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• Alfa 156 - Would you fix 11 Feb 2022 (Forum)
  Got a Alfa 156 1.8TS, owned it for 14 years has 83,000 on the clock. It was running great but needed a timming belt, so booked it into a garage that I used for years and went away for a couple of days. On my return the garage told the the belt lost its teeth while being MOTed and the engine was broken, they went on to do some work to get it through the MOT and put the new cam belt and water pump on, gave me a bill of over £400, but were kind enough to discount it to £360!
• What happens if someone passes away? (insurance) 3 Feb 2022 (Forum)
  Then it will need to SORN and it is a pain for test driving a car.... As have to insure and re-tax.  Son undecided to keep the car, may be as a spare run about.  Use it time to time, as it is a low mileage car. he was thinking of getting electric and keeping his dad's as the spare for longer journey. He thinks he will probably only use it a few times a year.
• Daewoo Matiz (1998 - 2004) - 02 800cc Fuel trims very negative 24 Oct 2021 (Forum)
  I took the fuel rail off and connected it to the fuel pump to see if the injectors were leaking; they were fine. Fuel pressure not an issue, I swaped over a fuel pump from a Matiz that is running without fault and that did not cure the LTFT. Next stop is a Chevy garage, unless anybody has an ideas. Many thanks for your thoughts. Eddie
• Audi A3 - Approved used - unrealistic expectations? 3 Oct 2021 (Forum)
  Hi all, I'm looking at getting my 2nd approved used from Audi, no issues with the first one but worried about the 2nd (not yet finalised). 3yr old car, 30k on the clock, runs great and has all I need in terms of specs, but... 1) alloys were scratched - dealer promptly fixed it 2) very odd vertical scratches below the driver door - 100s of them and going beyond the sill onto the body.
• ford focus 1.6 petrol auto 2011 - battery problem 20 Sep 2021 (Forum)
  Have brought it to our local, very experienced garage (originally estab 1933 still going strong) (escorted by AA in case of breakdown) cannot find fault after all checks and using auto electrician. Neighbour drives 350 to 400 miles per year and for a time started and left to run for 20 mins every 2nd day which worked initially but not now. Does this make sense? Any advice? Neighbour is 84 and wants to hold onto independence for while longer. Should I consider: A. Taking to nearest Ford main dealer about 25 miles away?
• 2008 Audi A4 3.0 v6 Quattro S-line - Buying advice for a 144k Audi A4 20 Jul 2021 (Forum)
  It's recently had a new clutch and flywheel, gearbox oil changed and a minor service. All receipts have been seen. I'm going to run a HPI check on the car, and then send a qualified mechanic to do a full inspection and test drive of the vehicle to ensure peace of mind. I don't mind spending money on the car as its a loaded spec and something i've wanted for years - i just don't want it to be a ticking time bomb that will leave a massive hole in my pocket to repair.
• Civic 2012 1.8 petrol - Civic 2012 1.8 oil problem advice 15 Jul 2021 (Forum)
  So the question is what to do, i've been going option 1 at the moment but interested in peoples thoughts. 1. Run it into the ground! Try get 1-2 more years out of it (and hopefully used car prices will fall a bit). I'll still keep up with the regular servicing and looking after it. 2. Get rid now while it still works (obviously not to a private buyer) Next car will probably be another 1.8 petrol civic, but 2013 onwards!
• 2004 Nissan Micra 1.4L 5 dr hatch - RH Rear Indicator playing up 17 May 2021 (Forum)
  But I'd had a similar problem with my Apple //e computer many years before. My tech simply opened the case, located the CPU and pressed it back into place; the start/run/stop sequence was heating and expanding the CPU's pins, thus working the CPU and pins upwards and out of contact with the base. So now we know why modern CPUs have a wire clamp - to keep the pins in place!
• Jaguar XF 2.0D - Broken rocker arms, after timing belt replaced 30 Mar 2021 (Forum)
  They claim this is totally unrelated to the timing belt change and think it is due to an injector failing and causing the other three injectors to over-compensate, resulting in the engine bores being flooded with fuel and hydraulic locking, and is purely coincidental it happened after they worked on the car, which incidentally has run smoothly and efficiently for the past 5 years. They now expect me to foot a massive repair bill immediately after a major service and timing belt change which cost well into 4 figures.
• 1998 Honda Accord - Doubling up on the Doubling Up On The Battery post 19 Mar 2021 (Forum)
  Removing an L-shaped brace probably weakened the wing a bit but gave me a big enough flat inner-wing surface to take the second battery, wired + to the alternator B post right next to it, and – to a 10mm bolt on an engine mounting which itself already had an earth wire running to the wing. This battery is tied down with rope, using a chopstick as a Spanish Windlass handle. Dash lights up with either battery used alone. Havn’t tried to start it yet. Potential issues include: SS Jubilee clips with a coil of wire inside them as battery clamps, since the posts are smaller.
