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• Nissan Micra - Need advice on repairing my car! 29 Mar 2010 (Forum)
  I'm 21 and although I'm a girl, i have some mechanical knowledge and want to do this myself instead of paying at a garage! If anyone can offer me some advice, I'd be very grateful! It is an M reg Micra. My brakes sound "wierd" so i figured they needed new brake pads, I've taken off the front tyre and turned the wheel so i can see what I'm doing but when i look at it i have no idea where to go from there, It's all very rusty but i can see there are bolts that need to be removed but i cant seem to get the callipers away and dont want to force something thats not meant to move!
• BMW E30 318IS - Upgrades? 17 Jan 2010 (Forum)
  It has had it's cam chain (M42 engine) changed not too long ago - any help/advice much appreciated as I can't afford BMW servicing! Can anybody recommend any simple brake upgrades that do not involve a ludicrous expense? Finally, just as a point of interest, I cannot recommend this car too highly (apart from on wet roundabouts!) and I just look forward to being able to afford it's big brother the 325IS which sounds so much more fun!
• Driving with Achilles injury - advice/experience? 6 Jun 2009 (Forum)
  Even over this short distance, though, I found driving very unnerving - I found that when depressing my foot on the brake pedal for any period of time, my ankle would weaken and my foot would go limp and lose pressure on the pedal - like brake fade in the foot! The harder I pressed, the more my foot would resist. I've therefore not driven for the last week, and have been making a painful and lengthy bus journey to work instead.
• Ford Orion (1983 - 1993) - 91 1.3 Total wheel bearing failure without warning 3 Jun 2009 (Forum)
  ive now had it apart the inner bearing is ok, but outer bearing is totally anialated, with the inner roller seized to the spindle. Do you think the garage that done my rear brakes could be at fault? and also im a little concerned theres more than meets the eye with the mot, its five months into the twelve, and ive had a leaky cylinder and a wheel bearing go, is there a way i can check the validitiy of the mot certificate because its not unknown for testers to do there mates a little favour, but thats not a dig at the vast majority of testers who are honest and do a great job.
• Free brake pads and shoes 1 Feb 2009 (Forum)
  A well known national fast fit chain has recently started re-advertising that having had fitted a pair of pads/shoes ,the same will be supplied and fitted...
• Five ways to make your fuel go further? 27 Jul 2008 (Forum)
  From "The Daily Telegraph": http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2008/07/08/eabrown208.xml > 1. Drive smoothly. Don't accelerate hard and brake hard while starting and > stopping. By building up your speed gradually and coasting towards a red light, > rather than slamming on the brakes at the last minute, you could cut fuel > consumption by up to 20 per cent.
• Volkswagen Polo III (1994 - 1999) - Rear wheel bearing - lose hub 14 Oct 2007 (Forum)
  I replaced the rear brake shoes on my Polo in about June/July of this year. In July the car passed it's MOT without any issues. For the past week or two I have become aware of a droning noise which I took to be possibly a wheel bearing on it's way out.
• Dekra inspection results... 15 May 2006 (Forum)
  It is recommended that the tyres are renewed but if this is not the case then the engineer recommends that the tyres be stripped from the wheel and the structure examined." 2)"A loud metallic rubbing noise is evident when driving the vehicle. This appears to be from the OSF corner. The engineer believes this to be caused by the OSF brake disc rubbing on the brake backplate, but further investigation is required to confirm this." Am I entitled to have this sorted before I pay the balance? My heart sank when I saw the second one - is it serious?
• Can we blame Motoring Org. for accident? 13 Dec 2005 (Forum)
  She did and then got out of the car and he did some fiddling under the bonnet and the car started moving forwards as the parking brake (foot pedal type) was not on. The insurance claim is now all on MiL's cover for two cars and two damaged houses. Premiums likely to shoot up. AS far as I can tell, the patrol knew MiL was out of the car and did not tell her to make sure the brake was on.
• Insurance scam, be warned. 26 Nov 2005 (Forum)
  I think I might have been a victim of a similar situation a few years ago, I followed a van across some traffic lights that were on green, the driver slammed his brakes on, I bumped him, my number plate was not even cracked though the rear door of the van was dented. The van driver seemed fit as a fiddle, he actually apologised saying he stopped suddenly because he thought the lights might have been on red, I too received a solicitors letter claiming injury, as I expected the claim went against me, it included a a couple of grand in medical expences and loss of earnings.
