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• Do engines know whats best ?! 14 Aug 2007 (Forum)
  petrol started coming through, and she just settled down and purred! Needless to say I know where there?s a barrel of oil going cheap! So, do engines develop preferences or are certain ones just downright fussy? Billy
• Speed statistics 27 Jun 2007 (Forum)
  I've just read an article in the Met Police newspaper, The Job (which can be found via a Google search, my tech skills not up to it, tried cutting and pasting).....which states that a 1,000 road deaths a year have speed as a contributory factor....... now if you do a Google on UK road deaths i easily found 2005's figures for road deaths, which states there were 3201....... this means that 31% of UK road deaths had speed as a contributory factor (fairly sure the 2006 figures weren't widely different and note the difference from 2004 to 2005 was only 20) obviously this must also mean that 69% of road deaths did not have speed as a contributory factor then when you factor in the word 'contributory' which could mean it was not the primary issue.......and then you consider such things as: -drink driving with speed involved -drug driving with speed involved -vehicle defect with speed involved -driving recklessly/carelessly with speed involved I wonder how many of that 31% was a great deal to do with the speed. ( I do appreciate that if any of the above involves a pedestrian, than even a small amount of extra speed can mean the difference betwen life and death) This means that the current 'speed kills' campaign is a tad too simplistic isn't it.
• Buying a facelift Omega Elite 21 May 2007 (Forum)
  I've seen these cars selling on autotrader and ebay for between £1500 and £2000 which seems ideal for me. My questions are - What are people?s opinions on these cars (I've read the Car by Car breakdown and would like something more specific)? What alternatives are there in this price range for a similar spec? Many thanks
• Vectra vs Signum 3 May 2007 (Forum)
  Yesterday, I plucked up the courage to seek permission from the Household Financial Committee (ie SWMBO) to replace the family W reg petrol Vectra (105k miles, clutch possibly coming to end of life, brake disks thinning, MOT in September and a new cam belt at 120k) with a newer means of diesel transport. Much to my surprise, the request was granted in principle! Wohoo! So, here?s the issue. As a commuter knocking up 480 miles per week, we need a diesel car which will waft me in comfort and safety and will double up as the family car for weekends and holidays for the two of us, a nutty 4 year old boy and a more sedate 1 year old girl.
• Mondeo head gasket 25 Apr 2007 (Forum)
  If I were to get the head gasket changed, is £600 too expensive? This is what the garage have quoted me. Any advice would be welcome. S
• Police procedures 24 Apr 2007 (Forum)
  Let me start by saying I don't want tis to be apolice bashing thread, would like some constructive feedback, especially from any boys in blue on here. Brother discovered his S Reg Vectra had a blowing exhaust today. Phoned his pal in the garage and booked it in for 2pm. On driving into the Ind Estate that the garage is in, traffic police pull him over. He tells them if its the exhaust, I am just taking it into the garage which was 200 yds away.
• Hydraulic brakes fault 16 Apr 2007 (Forum)
  Is it possible for a slightly reduced pressure to occur in the system so that a relaxed seal permits a tiny amount of air? I can?t see why, but it?s hard to think of any other explanation. Does anyone have any suggestions? I intend to replace the seals in the affected cylinders as soon as I can source some ? but I would really like an explanation as to what is going on.
• Misleading signals & Case law 9 Mar 2007 (Forum)
  Briefly I was driving along a dual carriageway and as I passed a T-junction on my left (minor road entering a dual carriageway) the driver pulled out and drove into my N/S front wing. The driver said at the time he did not look as he thought I was turning left, as it appears that my left-hand indicator was on and had been on for more than 500 metres, unbeknown to me.
• Battery Failing? 2001 Vaux Vectra 15 Jan 2007 (Forum)
  The mechanic told me that moving the car short distances is not good for the car in col weather - yesterday was much warmer than on that occasion. S, two questions: Is the battery failing? Is there anything associated with the throttle body that might present a load to the main battery causing a drain? Thanks for any ideas.
• Beware unexplainable tyre pressure loss! 18 Oct 2006 (Forum)
  We eventually concluded that it was pressure loss from the rim of the tyre whilst travelling and settled for a bead reseal and a new valve, the fitter advising me to source some replacement rims and I did indeed make some halfhearted enquires to try to get some S/H alloys. Yesterday, on investigating a distinct clicking noise from the rear I found that part of the rim had become detached from the rest of the steel wheel, a radial shear of about 1/2" and a circumferial shear of about 4".
