September 2023
Got a 18 plate 3008. Bought secondhand from dealership 2 years ago.
4 months ago had engine fault with Adblue. Fixed for £90 diagnostic with a software update. ... Read more
Hi all
I remember reading that there are issues with the 1.0 Ecoboost engines. Are these problems only for older cars? I was looking at a 2019 Focus 1.0 Ecoboost, looked a nice car. The majority of Focus seem to be these 1.0 engines. Thanks Read more
As well as the traditional oil failure damage, this example has a lot of carbon on rings and piston tops compared to my ancient-running-rich-carburretted-but-actually-eco-cos-it-was-old engine, perhaps because of the direct injection.
That's progress...
I went out to buy a Kia Picanto and accidentally ordered a new MG HS. I know.
Don't any of you do things like that? Read more
<< As with most budget brands depreciation will be horrendous. ...
Surely no more horrendous than a non-budget brand ? Depreciation really reflects the desirability (and availability) of any particular model.
Ive never really considered looking at a Scala. Some of the prices for a 2021 1.0 seems good compared to other cars in the class. Are they roomy inside?
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Nothing wrong with the Toledo. Have a 2016 plate 1.2 TSI 105 for the last three years. Handles better than a 66 plate Mazda 2 and 2016 Fiesta, better comfort so no back ache, great car and under rated. When I bought it it had fsh, 32k, miles, immaculate and the nice grey colour and no issues. one owner and worked as a mechanic at SEAT and he thought it was good enough to buy from his dealership. £5.5k. Turned out to be a great deal. Depends who you believe.
I had one up until a year ago. Also the 1.2 TSI (but I think it has more power). It was great, but a little bit basic inside and the rear end was a bit bouncy. An absolute bargain, though....
Hello,
I am writing on behalf of a friend. They purchased a 68 plate VW Transport T6 from a VW main dealer, which seemed ideal to get there growing family around in comfort. Although not new it was still expensive at around £40k.... Read more
And you are are probably right to disagree with my sentence you quoted FiestaOwner, i was, no doubt inadvisedly, applying common sense theory and assumed someone spending what to me is a frankly ridiculous £40k (fashion tax?) on what was probably a 4 year old van would at least have the oil changed every year, regardless of what makers who warrant their vehicles for 3 years or so might suggest.
Going back to 1999, I had a Transporter T4 1.9TD. Very nice and comfy van to drive (or to be a passenger in). So much more pleasant than the Ford Transit of the time. I do get the appeal....
Hi all,
We bought a 20 plate manual Crossland X with 18,000 miles on the clock 3 weeks ago. On Bank holiday Monday we were cruising uphill when the engine started making a noise like a hammer drill, and warning lights came on the dash so we pulled over. It had lost power so we arranged for breakdown recovery to take us back home.... Read more
I presume the car will be rejected and we will hear no more, but it would be interesting to know what the eventual diagnosis is. There is a lot of difference between merely the roughness of a mis- or non-firing cylinder and 'sounding like a hammer drill'. Although assuming it is the 1.2 puretech, perhaps it does make a dreadful racket when trying to run on just two cylinders.
When my new car came with a digital dashboard, I changed the speedometer from MPH to km/h as an experiment. Since then I kept it km/h and discovered following advantages.
I can drive in 3 digits legally. Driving over 100 (km/h) is satisfying. It is possible to drive on motorways at 120 km/h (or 125 if you stretch it) without having to fear of getting ticket.... Read more
Here is some Sunday light reading for those who like to work up a rage about (non-) metric roads in the UK.
Roadwork signs showing multiples of 100 yards are placed at multiples of 100 metres...
So, after a few years of reading about 1.6 TDI EGR issues online, I think mine is going.
I get a glow plug light flashing occasionally and the car goes into limp mode, which goes away if I restart the engine. It's going to an VAG independent next week. I scanned it with a basic OBDII reader and it says P0407 EGR sensor B circuit low. If the EGR is the issue, it'll be expensive as these are apparently a pain to do on these engines.
Anything I can try myself?
I've taken it for a good blast, it drives perfectly when the light isn't on; and it completed a DPF regeneration successfully. I just don't understand how one journey it can be fine, then the other not so much...I drove 200 miles without a single issue the other day, but the next day it was terrible. Read more
Whilst I agree that VAG Independents are much cheaper than Main Dealers, I would go to any back street garage for such a simple job. This is a 'Fitters' job, not a 'Mechanics' job.
You'll save at least half again!...
Hi there,
... Read more
Don’t try to jump it! Friend of mine had a similar issue with his Toyota Yaris Cross Hybrid, the Toyota supplied (RAC I think) breakdown provider attended and tried to jump the car resulting in a blown “main fuse” and a bill for £500. He of course reminded the dealer that it was Toyota’s own recovery provider that caused the damage and the costs were rightly waved. 12v battery issues are very common on Hybrids and EV’s.
Had a call from my darling mother yesterday to say that her 42,000 mile 2009 59 plate Honda Jazz which she’s had from new has failed its Mot due to structural rust underneath. This is a car that’s never seen a motorway, it doesn’t go out at night and almost never leaves the town, especially in icy salt covered roads, yet it is now rotten underneath despite a lifetime of sleeping in a dry garage.
It can be saved with a bit of welding, but when this is needed it’s pretty much curtains for the car as it’ll be rusting heavily elsewhere. It still looks ok on the body though, it’s mechanically perfect and is mint inside. Shame. I will fix it but it’s likely going to be traded in for something newer.
Now we get to the point of my ramblings. I decided to take a look at used prices for the Mk II Honda Jazz and I’m finding similar aged autos with similar miles at daft prices in excess of £7k in some cases! To me the price doesn’t reflect the likely lifespan left in many used cars on the market today. I’ve recently seen a 2009 Golf 1.4 up for £4,995 locally, again how much life is left in that? These are cars that would be sub £2,000 in a sane world with real risk priced in but today they’re two to three times their real value.
Now, do I fix it and try to convince her to keep it or is it time to offload it to keep her confidence in driving? Prices on replacements are absolutely daft at the moment and with demand very much outstripping supply on good small petrol engined cars I don’t see prices dropping back to sanity anytime soon and she doesn’t use it enough to warrant spending a lot of money. Read more
I use VHT paint on our exhausts Our 20 years old Yaris is on its original one as is our 11 year old Jazz.,
ditto