• BMW 3 Series Coupe - 2011 BMW 320i SE Coupe 12 Mar 2021 (Forum)
  I’m leaning towards 225/40 for the fronts and 255/35 for the rears but not sure   Does anyone have the same model/year car that knows exactly which tyres I should be getting? Maybe even the brand and good places to buy from? Also they are run flat tyres on there at the moment.  Any help appreciated . . .  
• Audi A6 Avant 2002 - Cold Start/Turbo Cut out 14 Jan 2021 (Forum)
  Since the "new" cylinder head was fitted the cold start is awful, sounding like it is back running on the 3 cylinders from the breakdown.  After a bit it seems to clear although in idle it misses a beat from time to time. The turbo lag remains significant but I can get used to it.  Problem is that intermittently(maybe once a week) the turbo cuts out , only to restart after turning off the ignition and restarting the car.
• Hyundia Sante Fe SE 2015 Decemeber 14k miles one - TPMS and 4 wheel tracking, 2 questions 18 Sep 2020 (Forum)
  I will phone the car makers re warranty but doubt if the tpms is included as it appears the battery have run out. But you think they are covered as low miles and used on 300 mile round trips only so not driven for many hours. My husband has a Mercedes ML, 2014 bought new, 20k on the clock and tpms still working.
• Toyota Yaris 2015 1.3 - Problem with my car 1 Apr 2020 (Forum)
  Not being a mechanic I have no clue and I know most are now shut :-(  It’s been left before for longer than this and been ok. Another forum has suggested starting it once weekly and leaving it for 30-40 minutes running which is fine, just worried after a week it won’t start again. Any advice appreciated. Thanks :-)
• MOT query 29 Feb 2020 (Forum)
  Considering the car is described as one careful owner with a full service history it shows what a joke some independent dealers are and how some owners simply do no maintenance. Told him to run away, fast. While I was on I decided to check how our old Focus was doing, went in PX on 03 December last year. Well its taxed until 01 December 2020 thus it must have sold fast but the MOT checker shows the MOT expired 12 December 2019 (correct) and it has not even been failed since we sold it.
• Vauxhall Astra - Alternator replacement.... oil issue 17 Feb 2020 (Forum)
  I have removed all bolts and connectors but came across a problem when disconnecting the last one (it's a thick rubber tube). I pulled the tube off and oil began running out of the end. I'd guess i'd had it off for no more than 5 minutes before replacing the tube and calling it a day. (it started to rain anyway  ) I've dabbled with bits and bobs with cars and usually through YouTube videos and forums i can repair and replace parts, so it's not as though i'm completely useless at these things it's just that for the most part i follow what has been shown. ie. i know i need to disconnect this piece because that's what the video showed me, but it doesn't always mean i know what it is.
• Ford Focus 1.6 tdci 2007 - Engine Systems Fault 28 Dec 2019 (Forum)
  Does anybody know where the glow plug relay is? I think I will try doing the glow plugs tomorrow anyway, need to get the car running properly.
• Ford C-MAX (2003 - 2010) - Petrol-y smell in the car 18 Dec 2019 (Forum)
  It's not an exhaust gas smell. Mechanic had it up on the lift and we looked about underneath, with the car not running, but just stopped before it went up on the lift, and there were no leaks apparent. Wife is worried about her and baby breathing in fumes. Only had it a month, and might have to get rid of it again!
• Citroen c4 hdi - Faulty car on finance 18 Nov 2019 (Forum)
  I have a car on finance that had a warrantee which ran out literally weeks ago within a week of it running out I have had to get the dpf filter cleared at a garage, the radiator fan blew a fuse link and now been told that it has an engine knock which requires a new timing belt and bearings, a new water pump while they are in there and possibly a new camshaft pulley.
• 2007 R26 Renault Megane - Advice-Bought car from dealer, now its got issues! 29 Aug 2019 (Forum)
  Its a 50 mile drive home (for the most part motorway) and the car seemed fine at 60-70 mph, it wasn't until I was driving through  town, stuck in traffic I started to notice the car vibrating/juddering when at a complete stop with my foot  off the accelerator, as soon as i touch the throttle increasing the revs to anything past 1000rpm the engine smooths out and the vibrations are gone. When home I get out the car, leaving it running and also notice the exhaust rattling like mad against the underside, not audible from inside the car. So now the real question, If the dealer agrees to fix the problem themselves does that mean I have to drive the car the 50 miles to them and back, possibly take time off work so they can fix it?