December 2009
is cambelt change tricky.i am serious diy'er,changed belts on astras,corsas,transits no problems.just bought avensis,no history of cambelt being changed so i want to do it.done 89000 with fsh. Read more
In the centre dash screen, a warning message comes on intermittently, advising that the engine is low on oil. Using the dipstick, it comes up full. Would I be right in thinking a sensor might be misbehaving.
If I do an oil & filter change the warning disappears for a few months. The car does a mix of urban and long distance work.
Any ideas/comments gratefully received.
Thank you. Read more
I find it surprising enough that anybody thinks it is a good idea to jump a red at a level crossing, but when it has been showing for almost a minute... !
preview.tinyurl.com/ybb9qyf Read more
Hello, new to this forum.
My wife and myself are looking at getting a bigger car for our expanding brood, we have an eleven year old, a two year old and another on the way. Our Renault Clio is going to be too small. What i'd really like is a 5 seater but with 3 proper sized seats in the back, most 5 seaters have a pretty small middle seat in the back. Trying to avoid going down the big 7 seater route as we want to keep costs down and have about £10K to spend. Any ideas much appreciated. Read more
Ford C-Max would be perfect surely?
Definitely worth considering, £10k will buy something recent but they have a 40/20/40 rear seat. 11-year old will need an outside seat and should be happy as larry. Newborn's seat might need to take the other outside one (for lifting in/out), leaving the question as to whether the two-year old's seat can fit in the middle.
To be fair, this issue is probably true of other smaller MPVs. However, unlike many non-MPVs, you do at least get a rear seat that is properly shaped for 3 rather than 2.
You may also want to check out the ISOFIX status. My 54-plate definitely doesn't have ISOFIX mounts, although I believe it is not too expensive to get fitted (maybe part of the bargaining if buying from a dealer?) if you want it. If going down the belt route I have seen complaints that the C-Max belts are not long enough for some newbon seats. However we carry a Maxi-Cosi Cabriofix in ours without any problems. If using a base for the seat you need to check that the leg/ foot will reach into the bottom of the compartment under rear-seat passenger's feet - again I can say the Max-Cosi one is long enough, but you can't put the foot on the compartment lid as I belieive it'snot strong enough to take the force transmitted through the leg in a smash. Again, this may be an issue with other MPVs that have storage compartments in rear footwells. Hope that helps.
I've not run my Ducato for a month or so and the clutch appears to be seized - any suggestions please?
When engine is off i can depress clutch and put in gear
When engine is running and i depress clutch, it won't go into gear.
Thanks
Chris Read more
Thanks Robin
Followed your advice - Started in first gear, followed by one big clunk and it came free.... (phew... don't have to explain a large garage bill to my wife now - have a "virtual beer" on me!!).
Chris
Check this out - 200 mph Police Car - Police Trial Modified Porsche Panamera.
I found this performance direct motoring news report on youtube.com. the superfast porsche panamera police car is on trial in essex the report says. it's fast. on the video it must do 0-60 in under 4 seconds. Has anyone seen this on the roads yet?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ritCNYzTeJs Read more
What would be the ultimate Police Car? Gotta be fast but practical.
Audi RS6 estate? Twin turbo 5.0 V10 580ps with 1660 litres of luggage space :-)
www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/index.htm?md=1344
There's a roundabout I regularly approach intending to go straight over (standard 4 exits/approaches, 1 lane on/off at each). The general flow of the traffic seems to be that on the road I approach from the majority of the drivers are going straight over. At the opposite side most drivers are approaching signalling a right turn (across my approach).
My question is, if I'm at the approach to the roundabout and going straight over (so no signal required) but not yet on the roundabout, and I can see a car directly opposite and indicating right (will cross my path), I, and I've seen many other drivers do the same, tend to give way even though the opposite car is not yet on the roundabout - is this the right thing to do? As I say, the bulk of the traffic approaching from the opposite side is turning right so this can cause hold-ups for my lane wanting to go straight over.
I suppose I'm getting at is when should drivers 'give way to the right'. The cars turning right always assume you will give way to them even when not actually on the roundabout and hence tend to approach at a fair pace. Barrelling along in the belief that once they are on the roundabout they will have right of way so they may as well 'assume' the right of way before they actually get on the roundabout.
There have been times when I will be on the roundabout going straight over and the approaching opposite car will bomb on signalling right with little regard as to whether I am across the roundabout. Read more
So in effect, these right turners are going round the roundabout the wrong way by cutting across the LARGE white area. I'd ignore their hoots and let them crash into my door if they so want. The position of the crash would give away the fact that they were in the wrong. They are supposed to go behind you if you are on the roundabout and even if it was a crossroads and not a roundabout they should go behind you.
.
Keith
Hi,
My Micra 1.0 shape 1997 (R reg) has always started first time since I bought it 12 months ago. It's been a brilliant little runner, runs smooth and never stalled. The week before xmas, on the first day of snow it wouldn't start, wouldn't even turn over. Got the rescue out and he said the battery was dead and advised a new one. Had a new battery fitted and took it for a run to make sure it was fully charged but due to severe ice on the hill up to the main road I didn't take it out again for over a week, but turned the engine over a couple of tiimes.
Yesterday I tried to start it up and although it was turning over it wouldn't start. Got rescue out again and he said the engine was flooded. He tried for an hour and couldn't get it going so took it to the garage on the truck.
The garage said it was just flooded and changed the plugs. I went to collect it and it started up first time, but on driving it home it was idling really rough at the traffic lights. It was really vibrating and felt like it would stall. It didn't actually stall, but as it's never done anything like that before I rang the garage and they said it may indicate that something more is wrong with it and that could have caused the flooding.
Is that likely, or could the rough idling be because it hasn't been driven for over a week and it's cold? He advised running it over the new year and then take it in for them to have another look at it. Is it likely to stall and flood again? Just worried if it stalls at the lights I might not get it going again. Read more
Thanks Robin. I will do the Italian job on it tomorrow! Here's hoping I don't cause the longest traffic jam ever! ;)
Hi
I own a 2000 Citroen Saxo 1.5d with Lucas pump.On cold weather when i start the car the revs are in the 500rpm area and sometimes it tend to cut off.After couple of minutes the revs goes up in the 700-800rpm area.I only get this problem when weather is cold.
But sometimes in hot weather after long drive the revs on idle drop down to 500rpm area.
I recently changed the glow plugs so i dont think that they can be causing the problem.
What can be causing this problem?
Read more
We are advised to set off in 2nd on slippery roads, as this offers a lower torque and therefore less likely to slip.
On the other hand, anybody with a low ratio box would stick it in low ratio and choose first and have no trouble - despite having enough torque to shift the tarmac if you wished.
Confused??? I am.
Read more
When driving a 4x4 with a transfer box which provides a set of low ratios, I would not set off on a slippery road in low ratio, I would use the normal set of ratios, though would probably set off in 1st.
The low ratios allow your 4x4 to travel at very low speeds over rough terrain without dipping or slipping the clutch. Even so, you might well pull away in low ratio 2nd and reserve low ratio 1st for maximum engine braking when descending steep, slippery inclines.
Browse
Its no more difficult than astra. About 2 hours. Has a spring tensioner and suggest you buy a new spring (if it doesnt come as part of kit).