October 2011
Hello, I wonder if you could help me - I'll try and keep the background as brief as I can.
I'm in dispute with the finance company and dealer I bought my car off.
i bought the car 4 months ago (BMW 320th 03 plate 68,000 miles on the clock £4,500). A couple of weeks ago the car suffered engine failure. A 'Swirl Flap' had broken off and was ingested into the manifold and engine etc repairs have been estimated at approx £4,000.00. I have been trying to hold the finance company to account under the Sale of Goods Act (I have been receiving advice from Trading Standards). The finance company sent out DEKRA to carry out a engineers report. The issue here is if the 'fault' could have existed or been developing when I purchased the car. The DEKRA report states that the flap had failed suddenly and unpredictably and could not have been broken at time of purchase. It should be noted the finance company's instruction to the engineer was fairly leading and it was obvious what they wanted the outcome to be. I have corresponded with several BMW 'experts' that have suggested that the flaps can fail due to debris build up over a period of time (that is they can work loose etc), The report also suggests BMW have acknowledged this issue with improvements to the design although I have correspondence from them saying this is not the case.
i would welcome your comments,
Regards, Neil. Read more
Hi all,
Have just started a job 40 miles from where I live so doing at least 80 commuter motorway miles 5 days a week (plus "leisure miles"). My current car is an SLK 200 registered in 2003, so is costing £140 per WEEK in petrol. Clearly this isn't sustainable!... Read more
C class 220 Diesel would fit the bill, maybe 3 gallons a day at your mileage would save £50 or so a week.
For some time the front of a Ciroen DS3, with the vertical day running lights reminds me of a beaver.
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Now to animals:...
as above. 2minutes later will start and run fine. Read more
Connect a voltmeter across the 12v supply inside the car somewhere so you can see it, on the cigar lighter would be OK, then watch the voltage when the fault occurs, if it drops to anywhere near 12 volts you probably have an alternator fault, otherwise its an electronic problem.
hi i have a peugeot 406 lx 2ltr hdi (110) and its leaking water from the back of the engine what could this be Read more
I have here in my possession a starter motor from a 1980 1.6 Golf GTi,does anyone know if it would fit a 1979 1.5LD 1495cc manual?Please don`t respond with "try it and see" as the starter is in Blighty and the car in Oz..... :) Read more
Thanks TeeCee,much appreciated.
I have replaced all three engine mounts( when the rear one probably would have sufficed) and a worn driveshaft (the long one drivers side)but I still have play in the drivetrain when releasing the clutch to pull off unless it is done gently. Initially there was excesive movement in the engine block but that is cured now. Could the problem be with the clutch, a sticking thrust bearing for example? Read more
Pop under your car after either sticking it on ramps or elevating each side of the car in turn by parking just up onto a kerb and grab hold of each driveshaft in turn and try and twist clockwise and anticlockwise and back&forth end to end looking for excessive play.Also try pushing the shaft upwards and downwards.These acts will help determine if you have a gearbox driveshaft bearing on its way out or a c/v joint kaputt.Noise would accompany these problems.
Are you sure that you haven`t got excessively worn front suspension bushes?...
Noticed that the new Aveo will go on sale from january 2012 at £9995, so expect to see them in the car supermarkets shortly afterwards for £6500 ish.. we are quite pleased with our 09 lt which is a second car, Happy motoring all.
... Read more
I remember James May took one of these things out on Top Gear once, when they put slogans on it and shouted through megaphones in central London.
Its not my sort of thing really, i just dont see why you'd buy it over a Cee'd or a Fiesta or even an Astra. I think its too expensive for what it is.
Hi. I have an opel astra 2001 16.16V. My sub assembly was recently replaced with an imported ecotec motor and my old cylinder head reconditioned and re-used. From the start smoke came from the exhaust. then new piston rings was fitted, but after about 100km smoke appeard again. Most mechanics told me that it was the valve stem seals. Then, the cylinder head was roconditioned again with new valves, guides and valve stem seals, and just to make sure, new chrome piston rings was fitted again, but with no luck. With start-up in the morning, there is no smoke, but after about five minutes, smoke starts to appear and get worse the longer i drive. sometimes smoke will be visible on pull away or reving, but not always ans sometimes its worse than other times. someone said that the piston sleeves might be oval, but i dont thing the block had that much milageon as the origional GM bigends was still in when the piston rings was replaced and the sleeves did not even have a ridge. plse help Read more
forgot to say, the car uses about 500ml oil every 150km. someone sugguested that i put in a lower grade oil for about 1000km and that because chrome rings is harder, they still need to bed in, but its not getting any better.
I have a toyota Townace KR-42 (1998) with a 7K-C engine (Automatic transmision). About 3 months ago I had a Radiator block and had to change the thermostat, gasket, and repaired the radiator. However, after I ran for some time the engine started to shiver in a way that the whole vehicle vibrates. Every day for the 1st 20 mins or so the vehicle runs smoothly but after the temperature meter raises a bit it starts to shiver and when I accelerate a bit (on neutral) the shivering stops & when I let it go the shivering sometimes stops but then again it starts all over again when I accelerate to move on the road.
Any suggestions to why this is happening and how to resolve it? Read more
But it happens after I run for some time
Browse
yep I 2nd that. very common problem, well known & Mercs suffer the same fate too !
The flap would of been floating around for some time as they suffer wear before they break !