November 2009
This morning, over a cup of coffee, I was telling a friend about how the old Mondeo estate had turned against me. It was aware that the coming spring would be its last and, on Monday afternoon, it had locked me out in the freezing cold. He then informed me that a friend of his was selling a ?04 Volvo V40 Classic with 60k miles ? at this stage, I don?t know what the engine is. Apparently, this was the ?runout? model just prior to the discontinuation of the type and it has 'all the toys'.
I never thought of myself as a Volvo driver but I suppose that now I am just past 60, I have become eligible. I just wonder if any Backroomers have an opinion or any experience of the V40 and what I should look out for. Or, should I not even contemplate it?
Cheers Waino
Read more
I believe it is this time of year that winter diesel is being sold and a resulting loss of economy.
Would V Power diesel be likely to provide better economy during winter?
Thanks Read more
Neither rating is directly related to calorific value
No but .....at the levels used in cars, 95-101 RON, the octane number is roughly linear to the usable energy IF the engine automatically adjusts it's ignition/injection mapping to optimise the fuel available....
Daughter phoned me, Dad one of my headlight bulbs has gone can you
put another one in for me please?
Yes, of course dear (that's what fathers are for isn't it?)
Daughter duly arrived shortly afterwards. Checked handbook. Ominously
it said see you Audi dealer. Checked internet. First remove entire headlight
assembly......
Now fortunately I live in a small town where people are helpful so I decided
on the act daft routine and went down to my local car accessories shop.
Frankly it was a sod of a job but he was happy to do it and learn from it. I
learn't too but for a tenner I will go back there again if necessary!
Is this what is called "progress"? German designers now seem every bit as bad as the French!
Read more
As mentioned above, couldn't be simpler on my Mondeo but it states in the handbook on my Qashqai which has xenons that it's a dealer only job. I wonder what's so hard about it ? Must be something or maybe it's that elf again ?
i am a full time working single mother of one. i was travelling down a motorway last week doing 68 mph (i know this as i was using my cruise control) when i approached a daf artic lorry doing approx 65 mph. i indicated to my right to overtake, then pulled into the right hand lane. on doing this the driver of the daf artic lorry seemed to speed up (we all know they hate being overtaken)during overtaking, the lorry had a blow out on his left hand front side and the tyre went underneath his lorry carriage and smashed straight into the front of my vehicle causing me to break harshly. i then had to carry on driving and speed up to the lorry driver to notify him of the serious damage to my vehicle caused by his tyre as he was unaware of the tyre blow out. when i finally caught his attention we pulled over and my passenger called the police. on the police attending both myself and the lorry driver swapped insurance details and gave negative breath tests and the lorry driver admitted liability to both myself and the police explaining this happens quite regular and i would have a new car in no time. both myself, my passenger and my 8 year old son were severly shaken by this accident however we didnt require an ambulance. i was informed by the lorry driver that i would need to ring both my insurance and his insurance company to sort the claim out. next morning waking very shaken and very stiff, after phoning in sick at work (ive been off for a week now) i rang both insurance companies and they basically said 'what you want us to do'? the lorry drivers insurance company said nothing they can do as it is an 'act of god'?? ive never heard any thing so ridiculous,i was really shocked at thier response, and my own insurance company said it was nothing to do with them as i am only 3rd party fire and theft due to my not being able to afford the £100 per month premium for fully comprehensive. this was when i decided to op for a no win no fee accident claim group. i was offered a hire car for 1 week (still got it til monday) and they would take my wrecked car to thier depo, evaluate the damage, contact the other drivers insurance company and sort it for me......fat chance as they are picking the hire car up off me on monday, and bringing me my wrecked car back......they have said nothing more will be done for me as this is in fact an 'act of god'......so i am in a predicament where i have a written off, undrivable car, lost 2 weeks pay as my doc has signed me off for another week and my employer doesnt pay me for being on the sick, and no way of repairing my vehicle as i'm a single parent with 1 full time income and mortgage to pay. surely there must be blame here??? how can they say 'act of god' when A: he was speeding and B: everywhere i have looked for reasons for blow outs it says poorly maintained vehicle. can anyone give me any advice as i'm stuck and not sure what i can possibly do next? Read more
........... A: he was speeding ...........
The Association of Chief Police Officers guidelines regarding prosecutions for exceeding the speed limit are as follows. www.carinsuranceonline.org.uk/totallosswriteoff.ht...l
I am still getting to grips with my Mondeo (09 reg) and one of the issues is the headlights. I have been doing quite a bit of driving at night recently and have been getting a few complaints abot dazzling people (one guys shouted "turn your lights down", one guy was waving when I stopped behind him and I have had a few flashes and honks that I reckon are related).
