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• BMW 318IS Noise! 3 Jun 2004 (Forum)
  It is a 1991 E30 318IS 16v m42 engined car (110k miles) and only between 3000 and 4000 RPM it makes a harsh and very noticeable buzzing noise. This is best described as being like a mini chainsaw buzz and although it ONLY HAPPENS WHEN WARMED UP, it does always do it ie not intermittent. Cam chains have never been changed, nor has tensioner but a \"knowledgable\" friend said it sounded \"more than just a cam chain\"!
• Who likes the speedo in the middle? 1 Sep 2003 (Forum)
  Now in 30-odd years I've never owned a car where the instruments aren't in line with the steering wheel and I associate the central positioning of instruments with old-fashioned or utility vehicles e.g. Morris Minor, BL Mini, Land Rover. If I'm going to shell out thousands of pounds, I want the car designer to make the driver's job as easy as possible. That includes arranging the switches, stalks and instruments around the driver, not sharing them with passengers or scattering them around the cabin.
• Importing a Ford 25 Nov 2002 (Forum)
  I'm considering importing my next car (as you might have guessed from my contribution to the "New Mini Help" thread). I'm looking for a Ford, but the final spec isn't yet decided. In the FAQs, HJ suggests ringing european dealers (more or less at random) to find out whether they are ready and willing to quote for UK imports.
• New 2nd hand car 23 Oct 2002 (Forum)
  i'm setting a budget of 9K-10K for a new car and i suspect i will probably own it for 5 years. I do about 10,000 mile pa and i don't like super mini's or medium sized cars, i want a bigger car like a 406. So what should i get, max of 30K on the clock and totally flawless reliability, i.e. nothing should be spent on the car in those 5 years apart from consumables (asking a lot i know) Undecided over diesel or petrol, and i must be proud of it.
• Audi 80 stopped! 11 Mar 2002 (Forum)
  Fuel seems to be there (singed hair). This car has a distributor on cam 1 and a rotor arm, from a mini coil (I've never seen one so small - perhaps they should contact family planning). I'll have to go out in the morning and fix it roadsides.... Martin.
• Mercedes E240 2 Dec 2001 (Forum)
  On the front of the radiator there is a vertical metal pipe which has a needle valve in it, looks like it is either for pressurising or beleeding something. If this was my old mini, I'd be thinking airlock. Before I trail all the way back up to Heathrow to get another one, has anybody got any advice ? Because I'd really prefer to be sat in the pub. I'm off up the pub for some English beer, but I'll be checking in again soon.
• Safety by design ? 14 Jul 2001 (Forum)
  1 I am amazed that local authorities can spend a fortune on speed reduction measures, to make things safer? for all users and then landscape 'grass super mini' roundabouts with massive lumps of granite with near vertical faces! Anybody hitting this veritable immovable object even at 25 mph will be lucky to walk away. A cyclist or motorcyclist will probably be dead!
• Celebrating 40 years of the 18-22 series Wedge 27 Mar 2015 (Forum)
  The new 18-22 Series was launched on March 26, 1975, and earlier I attended a modest ceremony to mark the fact at the place of its birth, at what is now BMW’s Mini factory on the edge of Oxford. Strictly speaking, we were told - by a Mini factory guide who worked there at the time - that the 18-22 was manufactured on the other side of a bypass on land now occupied by a gym, an Audi dealer and a science park, but the 18-22’s body was made on the part of the site from where Minis emerge today.
• Australia vs UK - Top 10 cars sales 11 Feb 2012 (Forum)
  Nissan Qashqai – 36,826 Sales 10. MINI – 33,139 Sales Top 10 in January Total Volume 1.
• Ford Fusion (USA) - mini road test 14 Sep 2008 (Forum)
  Had the pleasure of hiring a two month old Ford Fusion for a short road trip in Arizona. They're very cheap at Hertz (I got mine for approximately $30/day). Spec: 3.0L...
