UKBouldering.com
the shizzle => shootin' the shit => Topic started by: shark on March 19, 2013, 08:11:15 pm
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Fucking run flat tyres
After epic recovery trauma from Malham 10 days ago ordered a replacement for one of the other tyres which had low tread. It was due to be fitted on Thursday but it chose to go down today on the M42 near Solihull today. Didnt feel stable enough to run on so got recovery out who ran me to the local BMW dealership where tyre cost £318 instead of £270. Cancelled meetings in Swansea (room cost £100 forfeited) and went home (£30? in diesel). Absolute waste of time, money and energy. Should have stayed in bed. >:(
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Fucking run flat tyres
Solihull
I feel your pain. Neither are conducive to a good day. My new car has normal tyres with a spare the same size and I'm made up. Run flats and low profile tyres are a step back in motoring evolution.
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My new car has normal tyres with a spare the same size and I'm made up. Run flats and low profile tyres are a step back in motoring evolution.
:agree:
And I can't change to normal tyres because there's no space for a spare
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Got shot of the 1 series Andy? Or are you Berlingoed?
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I feel your pain. Neither are conducive to a good day. My new car has normal tyres with a spare the same size and I'm made up. Run flats and low profile tyres are a step back in motoring evolution.
I went through two low profiles in a week last year. One coming back from Malham where a stray block of limestone claimed the rear sidewall and the second which I punctured between Malham and Kilnsey in a frustrated bid to switch from the seepage infested cove to an unlikely drier kilnsey with limited light available, at speed!
I've never changed a tyre so quickly and ended up with one of the most unlikely RPs ever after declaring in frustration that the route was shit, British weather was shit and I was stripping the thing for the last time.
I was still pissed off on the way home..
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I was still pissed off on the way home..
LOL, brilliant.
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My new car has normal tyres with a spare the same size and I'm made up. Run flats and low profile tyres are a step back in motoring evolution.
:agree:
And I can't change to normal tyres because there's no space for a spare
Thats daft. They replace the spare with a tin of puncture repair goo and a good luck charm*
Can you get a space saver for it? is there a semi dint where it would go? (space savers better than run flats imho..)
*probably far more effective than the aerosol of repair goo
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Fucking run flat tyres
After epic recovery trauma from Malham 10 days ago ordered a replacement for one of the other tyres which had low tread. It was due to be fitted on Thursday but it chose to go down today on the M42 near Solihull today. Didnt feel stable enough to run on so got recovery out who ran me to the local BMW dealership where tyre cost £318 instead of £270. Cancelled meetings in Swansea (room cost £100 forfeited) and went home (£30? in diesel). Absolute waste of time, money and energy. Should have stayed in bed. >:(
Still, not going to Swansea; worth it IMO :)
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Got shot of the 1 series Andy? Or are you Berlingoed?
I'm rid of the ever failing laguna with shitty low profile tyres that destroy the suspension, which in turn, tears strips off the wall of the tyre in some kind of tit-for tat-battle of the wheel arch.
I now have a beautiful, tight handling, chick magnet, pimping big booted Berlingo
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(probably the wrong thread for this) but tyres were one of the reasons I moved from the 320d to a diesel golf. Even with mainly motorway miles, I was getting 20-25K out of four boots on the BMW - and at £150+ a pop thats a fair chunk.. Fronts on the golf look like they'll need replacing at 40+K (presently 35) and the rears look like they've never been touched (they're c.£75 a go).
Brother in law bought a MiniCooper D, and asked for lower spec wheels and alloys, as while the chunkier rubber was less street cred, he said it was quieter, better ride and the rubber sticks out over the edge of the alloy - instead of the other (expensive) way around..
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I've only done <14k (in a year and 8 months) and I've had 4 new front tyres. All punctures, 3 in the first couple of months and one the other week. :furious:
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Perhaps there should be a new thread called CARS, CARS, FUCKING CARS!!!
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All punctures, 3 in the first couple of months and one the other week.
All from going over things in the road? That sucks.
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And lo, there was a new thread...
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All punctures, 3 in the first couple of months and one the other week.
All from going over things in the road? That sucks.
Yep and none were repairable. Proper bad luck scene.
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New gear box today
on a 2 year old Mereva...
