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• Volkswagen Passat (2005 - ) - 07 2.0 170 oil pump balancing shaft 20 Nov 2009 (Forum)
  I'm being told that my oil pump balancing shaft went yesterday and the VW garage are telling me that the engine needs stripped and replaced at £ 4k, as presumably it ceased up! The car was fine when the engine was running idle, but as soon as it moved the digital read out said stop. Helpfully the RAC got me to drive it about a bit and look to have knackered it in doing so! I've heard through some friends that the Passat has had some issues with faults on the oil pump balancing shafts recently and was wondering if any one has had experiance of this??
• Vauxhall Astra G Petrol (1998 - 2004) - 02 1.4 Heating steaming up windows 15 Nov 2009 (Forum)
  Hi I have had my car now nearly six months and I have it running perfectly apart from one thing. When I try the heating system my windows steam up. The only way I can clear it is by using the Air Con and that makes my car freezing. Obviously its winter and I dont want to freeze everytime I drive.
• Renault Laguna (1994 - 2001) - Scrappage 3 Nov 2009 (Forum)
  Will cost an arm and a leg to get it through it's next MOT which is due on 4th Feb, 2010. The road tax runs out on 31st January 2010. My car was 1st registered on 17th March 2010. So by the time 17th March 2010 comes around, my car will not be eligible for the £2000 scrappage allowance. I see that Nissan have lowered the age of their car scrappage from 10 years to 8 years if you scrap your car for a Nissan made in the UK ( I believe their factory is in Sunderland ).
• Audi A4 (1995 - 2000) - 00 1.9 Fault in dashboard instrument 30 Oct 2009 (Forum)
  It seems that there is a loose connection somewhere however because the problem rectifies itself after a few minutes running I think this rules that out....... has anybody got any thoughts on this??? ... thanks
• Renault Clio II (2001 - 2007) - 01 1.5 Oil light problem. 29 Oct 2009 (Forum)
  When I switch the ignition on and wait about 5 seconds the oil light goes out without the engine running! Obviously not right. I suspected the oil pressure switch but not sure where it is,haynes manual is useless. My renault dialogys cd no longer works after I upgraded my computer so that's no help.
• Ford Galaxy (1995 - 2006) - Should I scrap her, my good & faithful servant 21 Oct 2009 (Forum)
  She will possibly/probably need an exhaust, or moderate /extensive welding brake pipes? main light switch etc. But running like a clock, & I love her to bits ( & too mean to splash out on a new motor) I have booked her in for a "prelim" next Tue to get some idea of likely cost just with the Vat increase next year But the 2.5% extra on say £15,000 is only £375.00
• Ford Fiesta (2002 - 2008) - 56 reg 1.4 Any Good/other 21 Oct 2009 (Forum)
  Hi all Not been on for a while but am just about to buy a Fiesta Zetec Climate 3 dr 1.4 cc 56 plate from a main ford dealer my question is I am looking for a small car cheap on running costs and rd tax , there price is £6,499 one owner and 25,000 miles on the clock. , I have saved 2,000 as the deposit and to keep my payments down to £112 a month , it only comes with 3 months warranty , to buy a warranty it for a year its another £350 but starts now not at the end of the 3 months , would it be worth it or are they no good. could sombody answer asap please.
• Renault Scenic (1999 - 2003) - 03 1.9 Vibration 15 Oct 2009 (Forum)
  Since putting it in my local garage have now had new turbo, new clutch, new ?? valve which feeds the turbo, front brakes and discs. Now the car is actually running there is a very bad vibrating through out the car between 2 and 3 thousand revs. The car has only meant to have done 48,000 miles. It is not the engine mounts any advise please before I put a hammer to it.
• SEAT Alhambra (1996 - 2009) - 01 1.9tdi "Pinking" 7 Oct 2009 (Forum)
  The Alhambra 1.9tdi has been extremely reliable over the past near four years. Though there is nearly 168, 000 miles on the clock, it has a full service history & runs fine. However, over the past few months, under conditions of low excelleration, l have noticed what l can best describe as "pinking" a metallic creaking until the car has reached a faster speed. Is this something that a diesel would do?
• Citroen ZX (1992 - 1998) - 98 1.9D ZX Diesel exhaust fumes when window open 1 Oct 2009 (Forum)
  Just bought a ZX 1.9 diesel (non turbo) with 81k on the clock. The engine runs beautifully and the temperature gauge shows engine operating at correct temperature. Whenever I open the window(s) at 30mph or more I get a strong smell of diesel exhaust fumes come into the cabin.
