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• Report from the Leyte Gulf - philippines 26 Mar 2010 (Forum)
  (finally thought of a question ;-) The one I`m thinking of was about motoring across the Leyte Gulf in an outrigger boat, powered by a car engine to an island without electricity, where my wifes family originate. Not sure whether all of these (intended to be) interesting and varied mini reports from the Far East were deleted as a result of missing capital letters, due to posting frrom my phone - or whether they were just seen as too esoteric and not really in the `red or blue screenwash` safe, accepted subject area.
• Who'd steal a Skoda? 3 Feb 2010 (Forum)
  Used the keys to take the Octavia sitting on the drive. Fortunately they didn't get into the locked garage with the Mini and the Z3 in it - but they have a set of keys so we'll have to change the locks, as we already have on the front door. Anyone else heard of a Skoda being nicked? My insurance broker thinks that as it's a vRS it may have been targeted.
• Ford Mondeo II (1996 - 2000) - 99 2.0 coolant temp fluctuations - normal? 30 Nov 2009 (Forum)
  Is it normal for the cabin heater to make this much difference to the engine coolant temp? (I've heard of mini drivers using the heater matrix as an extra radiator in summer traffic jams to stop the engine overheating - but I would have thought my mondeo would have more in reserve than this!) I'm aware from reading another site that Mondeos have a couple of weak spots in the cooling system, so is there anything I can check before speaking to a garage?
• What new car make/model suffers least depreciation 12 Oct 2009 (Forum)
  So, your challenge today is to advise; What make/model of brand new car should I go for under the scrappage scheme in order to then sell it quickly as a 'Brand new used car with delivery mileage' on the used market - so I can make a profit (more than I would get just by selling my 15yr old Clio & at the same time removing a polluter from the streets)??? I was thinking cars which are trendy - Mini, Fiat 500.... OR Under scrappage, is it to possible to pre-order something like the new 2010 Astra? Basically, something which even if I offer for £1k less than the dealer price (hopefully leaves £1k profit for me) there will be eager takers...
• recalls and reliability? 17 Sep 2008 (Forum)
  Does a large number of recalls indicate poor quality from the start or a manufacturer's intention to look after the customers at their cost? Top 10 starting with most recalls: Renault Peugeot Ford BMW and MINI Citroen VW Opel Toyota and Lexus Fiat Mercedes Most recalled cars in no particular order: Alfa147, A4, BMW 3 series, Citroen C3 C5 C8, Ford Focus and C-Max, Mondeo, Mazada 6, Peugeot 307 206 607, Renault Laguna II Clio II Scenic Espace IV, VW Touareg and Porsche Cayenne.
• Polar opposites. Can you beat this? 29 May 2008 (Forum)
  Percy, as I named him, was brilliant. 900 odd miles in total comfort. Great air con (outside temps in the mini heatwave reaching 100f)decent stereo and such fun watching the wheels go round on the on-screen display. And averaged 49mpg which included spirited driving on Freeways, and up/down mountains! If only they were as cheap in the UK as the US I might even consider one.
• Nissan Micra (1992 - 2003) - 02 1.0 Service & Oil Change 11 May 2008 (Forum)
  As this is a favor, I don't want to shell out for a Haynes too. The oil filter I can see at the back at the engine (Not nice and easy like on my old minis). I reckon I am going to have to grovel under and try & get my chain rachet round it. looks virtually impossible. Any advice. Also I see the plugs have covers (I surmise coils are in there). Do these just pull off, or am I likely to break something.
• 3 kids - what car? 30 Dec 2007 (Forum)
  I would much rather have RWD but I can see the arguments over who sits in the middle already :-( Is there a car anywhere that can accommodate three rapidly growing kids in the back, yet still offer decent performance and handling? New or Used I am seriously considering selling the disco and the supra and buying 2 mini cooper S and accept the fact that when we go anywhere as a family we will take two cars!!!
• Brooks' Gambit 26 Nov 2007 (Forum)
  The question I have is: Who is Brook? "Brooks' Gambit This is a very useful technique for getting past quite a few cars at a mini or ordinary roundabout. There are two approach lanes to the roundabout, left lane for left turn, and right lane for other turns. Brooks' Gambit works when the main traffic is backed up in the lift lane to turn left, and the alternative turns, say right and straight on, are clear, as is the approach to the roundabout for right turning.
