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• HPI report - mileage discrepancy 12 Aug 2008 (Forum)
  Transpires the mileage of 25200 has been entered at the DVLA as 252000. Apparently this is a common thing lately when the DVLA process V5's with a mileage on. Now regardless of whether I am selling or not, obviously this needed sorting. Friend contacted Experion/HPI who put him onto VMC. They requested V5, statement of current mileage signed by me and statement of mileage when I bought it signed by the previous owner, old MOT's.
• Speed humps, the council and my front bumper. 8 Aug 2008 (Forum)
  I cannot believe a standard vehicle cannot pass over them without being damaged. Its a mini cooper S, which is not exactly a rare car! The piece on the car is below the front bumper, i guess its called a splitter or valance???????????????? I want to have this replaced as its all scraped and scuffed and imo the council should pay to replace this and come and look at the humps and adjust them???
• Volvo C30 (2006 - 2009) - Slow seller? 10 Jun 2008 (Forum)
  Found on the internet: "Volvo C30 Changes February 2008 Volvo has just announced that prices have dropped for the C30 and the model range has been simplified. Production has ceased for C30 2.4i engine variants and Volvo has also done away with the C30 S specification models, which had been the entry into the range. Volvo C30 buyers will now be able to enter straight into the range with either the R-DESIGN Sport trim or more classic SE specification, both of which have been reduced in price and both have engine variants that are the same at every price point.
• BMW 3-Series E36 Compact (1994 - 2001) - 1995, 316i compact auto starter relay cannot find 22 May 2008 (Forum)
  The Haynes manual was adamant that there was a starter relay in series with an inhibitor switch (on Auto?s) but we could not locate either, looked in the relay fuse box & behind the panels above driver & passenger foot wells, where all we found was junction boxes with the side rails for relays but no relays fitted.
• BMW - Warranty work or not? 14 May 2008 (Forum)
  Based on past experience, dealers did their best (or tried to give some impression of doing their best) to keep customers satisfied to protect the brand. Apparently BMW and/or its franchisee doesn\'t give a monkey\'s. People like me seem to be viewed as time-wasters. I somehow don\'t think my next car will be a BMW. --------------------------------------- *I wasn\'t surprised a) because I\'ve little faith in dealers\' ability to correct such matters, and b) because nearly new demonstrators - 330d and 325i - that I test-drove while I was there had the same problem to much the same or a lesser degree.
• What fuel consumption gaffs/efforts have you made 1 Apr 2008 (Forum)
  Sold in desperation as it needed leaded petrol too. 5) The saviour of my finances, in the early 90`s recession, the new Maestro Clubman D, that could get 60MPG, drew max car allowance and ran for 130,000 miles. Boring after that as i had learnt a lesson, but for some reason as the years went on and fuel consumption became less of an issue for the pocket, it became an issue for the mind....
• Subaru Legacy and Outback Petrol (2004 - 2009) - My Mondeo's Legacy 20 Feb 2008 (Forum)
  The dealer apologised for the "misunderstandings" (in other words, they failed miserably to screw me for ££££'s of work). Having lost all confidence in the car, and in Ford, and following some excellent advice from this forum, I am now the proud owner of a '55 registered Subaru Legacy Tourer 2.0R. I collected the car three weeks ago from a Subaru main dealer and left them the Mondeo as a trade-in.
• London Low Emission Zone 21 Jan 2008 (Forum)
  Why should we have to check our routes before every trip to see if we are safe from fines for non-compliance? Where will this creeping form of taxation end? Am I being paranoid, what do other BR?s think?
• Skoda - Skoda - VW's problem child 17 Jan 2008 (Forum)
  The superb TDI V6 (27000 pounds) bombed as folks would rather pay for more for a Merc or BMW and the Accord is better value at 23000 pouns Result - Skoda is regarded as a prestige badge - something like what Volvo and Audi were consideried in the early 80's. Now VW want to come in. They launched the Passat 140tdi (assembled here ) for 33000 pounds. Now they want to bring the Jetta in. If they want to pull hierarchy rank, the Jetta will cost more than the Octavia 2 and be as pricey as an Accord.
• Wednesday Bridge Chaos in Scotland due to Weather 10 Jan 2008 (Forum)
  Today my dilemma is:- Is it be the 2Kw Petrol @ £250 or the 5Kw Diesel @ £400? I rest my case for getting Jeremy to advise , no run, the Governments both N&S of the Border. PS I recently acquired a Garmin SAT-NAV to augment the speed camera detector / navigation aid one I acquired in 1969 (1945 manufacture date). One has a nagging voice but I refuse to be drawn on which model.
