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• 306 1.8 petrol pinking under medium load 4 Sep 2005 (Forum)
  I know the difference between knocking and pinking and they are not the same, but given that the car pulls and runs otherwise perfectly well, I can't think what else the problem could be. TVM.
• Scratched Car 31 Aug 2005 (Forum)
  Does anyone know of any treatment that can make the scratches less noticeable - they're downward strokes (3 or 4 scratches down each window) Also someone's decided to run a house key along the length of the car - I've seen a scratch removal system at http://www.seethedifference.co.uk/ and wondered if it's any good. If it's not, can anyone suggest any others? I'm not in a position to get it professionally done, I just can't afford it.
• Fiesta 1100 starting problems 19 Aug 2005 (Forum)
  I bought a J reg Fiesta 1100 for my daughter to run around in a couple of years ago and it has been virtually trouble free. However she started her new job after finishing university on tuesday and wednesday morning it wouldnt start - grrr. The battery was flat, new 18 months ago but the car stands for long periods and always starts on the button first time, so no major surprise there as it had not previously moved for seven weeks.
• BMW E34 1992 test drive 6 Aug 2005 (Forum)
  - White came out of the exhaust at start up and while the car was cold and when stopped after only being run for a short time, the car flashed a warning of low coolant. Once I had taken it for a test drive the steam had disappeared and there was no coolant warning when the car stopped. I am assuming this is just condensation and the car not having enough time to circulate the coolant as I think it had been stood for some time
• 60 tonne, 25 metre double-artics 22 Jun 2005 (Forum)
  Overtaking them would be hazardous because of the extra length, for one thing. Predictably, Transport 2000 is running a scare story about monster lorries clogging our city streets and country lanes without examining the facts. Cheers, Sofa Spud
• Seat Toledo, why so unpopular? 25 May 2005 (Forum)
  OK its not the prettiest of vehicles but it is in all senses a modern vehicle air bags and all and I can not fault the build quality and think it will be fairly cheap to run too as its basic enough to be serviced by non-specialists. OK second hand vehicles of all types are cheap at present but why are these cars so unloved?
• Vauxhall Astra 1.4i 1992 (K reg) 17 May 2005 (Forum)
  Over the past 6 months or so car has started stalling while travelling. Starts fine and runs well for a time then the dash board lights come on and all power has gone from the accelerator. I have to steer it over quickly lest it cause an obstruction! The engine will turn over but it doesn't fire up and may take several attempts.
• Rattle underneath '02 Corsa...paranoid 23 Apr 2005 (Forum)
  Now, this may sound extremely paranoid and cynical, but, when I picked it up they said there was no rattle and the same mechanic couldnt find anything wrong what so ever.....but miraculously the rattle has been none existent since i collected my car. I'm now slightly woried that they may have done a bodge job on it knowing that my warranty runs out in 4 or 5 months and that there was something majorly wrong with it.....or am I just being stupidly paranoid. The problem is, I dont know anything about cars and dont know any mechanics myself!!
• need help again. 10 Feb 2005 (Forum)
  jeez, i bet u lot are sick of me. what car next is my poll, any chance of having the next weeks poll for me? i do around 25-40K miles a year get £300quid a month, 18p a mile. to run a motor. got wife, 2 kids (8&12) do usually stuff, hols, kids & friends, football, fishing. would love a 5 series saloon or tourer.(with saloon i have a large roofbox. is this ok to put on a saloon bmw?)
• '99 Vectra 2.0 DTI blown fuse, ECU? 3 Feb 2005 (Forum)
  Haynes is next to useless regarding this, can anyone tell me what the correct rating is for these two fuses and what they control. looking at the wiring diagram the best i can work out is that they control the ECU, borne out by the fact that the Engine management light does not come on when ignition switched on and fuse is blown (ok when fuse ok) I am guessing i have a bit of dodgy wiring to trace but any other ideas appreciated. Car was hot from idling and fan was running at the time. TIA
• Grand Voyager CRD 'rocker problems' 21 Jan 2005 (Forum)
  A brief look under the bonnet made him think that the water pump was leaking. When he last saw the vehicle is was running OK. The vehicle is now at a Chrysler dealer. He has been told by the dealer that: 1. The vehicle would not start when taken off the recovery truck. 2. The water pump bearing and/or timing belt tensioner has failed and has caused the belt to jump some teeth. 3.
