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• Problems with a Well Known Breakdown Co. 19 Oct 2009 (Forum)
  Well the "nasty gash" was infact a cut around the entire circumference of the tyre. This was caused by a faulty brake shield (anti - rattle shim according the the repairing garage) that had become loose and jammed under the hand brake cable touching the tyre. Approximately 3 miles down the road (on the A1 motorway!)
• Vauxhall Corsa D (2006 - ) - Another Dealer Servicing Rant 2 Oct 2009 (Forum)
  In addition they wanted to change front pads and discs that were still highly serviceable and wanted to flush out the aircon system. Finally, as per the service schedule they wanted to replace the brake fluid. Now, I agreed to the brake fluid replacement as I agree it is a safety related item but declined all the other work, which I estimate could have added an extra £600 at dealer prices, hiding behind the fact that I could not authorise this on someone elses car.
• Tricky fault diagnosis with a Hyundai 4 Jul 2007 (Forum)
  It operated without warning on a straight piece of road at 40 mph in top gear at a steady speed, ESP light flashing. It appeared to brake the NSF wheel, possibly others but it pulled hard to the left, and brought the car almost to a halt on a main road before it would release the brakes and allow the car to accelarate again. Hyundai have taken the car off us and given a loan car.
• VW Polo...hints on whats going to break? 3 Oct 2004 (Forum)
  I have him serviced every 10,000 miles as per the book thing, but apart from that the only things I've done or had done are: New brake disks, shoes (??) and pads Dec 2003. Cam belt changed at 60,000 miles. Front suspension bits replaced last year (something to do with arms and bushes? Crashed a week later so suspect it made little difference!)
• a nation of shopkeepers ... NOT! 9 Mar 2004 (Forum)
  I have a mate, who has a slightly-more-than-average budget [owns an area about the size of Cornwall, populated with a lot of game, etc] , and is incredibly keen on high-performance motor vehicles. He wrote thus: I have, for the last 4 weeks, been trying to source a set of AP racing brakes from the UK, the experience with a number of big and pretty reputable "tuning shops" has been horrendous. Firstly, they set up a huge fancy website, with "E-mail us for more details" plastered all over the place, if they ever reply to their e-mails that is!!
• Naughty VW dealer 1 Oct 2003 (Forum)
  On Thursday evening we jacked the car up, took all the wheels off to do the work and.... 1 Front discs measured with a micrometer had 1 mm of wear left before minimum, slight scoring but I would say good for 5 to 10,000 miles. Pads almost new. 2 Rear brakes - NO sign of any leaks from the cylinders, not even the slightest drip, shoes fine with 1.5mm left before minimum. So no work was done by us on the brakes, we put the wheels back on and kicked the tyres.
• QQ Tekna - Insurance for the aged and wicked 12 Jun 2025 (Forum)
  After 60plus years  of no claims 4  years ago I was involved in a minor shunt when my foot slipped off the foot brake and jabbed the accelerator and i lurched forward into the rear of the car in front. Offers to deal with the matter other than through  Insurance met with a refusal.  Despite the fact of my age now 88yrs, previous record and I have submitted myself to two  hourly sessions of driver ability assessment as A no problem, the shunt and age, has resulted in a four fiqure premium and  I dread renewal next month, Feeding full details into comparison sites I cringe at some of the fiqures quoted.
• Ford Transit - Speed Limiter 8 Jun 2025 (Forum)
  Anyway, they are limited to 62 MPH from factory (there's a Ford sticker in the windscreen) and the sat nav confirms 62 MPH when flat out on a motorway. When going downhill, the vans still maintain 62 MPH. How is this done? I don't ever feel the brakes come on. You'd think going downhill the speed would creep up a bit. Cruise control in my car sometimes can't maintain the speed going downhill. Can anyone explain how Ford's limiter works? Like I say, I'm asking out of genuine interest (because I'm a geek!).
• ANY - (Failed) Artful Dodger Moment 5 May 2024 (Forum)
  Taking a Yamaha RZR brake master cylinder apart, for which I need circlip pliers. My tool using is probably coming to an end, so cheapo from the local all-night hardware store might do. BUT the Youtuberry shows weird cranked Edward Scissor Hands stylee things that the hardware store (and probably all of Taiwan) dont have.
• Mercedes - Collision avoidance system 9 Oct 2023 (Forum)
  It's constantly warning of nearby traffic during normal uk driving, in tight corners in town, it will slam on the brakes when parked cars are nearby. I can set the sensitivity or even turn it off, by going into a menu, but when the car is restarted it defaults on again. My question though, hypothetically, if I'm on a normal road and go to overtake, get it wrong and find a car coming towards me will my car...
