August 2010
it has been announced that the government intends to ban wheel clamping on private land in England and Wales.
I bought a Fiat Ducato Motorhome last year on ebay as spaires or repairs with some damp problems inside the rear of the camper . As i'm a coach- -builder to trade this would be an easy fix just having to re-seal the roof and interiour lining boards replaced and just a make over to update as the van was an 1987 model . There was no body or panel damage at all everything was totaly origional and a few years of dust dirt and grime on the paintwork as hadn't been on the road in a few years. The police came 3 weeks after a v5 was aplied for everything was fine i got my log book .I desided that this was a realy good old van i would keep it. So i spent a fortune on making it a modern camper and renewed the whole inetriour apliances the lot about £2000 spent plus £1000 for the van. MOT TAXED INSRURED it 6 weeks ago insurance have now canceled my policy saying it was a cat B write off . I contacted DVLA as why a log book was isued and they said it deosn't come into the catagory as its a motorised caravan and that they are happy as police report sayed they deemed it road worthy. Citizens advice say it can be changed but wer'nt sure how. Isurance who wrote it of says theres nothing i can do this cannot be changed as the engineers report is that vehicle will be cat B so basicaly tuff.!! So i'm now left with our lovely camper been away in every weekend including a weeks holiday for the last 6 weeks. And cant get insurance.We are totaly gutted as we love it not to mention the work and money spent on it. Please can you help in where to go with this .jim Read more
yes dvd my log book is clean and dvla say they dont catagorise it the same as a car as its a motorised caravan thats why i got log book and that the police only checked it as it had a notification someone declared it sc***ped so they checked vehicle identity and reported in their opinion the vehicle could go back on the road and that was before i started work on it . nothing at all on v5
regards jim
I currently have a V-Reg Vectra with bucket-type seats. I am looking for a replacement car that has the seats a bit higher off the ground to allow my disabled wife easier access into and out of the car but not so high that she can't get in. Any thoughts on a) what car would be good for this, b) how to "try out" a car first and c) which type of car (auto / manual) would give the smoothest ride / suspension so my wife doesn't get car sick. Read more
I'd really want to try the car with the person with disabled issue, even if it was part of a test drive, before committing thousands of pounds.
My Mother, later in her life, had serious mobility issues and walked, or rather shuffled, with a frame. ...
I seem to remember reading recently that scrap car prices had jumped to around £200.... Read more
scrap car values are decided by many factors which are unable to judge dircetly so we must contact the best scrap car dealer for that.
Help
Live in France and have a 4 year old Focus Ghia 2 Litre TDCI. When it was 3 years old the ESP System Fault sign came up. Knowing nothing at all about cars, went straight to the Ford Garage that services the car to be told that the part alone was 1700 Euros - they told me to write to Ford for assistance as something so expensive should not go after 3 years. Well, no response from Ford. Shall I shut up and pay up or fight? Am told that it's safe to drive as ESP is just an additional safety measure.... Read more
I have a Focus ST with exactly the same issue and potential cost - my local garage tell me they have replaced 10 of these units in the last few months. There is an issue and you need to speak to Ford in France or wherever you bought the car (UK?) and ask for help. They need to know about the issue from anyone affected so they can do something about it. Good luck!
I was driving south on the M1 today, and had pulled out into the outside lane to pass a long line of cars in the middle lane. About halfway through the manouevre, I could see a VW Polo approaching from behind at a real speed - probably getting on for about a ton. I was doing 85, which is a bit faster than I'm usually comfortable with on the motorway.
The Polo gets right up behind, by what feels like a couple of inches off my bumper flashing his headlights. I can't pull over, as there are cars on my nearside. I chose not to go any faster as I was already going as fast as I was happy with, but pulled over as soon as I had passed the cars in the middle lane (there were quite a few, but I was getting past them at a good pace). I don't normally get bothered about people who want to travel faster than me, I'm quite happy to let them pass. What really got to me today was what happened next. The Polo passes me, then pulls into my lane and brakes hard in front of me, almost causing me to run into the back of them, so I had to swerve around them. The driver in the Polo then floors it and is off, thankfully not to be seen again...... Read more
"That suggests that the car was a stolen one driven by joyriders"
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i have fitted a 405 dturbo to my 306 dturbo after the last engine packed it in . the engine is from a 1995 dturbo 405 and the car is a 00 306 van . i am using the lucas pump off my previous engine with injectors too . in conjunction with the 405 engine im using its own manifold and garret turbo too . the wiring is from a 306 straight diesel slightly modified to run a dturbo . the engine sounds fine running and all but it has no power what-so-ever . when i remove the pip going from the intercooler to the fuel pum and place my finger on it at the intercooler there is only a small amount of air flow , anyone know whats wrong ? we have trien playing with the actuatot too but no luck . Read more
I think your best bet would be to fit a mechanical pump, I'm sure there must be plenty about for not to much money, one from a Xantia or ZX would do, preferably Bosch but an early Lucas would do. If you fit a Bosch one you will need the injection pipes as well.
Hi guys.
I bought a new 1.6TDI Octavia, with the new common rail engine, in March. It has settled down to a routine ~57 mpg over mixed but consistent motoring on Esso diesel.... Read more
Ta for the link. Must do some more research, as I suspect someone must by now be doing a kit to remove these.
I know that mpg figures can vary over a journey significantly, but I was talking over a full tankful, not a journey. And based on brimming the tank and measuring the miles, not relying on the computer (which coincidentally is agreeing with a 10% drop)...
This problem occurs only in hot weather and mainly when the engine is also hot although occasionally when it is only warm. In the July French heatwave it got to the point that the following three stage procedure had to be gone through every time I started the car.
1) Go through starting procedure, lights on fascia go out, starter motor spins, engine will not start, switch off.... Read more
Now theres a thought. Could be the difference between French and English diesei I surpose. I generally buy Supermarket diesel but in France I check the pumpsin detail first to ensure that I am not making any obvious mistakes. Do the French put bio in their 'gaz oil'?
Evening,
My car has recently developed a rather interesting problem. I am more inclined to believe it is the diff rather than the gearbox but i shall run the symptoms past you to see what you think. ... Read more
It is under warrantee, take it to the dealers. Regards Peter
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Roly 93,And this lot are a bunch of winners?