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• Renault Megane II (2002 - 2008) - 2004 - over reving & accelerating itself 8 May 2009 (Forum)
  This is the horrific part, they said that the car needed a new wiring loom which they quoted me at £1987 to replace as they said they had to order it from France. First the had misdiognised the car and charged me now they are telling me its something totally different. Has anyone ha dthe same problem with thier renualt? {Header given a more meaningful title that gives a brief description of question being asked. 50/50 split whether this belongs here or in Technical Matters?}
• Alpine pass experience 9 Dec 2008 (Forum)
  Just got back from a tour of France in our MK7 Transit Motorhome during which we drove over the highest pass in Europe at Resterfond (9200 feet). Some observations of this run were that, firstly the change in pressure from start, at about 3000 feet to the top meant that the gas turned on with a huge ?
• Driving in Europe - Questions 8 Nov 2008 (Forum)
  We're planning to drive to the German Alps and the Black Forest so most of the driving will be in Germany with some in France/Holland depending on whether we cross from Hull-Rotterdam or the Calais routes (we live in Leeds, incidentally). It will be after the winter (we're not going for the skiing). Also, incidentally, I have driven on the right before in America but with a left hand drive hire car.
• chipped 2.0 Jaguar/Ford turbo diesel 31 Jul 2006 (Forum)
  I'd like a bit more oomph 50-70 etc, for those overtakes...... (that seemingly you can only do in Scotland or Cornwall nowadays...or even France, where they seem to expect you to do it and help you on your way). 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.
• Driving a Foreign Car in Britain 27 Mar 2005 (Forum)
  Presumably I need the direction changed? But I can't do that until I arrive in England as I need to drive through France. If I arrive in the evening or night will a copper nab me on the way out of the Ferry port? Instead of going to a mechanic (how much in England?) can I change the direction using headlight stickers, as I used to do with my old Cavalier here in Spain?
• mondeo TDCi Vibration under load 18 Aug 2004 (Forum)
  When it was new I could sence a slight knock on the steering when taking up the clutch at a junction, or sometimes when stopping, a friend in Ford Service told me there is a new design of bolt that gets fitted to Mondeo's with this fault, but wait for the service. Since then, while in France the last few weeks an irritating resinance/vibration has made its self known between 1500 - 2000rpm. The one at 1500 is normally under heavy throttle in a higher gear, espeically up hill. It made it's self known in the Alps when using 3rd and 4th gear, 1500rpm is the point at which the torque build up, and so was labouring, more starting to pull hard.
• Dumb drivers 17 May 2004 (Forum)
  Have just returned from a coach trip holiday to Italy. We-ell, it is what some of we masochists do. We stopped at a motorway pit stop in France for breakfast after which we rejoined the coach, which then began to pull away and head for the slip road to access the motorway. I just happened to be looking straight ahead through the windscreen as we moved down a one-way service road.
• Disintegrating Renault Megane - advice?! 23 Sep 2003 (Forum)
  However, I can't seem to find a UK address to write to to register my complaint - their website has an email form to fill in (which I'm not happy with - I want to send a registered letter), or an address in France. Anyone have any ideas where I can get a UK address form?
• Towing as part of the running-in process 3 Jul 2003 (Forum)
  Just had the (formerly !) trusty R reg Xantia 2.1TD checked over prior to a month in France with the caravan, departing on the 19th. Turns out that the heater matrix has gone, there's an as yet undiganosed fault on the engine management system and the a/c needs re-gassing. It's only done 105k, but main dealer is quoting a sum adjacent to £1k for fixing it.
• Life flashed before my eyes! 17 Apr 2003 (Forum)
  Driving back on a lovely stretch of route national from Lyon to Grenoble, France yesterday (it\'s 26C here, not that I want to rub it in or anything), I was costing downhill past a procession of lorries crawling up on the opposite side. My speed was about 100Kmh, the opposite side traffic was doing about 30kmh.
• Turning a British Car into a French Car 10 Apr 2003 (Forum)
  I have just had a Controle Technique (MOT) on my VW Passat CDTDI (which is British) in order to get new French licence plates as I now live in France full time. However, at the MOT the passat failed on hand brake (not serious), but also because the head lights point the wrong way (the lens is for British cars which drive on the left). The MOT chap told me to get new lenses (made in Europe, set for driving on the right) or new lights in total.
