February 2010
Ive got one as a loan car today and I couldnt get over its shortcomings.
Two things stood out - firstly, if I adjust the drivers seat for myself ( im 5'5 ), then in the backseat it leaves barely enough legroom for anyone over 5'6 - yet the boot is huge, so the space was clearly there to give the car decent legroom and they chose not to.
Even worse though, it seems they either forgot to fit sound proofing or they have geared 5th gear stupidly low - at 70 mph the din from the engine was irritating to say the least - my wife asked if I was in top gear such was the drone. I was shocked at just how loud it was - at an indicated 80 it was louder than my Charade which is ridiculous.
I dont know if its soundproofing or gearing ( it was turning over about 3300 rpm ) but it seems to me to be a serious shortcoming in an otherwise decent car.
The one I have is a 1.25 base model so whether the noise issue is exclusive to this combination I dont know. Read more
For a few days, the front passenger door lock would not operate when the rest of the locks did and had to be locked manually. Now, only the drivers door locks from the key, all the others 'bounce', that is they all immediately unlock whenever they are asked to lock.
I shall check all the connections on the central locking control box at the weekend as I understand these can work loose and lead to poor connections, but if I just wanted to disable central locking could I just pull the appropriate fuse and resort to manually locking each door? Read more
Take the fuse out. You wont have central locking, but it'll stop the car unlocking itself! Had a similar problem on a MKII Punto and this solved it.
A month or so ago a fuse blew that powers the nearside rear sidelight, dashboard lights (i.e. speedo) and a few other internal smaller things like the heater control lights.
I changed the fuse but it now blows immediately as I turn on the lights!
I've tried taking out each individual bulb in the circuit but every time I turn on the lights it still blows. I fear that it might be something to do with behind the dashboard.
Anyone got any ideas what might be causing it and how I can go about fixing it.
Thanks very much! Read more
Hi mate, just reading your thread. Did get the problem sorted, as I have the same drama.
cheers
Having finally got tired of welding (or paying someone else to) my 200TDi Discovery for almost every MOT, I dedided that I needed to take drastic action.
So today, I purchased an ex Police Discovery TD5 Auto!
It is a 2003 model year.
It has only 5 seats as opposed to the 7 that most of them have. It also has all the telltale signs of Police use inside, like screw holes in the dash etc.
Apart from that, it is spotless underneath, bar a rear seal leak in the engine, which I was told about. I've been quoted about £300 to fix this as the box will have to come out. Apart from that the car looks very well looked after. There are no coolent issues whatsoever. Infact I've just driven it from Wales to Cornwall.
In addition all the gear they fitted to it is still on it except for the blue lights! Yes, it still has the siren - and yes it still works!
Plan is to strip all this gear off and get some odd jobs done on it. There are the usual issues with doors that are stiff to open and close, plus the ignition barrel is slack and the nearside electric mirror doesn't work.
At 109000 miles you couldn't call it low mileage, but it's not excessively high either. That averages about 15000 miles per annum. My take on this is that we don't do a huge mileage and hence in 10 years it may only see another 50000 miles
But at £4600 I am more than happy.
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Assuming all the 'normal' electrical stuff on the vehicle works OK I'd be a bit cautious about removing the optional extras, on the basis that any mods. to the wiring loom will have been done on the spot and for sure won't be covered by the Haynes manual. Ok if the lights are clearly driven from a relay and that's it fair enough,but I'd be a bit wary of taking stuff out.
Hi,
A few weeks ago my drivers electric window stopped working. When I press the button, there is no noise whatsoever. The other 3 windows still work (using the switches on the drivers door).
I've unplugged the switch from the unit in the door to see if its a loose connection but obviously not.
If my memory serves, the window stopped working when it was about -10C, it may have been cuased by me trying to out it down when it was frozen solid and the motor died?
Any ideas?
Cheers Read more
Hi Starcott. I have the same model with same problem i.e. only a faint click. Did replacement motor do the trick and how easy / difficult was it to replace, were cables ok.?Your answer appreciated before I start.
Regards Artdecor
I drive a works van and every now and then I go to www.askmid.com to check that my own cars and also the van is on it.
Checked on Friday and the van wasn't on it, they said it must be uninsured!!
Saw my boss who phoned head office - I actually spoke to the person who deals with road tax, insurance etc and she assured me that the van was insured. The van is leased and the insurance was apparently renewed on the 12th January this year. However, they have been 'transfering companies' (don't know what this is about) and that it 'might take 14 days to appear on the MID'.
I would have thought once a vehicle was insured correctly it would appear immediately on this database? It is still missing from the MID.
Trouble is what do I do now. I have been told by my employer that it is insured, would I personally be liable if I was stopped and the van was found to be uninsured?
Thanks for any help on this, can't see what else I can do now. Read more
then untill this happens we are going to have the problems listed above ,
I've just contacted my Renault dealer to get a price for servicing my Grand Scenic. They have quoted approx. £130 for using non-Renault parts and approx. £190 for using Renault parts. They then said this price was only applicable if it was due it's 3rd service (which it is). If it was the 4th service then the price would be over £400 using Renault parts.
I've looked at the service schedule and the 'big' service (i.e. requiring timing belt replacement) is at 5 years. I don't understand why the 4th service is so expensive.
Has anyone else been told this, or can offer any advice?
Thanks
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Just paid a smidge over £210 for 4th (main) service on my 06 Zafira at a VX main dealer. I'm amazed that a franchised Renault garage would even consider fitting non-Renault parts.
Ghia is to be dropprd in the model line up of Ford Cars
The last car will be a Mondeo Ghia - none thereafter.
Ghia models dated back 30+ years and at one time the top of the range. Read more
Sitting at red traffic lights with several other cars. The odd car passing across us.
Suddenly the Clio (sized car) in front of me sets off, despite the red lights. Much hooting of horns by watching cars.
Bang! Clio hits - travelling by now at quite some speed - car passing from right to left. Victim does 180 degree turn. Clio comes to halt, bits of plastic everywhere.
Being the decent sort that I am, I note the Clio's numberplate (wet finger writing on window) stop and leave my name and number with victim as a witness. Clio driver is nutty woman in her 50s. Victim is gentleman who is slightly older. Read more
This is quite incredible in my humble.
A lorry gets stuck in a narrow country lane and has to be lifted out by crane.
www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/videomediaplayer.html?vid...2 Read more
Ah from the other side of the fence it's not so clear.
I posted here a few months ago my Journey in North Devon in my car transporter truck, i don't use sat nav and probably never will, my first drop was in Barnsataple and my next drop in Minehead, now Porlock though not mentioned anywhere on the maps is a no go for large stuff so i travelled back down the A361 and took the left turn A396 at Tiverton for Dunster...seemed a reasonable route....


Ah but that's the challenge - make them lighter without affecting the NCAP rating. Carbon fibre?