• 'Performance' brake discs 25 Sep 2009 (Forum)
  Call my cynical but I can't see them improving braking performance by very much. I can appreciate that the discs might run cooler, but brake pads seem to be specified up to about 600 deg. C. so you would have to be seriously working your brakes to need this extra cooling. I can't see how they would reduce the stopping distance "by up to 40%" in normal, or even very fast, road driving.
• Vauxhall Astra G Petrol (1998 - 2004) - 02 1.6 (8v) Where does the oil disappear to? 21 Sep 2009 (Forum)
  Whenever i check my sister's car after a few months the oil level is below minimum. There is no oil stain on the ground or around the engine bay. When starting, running or setting off there is no blue smoke. The oil level warning light comes on as you start the car then goes off quickly. This has been happening for a year now. Naturally i top it up but it takes ages to register on the dipstick.
• Ford Mondeo III (2000 - 2007) - 01 2.0 Snick when engine warm when accelerating 17 Sep 2009 (Forum)
  Seems to happen in all gears if you suddenly put your foot on the gas. In diagnostic mode I am getting around 13.7v so think everything is charging ok. Am running out of ideas now - it's just an annoying problem. Any ideas? Thanks!
• What is reliability ? 31 Aug 2009 (Forum)
  Also what do people thing defines lack of reliability, recently had to replace a switch on my car as it broke, some people would be saying the car was unreliable but I just took it as one of those things you get on running a nine year old car which has done over 100,000 miles.
• Volkswagen Golf III (1992 - 1997) - 96. 2.0 Automatic problems 30 Aug 2009 (Forum)
  Pls help!I Just notice this problem 3 days ago,early in morning when i allowed the engine to run for some mins after i got the engine started,engaging the car into reverse the car just went off,tried and moved the from car from d parking lot and when i got into a hold up,with the gear on the drive position the vehicle vibrates seriously,easily discribed as-the vehicle wants to fly and when on road the changing system works just ok,i still expirence this with my car.pls any body with an advice?.
• Silent danger. 29 Aug 2009 (Forum)
  No, not the results of a recent curry engorgement but another story in the Manchester Evening News. 5 year old girl walked off the kerb in her own road and smack into the side of a Prius running on electric. Fortunately it was only doing about 10 mph as it was a council 'patrol ' car looking for ASB etc. Little girl received cut and grazes, presumably from the tarmac and told her mum and police that she didn't hear a car coming.
• Ford KA, KA2, KA3 (1996 - 2008) - Accident: KA3 written off-nd bigger - suggestions? 30 Jul 2009 (Forum)
  Hi guys My beloved Ford KA3 got rear ended and need some suggestions for a replacement but bigger vehicle? I have a budget of £5k and with a baby on the way want low running costs (Tax, Tyres, Servicing, Repairs) but with a bit more space for "stuff". Any thoughts from any happy trade ins? Currently thinking Ford Fiesta or Mazda2 (expensive parts?)? Some thing reliable with the same nippiness as the KA (dont need a hugely powerful beast - just more of the same but bigger)?
• Peugeot 807 MPV (2003 - 2010) - 04 2.2HDi emits black smoke when accelerating 24 Jul 2009 (Forum)
  i've checked all the pipes for splits none found, its got a new MAF sensor i've blocked off the egr and still no differance. anyone got any ideas? oh and i've done a leak off test and thats all pritty normal. pls pls help running out of ideas now. thanks in advance to any help
• New car for the mother-in-law!! 10 Jul 2009 (Forum)
  The prices are too high for the father-in-law, who arrived at my place last night with a brochure for the Nissan Pixo (a foul thing by all accounts). So the brief is it has to be super-cheap to buy (<£8500) and run for the FIL, and has to be reasonably stylish and comfortable for the MIL. In addition to the Ka/Fiesta, I've told her to have a look at the following - Hyundai i20 / i30 and Toyota Aygo (and clones) Are there any others they should be looking at?
• Drive way fine in petty Britain 30 Jun 2009 (Forum)
  Seeing as long as no car encroached on the bit of footpath in front of their home, what are the council counting as public highway... the strip of grass that runs across the front of their houses ?. If that is the case, I'd be tempted to drive a vehicle up and down that bit of so called highway. Bet the council would have something to say about that as well.