December 2016
Picked up my 14 plate tourer in m sport spec with 19" alloys .
On the first wash I noticed the front and rear tyre sizes are not the same?
Fronts are 225/40 r19
Rears are 255/35 r19
All run flats is this normal on BMW's? Read more
On line tyre outlets give all details by entering your reg or car type.
Hi everyone,
I had my Ford Focus written off this week and need to buy a car which is going to be used mostly for school runs with our two kids within London, and the occasional trip further afield (we probably average 9000 miles a year). ... Read more
Have a look at the C3 Picasso, your budget should get a tidy well spec'd example around 3ys old. It's got a high driving position and plenty of room. Drives a lot better than you'd expect from looking at it - it's no hot hatch, but it doesn't wallow like you'dexpect such a tall car to do and it soaks up the miles effortlessly.
The petrol engines get decent reviews, but there'll be queue forming after this post telling you to avoid the diesels (DPF, "PSA diesel of doom", etc) but regardless of those concerns a diesel isn't really appropriate for the school run anyway - unless it's 20 miles each way. ...
Car cleaning -- never use a sponge, dirt gets trapped incorrectly and can lead to minor scratches/swirling. Use a microfibre, noodle or lambswool mitt.
rinse car with hose or power-washer if possible and use a good shampoo, rinse and then use a good microfibre drying towel. then consider some spray on finishing wax to keep things simple to start with, buff with clean microfibre cloth. it can get a bit complex with different finishes and surfaces, just takes time to learn/adapt.
plenty of info on car owner forums and car cleaning sites like my favourite - www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/index.php Read more
A friend has a VW Golf Plus 2012 reg with a 1.4 TSi ( 122) petrol engine ( manual,40 k miles) I would be interested in buying it , but have been put of by reports on line on concerning failed timing chains. Do you know if this is a problem with this type of engine, or only the more powerful 1.4 TSi versions.
J. B.
I recently took my Renault 19 for an mot after it lying in a garage for a year, the garage is dry and well insulated, however have noticed that the revometer only works in the rain! I have Checked all obvious cables and connections but nothing seems obvious typical vintage Renault electrics.
Any ideas would be very helpful, more annoying than anything else but has never been a problem before.
Thanks Read more
Firstly,I would check connections around the ignition coil.If these are ok,then you will need to get to the rear of the instrument pod,to check the multi-pin connections and flexible plastic printed circuit.However,removing the pod on one of these is a real challenge,especially when it comes to releasing and re-fitting the speedo drive cable.I would leave it alone.
Hi wondering if anyone can lend their advice as I am suffering with poor fuel economy 36mpg when cruising at 70mph.
For last 4 months I have been suffering from lack of power, turned out to be be turbo solenoid. Now replaced my power is restored but fuel economy has dropped significantly. From the onboard trip computer I previously averaged 54mpg, I have not changed how I drive and the average is down to 40mpg and falling.
In summary of what I have checked:
-There are no fault codes showing in Peugeot Planet.
- Air filter new
- Tried unplugging MAF but no difference to mpg
- sprayed MAF with contact cleaner
- can't find any split turbo pipes or hear any leaks.
- DPF has recently been jet washed out and not showing as blocked in PP2000
- DPF regent taking place average 600Km, last regen 400Km ago. Elios fluid level 60%
- I can hear turbo kicking in and see waste gate arm moving when revved
- I can see on PP2000 the EGR opening/closing as normal. I have now removed vac pipe from EGR and blocked pipe therefore stopping it opening.
- tried thrashing it
- I have just added bottle of Archoil AR6600 turbo, dpf & cat cleaner
- doser valve is opening
I have bought PP2000 so learning my way around it's functions. Is there anything you suggest I look at that can be compared against normal values?
I have found it hard to find normal values for what Peugeot Planet should be showing for a healthy car but these are the readings I am getting:
+ DPF differential pressure = 35mb driving at 60 mph (I believe to be normal)
+ turbo pressure = 1400 mbars at 60mph (I think this is a little low???)
+ Injector 1 idle = 0.98, 50mph = 0.04, 60mph = -0.5
+ Injector 2. Idle = -2.24, 50mph = - 1.22, 60 mph = -2.6
+ injector 3. Idle = 1.06, 50mph = -0.04, 60mph = 1.14
+ injector 4. Idle = 0.27, 50mph = 1.29, 60mph = 1.6
Any thoughts would be much appreciated.
Thanks in advance
Toby
Read more
Well that's new to me, first faulty injectors I have heard of on that engine - thanks for publishing your findings.
There is a small red light on the top of the steering column in front of the toggle for the parking lights. Usually it lights up steady when I enter the car along with the circular lighting around the ignition key lock and goes off when I start the engine. Now it's started flashing when I park with the alarm system on. I've never noticed it before. Can anybody tell me what's going on ? Read more
I accidentally did that a while ago. I helped somebody take down three small trees in their garden, taking the cut branches to the nearby recycle depot, starting the engine 14 times. Then, putting the branches into the car triggered the switch of the rear roof light which is never used. Hence the battery went flat and nothing would work. Which gives meaning to the old saw, "No good deed goes unpunished". I recharged the battery, reset the radio stations and the electric windows continued working. What I had in mind was an update of the ECR programme. When I mentioned this to the new dealer he said, "Bring it in and we'll look at it". The ECR has not been updated since new. I would have expected him to look at the records for updates. Subaru dealers are like hen's teeth and this one is located in a distant town.
Hello my 2003 Fiat Scudo has a problem with the heating blower works fine but never gets hot I have read posts about coolant levels I have checked ok also temp gauge won't go past 70% takes ages to get there if it as a air lock as I read how do I sort it ? Read more
Hello everyone,
My first post here and I spent hours reading! :)... Read more
Post links to the cars you've been looking at, the advert can tell us plenty.
I will be making a decision in a few weeks. Drove legally for a whole year and after been a licenced driver with a spotless record for 20 years I need to take the exam as if I were 16. Oh well...
In the meantime I was reading at this at a Toyota forum and it is a bit scary albeit, the guy was probably very very unlucky....
Hey
I have a Celica 7 gen and it started playing up with the following issues -
No heat in blowers
Over heating
Boiling over coolant
I tried burping it and the het came back but it still overheated so I took it to the garage by my home.
A few people I know suspected the thermostat or rad cap but I got a call from the garage and he said it was the head gasket.
He said he had done a sniff test and it tested positive.
Is it worth me getting a 2nd opinion?
There was coolant all over the engine so would that cause a positive reading?
Sorry I don't know much about cars so I guess I am clutching at straws.
The garage quotes round £1500 to fix it.
Is that the going rate?
I went online and had a quote on click mechanic which quoted £420 inc parts and all puns 7 hours labour.
Not sure if they will ramp the cost up whe it comes to actually doing it.
What do you think? Read more
Usual practise is to machine flat teh cylinder head after a head gasket failure. If not - and if it is warped- the problem will recur. (Cost £60-£100 ish)
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Perhaps the Manufacturers aren't buying into the whole death of diesel thing either
some car companies are saying they can improve diesels a fair bit to make them more efficient and cleaner for the air, I see no reason why not apart from some I hear are giving up on them, possibly because of costs...