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• Corsa Diesel - Glow Plug Problem 10 Jul 2004 (Forum)
  It has done 67,000 miles since we bought it from new. It does 400 miles a week on the motorway and is serviced regularly, oil changes at 6,000 miles and we use Shell Diesel fuel. The problem that we have is with starting. It "eats" glow plugs. We have had 3 new sets within a few months of each other. When I take the car to the garage it may be that 2 plugs are not working and are covered in black.
• Xantia HDi90/110 9 Oct 2003 (Forum)
  Both are P reg - Xantia has done over 170 K miles and not had anything spent on it (not sure he has even ever changed the oil which probably accounts for the turbo bearings going!) He would like to retain the ZX for his son to learn to drive in but doesn't really want to spend a fortune on repairing the gearbox.
• Master Red Key On Honda 1.8VTI 15 Sep 2003 (Forum)
  2) What exactly is the key needed for when it's being serviced? The most they do on a basic service is change the oil? 3) Was told by Honda dealer locally that it will cost approx £120 + VAT for the key, plus fitting??? I must have missed that bit on the phone. Fitting? A way to get one cheaper that works okay?
• Toyota reliability/value for money 10 Oct 2002 (Forum)
  In the 5 years I've had it (since new) it has never given me a problem. Only money spent on it has been 4 new Michelins, one set of front pads and wiper blades. I change filter and oil (Mobil 1) 3 times a year and coolant every 18 months. Listed at £19 K, I got it from a supersite for less than £12K. Given that any local taxi firm would probably jump to give me £4K even now, I consider this cheap motoring.
• Gearbox noise in intermediate gears 6 Oct 2002 (Forum)
  I have noticed this noise on a newish Micra 1.0, but of course here the engine noise drowns it out to an extent. Is there anything to worry about here or should I get it checked out? Gearbox oil maybe (the car was serviced before I took delivery)?
• Mystery 309! What is wrong? 24 Jan 2002 (Forum)
  Apparantly he says its a lost cause, doesn' want to get involved becasue the motor is only running on two cylinders, is burning diesel oil (smoky exhaust) and the heater is pushing humid water into the car causing moisture on the windows internally!!! all very odd for a car that goes relatively well. he has not carried out a compression test so does not know about the Head Gasket, which is all that i really wanted to get clarified.
• reluctant Xanti TD starting 15 Nov 2001 (Forum)
  Since then it has had regular servicing at recommended intervals by local garages and more recently by a non-franchised Citroen specialist. I also change the oil myself in between the 6,000 service intervals. For about the last 25,000 miles it has been a bit reluctant to start. I tend to use the heater plugs twice and it always starts quite well. It never fails to start if I do this and once started it runs perfectly, but unless I do this it splutters before starting and sometimes produces white smoke with some hunting.
• Hyundai i20 1.2 litre Comfort 5 dr - Gross Negligence - Annual Service and MOT 25 May 2017 (Forum)
  With this being a full annual service just before the 5 year warranty expired, I would have expected a detailed report on the whole braking system as I can only inspect the brake pad wear on the outer pads by viewing through the alloy wheel spokes whereas, surely the annual service would include removal of all the road wheels to enable a proper inspection and report to be made? As it turned out it was little more than an oil and filter change plus a wash and valet plus an on site MOT - even the engine oil was half way down the dipstick between Full and Min when engine was cool and levels settled on the driveway at home.
• Opal Corsa B Sport 1995 - C14SE 1995 emissions 26 Mar 2014 (Forum)
  ; Ignition module Plugs Leads Crank sensor idle control valve Throttle position sensor and removed the three way connector as per GM recommendation Air flow sensor Air filter Lambda sensor Skimmed the head and new gaskets, bolts and seals following a gasket blowout between #3&4. Filter is clean. recent oil and filter change. Coolant consumption minimal, oil consumption 1L per 6,000Km Failed test on High emissions; CO 7.82% Idle CO 12.15% Idle accelerated Lambda 0.685 opacity?
• Audi A4 (1995 - 2000) - Possible purchase. What do you all think? 15 Dec 2007 (Forum)
  Good bits: No evidence of oil leaks on the bombsite gravel, or of accident damage. Engine bay and oil both clean. Paintwork is OK. It passed an MoT in June 2007, I got the previous owner´s name off the V5 and contacted him - he said the car had been perfectly reliable in the year he´d had it.
• VW Inspection service lunacy 27 Jun 2003 (Forum)
  I went to my local dealer in London (SW11) yesterday to price a basic first inspection service on a 2003 petrol Passat. Quoted a hilarious GBP183 for what is essentially an oil change and check of the brakes. My dealer local to my parents (Bolton) wants GBP66 for the same service. Assuming that it takes no more than 90 minutes and GBP25 (although as we all know its a lot less by the barrel anyway) for the oil, that is a fantastic GBP105 per hour for the privilege of visiting a dealer that won't pick the car up, has a much scruffier showroom and appeared to have no secure facilities to store my car for the day whilst I was at work and they were playing Midas with their black gold.
