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• Does 'refurbishing' a car make sense? 31 May 2007 (Forum)
  By this I mean replacing or completely overhauling all moving parts: engine, autobox, driveshafts, wheel bearings, brake assemblies etc. It would 'cost more than the car's worth', but I'd end up with a car which I like, am used to, and which would carry on for another 150k miles. When I were a lad (and it's not that long ago, really), people used to fix things rather than just 'get rid'.
• Award winners 14 May 2007 (Forum)
  Yet they seemed to have charged us a large amount of labours (5 hours for 3 small welds, oil change, flexible pipe change and adjustment to brake pedal - by my reckoning that is 3 - 3.5 hours just for welding). Then becuase they had changed the oil (to get through MOT) owner wanted to charge us extra £100 for a service (Oil, filter and labour already charged), despite the fact we said e did not want one.
• Argh! Accords and motorbikes... 5 Apr 2007 (Forum)
  Motorbike weaves in behind me but for some reason doesn't pass, just sits there inches away from the bumper. I was aware I couldn't do any braking while he was there so decided to increase the gap between me and the car in front so I can slow gently if there's a problem. Tapped the decelerate button on the cruise control and the automatic gearbox drops into 3rd gear with a jerk as the car slows and climbs an incline - motorbike misses the back of the car by inches (and only by a violent swerve on his part) and squeezes past with unpleasant gesticulations etc.
• Golf - Headlamp and rear lights blowing 11 Feb 2007 (Forum)
  IF she is lucky she replace a bulb at least once every 2 weeks. Its either front headlamp bulb or rear brake/tail lights. I just wondering if anyone have expereinced this problem. The car is a 2001 Golf 1.4 S. The car has too many problem: the was flooded with water, now this problem has been fixed. The drink a few litres of oil every 6000 miles.
• Troublesome Scenic 22 Sep 2006 (Forum)
  Our 2005 Renault Scenic has had the following problems : 1) Steering lock failing to disengage - has been replace under warranty, but the new one still intermittently sticks. 2) Auto-box not changing smoothly - gearbox ECU changed under warranty. 3) Gear lever came off - repaired under warranty. 4) Rear brake squeak - fixed TWICE, but now back again (apparantly Renault will only fix it twice under warranty!) 5) No spare wheel!!! We specified almost every option, but the salesman failed to mention that a spare wheel was an option!!
• Price? Fiesta 1.1 1994 3 door 19 Sep 2006 (Forum)
  The condition throughout is excellent with only a single small dent from another car door and just a very small amount of rust on the rear wheel arches. The MOT expires 24 Jan 07 and it is taxed until end Dec 06. The brakes, tyres and exhaust are all in good condition. There are no known faults. Checking Autotrader there seems to be a wide variation of prices in my area ranging from £250 to £895 for low mileage similar cars.
• 306 SR Sedan rear springs 14 Sep 2006 (Forum)
  The car drives beautifully, handling with pin sharp alacrity and riding as you'd more likely expect of one of Jaguar's best efforts, but the static rear ride height "looks" a little reduced (aesthetically comparing wheel arch with wheel) even when parked on level ground with hand brake off and half a tank of fuel. The ride height, front and back, is identical to within a couple of millimetres (ie experimental error) on both sides of the car. I can't see any evidence of broken springs or mounts and there is no corrosion, so wonder if the relatively soft and compliant nature of the springs fitted to this model of 306 are more disposed to sag over time?
• accident repair 2 Jun 2006 (Forum)
  but if i do accept an obviously repaired car, im going to make a loss selling. all this coz some idiot cant find his brake pedal! so what do i do? all suggestions appreciated...
• Repair or scrap? 19 Apr 2006 (Forum)
  I have just replaced the heater matrix (£250), the exhaust (£155) and it has failed its MOT. I needed cv boots and brake pipe on rear. Garage quoted £158, but has since informed me that shoes needed replacing too at extra £80 -90. Then I get another call, cylinders are gone too - overall I need to spend £350. He has done cv boots £90 and reckons another £100 to get through MOT bare minimum.
• New Polo - noise oddity 4 Apr 2006 (Forum)
  Having had a quick look in the light this morning (ran it for 10 minutes) I could see no obvious sign of trouble (no warning lights; fluids levels, power steering, brakes all seemingly ok). I appreciate that a diagnosis is practically impossible from descriptions of noises in "quotes", but does anyone have any thoughts or experience of this problem? Is there an immediate cause for concern?
