September 2015

oldroverboy.

A few years ago, while out in the middle east visiting friends was asked by the father for an opinion of the mechanical state of the car. We were on some quiet roads so took the wheel and rove a couple of miles, and opined that nothing wrong with the car other than its age, (but quietly to swmbo that a new driver would be useful.

Back there and last night went out with the son shopping and to get a takeaway for supper.... Read more

mss1tw


The habit they have of turning their headlights off until they see a car approaching is also rather un-nerving.

This has got to be amongst the stupidest (Although not surprising) things I've ever heard!

Leif

As the title says, is it worth protecting an NCB? I have 10 years NCB. Insurance costs £150. Read more

Engineer Andy

Interesting contribution, thanks. That could make sense as I believe the postcode of the incident has a "high risk" insurance factor.

The problem is that this should only matter to new drivers with very little driving (claims) history - I could live in a very high claims area but be a very safe driver, having no fault claims, therefore my premium renewal should be the same (all other things being equal) as if I lived in a low claims area....

jamiethomas92

to put A/C in a Fiesta 1.25 57 plate duratec engine Read more

skidpan

It would be prohibitably expensive. The list of parts needed and the amount of labour to dismantle the dash and underbonnet area would be huge. It may also need the input of an electronics expert to get the new kit to communicate with the existing car which may result in a matching ECU being needed. This would make the job hugely expensive.

Cheapest way would be to sell yours and put the money towards a newer car fitted with A/C.

Peartree

VVW could face penalties of $37,500 for each car sold in the US after deliberately cheating in emissions tests:

www.theguardian.com/business/2015/sep/21/volkswage...a... Read more

Ethan Edwards

It's far more complex than particles or CO2....see the link.

http://www.clickgreen.org.uk/product/directory/125055-petrol-vs-diesel-which-is-more-environmentally-friendly-.html...

james45

Hi I have a droning noise coming from front os and need some help. I have have the bearing changed in the last few days and also the front wheels balanced. I have also tried swapping the wheels front to back and it's made no difference.The tracking seems fine with no uneven wear and I can only think that it's either drive shaft/cv joint based but don't want to spend out on unnecessary repairs. Can anyone help? Read more

james45

Yes it was looked and and driven by a mechanic and it seems it's the drive shaft centre bearing so he'll remove it and there's a precision bearing company down the road that will provide a higher quality replacement rather than go through the cost of a new drive shaft. Thanks for all the help guys.

Ph333pjwh

Can any body help please??! I own a Vauxhall Zafira I'm having trouble with the climate control system and the monitor.I've had 2 diagnostics done on it and both couldn't get a reading. They advised me to check the fuses which I did. All seem fine. From there I checked the connections behind the control unit. Upon inspection, everything seemed fine but when I checked the live on both plugs the grey plug had a permanent but the blue plug had no live whatsoever. From there I went to the trip computer this had power supply but wasn't working. Anybody got any ideas at all please? Thanks in advance. Read more

RobJP

Unfortunately, you don't actually say what the problem is :

I'm having trouble with the climate control system and the monitor...

Graham567

Hi, I have just taken out breakdown cover with rescuemycar.com and have included breakdown cover and home cover.After receiving my documents it mentions about a £40 excess on the policy.Does this mean that every time i call them out i have to pay £40? It says in the policy documents about paying the £40 on a card before they send anyone out.Is this correct? What happens if i breakdown and haven't got my card on me?

I took out this cover because a few backroomers had recommended it but now having doubts about these excesses which weren't clear at the time i took the policy.... Read more

dan86

Yes you have to pay the £40 up front but that should of been made aware to you before you purchased the cover they also have a option of a no excess policy but that cost a little bit more.

jamct

I am interested in the above new model which comes with 'steel' wheels & wheel covers. Alloys are only available as part of the comprehensive technology 'City Black' upgrade at over £5000.

Does the after sale private purchase of the 'correct' size/specification alloy wheels from an independent supplier affect the car manufacture's warranty?.... Read more

jamct

7 page Introductory Brochure now online with pic & basic info. Detailed specification listings & dimensions not yet available viz:

https://www.infiniti.co.uk/cars/brochure.html

woody9779

My Jag (with Ford engine) has a frustrating and dangerous problem.

Noticeably more in cold weather-
The idle speed increases when the car is in motion, getting up to 1500 rpm - which when in 5th means acceleration with no input from me!

With the cluth depressed it drops to about 1000, and when the car actually is stopped returns to the correct 800 (with occassional surging)

I have had the local garage hook it up to diagnostics but the car is clean with no codes at all.

I cleaned the EGR valve myself and that made no difference. I would say the problem is worsening.

Could this be a sensor?

I know this has been asked before but has anyone had the same problem or found the solution?

Any help Gratefully received!
Read more

Cyd

try a half can of Wynns Professional Turbo Cleaner to give the inlet tract and compressor side a good clean out. It worked wonders for me on a PSA HDi. I got mine from GSFs eBay shop.

the turbo breathes in the crankcase gases and gets bunged up in the compressor side. Enough carp and the turbine blades start to run in it slowing the turbo down. The car then jacks the throttle open to try and compensate atidle....

Bilboman

These pesky inventions are appearing all over towns in Spain, often as a cheaper measure than fill-width humps. No doubt they enable buses and large emergency vehicles with wider axles to drive across them without impeding progress but for ordinary motorists they are a pain. Warning signs usually tell us to slow down to 30 or even 20 km/h on approach, but as the road speed is usually 50 before and after there is a lot of slowing down and speeding up, so brakes and suspension are subject to more wear and fuel is wasted.
Where conditions "permit", some drivers even take to swerving right round the bumps, regardless of solid white lines: a similar disregard to speed limits is quite widespread.
And as an avid follower of Honest John, I seem to be the only driver who drives over the wretched things on one side, rather than trying to straddle, which wears the inner shoulders of the tyres. My "asymmetrical straddling" action is a useful alert to the driver behind but occasionally causes some odd looks! I have even met pairs of these bumps in adjacent lanes, which forces me to straddle.
I am hoping against hope that some EU-wide legislation consigns these nasty things to the history books, but I really have no idea what could take their place as effective speed-reduction devices in built up areas. Read more

Engineer Andy

I presume you mean the 'cushion-type' ones we see in the UK which throw out the tracking if you straddle them, or quickly knacker the suspension if you [only alternative, even at slow speeds] go over them with the wheels over the centre?

The worst type of 'speed humps' I've come across are the too-high semi-circular concrete ones with no warnings, including having them painted so you can see them well before you reach them. Unless you drive at walking pace (less than 5mph), then you will almost certainly do serious damage to your suspension, wheels/tyres or all three. I have had the 'pleasure' of not realising this in my old car (mid 90s Nissan Micra) going at (what I thought was a safe low speed of) 10mph (as directed by the signs), and being lucky to get away with no serious damage - another driver doing about the same speed was not so lucky and had to have his car towed to the local garage for a repair costing several £000s, all whilst on holiday....