November 2009
I went to the trade show in Surrey, and they were demonstrating this great tool called a CRecorder. Basically, it collects real time engine data which you can view on your pc. A brilliant tool for fault finding.
The webpage where you may view this product is: www.crecorder.com/website/userLogin.do?method=prod...1
What do backroomers think about this great tool? Has anyone seen something similar to this?
Read more
Quite often it's suggested on motoring forums that the driving test is too easy and this is one reason for poor driving standards.
However, to anyone who thinks the driving test is too easy, I turn the question round.
Would you, hand on heart, be confident of passing the test if you had to re-take it, and your licence depended on passing? Read more
"In many occupations you are not trained and left for the next 40 years plus without continous training so why should driving be any different."
As with most things in life I improve with age, experience and practice. I get better and better with every mile I drive. I am a far better driver now than I was as an idiot 17-year-old. I don't need someone sitting next to me telling me "hands at ten to two" and other irrelevant rubbish when I'm trying to negotiate a 4-lane roundabout in Warsaw that has trams, buses, cars and pedestrians wizzing around it.
If you'd spent two decades sleeping your way around London would you want your O-level biology teacher showing how you should be putting a condom on?
Nonsense.
(I'm not saying I never make mistakes - I have two children)
Is it me or does there appear to be an ever-increasing number of cars on the road with only one working headlight? There also appear to be a number who have their front foglights on (to supplement the one working?)
Is this down to the difficulty of replacing bulbs on current cars or just sheer laziness? Read more
When one headlight bulb goes I always replace both - while I am in there.
Anyone else do that
statistically wouldnt it be better to stagger headlight replacements thus reducing the chance of a double blow?
Hi guys,
I have just started a car donation website and I wanted to know what you (as petrolheads) think of it. The site can be found at www.giveacar.co.uk.It has been set up to help people donate their cars to charity, just as they might donate their clothes or furniture. The sole aim of the service is to raise as much money as possible for registered charities. The venture is entirely voluntary and not-for-profit. My motivation for setting the service up stems from a belief that charities in this country are overlooking a fantastic opportunity to generate income. In the USA the practise of car donation is very common and every year, hundreds of thousands of vehicles are given away. In the UK however, car donation is pretty much non-existent, despite the existence of many underused and/or unwanted cars. Giveacar was set up to change this, and divert the value of these cars to good causes.
The service we offer is very simple. We pick up any car, roadworthy or not, and either sell or scrap it, donating all the proceeds of the sale to the charity of the former owner?s choice. There is no charge for this service as we account for all costs. The only costs that are taken out of the donation are the auction house charges, which we cannot avoid. All other costs (such as petrol, vehicle insurance etc.) are carried by Giveacar and by our volunteers.
At the moment we are working with five ?core? charities, one of which is Leukaemia Research. All the charities support and believe in the concept, granting us permission to accept donations on their behalf. Those donating a car can chose to support any of these charities, or, if they have a specific cause in mind, can donate to any other registered charity.
I?ll keep the explanation short because I don?t want to lose your attention. If you want a fuller explanation have a look at the site at www.giveacar.co.uk. I have a few questions for those of you that have read this far:
1) Do you think people will use the service?
2) Do any of you know someone who might be interested in covering the story ? a motoring journalist, PR agent etc? I have no background in PR and would appreciate some help publicizing the site.
3) What do you think of the concept?
As you can imagine from the questions I am asking, this site has been launched very recently. I am still yet to send out a press release. I just wanted to get a public opinion of the site before I really drive it forward. Anyway, have a look at the site at www.giveacar.co.uk
Cheers
Tom
I made the links live as this seems to me to be worthwhile and non commercial. HJ Read more
A lot of you seem t be questioning my intentions. To answer this question I'll take a quote from the website:
'When discussing this website with friends and charities, the number one question I was asked was: ?Is there a commercial aspect to this venture?? The simple answer is no, and in fact I will not be able to avoid losing money. I rationalise the money I spend on Giveacar by thinking of it as a high-yield charitable investment. For example, if I spend £1000 developing the website and picking up the cars, then I might hope to generate £10000 for charity. When the service develops further, I would hope to attract corporate sponsorship to ensure the finances remain sustainable.'
Yes I understand that I will lose time and money starting this thing up, but I believe it has the potential to generate a large amount of revenue for charities, and that fact alone motivates me. The fact that someone on this thread has offered to donate a car shows that I might be right. If the concept does work, I will open up a new untapped source of revenue for charities that does not interfere with any of their other fundraising efforts.
Regarding the points about registering as a charity, I have spoken to the charities commission, and they said that a venture such as this cannot be registered as a charity. For this reason I have asked the permission of registered charities to ensure my website is credible.
