September 2022
Turns out its quite a sensitive seismic detector when up on axle stands, and an effective cardiovascular and limbo-dancing stimulant if you are underneath it when its detecting.
I scooted out sharpish in plenty of time to take La Presidenta's warning text message.... Read more
This isn't really a post about the cars themselves its more about asking should I get a car I like the look of and/or buying one for practical use.
The type of person I am is that, I love efficiency but I do care about the look of the cars but I do not like the look of most of the cars that are mpg cars. I have the fortunate position to be able to have little bit of money as in 5k to spend on my first car and I cannot choose from Eco/mpg or pleasure........ Read more
If he has no NCD and this is his first car choose small and cheap like a Citroën C1 or equivalent Peugeot or Toyota Aygo. Insurance could easily be a couple of grand.
Plus your almost guaranteed to scrape it on something. So cheap and small is the order of the day. Three four years later different story.
Can anyone tell me the sliding switch positions for charging and starting on the Ring RCB320 charger/starter? There are three positions, fast charge/slow charge/start but it is not obvious which way the switch works. This isn't helped by the fact that there are no position markings beneath the switch. Should the switch be fully to the left or to the right for the starting function? Any help appreciated. Read more
Thanks very much. It is as I thought, fully left for the start function. Unfortunately, on my unit, the bottom of the switch obscures the print below the switch. When the switch is pushed fully to the left, "slow charge" is uncovered on the right which could be mistaken for meaning this was the slow charge position. Makes sense now.
My son and his girlfriend are big into mountain biking, paddle boarding, open water swimming, canyoning, kayaking etc.
Every spare moment they have they are away somewhere remote doing something of that order.
This week they’ve been up in the Lake District doing all of that.
As some of you know, he has a 9 year old Aygo which he likes but even with a roof rack it’s a bit overwhelmed by his needs.
He really needs something that can cope with transporting more kit, and is a bit more suitable for regular longer journeys.
Now, his income is variable, he’s starting to get quite good pay days from his music, but still has to supplement that with part time bar work. Therefore at the moment he’s not feeling like borrowing or leasing due to the uncertainty of his income stream.
What he wants to do is spend about 5 or 6 grand all up on a cash purchase.
His main criteria include -
Loadspace
Roof load space
Sensible fuel economy
Sensible insurance costs
A reasonable level of reliability
Capable of getting a bit muddy (but to be fair anything with the “right” tyres will cope)
Not too tall, getting things on and off the roofs of tall cars is a pain.
Comfortable enough for long journeys.
£5k ish
Then there’s another complication, he’s promised to teach his GF to drive. They can’t afford a second vehicle, so whatever he has will be the learner car.
So, I’m steering him towards things like old Focus/Astra estates and the like, maybe even an Astra van as there’s usually only the two of them in it. Octavia estate maybe, a Ceed estate perhaps?
Any other thoughts from the assembly?
Other than the bank of dad stumping up again!
;-)
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Yes, fair point expat. I guess that risk could be mitigated a bit by choosing a “younger” car with big miles over an older one with low mileage. Provided service history etc stacked up on the former and on the assumption that it had seen regular long distance usage.
But your point is well made and taken.
I was sold a vehicle in the last 24hrs where the dealer knew by virtue of the service check list that there was no kit. There is a space available for the kit but it is empty! It had "not been authorised" for my vehicle by someone in the dealership.
Needless to say I have been in touch with the company but had not had the courtesy of a repair. What do you think of this dangerous practive taking into consideration I have no means of dealing a punture or other tyre issue. Read more
Assume this is a second hand vehicle. Personally I'd have checked the spare wheel etc when viewing the vehicle with a view to securing a spare or space saver as part of the deal.
Unless there's a legality in play requiring a vehicle to be sold with some means of repairing a puncture then you've got limited leverage if the kit was absent at the time you agreed purchase. If you're lucky the dealer (are they a VW franchise?) will supply one as goodwill. If they're a 'car retailer' selling on monthly cost less so. ...
Seen some cars I haven't seen in the flesh in the UK.
The maybach sedan was white... Nice wedding car?... Read more
Looks like the equivalent of a tarted up Toyota, Lexus etc.
Hello all
The dreaded DPF light and message came on today on the Tiguan 14 plate - 65k miles. I'll try the Italian tune up, but I don't expect results from that, as I try and do that every so often anyway.... Read more
Thanks all.
I only suggested the Italian tune up because that’s what the manual suggests.
I’ll get it down to the garage next week, get it plugged in and sorted accordingly.
I have recently taken out an insurance policy with Churchill Insurance.
I wanted to transfer my insurance onto my new car, a Citroen C5x. I ‘phoned Churchill as I was unable to make the change online.... Read more
IIRC the big boys insurance-wise are only interested in the middle of the main stream.
I don't recall any occaision they were willing to quote on any of my vehicles....
Hi all,
I'm looking for advise on buying a 7 seater.... Read more
Would your budget get you a current shape Peugeot Rifter / Citroen Berlingo / Vauxhall Combo Life in the XL longer version? That way you get 7 seats and some boot space Do you need 7 seats or 6? If 6, once you remove one of the seats in the standard M size combo Life you have a huge boot area even with the other seat still in situ.
You wouldn't get into a current shape version of either wheelbase for £8k, add another £3k to the budget and the OP might just scrape into one!.
Maybe I'm just unlucky but I don't seem to find many garages that can do it properly. The Focus had some new front tyres about nine months ago but recently I've been on the motorway and at 70mph there's the annoying fidgeting felt at the steering wheel. Took it back, rebalanced, no better. So went back to a garage further afield I should have used before and they've got it spot on, as usual. Both the two garages about a mile from me can't get it right and I've found this at other places.
Why is it so hard? Equipment not calibrated right or operator not trained properly? What are the experiences of the panel? Read more
Dreadful brakes with no servo on UK models, same as the UK spec MK2 Polo. Flintstone's car would probably stop better!
I've had two cars with front discs and no servo. A '60s Triumph 2-litre Vitesse and a 750cc Fiat Panda. Drum brakes need no servo, as the shoe with a leading edge acts as a self-servo....
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