The only controls I have are the dial to switch between off-side lights-headlights, the ability to switch to full beam and the headlight levelling.
I have tried using side lights, but they are definitely too weak for driving in the city at night but then I get the complaints about the head lights. The lights are definitely not on full beam.
When I am driving I can see that my lights are lighting up signs that the lights of other cars aren't, so there is clearly something wrong, even though they don't seem brighter than other cars.
So tonight I started playing with the headlamp levelling. The manual says that with just the driver it should be on 0-0.5, however at that level I seem to be illuminating the signs that other aren't.
So I have now switched it to 4 which is the highest setting and which seems to set the lights much lower, I am guessing that it was just the height rather than the brightness. No complaints tonight as far as I could tell, so hopefully that fixes the problem, but I just wanted to see if anybody had any advice.
Read more
I used to get this with mine. Was quite often getting flashed at night by other drivers.
I have just turned down the level on the dial two clicks and it seems fine. I did mean to mention it to the dealer when it went in for a service but forgot!
Hi
I shall try and be as brief and succinct as poss!
My o/s indicator at the back does not work at all. All other lights etc work on the car.
Garage has told me I need new ECU as they can detect a signal going to the ECU but there does not appear to be any output telling the indicator to flash.
Before I spend money on this, is there anything else it could be. A new ECU sounds a bit drastic to me when its only one light not working.
I have spoken with several garages and they all have different views on whethers its the ECU and I'm getting very frustrated!
I know nothing about this sort of thing and so please respond "idiots guide"!
Many thanks in advance.
Sorry forgot to say car is 3 and half years old and has done 40,000 miles. Read more
Hi Dave
I've had problems with signing in. Don't really know why but it said my account was activated but wouldn't recognise my password!?
My husband has set up a log in this afternoon with no problem(??) and so will be posting a message shortly.
My husband has done things with wires this afternoon (he did explain but still not sure what) and he came to the conclusion that it is the ECU. I will get him to put all this info on the other forum.
Thanks for your continued support.
Shell
when i drive my punto i get a swooshing noise coming from the passenger side,i thought it might be the water pump but theres no sqeeuking. theres no water leaks,the car is running fantastic with no running probems at all. when i say swooshing its like if you put water in a bottle and tilt it to the left and right(the water moves left and right). could there be a airlock somewere. ive turned the little black screw on the engine to let pressure out but none is coming out just water. im a bit puzzled,does anybody have the same problem that could enlighten me please.. Read more
i forgot rule number 5 and a typical fiat problem
the radiator fan motor seizes up
strangely i did one after i posted this morning
here is i removing a motor off a siecento i had in stock into the punto mk2 frame
tinyurl.com/ye69hl8
OK,
My local garage (non-Ford) has been trying to sort out a problem on my TDCi Focus - namely glow-plug light coming on/engine cutting out.
The fault codes are p1200 - injector/wiring/ecu, and p0251, wiring/injector pump/ecu.
They have tested the Turbo - OK, injectors, again OK, and pump, ok. Also wiring & hoses OK, but a bit warn - done 190k.
So, any ideas anyone! What has happened now since being in the garage was what looked like an oil leak (under engine), but checking the dip-stick all OK, so seems to be when engine on. Could they have not re-connected something related to the injectors properly, or would the engine then just die? Back to garage on Monday but am thinking of going to Ford!
Only other thing I can find is the possibility of a faulty sensor on the throttle switch?
Help! Read more
Hi
Any more feedback regarding this?...
First frost of the season at the caravan in (dead) leafy North Yorkshire, and very chilly it is, too.
This set me wondering about the windscreen washer reservoir and what to put in it.
Could go to Halfords and get the old 'three for two', but I wondered if anyone had any alternative home recipes?
Needs to clean the screen and not freeze. Read more
you will be telling me next you never got airfix glue squirted up your nose
I recently saw two XK8s with jaguar mascots fitted to the middle of the bonnet. I thought they were no longer allowed. Read more
What about other external appendages, roof bars, bikes, skis, and IKEA furniture. they just sit a little further back.
And of course roo bars, not seen a wild kangaroo in the UK recently. :-)
Browse
.jpg)
"Phase 1" refers to the pre-facelift cars (1995-2000) and "phase 2" the revised model from 2000 onwards, with better handling qnd equipment. The 1.8 Gasoline Direct Injection engine option was culled about this time, whilst the "regular" 1.8i engine carried on for the rest of the car's life, and was the most common/popular engine I think.