked the garage to replace the valve to see if I had a faulty one, they did this but it has made no difference.
If anyone can shed some light on this, maybe give me some pointers as to what I need to try next, I would be very grateful. The weather, I feel, is going to get pretty cold soon!
Many many thanks in advance,
Ken
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Thanks for this, have just ordered a new valve so will let you know how it goes once i've replaced it. Can't believe the one I have now hasn't even lasted a year! Hope the new one is not another duff one, these things seem to be the most unreliable component ever made!
Thanks again,...
how do i remove the cabasse auditorium stereo, as it is faulty, also where is the aerial on this car, or better still how do i tune to a radio station? All i get is static and cant manually tune, help!! Read more
Since the weather has gotten worse, we have noticed that there is alot of build up of condensation and steam on the inside of the windscreen which takes ages to clear in the morning or just have wipe it clean with a shammy.
Anyone got any idea's? Read more
Car is wet inside somewhere - check all the carpets. Either that or the heater matrix has failed.
Sigh. After the A41 fiasco in Chester earlier this year, I had the misfortune of having to drive from Berkshire to Cheshire on Thursday and then back again this morning. Here is the list of roadworks, forgive me if I missed any.
A404 (M) 40mph limit as road is being widened (?)
M40: Those roadworks at the A34 in Oxford are STILL there. What exactly are they doing? Building an underground tunnel to Japan?
J15: Yep, those roadworks still there. "Please drive carefully through roadworks"... cones everywhere, and despite travelling at many different times I have NEVER seen any work being done. Which is probably why it's taken so long...
M42: just the depressing variable limits...
M6: 50 average speed check limit and roadworks up to and past Fort Dunlop in B'ham, then again towards Hilton Park services W'hampton. Then another 50 average near Stafford, "night works in progress". Got bored so came off on A5, thought would cut through A41 Newport... it's shut. For 3 weeks. Completely shut. The diversion is about 25 miles. WHY?
On way back today, M6 J16 to J17 roadworks, 50 limit, and then you're back to where I left the M6 before.
How does anything get done or anyone get anywhere in this country? Does it EVER stop?
How can you plan a journey properly? And don't even talk to me about London, I drove to Euston from Berkshire the other day. Never ever again. And you PAY for the privilege!!!
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Soupytwist, I don't do it every day. I have a house in Cheshire but am working at the moment in Berkshire. I have a room in a house down there, and sometimes I stay down there, sometimes my girlfriend comes down there. Depends on what is going on. I don't want to buy down there as i) it's too expensive and ii) I don't see it as a long-term position.
I thought about it for a long time, trust me.
AT 70mph this delivers me an indicated 35mpg (borne out by brim-to-brim), and at an indicated 80 it delivers an indicated 31-32 (again borne out by brim-to-brim).
But around town I can watch the fuel gauge falling as I drive. I doubt it's delivering 10mpg. Is this normal?
In the sort of traffic that takes 30 minutes to cover 5 miles across the centre of town.
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AT 70mph this delivers me an indicated 35mpg (borne out by brim-to-brim) and at an
indicated 80 it delivers an indicated 31-32 (again borne out by brim-to-brim).
My 55 plate 2.0R does has almost identical consumption to your figures.
I don't do much "around town" work, but if I do I would guess somewhere around 18-22mpg. However, 5 miles in 30 minutes is very laborious progress, have you thought about walking;-))
...Bad grammar....
The pic is credited to SWNS, so I think it's a case of agency copy, badly subbed, or subbed not at all.
Looking at replacing the little 205 GTi soon - (I'm 42 in a couple weeks!!!).
Time I bought something thats quiet, smooth and comfortable.
Been looking at either a 2003 C-Class Sport Coupe with 30k miles and a 2003 320 Ci SE
with 16k miles.
Reading the road-tests - the Merc is better on the fuel but otherwise there's little in it at all.
I cover approx 400 miles/week - almost all of which are on the motorway. I'm more than happy just to sit at 70.
Reckon the Merc will be available £750 less than the BMW but all in - both cars are immaculate with mature previous owners.
Any advice or comments to watch on either?
Cheers Read more
Took the BMW for a test drive on Friday.
Not too impressed I'm afraid.
The thing was pretty quiet and smooth but appeared to have quite a lack of
go.
Engine just seemed to rev with very little forward motion.
I know what you mean - I had a similar experience when I tested an old 325 cabriolet many years ago.
Whenever I start any vehicle I always have the clutch depressed and the gearbox in neutral, to make for easier starting, however in my car manual (Focus) it says that if the car is in gear, even with the clutch depressed, it can cause damage, but does not go on to state what damage.
What damage can be done? On the rare :) occasions I stall the car, I sometimes restart in gear with the clutch depressed but all seems well?
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Wear on the clutch release mechanism may be more of a problem than wear on the gearbox. And what about the wear on the soles of your Gucci shoes?
;-)
Actually, my Mk 1 Focus Owners Guide says start the car with the clutch pedal depressed and without touching the throttle pedal.
Browse
If you do a search on Auto Trader or a similar site you can get pictures of both models on the same page and the difference is easy to see.