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• European Car of the year 14 Sep 2004 (Forum)
  The list of contending cars for next years "European car of the year" have been released: Alfa Romeo GT Audi A6 BMW 1-Serie BMW 6-Serie BMW X3 Chrysler 300 C Citroën C4 Fiat Idea/Lancia Musa Ford Focus Honda FR-V Hyundai Tucson Kia Cerato Kia Picanto Kia Sportage Land Rover Discovery 3 Mercedes A-klasse Mercedes CLS Mercedes SLK Mitsubishi Colt Mitsubishi Grandis Opel Astra Opel Tigra TwinTop Porsche 911 Peugeot 407 Renault Modus Seat Altea Skoda Octavia smart forfour Toyota Corolla Verso Toyota Prius Volkswagen Caddy Combi So which cars will be in the running ? My guess is that the Renault Modus or Focus will win.
• Focus 1.8 petrol 2001 5 Sep 2004 (Forum)
  Previously owned by a women who did few miles, but subject to FSH by Ford, but just out of warranty. Mainly used for local trips of less than 2 miles, with a few longer runs. No previous problems or hiccups. Used yesterday to go about 1½ miles, then park for 3 hours, then return. On the way back it stopped 3 times. Started OK this am Suggested a severe Italian tune, and trip to local independent (mentioned on HJ's list of good garages).
• Register an import to get specific plate 13 Aug 2004 (Forum)
  I'm considering importing a classic car from Germany, it will be pre-1963 so I guess the registration allocated will take the form of XYZ 123. I'd quite like a specific first 3 letters (OFP), but because the letters haven't run that far yet can I register the car at a certain registration office and get _FP 123 ? How do I find out where the FP registration office is located? As it's not ab obvious set of initials a search on the "cherished plates" type places comes back with nothing.
• Xantia 2.0 16valve waterleak 5 Aug 2004 (Forum)
  I suspect the coolent is coming from the area around the exhaust outlet but I haven't been able to view it from below. The system seems to lose water when I leave it after a run, any ideas? It was recently serviced and the oil is gold coloured, with no signs of water.
• Auto. transmission problem on BMW. 25 Jul 2004 (Forum)
  - If the lamp does not go out or - If it comes on during a journey, there is a fault in the electronic shift control or transmission.\" Without starting the engine, the light goes out, but comes on when the engine is running. Drove the car round the block, and which ever gear I select (D, 1,2,3) the preformance is slow to respond. Has anyone experienced similar porblem on their car, just like to get a rough idea on what problem/solution I have and if its a garage (dealership) job and cost wise.
• Polo 1.6CL(100BHP) Drinking Problem 25 Jul 2004 (Forum)
  Hi everyone I've recently started driving my beloved Polo again after about 3 months of only using it every few weeks just to warm the engine up and make sure it was still running. I drove it again till it was down to the red on the petrol guage, then filled it up - and then noticed that it was going down a lot quicker than before. I used to get about 360miles from a full tank.
• Dental work 13 Jul 2004 (Forum)
  (sic) Roused from slumbers (well it's a hot day), the "dentist" appears and I can't believe this, he uses a hammer and a piece of wood only slightly thicker than a pencil plus a wire thingy to get inside the door. he does it all by eye and by feel, and lo and behold you would never know you'd had a ding. Incredible. I swear you can run your finger down the door and you'd never know. Not sure if I'd want him doing my root canals, though..
• Tension of Escort Cam Belt 6 Jul 2004 (Forum)
  The Haynes manual says to push the tensioner over far enough that it is "just" possible to twist the long run of the belt through 90degrees. I put a 22mm spanner (about a foot long) between the engine mount and the edge of the tensioner, and leant on it until the spanner was visibly bending. Tightened the tensioner bolts, and it's still possible to twist the belt through 90deg without too much effort.
• Megane MOT Woes 5 Jul 2004 (Forum)
  Dropped my megane of for its MOT last monday, running pretty much perfectly apart from slightly spongy feeling brakes. MOT failed because the brake compensator was jammed and emmisions were too rich. To rectify the emissions they replaced the O2 sensor.
