December 2019
Where is a good place to go to ask knowledgable people for pros/cons of different cars?
I want a used small/crossover SUV and had almost settled on a Mazda CX-5 but they don't do petrol auto (that I can find in my 14k budget). Doing mostly short stop/start journeys I've ruled it out over the dpf thing.... Read more
Issue solved, spam posted.
Hi All,
I have a 2010 Ford Mondeo 2.0 TDI. On around 150,000 miles.
Started knocking last month when driving at 60 and this carried on when I went down to 30. A strong knocking.
Took to garage - they thought it was a wheel baring initially. MOT was due so they did MOT and said they couldn’t see anything wrong and strangely, it didn’t do it again.
2 months on - when warm and on the motorway to work in the morning, can feel a knocking through the steering. No real noise with it (maybe a low hum but no metal rattle or anything like that). It’s like going over the strips at the end of a motorway that slow you down - like a dum dum dum. Eventually, engine malfunction light came on.
Took to mechanic again - he said something about the engine malfunction light is to do with the car cycling/testing on the motorway and I hadn’t been on the motorway long enough for this to finish properly which had cause the notification. That’s resolved (or should I say, the notification has gone). Mechanic thought the knocking was unrelated - said he ran it up the motorway. He thought it might have been the wheel balance. Balance done and paid for, got my car back, went on the motorway, started knocking again at 70mph.
Really frustrated. Mechanic had car for a week and charged me for something that isn’t resolved and obviously he hasn’t tested.
Contacted him again, he asked me to dip the clutch when it happens to see if the “noise” changes - it doesn’t - the noise isn’t really significant enough to classify as a noise. It’s not a metal rattling or banging.
Anyway, he said he’s 80% sure that it’s the fly wheel. He does all of our cars and is usually fine and fair priced (just really slow at replying to messages and often slow at getting the job done).
Having looked at/YouTubed the symptoms of a flywheel in need of replacement, I don’t think what I have described is similar. I don’t seem to be getting anywhere with it at the moment so was wondering if anyone has experienced similar or has any other suggestions?
I priced a replacement flywheel and for etc. and looked to be around £1k - which would be fine if that was definitely the issue... but I don’t want to spend £1k for it not to be the issue.
Also - if I continue driving the car over Christmas (mechanic closed until 2nd Jan) and it was the flywheel - would this potentially cause any other damage? Will I know when it’s really bad and not to risk driving it in fear of a breakdown? I basically need the car and can’t get it fixed until gone 2nd Jan and don’t really want to break down on the motorway.
Any help/suggestions/advice would be really appreciated! Read more
I don't think they chirp while idling, Ed ......
Oh yeh. Missed that bit.
The ridiculous high prices of cars these days, thanks to a huge rate of car price inflation in recent years, means that all manufacturers should be offering a minimum of 5 years warranty for their very expensive products.
It's in the manufacturer's interest to offer longer warranties anyway as most people would rather service the cars with that manufacturer's dealerships during the period of warranty to avoid any disputes over independent servicing being performed to the appropriate standard to remain under warranty (I know you should be able to get your car serviced elsewhere and remain under warranty, but it can turn into a complete headache if you have to make a warranty claim afterwards). Read more
Dear All
My 2013's cars transmission failed at below 30,000 miles recently and it was confirmed by diagnostics. After reviewing all the online information and other reviews at Honest John it looks clear to me that this is a very common fault and maybe the manufacturer have breached all affected peoples consumer rights by supplying parts that are not of a satisfactory quality?... Read more
I must say that calling for affected people to group together but not giving any details is somewhat contradictory.
So I’m looking to buy a Ford Focus as it provides a little more space than the wife’s mini. Out of all the engines I’m looking at the 1.6 petrol around the 200-2009 mark as I have found a couple with reasonable mileages and prices at £1000 or less.
The first one is a 56 plate 1.6 petrol with 53k miles on the clock, however it needs a wheel bearing and an O2 sensor. Body work isn’t particularly tidy either but it’s only £800 and could probably get for less. Bearing in mind I’m a mechanical fitter by trade and have the tools and skills to sort most things.
The second is a 57 plate 1.6 petrol with 78k miles on the clock. It has no outstanding work to be done and body work is tidier than the first. It’s on for £1100.
Basically, I want to hear anyone’s opinions on these cars good or bad and the same on the engine. It will only be used as a run about in town so max 5-10 miles a day.
Many thanks Read more
the advisories on the last MOT (brake pipes, sill corrosion and handbrake mechanism travel) would probably cost as much to fix as we got for the car. It had about 80,000 miles on the clock.
Grease the brake pipes, prise away the rubber handbrake lever boot, locate the adjuster nut which is accessible with a 10mm box spanner; tighten to four clicks of the lever. Clean up the sill rust. As long as it's not near the rear seat belt anchorage it should pass. ...
Dear all,
I parked my car Honda Jazz model 2010 outside of my house before I was away for a vacation for 1 week plus. There had been some rainy days while the car was parked outside.
Today when I drive my car for the 1st time after my vacation, there is a weird rattling noise from the rear tyre side when I brake the car. The noise is more obvious when I drive the car down the hill.... Read more
Possibly just a layer of rust built up on the discs while it wasn't being used. Gently pull the handbrake up as you drive and it should clean it off.
Advice very much needed regarding an ongoing issue with a 09 Chevrolet Aveo.
... Read more
My only comment is that as you are looking towards the lower end of the market you ought to be able to get a better 'bargain' from a private seller, as a trader will usually expect about a grand more to make a profit and cover himself against non-warranty repairs. But that may not appeal to someone inexperienced in buying. Phone a friend who could take you shopping and act as a second pair of eyes. There are plenty of cheap used cars out there but you need to be selective. A trustworthy private seller should tell you more about his/her car than a trader who has hardly seen it before.
Hi,
As per the subject heading:... Read more
FYI, seat-belt stalks are available as a separate item on all Toyota models. They're usually cheap as chips too
There's a 2008 Toyota Aygo for sale near me at a very reasonable price. In July 2017 it failed the MOT because, "Emissions not tested due to blocking up the machine."
At the time it had done 96,000 miles. It passed the MOT about 10 days later and again in 2018 and 2019. It has now done 102,000 miles.
Should I avoid this car? Would could block up the emissions test machine other than a defective engine? Read more
The only time I’ve seen this is when the test probe has been incorrectly inserted into the exhaust tailpipe and caused a kink in the probe pipe.
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"We, the undersigned, demand that Kensington and Chelsea Council publish a full list of the full names of the residents and the number of the apartment of each resident in Grenfell Tower on June 14th, 2017 (the night of the fire)."
As you say alan1302, why?