April 2023
Wondering if I should consider a petrol Mazda 3 in my search for a new used car.... Have read injector issues are common and costly, is there any way of ruling the issue out (wondered if it is likely to have occurred and been fixed by X miles or similar, sorry I don't know if that's a thing!) or should I stick to other models?
Many thanks Read more
With my wife having got the forms from Motability through the post today letting her know she can place an order, I've been sifting through what is on offer on the Motability website. Narrowed down to automatic, 5 doors, and a maximum of £500 advance payment. With the continued absence of the current Suzuki Ignis (and Swift) from the list I've resigned myself to getting something wider than I'd like and just mount the kerb (as per tyre vs kerb thread) to allow more room on our narrow street. These are the cars (in no particular order) which have interested me along with pro's and con's.
I'd be interested if anyone has any experience of any of the cars listed below, or any other points or thoughts you feel worth mentioning. ... Read more
"The advance payment is only an issue in so far as the money could be put to better use elsewhere." Fair enough.
Good to know that users are now encouraged to look after the cars. My CMax, purchased in 2007 at three years old certainly hadn't much care lavished on it. HJ used to recommend an auction buyer (can't remember his name) who helped source the car via a contact at BCA Bridgwater. It stunk of cigarettes and had a fair few minor dents. It was low mileage and was promoted as in excellent condition. Took a professional valet and a couple of years for the smell to go. Turned out to be a good car in the end and I kept it for 10 years, but I'll never rate ex Motability as a plus.
I'm very grateful to one of the site contributers at Ask John for suggesting my brother goes for a VW Golf mk 7 to replace his beloved Lexus CT200h Advance (2014 plate). While he's loving the tech spec of the Golf and is warming to the fuel efficiency despite the cost of diesel, he's balking at the cockpit design. To explain the following, he is neurodivergent (think Forest Gump but not as severe) and, whilst an excellent driver, he can be a stickler for things that someone us may not find important. His criteria so far:
Budget: £12k. 60+mpg, lowish insurance group, reliable. Must be automatic (disability issue). Reliable and low(ish) maintenance costs. Would like bells & whistles that you see in the Golf. Refuses to have another hybrid (dont ask, but it was a nightmare getting repairs and downright expensive). ... Read more
Just thought I'd update on this. The car is now back at the dealership for the third time for battery drain issues. Cause is unknown - keys are well out of range and in a faraday box,, nothing left on or plugged in or connected yet almost every day without fail the car needs a jump start, even with a new battery. The car is driven almost daily and they're not short trips. I've had the car a couple of days myself to make sure it's nothing he's doing, and the same things are happening to me. Worse, twice the car has nearly caused an accident - once when it decided to do an emergency brake when a cyclist emerged from a side road well away from the car and another time when it decided to try and ram me into a parked car rather than let me straddle a lane marking (even though I'd indicated). It's by far the worst car I have seen and the technology on it is b***** dangerous.
He's regretting buying the thing now and I'm fighting his corner in getting the vehicle rejected. Mazda Assist have proven to be the absolute pits. The technicians who respond are OK, but the rest of the outfit is an absolute joke. Twice now he's been stuck at the dealership waiting for a courtesy car that Mazda said they'd arranged but hadn't, and when it was arranged, the either sent the wrong info to the hire company or sent it to the wrong branch and me or my partner have had to finish work early to pick him up after he'd been left waiting for 5 hours. When he did get a car (over a day later), it was an Aygo or Yaris. Bit of a comedown from a Mazda 3, but hey, at least they started and could be driven. The only reason it's not happened a third time is because my partner has not needed his car and has let my brother use it....
Following ongoing issues with the DPF on my volvo. Almost ever since I bought it it’s has some sort of issue/regen/replace. Been advised it’s all sorts of issues from injectors to sensors to the DPF itself I have been given what I think is some plain sound advice from my local garage.
I had an engine system warning light come on and then the car died while out driving. I towed it to the local garage where they investigated and showed me what they believe to be the issue. The diesel they removed from the car was a deep yellow/orange, so they think that the Pat fluid is not mixing into the diesel correctly, made worse by a small amount of fuel in the tank.
They believe that I probably need a new Pat fluid sensor and need it calibrated so that the correct amount is put into the fuel.
Anyone have any experience with this?
The local garage say they can replace the tank and sensor, but Volvo would have to recalibrate so it would be better to get it fixed (at HUGE expense) by Volvo.
Any advice/experience would be hugely appreciated!! Read more
The DV6 is a PSA unit which, of course, is also used in Peugeot, Citroen etc models including our Berlingo.
