February 2020
Just been looking on the DVLA site at the MOT history of a car a friend is considering, what a dog, just over 5 years old, 57,000 miles, passed 1st, failed 2nd MOT (wipers and bulbs) with advisories (tyres and brakes), failed 3rd MOT on the advisories from 2nd MOT (tyres now illegal and brakes metal to metal). Considering the car is described as one careful owner with a full service history it shows what a joke some independent dealers are and how some owners simply do no maintenance. Told him to run away, fast.
While I was on I decided to check how our old Focus was doing, went in PX on 03 December last year. Well its taxed until 01 December 2020 thus it must have sold fast but the MOT checker shows the MOT expired 12 December 2019 (correct) and it has not even been failed since we sold it.... Read more
When it doesn’t work? Sagging corners of the car , incorrect ride heights? Read more
I bought my dad's 508.
It is now 7 years old but only has 18500 genuine miles on it, so I would rather hold on to it and who would buy it anyway with a gearbox that is more than terrible, and has always been terrible.... Read more
Not well liked by anyone this gearbox. It’s best driven very gently but if you can’t live with it then it’s time to sell it and buy something you prefer. The low mileage will appeal to dealers so call around and see if anyone is interested plus get a valuation from webuyandcar etc. Take whatever you get and buy a reliable petrol engined car preferably of Japanese origin. Reliability is especially important here if you have no money to cover repairs so don’t let ambition get ahead of you, gadgets and badges can wait.
Hi all
Completely stupid but I accidentally hit a parked car whilst pulling into a space on the side of the road. I didn’t have a pen or paper in the car so I went to a local shop to get paper to write down my details. When I returned, the car had driven off. I phoned 101 to try to report the incident and they told me to go to the local police station within 24 hours, which is closed until tomorrow day time. As I’m at work tomorrow, I won’t be able to report the incident until well beyond 24 hours later.
Any advice on what I can do? I don’t want to be done for hit and run. I was focussed on getting a pen and paper so didn’t take a proper look at the damage done to the other vehicle, but there’s a large scratch down my car. Read more
When you just make sure you get the officers name and number, the place you reported it to and of course the date and time. Not much more you can do, if they do it try and get a copy of the report. Its about covering yourself and not relying on the police doing their job properly.
I think nothing will come of it.
The insurance on my wife's car runs out in early March and we have decided to change insurer from that point. This is something we've done a few times over the years without issue. In the past none has asked for NCB evidence but this one has. I won't name them for now but they are a household name.
Anyway we have paid for the new insurer for the new policy to apply from the end of the old policy and duly provided the current insurer's renewal papers showing the correct reg no, dates, NCB , exact time of insurance end etc. We expected this to be just a formality. Now the new insurer has written saying we can't have the NCB as you can't have an NCB on more than one car at the same time. We have rechecked what we sent and all details are correct and the reg and car details are right in the new policy papers - although I will come to a small format difference later
My wife spent half an hour today with their call centre trying to find out what the issue is as the renewal papers we sent only refer correctly to one car, the Mazda. And it's just reinsuring as the old policy lapses. The agent was very vague initially saying they could give us the NCB until we cancel the existing policy. However when my wife pointed out it was lapsing naturally as per the renewal papers, the agent eventually said that had not received the current renewal NCB evidence. This is odd as it was emailed and their letter said nothing about not having received our email and where is the two cars issue coming from?
We have resubmitted the renewal NCB info but given we are doing something that must happen seamlessly thousands of times a day, it's odd.
I can only think of two possibilities as to the real issue. She changed her car in January and I wonder if the new insurance company ran a policy check and it still comes up on some insurance database as the old car? Or I noticed that the new company has quoted the reg in the format AA NNAAA rather than the correct AANN AAA. Is that creating a mis-match that the computer sees as two cars? But the fact that they identify it correctly as our Mazda suggests that not the issue. My wife mentioned it to the agent but again didn't get a clear response.
