April 2025
Apologies for this being so long but I want to be as comprehensive as possible, not least to avoid putting well-meaning forum contributors to unnecessary efforts in trying to help advise me on things that have already been considered.
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Hey,
Sorry, sure you get this a fair bit. Need to get a replacement car in a hurry and just wanted some view as am not a 'car-man'. I've looked over this car for around an hour and interiors and bodywork incl. panels look really good. All latches doors switches and functions work. Engine has no oil/leaks or rust visible and only light rusting on underside of car.... Read more
Nope. these comments have me running a mile from it. Thank you
Just a thought..
With tariffs being levied.. on our exports.... Read more
Automotive is a global industry, with components arriving from multiple countries. It’s difficult to get hard information on how much BMW in the US ‘manufacture’ and how much they ‘assemble’. Engines - the smaller, 3 & 4 cylinder units, come from Birmingham (West Mids, not Alabama). Not looked for the bigger stuff. Gearboxes come from external suppliers - ZF, Getrag, Aisin, etc. Brakes from Brembo, dampers from Bilstein. Electronics from Bosch. Hides for leather interior from Scotland? Who knows. Difficult to envisage, however, BMW importing ready stamped body components from, say, Germany and just welding/bonding them in the US. It’s a fiendishly complex supply chain - who knows the degree of ‘German’ electronics manufactured anywhere but Germany.
No wonder everything goes to pot if / when the Suez or Panama canals get blocked or (in the case of the Pandemic) most flights are cancelled and factories are shut. The just-in-time system using globally-manufactured components requires lots of very small cogs to work correctly in order to the end result to be as intended.
If only our American friends would get the designs right (correct) in the first place so their products are actually worth buying!
Thanks to a m**** taxi driver crashing into SWMBO’s Leaf, she now has a bright red, basic as you like Toyota Aygo on the drive. Which I have now pinched. I absolutely love a simple, lightweight, low powered font wheel drive car. It’s an absolute hoot.
As a trader I loved these wee things. They are brilliant little cars, they’re simple mechanically and rarely go wrong beyond clutches and the odd ball joint or drop link. Rust does eventually kill them, you do need to get underneath to check the rear subframe hadn’t turned to dust - though even this isn’t hugely expensive on these.
It’s been fun hammering that thrumming little 3cyl 1.0 motor down the road. They’re nimble, yet not uncomfortable though a bit rubbery. It’ll sit alright at motorway speeds and it’s managed 52mpg today according to the computer, despite me wringing its neck. They’re easy to park, cost buttons to run and I think they look quite good. I’ve missed wee cars. My Merc is utterly bland to drive and the (possibly deceased) Leaf isn’t any real fun either, beyond surprising the occasional boy racer in a BM away from junctions - it’s quick off the line.
Needless to say I’m a big fan. 107/108/C1/Aygo are good news for any dealer or owner, as long as you avoided the nasty auto or the wet belt 1.2 that was an option in the 108. The 1.4 diesels available early doors were hardy enough but pretty pointless when the sweet little Daihatsu 3cyl petrol can do 65mpg plus with ease and drives so much better. Read more
Since reading SLO s interesting article I have kept an eye on the number of Aygo and alternatives struggling with low torque on a junction near me.
alienating motorists following them who may wonder if the engine has stalled ?...
Very impressive for a company that a few years ago made cars that people bought as a cheap alternative to the mainstream manufacturers Read more
Not sure what's going on with the 'square wheel' look. Now that non-round steering wheels are back in fashion maybe trying to make the road wheels look non-round is the next stage.
I know the road wheels have to be round to function properly, but there's no physical reason why a car can't be styled so it looks like the wheels are square. But I don't think it looks good....
Other papers are available.
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Other papers are available.
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Hi im about to buy a car , its an old car 2008, ive checked mot history (below)and im unsure if its worth getting hope you can help.
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Hi im about to buy a car , its an old car 2008, ive checked mot history (below)and im unsure if its worth getting hope you can help.
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Visited a local Hospital I have been to numerous times & parked in disabled bay showing Badge.
Received a penalty notice as apparently 'parking management' had changed and you now have to register your Reg# at a desk in the hospital and entance are now monitered by ANPR, but this isnt obvious, or stated anywhere other than the hospital web site.... Read more
Councils can be as bad as anyone. There was a case I heard a few years back on the local radio where a motorist had parked in Nottingham to take her kids to see the panto. and been fined. The reason? She had bought a ticket from the machine across the road when she should have used the one on the side she had parked. The driver’s argument that she couldn’t see the machine on her side of the road because there was a van parked in front of it got her nowhere. The council pointed out that the machine she used was in a different charging zone, so she checked and found the council was correct. But they didn’t mention it was actually in a higher charging zone, so she had not paid a penny less than she should have done and it all goes into the same council coffers. Council refused to cancel her fine until she went on the radio and shamed them.
This is the same council that was raking in a lot of money in fines from drivers infringing a 24h buses only road. On a road that was not used by any bus services.
Why don’t car side doors – particularly the driver’s side and the passenger seat – have wipers on the windows? Read more
A shame the late Queen didn't give an opinion on some of the mechanical items. An easily- accessible timing belt might be better than a chain on the Ingenium engine?
Timing chains "should" be designed to outlast the rest of the engine, ie never need changing...
Hi Folks
I'm thinking of buying a new car, but can't decide whether to go for a petrol or hybrid car.
Any suggestions greatly appreciated
Thank You
Thanks for the comprehensive and useful post, very useful.
NB If you look for a 1.8 Swace or Corolla note that 2023 is critical year as power increased from 122ps to 140ps and started using the latest gen 5 hybrid gubbins. The earlier version can be identified by buttons surrounding the centre info screen....
Quite oddly my broken Volvo passed its Controle Technique (MoT - done every 2 years in France) just three weeks ago despite the fact that the suspension is creaking and the fuel consumption is awful. At the very least I thought it would fail on the emissions test as the exhaust pipe area at the rear is sooty and, as said, I'm getting around 12l/100km consumption or 23MPG. The car passed the test, with advisories for the control arms but no problem with the emissions.