• Vehicles and Voting - warning contains politics! 22 Jan 2021 (Forum)
  Saab drivers were stereotyped as dentists, Mondeo Man got a mention by Tony Blair as a key group, the original Mini totally ignored class divides... this is a short list so any other recollections welcomed!  There was an interesting article in Forbes back in October, albeit it is about the USA, concerning what someone's car says about how someone will likely vote.
• Any car - Name or number? 26 Oct 2020 (Forum)
    If cars become popular the general public tend to provide a pet moniker, e.g. ‘Beetle’ or ‘Mini’, not a number, which the sensible manufacturer then adopts.  When such a popular name is kept for subsequent models do they sell more than they otherwise would?
• Looking for recommendations! 1 Nov 2018 (Forum)
    A vauxhall astra 1.6  diesel seems to fit most of the needs but I wanted something a little more premium.   Golf gdt is too much, Mini cooper SD has everything apart from the boot space and iv heard they arent that comfy. 320D is perfect but rear wheel drive (the x drives mpg is too low) and the rest seem to have way too low real mpg compared to their official figures.
• Nissan Primera P12 2.0 Petrol Hachback Dec 2002 - Primera 2.0 P12 Clutch and front X member replace? 14 Apr 2015 (Forum)
    A clutch kit is anywhere from £80 to £190 from internet sites.  I have done clutches in the distant past, (Cortina, Mini etc.) but not on a relatively modern car. Is it do-able by somebody with reasoanble skills and slightly better than average tools? What would be the reasonable garage going rate for X-Member replacement?
• No fifth wheel for my wagon to go rolling along 15 Jul 2013 (Forum)
  Just changed my vehicle to a Nissan QQ (petrol - dpf frightened me off diesel) Lo and behold on checking for the spare what do I find?. No wheel, no space saver just a can of goo and a mini compressor to deal with a flat. While this MAY be suitable for the odd nail penetration I have doubts that this would fix a cut and present a road safety hazard- instead of a fix in 10 minutes a couple of hours waiting for a breakdown attendance.
• Suzuki Splash- any good? 28 Sep 2010 (Forum)
  I'm not overly fond of the Swift, finding it bulky looking and testers have complained of the heavy body affecting performance and economy. but the Splash looks a good car, like a mini MPV. Also on checking Which in the local library, the Splash received four stars for reliability and quality and the economy, performance and low purchase costs were praised. I was more inclined towards getting a Honda or a Toyota to replace my ageing Nissan, but the Splash has made me think again and as an existing customer, the dealership might give me a better deal.
• All - Small Automatics 14 Jul 2010 (Forum)
  We have up to £5000 to spend, but as it's my money that she's spending (and then paying back - hopefully) I'd be happier spending £3,500 to £4,000. Every penny I don't spend goes towards funding a classic mini for me! Cheers Ben
• PCP - Rates likely to rise or fall next year? 13 Jan 2010 (Forum)
  90% of our cars have been used and good value buys. Never ever though of PCP but reading the Mini PCP thread and looking at Ling's webside has made me realise it could suit our situation for the next three years. Even more so as I love the new Citroen C5 and they are very cheap on contract. Could dive in and arrange tomorrow but wondered what the trend might be in rates over the next 3-6mths?
• Things that go against the spirit of motoring. 26 Aug 2009 (Forum)
  There is no challenge, no chance to enjoy a car's handling finesse. Traffic calming measures. -Including mini-roundabouts and such, they take away the motorists freedom to take the car where he pleases, they confine and restrict motorists like cogs in a communistic machine. Auto-gearboxes. -Again, I quite like them but they do take away some of the mechanical interaction from the driver.
• Kwik-Fit Aircon recharge £45 - any one used it? 24 Jun 2009 (Forum)
  I drove my wife's MINI in hot weather this morning for the first time for quite a while. The A/C didn't seem to be as cold as it should be. It's working but seems to have gradually got less cold. The car is 6 years old and it's never had a recharge.