• Skoda Octavia Estate - Main Dealer 14 Nov 2021 (Forum)
  Booked my Skoda Octavia in for a service at a main dealership recently confident it didn’t need much out of the ordinary. The service advisor informed me that it was due an air filter, brake fluid and a set of spark plugs according to the service manager. I got home and consulted my print out of history to find that spark plugs had been replaced last year by another main dealer who had maintained the car from new(I have owned it for one year).
• Toyota Aygo 2014 1.0L - High Fuel consumption after service 22 Oct 2021 (Forum)
  Apologies of this topic has been discussed before. yesterday had my 2014 Toyota Aygo (1.0L) serviced at a local garage where I work. The service included replacement of front brake discs and pads, 3 spark plugs, air & pollen filters, oil filter and oil. My commute to work is 20 miles. Normally, from Monday to Friday, with a full tank, I use up 3 bars worth of fuel. After the service yesterday however, I used up 2 bars on the way home - and another 2 bars on the way in to work this morning!
• Fiesta 1.6 2004 Mk6 - All the dash lights on.....! 26 Dec 2020 (Forum)
    It then didn't happen again for a few days but from today the car has given the following symptoms can be hard to start/won't start, left it for 5 mins and it started EML on, digital temp gauge flashing, temp light on, couple of other lights on Rev gauge stopped working for a bit now ok. I followed him home, no smoke, car drives perfect, all brake and indicator lights doing what they should do etc. In last 6 months car has had new battery and coil pack and passed MOT last week. I will get it plugged in for codes just wondering if anyone has had anything similar?
• Ford Focus - Ford Focus squeak - video/sound 24 Oct 2020 (Forum)
  Ford Focus mk3, strange squeaking noise when driving over 30mph. Whether cruising, accelerating or braking. See video here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/chkk9z02bmgq7e9/IMG-9551.MOV?dl=0 Very annoying on motorway or dual carriageways without radio on. At first thought this was the seat, have GT lubricated all the passenger seat side underneath no difference.
• Ford Focus - Squeaking noise above 30mph Ford Focus 16 May 2020 (Forum)
  Sounds like it is coming from front of car inside the air con or even in engine bay... I’ve had a general google search and all sorts of areas come up from brakes to belts. Anyone else experienced similar at a similar age of their Focus or Ford? I’m going to get it diagnosed next week but any pre thoughts very welcome! Thank you
• Expensive Mercedes? 24 Apr 2020 (Forum)
  Apart from that the slk needed a £500 indicator stalk and a headlight which I know the garage doing the mot did. Apart from that it's been the usual tyres, brakes, servicing and usual mot things, wipers, bushes etc. I can't say Mercs have been more expensive to run than the other cars I have had and apart from the clk 320 petrol which drank like a camel but was great to drive they have been very economical.
• VW Jetta - Replacing an engine - How hard is it? 23 Apr 2020 (Forum)
  From googling it is the same as the Seat/VW/Audi variants i.e A3 etc I would consider myself fairly handy when doing work on cars, but I have never done anything this big before. i.e i've done wheel bearings/hubs, suspension changes, radiators,differential changes, brakes along with the usual servicing. But i'm a bit apprehensive about diving into it as I know it is a big job. I'm just looking some advice if any one has done this type of work to one of these cars before I would be interested  to hear more I have the replacement engine sitting ready to go in also Thanks in advance 
• Jaguar S-Type - Consumer Advice Please 19 Sep 2019 (Forum)
  A few electrical gremlins later, I've just put my meter across the battery and read 12.4V (14.65 with the alternator charging). This low voltage is, I suspect, the cause of repeated parking brake failures and the LCD display on the dashboard failing to display.  I have an invoice raised by Eurocarparts (dated January 2018), and made out to a garage in Northampton. As the supplying retailer, I called the garage first and was told that they will only provide warranty cover for the battery to the original buyer.
• what am I looking for ? 12 Mar 2019 (Forum)
  Petrol / manual / 4 cylinder 1.4 or 1.6 region engine / not Direct injection / No dual mass flywheel /  no particulate filter / no electric hand brake / space for a spare wheel / fiesta size / not German / no panoramic sunroof / no low profile tyres. plenty of older cars fit the bill , I am getting so fed up with finding small turbo engines that I am considering buying an older car in preference (immaculate 1.6 Auris with low mileage 10 reg) Otherwise I would be looking for something up to about 3 years old that doesn't have to be exciting.
• 2007 Kia Picanto - Need Mechanical Advice 25 Feb 2019 (Forum)
  I have recently looked at a 2007 Kia Picanto with a view to purchase. Asking price one thousand pounds. *Seller advised brake pipe has corroded currently and is covered in grease. When test driving the car the appeared to be a noise which indicated a slipping fan belt, the seller confirmed this saying he tweaks it or resets it when this happens.