• 1995 306 Sedan rear hub bearing change 3 Apr 2006 (Forum)
  I therefore plan to change the bearing this week. Reading Haynes, change looks like a doddle of a job as the bearing comes off with the brake drum; it should then easily pull (I have a bearing puller) or push out. If I do my usual job (from kart racing days when changing main bearings!) of placing the new bearing in the deep freeze overnight and warming the hub, inserting it should be even easier.
• Retraction of liability admission 9 Feb 2006 (Forum)
  Not least as my witness, a student with special needs, may well not recall the finer points - that he saw her pull away from the curb as I passed and her saying after the event that "[her] foot must have slipped" (presumably from the brake/clutch) to all within earshot. What to do?
• Haunted motorways 7 Jan 2006 (Forum)
  The 1st psychic driver came zooming down the middle lane, came right up behind a truck & put his brakes on then pulled out into the outside lane which was totally empty or so I thought & passed the truck, what did he see that I didn't. The next 2 drivers I seen later on were in the outside lane (middle lane totally clear) again passing something I couldn't see which makes me believe our motorways are haunted & all those middle lane hoggers aren't hoggers at all but psychics overtaking ghost cars & trucks.
• Alloy wheels - any merits....... 6 Jan 2006 (Forum)
  Apart from looks and their benefit, no doubt, in reducing the unsprung weight of each suspension unit, are they not a damned nuisance to maintain, to keep free from corrosion and make it a necessity to avoid any 'kerbing' no matter how slight this might be. They are troublesome to clean and attract so much brake dust due to their open structure and add quite some time to the pleasure/chore of car cleaning I have to admit that I love the look of mine, shod with their 195/65 'sensible' tyres but cannot stand those cars whose wheel arches are filled largely with 'Alloy' to which is attached a small bead of rubber - seems quite absurd to me, apart from the awful ride characteristics they impart.
• Troublesome Vectra 28 Dec 2005 (Forum)
  The engine turned over but did not restart until I reversed it down the ramp (difficult with no power steering and unsupported brakes). After about 10 minutes it restarted and went about 100 yards before dying again. I left it for an hour and the car then restated and got me home, followed by an RAC van in case we broke down again.
• Who said Japanese cars are reliable! 30 Sep 2005 (Forum)
  Once they got it started they said how noisy the engine is and rung me to say the timming chain was due to brake anytime so now I have been 3 days so far with car off the road. Annoying thing is the car was in 2 months ago for its 60000 mile service and I said that its smoking loads on aceleration. I was told that all was fine and don't worry about it.
• Lorry overtaking peril 24 Aug 2005 (Forum)
  I flashed my headlights hoping he would have had the prescence of mind to realise the danger but, no, he just pulled out all the same. I had to brake to avoid a collision, which therefore put me at risk of being shunted from behind. I have tried using the horn before, but it is ignored just the same. Before the lorry drivers in this forum say that I should be watching out for lorries to pull out, and car drivers are just as bad, there is no way one should have to expect it to happen when one is on the verge of going past another vehicle; the manoeuvre is just downright dangerous, especially on a very wet road.
• BMW 5 series 1990 E34 3 Aug 2005 (Forum)
  I imagine body panels will cost a lot, but with cars of this age, whether the part costs £400 or £1000 doesn't really matter, I am not going to buy it either way. What does matter is; Will I be paying £500 a brake disc at a local specialist or are basic deposable parts really not much more than your average ford mondeo? Thanks for your help
• A4 ABS and airbag 10 Apr 2005 (Forum)
  On our 98 A4 Quattro tdi the abs has started cutting in at low speed light braking. So when just coming to a halt at junctions etc. I have plugged vag-com in and it shows no faults (at rest). I intend to go out with a friend and see what it shows up when the problem occurs. I have done a search on google and have come up with a possible sensor fault.
• Good Service? 18 Dec 2004 (Forum)
  This includes, Air refresher assembly, £28.00, Castrol Oil £30.00, Labour £100.00, Petrol Treatment £10.00, Engine Flush £10.00, Brake de-dust £3.00, Superlube £4.00, Oil filter and drain plug gasket £7.00. Service kit and environment £7.00. 3. Tyre report states that spare is new. There is no spare, gas tank fills this space. 4.