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• Ford Fiesta Encore 1.3L - over revving 15 Jun 2004 (Forum)
  This problem happens more often than not, occurring both during hard acceleration through the gears and braking from speed when approaching roundabouts. The over-revving engine can usually be brought back down to lower revs by tapping the accelerator. We had the opposite problem around 12 months ago - in this instance we had to buy a new ISCV (cleaning the old one didnt solve the problem).
• Toyota Avensis - Front Discs and Pads 25 May 2004 (Forum)
  His 1999 Avensis 5 dr SE Liftback has just been through its 27,000 mile service and the engineer (Toyota dealer from where he bought the car as new) has said that the front discs and pads are very badly worn and will need replacing within 6 months, cost £250. Prior to 1999, he ran a Carina for 8 years and the brakes never needed changing (the same garage serviced it regularly). A suggestion has been made by the mechanic that the problem is that his British built Avensis is made of inferior quality parts compared to the Japanese built Carina.
• Sourcing Special Tools VW Golf IV 23 Mar 2004 (Forum)
  Went into local VW Main Dealer last saturday morning and while purchasing normal service parts, asked to buy the Special Tool to change Rear Brake Pads. (Basically I imagine this to be a tube type peg spanner which engages with the piston, and winds it back in). Was taken aback when the Parts Sales person rather frostily said something like: "We have never been allowed by VW to order Special Tools for retail customers" There was no chance of negotiating this.
• Car door 'break-off' hinges 30 Nov 2003 (Forum)
  There were roadworks at the time, and a very long queue of stopped traffic. A careless ?person? threw open a nearside car door into the cycleway too late for my grandson to brake. He is small for his age, but the bike is a heavy, robust thing. He said that he hit the door, folding it forward, and breaking it off. He rode over part of it. I asked him if he stopped to complain, but he replied that he just carried on as he was late for school.
• Low Fuel Consumption 29 Nov 2003 (Forum)
  What could I do to improve the consumption? I bought a car from an Independant VW/Audi garage, who mainly deal second hand motors. Also, brakes squeak while driving at low speeds and when turning corners. Have taken it back to the dealer who has taken the wheel off, checked the pads and disks and found nothing wrong! Hope someone can help!!!
• Coincidence?? 3 Nov 2003 (Forum)
  Total journey distance about 20 miles and saw the sftermath of 4 accidents (luckily none serious) 1. Saxo in outer lane of a dual carriageway had braked for roundabout but gone straight on where road curved left onto roundabout onto central (raised) reservation damaging front of car. 2. Saxo had been rearended by a Metro at another roundabout so it went into a 406 in front - damage front and rear 3.
• Being a passenger in a badly driven car 14 May 2003 (Forum)
  I feel so unsafe in this situation but still say nothing.I often find my right foot pressing against the bulkhead when the driver leaves the braking a bit late ! Fortunately I dont often travel as a passenger but when I do its usually possible to tell within the first half mile whether the driver is good or not. Anyone feel the same ?
• Exchange of fluids! 18 Apr 2003 (Forum)
  I asked my Skoda dealers to carry out the 45,000 service last Monday and in addition requested they change the engine coolant, brake fluid and gearbox oil, plus the air and pollen filters. The charming lady receptionist point blank refused "Is no necessary" in her best English. My Spanish is not yet good enough to argue the point so there the matter rested.
• ABS - boon or liablity? 6 Apr 2003 (Forum)
  I can think of only less than 10 occasions where I locked the wheels up in situations where ABS MAY have helped (but which were controlled by cadence braking), which begs the question really is it really worth it? Does it make people drive as if they are invincible \"because I\'ve got ABS\" under the mis-apprehension that it shortens stopping distances markedly?
• Omega rubbing 12 Sep 2002 (Forum)
  When cornering at low low speeds (e.g. 90 degrees onto my front drive) and probably applying a little brake, there is a momentary rubbing noise - bit like a chair being scraped over a wooden floor - from the rear - hard to tell which side. I suppose it probably also coincides with the bounce down the camber and over the pavement, but I get it sometimes on flat roads too, again probably coinciding with one side of the car dipping.
