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• Rust on vauxhall rear drums - warranty? 8 Feb 2006 (Forum)
  However, I noticed yesterday that despite my efforts to keep it clean over the winter, there is some light rust showing on the surface of the brake drums, apparently coming through the black paint. It's booked in for a warranty check tomorrow, but the man at the dealership seemed to imply that it would probably be considered "normal" and not a warranty job.
• Puma 1.7 Zetec problem 16 Jan 2006 (Forum)
  I have a 1.7 engine that has just cut out and stopped when braking and gone no more I appear to have lost compression on the two right hand cylinders. Cam belt is intact, Cams and followers are working. no water in oil or oil in bores if both right cylinder plug holes covered then still no compression. may be head gasket but no problem noticed before hand.
• 205 drum removal 11 Aug 2005 (Forum)
  Am I missing something here. I have tried to remove the rear brake drum on my 1991 Peugeot 205 but to no avail. I've taken off the 32mm locking nut and completely slackened off the handbrake cable. The drum is loose and rotates but refuses to come off. In the workshop manual it says to release the auto adjusting mechanism through one of the holes in the drum.
• megane engine noise (help) 16 Jun 2005 (Forum)
  A few weeks after this was done there is a strange noise when i take my foot off the gas and car starts decelerating without touching the brake pedal. I opened the bonnet and tried to locate were this noise is coming from. It seems to to be at the timing belt and alternator end. the noise is like a drill on hammer action. I had a prob similar to this before and i was told it was the bearings on the alternator.
• Limit teenage driving ?? 2 Jun 2005 (Forum)
  Read an interesting article on A-express website, basically says that 1 in 4 deaths caused by dangerous driving are the fault of the under 20's & the safety body "BRAKE" wants to introduce certain limits on this age group. h**p://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/57161/teen_clampdown_call.html Personally think that with the ever increasingly powerful cars available these days certain limitations are probably a good idea, although I also think that anyone buying a "very high performance" car should have to take some type of "speed awareness" course, not just under 20's.
• Disappearing speed lines 4 Feb 2005 (Forum)
  In many cases the lines were painted closer together closer to the junction to give the impression that you weren't braking enough. The thing is, they seem to be disappearing. I'm sure it's not just my perception. Anyone know why? V
• Bora's bulbs 25 Nov 2004 (Forum)
  A friend of mine has a VW Bora - seems a nice enough car however now one of the brake lights has gone. Look in the book to find what bulb to buy and it says that all bulbs should be replaced by the dealer. Is this a scam so the dealer can charge £15 for a £2 light bulb? Or is it really impossible for the user to fit a replacement?
• Honda Servicing options 20 Sep 2004 (Forum)
  I have a 4 year old Civic, so it is out of warranty. It is due its 36k service soon....which is £178 at the Honda dealer. For that I get Oil/Filter, brake fluid changed and 40 or 50 checks. I could do a service myself replacing all fluids/filters/plugs etc for less than half that. What I wont get is the "checks" and a stamp in the service book. Can anyone comment on the value of dealer servicing or suggest alternatives?
• New Car Problems - Renault Clio 2 Jun 2004 (Forum)
  I have a Renault Clio expression 2002. In the last month the car has had a new clutch, rear brakes shoes, a faulty coil and new wiring connection the gas sensors. The car has been into my local renault dealership 5 times. Am I being unreasonable to think that this is unsatisfactory. Is ther somewhere independant I can write to to complain as Renault Uk are not very interested.
• How sad can one get? 1 Feb 2004 (Forum)
  I have just seen a bog standard Astra, with drum rear brakes to which somebody has fitted anodised blue perforated aluminium 'discs'! They are in some way mounted ouside the drum but under the wheel so they look like real discs (not!) Another bit of posey nonsense is signs, occasionally seen in the rear of estate cars - "Caution - Show Dogs in Transit".
• Fiesta 97 Handbrake 2 Jan 2004 (Forum)
  Fiesta 97 Handbrake -little or no braking effort to the n/s wheel. Noticed having trouble holding on a hill. Also when h'brake been applied for a while, a quiet bang can be heard from the drum after releasing the h'brake & moving off. (Almost as if the shoes were seizing on and then breaking free.
• The Speed Camera Thread - Volume 14 23 Nov 2003 (Forum)
  Shame about the one on the A556 going as it was always a laugh to race off against some joker in a souped up Nova at the lights just before the camera, get them over the limit, and then brake suddenly and watch them get flashed.
• Bangers - an alternative view 10 Oct 2003 (Forum)
  The Backroom is full of threads extolling the virtues of Bangers - the current "Old Banger sailed through MOT" thread being an example. There can be little doubt that modern cars brake and hold the road better, produce less emissions, use less fuel and are in most ways safer for both occupants and other road users. Japan applies such stringent tests on cars that it is not viable to keep them when they are more than 4 or 5 years old.
• Fr**lander. 31 Jul 2003 (Forum)
  What an awful thing. Dismal instruments, poor radio, interior like an 80s Montego, to add insulst to injury its brake lights were stuck on. Glad to get shot of it and pick up the rattly old bus, which passed its MoT and was probably more street-legal than the other thing. Yuck.
• 93 Orion cold stalling 29 Jul 2003 (Forum)
  Usual ritual is to start up the car, reverse out of the driveway & off down the road about 500m. At the end there is a steep hill & the car stalls as soon as I apply brakes or even just clutch. It only happens when cold & only ever once a day - it won't stall 50m further at the next junction. It isn't flooding 'cause it restarts straight away no hassle. Any suggestions welcome Thanks
• Disc caliper/handbrake problem 21 Jul 2003 (Forum)
  Those who have had to play around with rear disc brakes that have a mechanism to allow the handbrake to pull (push?) them on may be familar with their tendency to stop working properly. Or maybe I've just been unlucky, but has anyone had this happen to their Mazda 323F?
• Rattle from scuttle area 23 Jun 2003 (Forum)
  Seems OK on the overrun roadspeed and selected gear do not make a difference. Just had it serviced by SEAT and they tightened the brake disk backplate which although it may have been loose made no difference. Anyone ideas ?
• Cleaning plastic bumpers 2 Jun 2003 (Forum)
  Bumpers on my Rover 218 are various shades of the grey plastic, thanks to years of wear & tear and I can't find what will get them back to a uniform appearance. I've tried "Mer", petrol, meths, brake cleaner, Jif, white spirit, blanket spirit, turbo spray on my garden pressure washer - none have done the job. Any bright brain out there can offer me some advice please? I'm not against doing it inch by inch, but I can't find the right solvernt/cleaner....... yet
• Corolla Service 28 May 2003 (Forum)
  Local dealer has quoted me £172 for the 20000 mile (2yrs) service on my older style corolla (Y reg). Car has only done 16000 miles in 2 years from new. As this is little more than oil/filter/brake fluid change I consider this a rip off. If I asked my local independent garage to do the service and use Toyota parts does anyone know how this will affect the warranty? Local garage will do it all in for under £100.
• Cars with less space than should be 2 Feb 2003 (Forum)
  Renault Laguna and New Megane; no kneeroom for the driver. Skoda Octavia; no kneeroom. Hard to switch from gas to brake. Skoda Superb; left foot rest was far too small for my size 14s. I can't remember which cars at the motorshow I couldn't fit into. I think it may have been the Mazda 6, VW Golf, Discovery. Anyone got any others?