June 2015
Hello all.
I presently have a BMW X5 3litre diesel 2006, it has been a wonderful car, but it is starting to have problems, some quite expensive, so I am looking for suggestions for another car.
It is mainly for work (I am self employed) and I do quite a lot of miles. I need a big boot. I also have back problems, so need a good seating position. I like 4x4s, and prefer automatic.
I wonder if anyone has suggestions?
What I need:
High ride and good seat position as I do very long journeys (often5-6hours at a time)
The biggest boot space possible
Seats for 5 people as I have young kids - also I like a solid, 'safe' car - more important to me than price
Cruise control
Not slow!
Other things that would be good:
I prefer automatic because I often have sciatica in my left leg
Prefer diesel, but not fixed in stone
Xenon or led headlights
I am sure there are other things I haven't remembered...
I have the trade in price of this BMW plus a few thousand to spend, so not too much really.
I looked at the Volvo XC90 and xc70 - the latter is too small in the back, and the 90 seems to have other problems I have seen on forums. I had an xtrail several years ago - a good reliable car but found it slow, uncomfortable and not a nice ride. Any other suggestions like this?
Thanks
Tseb
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hi does anybody know how i would get a code for my vauxhall omega?its origional radio but my battery went flat!! registration number is DU02EGX,thanks. Read more
Vauxhall dealer will be able to supply a data card that has radio code/key number etc for around £25.Alternatively remove the radio to get the model and serial number and them search on flea bay for code crackers.I presume somebody must have put the code in previously,doubt if it is the original battery.
I love my 6 month old vehicle, but find the 18" wheels and low profile tyres noisey and the ride hard. Is there a specialist company to which I could part-exchange my wheels and tyres for the standard 16" wheels and appropriate tyres? Read more
If you wait until you need new tyres you can get wheels and tyres packages, I've used tyres-pnues (other retailers are available).
...
I suppose this question has come up previously, but here goes:
SWMBO and I have been contemplating buying a small caravan. Given our new location quite near to the ferries and tunnel for the channel it makes sense to consider touring the continent. It is not just selecting a vehicle that is capable of towing a small caravan but also a vehicle with a proven track record of towing and being reliable too. I am not keen on Land Rover or the usual SUV type vehicles and would prefer a suitable saloon. I am sure many forum members have relevant experience in this field. Any useful advice would be most welcome. If we proceed then I would purchase caravan and vehicle during the winter months to drive a better deal. Thanks Concrete Read more
Thanks Happy Blue, very positive feedback. I shall go and see the man and have a good look around the Kuga and the Mondeo.
Getting more compicated now! a friend has recommended a Honda CRV. He has had one for 4 trouble free years and does some towing although mainly trailers, but he speaks highly of it. I must say I have had three Honda Accords in the past and they were all excellent. More ingredients in the mix. Good job I not in a hurry!...
This has probably been done to death before and, if so, I apologise but could somebody who knows what's what please advise of the correct driving procedure immediately after new tyres have been fitted. I have a Mazda 6 2.0litre and have had new front and rear tyres fitted this last week. Is it necessary to 'drive them in'? If so, how? There seems to be a lot of contradictory advice on various websites.Thanks in advance. Read more
Really informative and interesting thread. :)
Hi looking at buying the above car with 50k miles on it 4 yrs old - 2011 model noticed it's only had 2 services to date ( one Audi dealer the other an independant ) Wondered what's the service schedule/intervals?? I'd have expected more services in the book. Thought I'd ask gauge opinion before buying . Read more
Its not the oil (although it partly is), it's the inspections of things that can and do go wrong that get missed by less frequent inspections.
Why are aeroplanes inspected after each flight.....?
I know this has been debated before but I thought I'd add some comment following a return journey from Winchester to Bridge of Allan this week. A distance of 433 each way. So leaving at 6am on Wednesday and returning at 9.00 on Saturday the journey too 6 hours out and 6 hours 10 mins back. I generally find our motorway network pretty good as this and previous returns to Scotland demonstrate. Am I just lucky? Read more
where safe cruise control is a great device to reduce the strain of driving and keeping the roadside cameras at rest.
I have a 1998 BMW E39 535i sitting in my driveway. I thought it might become a classic someday, but I'm starting to get complaints from the wife that it's taking up driveway space -so it's time to move it on as I have a regular car for daily use. It's in immaculate condition, only 100K miles on the clock and has been kept ticking over weekly. I'm not too keen on selling it via the usual online channels as I don't want the usual 'tyre kickers' - I'd prefer it to go to a proper Beemer enthusiast. Where is the best place to look for such a buyer or enthusiasts' forum?
Thanks... Read more
and has been kept ticking over weekly
Worst thing you can do to an engine. Most manuals warn you against letting a car idle too long....
Can anybody offer help? My cheaply purchased Zafira A 1.6 16v petrol has been pumping out a lot of smoke (clouds!), feeling "strangled" and underpowered, and knocking under load. It burns a lot of oil, I top it up about twice a week and the knocking stops immediately afterwards, but returns in a day or two (low mileage, local town driving mainly, although it has had a few 200+mile Mway trips recently. Since buying it have cleaned breathers (2 small, 1 large to sump) which weren't completely blocked but had tons of mayo inside. Replaced EGR (as prior to this engine kept cutting out, old EGR was coked up). Cleaned throttle body. Nothing made any difference to smoke/strangled power/knocking. On basis it may have been a blocked oilway/pickup filter I removed cam cover and sump. Cam cover wasn;t too bad, internal breather pipe was clear. Sump very black but filter not blocked. Cleaned everything up anyway. While apart I poked around the oilways without really knowing what I was doing (honesty is prob the best policy here!). I also turned the engine by rotating a camshaft while it was apart (didn't remove timing chain). Battery was disconnected the entire time.
So - it all went back together without a problem. Turned ignition, engine cranks fine, catches, then almost immediately cuts out. Same thing everytime. No errors when doing pedal test at this point. Eventually I disconnected the crank sensor, it then fires and idles fast/not smoothly, rev it and it knocks. Reconnect the crank sensor and back to firing/cutting out straightway. Now have a 0335 error code (which makes sense I suppose having run it withoug crank sensor connected). I've now broken the "lock" on the sensor connector so it doesn't stay in tightly, but as that was after these problems I don't think that's relevant. Replaced crank sensor but no change at all.
Any ideas? Could I have somehow messed up the timing by turning it over by hand? Could I have damaged something poking around the oilways?
Thanks, sorry it's so long-winded!
Jamie Read more
All sorted. Timing was out by 1 notch on the front cam.
With no prior signs of battery losing power the car on first start did not start, just like a dead battery. After a few seconds I tried again and after a very slouggish start the starter motor began turning and eventually the negine fired.
I put the battery on an 8 Amp fast charge but after 4 hours the charger was still showing a 'Battery poor condition' light and only 90% charged. Starting the car was just the same very sluggish.... Read more
What about the cabling to the starter? Does it all look OK? Same with alternator wiring.
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How about a mazda cx5, ford kuga or freelander?