December 2019
I own a Mk1 2004 Ford Focus 1.8 TDCI and ive owned this for around a year. Its cover 84,000 miles.
In the winter, last year, it would struggle to start on cold mornings, but would always start and then be fine starting thereafter. Summer came, no issues.... Read more
I went to a Kia dealer to test drive a used automatic Kia Sorento KX-3, 2015. When I tried to shift the gear lever from Parking to Drive I couldn’t, it just wouldn't move. The sales person tried as well and couldn’t. Then a mechanic came and opened a little flap that covered a tiny hole next to the gear lever. He pushed a screwdriver through the hole and released the gear lever. He advised that I can test drive the vehicle but should not put it back to Parking but leave it in Neutral. He said the problem would be rectified before the car is sold to me. I did drive the car after that and didn’t detect anything untoward with the gears but am very concerned. Would this indicate a serious fault with the gear box or is it likely to be something minor like a faulty sensor? Other than that, the car is nice and priced low. It’s done around 30 000miles. I'm in real dilema should I go for it or look for another one?
The sales person stressed that any mechanical issue with the gear box would still be covered by the balance of the 7-year Kia warranty. Read more
The 7 year warranty covers less and less every year. The salesperson is a liar to say "anything mechanical is covered for 7 years"
Where I work in Birmingham the parking wardens are very quick to pick up on the slightest thing. I park on a single yellow line outside my workplace, and the wardens have told me that I must move my car after 3 hours, even if it is a few feet. I have had several tickets, one of which was about 3 or 4 minutes after the 15 minute of the hour I was parking there for, and we don’t finish work until exactly that 15 minute point. I get out as soon as I can, but he was writing a ticket and so had to continue even though I am on crutches and very slow. Apparently Birmingham City Council have been cracking down on Blue Badge abuse, not just fraud, and even though most of the wardens know me and know I will get out as soon as I can, they have been told to be very strict. Yet they don’t enforce the abuse of people ‘feeding’ their parking meters when it clearly states on the meters ‘ no return within the hour...’’ and people stay there all day. I feel ‘discriminated’ against in that situation because they have also marked most of the yellow lines I used to park on with ‘no stopping’ yellow stiles down the kerb. So sometimes I have to park quite a long way away from my workplace door, and I am carrying a lot of stuff on crutches, both on my back and in my hands, which makes life very difficult and I really struggle to walk those extra metres! Read more
As a blue badge holder myself I have full sympathy in this matter. My personal gripe in regards to this matter is the amount of abuse of Disabled parking in major supermarket car parks. Councils will say that they have no legal rights to enforce the law in these circumstances, WRONG the law applies to all areas where the public has vehicle access it applies in England and Wales you can't miss it if you read the highway code it's on the first pages, typically in a supermarket car park, you are obligated to obey the rules of law with regards to driving. Many people think that as it is on private property no rules apply again WRONG.
I have a list of offences that I see on a daily basis in supermarket car parks
1 Leaving the blue badge holder sitting in the car while shopping.
2 Non blue badge holders using Disabled bays
3 The most offensive one of all threatening with violence any Disabled person challenging a non blue badge holder using a disabled bay
4 Visiting executives and salesman using disabled bays
5 Police and ambulances using disabled bays when not on an emergency response, just shopping for tea and biscuits etc.
6 Drivers going straight through stop signs in the belief that they are driving forward so must have the right of way.
7 Contractors using disabled bays so that they won't have to far to walk.
8 Drivers who think it doesn't matter as I am just using the cash point, buying a lottery ticket, cigarettes or newspaper, any or all of these is their excuse.
9 Drivers going the wrong way in a one way system.
10 The basic reason for all of this is due to the fact that the space marked out for a car to park in is basically to small, I even include disabled bays, over the years car's have got bigger. Car parks are designed to get the maximum number of vehicles on site as many car parks generate income i.e. designed by accountants just like the Titanic, Indeed I have parked in some parks where despite all of the nearest vehicles being parked correctly you have to do a limbo dance to get out of the car.
