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• A6 Avant vs Freelander 12 Nov 2007 (Forum)
  I'm looking at new cars. My self-imposed brief is a) CO2 < 225, ie not in top VED band, b) automatic, c) 4-wheel drive, d) must be good ON-road, OFF-road irrelevant, e)medium/large estate, f) image totally irrelevant. So far I've got Audi A6 Avant SE 2.7TDi Quattro Tiptronic and Land-Rover Freelander 2.2Td4 SE Auto on the shortlist.
• Ford - W reg mondeo auto 2.0 petrol estate 12 Oct 2007 (Forum)
  hi all. im possibly going to buy a w reg 2.0ltr petrol automatic estate mondeo. 80 k, fsh, 2 owners. it is the first time i will have bought an auto, is there anything i should know about the model itself ? what should i look out for regarding the auto box?.
• BMW 520i - Mechanic in East London? 22 Mar 2007 (Forum)
  I live in E14 and any BMW specialists I've found listed are at least an hours drive away! Also I understand that for automatic transmissions I need to get the the auto fluid changed by a transmission specialist since it's a "sealed for life" transmission. Does anyone have any recommendations? Ideally I'm looking for a small garage who specialise in BMW's and who don't charge ridiculous rates... any advice would be greatly appreciated!
• when to do Proton Persona timing belt? 24 Nov 2006 (Forum)
  Today we bought from a Proton main dealer a 1998 R Proton Persona 1.6 automatic for my mam, its done 45000 miles and has full main dealer history (only cost £655 too), but i was wondering when we should change the timing belt?. The handbook says 54000 miles but the guide in the 'car by car breakdown' section of this wonderful website says regular changes are needed, so i dont know if i should wait until 54000 miles or not.
• Speed limiters on all cars 13 Sep 2006 (Forum)
  What a cracking idea - linked to GPS technology to automatically reduce the speed of the car to the immediate prevailing limit. Advantages: lower fuel consumption less points on licenses probably less accidents/road deaths less chance of being slammed into at 90mph by someone coming the other way.
• Pug 406 radio not turning off 15 Aug 2006 (Forum)
  My peugeot 406 has gotten into the nasty habit of not automatically turning off the radio when I take the key out of the ignition. Happens in about 1 in 10 times. The only solution is to restart the car (not just put the ignition on - at least this is how it appears to me) until the stereo on/off button decides to work (usually about three times).
• Starting Autos in N or P - which is best 8 Aug 2006 (Forum)
  Automatics will only start in Park or Neutral ...... I know Park "Locks" the transmission - I am not sure how, but is it better for the car to start in Park, or move it into Neutral then fire the engine ?
• 1996 Rover Mini stalling when cold 23 May 2006 (Forum)
  I'd appreciate some help with a problem I'm having with an automatic, 1.3 1996 Mini Mayfair. The car starts first time and pulls away OK, however when slowing down when the car is cold it sometimes splutters and then stalls. The car can be restarted OK, however it sometimes stalls a couple of times when pulling away.
• BMW 318i Starter Motor question, HELP! 3 Aug 2005 (Forum)
  This is a cry for help from yes, a WOMAN!! We have an F reg (1989) 318i automatic, the gearbox went on us & was replaced with a G reg (1990) one, now however the pinion teeth from the original starter motor are too wide to engage the flywheel on the newly fitted gearbox. The original starter has 9 teeth, I have no idea if the engine is belt or chain driven, could anyone help me out, we have already bought a starter which turned out to be exactly the same as the original, is there a starter with more teeth out there??
• Value of optional extras 8 Jan 2005 (Forum)
  I know that most optional extras don't increase the value of a second hand car (vs one without extras) and also not having the 'right' options can also make it very difficult to sell a car (ie a BMW X5 with no leather). What about options such as semi automatic transmission though? For example I'm interested in the new golf GTI which has the option of a DSG gearbox (cost £1.5k). Am I likely to lose this full £1.5k after three years or will I get a proportion back?
• Pointless Hazards 12 Nov 2004 (Forum)
  This is an accident blackspot in the rush hour - but a lot of drivers won't pay much heed next time around - when there might really be fog. Does anyone know if fog detectors are automatic - or does it require human input to switch them on and off?
• Opel Vectra 2.0L 1994 starting problem 14 Jul 2004 (Forum)
  After I have been driving for about a kilometer it comes right, and it wont cut out on me. By the way it is an automatic so I can ride the brake and accelerator, and I think it is similar to a vauxill in England.
• flashing blue lights 20 Feb 2004 (Forum)
  Every tiny bump in the road seemed to cause the lights to flash, I have an audi with these style headlights and I'm sure mine don't flash like that. Is this a new feature for BM's - automatic flashing blue lights?
• New Shogun? 9 Jun 2003 (Forum)
  The new model is a 2000 Y reg new shape 3.2 diesel with 52k on the clock, 1 owner. Can anyone answer the following questions? 1)What is triptronic automatic gears? 2)Is that a fair price? 3)Anyone ANY knowledge on these new shape ones? 4)My 98 model is a 2.8 Diesel, what should I expect from this new 3.2 Diesel one? Thanks in advance.
• What to look for: 22 Nov 2002 (Forum)
  I'm assuming they will think the cars they sell like this are OK or they wouldn't be trying to sell them. Should I discount automatics? Diesels at under a grand. Worth a look? -- These are my own opinions, and not necessarily those of all Toads.
• Trailers and insurance 3 Dec 2001 (Forum)
  Must they be 'disclosed'to your insurance co. or are they by virtue of being coupled classed as automatically underthe car insurance? I don't want to run any risks which might ultimately prove uninsured withthe potential for horrendous costs. Yes , the answer might lie in the policy doc. or by ringing my co, but would still like some hard facts.
• Jeep Grand Cherokee 15 Nov 2001 (Forum)
  I will be looking at either a late shape(1999 onwards) 4.7L V8 or possibly an earlier 4.0L straight six. I need something capable of towing a car & trailer, with an automatic gearbox and some reasonable luxury. A few years ago I would not have considered buying a vehicle such as this but due to the state of the roads, increasing numbers speed bumps, a bad back and a dodgy left leg I am not left with many alternatives.
• BMW Z3 15 Aug 2001 (Forum)
  I have a Z3 3.0 and I damaged a sill ,so I went to BMW and ordered a new sill they checked carefully that is was the correct side etc.When it arrived I took it in its box to the paint shop and painted it ,then to the car only to find that the sill was not correct it was for a 1.8-1.9 roadster.The 2.8-3.0,3.2. have different sills and wings due to the wider track .To BMWs due they are changing the sill and painting and fitting at their expense .The chassis number alone does not tell whether it has small or large engine and the parts computor does not automatically flag the various options much to the dismay of the parts man. Regards Andy Bairsto
• Nissan Sunny 1.4i Auto mpg 16 May 2001 (Forum)
  Does anybody have personal experience of urban mpg with a Nissan Sunny 1.4i Automatic, 'L' reg ? I have a customer who is dissapointed with his 27-30 mpg, despite all engine set-up and functions appearing to be 100% correct. Needless to say measurement has been done correctly, full tank to full tank, mileometer checked, and consistent over 5 or 6 tankfulls.
• Space wagon 15 Mar 2001 (Forum)
  Where is the best place to buy one? I have kept an eye on the BCA web site but they dont have many. It must be automatic. I saw an aution house in Southampton that sells 2nd hand imports from japan. Is that cheaper and can i get parts for it in the uk. I live in N London. I would appreciate your help Simon