• Petrol, diesel, hybrid? (No EVs please) - Advice on car for retirement 2 Aug 2022 (Forum)
  It doesn't do a huge mileage locally but I always go driving holidays so it's done Wales, the West Country, France, Germany, Spain, and many such trips up north. The down side though is that like most pre 2015 diesels it's non ULEZ compatible and with all sorts of towns and cities going that way, I will need to replace it at some point.
• SEAT Alhambra - sunroof exploded 23 Nov 2018 (Forum)
    I had no storage facility for my wheelchair and I was without transportation for weeks because of this and unable to do any meaningful activities which further exacerbated my mental health conditions. We were due to go on holiday to France a few weeks after this incident. Tickets had been booked under my vehicles' details. However, we were unable to order a vignette, an emissions certificate where, without displaying in certain areas in France, could result in a fine or even the vehicle being seized.
• Where are all the deals going? 1 Feb 2023 (Forum)
    It seems that finding a good deal is like looking for a girlfriend, plenty there when you are not looking but nothing when you are on the market! :) I almost purchase a nice 09 Honda Jazz from a nice chap from France who had "all the paperwork in his name" and after spending £10 on HPI check and £50 on rail fares and 2hrs each way turned out to be a Romanian guy with a a car registered to some African guy who was not even present, a V5C missing part and the lies piled up very quickly.
• What Size car do I need: Subcompact or compact 28 Sep 2022 (Forum)
  I mainly drive around suburbia/commute to work with occasional long distance trips every school Holidays (and its here where I think my Jazz lacks).  I am an American Single father with a 8-year old girl living together in France. My Requirements: 1. SUV - Either subcompact or compact (thats the question). 2. Hybrid 3. Need space for lots of stuff to haul around. Suitcases, Bikes, kid seat/with kid and the occasional grandparent.
• Any - Driving with Alzheimer’s Disease 7 Apr 2022 (Forum)
  I see that France has announced a decree that potentially bans patients suffering from Alzheimer’s from driving (presumably also affecting British holidaymakers!). The decree says ‘upon the onset of cognitive decline, and in particular pathological decline such as Alzheimer's or related diseases, there will be a total ban on driving’ While I have sympathy with the concern that patients who suffer from dementia shouldn’t be putting themselves and other road users at risk I can also anticipate this deterring those with early dementia from seeking medical attention … for fear that they will lose their access to mobility and if living in rural areas access to shops, medical facilities and even hairdressers and florists (so essential!).
• Campaign to stop expat pensions and benefits 5 Mar 2020 (Forum)
  I understand (from a Radio 4 interview 18 months ago) that £6Bn a year leaves the UK in the form of expat pensions and benefits. This money directly benefits competitor economies - mostly Spain and France. Expats have rejected the UK and contribute nothing, but many (most?) return to the UK when sick or frail to use our NHS and Social Care. Its a scandal and the worst form of hypocracy. Australia is now withdrawing pensions from its expats and the UK does not give pension increases to pensioners in certain countries (Canada, Aus, NZ etc) so the value of those pensions falls over time - however UK pensioners living in the EU do get increases.
• Driving in environmental zones in Germany 27 Feb 2018 (Forum)
  On 24 March 2017, I read an HJ Back Room post about driving in environmental zones in France, which touched on such zones in other EU countries. I have done some research on driving in environmental zones in Germany (DE), which may be of help to readers, particularly in maintaining  their bank balance.
• Aixam - Axiam 500 doing 35/40 MPH on M1 21 Aug 2014 (Forum)
  So the French rural transport solution (Cyclecars) doesn`t seem to fit well with our conditions or typical drivers, most of whom will be previously skilled bikers, unlike in France where I guess a typical user could have driven or ridden nothing at all? To take one on the M1 though...... Regards
• Skoda Octavia II (2004 - ) - Octavia at 50 5 Feb 2010 (Forum)
  Average consumption is 56.5, more than I expected (the target was 55). Can't really add anything about space - it copes easily with our holiday runs to the South of France and sSWMBO almost takes the kitchen sink (I said no her request to take the rice cooker). Variable servicing so had two services, another should be due shortly (around 18k between services) and only had to put oil in once between services.