Thank fuck for the warranty
and it has the most bizarre electrics ever
better than the Picasso I swapped for it though - the computer in that crapped out...
the only symptom was a radio that went on and off of it's own accord (so I unplugged it) and drove back home from Font
Took it into the shop and they wouldn't let me have it back because "the fuel management system was unsafe"
lucky it didn't fully crap out on the Paris ring road
I hate cars
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Proper bad luck scene.
You been hanging out with Paul B?
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Proper bad luck scene.
You been hanging out with Paul B?
Steady on, it's only a few tyres!
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Thats daft. They replace the spare with a tin of puncture repair goo and a good luck charm*
Can you get a space saver for it? is there a semi dint where it would go? (space savers better than run flats imho..)
*probably far more effective than the aerosol of repair goo
That's what I have in the Mini.
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Fucking run flat tyres
After epic recovery trauma from Malham 10 days ago ordered a replacement for one of the other tyres which had low tread. It was due to be fitted on Thursday but it chose to go down today on the M42 near Solihull today. Didnt feel stable enough to run on so got recovery out who ran me to the local BMW dealership where tyre cost £318 instead of £270. Cancelled meetings in Swansea (room cost £100 forfeited) and went home (£30? in diesel). Absolute waste of time, money and energy. Should have stayed in bed. >:(
I'm confused, are you saying that run flat just don't work at all? What happened to the space where the spare would normally go, do all 5 series need to be fitted with run flats?
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Thats daft. They replace the spare with a tin of puncture repair goo and a good luck charm*
Can you get a space saver for it? is there a semi dint where it would go? (space savers better than run flats imho..)
*probably far more effective than the aerosol of repair goo
That's what I have in the Mini.
There's only just space to carry a can of goo in my Lotus...
Which 3 weeks ago, when I took it in for its service and MOT (1st with me so I was interested to see what it would cost), decided to split its radiator while on the ramp and spit coolant over the mechanic stood underneath! Not an auspicious start - living up to the stereotype. New radiator only arrived yesterday, hopefully I get the car back tomorrow so apologies for all the rain due next week...
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Fucking run flat tyres
After epic recovery trauma from Malham 10 days ago ordered a replacement for one of the other tyres which had low tread. It was due to be fitted on Thursday but it chose to go down today on the M42 near Solihull today. Didnt feel stable enough to run on so got recovery out who ran me to the local BMW dealership where tyre cost £318 instead of £270. Cancelled meetings in Swansea (room cost £100 forfeited) and went home (£30? in diesel). Absolute waste of time, money and energy. Should have stayed in bed. >:(
I'm confused, are you saying that run flat just don't work at all? What happened to the space where the spare would normally go, do all 5 series need to be fitted with run flats?
The limit is 50mph which not only upset other users on the M42 but also felt really wobbly so I pulled up in an emergency layby off the hardshoulder.
The space for a spare has been designed out so you would have to strap a spare down in the boot taking up a lot of the space. You can get a a smaller spare wheel kit but Im assumiong the speed restrictions are the same.
Furthermore they are not a standard tyre where you can rock up at kwikfit and get one. They take a couple of days to get through an independent. Even the BMW dealership (Sytner Solihull) needed a few hours to get hold of one.
Another issue is that you cant see that they are flat immediately because the side walls are so solid and so unless you have an automatic or handheld tyre pressure sensor you might not be able to work out what is wrong. Even then the handheld gave a reading of zero degrees but the incar one said 18PSI according to the breakdow guy. He said the discrepancy was something to do with the way what pressure remains is retained. That may be bullshit though.
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Jim is going to be posting in this thread very soon!
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And they rely on the sensor which, in a BMW, isn't always correct.
And you can only drive a certain, limited, distance. Driving to Devon from Leeds in the evening (which we regularly do avec sprog) has a stretch from Derby to Somerset where a puncture means getting a lift on a tow truck.
And we (her indoors) paid a shit load for a BMW so we had a better car...BMW=overrated/bag of shite.
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Can we have a BMW, BMW, fucking BMW thread? I've got a whole lot more to get off my chest... :furious:
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Can we have a BMW, BMW, fucking BMW thread? I've got a whole lot more to get off my chest... :furious:
still love it though. maybe they do it to test the faithful
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Don't some tyre 'pressure' sensors rely on the abs sensors to tell when a wheel is rotating at a different speed to the others (different diameter from puncture etc..)