Having already paid we don't want to pull out and possibly complicate our insurance history. Hopefully they will resolve it but meanwhile has any body any idea as to what's going on? Read more
Just to report the outcome. After resubmitting exactly the same NCB evidence, in the same PDF document, the insurer has now confirmed it has accepted this and will honour the NCB.
No explanation for their previous inability to recognise it. Let's be charitable and assume it was an uncharacteristic slip................"oh yes!" ......as they might say ;-)
Just wondering if it is still common practice to put a smear of silicone grease on water pump O rings these days?
Years ago Vauxhall fitted water pumps with an off set pully which allowed the belt to be tensioned by twisting the face of the pump. If you had to tension the belt after a year or so the pump would usually leak if the seal had not been lubricated. Read more
Cheers
I had a full MOT and service on Monday - only advisories on the MOT were front tyres which will meed chsmging soon. However today whilst driving the car started to make a hissing noise whilst accelarating snd when i stopped the exhaust us still attached (just) but it hanging down and is loose. Should this has been noticed during service? If fittings were loose etc - dont want to call them implying that if not. Also car is noticeably louder with exhaust hanging down- am i pooking at expensive fix? Thankyou Read more
Dear me, exhausts have such loose morals these days.....
Should this have been noticed during service? ...
Hi folks,
I'd really appreciate your advice on the matter if you have a potential tip. This 2009 car was running smoothly with no issues. It was a very strong wind here last week, a storm. So at night I moved the car from the gates reversing slightly up the hill and parking sideways. Was a quick move, didn't let the engine run properly.... Read more
I would think Mr Oli is spot on with his diagnosis. This video is the sound of a fuel flooded engine . The 24hr helpline obviously have no idea about modern fuel injection systems . Full throttle when cranking puts the system into “clear flood “ mode . If you’re lucky , it will fire up . May be a little smokey or uneven to start with . If not it will be spark plugs out . No 5 min job on these .
Last week I had a major fail.
I left the light switched all day and my battery went dead. With a set of jump leads in the boot I thought now problem. Until I realised the is no way to get into the car as it has no manual key locks. I search the net and people spoke about one on the passenger door. But not on this model. There is no hole or cover.... Read more
Tie a bit of coat hanger wire to the bonnet release and locate it hidden but somewhere you can get to it later eg between the bonnet and the frame (valance is it called?) or in the grille. Then you can charge the battery. Nobody else will know it's there.
Hi I'm looking for some advice re. my late fathers car. My mother placed the car in her name and acquired all the relevant documents/certificates from the DVLA. She took the car to an Arnold Clark dealership and they bought the car from her, everything signed over, receipt/invoice given and we went on our way.
Less than a week later they called to say the sale was off after their head office told them they shouldn't have done the deal and told her she would have to come back for the car due to the fact they needed my fathers will as proof, there was no will. They told her that somewhere in their terms and conditions it says something to the effect. I have read their terms and conditions and can't find anything but what I do see is: ... Read more
As stated although Scottish law does differ from English they are broadly similar and this issue is not that complicated. No will presumably means a modest estate. On your fathers death goods and chattels pass to his spouse, your mother. She now has title to the goods and chattels and can sell them if she so desires. Title is everything, you can sell on item you don't actually own but title never passes to the 'new owner' it remains with the actual owner. Presumably the Mercedes has no finance attached to the car, but I suspect AC would have done a simple HPI search to check this. I think the sale stands and they will have trouble reversing the process if you don't want to. AC are known to be a bit canny and maybe they think they have overpaid and wish to reverse the deal. Tough luck on them. If you are happy you are on firm ground tell them to jog on! I hardly think they are going to enter into an expensive legal suit for such a fairly simple matter. Citizens Advice will advise, as stated already. Refrain from getting the lawyers involved at this stage, they are the only ones who win generally.
Good luck. Cheers Concrete
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Oh that was the confusion.