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• Owning 2 cars, insurance question 27 Jun 2007 (Forum)
  Fabia vRS, Saab 9-3, BMW etc but they're all a bit out of my price range and I don't want to spend too much and then end up 3 years later with massive depriciation due to the high mileage. What are the drawbacks of running a cheaper sporty convertible for weekends and summer days - I'm thinking MR2 mk2 and then having a cheap, sub £1k diesel and employing bangernomics for commuting. Can I have just one insurance policy and drive the second car 3rd party under the first cars policy or do I need seperate policies?
• buying a used car 22 Apr 2007 (Forum)
  I have thought about a 2002 Renault Clio/ Ford Fiesta/Peugeot 106/Peugeot 206, I would like a smaller car that is cheap to tax( £35 for 12 mths if possible) and run. Could anybody tell me about common faults of the above cars or which of the above cars they would reccommend and roughly the mpg for that car I have read the 106 has a high 7 out of 9 death rate in accidents?
• Corsa 1.0 ecotec oil leak 22 Apr 2007 (Forum)
  It is leaking from what looks like a pressure sensor (immediately to the left of the oil level dipstick) I've looked through my Haynes manual and can't find any pictures or references to it. Any ideas of why oil should start to leak from here? When the engine is running it is dripping out pretty quickly, so it will be alright to drive to the garage 800 yrds up the road on Monday but not much further. Any advice as to whether it is a fix I could do myself would be appreciated but I suspect it is a garage job.
• Ford mondeo part name needed 13 Apr 2007 (Forum)
  I'm sorry for sounding so stupid but i havent a clue what they're called and it'd help if i knew the name of what was gone before i called the garage to get them to fix it! It's a strip of metal/plastic about the width of a finger that runs along the length of the car between the roof and the door frames on both sides. By the looks of it, it seems like they were just popped out with a flat screwdriver. Any idea what they're called and can anyone suggest how to stop them being stolen again (and also how to make sure they don't take my little spoiler or anything ele off the car).
• VW Golf MK IV 1.6s Engine Problem 7 Apr 2007 (Forum)
  Hi there - i have an ongoing problem with my golf 01 reg/ 16v/manual/52k miles. Every so often while idling, the engine will begin to run very roughly, the engine light will begin blinking and there will be a big loss of power. After turning it off, waiting for a few minutes and restarting the misfire will disappear and the engine light will be on but will no longer be blinking.
• Smoking Peugeot 306 td 14 Mar 2007 (Forum)
  For the last 12 months or so I have had difficulty starting when cold (i.e. mornings or left standing for more than 4 hours). Even if i wait until few seconds after light goes out turns over quite rough, like its running on 3 cylinders. It struggles like this until i rev engine, at which point i get loads of blue/white smoke. Once i've done this its ok, however fuel economy is crap getting 150 miles outr of £20 diesel at the moment.
• Coolant leak - Seat Toledo TdiSE 2 Mar 2007 (Forum)
  The milleage is now 136,000 miles on the clock. Unfortunately when I do my regular long distance runs of 220 miles twice or three times weekly, the coolant level goes from the maximum line to the minimum line after each 220 mile trip. No oil lost just coolant. ( it still does near 60 mpg). My local main Seat dealer has now given up searching for leaks.
• Using an Airflow battery conditioner 27 Feb 2007 (Forum)
  Hi, I've just gone to take my dad's 12 month old Avensis for a spin, before he comes back from holiday, and there wasn't enough power to open the door. I used the key and a pathetic noise comes from the front, an alarm running at one volt by the sounds of it. I've followed the instructions in the handbook and it won't turn off, only when the key was in the ignitions, when I take it out the alarm tries to sound again.
• Mid 1990's Mercedes Diesel Estate. 23 Feb 2007 (Forum)
  When I was a regular visitor here a few years back folks knew I said one day I would like a middle age Mercedes diesel estate.... one of the forum members then was even supposed to be running his carefully for the day its depreciation curve met my savings balance ;-) Well now my vehicle need, their values and my budget do all meet.... but things I hear lately about Mercedes of this age are worrying.
