October 2022
So it's been coming but we as a family of four are now back into the office 3 and 5 days a week. We've tried every way round not owning a 2nd car but it's impossible. So we are on the hunt, we currently have a 2017 C4 Grand Picasso (flair) that is worth about £11k and we have about £4k to buy another runaround. But we are considering selling the bigger one as it is a complete gas guzzler and unnecessary most of the time.
So the question is really what advice would you give for two cars at a £15k budget for a family of four. ... Read more
Hi I was wondering if anybody could hlep me out with an issue with my car please? It's a 2011 1.3 (1349cc I think) MZR engine 84 BHP. I've had the car a couple of years and have spent quite a bit of money on this car with wear and tear items. It has done 80,000 miles and now I think the clucth needs replacing. This is due to the car getting more difficult to get into in reverse, the clutch pedal has a high biting point, and also there is very little between the clutch being engaged and disengaged when down-shifting. On the odd occasion the clutch judders when the car is cold, but this isn't that often.
Information on these cars seems pretty thin on the ground. From what I can pick up I believe that it has a dual mass flywheel. Just wondered if this is correct? There's nothing that really points to it failing if it has. It's just if it's normal practice to replace this as well as the clutch I think I'm going to get rid of the car and buy something newer. Read more
I think it has a solid mass flywheel. The only way I came to this conclusion is by watching a youtube video where I couldn't tell what engine was fitted. Then looking on ebay at used flywheels on Ebay. These were all solid, could only find a couple one was off an MZR.
The reason I thought it was dual mass was looking on those sites that all come up in google, they were saying dual mass. The sites that are not in this country....
Hi Honest John forum members!
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Just bumping this up to the top in case anyone missed it first time around.
Given some of the recent, shall we say, less-than-light-hearted topics / 'discussions' covered in the forum, I thought it might be useful for something that might bring a smile to our faces and to help imrpove relations.
Anyhoo, on my travels over the last couple of years, whether in my car, walking or cycling (including on holiday), I've come across some very 'unusual' and often very funny place names, especially of villages and hamlets. Quite a few just in the last few months as I've been out cycling quite a bit around my part of Herts and skirting the boundary with Cambs and Essex.... Read more
I had the chance of buying a Schmitt for £75 in the early 70s. Similarly a Berkeley for the same money. Got a Scootacar for fifty quid instead.
Hi
The last 4 years i have run my Civic Tourer off Summer and Winter tyres. I have 16s for winder and 17s summer.... Read more
Just having my toyota yaris fettled with 4 michelin crossclimate 2 at
Kwikfit. Had all seasons before would recommend them as when temps ...
Another thing to remember is like many, many others like myself have had cars yet to be delivered from orders as far back as Spring 2021 so today's deliveries actually made up of many back dated orders.
So what were seeing is a false optimistic picture for new cars.
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With the cost of living crisis starting to bite and interest rates regularly rising after months of Bank Of England hesitation, all those people that took out huge mortgages on their dream home without any thought of contingency if the interest rate went up by 0.5% let alone 5%, then went out and rented a Tesla on finance to impress their friends, are going to be really worried. So new car sales are only going one way.
Obscene car price inflation in recent times will now kill the market, regardless of parts supply problems (there has been older people enjoying the golden age of huge pensions still ordering new cars regularly, but they are now dwindling in number).
Car makers like VW are still reaping in huge profits despite much lower sales, all because of these huge prices; huge list prices that forced people to rent cars via finance rather than ever actually owning them, but that will no longer be an option as monthly payments go through the roof.
The only car makers still selling cars in decent numbers will be value brands like Dacia and MG (despite both of them raising their prices sharply recently).
Another reason why electric cars are a disaster just wait to everyone is forced into having them. Electric cars are too expensive, too heavy and have too much impact on the environment when they are made. We are being lead down this path by people who should know better. Read more
If electric cars were better than a petrol car that would be fine, but they have so many issues and a lot of people have put on blinkers and cannot see that.
1.They are too expensive for most people ...
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If I recall, some of the government's ID thingies share photos digitally now - though a passport photo has to be without your glssses on, whereas a driver's licence may ironically need them on.
I found a car that needs engine and I have the engine but ...this has has been standing for 2years at least is it a good idea to buy it Read more
looking to find a good car
Depends how you define a "good" car. You want a non-runner to put your engine in and you will have to accept a non-runner will probably have issues in addition to any engine issues....
Where is it likely to achieve the best price selling your car? Is it eBay auction, eBay buy it now, Facebook marketplace, Autotrader (ouch - it's pricey!), Gumtree (nope - it's literally dead), anything else?
The car is a hybrid, worth around £9000. Read more
The last car I sold went on Gumtree. I had difficulty judging its value (old, but low mileage) so put it on at a speculatively high price, as the ad cost nothing, to try and gauge what it may fetch. Surprised me by selling immediately for full price.
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I'd probably keep the Picasso for motorway work. The.mileage may be better at a cruise and anything bug is going to use a fair bit of fuel, so I doubt you'd save what you spend on changing cars.
For the smaller one, it depends on what your country lanes are like and how absolutely reliable you need the car to be. What I'm getting at, of course, is whether you could get away with something fun but not entirely dependable...