July 2023
These crossing seem to vary as it is. If some get any slower you will be able to exit your car help someone across and get back in before the green! As a pedestrian there are not enough of these in strategic places as it can take me and Sammy dog ages to cross. Sometimes someone takes pity on us and lets us cross but can be a bit dodgy if traffic on the other lane is inclined otherwise! Read more
JD power reports that "people prefer interacting with the apps on their phone than whatever cockamamie b******* was cooked up by the company that made their car." We already knew that but it is nice to see it acknowledged where the car manufacturers might notice.
www.theverge.com/23801545/car-infotainment-custome...r Read more
<< That's just the point Andrew, people are like Magpies, they just want the latest "shiny thing", doesn't matter whether or not they need it, will use it or know what it is for. If the manufacturer is offering it, they want it. And when it comes to touchscreens, bigger is always better!. >>
I think there are quite a few who would be happy to do without several gizmos which come with the car they buy - but of course deleting them is not a cost-effective option ....
One son wants to replace his 2006 Honda Civic, ideally with a later Civic. (later models have a rear window wiper). Local ones he has seen in Autotrader seem to have a history of many MOT advisories/failures or, if apparently better looked after, are private sales.
Test drives for private sales obviously not so straightforward, wouldn't want his in part-ex, WBAC offer for his was £250 when they looked at it.... Read more
If he wants one with a rear wiper that’s the model from 2012 onwards. As occasionally discussed on here, the 1.8 has oil consumption issues that were resolved on 2013 onwards cars. I traded in my 2012 car in 2019 for that reason.
i would still recommend the 1.8 from 2013 onwards but a budget of £4k will not be enough for a half decent car.
As ever SLO list is a good starting point.
Trying to work out what is wrong with my car (2005 tdi). It occasionally doesnt start but still ticks over fine. It has also started on 2nd or 3rd try a few times. When it has refused to start I have been able to jump it fine but the last time it happened it wouldnt start from jumping it and had to bump it. Battery and alternator are fine. My Dad didn't think it was the starter but the person who helped me bump it last time said they think it could be the starter sticking ????
It went to the garage for a mot a while ago and was fine before however there wasnt a great amount of diesel in the car (would have been enough for a simple mot) and they ended up doing some work on it to do with high emissions where they put a trearment in and took the car for a drive. When I picked it up there was barely anything left in it. I drove it a little way to a garage and got some. Its since this has happened this problem has started so not sure if it could be related to that. ... Read more
As above - a good battery is critical.
Which engine is fitted? It it's the pd ( Pumpe Deuse) then the tandem pump (both vacuum servo pump/ fuel pump) is a known fail point.
Audi A4 2010 8 speed cvt is noisy as speed increases. Changes gear ok Read more
If an oil change doesn’t fix it , the it probably needs a new unit . £5k should cover it .
My wife suffers a from weak wrists. We are looking for a sub £4k coupe/convertible/hatchback car. She loves MX-5's but happy with any cute/stylish looking car BUT it must have very light steering.
..and thats the issue. Most of the older cars we have tried have quite heavy steering even if they have so called PAS... Read more
For outright lightness though probably a Fiat Panda or 500 with the city steer which enhances the assistance. These are extremely light around town and can be reliable if you avoid the diesels and the 900cc twin air engines and the auto. A simple 1.2 Panda is a very appealing little car in my opinion, they’re the same car underneath but the Panda is more honest, it’s cheaper and more practical.
Indeed we inherited a 2006 1.2 Fiat Panda Eleganza that my (late)father-in-law bought new as the "city" power steering button really helped with his awful Polymyalgia rheumatica. The 1.2 Fire 4 cylinder is an amazingly simple/reliable engine that feels nippy in town but it's no ball of fire on the motorway. Our did have a gearbox glitch - relatively cheaply fixed. On older ones keep an eye on the underside where panels are welded together - but an application of Owatrol Oil around seams etc keeps this is check. As with many cars keep wheel arches free and clear out any natural mud traps(fuel filler at rear, where brake pipes pass through inner front wings). One thing of note - the climate control fitted to the Eleganza is amazingly effective - meat locker on the "lo" setting.
Generally a good little town/city car....
the drivers window is jammed down. passenger side works as should. today it made a snapping sound as i it wound down . i stopped it . it
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jobs done . motor and regulator of ebay from a major breaker £ 43 newer part that mine. works just fine.
Hi there. My Carina is doing what it does best-providing dull but extremely reliable transportation for me. Better still, there are no signs of rust around the car, and the MOT guy has said that, underneath, it's better than some cars ten years younger in terms of rust. I'm thinking that in order to keep my fairly solid, reliable car on the road for many more years to come, I should look into getting it undersealed. I don't have the facilities to do it myself, and don't have any friends who could it for me for 'mate rates'. In fact, I'm happy to spend a reasonable amount on getting this done professionally. Has anyone paid a professional to underseal their car? Was it worth it? What sort of price should I be looking to pay? Any types of underseal which need to be avoided? I live in Hereford, West Midlands, so if anyone can also make a fairly local recommendation for a professional garage which does this sort of thing (maybe within 70 miles, or so?) I'd really appreciate it. Many thanks in advance. Alfie. Read more
I have used both Diniitrol and Waxoil. Dinitrol is far more resistant to abrasion: Waxoil is useless in wheelarches or along inner sills as it gets washed away.
Our 2003 Yaris is rust free due to Dinitrol. I have used Bilt Hamber on the Jazz: the clear wax. Very easy to apply and with good reports from users. The Jazz id 11 years old and rust free....
Myself and wife provide carers support to elderly person now largely disabled and wishes to sell car. A few queries arise:
A. She/we cannot find reg cert/log book. De we need to apply for replacement before sale? Can I sell without cert?... Read more
You’ll need the V5, but rather than WBAC I’d call small local dealers and see if they’re interested. If I was local I’d bid on it myself, assuming it’s a late model Mk II, I’d have that sold within a week if priced right. WBAC won’t be interested due to its age and will offer peanuts for it.
On a recent drive with an OBD-II scanner plugged in, I noticed the soot weight in the DPF as reported by the ECU started at 0 grams, steadily rose to around 600 grams, dropped back to zero, and slowly rose up to 600 again. This was over the course of about 30 miles.
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Yes
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While headline is typical Daily Fail tripe, there is a point here.
Around my way, East London, most of the pedestrian crossings (controlled by lights) and crossings at junctions, have the 'countdown' display for pedestrians. The default appears to be 10 seconds, but I've noticed a few are 15 seconds....