December 2009
Who needs a 4 x 4 in London ? Who doesn't in this weather ,. Was explaining this to a neighbour who told me he wouldn't dare drive in these conditions. Told him I had no issue with my Nissan 4 x 4 . Go anywhere. Same as in Feb this year. Read more
Having a funny problem tonight.
I have just been defrosting the windscreens and side windows having planned to go on a shopping trip. However, I have now thought better of it and decided to go in the morning. Problem is, I can't lock the car.
It locks via a fob that you click once to lock and twice to double lock. When I do so it sounds as if it is locking, but then all of the doors are unlocked. I wondered if there was some delay that I hadn't noticed, so I waited 30 seconds aftering locking, but the door still opens, and sets the alarm off!
Could it be that this is caused by the cold weather (I think it is about -6C at the moment), or is there likely something more troubling afoot? I have not used the car for about 3 days (roads been too dicey, with no good reason to go out) and it has basically been frozen solid in that time.
Would really appreciate some help on this. Read more
I have the 'opposite' problem on my MkII. If I leave it locked unused for several days, when I get in it fires briefly, then refuses to start for around 15-20 minutes!
Once it's made me wait it then stops/starts perfectly normally on a trip.
Advice please regarding today?s puchase of a 06 reg 2005Mazda .....
Briefly, I bought the above car from a Mazda main dealer ( I will withhold the dealer?s details ) and I think the dealer has taken the michael--- and I would value BR?S comments.
It?s an issue simply about excess mileage when I collected the vehicle today. The mileage when I inspected, drove, approved, signed the contract on Saturday 19 December 2009 at 5pm approx 45,000 miles. The mileage was recorded on the contract. On collection today at 5pm the mileage was approx 300 miles more. This is corroborated by today?s fresh MOT showing approx 300 miles more than the mileage recorded on the contract.( I?m being vague on the exact details because the advert is still current ).
Now, I?m incensed because I wasn?t told it would have 300 miles extra, I didn?t sign a contract with that mileage , I really didn?t expect the vehicle to be used as a hack ( or worse ) and most importantly,what really gets me is I didn?t expect this to happen at a main dealer- or do I expect too much? I?m not happy that the vehicle has done 300 extra miles in the worst driving conditions for years. I drove the vehicle away at 5.30pm this evening and during the journey home saw the odometer reading and thought it was a little higher than I remember. Then I checked the paperwork . I have made no contact with the dealer yet but what with Christmas fast approaching, will contact him tomorrow.
For info, the purchase was a proper retail sale, around book price with a full Mazda warranty.
Have just had another look at the new MOT, the issuing station was some 80 miles away....why? The Mazda dealer is well within the M25 so no shortage of MOT stations nearby.
Any thoughts on this? At the very least I will be contacting the dealer principal for an explanation.
Many thanks
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Chap I know left his car into the main dealers many years ago for a full service. He left it in on a Friday evening, knowing that he was going for a weekend break in Donegal and he would collect it on monday.
As he headed up the M2 out of Belfast, in the family Sierra, he was surprised to be passed by a very familiar XR2 doing a fine rate of knots, needless to say he pulled off to find a phone box (this was 1988) to report the car stolen.
Turned out one of the workshop staff had "borrowed" the car for a weekends jollies on the pretense of a road test. And the dealer was not amused to find the customers car in the stolen vehicle compound.
Don't know if charges were brought against the guy who took the car, but he was sacked over it.
I have just bought my first mondeo (51 plate) having lost my company car with my last job.
Unfortunately it came without the manual, could someone recommend a place to start hunting for one?
Also, and this is the embarrassing bit I have now idea how to open the fuel cap or the bonnet. I've looked for the usual levers/switches etc but nothing jumps out.
Thanks in advance. Read more
That's my experience of Americans too, almost all that I've met have been extremely pleasant, friendly and polite, although some from New York let the side down but that's not surprising!
My fuel lever is down on the floor on the right hand side in front of the driver's seat.