• Nissan Almera GLX Auto T reg - how much? 16 May 2004 (Forum)
  It is in very good condition with a good history (I'm not sure whether or not the service history is a full one or whether it is a bit patchy. The last owner did not run it on a shoe string. Having looked around I am thinking in the region of £3,500 to £4,000. Is this about right? Hugo
• Goodyear NCT5s 12 May 2004 (Forum)
  I put the fronts on the back, and backs on the front at about 12K. I found them fine as as most of our motoring is in London, with the occassional long run I thought the milage OK. Is this the experience of other rear wheel drive users? Over the years I have had all the top brands and I can't honestly tell much of a difference. If you drive 'normally' and never screech off or scream around bends modern tyres seem very similar and more than adequate, although these new ones seem a bit quieter.
• Rover 75 v Passat 130 Diesel s/h 20 Apr 2004 (Forum)
  Do-able s/h for £8k ? - I am going to clock up a mega mileage, so 50k would be OK. Somewhat concerned about running costs on the Rover - the VW can be serviced at my local Skoda dealer, and of course lots of parts are on the Superb, too (thinking more in terms of broken headlamps, mirrors or electrical bits). So interested in readers experience with the Rover.
• Astra Cutting Out ! No apparent reason 15 Apr 2004 (Forum)
  Never happens at speed (less than 30mph)Normally 10-15 minutes into a journey but sometimes later. Been in Garage and 'plugged in' 3 times, no results. Nothing stored in ECU fault logs. Car runs perfectly but for these cut outs. Vague hunch from mechanic of Distributor? (red cap, 3 pin) NO OTHER PROBLEMS except this. (Started after visit to garage to re-align gears and new bush fitted to bottom of gear leaver) Please Please help, it does it in the middle of roundabout's and junctions.
• Fuel pump auto delivery & cut off 13 Apr 2004 (Forum)
  Yet the other day using an HGV pump in UK realised that this pump had the necessary "thingumajig" device so the pump could be set and left running while I wandered around cleaning lights etc until the fuel flow shut off automatically. Any logical reason? FiF
• AX Throttle Fault 5 Apr 2004 (Forum)
  It broke down and had to be towed-the fault is this (this info is second hand from the AA man to her to me so apologies for the vagueness). The car will idle but apparently when the throttle is pressed the engine won't run properly, it chugs and misfires making it undriveable. The AA man apparently said something to do with some switch or something in the throttle. I don't know much about AX's and I haven't even had a look at the car.
• Footway Parking Croydon Council CCTV 29 Mar 2004 (Forum)
  Anyway I decided to view the CCTV at the council offices and it shows me parked on the footway for less than 30 seconds and running back to my car. I have written a letter of appeal to Croydon council saying I was delivering something. NO response as yet what do you think my chances are. I?m going to the adjudicator anyway as they aren?
• Cheap oil change for a Mondeo 20 Mar 2004 (Forum)
  I remember reading National did oil changes with a 15w-40 oil for £15, but do any of these type of places have a cheap offer running for an oil change with 5W-30? If its twenty quid or so i cant see the point doing it myself, last time 5litres of 5w-30 cost me about £9 plus £3.50 for a new sump plug (Ford changed the design, you cant buy sump plug washers for late mk.1 face-lift mondeos, you have to buy a whole new sump plug to go with it!
• Fuel consumption issue 525i SE 24 Feb 2004 (Forum)
  The car was serviced by BMW 2k miles ago for what it's worth. What I haven't done is to take it for a motorway run. I've read posts here and there and I gather that I should be looking at about 20mpg, if not a tad better, and wondered if the mpg I'm getting is normal/acceptable or whether there may be an issue somewhere.
• Escort (CVH) compressions & spark plugs 6 Feb 2004 (Forum)
  so I checked compressions on the weekend, and had a look at the plugs: #1 11.1 Grey (normal) colour #2 12.5 Grey (normal) colour #3 12.5 Grey (normal) colour #4 12.0 Sooty black colour First, is this difference in compressions (which I rechecked to be sure) OK, or too high? Second, any ideas why #4 plug is black (indicating rich running?) but the other three are OK? It's definitely sooty black and not oil-covered black. Thanks very much! Mark
• Window Fuse Keeps Blowing On Golf Mk3 31 Jan 2004 (Forum)
  Apart from the jerky auto in my car, ive also noticed the windows fuse keeps blowing after every 6 weeks or so. Theres a 10amp fuse which runs the reverse lights, electric windows and electric mirrors. The fuse stays fine, then out of the blue just blows. If I rumage my hands through the wires behind the fuse box,(i dont know why, but this tends to work) i notice the fuse stops blowing.