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• Vectra Engine Management 25 Mar 2003 (Forum)
  Following a recent service, I notice that the oil is rather high on the dipstick once the car has sat for a while (the old Vectra oil drain 'feature' that I've read about). Anyway, I felt I needed to drain half a litre to feel more comfortable with the level (it's above max) - all well and good till I found I needed a torx bit to take the sump plug out (why oh why!!!!) - anyway, I've had to drive 50 miles this morning to get to work, I'll try and source a torx bit today, then drive 50 miles home and hopefully sort the problem this evening.
• Estate car recommendations? 3 Mar 2003 (Forum)
  I don't want to cancel the policy (and lose about 8 months NCB) so i thought about getting a big estate car instead. So, does anybody have any recommendations? It needs to be very, very cheap (£300-£400 max!), be reliable and have plenty of load space. Image isn't important, and neither is fuel economy, since i won't be doing that much mileage - having said that, i'd prefer a deisel, but know nothing about buying a cheap deisel, so would be wary.
• Proposed F1 changes. 1 Nov 2002 (Forum)
  I see tommorows meeting of the formula top brass is going ahead. We've all heard the 9 point plan put forward by Max Mosley. Should it be implemented ? What would you do to improve the entertainment ? Personally i dislike the success ballast idea.It goes against any concept of fair competition. Driver swapping would be good to see but would not appeal to serious F1 fans - too gimmicky.
• Mass Air Flow Meter - Vauxhall Vectra, Help 20 Feb 2002 (Forum)
  I believe the car performance is because the management system is going into "limp home mode" so why is the engine management light not coming on and a faultcode logged? The car will run underpowered for 5-10miles max then run fine. What do you all think? Thanks, Phil
• 
  Can you advise on the availability of a new Porsche 911 Carrera? 22 Nov 2021 (Ask HJ)
  I have a friend buying a two year old Porsche Carrera S convertible, but prices seem to be almost the same as if he bought new. The dealer is saying there...
• 
  A6 Avant - keep or sell after 3 years? 3 Mar 2016 (Ask HJ)
  I have an Audi A6 Avant, 3.0 SE Quattro 245PS S tronic. It's now 3 years old with 26,000 miles on the clock. I like it very much but now the warranty is...
• Audi A4 B7 2.0 TDI S (2005) - Oil Pressure light, dealer advised 'drive on'... 17 Feb 2013 (Forum)
  I am posting this article on behalf of my partners father  who is not the forum type! He owns a 2005, A4 (B7, 2005) 2.0 TDi S.  He appears to have tun into the oil light / wrecked engine issue  as explained in this article

  How do I access my Mazda 6's idle control valve? 16 Aug 2010 (Ask HJ)
  I have a 2007 Mazda 6 2-litre TS with 44,000 on the clock, which has developed an erratic idle speed when first coming onto idle from higher revs. This...
• The mobile phone - as Sat Nav & voice only 9 Aug 2010 (Forum)
  That worked well and was a surprise to me - the phone reading the street names and the larger road signs. That`s the main thust of this thread. Without looking at a screen and listening to the very chatty voice - I found I was reading road signs and street names - and was concentrating on them and on the road more.
• Volvo S60 (2000 - 2009) - 2.0T S - 124k FVSH - good buy? 13 Mar 2008 (Forum)
  A mate is selling his S60 and has offered me first refusal. 2001 2.0T S on a 51 reg in Maya Gold 124k with a full Volvo history to 110k. Now 4k overdue a service. 11 months MOT Timing belt done in the 90k service at a Volvo dealer. New clutch (Volvo dealer) and new alternator (local indie auto spark) in the last 10,000 miles.
• Nissan Almera it is. Internet purchase? 19 Sep 2004 (Forum)
  Hello again all, Have been out in the cars for a spot of test driving following my earlier thread: http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?f=2&t=25310. Basically, the Nissan Almera has won hands down. Sure, it\'s an old-man car which a 25 and 22 year old really shouldn\'t be considering as their main car, but was highly impressed with the equipment in the SE that I drove, but let\'s be honest, it doesn\'t take much to impress me having owned my P reg Civic for three years now.
• VW Starting Problems 27 Jul 2004 (Forum)
  My Uncle seems to think that the second problem is caused by the automatic choke not kicking in at all to help it start from cold and the coughing and spluttering is caused by fuel starvation as the engine is trying to fire but there?s no fuel there as the chokes knackered. It used to start like a dream any time you wanted it to from cold (apart from when it was damp in the quote above) and it?s always been like that but the last few months have been really puzzling.
• New 4x4 - www.crosslander4x4.com 14 Nov 2003 (Forum)
  Acquisition of the 8.5 million square foot facility completes the Romanian government?s efforts to privatize its auto industry. Cross Lander has committed to an investment of $12 million during the next several years to enhance the production capabilities at the facility. Cross Lander USA chairman and CEO John Perez said, ?
• Why can't I buy Mercs from Mercedes? 5 May 2003 (Forum)
  Off the track slighly but to get things off my chest .. in 1984 I went to Mercedes' museum in Germany. As a 14-year-old I fell in love with the Mercedes S-Class. Strange, I know, but true. 11 years later we tried buying an E-class brand new for Mrs V Senior. We failed. We bought an E250D 2nd hand instead. Thank-you Great Trade Centre. 4 years later we tried to get a 'Signature' S-Class used car for Mr V Senior.
• All - Danger of touch screen controls 27 Jun 2025 (Forum)
    This article quotes research on it. https://www.carsandhorsepower.com/featured/your-fancy-car-s-touchscreen-is-worse-than-buttons-and-studies-prove-it I have to agree with the article's conclusion that buyers should avoid vehicles with touch screen controls.
• Brit volt in administration 19 Jan 2023 (Forum)
  Sadly the company banking on the EV manufacturing take up in the UK goes into administration. So what does this say about the UK s future for EV manufacturing. So disappointing to learn BMW plan to cease production of the electric Mini in the UK and transfer manufacturing to China. But surely Nissan , Moke and hopefully Toyota will need this essential component ?
• Peugeot 406 Diesel - What is this awful sound my 406 is making 29 Mar 2018 (Forum)
    I made a 13 second video of it, and it's on my onedrive at this link: https://1drv.ms/v/s!AmGtZYDBXzj8hZJKBUxPwb-JFphOaw I kind of zoom in on the area I think it's coming from.  
• mercedes faux leather seats. - Why is this news? 17 Mar 2018 (Forum)
  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5511933/Driver-discovers-Mercedes-leather-seats-synthetic.html If you look at your leather sofa only the seating bit is leeather, arms and sides are leather look. I like my friends  S type R with the leather, now that IS good, but sides are the same.
• Taxis - A Cautionary tale... 26 Dec 2017 (Forum)
  Yesterday, s wmbo took the nephews and niece to london on the train/bus replacement service... They stayed longer than they thought, but got back to Colchester late late... Took a taxi from the station...
• 2001 Vauxhall Zafira 1.8 Auto - Should this be connected to something? 27 Jun 2016 (Forum)
  https://www.dropbox.com/s/muozweoq3yw5mg6/20160623_153849.jpg?dl=0   The link about is a picture of an electrical connect that is net to the Lambda connection. I know that there are a numer of vaux models that use the 1.8 engine but is that wire  and connector supposed to be attached to something else?