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Stick to Audi's and Vw's. :P
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Don't some tyre 'pressure' sensors rely on the abs sensors to tell when a wheel is rotating at a different speed to the others (different diameter from puncture etc..)
See direct vs indirect TPMS: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tire-pressure_monitoring_system (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tire-pressure_monitoring_system)
Recent Bimmers likely to have direct from what I can glean from a quick search.
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MrsTT's polo has this, my golf doesn't - except it does but it's hidden in the SW and can get it with the right program.. or pay for it :) Don't you love car manufacturers... (Indirect that is)
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I've only done <14k (in a year and 8 months) and I've had 4 new front tyres. All punctures, 3 in the first couple of months and one the other week. :furious:
When I had a Golf (GT) I had 11 new tyres in two years. Three were down to kerb scrapes while parking outside the house golfballing the waffer-thiin walls, one of which was under a week old. At the time I was commuting to Buxton staright across the Peak and would get through a front pair in 6,000 miles so was changing them every five or six months. Nice commute but worked out at about £2.50/day in tyres :thumbsdown:
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Jaspers Golf is a fairly sensible one (slightly less sensible than mine ;) #oldgit) but has (by modern standards) fairly non-low profile tyres.. In fact I think they are the same as mine.. (205/16/55's).
I've not had a puncture since 2003/4 (I've forgotten) and since then have averaged 20k PA.. So I'm surprised you've had that many punctures J...
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Reading this makes me appreciate my basicasfuckmobile - wheel goes the wrong shape, you put the spare on and get wheel fixed.
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Jasper's enemies strew nails and broken glass on his driveway purposefully.
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Yes as I said it's just down to pure bad luck (unless andy is right).
None of the tyres have been worn in the slightest and all 4 have had a nail/screw/random bit of metal stuck in them. I did start getting a bit paranoid after the first three! I had almost identical tyres on my Polo and never had a puncture in 7 years. Just luck.
Yes they're the same tyres as yours Tom. I think the only difference between our cars is the engine?
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Yes they're the same tyres as yours Tom. I think the only difference between our cars is the engine?
You've got the bigger engine :(
(http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/18ay91uzboyj1jpg/ku-xlarge.jpg)
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Is that Stallioni on the right?
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Jasper's enemies strew nails and broken glass on his driveway purposefully.
I reckon it must be Buffy trying to get at him.
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Is that Stallioni on the right?
Naa, he was the fluffer that day..
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well, I just forked out £500 for 4 new goodyear eagle f1 assymetric 2 97Y (extra load), paid a bit extra for the extra strength tyres. come down to font and cam-blet tensionor has gone.
full euro breakdown cover, french garage wanting 2300 euro to fix (£700 job in uk), because it can be fixed breakdown cover won't cover towing car back so would have had to pay for that. basically got me over a barrell and a red hot poker up my arse.
robbing, robbing bastards!!!!!!!!!!!!!
car only worth about 4k and still not got car back yet, propably phone back tomorrow saying they need more money off me.
really really angry with (did I already say?) robbing french garage bastards.
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Fucking hell Jim that's really shit mate! :thumbsdown:
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That's Grim news Jim... :(
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Fucking brutalised Jim. I once had to pay £80 for a set of 4 sparkplugs for my old Bedford CF 250 van. Weren't available anywhere in France so had to get shipped express from UK to Briancon. Wish I had serviced it before I left, could have got them for a tenner.
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I seem to remember it cost me 40Eu to get 2 wheels balanced in Font - also wished I'd got that done in the UK!
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Gutted :no:
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Apart from how they look, what are the other advantages to the different tyres?
All my cars are shit so never had this quandary.
And sorry to hear about the font nonsense, very grim...
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Apart from how they look, what are the other advantages to the different tyres?
Load bearing (for Jims case) and other shizzle.. All tyres now come with a rating for their economy and stopping effectiveness and noise thanks to the EU (a genuine not sarcastic thanks there..) - along the lines of a - f (like energy ratings for appliances etc..)
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Load bearing (for Jims case)
Are you saying he's fat?
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..BMW=overrated/bag of shite.
Completely agree.
I got rid of my 5 series estate just over a year ago. Constant niggles, the computer telling me to do this and that. Expensive to service. One of those promise of quality vs experience of ownership equations that didn't match at all.
A bit like Apple devices and their bloody software.
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..BMW=overrated/bag of shite.
Completely agree.
