May 2018
So I'm in the market to get a new car, and amongst the many brokers etc online I've found a very good price.
I've done a fair bit of research and am aware of the V5C 'retention' that is used by brokers/dealers to get the big discount. In this case, the company I'm dealing with said that the V5C will be sent straight to me by DVLA after delivery (i.e. no 3 month retention). They have said that the V5C will show me as registered keeper, but care-of "c/o" another company.... Read more
Ford Focus 1.6 petrol. 2010.
Noise coming from belts area not screeching goes away with water test, had PAS hose blow and after having it replaced the noise is now worse. Don’t know if it’s because all the PAS fluid has made it worse or not but I need to change the belts and have all the pulleys checked too but I don’t know what belts to buy. As I can see there are 2 belts 1) for the alternator, PAS ect and 2) this is beside and lower. They look to be different lengths. Read more
Looking at the belts there are 2. Reading up on this it looks like the shorter lower 1 is for the Air con. Won’t be fitting it myself garage quoted me £60 to fit if I supply the belt, just don’t want to turn up with the wrong stuff
Why not let the garage supply the belts? You will only save a few pounds doing it your way and it could lead to a load of grief.
If you supply the wrong belt the garage will be within their rights to charge you to fit the correct one if it takes extra time....
On my way to work this morning i passed a current shape Kia Cee'd going the other way and it's n/s daytime running light was flashing rapidly, not actually going on and off, but dull and bright. Made me think it had a nervous twitch, in fact the first thing that popped into my head was (the great) Herbert Lom in the Pink Panther films!.
On a more serious note though, it made me wonder what are the chances it could set off someone who suffers from epilepsy? Read more
.... some have line of seperate flashing leds that flash from one side to the other indicating direction of travel.
What goes around, comes around. I remember some of those awful American tubs with huge fins from the early 60s had sequential indicators. Just another gimmick to add to all the bits of chrome bling that they had to carry. And more bulbs to fail, of course - no LEDs back then....
Q to HJ today I want to buy a large panel van for conversion to a camper.... Read more
For John F - Your photo link still doesn't work for me, even though I have a Google account. If it works for you, when you click on it here, I suspect it's because it's your account. I don't recall seeing a link to a photo library on here. It's probably not allowed by the forum software. It certainly didn't work for me recently when I tried to post a link to a photo in my Flickr account. Perhaps Avant could clarify?
M022308 unlock code for radio please... Read more
The correct Keycode for your radio should be: 4284
Why do some people hide the number plate on car ads on eBay /autotrader etc. Whenever I see that I instantly think what are you hiding? It prevents a potential buyer to check mot history, tax status etc.
Presumably they would tell you if you phoned up to enquire anyway. ... Read more
Another reason is ANPR cameras at toll stations. I know a number of folk who trailer their legally registered, taxed and insured vehicles to competition sites who have received demands for toll fees, particularly at the Dartford crossing.
They now mask the number plates.
Just as I thought VAG were getting over their reliability woes...Oh well, it looks like its Japanese again or Korean next time, unless some major improvement in VAG happens in the next couple of years.
Here's me not holding my breath... Read more
Just to mention, a quick search on eBay reveals several firms selling 'matt' screen protectors for the navigation / media on various versions of the Mini (and indeed most cars), under £10 for a pack of two or three.
It's possible it's a common problem, some even boast 'anti-fingerprint' and 'anti-bacterial' properties.
Been in use in Germany for years in a less technical form, as you approached the lights a warning light before the main lights would have a speed displayed, as long as you were doing the speed displayed when you drove past the warning light, you would get through the traffic lights. If the warning light turned to flashing amber before you got to it you had to stop at the lights. Simples. Read more
All the comments below about similar systems being used abroad for years - so why has it taken so long to get here?
Anyway, certainly in the Labour-controlled North they won't be used / won't help because all the local councils are hell-bent on making live WORSE for motorists, not better.
Re '3-Serious'. Without being in the remotest bit pedantic, my daughter has just bought the exact same BMW model/version. The tyre sizes actually differ front to rear hence this this logic is unable to be applied. Drat! Read more
Re: Nut cluster
My Belgian registered 2008 E60 535d fried its rear right cluster in 2013.
BMW sold me a replacement part that required a different connection to earth.
At the time, the problem had been noted on USA forums, but apparently the manufacturer was slow to take it up. So, congrats to VOSA or is it DVSA ? for cornering the Bavarians to do the right thing,
Hey,
Have just had a service at local dealer and been told I need new brake pads and disks, replacement rear bump stops and rear coil springs need replacing. Also differential seals and injector seals need replacing. MOT is due by the end of the month but I've been quoted approx £1200 to get it to a point where it will pass. There's an issue with excessive travel on the handbrake too which I think is linked to an emergency rear brake replacement at Kwikfit over xmas last year.... Read more
I do a bit... thing is, I'm not going to pay that, it's almost as much as the car is worth!
It's too easy to compare a garage quote with 'what the car is worth' - but what matters is the cost of replacing this car with another which you aren't as familiar with. Not as easy to estimate, but probably more. If you like the present car and it can be easily fixed (properly), that may well be the way to go....
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A minor necro-bump...
So after an extended wait, my order ended up getting cancelled - as expected, some slightly iffy fleet discount was being used to source the car at the bargain price. Peugeot got wind and pulled lots of discounts. This happened the day after the head gasket on my Mk2 Focus went......