September 2016
Just received my annual renewal. Guess what? For the second year running the renewal is less than the previous year. Checked around and my existing company came out cheapest for a new quote, but more expensive than renewal for exactly the same information given. So the price reduction must be for loyalty.
I did get an e mail thanking me for being a loyal customer ( have house and contents with the same company) and telling me they were preparing my renewal quote. They meant it too.... Read more
Any one have any experience or share your thoughts?
Looking at an android media system for my focus as my stock system is playing up. Add to that I don't have Bluetooth and use my phone sat nav.
To get these things and fix the stereo would cost more than one of these androids. I'd also be getting a touch screen/DVD/optional reverse cam amongst other things with the android.
Link to an example:
m.lightinthebox.com/in-dash-car-dvd-player-for-for...g
I've seen them in action and being fitted on YouTube and look pretty decent.
The only thing I'm sceptical about is the quality (cheap Chinese made) and any effect on the cars battery and/or wiring Read more
Thanks for the reply.
I too always say buy cheap but twice.
It's just there are no mainstream manufactures that make this type of unit.
Maybe I should just try to find a ford Bluetooth component for a reasonable price some where
Can anyone explain why do I experience more power on these engines when realising the acceleration pedal.
I'm having a theory that when you let off the gas, air is stil coming in the intake, making it a lean mixture ang giving the engine more power by producing more heat.
The fiat is from 2006 with 121000km and the dacia has around 5000kmor around 3500mi Read more
I have had a test drive in a 13 titanium X business edition and a 13 cc gt 177. Both manual and similar miles. I narrowed my choice down to these two and expected to be able to choose. Trouble is that they both seem to drive nicely albeit at speeds only up to 50. I do 250 miles a week roughly on mainly a roads and motorway. I don't trust mpg claims but it seems that several have been disappointed with the Ford 2.0tdci 163.
II would appreciate any sensible advice especially from owners.... Read more
How long a test drive did you have in the VW CC? I had the Passat CC GT 170PS diesel for three years. It was very comfortable. The seats were great (I'd upgraded to the climate seats but the standard nappa ones are nice enough). And then there's the adaptive dampers - I used to have mine set to sport but it still smoothed out the bumps.
I cannot comment on the Mondeo as I've not driven a recent one but the inside of the CC is nicer to me....
The is a TV programme scheduled for this evening, Wednesday 7th September on Channel 5 at 10:00 pm. 'Undercover:...' It includes interwiews with criminals who make their living by causing car crashes. Read more
A friend was a recent victim of a ‘distraction’ crash for cash scam. Unfortunately for the perps, my friend is no pushover and they’ve had their collars felt....
Must be a slow week for news. Not a real story, just a civil servant failing to commit to an answer: that's not new is it? Read more
Brexit will result in years and years of confusion and uncertainty for the UK economy and legislation such as this, and it will NOT mean effective border controls (already confirmed by the PM!) which is what most voters were hoping for.
Only a fool would buy a car based on the 'official' mpg figures. As Honest John has pointed out many times, these are achieved under permitted artificial conditions over predetermined driving cycles. It is the government(s) that need to change the rules for testing. Read more
When I got my current car, VTEC 1.8, 2012 Civic at 20,000 miles, the best I could get out of it was 32mpg. The engine felt stifled, it was reluctant to accelerate and I complained long and hard to the dealer and this web site.
After a year of hard acceleration and high speed motorway driving, many tanks of Shell V Power and a service, the car now does 42mpg. This is not far off the 'official' 44mpg and I don't hang around if speed limits and road conditions allow. My last car, the trusty 2.2 iCDTi diesel, was only averaging around 4mpg more doing the same trips.
I think that modern driving conditions and fuels are not letting us run our cars in properly as well as allowing the engines get choked up with soot. I've obviously freed the engine of this, made all the parts rub nicely together and now it is a different vehicle altogether. It's eager to get to the redline if I let it, that's 6000-7000rpm, but I mainly take it to around 4000 on motorways. Which in most diesel vehicles would be screaming the nuts off their engines.
I'm really looking forward to driving the new 1.5 VTEC turbo – low down grunt with a love of revs. Interestingly, I've found my current car runs better on BP regular fuel whereas the Shell I used to use made flat spots around 4500rpm.
Judging by the number of Auto boxes I guess this tells us manufacturers are able to program Automatic gearboxes specifically for emission test <sigh>
Though who can blame manufacturers? The problem lies with the test in my opinion.... Read more
You ask - we deliver. www.honestjohn.co.uk/news/miscellaneous/2016-09/th.../
Can't we have the best diesels re mpg regardless of the claims of manufacturers.
Perhaps Landrover were more honest with the tests, so its ratio of real versus test is very good, but it certainly hasn't got the best mpg!
We all now know the claims of manufacturers in the official figures are pure fiction and some even more fiction than others, so it would be helpful if Honest John published its figures on genuinely the best cars in a convenient list so potential buyers would have a useful guide.
Hopefully in time the tests will change but a guide is needed now.
Read more
What about a mpg for automatic cars? Or a specification if the review is for automatic or manual? I understand that automatics give a lower mpg
The S-Type was based on the Jaguar DEW platform/Ford DEW platform, shared with the Lincoln LS and Ford Thunderbird. It was the X-Type, the car that almost killed Jaguar, that was based on a modified version of the Ford CD132 platform, shared with the contemporary Ford Mondeo. Research is a wonderful thing?? Read more
When renewing back in April, Tesco came out cheapest.
But when I put in my clubcard number, the quote was almost halved.