I got rid of my 5 series estate just over a year ago. Constant niggles, the computer telling me to do this and that. Expensive to service. One of those promise of quality vs experience of ownership equations that didn't match at all.
A bit like Apple devices and their bloody software.
I had the other side of the coin... got a 03 (then 5yr old) 320d touring with 60k on the clock - sold it 3 years later with 120k. Services were fine (local indy) and only major repairs were particulate filter that could have been £800+ but I got a 'racing' (check me eh!) stainless steel replacement for £130.. 2 hours labour to fit and fine...
Build quality on a 120k mile car was better than the brand new golf that replaced it....
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Its possible I got a "bad un" but once bitten...
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Its possible I got a "bad un" but once bitten...
If you cut my other halfs dad down the middle I'm pretty sure you'd find something similar to the blue and white battenburg of BMW.
They've had all sorts, currently a 730d and a z4 and both have been ridiculously expensive at times. I believe one of the bulbs in the 730d is hidden somewhere in the chassis and it uses fibre optics to route the light to one of the clusters, when this failed the bill was astronomical, ditto when one of the parking sensors failed. Depreciation on both cars has been huge.
I worked out the other day that my only expenses that weren't consumables (i.e. tyres, oil) on the Fabia had been a £30 (fitted) brake light switch, a rear wiper that someone stole one day and some rear bodywork where my other half argued with a fence post whilst reversing. I may have forgotten something but at around 60k miles of motoring, in around 2 years, I thought this was immense. Depreciation wasn't even that bad either.
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Best Money Waster
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I had the same experience as TomTom with an e46 '53 320d. Bomber.
I upgraded last year to an e90, no problems so far but the 1st owner had paid for the full BMW service pack so for a couple of years I won't be getting (too) fleeced.
Worrying to hear about run flat problems, still on the set that came with it. I have been told I could fit a space saver in my boot cavity, shirley the vast boot in yours Shark will accommodate one?
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Worrying to hear about run flat problems, still on the set that came with it. I have been told I could fit a space saver in my boot cavity, shirley the vast boot in yours Shark will accommodate one?
When I got my golf, I thought (I mis read the spec) it had a squirty can instead of a space saver - and I had one lined up on ebay for £40... of course it came with one (a space saver) so cancelled - but you can find them dead easy on fleabay.. getting the jack gubbins might be harder - but at least MrAA could change your tyre for you if you have one...
I toyed with the idea of running the 320 on two space savers in the snow..... ;)
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I had the same experience as TomTom with an e46 '53 320d. Bomber.
I upgraded last year to an e90, no problems so far but the 1st owner had paid for the full BMW service pack so for a couple of years I won't be getting (too) fleeced.
Worrying to hear about run flat problems, still on the set that came with it. I have been told I could fit a space saver in my boot cavity, shirley the vast boot in yours Shark will accommodate one?
Doesn't feel so vast in the run down to Font with the 5 of us baggage and mat (strapped to the ceiling).
The boot cavity is tiny now so doubt it would fit a space saver evn so when it comes round for replacements I'm going for standard tyres which will improve the ride too.
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I can see me looking in here a lot.
Destroying the atmosphere and using up natural resources is my first love.
The bouldering is a new thing for me but I've been flogging the guts out of cars,
vans, lorries and even buses ever since I got my licence.
remember the old saying, if it's got tits or tyres it's gonna be trouble or expensive or both. :2thumbsup:
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If the clutch pedal return spring on a ford focus goes (other cars arer also available and may have similar hassles) Your options are - get dealer to fit (£150 plus) or buy the bit for fiver and do it yourself, but expect to pay in frustration, sweat and blood. I chose the latter and have hands that look like I've been jamming in broken glass. Should have taped up better.
And have a look sometime before it snaps so you know where it needs to go back. I can talk you through the fix step by step now, including telling you where you should tape up.
Still, £150!
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Looks like I'm doing alright judging by the above but the front tyres on my B7 Passat are well in need of replacing after 16000 miles, and I'd love to a: get something decent (either performance tyres that'll stand up to some ragging, or the Nokian winter tyres that are good for all year) and b: Stick it to those fuckers at the dealership and get them fitted elsewhere at hopefully half the price. Preferably a shit hot tyre for reasonable outlay would do me. Needs to last a year only - 10000 miles at the very most, before I take it back to them bald
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Blimey - thats fast. Got 42k out of my Golfs front tyres and theres still some life left in em...