• Repair receipts 29 Mar 2021 (Forum)
  I asked for an itemised bill and received a receipt stating; Replace complete cam belt kit + water pump Oil + filter change Repair inlet manifold  And a price. No breakdown, parts cost, VAT, brand of kit. I am not in to cars all that much but I trust that some people are however if I found that receipt as a person buying the car in the future I would be skeptical.
• B Max - Valuation 4 Dec 2017 (Forum)
    Obviously they have to see the car first to make a final offer, but I have to admit, I'm tempted. The car is clean, having had oil change and new front brakes and tyres since I bought it, not to mention a brand new clutch via another dealer. Only problem being Christmas coming up and the need to buy quickly to replace it.
• Any - What do you carry with you? 13 Sep 2017 (Forum)
  Jump leads which I don't need because I've been an AA member since 1987, a dry car washing kit someone gave me years ago but which I never used, spare bulbs from previous cars going back about 15 years, any number of concise atlases which had been out of date since the Sopwith Camel lost its appeal as a mode of transport.  But there are things I ALWAYS carry, and always will. Torch, spare change, spare glasses, high viz coat in case I get marooned on the highway in the dark, several blankets, all tartan. An ancient socket set which is probably Imperial by now, and a sticky mass of something unmentionable in the bottom of a plastic box which is probably the remnants from decades of leaking bottles of shampoo, polish, oil and anti freeze.
• Mazda Mazda 6 (2008 -) - 08 2.0d DPF problems 12 Feb 2013 (Forum)
  Yet on Sunday, the light suddenly came on but flashing and the 'check engine' light also came on, and the car had gone into 'limp mode' (which means I have no turbo) so it has gone to the garage, where they say it needs an oil change, filter change and the DPF system regenerated (at a cost of £250+). They also said the service record computer on the car said this had happened before and a dealer had 'wiped the computer', even though I have never taken it to a dealer before.
• Audi A3 1.8T - Juddering, bad idle 3 Jul 2010 (Forum)
  I have been trying to fix the problem but I am running out of time, money and patience as it isnt a consistent problem. Not sure if it means anything but it has been worse since I serviced it a week ago, I changed the oil & filter, air filter & spark plugs. Sinced the problem started I have checked the coil packs, changed the MAF sensor and the pre cat lambda sensor but still havnt cured it! Any ideas?
• Done 2000 miles in my car now 24 Sep 2009 (Forum)
  They are nicer and probably less troublesome cars out there but changing will cost quite a bit more than what I have now so there is just no point. I know my car has not used a single bit of oil in the 2000 miles I have had it, not used any coolant or anything which is more than can be said for some unknown car.
• Vauxhall Corsa B (1993 - 2000) - 99 1.2 cuts out and sudden loss of power 28 Apr 2009 (Forum)
  This has happened enough times to make me realise its not me. The car drives perfectly and got the pinking issue sorted by changing gear a bit later (this was down to me not used to 16vs). However a couple of times I have stalled it at junctions when the lights have changed to green, other times the car will just suddenly loose power and will have to put the throttle down heavier and its all fine again.
• Ford Fiesta (1995 - 1999) - 99 1.4 Zetec - gearchange problem 13 Dec 2007 (Forum)
  i pulled up to a junction normally down the gears, 4-3 then 3-2, then stopped at some lights, as i pulled off normally i went for third and it wouldnt go in. i got the car to the side of the road and called the robbing fellows 'rac' they hauled it back to my house and said it was unusual because they couldnt get it in any gear. normally the five speed box has been slick as any other car ive owned. i limped it back to my other address using 3rd and 4th because i couldnt get it across the gate, eg 2-3 and got my dad to have a look, he was suspecting engine mounts but it wasnt that after checking with jacks etc took it the local garage where he said it was either low on gearbox oil or selector box under gearstick was chuffed. he filled the gearbox up with 2 litres!!! obviously to the fill mark. now it is way better but second to third or any change across to either 3rd or 4th results in fishing for gears and a rather less than pleasing jump as the revs pick up from idle from the lengthy change, have i done some damage in the gearbox does anyone reckon??
• Diesel reliability HDI technology 29 Jun 2007 (Forum)
  I have never had a turbo or head or injector or EGR valev & have nothing but praise for the reliability. However I double my oil changes from new with carefull running in for 3000 miles with a very gradual increase in revs, when starting from cold I allow to tick over for 30 seconds before I move & I drive gently without turbo boost untill the temp gauge is out the blue, I don't change down to overtake I use the torque very rarely going over 2500 rpm, mostly 1600-2250, I always use a major brand of fuel ( & not supermarket ) I use fuel line cleaner every 3000 miles ,Always allow the engine a slowing down period after a hard run & allow to idle for at least minute before I switch off.