My son said his car temp gauge keeps going into the red and the Air Conditioning is blowing hot. Oil and water levels are fine. Any ideas.
Shouting moderated and moved to Tech. Read more
Thanks Peter - that was one I HADN'T thought of!
Hey i have a 306 bought it few months back and had a bright idea of turning the turbo and fuel pump up which was a pretty bad idea as the turbo died within 3 days anyway i got hold of a hand me down turbo which i was told my a garage it was like new. now its all back together its chuffing out blue smoke and i mean its bad makes my whole street look like gorillas in the mist does anybody have any idea what i can do? im trying to sell it and right now i think ill struggle giving it to a scrap yard :) its a nightmare of a car by the way the diesel pump has been turned up too could that cause the smoking? as the turbo isnt boosting at the min because i the little turbo the egr pipe pushes onto has broken off :/
thanks for reading any replies will be greatly appreciated
Lee. Read more
I would guess that the replacement turbo is faulty which would be the least expensive damage... As other posters have stated blue smoke is burning oil.
However it could be that after turning up the boost and fueling you wrecked other parts of the engine, head gasket, seals, etc.
Just out of interest - how did you plan on passing the MOT emissions test after changing the fueling?
Steve.
I am going to have a bit of time on my hands in the next couple of months, and so am thinking about taking a trip to the continent or the US with the family, perhaps on a bit of a driving holiday.
Now, although I passed my test 10 years ago, I have only actually been driving for the past couple of months, and even then have probably only done about 800 miles, probably 200 of city driving and the rest A roads and motorways.
I am wondering whether, with that level of experience, going driving where they drive on the other side of the road might be a bit too much of a stretch, or whether it is not really that hard to switch.
Would be good to hear your experiences and thoughts. Read more
i climbed off a plane at naples, into a hire car and drove through the city centre. Alanovich is right, but you soon get the hang of it. The trick is drive where you want to go, in whatever way you can, but dont hit anything. This means you only care about the 6 feet directly in front of your car.
The last bit is key. and it works. If everyone is trying to avoid hitting things it all seems to work, albeit a bit hairy.
Hi,
Just wondering how easily available the little black and green price guide books i've seen at trader's are??
Read more
Ebay about £20 - £25.
or go to your local friendly dealer and bung a salesman a tenner for last months guide.
After test driving a new Citroen C5 exclusive with the hydroactive suspension i was very impressed with the refinement,quietness and supple ride.The car seemed to be built to last and it had every conceivable extra on it.My question is if its so good then why don't the motoring magazines ever list it in the top 5 family cars to buy?I cannot find any reports of failures on this new C5 and only glowing reports from their owners.I know depreciation would be a factor but other than that i cannot see any downsides other than its a Citroen.Am i mad to consider one or should i settle for the Honda Accord which was very nice but not as good as the Citroen?
Help!! Read more
I drove both C5 and Accord recently.
I got similar offer on Accord, but thought the ride a little too firm and the seats not as supportive - but a close second. the wind noise was also more.
The C5 was softer ride, quite and I liked the combination of technolgy and dials on the dash. I drove daytime and night to get a feel of it too.
Whilst list price is high, actual dealer price will be much less. I looked at a 59 plate with 50miles for £13500. (1.6 diesel, VTR+, man, metalic). Didn't buy it as I went down with flu' two days later and been off work till today. Just phoned garage who have sold it!!!! Grrrr.
HI there,
I have just passed my driving test and got a corsa club d 1.7.
Would like some advice if you would not mind!? I have always driven petrol cars and this is my first diesel any advice on when is best to change up gears???
I feel that sometimes i'm changing up too soon and others not soon enough!!
I know I have to get used to the car but i am driving from plymouth to wales tomorrow for the first time and dont really want to be looking a fool on route if you know what i mean.?
sorry if this seems a silly question to ask i'm sure it'll raise a few eyebrows and get afew giggles. But some advice would be gtreatly appreciated. Read more
You'll soon get an instinctive feel for it...then you won't ever look at the rev counter again.......most useless bit of instrunent clutter on the dash of my Suzuki diesel.....and it's an auto too...so I need it even less !...... Enjoy the torque....biggish mill in a little car...I had the 1.7 Punto TD...went like rip !
Good luck and have a good, safe run.
Ted
Browse
.jpg)
The CReader has be available for while and we have a couple. They are good for logging intermitted fault. Its from Launch (Chinese made) who do a very good high end scanner.
You can also get the CReader with the CViewer for about £80, that reads live data. Good investment for a keen DIYer. It will talk to most cars.