February 2010
I bought a used 2002 Aero Estate, a 2.3 Turbo, 2 years ago for about £4500 and have loved the car.
It is practical - loads of room for a family
reliable - never let me down!
luxurious - leather, heated electric seats, etc...
safe - 4* NCAP
and VERY FAST! - 250bhp!
However, as it is about to reach 150,000 miles, I'm thinking about replacing it. The question is, other than a younger 9-5, what else is there that could compare? We'd be willing to go a bit smaller (perhaps a 9-3, maybe 3 series) and spend upto around £7000 - £8000.
I'd be interested to hear your suggestions. Read more
Car :
Gearbox problem occured on a 2.0TDCI manual - 6 speed gearbox, fitted with a hydraulic clutch.
The car was originally on the road in October 2003. the gearbox had done 100, 000 km and then failed.
Solution: (replacing the original ) since I'd found a gearbox (from a Cmax, version 2004), 6 speed manual gearbox, and looking at the respective identity reference numbers for the two gearboxes --
they seemed to be compatable. The numbers were as follows :
Original gearbox ref:
4M5R-7002-CB
TIGA1 010903 142655
Replacement gearbox ref:
4M5R-7002-CC
TIGA1 241103 094528
Fitting this "replacement" we matched it with a new original Ford hydraulic
clutch that was installed, along with taking all the other usual precautions,
including changing the defective pieces (Sachs clutch system came out), an identical Sachs reference piece went back in.
Problem ?
Well, if on paper it looked like an achievable result would occur, the reality
is that once the foot pedal engages the clutch -- it's not working !!!
Help needed from all Cmax Ford guru's ! Read more
hi can you tell me if you got this sorted out. only i am going to fit a box in my c mac and the box that has come out is the same as yours 4M5R-7002-CB. does the model number has to be exact same
I have recently passed my driving test and am looking to buy a car and one of the avenues I am looking down is private sellers. I've read that to be able to test drive you need to be insured either on their insurance or have some of your own to be able to take a test drive.
I've looked into temporary insurance but it seems all the ones I've found don't seem to want to cover me, presumably because I've not held my licence for a year or satisfy their age criteria (I am 22).
Besides driving without the insurance on a crowded public road - the thought of getting done for it and having points etc, makes me run a mile from it, but how can you get a feel for driving the car if you can't drive it?
So, are there any ways around it or does anyone have any 'creative' solutions?
Cheers. Read more
I was once read that the best way to inspect / test a car is to ask the seller to present it for an MOT at a garage of your choice - you to pay of course - and it's doing the seller a favour. That is somewhat less expensive that employing the AA. A prior word with the mechanic would be in order, unless of course the mechanic is a covert mate of the seller.
Can some-one please tell me the bulb type/ number for the rear tail light bulb.looking for a couple on ebay, but dont know the type. Many Thanks. Read more
O.K. Thank-you for help.
I got an intermittent fault light. P0638.
The low speed response was poor on take off at about 1000 rpm upwards.
Somtimes the poor response was present without the fault light appearing.
After taking advice I cleaned the throttle body of carbon build up.
After re-assembly the engine will only rev to 1800 rpm and the tickover speed varies. Two new fault codes have now appeared (P0121 and P0122)
Any ideas what I have done wrong or how to fix it?
Read more
Vaguely thinking of turning my wife's 6 year old Ka and my now spare Mondeo estate into some cash and maybe getting her something newer.
She has no special requirements on size or space other than it must have back seats and just wants something to cope with her daily 35 mile round trip to work on A roads.
She's sort of got her eye on a Panda 100hp which would easily come in on budget either new or mildly second hand. I think she just fancies something with a bit of pep for a change ( read before she's too old ) Heh heh ....
HJ's review is interesting when he says he expected to like it but didn't at first. However, he then goes on to say it grew on him.
Anyone got one or driven one ? Any views / thoughts other suggestions ?
Read more
turning circle is the gearbox in this case not the wheels
problem with steering, pump or rack?.
loss of power steering and battery warning light coming on when turning.
thanks in advance
alan Read more
hi there you should try power steering
www.power-steering.co.uk there based in london
Hi there,
Still engaged in the hunt for a new car.
Noticed that used Lagunas tend to look good value (on the surface anyway).
Obviously I'm aware of the reliability issues and the low ranking in the JD power surveys but they fit the bill for a refined comfy cruiser. Noticed a low mileage 2006 (56) 150 Dci tourer on AT for 6K. That seems like a lot of car for the money.
I was wondering if the backroomers had an opinion on whether Renault ever truly got the Laguna sorted out by the 2006 facelift. HJ's car by car certainly seems to suggest this, or are they still moneypits to be avoided at all costs?
thanks in advance...... Read more
I agree with AE. Renault dCi engines make most others feel agricultural and primitive. They are unbelievably smooth, and rev very sweetly without any of the deep growling you normally associated with diesels.
I had a 2004 Scenic 1.9dCi which became horribly unreliable around 60,000 miles, although was fine until then. Mostly electrical problems, but a major clutch failure which cost four figures to repair. This is the other consideration with Renaults. It's not so much the frequency of faults, but what they cost to put right. Parts prices can be eye watering, and on the Scenic at least, no consideration had been given at the design stage to maintenance and repair, making every job very long, complex and expensive. 9 hrs to change a clutch being a classic example!
As products, Renaults are lovely cars with comfort and NVH levels that many premium brands can't get close to. I would have another, but not out of warranty.
My golf mk4 02 1.9 TDI 150 PD is badly playing up, it is now overfuelling badly and blowing out loads of white smoke, you can just smell neat diesel?
As well as this it is rough in idle, drives poorly with little or no power, and struggles to start in the mornings (even though it cranks fine, just wont catch and kick in)?
Quick background to the car, initially at 300rpm it intermittently judders and throws out black smoke, changed maf, changed turbo pipes, but no joy. More recently vagcom picked up fault code 16688- intermittent misfire on injector 4, changed it twice with no improvement, replaced with same injector i had originally, then changed round injector 3 (known to be working) with injector 4, still gave the same code, saying injector 4 misfire, also changed injector wiring loom!!!
please help, as i am running out of ideas and money!
thanks in advance. Read more
many people have suggested this to me on forums, but the mechanic doesnt agree, when looking at the injectors i did see a very slight scratch on one of the 'diamondish/triangle' shaped lobes, but he said it was nothing to be concerned about.
how easy is it to check the cam shaft, and all the lobes, bearings etc....
and would that create all the symptoms i am having?? as i cant see how it would be related myself?
Earlier today I was in a local supermarket car park. Car reversing out and I heard the scraping of car against car. Looked across and front bumper of the reversing car was in touch and damaging the rear bumper of the other.
Driver had to pull forward again before they could reverse out (thought they were parking). I took picture of rear of car to get reg number. But she wasn't going to stop! She then got out saying she never touched the other car. Yet there is damage to both cars! She then drove off.
I have passed on details to the driver and they are pursuing it. The fact it wasn't my car etc. is one thing but I won't want her getting away with it. What else would you have done??
I bet their partner will be interested when they see the damage - worse on their car. And if it was not from this time they've done it before! Read more
I never witness these things - they happen to me!
Most recently a new white scrape has appeared on the rear bumper of my car. Coincidentally a red (my car colour) scrape has appeared on a neighbouring persons (white) van. Has he come forward and admitted he did it? Has he heck as like. Can I prove he did it? Not likely.
Browse
Legacy Sports Tourer. 3 litre petrol in RE trim. Even more unique than the Saab, but better (more engaging) to drive and Japanese reliable. The flat four engine makes a really nice noise too.