• RAV 4 Depreciation - Trade in Value 13 Dec 2006 (Forum)
  Please can anyone give me any advice on whether this is reasonable or not. I was offered £7,500 by a mini dealer and £7,800 by Honda at the end of August and have done little mileage since. The reason I have been dithering is because all the cars which interested me would not fit down my steep drive and I have only just had it re-engineered.
• How long should a refurbishment last? 13 Nov 2006 (Forum)
  What could have caused this? The car only has done 4000 odd miles in the last 15 months, it gets mini valeted monthly. It is kept in a gravelled parking area when not in use and none of the wheels have been kerbed but i guess that it is possible the laquer could have been pierced by a stone chips.
• Locking wheel nut key 30 Oct 2006 (Forum)
  I suppose I was lucky that it was Sunday after church and not on the way to a business appointment, or miles from anywhere. Fortunately SWMBO's Mini One and daughter's 1.3 Yaris have steel wheels - yippee. One good thing - Humphries fitted a new valve free - not worth the hassle to do the paperwork.
• Sat Nav - standalone or PDA? 1 Aug 2006 (Forum)
  I have just got my latest toy - an XDA Mini S, a phone/PDA combined with lots of twiddly things to play with. The music is very good too when using the headset provided. I would like to put Tomtom on it as well so that I have phone/diary/satnav all in one box and just carry one piece of technology around with me, plus the gps receiver, rather than several.
• Traffic woes - your advise please 21 May 2006 (Forum)
  The best by to explain the problem is by showing you an actual photo of the problem which is here: http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y35/Stevenkuzzy/marlow.jpg I approach the main roundabout in the righthand lane at point A. I wish to get to B which is a single lane road after the mini roundabout. If I was to try to merge into the queue at point D I would block up the entire inside lane of the main r/about, some people do and it does cause grief plus freezes up the entire system.
• 306 1.8 petrol pinking under medium load 4 Sep 2005 (Forum)
  The engine in my wife's 306 1.8 SR Sedan has started to pink under the transition from light load to medium load at medium revs. A typical situation is pulling away from the 270 degree navigation of a mini roundabout in second gear or leaving a 30 limit in third gear. After a few seconds the pinking ceases. It does not pink under any other operating regime. The plugs are a perfect colour, fuel consumption is as it always has been, the air filter is still clean, there are no induction blockages, and the problem has been prevalent over many (many) tanks of branded 95 octane petrol.
• BMW 1 Series. 29 Mar 2005 (Forum)
  Well, SWMBO has had thoughts about changing her MINI. She fancied a BMW 120d so we booked a test drive. We had a couple of unsupervised hours with a 5k miler 118d manual. Somewhat disappointed I'm afraid. The engine was lively enough (bearing in mind she wants the even livelier 2.0litre)albeit with an irritating flat spot.
• Family car choices.... 30 Nov 2004 (Forum)
  We paln to keep the car as long as we can (i.e. till the scrap heap beckons...) Now the obvious choice is a mini MPV - Scenic or Zafira, but having travelled in both I am not convinced they are worth the money asked of them...Other option is mondeo/vectra type estate - but i think they are a little on the boring side...
• Will a Metro fit in a Transit? 29 Oct 2004 (Forum)
  I've finally done a deal and sold my damaged Rover 100 as seen in the classified section for £200. The guy who bought it will be using it for spares for some sort of mini clubman kitcar thing he's building. One snag, I'm in Shrewsbury he's in Huddersfeild (about 115 miles) and I need to get the car to him. Although the car drives fine and is taxed and mot'd it is missing both headlights and front bumper hence making it unroadworthy.
• accident advice please everyone !!!! 25 Jan 2004 (Forum)
  Hi all had first accident in 2years of trouble free driving, just finished 2year new driver probation as well, sods law eh??. I was going round a mini roundabout the sort you see in all the retail parks, indicating right was about to exit when BANG car hits me on drivers side door. Car had no lights on just reversed and sped off. Drivers door badly dented but able to shut it can only open from the inside.
• Another accident thread 23 Jun 2003 (Forum)
  There are no claims for personal injury or anything and she is prosecuted for driving without insurance. The guy claims for... The damage to his car A mini disc player A camcorder 10 CDs A new suit because he claims the other one was ripped when he got out of the car A mobile phone A month's gym membership (but no injury) £10 in extra domestic heating costs But not loss of use, which he might have had a fighting chance of getting.