• Channel 4 programme 17 Jan 2005 (Forum)
  But then they homed in on the other environmental problem, the one I bang on about on here, namely that the oil is going to run out, as is the natural gas. With China and India quickly becoming fully-fledged car-owning societies the demand for oil will go up, hastening the depletion of fossil fuel reserves. Oh, and what about Jesus's car - that was to do with an evengelistic preacher who drives a Prius!
• Diesel servicing costs? 29 Dec 2004 (Forum)
  Assume it's about £200 difference, this means that getting a petrol would cost me net £300 more in running costs pa - i.e. not much difference. So do I go more for the free-revving, smoother characteristics of a petrol, or the torquey grunt of a derv? So many questions... I've owned both diesel and petrol cars in the past, and perhaps prefer petrol (nicer engine noise when pushed / quieter idling) but also appreciate saving money....
• Fiesta 1.25 Zetec 1996 starting problem 16 Dec 2004 (Forum)
  HOWEVER for the first 2 -3 minutes engine refuses to 'pickup' when any load is applied or accelarator is opened anything other than very slowly. It then runs and drives perfectly. Ambient temperature is not a problem 22 deg C down here today! I first thought that ECU was retraining itself (after flat battery) but have now done about 50 miles and fault still reoccurs.
• spacesaver tyres & old backroom polls 13 Dec 2004 (Forum)
  We also had a poll about optional extras asking which of the following we would choose if we could only choose one: air-con, sun-roof, leather seats, electric windows, satnav, DVD, alloys. I wondered "What if 'full size spare wheel' had been on the list?" I'm not suggesting we re-run the poll, but I'd be interested in whether it would make much difference to the way the rest of you voted. Personally, I think it's daft that a lot of cars come with alloys and electric windows as standard, but don't even give you a proper spare wheel.
• pug 205 timing problem 27 Nov 2004 (Forum)
  if i drive over a puddle, it will sound like its drowning, then cut out and not start for at least an hour - think this is the distributor cap - but i dont understand this as I have had this replaced since the problems started and it is still happening, I was told to stick a plastic bag over it to try and see if that stops it, do you agree? 2] also, recently more than late, the car wont start or run very well, if i put my foot down it splutters like mad, sometimes backfires and then most often cuts out. it sounds like the enigne is flooded? i was told by my dad this may be a timing problem? I need some advice on how I can fix this myself, I'm getting a haynes 205 manual so i will have an idea of what bit is where.
• Toyota Supra 20 Nov 2004 (Forum)
  Thommo posted a question about a car of similar age, though I note he was not overwhelmed with replies. I am looking, initially, for a replacement for the trim (rubbing strip?) that runs along the drivers door. Any suggestions as to a source, or how to construct a search will be welcome. References to any sites which offer very basic guidance to the mechanically inept will also be appreciated.
• Mercedes 208D Rattle 18 Nov 2004 (Forum)
  The engine suffered from a worn timing chain (typical timing chain slap sound) which I replaced (chain only) about 5k miles ago. The current fault started about 1k miles ago. The engine otherwise runs very well. Starts at the first touch of the key (hot or cold), does not smoke and gives around 32mpg. It has an oil leak form the rhs of the head gasket which I am told is a common fault. Does anyone have any experience of these engines or know of any common faults which might give these symptoms?
• IAM driving techniques 17 Nov 2004 (Forum)
  I was give the IAM Skill for Life pack as a present a while ago and have been on a number of observed runs. So far it has been well worth it and I am ironing out bad habits picked up from eight years of driving. I would certainly recommend it to anyone else. However, while most of their suggestions seem fine, what are other BackRoomers thoughts on these two that I'm not sure about: 1.
• VW Tdi 110 loosing power 28 Oct 2004 (Forum)
  Having now seen the difference between a working/stuck turbo mechanism, just watch the adjuster rod from the vacuum canister on the turbo. Run the engine at tickover & disconnect the vacuum pipe to this canister, if the rod moves less than 0.5 inches the adjuster mech in the turbo will be jamed. It's a bit of a pain to do the job, but at least a no cost fix.