December 2009
For about the last 6 years I have run (amongst other cars) two P plate (08/96 and 02/97) 16v Fiestas. The older one I had from new, and the other was owned by my father for the first 34k of its life. I had always maintained that the earlier one was livelier, more economical, more flexible, slightly more economical and just nicer to drive. The only difference in specification was the newer had Power steering and ran on 165/13s rather than 155/13s. There was a slight mechanical change around 1/97, which requires a different cambelt/tensioner kit. I had always put it down to possible power loss in the PS and possible software changes in the ECU.
I recently had the cambelt changed in the newer one (at 70k and 12 years) (no lectures please), and believe it or not this car now feels much better - almost the same as the other one!
The only conclusion I can come to is that the original factory fitted belt was fitted so that the timing was 'slightly' wrong. I know that the cam pulley on the crankshaft is an inteference fit, ie no keyway, so is this explanation likely or possible?
(PS the earlier car has now gone - I will post in discussion more about that!). Read more
My respect goes to the driver.
What a decision to have to make with 44 people on board, it's bad enough with 44 tonnes gross and the cargo is only baked beans.
Pat
Just did a 60 mile drive. On returning to town i parked car in a regular slot in a supermarket i use. When i say regular i mean usually within 3 bays & 3-4 times a week. I had a full car. On returning to the car the rear nearside window was open. Can anyone offer a reason. I know early model Passatts had a simmillar problem. Read more
The window switches are very poorly positioned and I don't think I have ever opened the front windows at the first attempt. It is then a fight to close the rear window before tackling the front switch again. In, fact, I very often have to have a lightning sideways squint to find the right switch.
Another switch that I feel is poorly positioned is the rear window/mirror demister switch which is for me almost an arm's length away and is so small and fiddly that I invariably pull in and stop for pure safety reasons before operating.
The windscreen demister switch is again small and fiddly and too low.
Really, I suppose it amounts to those switches being out of the driver's vision. Oh! for the days of the large click down for "On" and click up for "Off" type.
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
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?
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
Read more
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.
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