July 2024
I´m looking to buy a second hand car, approximately 6 years old and I´ve found this VW Golf which looks in great condition generally, runs well and is at a good price from a local car dealer.
My only worry is that there is a small crack in the framework at the back left of the car (approx 1 inch) - only visible when you open the boot. Aesthetically it´s not a problem but I´m wondering if it could be a sign of structural damage. The car salesman assures me that it´s not but he does admit that it shows that the car must have had a knock in that part of the frame. ... Read more
Approaching a set of lights that had just turned amber, didn't think I could get through them in time, so slammed on the brakes. However to my horror the car still kept edging forward. I kept breaking but it kept moving. I put my hazards on as the car partiallt or maybe completely (can't remember) went over the white line. Thankfully no cars about other than a van in the lane next to me. No idea what happened here but will get the car checked out. Is there any legal defence for this? There were no lights or other cars about other than the van but I'm speaking hypothetically. Read more
Follow-on thread now running in Technical:
Hi all I am new to the forum. I am hoping you can help me. I am looking for a used SUV that has electric memory seats. I don’t have a big budget so I am wondering if older cars have this feature that would be more affordable? I have about £5000 to spend. Read more
Lexus ???
Foged bout it......
As posted elsewhere, our old Subaru has reached the end of its working life after 20 years and needs to be replaced soon. We decided to buy a new car and looked at hybrid options but as we have to place the car in storage and are out of the country for up to 6 months of the year, hybrids posed a question mark. Now someone has suggested leasing or renting a car during the 6 or more months of the year that we remain in the UK and return it just before we left. I did not think renting would be cost-effective over several months but am interested in exploring the lease option about which we know nothing.
Can people advice me on this please? We are a couple of retired doctors in our late 60s and in good general health. No insurance claims in the last 15 years. Read more
I checked on the recommendations in that link and found that leasing a car will not really suit our plans because most companies offer a minimum of 24 months contract; while there are a few who might consider a 12-month one, even that will not suit us because we will be abroad for at least 3 to 4 months of the year during winter, perhaps as long as 6 months.
But long term rental will certainly suit us and a couple of companies have come up with positive responses. Apex Car Rental and Sixt have packages that start with 3 to 6 months rental contract followed, where required, by a monthly rolling contract. Apex in particular impressed me with the manner in which they understood our situation and responded with all the right answers. Looks like we will go with one of those two assuming that the terms are acceptable....
Hi everyone,
I am hoping someone can advice me. ... Read more
Hi,
...
Seeing more cars with over tinted front side windows and windscreen, seems crazy that it’s against the law but not an MOT failure.. Read more
‘ I thought cameras identify the number plate - the registered keeper should identify the driver.’
The latest cameras will also identify those not wearing a seatbelt or messing with a phone - but not if there’s a reflective film on the windscreen.
Looks like the data on my sat nav is seriously out of date. It was baffled by the Junction 19 interchange today and that was built ten years ago .
Started working once I was back on the M1.... Read more
Thanks Sandy.
Can you tell me how to update the data once I’ve bought the disk?...
2001 Clio Mk2 Phase 1 - 2001 Petrol
This car sat for 5 years unused. I recently started it with a fully charged battery. It started after a few seconds. I drove it around the block for a few minutes. All was fine, except brakes need freed up.
A few days later someone else tried to start it but failed. I went to the car and found no fuel getting to the injectors, then found no power at the fuel pump.
I did not have any cable so could not send power to the pump to see if that resolved the issue. I plan to do that next time I go the car.
While not having a wiring diagram I did not know what fuse to check, but checked every fuse under the bonnet and every fuse in left side under dash - all OK.
I have read elsewhere that on "some Clio model" a relay powers fuel pump and coil pack. I will test power to coil pack if power to fuel pump does not fix the issue.
MY QUESTION
In the meantime, any help about possible blown fuse or faulty relay would be helpful as would a wiring diagram.
Note this has a very different fuse box / relay set up to the Phase 2. There is not a bank of relays under the bonnet at LH Front.
****
One other query. How do I get the connector off the pump. I assume I should press the metal strip on the side but it will not move. I have been reluctant to apply too much pressure where I should not.... Read more
It’s a submersible pump , sits in the bottom of the tank.
Bought an 'approved used mini' 16 plate, 33,000 miles on the clock last year in September. Paid over the odds for the protection of having it come from MINI and bought it outright with bank transfer so no helpful finance company.
1 month after buying and in less that 1000 miles, offside suspension spring snaps doing quite a bit of damage. MINI picked up the car and repaired the damage to the offside and told me that the nearside spring was also at high risk of failure prematurely and they want to replace it but wanted to charge me an extra £500 for this which I both couldn't afford and understood that if the spring snapped they would have to cover the damage anyway.
Over the next 9 months and with the car still under 40,000 miles all of the other suspension springs have snapped. I had to do the two rear ones myself as I needed the car urgently, but the final spring that went was the one the garage had neglected to repair initially. The car was back with MINI and they were arguing about whether this should be covered under the warranty or if they wanted to charge me for it, at which point I told them I wanted to reject the car. They told me I shouldn't make rash decisions like this and to wait until after the repair work was done before we talk about that, I was quite insistent about this but was fobbed off with a promise to look into the warranty side - at which point they very promptly repaired the car.
I'm obviously still unhappy with the car and have been going at the dealership that sold me the car over the past month trying to argue my case for rejection of the car but am now hitting a stone wall being told that 'the car was sold over 6 months ago and we have repaired all the damage'. I've opened a case with the ombudsman but I'm given to understand this is likely to take up to another 6 months before it will be resolved, during which time I am essentially accepting the car if I continue to use it. The dealership has offered to buy the car off me for nearly half what I bought it for and significantly below market value because 'obviously they need to make a profit on it still'. I can't take this to court as they stipulate that I need to have tried to go through an ADR otherwise they will look unfavourably on the case. I'm feeling very stuck and although I could probably sell the car privately and make most of my money back I firstly don't feel that comfortable selling a car I don't trust and I also feel that MINI should be the ones to take responsibility for this and bear the cost themselves.
Looking for any advice or bright ideas please, I feel like I've been banging my head against a wall - it's enraging that I tried to reject the car verbally but they're just trying to wriggle out of it. Read more
The OP seems to think they have a right to reject. They do not. Hopefully we are both trying to show this. My point was that the issue of 'proof' is not a trivial exercise.
I said all that in my first post....
I have a vauxhall astra h 07 plate 1.8 . I need to replace my water pump it's the external pump driven by the fan belt .
When I replace the pump should I put a new fan belt on? Read more
It sounds as if you plan to DiY, so as no extra work will be involved the only 'extra' would be the cost of a new belt. Just make sure it is the correct one !
Browse
"My only worry is that there is a small crack in the framework at the back left of the car (approx 1 inch) - only visible when you open the boot. "
Impressed you spotted that. I probably wouldn't have, and the salesman wont be much bothered, since the chance of the next punter spotting it would seem to be rather small.