My personal view is that if the major supermarkets and car parks can't police the abuse of disabled parking, then the council's should give them a month to sort out the problems or they will enforce the rules.
Also there needs to be a National minimum size of car bays as the current ones go back to the 1960s.
Last of all the council's should realise that there are many thousands of voter's use car parks every day, so how could just one supermarket or car park operators opinion carry more weight than the thousands who have to suffer from this ridiculous scenario on a daily basis. Secondly we have to pay our council tax, do the giant supermarkets or do they get relief for both council tax and business rates also paid for by us little people.
Half a PENNY! Read more
Hi everyone, I've just recently got a 2006 Mazda 3, 2.0 sport, and wondered if anyone could answer a few questions for me.
The coolant temp is only running at an average of 56°c, so I know I have to change the thermostat which I plan on doing at the weekend.
I can't seem to find much info on this car though despite there being so many out there.
I think the correct opening temp of the stock thermostat is 82°c, but 89°c is available too, wondering if this was a revision or is it available for some other reason ?
And should it be the one with the plastic prongs on the sides of the stat or not, I've heard there was a revision at some point but don't know what it was, temperature? or design? or both ?
I've just phoned the local dealer and he couldn't tell me what the opening temp was, only that he could order one from UK stock and that it would be £91
I'd also like to know at what temp should the radiator fan kick in and back out again if anyone knows, just so I can test it once I've changed the thermostat.... Read more
I believe this model is based on a Focus with the 2.0 Mazda/Ford duratec engine. The stat is part of a plastic housing which is replaced as a complete unit. Non genuine parts are available for around £60. Not sure on opening temp, but stick with standard part. I would think the fan is 2 speed or multi speed and probably cuts in around 102-105 c.
Price, 0-60 time, mpg, boot capacity, model options – all helpful data when considering the purchase of a new car.
However I never read an evaluation of two of the factors which matter most to me – and I suggest to the majority of drivers who use their vehicle as more than an ego-extension – I refer to the comfort of the seats, particularly on a long drive, and the cabin noise level when cruising at motorway speed.... Read more
(Duplicate post)
I've just bought a 2014 35000 mile Zoe with a 22kWh battery. The range shows as 55miles at 100% charge. My dealer says this is reasonable, but looking at photos of similar cars for sale, it looks like 70-80 miles is more typical. Appreciated if you could post your figures for comparison. Read more
This post does rather beg the question " What the h**l use is a car with a 55 mile range?"
The answer I suppose is if you only do outward journeys of 27.5 miles before turning around and coming home!...
Good afternoon guys and gals. I'm new here to the forum (although I've used Honest John lots of times before) and just have a little question.
I'm young and have had my license for the past 5 years. I've been sharing a car with my mum for the past 2 (a 2009 Micra) but I've never owned a car myself yet, mainly because of insurance costs etc but I think now's the time to make the move, especially as I'm moving to another town.... Read more
We had a 1996 Polo which we sold on a couple of years ago. It was running perfectly with no rust issues. All the problems were minor irritating ones.
Door and sunroof seals, freezing locks, dodgy electric windows. As far as I know it's still on the road,although it did need some rust repair at the last MOT....
've put a deposit down on an approved used car (just over a year old) and afterwards whilst looking at the car again noticed a little scrape on the opening side of the drivers door, as though it's been opened against a wall or something.
... Read more
My used SLK had a dent in the wing which their man did perfectly. I have bought an orbital polisher and took out a cluster of light scrapes in five minutes, watched on you tube to make sure I didn't do anything daft though!
Hi,
I have a leaking damper, that silver disc, before the fuel line enters the rail. I am going to cut it out unless anyone has a fool proof way of releasing the factory fuel line clips?
I have purchased a brass double ended hose connector with an ID of 8mm, will this fit ok and will I get the hose over the barbed end with bit of lubrication?
Thanks in advance, don't want to start something I can't finish Read more
This any use;vauxhall.7zap.com/en/car/p10/g/3/11-1/#1
Browse
I have a feeling the injectors are on their way out, but i just cant understand how ive gone from having a can that ran fine once started, had the glow plug changed, and now ive a car that wont stay running?!