• BMW Auction Report.. 18 Oct 2006 (Forum)
  04 54 645Ci conv 48834 miles cost new £66305 today £33500 05 05 X3 2.0D 15662 '' '' '' £29190 '' £20300 03 03 525D ES SE Touring 63255 '' '' '' £28605 '' £10500 02 52 316i SE Auto 51909 '' '' '' £21945 '' £8300 03 03 MINI Cooper S 40689 '' '' '' £17280 '' £10000 04 04 X5 3.0 D Sport 24654 '' '' '' £39100 '' £22700 03 53 735i Sport 36295 '' '' '' £56825 '' £21800 04 04 530DSE (new) 63813 '' '' '' £34810 '' £15400 05 54 325 CiM Sport conv 13827 '' '' '' £32890 '' £21000 05 05 MINI Cooper 48505 '' '' '' £15365 '' £10900 Lots more, of course, but at least you get an idea - many had LOADS toys, too!!
• chipped 2.0 Jaguar/Ford turbo diesel 31 Jul 2006 (Forum)
  Please don't tell me we should have bought the 3.0 litre petrol 'cos i already know that... trouble is, my S type 3.0 on a long journey will return 27 mpg driven fairly hard, the X type diesel does 38 or 39mpg in the same circs and this committed petrol head has finally succumbed to the diesel (after severe persuasion from the Ubergruppenfuhrer) so that Mr Brown doesn't get all of my salary, instead of just most of it.
• Nissan Almera 1.4 knocking 18 Jul 2006 (Forum)
  If it is the gearbox, what should I expect to pay for a fitted recon job? I bought the car a couple of years ago for £900 and have so far been impressed with it?s economy and reliability.
• Annoying People 12 Mar 2006 (Forum)
  I am not claiming to be a good driver myself far from it just annoys me that I try hard to be a good driver and there are people who just blatently don't give a damn What do BR?s think of this. Or am I just overreacting??? Ste -- 1983 (A) Vauxhall Astra 1.3L 1993 (K) Vauxhall Cavalier 2.0i GLS 1999 (T) Renault Laguna 1.6
• car ideas please 3-5K ? 21 Jan 2006 (Forum)
  So my dilemma is Go for the heart = coupe bout £15K Or the head 51 plate mondeo £3K We have no money spare really, so I guess it?s the mondeo But what else is there for around £3000 to £5000 I get 14ppm will be doing around 20K miles a year, so diesel/petrol equation isn?t an option, would go for a petrol. Short journeys, most would be a 40 mile stretch in one journey.
• Snatched from the Windscreen 18 Dec 2005 (Forum)
  My daughter has this car, which belongs to me, on long-term loan while she is studying at Nottingham Trent University... I have received a Penalty Charge Notice of £60.00 under the ?owner?s liability? provisions of the RTA 1991, Schedule 6, paragraph 2(4) for £60 as a £30 parking ticket issued to this car on 12 November 2005 has not been paid. My daughter states that she did not see any notice attached to the car, and I have no reason to believe that she is not telling the truth.
• what oil for X5 3.0 ltr petrol ??? 19 Nov 2005 (Forum)
  :)anyway getin to the point, the mechanic where i usually take my car has said it would be fine with semi synthetic 10w/40. and thats what he would put in if i just dropped it off and didnt give him any parts,i understand hes not a bmw mechnic,but hes been in the job for nearly 20 years.when i went to g+s they recommended i get the fully synthetic 0w/30 and they dont do this, best they have is 5w/40.they said its not worth risking an engine for the sake of 50 quid and said i was best to go to bmw and get what they would use which i think would be the 0w/30 castrol edge.euro parts said it would be fine with there oil which is fully synthetic 0w/40,so i just need someones advise on the the oil situation, do i stop being a tight wad and fork out nearly 100 quid in oil from bmw, or get the 0w/40 from euro parts.it just seems every person in the motor trade has different advise on oil.thank you for any advise you could give me on this matter ,michael
• Italian attitudes 7 Oct 2005 (Forum)
  There has been a tremendous public outcry, including fights between police and motorcyclists, imagine! It?s not fair they say, and the government has had to back down and allow the bikes to be returned.
• AUDI A3 1.8T Service overdue...69k 25 May 2005 (Forum)
  If anyone can recommend a very good mechanic in East London/Essex then that would be great, otherwise I have spoke to a Mobile Mechanic to do the work. Ok well i cant really remember, but if anyone knows or works for audi or knows about a3's i need to know exactly i need to do for the service to be done. The List: Sparks - I dont know what brand...Denso? NGK or Bosch Air Filter - Genuine or OEM from third party? Oil Filter - Genuine or OEM from third party?
• Need you Help-Value of Cat C. 30 Apr 2005 (Forum)
  Right I think I covered everything there, I paid £800 for it 1 year ago in a rush, I know a very stupid/costly mistake! But I would appreciate your expert opinion on its value please? Also What?s the best way of selling it? Auction? At least I won?t have any comeback then? Many Thanks Barry