May 2019
Hi,
Can someone advise when the timing belt on a 10 plate Focus should be changed? I was always under the assumption it should be on 100k (I’m on 99k now) but the Haynes manual states every 60k. When I bought the car (from a dealer) it was on 82k but I got no service history so I don’t know if the belt has been changed or not.
I’m humming and harring over doing it as I have the car in finance until January and thinking of getting rid when the finance is done and it’s worth very little to start with. Only thing in the back of my mind is I’m going on holiday to Kent in July and will be driving (I am in Gateshead) so worried of it going during the journey.
I can get a timing belt from Eurocarparts for under 20 quid due to a sale they have on. If I were to buy the Haynes manual is following the instructions relatively easy to do? I’m a competent IT engineer so I feel I could transfer my skills to working on my car depending on difficulty.
Most I’ve ever done on a car before is change plugs and HT pack. Read more
Hi everyone.
I am responsible for a small fleet of 5 at work, 4 of them Fords.... Read more
that's a weird request as Nox is a variable depending on driving conditions and condition of engine and driving style and is only measurable with a 5 gas analyser that has to be portable and taken in the car on a drive, it cannot be measured at static.
Bosch KTS under technical will have the maximum recommended values at idle and fast idle or as RT says look at the certificate of conformity for whats its worth
1. Only rich people will be able to afford to buy it;
2. I wonder if those 'bad weather' mileage claims include the dead of winter and also include percentage range claims for up to X years as other makes do;
3. How much does the entire battery pack cost to replace, should it need to be in the future. What is the warranty for the batteries, and can individual cells be replaced if needed (especially when out of warranty)?
4. How long will it take to recoup the extra price over ICE car equivalents (not on performance, but size).
5. Does regular fast charging affect the battery lifespan and/or the range? Read more
Rare my a***; this has been reported for years, and for years Vauxhall have been denying it. Read more
Mostly true, I would like an Ampera though.
...
Hi all,
Was thinking of getting one of these from a main dealer around 2008.
Does anyone have one I’ve read great reviews albeit they are a bit on the long side.
Any advice would be appreciated
Regards to all Read more
I know 2 serial Lexus owners. One has a 600hL but more frequently uses his older LS430. The other also now runs a 430...
Hi,
I had a couple of new front suspension arms fitted two months ago on my Ford Focus.
After receiving the car back I noticed the steering wheel would point to 11:30 when going straight. So I have to have the steering wheel point ever so slightly to the left for the car to go straight.
I should also state that when I align my steering wheel to point to 11:30 (so the car goes straight) and let go over the steering wheel, the car does go straight. It does start to pull a little to the left after about 20-30 meters but the pull is only slight and minor.
So other than the steering wheel having to point to 11:30 to go straight, the rest of the direction/pulling seems normal to me. No shuddering or anything.
It's no real problem for me, however I wonder if it would damage the car in any way? I mean I'm thinking the wheels are aligned straight but I just need the steering wheel to aim left a little.... Read more
It sounds as if whoever set the wheel alignment took the lazy option of doing all the toe-in adjustment on one trackrod instead of half on each. This is what usually causes the steering wheel to be off-centre.
So a friend asks me to check her tyre pressures. Upon inspection I see they are winter tyres and I ask if she has a summer set to put on. No is the answer, they are the tyres that were on when she bought the car 4 years ago. She only does around 3,000 miles a year and it's nearly all very local stuff. The tyres are dated 2014 and in good condition
So does it matter? Apart from I guess an increased wear rate in warmer weather, I assume grip should be as good, or better than summer tyres in summer. Read more
But use winter tyres during the summer months and have an accident you could possibly find yourself without comprehensive cover.
I very much doubt it. Unless the insurance company is landed with a six or seven figure bill for compensation if you accidently drove into a crowd causing several casualties, they are hardly likely to inspect your tyres. ...
A lady I know is coming up to 40. She started learning to drive half a lifetime ago but never followed it through. Now with a young son she is keen to start driving as public transport cannot be relied on. She wants to go for an automatic licence but her partner (who coincidentally drives an automatic) wants her to go for a manual one. With increasing traffic volumes and no real interest on her part in driving a manual I think automatic only would be fine and probably lead to get getting on the road quicker. Any views? Read more
If I drive a 50s/60s classic with a column change for a few hours I have to concentrate so I do not try and change gear with the indicator!
I think the lady will listen to advice as she is not into status symbols.
What will this mean for the Renault tie-ins with Volvo and Nissan??
The Euro M&M equivalent are going to have fun deciding if this is ok to go through. Read more
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Gear oil does not get contaminated with combustion acids like engine oil thus will last longer between changes. The Ford sourced gearbox and diff in the Caterham do not have drain plugs as standard which gives you a clue about the change intervals. Having said that I fitted a drain plus to the gearbox to enable the oil to be changed at sensible intervals and since its been in since February 2009 a change is probably due anytime soon.