I'd ring around - many places have specials, or a couple they want to get rid of for the best price.. Also all tyres now come with a sticker/rating like the one you get on washing machines etc.. with ABDCE ratings for economy, noise and stopping distance. Not for burnout capability/endurance though ;)
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tyres, like anything else, you get what you pay for.
I've had a few sets of pirellis and they where good but wore fast. My tyre of choice for the past decade or so has been goodyear eagle f1's (GSD2's, GSD3's and now the asymetrics) and of the 3 sets I've had on 2 diferent cars (1 RWD, t'other 4WD) they have been excellent. I've also had a set of goodyear excellence that I got a very good deal on and they were really good also and lasted for ages.
Just had the shitreon C4 down for an MOT, new shocker and newcontrol arm required plus a load of other advisories that I'm not having done (£250). its only done 40k FFS! what a piece of shit car that is. Once its MOT'd, its being sold asap. On the plus side put a deposit today on its replacement ;D
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I just had to shell out for an entire new steering rack after the steering went funny, caused by a blown seal and leaking power steering fluid and excess wear on the rack. arse. the fabia was doing so well as well! Glad to have it back now as the boutique Italian coffee shop the garage lent me was absolutely terrible!
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Air con has stopped working, and kwik-fit guy pointed out it was the belt that feeds the air con and other electrics, which has indeed been making a squealing noise on start up during this last week. Apparently called the serpentine belt.
Is this an easy job for a garage to fix? Would a standard garage do it or do I need a specialist?
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Air con has stopped working, and kwik-fit guy pointed out it was the belt that feeds the air con and other electrics, which has indeed been making a squealing noise on start up during this last week. Apparently called the serpentine belt.
Is this an easy job for a garage to fix? Would a standard garage do it or do I need a specialist?
Or drive belt.. assuming its not an unusual car sounds like a normal garage job.. but there are many reasons aircon can stop working.... unfortunately..
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Aye, I just thought it needed a recharge (can't remember the last time it had one, I don't pay much attention to air con up here usually), but the KF guy had the decency to send me away to get the belt checked before they tried that.
What would be drive belt symptoms?
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Aye, I just thought it needed a recharge (can't remember the last time it had one, I don't pay much attention to air con up here usually), but the KF guy had the decency to send me away to get the belt checked before they tried that.
What would be drive belt symptoms?
When you switch on the aircon (not the fan, the aircon specifically) with the engine running is there a sqealing noise? If so thats a loose belt that slips over the aircon pulley when its loaded up (when you switch it on). Often drive belts also run the alternator (electrics), power steering pump and maybe other things depending on the model of car - so I doubt the belt has broken otherwise something else would not be working (unless on your car there is one belt to drive the aircon).
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Nope the belt isn't broken, it is just squealing on start-up and for maybe 10 mins after.
(http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/5411/serpbeltv70gf8.jpg)
Bit of googling and it is the drive belt. I guess serpentine belt is an american term??
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Its a normal garage job (independent ie doesn't need main dealer) in my view.. but this might not fix the aircon! (sorry!) Though if its squealing on startup then its not going to hurt to get it tightened. If the belt is OK, then its a 5-10 min job to tighten it (depends on car type of course)
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Now I remember... Those worn out tyres were the Contis that VW factory fitted, and they supposedly 'only expect 15k out of a front pair'...
I ended up with a pair of Yokohama Cdrive 2 instead, 34 quid each fitted..
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Far too cheap for one of the most important bits on the car IMHO!
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Far too cheap for one of the most important bits on the car IMHO!
I got these at trade price. Even so, you assume a dire t correlation between performance / quality and price. Which is bollocks, unless you're Kanye I suppose
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265 quid to insure a 1100cc saxo worth 100 quid
39yr old driving for 20 plus years and 9 years no claims.wouldnt even lower it when ive done my advance driving course to drive a fire truck on blue lights.
hardly a high risk driver.
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3rd party fire and theft? You're not bothered about the last one, probably have 2nd covered so it's clear what you're paying for.
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That's nuts. Mines the same price, 2 yr old golf.. Same ish age no claims etc..
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3rd party fire and theft? You're not bothered about the last one, probably have 2nd covered so it's clear what you're paying for.