EDIT: My car's a Mondeo III by the way!
Hi can anyone recomend a set of tyres for the trajet i have had Kumo's and pirrellis on but both have worn out within 7000 miles and 2years of local driving.
The car is a heavy car on the front and i have just read that both boots i have had are soft compond.
I have thought about the firestone f700 215/65/15 96 H
Thanks P Read more
sorry for the delay havent found the notefied of replys by email button yet.
That's because there isn't one.
See www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?v=e&t=70...4 for details why.
DD.
The handbrake light on my uncles car does not go out. It seems to work fine with the handbrake alone, but once the foot brake it applied it stays illuminated. What might cause this? Read more
It did; the rear brake light bulb was changed but the light re-appeared. I am lost now!
Hi To all
I am new to the site! Hope I am doing this right?
My auto gearbox fault light is coming on at high revs, if you switch off and then restart light will go out. No fault codes are found. I have replaced oil and it still happens.
Does anyone out there know what it might be! easy or hard fix. I hope I will not have to replace the box?
Regards
Delboy63 Read more
Is this the Sport "S" light or the car/spanner light? The handbook I have says the car/spanner light is the autobox fault light, but I know on earlier Vx's the "S" light was the fault light.
If it's the car/spanner light, then that light is also the fault light for the engine electronics.
My driver's door won't open with the handle. It opens with the inside lever and all other doors work ok. Turning the key in the lock has no effect.
Any idea? Read more
That's great info, thanks.
How difficult was it for engineers to guess temperature difference inside and outside tunnel can make condensation happen?
It is not that we are getting temp like Lapland (-30 C range). It is still just few degrees below zero.
Why they could not run the trains at lower speed (apparently high speed is more susceptible to condensation problem as written in newspapers)?
If nothing else works, why not run steam locomotives?
Health & Safety brigade will shout steam loco will be a problem inside tunnels. But again, London underground was run via steam locos in pre 1900. Isn't it?
Brunel must be turning in his grave! Read more
Non - Motoring - Already under discussion in Chill Out thread - have a look in there :-)
Rob
My neighbour, who is actually a retired mechanic, has turned up on my doorstep with an unusual request. Back along I helped him out with a question about a Jaguar XJ40 he owns so he thinks I am the Oracle. Now he has come across a 'barn find' 1972 Series 1 Silver Shadow that he wants to buy but he tells me its brakes are seized. I told him if he knows Citroens he might get on ok with the Royce but he asked me if there is something like a Haynes manual for the model!
I have put him in touch with the Rolls Royce Enthusiasts' Club French branch but I wonder if there's anywhere he might find such a thing that I haven't thought of?
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"All I tried to do was make the title line a bit intriguing. I don't have an O or A-level to my name but until now I didn't think it showed." :-(
Don't worry - it doesn't. Ambiguous headings are rather fun, and so is misinterperting them - sometimes deliberately in the hope of raising a smile.
Browse
From experience in the last 12 months including driving from Staffordshire to Inverness on the Monday the country came to a halt last February (that evening the wife could not even get her car onto the drive) and from Fort Augustus to Edinburgh (turning left before Fort William) the following evening in a 2wd Avensis.
Various runs around in the last month including Rugeley to Bakewell (via Ashbourne and Pilsey) on Saturday in the 2wd Octavia.
2wd with standard tyres has not been a problem. Have seen as many people struggling with 4x4 as I have with 2wd.
4WD creates the atitude I came across in a check out lady in Tesco at 0700 on Xmas eve in Lichfield:
Her - Has it warmed up outside, I finish shortly?
Me - No still below freezing and slippery in places.
Her - Oh, still it will be OK, just have to put the car in 4wd.
Me - But that only helps you get going, not stop or go round the corners.
Puzzled expression from her.
Now would you want to be on a main road with her, in her big heavy 4x4, approaching a stop line on an untreated minor road just ahead of you in these conditions?