January 2020
Many memories there. These were around in plentiful numbers when I started out selling cars and I just loved them, in fact I loved most Rovers despite knowing better. These were nice things to sit in and were no dearer than a Sierra or Cavalier used thanks to the (actually unjust) fear factor which was mostly built on the quality issues on early examples. By the late 80’s they were ok. Read more
Hi all, please could you offer some advice.
I have a 2002 Ford Fiesta 1.4 5dr which I bought for £1000 one month ago. It's only got 60,000 miles and WAS in great shape. This is my first car, I've only had my license 4 years despite being 28, so my insurance is quite pricey.... Read more
I have a problem with my Ford Galaxy 2014 and ia kinda baffling me. After driving the car for a while the engine just stalls while idling. When i try to restart the engine it wont even turn . The battery is ok , all lights show up on the dash board , all seems is fine but the engine wont start or even try to turn. Now comes the baffling part : after exactly 1 hour it will start like nothing has happen. And this has happen every time so i dont think is a coincidence. I even tested today. The engine stalled at 17:01 , at 18:00 i tried to start it and it didnt. At 18:01 it started. Like a clockwork. Any ideeas what it might be? Thx Read more
Sounds like it could be a crankshaft or camshaft sensor.. These degrade with time, and the inner coil fails with intermittent fault when hot.
My wife is going to take my manual Focus.
Seen a DCT Hyundai i30 fastback for half price. ... Read more
“ In the 'old days' a dealer would demo an untaxed car by putting trade-plates on it during a test drive. I don't know whether this still happens (SLO will tell us ? ) but I should think the same thing would happen with a SORNed car.”
Still the norm to demo a car with trade plates up but the old days of registering demonstrators that the sales staff then ran as company cars are dying off thanks to company tax rules. Most staff just run their own cars (which they get good discounts on) and I’m sure dealers will still have a few demos registered but likely they’ll sit on the lot at night instead of a salesman's driveway. Everyone I still know in the trade has their own car these days, while in my day we either took a demo home or picked something off the lot that had plenty of miles left before it flipped over another 10k. You weren’t allowed to take it too close to say 40, 50k for example as this devalued it.
Hi John. I received a PCN from TFL today, and when I went online to pay it , just by chance I scrolled down to find out that the car that I drive now ( I hire the car , its not mine)
I find out that there is 4 old PCN related to congestion charge (London) all alleged PCN happend in April and May 2019.I was driving the car at that time. but the problem is to this day 20 of January 2020 I have never received any letters from TFL related to this 4 specific PCN. what should I do? Thank you Read more
Just a gentle suggestion - if you are getting PCNs 'from time to time', might it make sense and save you money to learn the rules and re-calibrate your driving practices to follow those rules?
I've had mine for five years now but I bet this is nothing on this site, interesting to see the 'winner'. Read more
Sorry guys, but unless someone comes forward with far more than a 40yo car, then the winner is going to be John F with his TR7.
Thanks Andy. Even our X reg Focus, still in the family, pips most of this load of youngsters. And why is this thread in the technical section? ...
Unless something catastrophic happens have now decided to run the MG ZS as long as is practical.
Not for financial reasons but because of the problems associated with the "new tech". inc internal combustion engines.... Read more
Keep it until it dies. I'm on my third car since 1987. The first two totally died, current one a Jap with TC auto is working just fine.
These so called findings are not consistent with my experience.
I am in the over 69 age group which allegedly saw a 9% increase in 2019.
I bought a new Mazda in 2016 and have insured it through Mazda ever since.
Each year to date, my renewal premium has FALLEN, not increased.
There have been no changes in my personal circumstances, and I have been entitled to the maximum No Claims Bonus throughout.
More people need to challenge the prophets of doom with hard facts. Read more
Makes you wonder what catalogue of disasters these people are having to disclose to have premiums like those.
Three vehicles insured here with proper companies, all fully comp, two protected policies, smallest engine a 2.5 petrol turbo, under £700 the lot.
Looking for an SUV auto under £10,000.
Is this realistic? What do you recommend as i will be doing 18-20k miles a year.... Read more
"Honda’s inability to make a clutch that can cope with a Diesel engine"
Rather it's clutch manufacturers who couldn't make clutches that could cope with the torque of a Honda diesel, while still maintaining a light enough pedal pressure to satisfy the majority of non-enthusiast driver's requirements, or Honda speccing a clutch pack that was more user friendly than torque resistant....
I'm thinking of an Automatic Mini Convertible. I could spend up to £6k. I understand the CVT gearbox is problematic as well as automatic. Did Mini fix this or change to a different auto box? If so what year would be the first to consider without the CVT problem. I wouldn't want a Cooper S; an ordinary Cooper or a One would be OK. Read more
I believe (but might be wrong) that all the post 2009 R57 models will be a conventional 6sp auto while the earlier cars used a CVT which from what I’ve read isn’t very robust. A later car is the better bet but it’s not easy with Mini to be 100% sure as the firm frequency change specifications mostly to save money with components coming from different suppliers often month to month.
I spotted a nice Foat 500 Abarth auto soft top while looking too and it was nice. I’d have a manual one any day but the auto kinda ruins it. Go for a test drive in one to see if you can live with it and buy any of these small autos with caution and have a backup plan of the gearbox dies. It’s a common failure on automated manuals like the Fiats and in early CVT’s.
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Hello Sarah,
First let me say it can happen, I saw a class 1 driver with over 20 years experience, very used to driving extended vehicles ( even for a class 1 ), with extra wide loads, all the right markings. police in attendance because of the size of the load, had to inform hignways of their route to avoid low bridges etc months in advance, etc...