• BMW 5-Series Rear End Collision 26 Jul 2002 (Forum)
  On impact, the drivers seat was thrown backwards, as the bolts that held the front of the seat to the rails broke. The result was that he was left facing the ceiling of the car, trying to brake to avoid hitting anyone in front of him. The car was an R-registered 520i. He has pursued the issue with BMW UK, and after much correspondance they have returned a verdict, (without having examined the seat), that there is no problem with the seat doing this.
• What price an Audi Coupe? 25 Jul 2002 (Forum)
  It's a Coupe 20V manual, 1990/H, 142K, no service history until I bought it, but lots of useful bills since (cambelt, brake discs, shock absorbers and more). Nice dark red/bronze metallic, not fridge white or faded red like so many of them. I had a look at Parkers online price guide, which suggested just over £4K for a private sale (assuming I have the scrape down one side sorted out, and have it valeted to get rid of all the dog pawprints on the seats).
• Polo (once again) 25 Apr 2002 (Forum)
  My better half currently has a polo (1989 1.05 carb) and we are interested in buying it. The newer car looks much better, the brakes and steering are much improved. The cost is a few hunderd quid more than ours. which isn't a problem, but we want to know if the injection engine is liable to cut out as the carb one has (the warmer weather seems to help cure this).
• Is it required? 8 Feb 2002 (Forum)
  Over the last 20 years, in our joint experience, virtually all expense on repairs has been for items not affected by how well the engine was lubricated. Suspension, brake systems, steering and so on. I am from a generation that remembers grinding in valves, re-bores, decokes and when 20K from an engine without attention was a subject of interest in the pub. I wonder if our experience in our early motoring years has given some of us a fixation about engines wearing out and our concern is misplaced.
• Alternative power. 4 Nov 2001 (Forum)
  Far more recently and with my own eyes (i.e. read it in a legit newspaper) there exists a compressed air vehicle which uses overnight charge to pressurise a compartment slowly lettting the out air as required to power the car like a steam engine. Not only that but becase it takes air in through charcoal filters when it brakes and recharges it actually produces negative pollution. (it cleans the air as it is used!). Er.. so where did that one go then? Excuse my poor memory but was it this forum that talked about electric cars that could do 200 miles for 60pence etc.. which all the car company reps in this country strenuously deny the existence of?
• Garage trying it on. What do I do next? 29 Sep 2009 (Forum)
  t=47155&v=f ), and the car has only done less than 20,000 miles since then ... and I protested that this sounded highly implausible -- the brakes should not have worn out in that time, and it didn't make sense that the fronts were less worn than the back. They insisted, but I still said no. When I picked up the car, the service invoice included the recommendation for new brake pads and discs, with the price.
• Mazda CX-5 SportNav (petrol) - 14 reg. Report 7 Feb 2025 (Forum)
  As some may remember, I've had this car since 2016. I've put over 50,000 miles on it and it has been remarkably cheap to run. A couple of brake disks fitted on the rear a few years ago. New tyres. Apart from that, until recently no repairs needed. Last autumn, after a longish drive to the far north-east from Hertfordshire, I could hear a knocking noise from the suspension.
• VW 2023 T-Roc Life TSI - Excessive tyre wear 31 Jul 2024 (Forum)
   I always drive as economically as is possible currently averaging 57.933mpg over 9,154 miles. I do not slew around corners or roundabouts, I do not accelerate quickly nor brake heavily and this mpg better than VW quote. I have not yet contacted VW. I would like to hear what others here have to say. Regards, Pete.
• Mondeo Mark 1 Ghia X 6 Cyl. 2.5 l. - Restoring a car - stolen on 22 March 2024 16 Apr 2024 (Forum)
  The dilemma is that the insurance company is notified that they will pay out, the car then becomes their property, however, I want to have the car back if found and continue restoration of this 28 year old car, I have carried out many repairs and renewals to shock absorbers, brakes etc. etc.. Although the car was still insured till September and had road tax, there was no MOT since it was off the road, this will aid the police in ANPR, I think that I should notify the insurance company but to have them wait for a period.
• Hyundai i30 - Hire car 20 Jan 2024 (Forum)
  Handling is fine and the ride actually very compliant (no low profiles). The gear change is positive and easy to use and clutch and brakes well-weighted. As a honest car for doing all the basic things right, I would consider it with perhaps the bigger 1.5 engine. However I can see the attraction of the 1.0 with running costs.