• '04 Golf 2.0 GT FSI - Software update? 20 Feb 2007 (Forum)
  I am however a little concerned, because I am coming to the end of the warranty period and would have thought that inappropriate software would have caused a long-running problem, from day 1, rather than prompt a sudden misfire, after c.25,000 miles? Sadly, I used to be able to restore/fix/understand just about anything automotive, but since cars have gone electronic........!
• ECU and engine sensors 16 Feb 2007 (Forum)
  I have also read of a marked variation in mpg on cars of the same type in a fleet. They may have been run in differently and will clearly get driven differently, but I wonder how much may be due to the differences between cars in the sensors that the ECU monitors (air temp, mass flow, coolant temp, elec system voltage among others).
• Disappointing Toyota 8 Feb 2007 (Forum)
  I've been running an 1.8 04 Toyota Avensis for a year now. I deliberately bought a jap car after all the reliability issues and ropey build quality I had with my last two cars (Ford and Vauxhall). However although I like the car it seems to be a bigger lemon than my old Omega - which is fairly suprising.
• '98 Astra rear shock absorber 5 Feb 2007 (Forum)
  Have to drop my son at school about a mile in one direct, then go to garage a mile the other. Then obviously school run again in the afternoon, plus the same for how ever many days before garage can fit in (although they are usually pretty quick so hoping for Tues/Wed at latest). Any advice please? Thanks, L
• Toll road price increase 5 Jan 2007 (Forum)
  During my travels over xmas I noticed that from 1st Jan the M6 Toll have increased their prices so that a full run along the main carriageway is now £4. This is now starting to get a bit expensive I think. I was coming down from Lancs to Oxfordshire and will use £40's of petrol for the trip, if I add the toll road into that then I spend £48 on the journey.
• VW Van won't start, then won't stop! 2 Jan 2007 (Forum)
  Quick trip around block to warm engine thoroughly, back home in normal parking position, engine won't turn off. Take key out and walk away...engine still running! I finally have to stall in first gear to get the engine to stop. Grrrrrr......... Any ideas anyone please?
• Car for my sister 29 Dec 2006 (Forum)
  Shes decided to sell her MG and get something that doesnt cost £900 a year to insure! Her budget is strictly £5800 - her priorities are low running costs, esp insurance and servicing and something that will do atleast 45mpg around town, reliability and reasonable comfort. A diesel would suit her driving style best and she is keen on a 2002-2003 Yaris diesel - any other options?
• stolen caravan 12 Dec 2006 (Forum)
  Can anyone advise on what his chances are or any other avenue's of action. The seller is possibly a trader and runs another company so has some history and isn't likely to disappear, however he may not be a man of means either (the usual, house in wifes name etc). Thanks Jonathan
• Peugeot 306 diesel been swimming 26 Nov 2006 (Forum)
  Unfortunately the car has been in some fresh water which has caused the engine to show its resentment. I havent examined it yet but Im told its running on 3 cylinders (and so it should be cheap. )I wondered if anybody had experience of water damage - I suppose if somehow water got down the air intake because the bow wave was like that of a cross chanel ferry it could be a big problem.
• thoughts from Italy. 11 Nov 2006 (Forum)
  You have to learn to walk at a steady pace and let them drive round you, it works well, but dont stop - you will get run over. I have in the past week, used every form of transport (train, boat, plane, & bus) to and in italy. It all worked really well. didn't miss the car once. Good to sea Lancia still alive and well, Mrs RF seems to fancy a baby lancia Ypsilon, and is still drooling over the grande punto.
• Clio tyre wear and noises 12 Oct 2006 (Forum)
  Afternoon All, how goes? As per previous notes, I have not changed my old clio and have decided to to run it into the ground and buy a car for the other half, she will not see it very often as it will be small and fast. Anyway... I am having a few probs with the nearside front wheel/tyre. I have excess wear on the outside of the near side front and a creaking noise when I am on a right hand bend.