• Citroen Xsara Picasso (2000 - 2010) - The end of my dipstick has fallen off....... 22 Dec 2007 (Forum)
  I was aware of the this potential problem with 1.6 HDi s (2006) but would welcome any comment Having suffered this indignity under warranty, my local main agent insisted that they have to have the vehicle to take the sump off to recover the bit. They also warned me that to drive it to them was at my own risk and that I should have it recovered on a trailer at my cost.
• SEAT Leon (1999 - 2005) - 2001 1.6s 16v - starting problems from cold 19 Dec 2007 (Forum)
  Hi I am looking for some help. I have a SEAT Leon 1.6 S 2001 with a 16v engine. I bought this car from new and had it serviced at the correct times, mileage 75K. It seems to have developed a consistent fault. On starting from cold the engine does not want to start.
• Test drives - Availability of lengthy drives. 20 Oct 2007 (Forum)
  I'm changing a Motability car, and I appreciate that I am probably not the "normal" profile of a Motability customer - I'm mid 30's, travel a lot (15,000 miles a year) and am pretty active, so it's not going to be a car to just do the shopping in. As once we get these cars we have to keep them for three years, it's important to me that I feel comfortable in it, as it's not unusual for me to do more than 4 hours at a time in the car.
• Mazda MX5 (1989 - 1998) - 96 1.8 smoking engine 2 Oct 2007 (Forum)
  Any suggestions/thoughts/knowledge would be much appreciated! Alternatively where can I find a decent mechanic in SW17?! s Thank you!
• Rover 200 and 400 (1989 - 1996) - 216 (honda) won't start 12 Sep 2007 (Forum)
  Do you think all this unburnt fuel may have an effect on the catalyst if and when it finally starts? I would be grateful for any hints s
• Do engines know whats best ?! 14 Aug 2007 (Forum)
  petrol started coming through, and she just settled down and purred! Needless to say I know where there?s a barrel of oil going cheap! So, do engines develop preferences or are certain ones just downright fussy? Billy
• Speed statistics 27 Jun 2007 (Forum)
  I've just read an article in the Met Police newspaper, The Job (which can be found via a Google search, my tech skills not up to it, tried cutting and pasting).....which states that a 1,000 road deaths a year have speed as a contributory factor....... now if you do a Google on UK road deaths i easily found 2005's figures for road deaths, which states there were 3201....... this means that 31% of UK road deaths had speed as a contributory factor (fairly sure the 2006 figures weren't widely different and note the difference from 2004 to 2005 was only 20) obviously this must also mean that 69% of road deaths did not have speed as a contributory factor then when you factor in the word 'contributory' which could mean it was not the primary issue.......and then you consider such things as: -drink driving with speed involved -drug driving with speed involved -vehicle defect with speed involved -driving recklessly/carelessly with speed involved I wonder how many of that 31% was a great deal to do with the speed. ( I do appreciate that if any of the above involves a pedestrian, than even a small amount of extra speed can mean the difference betwen life and death) This means that the current 'speed kills' campaign is a tad too simplistic isn't it.
• Buying a facelift Omega Elite 21 May 2007 (Forum)
  I've seen these cars selling on autotrader and ebay for between £1500 and £2000 which seems ideal for me. My questions are - What are people?s opinions on these cars (I've read the Car by Car breakdown and would like something more specific)? What alternatives are there in this price range for a similar spec? Many thanks
• Vectra vs Signum 3 May 2007 (Forum)
  Yesterday, I plucked up the courage to seek permission from the Household Financial Committee (ie SWMBO) to replace the family W reg petrol Vectra (105k miles, clutch possibly coming to end of life, brake disks thinning, MOT in September and a new cam belt at 120k) with a newer means of diesel transport. Much to my surprise, the request was granted in principle! Wohoo! So, here?s the issue. As a commuter knocking up 480 miles per week, we need a diesel car which will waft me in comfort and safety and will double up as the family car for weekends and holidays for the two of us, a nutty 4 year old boy and a more sedate 1 year old girl.
• Mondeo head gasket 25 Apr 2007 (Forum)
  If I were to get the head gasket changed, is £600 too expensive? This is what the garage have quoted me. Any advice would be welcome. S