Fully comp,its not always the cheapest option going for third party
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My first car insurance policy was £220 (TTFT) in 1987... its never ever been cheaper than that for me, despite getting older, no claims etc..
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Mark they obviously know you were a Scooby owner and posted the Petrolheads video clips thread :D
TT, thanks for the info about driving belt, got it replaced in the end.
Insurance renewal this year is only £580 (~£3k car, a lot of years no claims), hasn't gone up for a while which is nice.
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265 quid to insure a 1100cc saxo.....
It's a Saxo - typically driven by kids whose ago is less than your bicep diameter (in inches!!). Don't think I paid much more for my VRS.
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That's nuts. Mines the same price, 2 yr old golf.. Same ish age no claims etc..
but they forgot to put an engine in your golf so it isn't going anywhere? ;)
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That's nuts. Mines the same price, 2 yr old golf.. Same ish age no claims etc..
but they forgot to put an engine in your golf so it isn't going anywhere? ;)
I'll get them to look at that - should be under the warranty....
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Right, used BMW or Audi advice needed. I'm a bit bored and nonplussed by the new car experience, and I think I prefer to weigh in my motor and go used (value to settlement means I can walk away with a few quid in my pocket) - the idea being rather than paying a further year of PCP on the car, I can borrow a chunk of cash at a vastly reduced interest rate, not suffer much at all in terms of driving experience, provided I buy something with a decent warranty, and end up with a thing of value at the end of it having paid for a bit of servicing, which I can then choose to sell and recoup a reasonable amount of money on rather than walk away having spent the same amount for nowt...
So i'm looking 3 series touring, 318 or 320 d, or A4 avant - not too bothered about mileage being diesel, not too high obviously, and especially in BMW, 2007 on for the Efficiency Dynamics.
Test driven both (A4 2.0 TDi 143 S line (used) and 320d SE (new) and like them both. The BMW was definitely interesting and nicer in the way the RWD delivered the power, less sketchy on uneven roads (A57 out to Moscar where a FWD might have bounced a bit as the front wheels hit the rough patches it didn't seem to notice)
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Yes as I said it's just down to pure bad luck (unless andy is right).
None of the tyres have been worn in the slightest and all 4 have had a nail/screw/random bit of metal stuck in them.
Just re-reading this thread.... could this be anything to do with the fact you have to drive past a plumber's trade counter every day?
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So i'm looking 3 series touring, 318 or 320 d, or A4 avant - not too bothered about mileage being diesel, not too high obviously, and especially in BMW, 2007 on for the Efficiency Dynamics.
Test driven both (A4 2.0 TDi 143 S line (used) and 320d SE (new) and like them both. The BMW was definitely interesting and nicer in the way the RWD delivered the power, less sketchy on uneven roads (A57 out to Moscar where a FWD might have bounced a bit as the front wheels hit the rough patches it didn't seem to notice)
I had an old 320d touring (E46) and it was a great car - I believe the correct term is a 'More involved driving experience' and it was certainly more twitchy/responsive than the regular front wheel drive tractors.. THis is great most of the time, but made it a little too ansty for my liking on motorways (it would get dragged a little by the truck troughs). But they are complete dog shit in the snow. I mean not just bad - really bad. You can hustle them along OK on fresh snow, but any of that icy shit and you move around with the grace of Carlton Palmer on ice.. Fat low profile tyres and RWD = snow badness... I was getting 45-50 to a gallon from that, and moved to a brand new Golf Bluemotion and get much better economy - and a more brainless motorway experience...
A good friend has a new 320D and gets very good mileage from it - my 120K 8 yr old (when I sold it) Bimmer was better built than a brand new golf (in terms of interior squeaks, solidness).
I know naaaaathing about the A4's except they also have a good reputation.
Considered the Octavia Estate..? (huuuge) which is actually the same as a Golf Estate (another good option - which are a bit rarer and surprisingly cheaper than the hatches as no-one seems to want them though still great cars..)
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I decided to keep the Passat, after a couple of test drives confirmed that I actually really like it etc.
However, it's in for the 2 year service at the mo and I just got the call to try to screw a few more quid out of me... 'The technician has noted the wiper blades are starting to smear' but since I didn't buy from them, they don't know that the current ones are a month old like for like replacement. Lying, robbing chuffs.
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I decided to keep the Passat, after a couple of test drives confirmed that I actually really like it etc.
