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• Nail In Tyre & Other Issues 12 Sep 2016 (Forum)
  Just returned from holiday to Andorra & week trolling round France. 2004 x type diesel, 2400 miles, 55 mpg, used no oil, now done 163,000 miles. Temp gauge mostly at 1/4, got up to 1/2 climbing the Pyrenees in 34 deg outside temp. Pretty pleased with a car that is worth effectively £1k-zero.  Did notice that after many miles of gentle cruising (even at 130 km/h) changing down and heavy throttle produced big black smoke from exhaust.
• Vauxhall Signum 2.2 DTi - Vauxhall Signum Gearbox Limp Mode 13 Feb 2015 (Forum)
  P0773-05 Shift Solenoid Valve 1 circuit open or high input P1590-01 Vacuum Solenoid Valve high circuit B3601-04 Key Capture P1700-00 Unknown DTC U2106-71 Invalid Data from TCM U2105-00 Can Bus - No Communication with ECM I have managed to get rid of P0773 (changed gearbox oil) and P1590 (changed turbo solenoid) however the existing codes are changing everytime I clear and restart. I am about to strip out the ERG and give it a good clean, try and clean the turbo and MAF but I am running out of idea's.
• Audi A3 Cabriolet - How to deal with possible fake jobs?? 1 Oct 2014 (Forum)
  Audi Main dealer messed up and didn't bolt on my water pump properly after a cam belt and water pump change. To compensate me for this bad service they agreed to do the DSG gearbox oil change and Aircon service FOC. I also asked them to repair the right side brake light bulb. So they ring me today and say I need a front right tyre as the one fitted is barely legal.
• When to change a cambelt. 27 Jan 2006 (Forum)
  My formula works like this: Take a petrol engine with a belt working under ideal conditions, ie correctly tensioned, no oil, no disintegrating idlers. Take a belt base life of 60,000 miles. Now apply the following factors as multipliers: Crank pulley teeth (half cam pulley number) 19t 0.7; 20t 0.9; 21t 1.0; 22t 1.05.
• Omega running costs 11 Aug 2003 (Forum)
  Bought at 26,614 miles, it's now done 79,112, so I've travelled a grand total of 52,498 miles. In that time I've spent £1,761 on servicing and repairs. Oil change every 5K, service every 10K, cambelt every 40K. That cost is a little understated, as I'm just 900 miles short of a cambelt change & service (last time £400), so let's add that in and call the servicing £2,161. (£464 of this is tyres, £167 is a repair rather than routine servicing) Since my wife gave the car a damned good clear out, I lost a raft of petrol receipts, so all I know is the volume, which I note separately; 1693.1 gallons.
• Porsche Cayenne e-Hybrid - Porsche Hybrid 9 Feb 2021 (Forum)
  When I telephoned my local Porsche service they said that they had never experienced this before, and because no error message was being displayed, they thought I was doing something wrong. They agreed to have a look at the car and later that day told me that the oil level was too high because fuel had entered the oil because of the way I had been driving the  car on short journeys, not using the engine enough and not therefore not getting the oil up to a temperature high enough to eliminate the fuel from the oil.
• Smoky calibra 18 Sep 2003 (Forum)
  They say the turbo has a tiny movement in the shaft but nothing that should cause concern. The car has a high mileage (157k) but has had regular service with semisynthetic oil and all other oils have been changed at recommended times. Any ideas? teabelly
• Do we molly-coddle cars ? 12 Dec 2002 (Forum)
  Is it all going a bit far ? -new discs every time you get new pads. -cam belt changes on the off-chance it needs one. -this oil rather than that oil. -special petrol. -supermarket vs main garage petrol. -always warming the car up when you start it before you switch it off again. And it goes on........
• Honda GCV 135 22 Sep 2025 (Forum)
  Also I am not sure if the cambelt needs changing though I guess that the engine will be non interferance. Any ideas? Thanks.
• Kia Venga 2 2011 1.4 5speed - MOT time 11 Jun 2024 (Forum)
  Took the car in for the MOT and after 3 years of TLC from me and using Kia parts for oil changes and servicing, and the brake light switch which seems to have missed the Kia recall... Passed, zero faults, zero advisories and emissions all well within tolerances. Good for another year of running around.
