November 2009
hi, ive just been out to shop(about 8 mile round trip) and on way home my 96` 406 1.8 petrol just developed an intermitent power problem. as if firing on 3 cylinders or something. when i put my foot down it judders along but when i ease off it comes back to normal again.it does this in all gears. i had a new catalyst fitted about 3 months ago which seems to be getting noisier as time goes on. if this is faulty would it cause theese symptoms?
agcode:-) Read more
As I come to the end of my search for new car (I think I'd decided on an Octavia VRs-the Mazda 6 was too expensive), I've suddenly had a fly thrown into the ointment.
Somebody mentioned an X Type estate. You can pick up a main dealer, 09reg, 2.2d sport premium estate for approx£17500. Fully equipped with leather/sat nav etc etc. I know the Jag is going out of production, but it seems to now be the car it always should have been.
I don't buy into the pipe and slippers image, the sport looks pretty good. But the million pound question is....is it going to be a depreciation disaster. I've also no idea what a Jag costs to service...I expect it's a premium rate.
So opinions as always welcome. Read more
Logically, a car's looks shouldn't matter that much. When you're in the car you can't see it (although you'll know about it if the stylist has decreed that the view out to the rear is restricted, e.g. Honda Civic, new Fiesta) - and when outside it you shouldn't be so sad as to spend a lot of time looking at it.
But then we aren't all logical....And people do buy cars on looks: the Fiesta is selling well despite the rear view out being appalling.
Hi,
Just got hold of a 2007 Focus Zetec estate 1.8TDCI, the only thing missing is the manual. I don't really need it but there are a couple of questions I'm trying to find an answer to:
1) Can autolocking be enabled on this car (i.e doors lock as you reach about 5mph)
2) It only came with one remote keyfob, and a single key. Is this normal? And can I get another remote keyfob and program it to the car myself?
Cheers. Read more
She knows about the manual locking - just odd that our previous MK1 and Mk1.5 Focii had the autolock facility, but the Mk2 doesn't have it - with the lack of a user manual i thought I'd check if it was even available!
There were two cars sat in front of me at a set of red traffic lights this evening.
First car - a marked police Focus - turns on his blue lights and drives across the junction with the traffic lights still on red, and then disappears into the distance.
Second car duly follows as if being towed, only to stop on the far side of the junction, presumably when the driver realised what had happened.
Me? I admit I put the CC3 in gear to pull away too, but realised in time the lights were still on red.
I think the driving of the second car was poor, but could best be described as: "Easily done if you're not concentrating."
Anyone else done something daft while thinking about other things? Read more
Funny, I must go through that roundabout in various directions several times a year anyway, and I simply couldn't remember whether the water thingy was still there. It's in my immediate area but not on a frequent route. Shepherd's Bush has been a traffic nightmare eastbound for ages and I have learned to go round it when possible.
Driving of course is bad for one's general peripheral observation. One tends to be focused on a narrow range of things, mostly on the road. You see much more and take it in better when on foot.
Vauxhall Vectra B facelift 2.0tdi diesel i had the mass air flow meter changed yesterday and it ran like a dream went to work ok this morning and car was fine on way home the e.m.l was flashing then after a while it stayed on and the car is very slow at pulling away could this mean that my glow plugs need changeing please help Read more
diagnostic machine was a proper one code showed up after wards
Not been on for a while, since my lorry rant, but on a less ranty and more car-based question: what do the Backroomers think of Tesla, if anything? I believe the Roadster is now on sale in the UK, and the Model S is coming I think in 2012.
Just been having a look at the Model S on the website and it looks good... few details though. A friend of mine in that London tells me there was a prototype on display in the showroom, anyone see it? Read more
Its a step in the right direction. Id like to see more practical applications and for the price to come down to 'normal' levels ( or reasonable lease costs ), but if they can do that and provide both a 200 mile range atleast plus a 10 minute method of getting a decent amount of power, Im willing to give it a try.
Petrolhead I am and Im a climate-change skeptic, however I do think cleaner, alternative fuel personal transport is a must for the long term, regardless of why you think its needed.
In case anyone is interested BBC2 has a documentary on the steam car speed record this evening at 7. Read more
Documentary on BBC2 now (7pm).
A friend of mine is starting a new job and handing back his company IS 250. Tiring of his high pressure job and working 80+ hour weeks, he is taking a salary cut and now needs to buy& run a car privately.
His budget is £5k, and he estimates his annual mileage to be no more than 12k. The car has to be more practical than the IS250, so a hatch or estate is required...albeit with decent performance and similar build quality. Quite a tall order. I did suggest a Seat Leon 20VT. Supposedly great handling and performance in a practical package, but he is not keen, so any ideas or suggestions please. Ideally a 530 petrol Touring, but for this price it would be quite old, with large repairs bills possible, nor is he keen on my suggested 2.5 Outback suggestion! Read more
"Grab yer coat, Dipstick..."
Frankly, in this forum I never take my coat off.
to get lost. tinyurl.com/y9jymea
This guy got seriously lost on his own, without the aid of satnav.
A triumph of man over machine. It just goes to show what you can do with a little bit of effort. Trust an Aussie, an example to us all. :-)
JH Read more
I hope I am as happy as he is when (if) I reach 80
There have been various threads here concerning attempts by half-wits to appropriate areas of public highway outside their houses.
These prats pale into insignificance when compared with local authorities and those paid handsomely to maintain roads and the water and other services under them.
The parking bays on both sides of my street in this block have been temporarily suspended since last Friday, today being the sixth day. No work of any description has been done.
Who gives the local authority the right to inconvenience people for an open-ended period (whatever it may say on the silly yellow notices) just in case some bunch of spivs and thieves can be bothered to start doing whatever it is? Apparently they can start whenever they feel like it. And we all know they can carry on doing it off and on more or less indefinitely.
When they do dig a hole, I hope they execute a random selection of local authority officials and contractors out of hand and bury them in it. That at least would give embittered Londoners something to smile about. Read more
Lud
To rub salt into the wound the contractor will be PAYING the local authority for the priviledge of suspending your parking!
The authority will also have a notice served by a utility under NRSWA who want to do work in the street. If you are in the wrong area and it is BT works there may be a wait - three of their area contractors change this weekend - including the London area!
update-fitted new coil pack and everything is back to normal.just waiting now for the next problem to arise!!!
agcode:)