AIUI the EOLYS fluid is held in a container at the rear of the vehicle with a tiny quantity being injected into the fuel tank when the car is refuelled. Its purpose is to allow the DPF to keep form becoming blocked with soot which is, instead, burned off. ...
'Charging anxiety' dents demand for electric cars (msn.com)
With a busy weekend at Easter should be interesting if the queuing for chargers happens again. I read the other day that a few councils are fining charger users for overstaying at the charger, others will follow, something else to think about if you are taking the plunge. The demand for second hand EVs is no better but this is working in favour of prices with high depreciation on these. New EVs will do likewise if showrooms want to sell them.... Read more
I’m in the ‘I’d rather have an accident in a modern small car than a 1970’s large one’ camp. Design has progressed so much in that 50 years. In addition, with the widespread adoption of all manner of stability controls and autonomous emergency braking, we’re much less likely to be having an accident in the first place. www.euroncap.com/en/results/toyota/aygo+x/46259
Most small cars in the 1970s did not have power steering. Try driving a modern small car with wider wheels and better lock without power steering.
I started driving in the 1960s.. with cars made in he 1930s. Modern cars of the current era beat ALL prior cars for ease of driving , fuel economy and safety....
UK's first Dutch-style roundabout which gives cyclists priority sees increase in accidents (msn.com)
Like so many I disagree with drivers having to stop in the most dangerous place to give way to bikes and pedestrians, but like so many gov ideas they are here to stay.... Read more
They need to get the basics right first (which will benefit FAR more people) before embarking on 'grand schemes', which often are huge wasteful proverbial white elephants (like cycle routes that go nowhere / are imcomplete or unstuitable) - most of which don't get adeqautely maintained....
Some here may remember my saga of the irremovable Peugeot wheel locking bolt, renowned (and perhaps welcomed) in the trade as sometimes needing welding expertise to extract. (Memo to Peugeot - learn from Ford).
After its recent oil change, I noticed a small circle of oil on the ground under the sump - so I tightened the plug a bit more. No luck, so I drained the oil into a clean container for reuse and inspected the offending plug. Lo and behold, after a mere four tightenings (once at the factory, once (possibly) at the first 1yr garage service, and two by me (10k and 20k miles), the presumably single use squashable copper curtain ring had been reduced to a nanometric sliver of uselessness.... Read more
The counterpoint to this, and John's point in the first place, is what kind of manufacturer sells cars where the locking wheel bolts need to be removed because they're inadequate or uses single use washers when reusable alternatives are available?
Most issues with locking wheelnuts are caused by the user or a garage overtightening them. The manufacturer cannot control either of these....
I understand ad blue has a ‘use by’ date on the containers. But what about ad blue that’s been in the car for a while? I ask because I don’t do many miles, although they are long trips, as a result I hardly use any ad blue. As the tank is quite large, the stuff has been in there for quite some time. I last topped it up a good couple of years ago.
Is there anything I should do about it? Read more
Sometimes if clumsy blighters spill adblu over the bulk pump handle, it crystalises enough to stop the pump handle operating, a kettle of hot water over it shifts it all in no time.
I was driving on the motorway when all of a sudden noticed the temperature gauge on my car going up and down, pulled over at the next services by which point there was a metallic crackling/grinding sound. As I came to a stop, the engine cut out, long story short, the entire engine needs replacing and the cylinder head gasket has gone on top of all the labour the warranty company forced by asking for the engine to be stripped.
I purchased the car just under 5 months previous to this happening from a dealer, predictably, the warranty company has rejected the repairs so I'm wondering my rights under the Consumers Rights Act 2015. Read more
Don’t waste your time and money getting the head gasket fixed . If the engine has severely overheated , it’s basically toast . Modern engines can’t cope with excessive temperatures and recover. I would source a s/hand engine and get that fitted.
Hope someone can help ?? gearbox gets stuck in gear say third , and will rev up to redline and it won't change gear. I try paddle shift the screen displays M7 but I am in 3 gear in reality and it is happening now and then. Would anyone have an idea Read more
Get it fixed for the lowest cost possible and move it on. This was the advice to a friend’s brother when his DSG failed. Had a cheap fix, but foolishly kept the car. A few weeks later it had a very expensive failure.
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Most of the issues surround Mazda diesels revolve around the 'mis-use' of cars of that engine type, i.e. predominantly short trips from cold. If you've owned such a car from new and at least do mixed driving or mainly longer distance (20 miles+ on free flowing roads) driving then not so much to worry about. Just don't turn the engine off if its doing a DPF regen and let it idle at the end of a long journey / towing for 30-60 secs to ensure the turbo cools off....