September 2019
Recently changed the coolant but some blowing from the reservoir suggests I didn't get all the air out of it. This happened last time too. Thought I'd blown the head gasket but it stopped eventually
On refil I ran it with a funnel jammed in the radiator fill which coolant could expand into, and stopped after the fan had run for a couple of minutes. Obviously not good enough.... Read more
I'm looking into getting a newer car and had been looking forward to going back to diesels ( having owned older diesels , thought a modern diesel might be nice ) but there seems to be a general theory that modern diesels might not be so reliable as they once where, and that any savings in tax and fuel economy are outweighed by the costs of repair.
looking to find out more info on this matter I came across this article and as the above title suggests " thoughts on this article "... Read more
Volvo 2.4 58 plate and 130k is going strong as ever with a mixture of local and long runs. Mercedes 2.2 of a 12 plate with turbo (s) and 53k with the same use as above so far has been fine. It's the other bits that do me at mot time, tyres, ball joints, discs and pads etc. despite regular servicing and moderate driving habits.
Hi all,
I want to get a vehicle with a large enough load area for a dog cage (105 x 70 x 70cm) along with other luggage. Currently we run an Alhambra where the dog cage sits sideways across the load space, but it takes up most of the room so we need to use a roof box for luggage. Is there anything with a 1m+ long load bay that we could get instead, so I could mount the dog cage front-to-back instead of sideways across the load bay? ... Read more
My immediate thoughts are:
Cheaper route:
Keep the Alhambra..
(Like Brit_in_Germany said) get a new dog carrier. I have a Sharan and two dogs. I use a foldable dog carrier that can be opened at the end or the side so you can choose where it goes in the boot. About £30 from Amazon.
2. Give your Alhambra a weekly run to get it hot.
3. Grey imports - when I lived in NZ most of the cars were Jap imports - while some had a service history most of the ones I looked at had little or none. As I was told a lot of Japanese will run a car from new for a few years and then trade it in having not had it serviced. Before someone says they’ve got an import with a full service history I know some do.
- Check insurance costs and if the car you’re looking at isn’t sold in Europe ask yourself how long you’re happy to wait for spares.
As most of us know, the price of the 205 GTi has ballooned in the last few years; even the surviving lower-level models can still be saleable. The 306 however seems to have almost disappeared, despite being basically an enlarged 205, and much applauded when it appeared, for its roadholding and driveability.
I recently got a Garros version of the 306 with 75K on the clock, owned by a lady for 20 of its 24 years, with a good deal of history. After a bit of fettling it is still a very nice drive with the 1.6 engine and should have several good years ahead of it. Will the 306 make a comeback like the 205, or is the cachet missing? Read more
I idly wonder to myself whether there would be any interest in grey imports of Peugeots not destined for Western Europe. The 301 seems popular in Greece, as one example, so theoretically could be imported into France or Spain (where it is actually made but not officially sold!) and would theoretically be covered by a EU wide warranty. RHD 408 modes were made in Malaysia - would any of them have ended up in the UK or Ireland?
Just wondering.
Lady Friend of swmbo has an E220 lives in West London. Wants to sell. What do the panel think. Try and sell it there? Bring it here to Colchester.? It is in good condition mechanically. Age related bodywork. 139000 miles. Long mot. Drives OK. But I'm not a merc Expert. Everything works. Has already got a new small petrol car. Gumtree has worked out very well in the past? AAny suggestions?
Not a good idea to sell in London with coming of ulez... Friend is not savvy about selling car...... Read more
She is a lovely lady (the owner) and a good friend but hopeless at dealing with things like that.
Silly question??? , would you be happy with your unsavvy sister/female friend alone selling a car for cash in a west london (acton) street in the evening .... (she works)...
What is the monthly running cost for this car, and what are your battery recommendations when searching for a used car?
Thanks! Read more
It's all about battery capacity and charging time.
First 80% : fast charge...
Please would somebody help me with the radio code for my Ford CD 6000 which has a serial number v125763?
I replaced the aux socket and as I had to disconnect the fuse it lost power and it's got really grumpy. Thanks!... Read more
My thoughts are that you have posted in the wrong part of the forum (it's not Technical) and in the wrong thread (it's nothing to do with radio codes).
And probably in the wrong country. This is the UK. We don't see many Chevy Impalas, or Ford Tauruses. Nor dollars.
Hi there. I have seen a Renault 25 that I might be interested in purchasing. It’s French registered, so how might I go about checking the MOT history? Also, any advice regarding the Renault 25 in general from any previous owners? Many thanks Read more
Never ran one but did sell a couple in the 90’s without much bother. I loved blue collar big motors like this. I hate pretentious look at me I’m a snob prestige badges and often hanker back to the days of the dad car. Carlton, Granada, Rover 800, Toyota Camry, Fiat Croma etc etc.
The 25 was (V6 turbo aside) mechanically simple and largely quite robust. It resisted rot well too but age has killed almost every UK resident. The electrics however are terrible as is the flimsy interior. They rattled and squeaked from new. But they were soooo comfortable it was a price worth putting up with the minor irritations.
Automatic gearboxes suit it best but are sadly quite fragile so it’s likely most survivors will be manuals. The engines are quite prone to eating timing belts and HGF is fairly common too but any well cared for low mileage survivors are well worth preserving. I liked the 140bhp 12v 2.0 TXi which was fairly gutsy yet decent on fuel. It was barely any slower than the V6 on the road yet much cheaper to buy and run. Even the (UK) base model the GTS was well specified for the era. But it’ll be down to what’s available.
A similar car worthy of searching for would be the Safrane that followed it, particularly the 2.5 which used the tough as nails Volvo 5cyl motor with 170bhp. Volvo durability with Renault comfort.
Quite a few BIG discounts on pre reg 19 cars - all with modest mileage <500miles
BMW 320i, saloon msport autos+ xdrive £27K ish, some lesser 320s around £23K... Read more
Car sales appears to be in turmoil. Pendragon shares less than 10p, losing 300 staff in Car shop outlets as sales of used cars are so low.
I've been out and about this week and what has become noticeable is how many areas of redundant land close to car dealerships are getting stacked with vehicles....
"Tesla’s Model 3 car was the third-best seller in Britain last month in a defining moment for electric vehicles."
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/business/tesla-model-3-enters-sales-chart-at-no-3-wqdnk23hv Read more
Tesla did not feature In Septembers' s top 10 - apparently
Imagine my surprise.
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Update
Took it for a longish run (been minimising use due to a CV boot split, but I did some dodgy "first aid" on that) and there was no sign of blowing from the reservoir....