December 2009
Thing is my youngest daughter tried to learn to drive about 9 months ago but couldn't get the hang of gear changes/steering, etc all at the same time (whats that about females being able to multi task?!)... So she gave up... However she's decided to have another go, this time in an Automatic and came back yesterday after her lesson wanting more!
So I want something cheap for her to practice in, it won't be doing much miles, just local pootling and as its just for practice I don't want to spend a lot of money... I don't normally bother at this end of the market, but am now having a look round and a local trader (from home) has an old 1990 1.6L Escort Auto for sale for £195 with 3 months MOT.
I went and had a look and from what I could see its just what I'd expect from a car that age, body looks ok (if a bit faded), tyres legal, a little bit of oil under the sump, but not dripping, the underside looked ok, no obvious things I could see, even the boot had no rust! On the test drive the auto seemed to work ok, though the brakes juddered when stopping from speed (50mph)...
I know that its a lottery at that end, but is there anything obvious I need to look at, especially re the auto 'box and brakes, especially with early Escorts? Just seems like it may be worth a punt, even for 3 months and then scrap it - just those brakes...
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Wifey took her car to work this cold morning, phones me and says it is flashing 'OIL' on the dash. She gets home and it is still flashing and beneath the odometer it also flashes a number of miles, initially saying 50. I check the oil level and it seems fine, I add a little bit of oil and it is still flashing, the figure has changed to 68. I have looked in the manual and cannot find what this means. Any thoughts ? It was last serviced in April, and has done 32,000 miles in total. Read more
Ah, I think its asking for a service!
What will cause a battery light to stay on whilst driving?
the battery charges ok and the diesel engine has no trouble starting.
could it be a loose earth somewhere? Read more
Can anyone help. I have Xenon Headlights on a 9-5 estate. A £1000 option, but a nightmare when they go wrong. I replaced one headlight unit (with a second hand unit), as it was flickering. This worked for a year, but now the headlight has stopped working....there seems to be a water trap, and so the electrics corrode, and once this has happened, it is a whole new headlamp unit again...£595 new, not including the bulb at £150.
I have decided to change the headlights back to normal. I understand this is acheivable, but someone I contacted said they would not do it as it was 8 Hours labour and a right fiddle....you need to change the headlight ecu, and there are lots of wires.
Does anyone know anyone who has done this before, and would be prepared to do it again. Does anyone know what exactly you have to do, as my mechanic is very good, and may be able to do it, with guidance.
Please help!!
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I'l be using this stretch over the holidays. The last time there were road works controlled by lights (Swindon side of Shrivenham?) which held us for twenty minutes or so. Got hopelessly lost trying to avoid them on the return (SWMBO bimbo navigating).
I'm someone here will be able to tell me if it's improved? Read more
Thanks for those.
I'm aware of the speed cameras, not that they bother me as I tend to drive at a speed that doesn't trigger them. The 50MPH stretches on otherwise NSL roads amuse me. Watch the antics of those drivers who think the NSL is 50MPH (I mean cars and light vehicles that aren't otherwise restricted!).
Just saw my neighbour is struggling with his 08 plate C-class for last 10 minutes!
The car is just spinning its rear wheel....
Yet all FWD cars are ploughing without drama.
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Just listening to a neighbour with a corsa failing to reverse off the drive. All I can hear is wheelspin! He's all over the place. I don't think the going nowhere in snow is down to the cars drive train at all. Think it's more to do with the driver and a lot of people's total inability to feel what the car is doing.
Got to go out later. Can't decide whether to take the rwd to make a point or the 4wd as it doesn't have abs which I think might be better in current conditions :-)
"WWW"? Eh? Read more
The link probably automatically detects a male poster and deactivates. What women definitely don't want is to listen to a bunch of men talking about cars.
Hi
After a spell parked up inactive in wet weather (oh I love french cars) my 406 has developed this fault...
When the ignition is turned on all seems well for a minute or so then it looks as though the alarm goes mad. The siren thing is disabled anyway but the headlights come on and the indicators flicker like mad (can hear a relay clicking away in glove box I think). Starting / stopping engine, locking / unlocking doors with keyfob seems to have no effect. The only thing I've found that cures it is either disconnecting and reconnecting the battery (which stops it temporarily) or pulling fuse 15 behind the immobiliser keypad (the one for the alarm).
Any thoughts?
and / or
Is there any detrimental effect from running the car with this fuse out? Seems to kill the seat position memory too but that's about it.
Cheers
Justin Read more
Hello y'all
It seems my n/s cooling fan is not working. Neither fan appears to come on when I would expect them on at slow speed, only the o/s fan comes on full speed when temp gets over 90ish.
From reading other threads it seems major possibilities are either the one fan is dead (open circuit), or there may be a relay problem (though I can't ascertain for sure whether this would cause these symptoms). I'm kind of hoping it could be the latter as it sounds as though the fan motors are a pig to change.
Any tips would be helpful haven't had a chance to have it apart yet but want to avoid wasting time following a wrong lead when it's so frikkin cold outside to work on it!
Cheers
Justin Read more
pugs dont like the weather according to the top stories here , 8/10 are pug related
Hi Guys, If anyone can help me on this I'd much appreciate it.
I ordered a new audi in November, I was told it wouldnt be delivered until end of Jan. and we agreed I woudn't take it until March for the new reg. I have just been told that the car has been built earlier than planned and is already in the UK.
To avoid the VAT increase of almost a £1000, I would like to pay in full for the car before Xmas, but still take it in March.
The dealer is saying if I want to prepay- I would have to take the car now/Jan- the reason they are giving is that they can not invoice a car if it hasnt been registered.
This is not what I want as I agreed delivery in March (it suits me due to my current car will be 3 months short of being 3 years old and I feel i've added enough miles and use to make the most of the depreciation)
The question is - what is the problem with me prepaying the dealer before Xmas to avoid the VAT increase and then registering the car March 1st?
I dont see a problem with it- are they just fobbing me off? Read more
...You can pay less VAT if the dealer reduces the price of the new car....
To a limited extent - the vatmen are well aware of this accounting device.
For example, they will not accept a deal in which a p/ex worth £5,000 is shown as £1,000 with a £4,000 discount off the new car, thereby saving the customer the VAT on £4,000.
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In a word...dreadful.