August 2017
Hi, i've got a 2011 Suzuki swift, overnight the battery had drained, nothing seems to be left on, this car normally has no problems at all, it done it once at an airport after been left for 2 weeks.
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I bought a 2006 Lexus RX400h four years ago, despite being and old git I was stupid enough to land myself with a young child and couldn’t spend four weekends a year maintaining my beloved P38 Range Rover, nor risk it breaking down – not that it ever did.
So I bought Japanese. The car had done 50K miles, this period coincided with a massive drop off in my annual mileage so I’ve only put another 50K on it since.... Read more
I think the condition is more important than age, with every service there should be a hybrid system check - here's where you can see what the battery condition is like - I've not heard of any RX400hs requiring new traction battery packs - I have changed my auxiliary (standard 12 volt) battery twice - once when I first got the car for peace of mind and another one last winter as I got a "please shift to P before starting" message - which usually means the auxiliary battery is on the way out. I keep meaning to track down a larger capacity battery that'll fit in the same space, but to be honest, this is based on prejudice rather than any evidence of there being a problem.
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Hi,
I am looking at potentially buying an Audi or VAG TSI car for around £3500-5000 I have read all of these have timing chain issues. I’m mainly looking at the 1.4 TSI or 1.8 TSI. Potentially the 2.0 TSI, although I’d prefer the lower tax and better fuel economy of the smaller engines.
I do about 700 miles a month. ... Read more
Thanks for all the advice guys, Im tempted to just buy myself another cheap runabout for this year as I cant really afford to run a T5 (insurance is too high so may need to get another years no claims behind me) or afford to buy a decent TSI etc.
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I'm looking at buying a car with a much bigger boot compared to my current astra. I'm also looking for a car that will fit an adult comfortably between two car seats in the back. I've narrowed it down to the peugeot 5008 and the ford smax. On paper the boot of the 5008 is bigger than the smax but the middle adult is a little bit of a tight squeeze unless you move the middle seat forward or back so they aren't directly inbetween the car seats. The middle seat of the smax fits the middle adult perfectly.
As far as looks and gadgets go the smax is much nicer and better looking, I'm not keen on the looks of the 5008's back end at all.... Read more
I like both the SMax and the Peugeot 5008. I currently run a 7 year old Peugeot with a 2litre diesel auto and it is a fast smooth comfortable car. If I had to make a choice I would probably go for the Peugeot, as mine as been very reliable, and it is significantly cheaper, even though they use the same engine. I have had no problems with the paint trim or electrics, and the paint is way better than on my wifes near new BMW. Go for the 2L Peugeot.
I have a Fiesta Mk6 (facelift model) 1.25 duratec engine... last month or so when the cars cold or especially if its damp out it seems my car makes a really strange rattle/knock right after firing up for just a second. I tried to grab it on video... its fine after its been started, drove it for over 3 hours yesterday no problems other than the noise when I started it in the morning:
I grabbed a recording here: https://youtu.be/2Q9owbvxUb4... Read more
Thanks for the replies. Hoping that's all it is. Is booked in for Tuesday at my local trusted garage, will avoid using it much before then. Not sure if it can cause damage to anything with what it's doing.
Afternoon everyone.
I've a 56-plate Accord i-CDTi and I'm umming and arring over whether or not to remap the ECU. I had a new clutch and flywheel (LUK) fitted earlier this year and all manner of suspension components replaced the year before that. The car gets a full service and oil change every year from a trusted garage that I've been using for years, so the car is well looked after.... Read more
Thanks everyone, I'd be reasonably confident that the engine could take a little extra power (the remap would only add about 30bhp) and if the clutch and flywheel were only good for, say, 75% of their usual life, that wouldn't bother me very much. Despite keeping the car in good nick, it's still over a decade old and there's no getting around that.
Think I'll leave the remap and just give it a bit more welly as and when....
The volume of people coming to the forum asking advice about wholly inappropriate cars they've either bought or plan to never ceases to amaze me. Almost daily we see someone asking for recommendations for a complex executive or performance motor on a sub £4K budget that once cost north of £25k.
Sensible back roomers try to talk them out of the £3,000 BMW diesel or 100,000 mile turbocharged hot hatch with patchy service history but still they come and too many ignore the advice. But surely common sense should have them questioning the wisdom of buying a highly complex car on a tight budget? Many will be borrowing to do it too.
I've seen it as a salesman countless times myself with my advice swept to one side and a high mileage decade old BM or Merc taken on a 3yr finance agreement or personal loan by a customer who couldn't afford even one moderately expensive failure. A totally irrational purchase and one guaranteed to teach them a lesson at some point. I've seen loads of them (in non-running state) repossessed on the back of car transporters by finance companies who used one of our yards to store them before flogging them for scrap while the customer is left with a ruined credit profile.
Please folks reign in your ambitions. If you've a £20k budget then the world is your oyster but if you're spending £4K or less then forget turbocharged hot hatches, luxury executives and DPF equipped diesels of any kind. Set your sights on what your budget can reliably provide and buy a simple normally asperated petrol engined mass produced car that you'll realistically be able to afford to run.
Above all keep it simple... Read more
Some prioritise purchase costs, running costs and probabilities of reliability over everything else, and there’s nothing wrong with taking that position.
If however, other criteria are also as important to an individual, and provided they are prepared to accept that some of these factors sometimes come at a price, then there’s not much wrong with that position either.
I’m very happy to tool about in my old miley Merc because I just like it, and if in the future it needs some money spent on it from time to time to keep it going, then that’s fine by me.
Everything costs something when it comes to personal transport. It’s sort of up to the individual to decide if they can, or indeed want to afford whatever floats their boat isn’t it?
Hi. Sorry to bother people but I'm a bit worried (ok massively worried). I took out a car insurance policy with Admiral last night for my new car. The payment has gone through (checked bank as well) but I still haven't received any policy confirmation and no certificates etc. It said I would receive them within a few hours but over 24 hours later still nothing. I can't even register to see them online as I haven't had any confirmation with my policy number on.
Just to make my anxiety even worse I've just checked the insurance database and it's showing as not insured. I'm really hoping that Admiral are just a bit slow and it's on the way and being updated but I'm really panicking about this now. Im afraid of losing the car as I've put all my savings into it (may only be a £500 car but when you work for £60 a week it took me a lot of time and effort to save up for)... Read more
Because most insurance cover notes are printed off from the internet, it isn't evidence itself of insurance - but the police will simply ring the insurer specified on the cover note and check.
Of course, if it's not showing on MID it could trigger an ANPR stop so don't have anything else wrong either!
My elderly dad isn't driving at the moment due to illness so loaned his car to family in another town. Now he has a police letter saying he did 35 in a 30 zone and to name the driver.He has no idea as six people use the car.Photos will show it's not him as none are elderly men.
If he is unable to say who was driving does HE have to say it was HIM and get the fine and points?After 50 years of no points or convictions seems unfair, as they will have photos to show it's not him.... Read more
It could be in either, but I can't see that it matters very much. The good advice has been given anyway.
hello everyone
Im a newbie and frustrated (*as ever) by dealerships... Read more
A guy on the Skoda forum eventually got VAG to pay up for his slipping clutch.
www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/396706-vrs-tsi-clutc.../
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I replaced the dead Swift battery with a higher capacity one which cost about £20 more I think. Whether it was worth it I don't know but it's been ok so far.