August 2022
EML came on - took to garage to do a diagnostics and they confirmed that there is poor compression in the 3rd brake cylinder. They suspect it is an exhaust valve issue and the engine would need to be stripped out to confirm.
They have estimated that the work could amount to around £1k with the other cylinders being replaced, a new water pump and a timing belt. ... Read more
I’ve spent a few days now in the 11th Generation Civic, due for launch mid-September.
First impressions were that it’s a deal more subtle in styling than its predecessors, more mature.
I’ll be honest, it was a bit of a slow burn for me - I couldn’t get excited about it. But, having now done 500 miles in it, I have to say that it does everything really well.
The big revelation is the power delivery. Although it’s the same 2.0 full hybrid powertrain as the CR-V, it now accelerates more like an EV, and gaining speed now produces a much more muted tone than previously, with simulated gear changes - all electronics as there isn’t a gearbox. It has lost the definite CVT ‘elastic band’ feeling of waiting for the car to catch the revs.
There’s a bit of tyre & wind noise, but easily masked by the Bose stereo in the Advance trim.
Fit and finish are what’s expected of a Honda, and it’s a very agreeable place to cover a couple of hundred miles, something you can’t always say of full hybrids.
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Honda dealers are having a launch weekend 17/18th of September.
Spotted a car on Cazoo I am interested in but to be safe I ran its details through Car Vertical and it flags up it has outstanding finance on it. The finance was only taken out in June this year for 6 months. I had an online chat with one of Cazoo's advisers and they assured me that they will pay off any finance due before the car is sold to a customer. I asked them if this was in their T&Cs on their website as I didn't just want to take their word for it as the last thing I want is to be lumbered with someone else's debt. They said they have enquired with the appropriate team and will get back to me with an answer via email. I am actually surprised that they took a car into their stock that had an outstanding financial liability on it. I have never dealt with Cazoo before and wondered if anyone on here had experienced any problems with them Read more
I heard that being the trailblazer for this kind of operation has cost them dearly but benefitted Cinch etc.
Hi All,
I've been having acceleration issues with my ford fiesta Eco boost. It just doesn't have the power it used to have, and it really struggles to pick up speed on inclines. It's still fine for short local trips but the motorway is a no go. I've had one garage take a look and they thought it was the timing belt but I decided to get a second opinion from a ford garage.... Read more
thank for the response @elekie&a/c doctor, appreciate the advice. As you can tell my knowledge of cars is zero so your insight is much appreciated. Just debating whether to trade it in at the moment. cheers, Alex
Which of these two cars would you choose ?
1. Suzuki Vitara 2017 1.6 SZ-T -- £12,830... Read more
Your wife doesn't like the Vitara? That's a shame as I do know that one in Kidderminster. It's the one I p/x'd here in Essex and I had it from new. 28k miles all up and down the A12 it's led a very pampered existence.
Several days a month I have to spend a night away from home. Hotels are expensive so I keep thinking, are there car models where is is possible to lay the back (and maybe even front) seats down and have a reasonably comfy sleeping place.
And it should not look like a motor home or a van as there are silly rules not allowing to park it on British streets.... Read more
All seats can be removed. "Unclipping" no doubt makes it a bit more convenient, but only a bit.
More than "a bit" surely?. Front seats in my Caddy van need a particular 'splined' bit (not a torx), which is not something you'd find in a tool set....
Hi,
I'm looking for a reliable and relatively economical SUV with an automatic gearbox and a petrol engine. Are any of these any good, do they have any known problems with automatic gearbox or other issues etc?
1. Suzuki SX4 2013; 1.6 SZ4 5DR AUTO
2. Suzuki SX4 S-Cross 2013; 1.6 SZ5 SUV CVT ALLGRIP
2. Ford Ecosport 2015 rok; 1.5 Titanium 5Dr Powershift
3. Peugeot 2008, 2014 rok; 1.2 e-VTi
4. Vauxhall Mokka 2014;1.4T Auto
5. Subaru XV 2014 1.6i Lineartronic
6. Renault Captur 2013; 1.2 TCe Dynamique S EDC
Best Regards,
Tom Read more
It's a very reliable gearbox but expensive to fix if it does go wrong & few automatic transmission specialists capable of working on it ( I think that dealers just tend to swap gearboxes out if required)
It can be reliable and worth to buy from new and took care of it (changing transmission oil as required), but when I buy used car, it can be a trap if it's failure soon or later after the purchase ??...
Hallo!
I'd like recommendations, please.... Read more
Mazda 3 or CX-30 with Skyactive X engine. All the toys and mid 50's mpg. Not the roomiest in the back but never found it a problem.
A friend of mine with a 100kw Ford Mustang has heard that the government is planning to ration electricity to EV’s this winter, as power cuts are virtually inevitable. The cheap overnight charging deals will end.
I did wonder how the government would prioritise electrical power this winter. Also with this in mind, apparently owners of EV’s are now investing in portable petrol generators. Read more
"In the UK this winter, electricity will be restricted to EV’s due to the cold."
I absolutely guarantee this will not happen. It isn't physically possible to prevent EVs from being charged....
I’m off on my holidays to sunny Florida, and as usual my eyes are watching the roads and car lots for the sort of metal that appeal to the locals. I expected plenty of bloated, unnecessary and overweight American saloons and trucks but I’ve found the Americans to be a sensible lot with roads filled with some excellent normally aspirated petrol driven Japanese models we don’t get in the UK anymore, or ever in some cases. I much hanker after the current Toyota Camry and Honda Accord which fill the roads over here along with large Hyundai and Kia saloons and MPV’s.
They don’t seem to have been taken in by the daft top heavy SUV craze which has swept away all the good family saloons and the bulk of the larger family estates in the UK. We’re still just with worse to drive and less efficient SUV wannabe’s like the Qashqai and swmbo’s HRV instead, while I’d really rather have a good Camry, examples of which you see regularly here dating back to the 80’s and 90’s and still running.
I did spot a few Honda HRV’s and CRV’s and several showed paintwork damage from the heat, one HRV had the paint on the roof burnt off. Possibly it’s been a non-insurance approved bodge repair job but it wasn’t the only Honda I spotted with paint issues. Small SUV’s very much still play second fiddle to a good old family saloon car. Something I wish was still the case in the UK.
One thing I’m glad isn’t the same however is the standard of driving, which is some of the worst I’ve encountered on my behind the wheel travels over the years. They’re all over the place on the road, with no lane discipline at all. Read more
The last time I went to the USA (2017) it was with Are Lingus. Horrible flight on some sort of Airbus. The flight from Birmingham to Dublin was fine but the transatlantic flight not good. Cramped seating, to the point that I was beginning to get claustrophobia (and I go caving), tepid tea and very lacklustre food.
Browse
Supposed to be multipoint port injection.
Has anybody thought to check valve clearances assuming its not got hydraulic lifters?