• Audi dealer trying it on ? 25 Jul 2005 (Forum)
  Most of the brake light LEDs still work. The central locking control unit, I have learned, is located at the bottom of the passenger door cavity - essentially at the bottom of a water tank. It's not surprising if it short circuits so Audi should eat that one.
• New BMW feature ;-) 9 Feb 2005 (Forum)
  Dubbed ********tronic, the new system is fully integrated into the car's control systems and allows a range of functions including full disablement of the indicators, perilously late activation of the brakes and an adapted radar cruise control that allows the driver to sit 4mm from your back bumper in the outside lane of the M6. Amongst other neat touches, ********tronic can also apply light brake pressure at all times, covering the wheels in dust, something that will be a particular benefit if your fleet manager wouldn't let you specify alloy wheels and you want to disguise ugly plastic rim covers or the fact that if you weren't such an aspirational little **** you'd have gone for a rather better equipped Honda Accord.
• Shogun discs 22 Jul 2003 (Forum)
  and they were more than happy (as usual) to get the car in and put it right for me. One of the complaints was a very slight brake shudder at high speeds (braking from 70mph), they inform me (after initial inspection) that they want it back to skim the discs next week. So it is going in, now after reading a previous thread I am a little concerned about getting this job done, should it not have new discs?
• Enough is enough? 26 Nov 2002 (Forum)
  If the Mercedes Pre-Safe system detects a driver braking with the sudden firmness characteristic of an emergency, or the car starts to fishtail, it tightens seat belts, moves seats and adjusts seat positions and backrests to the best possible positions for an impact.
• Fiesta noise and gearbox whine. 14 Oct 2002 (Forum)
  Although still not perfect, engine noise is much reduced, the gearbox chatter is less and I can no longer hear the exhaust booming or the brakes being applied. Seems so simple.. I fail to understand why Ford produces a very good car and then spoils it..
• Laguna - franchised dealer problems 1 Oct 2002 (Forum)
  I have just had my first MOT and 24000 mile service on my low-mileage Laguna: £240. The dealer claimed the car needed new front brake discs and pads, even thought it's never had any pads and I don't think it's been driven heavily: £200. They also claimed it need a new suspension coil spring: £200 as well. Total bill for the service, MOT and repairs £640.
• Pug lion is a duck 7 Apr 2002 (Forum)
  With only 18K showing, its been in the workshop 4 times.To get its rain sensitive wipers put right,twice,(one visit gained a new wiper motor),and twice for brakes judder. I first visited with the juddering brakes at 6K when i had just bought the car. Everything seemed fine until last week with a blast up to Scotland from Ripon. Yes the judder was back! Today, my Pug dealer has raplaced the front discs as they where too thin,(under warrenty) but wants £130 plus vat to do the rear discs.
• Not again - one for my personal team 22 Feb 2002 (Forum)
  Would I be getting warm to guess that the brake shoe has somehow locked inside the drum and, if so, how do I get it off again? I have a trolley jack, axle stands, infinite patience and an enviable reputation to preserve. Your comments and advice would be welcomed and acknowledged.
• Local fun... 28 Jan 2002 (Forum)
  The inspector at the testing grounds found 29 violations, including: *the headlights were skew *there were no dim lights *the number-plate lights did not work *one windscreen wiper was missing *the other wiper was held together with wire *the window winders were missing *one wheel had a broken stud *wiring was loose in the front panel *the hooter wasn't working *the number plate was illegible *the brakes were faulty *there were no panels on the inside of the taxi *brake boosters were leaking *the windscreen was cracked *several windows were broken *passenger seats were loose *the driver struggled to sit because his seat was so damaged and loose *the left front door was jammed *the sliding door was hanging loose *the exhaust was smoking excessively *there was a massive oil leak *tyres were smooth *wheel nuts were missing on all the wheels.
• Changing CV boots. 26 Jan 2002 (Forum)
  Finally got round to putting my 280mm VR6 brakes on my ancient Jetta 16v the other day. Unfortunately, when I took the passenger side wheel off I found everything covered in grease. Oh dear. New CV boot needed. I haven?t done this job before and wondered if any of the knowledgeable people here could offer some advice?