September 2024
Is there such a thing as a high, comfortable car, with good boot space, from a reliable maker for £10-£12,000? It doesn't need 7 seats but most cars with this body shape seem to have 7. I have not had anything non-Japanese for 20 years so I would need a bit of persuading to go back to Ford or Vauxhall. . I am considering the Mazda 5 but they are thin on the ground. I don't want an import because I am having to give up current imported Honda due to unavailability of spares. I don't want 4 wheel drive because then you lose luggage space. We do regular car boot sales and need space, but we want a car that is still easy to park and use daily. A bit larger than a Toyota Verso. Not much to ask, is it?? Read more
Just read about fiat stopping production of the 500 e for 4 weeks due to lack of interest. Read more
The 500/500e relationship is a bit confusing.
The "original" 500 as introduced in 2007 did have a limited "500e" electric version just sold in the USA I think which was a rather cobbled together effort of just sticking a motor and battery in the same car instead of an engine and fuel tank. I don't think they made many....
Can anyone recommend a decent grease for a steering rack please?
It’s for my Audi A4 B8 with an electric rack, the boots still do their job it’s just the factory grease on the worm gear/inner tie rod could do with changing.
TIA Read more
If its a rack and pinion, that involves metal to metal contact without roller bearing skid considerations, so a moly and/or EP containing grease might be appropriate, as sold for inside CV boots (not of course in Taiwan).
I ordered some Comma stuff from the sadly now defunct Pilrig Motors,though it was cheaper on’t nyet. Should be pretty widely available...
Hi there,
I have absolutely no idea about cars, hence why I wanted to ask your advice.
I own a 2007 Ford Ka. 73,000 miles. It recently failed the MOT for the following reasons:
Do not drive until repaired (dangerous defects):
Fuel pipe leaking excessively or a risk of fire filter pipe area (6.1.3 (b) (ii))
Repair immediately (major defects):
Offside Front Lower Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn rear bush (5.3.4 (a) (i))
The garage quoted £200 plus labour to fix the suspension issue. They said that they'd need a technician and put it up a ramp to quote on the fuel leak issue. I had to take my car away though as I was going abroad the next day for 3 weeks. MOT has expired since.
Now I'm back and have a bit of a dilemma. I long wanted to get another second hand car, mainly due to persistent dashboard light issues but also last winter the garage advised that the floor was soaked on driver's side and they presumed it was rainwater getting in but would need investigation that I never bothered with. I work from home and barely do 2,000 a year.
My budget is £2k for a new second hand car and realised that might be better to stick with my Ford Ka - the devil I know than taking a gamble on a cheap car.
What do you think?
Thanks ever so much in advance,
Rachel Read more
First hit was
Hi everyone, new poster here, Ive been doing some research on the new euro 7 emission requirements and it appears that the EU published back in April that the new standards will be implemented in 30 months time for "new types of cars" and in 42 months time for "new cars". I have attached the link below. My question is what will this mean for all of our existing low emission zones like ULEZ? I was thinking of buying a used diesel as I do well over 20k miles annually but am concerned that as soon as euro 7 comes out ill have to pay to take it into cities like London and Birmingham. I usually keep my cars for a long time when I upgrade so am not too keen to have to change again in a few years time. I guess my question really boils down to how likely do you all think it is for ULEZ to upgraded to euro 7 and is it wise for me to buy a used diesel at this time? Your advice is greatly appreciated
https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2024/04/12/euro-7-council-adopts-new-rules-on-emission-limits-for-cars-vans-and-trucks/ Read more
Apart from making money, the ULEZ has made no difference to the atmosphere at all, but no one knows what he will do at any point in the future, though some rumours have said he will tax peoples driveways because they contribute toward flooding,
other daft ideas are in the works but no ideas so far what he will do, the most i****ic Mayor we have ever seen I have doubts you would get much info from his office as they have no clue themselves unless they come up with another madcap idea of ripping drivers off....
Hiya,
I'm looking for suggestions for a 3-5 year old car for a budget of upto £14,000. It needs to have:... Read more
Thank you!
I need a hosepipe for washing my car, but I live on the ground floor of a block of flats. To make it work, I would have to run the hose from my kitchen mixer tap through the window and out to the street, which is about 9 meters away. Luckily, there are no pavements to worry about.
My main concern is that I have very limited indoor storage space, so I'm looking for the most compact solution. My parents have a Karcher pressure washer that I could borrow occasionally, but I’m not sure if I have room to store it. But I might use that for the occasional clean. Ideally, I need something that works for both normal water pressure (from sink) and powered with high pressured with the Karcher.... Read more
Those expanding corrugated hoses have very thin walls that are easily punctured by gravel and suchlike then up leaking liek a sieve.
Advice is not to use a pressure washer (I know hand car washes do!) they can force water past door seals and bearing seals....
Hi. Please could you advise re. Having a Saab 9000 as a classic car proposition. Some seemingly well cared for ones are for sale for decent money. Is there anything to look out for? This car would be for my friend who can only now drive automatics, so how strong is the auto box in these cars generally? I understand that the 9000 was one of the last 'true' Saabs before the 'cloned Vectra' 9-5. Does that make the 9000 a better buy over the more modern 9-5? Thanks in advance. Read more
I’m a big fan of the 9000, particularly the early models before they cut quality and added spoilers and other faff.
From my time working at a Saab dealer ('90-'95) that isn't my recollection at all. The early 9000's didn't feel that well put together in terms of interior trim and certainly not a patch on the classic 900. In my experience, the quality on the 9000 steadily improved during the lifespan of the car....
Hi All,
I'm looking at a Fiat Qubo 1.4 Petrol (2019) with 50k on the clock. I'm after a car that i can sort of treat like a van and throw bikes etc in the back. I wondered if anyone had any experience of the later Qubo models as most reviews seem to be from the early days.... Read more
I think Ian_SW has it.
The Qubo/Bipper/Nemo filled a perceived gap after the original Partner/Berlingo vans and their car equivalents were replaced by substantially larger models in 2008/9. ...
Hello, hoping for some advice for a car I've test driven. It drives really well but I don't know how much axle rust is ok and how much should be expected of a 2016 car. It looks like it's flaking but I'm unsure whether that could lead to failure.
I've linked to an image here as I couldn't see a way to post an image. Can remove link if that's no allowed on the forum.... Read more
Got to agree with SLO, my old boss had one, had nothing but trouble with it.
FRV - the newest will be around 15 years old!