• Toyota RAV4 D-4D - Catalytic Converter 12 Sep 2021 (Forum)
  Bit of corrosion underneath, massively improved by the local mechanic putting in some elbow grease & spraying with his own oil concoction.  So what to do..............change to something else, have it done & keep it going for a few more years? Cheapest quote (including water pump) was £430 odd, though local independent specialist, who l've used before; was £470.
• Ford Ranger 2.5wlt diesel 2005 - Engine revving to 2000rpm in traffic 5 Jun 2021 (Forum)
  It does settle down after about a minute Checked all the small hoses air filter clean ish. Fuel filter changes at usual service interval running with synthetic oil. Returning about 25mpg Any ideas appreciated I also have a couple of copies of the UK workshop manual on CD as PDF files. Full specification inc tools needed for specific jobs thebeeches1@talktalk.net PayPal £9.00 Help identifying the fault with the vehicle much appreciated Thanks
• Peugeot 206 - Temperature gauge issues 2 Dec 2019 (Forum)
  Second, we have changed the temperature sensor 3x and not solved it! Thirdly, it only ever happens when plodding along at 50mph plus.  Anyone any ideas what might be the issue here? Thanks - it's going to drive me nuts again this winter.....
• The cheapest way to own and run a family car 24 May 2017 (Forum)
  ., He says he stops servicing it after 5 years of his ownerwship,  years ,( apart from MOT,  annual  oil change and anything essential). He then buys another three year year old car etc etc  . He averages 10K a year and doesn't mind buying something hi spec  with a high mileage, usually an SUV or equivilant He claims he saves stacks in depreciation and has been lucky in always getting something reliable.
• Mazda 6 Estate - Mazda 6 DPF light Flashing 21 Feb 2017 (Forum)
  Hi I have a mazda 6 diesel estate 2.0 and the other week the DPF light started flashing. drove it down the motorway as it says to burn off the diesel soot, still flashing. put some diesel partical filter cleaner in with diesel took it for a run, still flashing. took car to my local garage he changed oil, filter and fuel filter and plugged into computer not showing anything wrong. Drove to reading from leeds over 250 miles down the M1 no problems at all and drove back again no problems  It doesnt go into limp mode or anything so wondering whether its just a sensor.
• Ford Ka - Jack Collapse 19 Jan 2016 (Forum)
  While changing the front left wheel on a Ford Ka, the screw jack supplied with the car suddenly collapsed without warning. The screw thread was in good condition, lightly oiled over paint indicating the first use of the jack.
• fiesta zetec 1.2 16v 1999 - power loss under acceleration 11 May 2015 (Forum)
  I'm not 100% but my impression is that it only starts happening after the car's warmed up, and not when it's cold just after starting. Could it be something with the fuel mix that gets hidden by the auto choke? i have changed plugs, oil and air filter but that didnt fix the problem. help please!!? thanks in advance
• Citroen Xzara 2001 1.4 petrol - Citroen Xzara 2001 1.4 petrol - knocking noise 21 Feb 2015 (Forum)
  The knocking is from the front or underneath, its heard for me to tell as I've only partially hearing.  The car past its annual road test, the oil is good and a bush in the front left wheel was replaced - I hoped this was the problem but it wasn't.  Timing belt was changed last year and I don't recall the knocking then. I did overload the car and drove about 250 metres before emptying it out, I think that the noise started then.
• 2013 Ford Fiesta1.6 Zetec Powershift - Ford Powershift Gearbox Noises 13 Jan 2015 (Forum)
  I get the feeling that Ford knows of these issues with its Powershift dual clutch mechanism (not only in UK) but is unwilling to acknowledge let alone resolve the problem.  At least VAG had the "good grace" (eventually) to extend warrantees and change type of oil with its DSG complaints.  Anyone else with similar problems?  Any solutions?
• Mercedes E320CDI - 163000 miles and No Problems Is this a record? 3 Jul 2014 (Forum)
  I have owned a May 2005 Merc E320 CDI inline 6 for 6 years and 100000 mainly motorway miles. It has now done 163000 miles with oil and filter change every 10000 miles plus air filter every 20000. In the time I have owned the car it has never required anything other than routine maintenance from my local independent garage at half MB cost.