August 2012
I have a Hyundai Tucson in which the the fan belt recently broke, part of it got into the head, under the cam belt and damged the head. It's out of warranty and will cost too much to repair. The book value of the car (before this event) was about £7k. Its been a fantastic car but who would buy it now and what is it worth? It just seems too good to write off - what are my options? I'd really appreciate some help here..... many thanks in advance Read more
On the side of the injector pump is a little Lucas Device Part No 412219.
My Question is.. What does it do? ... Read more
Thanks very much....... Peter N
Hi, ignorant newbie here, be gentle! Hoping for some thoughts, I viewed a Golf today at an independent dealer, the guy seemed really nice, no bad vibes. I liked the car too, it ran sweetly and looked in OK condition for mileage. What confused me a little was that the dealer freely pointed out that the tyres and clutch needed replacing, they were both obvious actually, he also said that this had put a couple of people off. He said he would get these and anything else that needed doing fixed if I wanted it, new cam belt too, but it just seemed odd to do it this way round; surely he would sort these things first? My concern was that it wouldn't go into gear once during my test drive, this is presumably the clutch but I won't know this for sure until its been replaced...also the tyre wear was slightly uneven not markedly so, how would I know if the whole chassis had been bent? Sorry if these are daft questions thanks :-) Read more
Many thanks for your words of wisdom, which make perfect sense of course :-) I will pass on this one and keep looking..
I had remembered the HPI check but hadn't thought of the VOSA one, so thank you for the tip! I did ring VW and they were helpful....
Hello, wonder if anyone can help or has experienced this. I had a new front windscreen wiper unit fitted today (described as unit / rod & bracket by the garage) to my 2003 Audi A4 Avant.
I picked the car up after the (independent) garage had shut. The problems with the wipers were certainly fixed BUT I immediately noticed that, with the climate control on Auto, the windscreen blower came on and went off every 5 seconds or so (the intervals were not regular). When I switched the blower on (climate control no longer on Auto), it did not blow air to the windscreen at all.... Read more
there is no electrical connection between the wipers and the heater system,but the plastic cover over the wipers and heater air intake system needs to be removed.it is possible that something has fallen into the intake vent and preventing the fan working correctly.hth
I have just purchased a 1999 V70 with 144,000 on the clock for £880 any good advice or tips would be much appreciated. It will primarily be a dog transport car so not to worried about the interior and have been warned about keeping it serviced and oiled, seems to be in good order apart from grinding noise going into third gear. All the best, Damion. Read more
Thanks 659 - glad to have an explanation of why modern Volvos have such an awful turning circle. The old 240s turn on a sixpence - RWD of course but some FWD cars, like Skodas, are perfectly respectable in this regard. My Octavia has a better turning circle than SWMBO's Mini.
The Audi A4 I had was excellent - could that be because - if I remember right - its engine isn't transverse?
one minute the wipers and windows work the next they dont, a period of the car standing makes it either work, fuses not blown engine starts fine, not sure where to go next to be honest
... Read more
Yep, a local mechanic should be able to. A few hours as some 'stripping' may be required
I had similar problems with my mazda 6 which had ford wiring components - had to replace a couple of wiring looms...
My turbo is dead, broken, unrepairable (some component or other in the turbo itself has sheared off). I have a few questions that I really need some help on...
1. What price can I expect to pay for a new turbo and a recon turbo?
2. Is it sensible to even consider a recon turbo?
3. Where can I go for the best deal on a quality turbo?
I'm desperate and need to get something sorted ASAP - please help !
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Does the 0000 on the badge stand for the thousands it cost to repair them when out of warranty?
I know of 3 people who all have audis under 2 years old and have all suffered breakdowns and replacement of major components, I thought they were meant to be reliable! I know the people in question have had their cars repaired under warranty but IF they were out of the warranty period the bills would be very large.
It's definitely put me off ever buying one!
Thoughts? Read more
The fact that vehicles from the VAG and BMW stables are the most reliable are fast becoming a myth, they have faults and break down just as much as any other modern car. I have family, friends and colleagues who have found this out just as you have. Having paid a premium price for what they thought was better quality they are finding out the expensive way they are not. The worst part of it is the very poor customer service they get from BMW dealers in particular.
Having said all that the major components of any modern car, no matter which manufacturer, are extremely expensive. If using your own money to buy a car all the more reason to buy from a manufacturer who gives a longer warranty. There are now a few giving 5 or 7 year warranties, if you are buying with your wallet rather than the companys then that's the way to go.
I am starting to venture on to the motorways more and more frequently with my 2003 Ford Galaxy 1.9TDi. This, of course, reveals the principle drawback of the otherwise excellent vehicle - it's very noisy and not at all a relaxing place to be on drives of up to 8 hours (breaks excluded).
So, me being me, I started to consider throwing money at the problem by upgrading to a more modern, more quietly engined diesel propelled chariot. However, a thought occurred to me. What if I could reduce the noise to a comfortable level in the cabin? Is there any way to do that?... Read more
Yes, Avant, it is I. Thanks.
In Scotland, it is a well known fact that the A9 Inverness to Perth road is one of the most dangerous roads in Scotland, if not the most dangerous.
Or so the press always tell us. ... Read more
I've had that towing a caravan - the impatient drivers hopping past the queue behind me only to realise there's just as much queue in front as behind.
I most certainly was not being an impatient driver. If other drivers wanting to overtake safely and get on with the job of getting home so offends you then you should not be on the road. Do you never overtake when you are not towing. Expect you close the gap to prevent other drivers getting into the space in front of you....
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I'm having problems working out the circumstances under which a repair on a £7,000 car would not be worth doing.
Surely a replacement engine won't cost much more than a grand?