June 2013
Hello all,
I'm looking for a bit of car buying advice. I am mainly interested in reliability. Say you have two cars of the same age, both with FSH, long MOTs, similar-ish price, good condition etc, but one is a notoriously reliable make but much higher mileage, is it worth sacrificing the mileage to get that make?
I'm thinking specifically 2000 Toyota Celica with 93k compared to a 2000 Ford Puma with 51k. Is the much higher mileage worth the Toyota reliability?
On another note, is it worth going for a car that is newer even if it has similar mileage (all else being approximately equal)?
So in this case the Ford Puma above compared to 2003 Sport Ka with 46k.
Thanks in advance for any tips. Read more
Hi, I'm looking to trade-in my current car as I have moved jobs and no longer drive the distances which I bought it for. I used to drive 30-40 miles each day with a longer trip of around 600 miles every third or fourth week. Now I drive around 30-40 miles a week and no regular long drives.
I live on one of the Hebridean Islands and fuel is very expensive (£1.65 average per litre of diesel) so I'd prefer to get another diesel car - and, it seems that the equivalent size diesel drives better than the petrol.... Read more
Hi SteveLee, do you drive (or have driven) the C3 1.4HDi? I had thought that going from a 1.6i C4 to a 1.6HDi C5 woul feel quite different - C5 slower as it's heavier - but it feels faster than my C4 did. I guess this is due to the torque from the diesel as both 1.6 engines are 110bhp but the C5 is 500kg heavier?
I can get 60+ mpg on a 10 mile + journey but should I make a few stops on the way and the consumption goes way up (28mpg), like there's a tap opened somewhere. I'm aware of the affects of a cold engine, or start-stop traffic, but compensating for these factors the fuel consumption still seems extremely erratic. I always drive sedately (1000 rpm) but occasionally drive on higher revs to clear the dpf. The car has only done 18000 miles anyway. Recently I've noticed the car pulling even with my foot off the accelerator pedal. Read more
1000rpm is way too low to be driving at. It's barely above idle and th eengine will be labouring. This is especially hard on big end bearings, which will probably just break up into bits eventually.
When I buy a car, I always ask the owner to drive it first so I can listen and look. I'm also looking at how they drive it. I wouldn't buy your car off you if you drove like that....
Hi,
For the past few days I have noticed an unusual sound when braking. It seems to come from the rear of the car, and my wife swears that it is only from the right side (although I'm not sure).... Read more
I've heard it too, the only sound worse was dragging fingernails down a blackboard.
Grabs the attention though!
I have had the Mercedes E200 from new and 2 years after I bought it I had the local Mercedes dealer install air conditioning. He subcontracted the work and it now appears that the contractor did not use Mercedes parts. The non-Mercedes pump has recently been replaced, but the aircon engineer then burnt out the box by Autosystem (assumed to be the control box?) The aircon engineer had not disconnected the battery when working on the aircon wiring)! This box is housed in the passenger foot-well. I need help please either 1. Sourcing a replacement Autosystem control box or 2. Finding someone who can repair said Autosystem control box or 3 . Advice on whether a Mercedes aircon control box will do the job and where I might buy one - a car Mercedes breaker for example or 4. a competent aircon firm in or near Chester/ Manchester or London who can sort this problem for me. Read more
Could this be the company/manufacturer you are looking for?They may have agents in the UK.www.autosystem.it/en
Hi, I have a slight whine on the steering on my wife's S-Max. I took it into my local garage for a service yesterday and also asked the mechanic to cast his eye over the steering to see what the problem was. He said he is 98% sure that its the pump and will be an expensive job. The mechanic explained that the pump has been starved of fluid which in turn has damaged the pump hence he whine noise when the steering wheel is turned. The mechanic said that its not bad enough to spend the money on getting it done and to leave it for the time being. He also mentioned that Ford may have had a recall on this issue as its very common. My main question is, has this problem been a recall by Ford? Regards :-) Read more
I have an S-max and have not had this problem. I have had the problem on other cars and I simply keep the PAS reservoir topped up.
Pubs to open at service stations on motorways: to serve from 8am - what can go wrong?
... Read more
We called it a "Term" in my day.
A 'term' isn't synonymous with 'semester'; trimester would be the American equivalent. You'll be glad to know hear that terms are very much alive at some of Britain's Universities!
I hate to be a pedant (actually I don't), but the birds sitting on the electric fence don't need an eye test! Read more
Now that my daughter has bought a horse, she is considering buying a 4X4, she is selling her audi a3 and hopes to find something that won't cost a fortune to run as she will have to use it for work also. We have been looking at Mitsubishi Pajero's 2.5, 3 door. She needs something that will be able to tow a trailer. The Shoguns seems to be way too big.
It appears that some Landrovers don't have the pulling power. I'd be grateful for some ideas on 4X4's i.e. not too heavy on the diesel, mileage, maintenance. Her budget is around £1.500.... Read more
OP you must do as you think best, suggest lots of research before buying into this market.
You didn't want something heavy on fuel but you're looking at a 2 ton brick with a robust AWD transmission, fuel efficient these vehicles will never be, nothing wrong with that but don't let anyone tell you that they will do more than 25mpg in normal use and considerably less if driven hard.
Hi i have a Peugoet 307 automatic triptronic (2007)if im not mistakened.the vin number is VF33CNFUF84339868 .When i drive for awhile it starts jerking and seems like its strugling to catch the gear but i exsilerate alil more then it does .its also seems to get slugish .what id like to also know does my car have a FAP? i also looked today and there is no magnets by the petrol cap (does this car of mine supose to have the magnets ?you know you get the Peugeot 307cc and peugeot 307sw .what is mine? Kind regards Wonderboy Read more
Find someone better at diagnostics. Google "Peugeot Planet Map" to find a network of Peugeot owners with diagnostic equipment who know how to use it.
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I've always backed my own ability to spot a rightun from a wrongun, but people with no interest in cars will probably be at the mercy of owner reviews, service history and dealer reputation. I just slump in my chair when people ask me 'is a Golf/Focus/insert generic car a good used purchase?'
That's impossible to answer.