However, it's in for the 2 year service at the mo and I just got the call to try to screw a few more quid out of me... 'The technician has noted the wiper blades are starting to smear' but since I didn't buy from them, they don't know that the current ones are a month old like for like replacement. Lying, robbing chuffs.
Yup - main dealers :( Mines up for a service now its free 30k service deal is up - and I'm straight off to my usual indie garage...
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Do all the mechanics have floppy hair, wear baggy jeans and play guitars?
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Do all the mechanics have floppy hair, wear baggy jeans and play guitars?
Yeah - thats the one. I used to take it to the Emo garage but despite being black they baulked (they get alot of Hearse servicing nowadays).
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I decided to keep the Passat, after a couple of test drives confirmed that I actually really like it etc.
However, it's in for the 2 year service at the mo and I just got the call to try to screw a few more quid out of me... 'The technician has noted the wiper blades are starting to smear' but since I didn't buy from them, they don't know that the current ones are a month old like for like replacement. Lying, robbing chuffs.
Swings and roundabouts. Mine went for it's 2 yr service recently and they didn't try to screw me at all. Also, they came and picked it up from my house and dropped it off a few hours later saving me the faff of dropping it off, courtesy cars etc etc. And they'd washed it.
Yup - main dealers :( Mines up for a service now its free 30k service deal is up - and I'm straight off to my usual indie garage...
Hilarious. I do such low mileage now that I'll get nowhere near 30k by the time my 3 yr / 30k service contract is up. Done just over 15k in 2 yrs most of which was in the first.
I'm trying to use this as justification for buying a far less economical car next year but I don't think it's going to work. ;)
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Which reminds me..
Just picked mine up from the 'cosmetic repairs unit' - having a couple of scrapes that (1) a neigbour and (2) some random in a supermarket car park gave to the beast. The only (and its proved sensible) 'add on' that I bought with the car was a 3 year scrapes policy (for £300), where they fix any dents/scratches/bumps (up to 15cm) for a £10 excess (waived it you take it to their bodyshop instead of doing it at home). So far I've had 5 done and recon I've more than made my money back. Living in a city street it makes the "what f*cking wankers done that" moment a bit more paletable...
Just clocked 50K... :(
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Rather than start a new thread I thought I'd ask here:
Does anyone have any bright ideas on how to sell the van we've just bought for this trip?
We've got it advertised on Supertopo, Mountainproject and Craigslist but we're not really getting any interest at all. This is no doubt partially due to the fact we're flying out of Denver and people in the area have bigger things to worry about than buying a vehicle right now.
We've got a price from a Webuyanycar type company and its fairly insultingly low (more so than when I priced up the Fabia this way in the UK) but currently its looking like our last resort option is our only option.
It's been pointed out that selling is only a matter of 'price' but given we've got a little over a week to sell it I'm getting nervous on how to approach this (also, the minute it sells we've got nowhere to stay which is obviously an issue and a cost).
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Can you still swap it for a gun? A bet a gun is easier to shift over there.
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Car dealers - they'll see you coming a mile off - but in your position sadly the buyer holds most of the cards... whack 30-50% on top of the we buy any car etc... shizzle and tell them thats what you've been offered?
BTW, you know the we buy any car people have another round of reducing the price when you bring it in 'you didnt tell us about that scratch'... etc.. bullshit..
OR - get involved in a underground card game - and use it as stake money?
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I was in the same situation, I put up flyers in the local climbing gyms around Denver, Boulder etc and didn't get a bite. I ended up having to sell to a second hand dealer who robbed me blind, but time was running out and I had no choice. There was a car auction place where they offered to put the van up with a minimum reserve and they took a fee, but I was out of time. Is there a US equivalent to Autotrader? I have a friend who lives in Denver, I could see what she suggests?
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I just sold a Subaru in Vancouver before moving back to the UK and had a similar issue. The wholesale price is usually crazily low (probably about one third to a half of what you would pay at a dealership), and dealers don't feel any pressure to pay more than that because they can always just pick up something similar at auction.
Bearing that in mind, we looked up the book value and pitched our Craigslist ad for a price halfway between normal forecourt pricing and the wholesale price. In our ad we totally fronted up that we had a limited time to sell, that we were pitching a good price, and that we would consider sensible offers. We also included a brutally honest description of the condition in the ad so that we could avoid any protracted haggling over faults.
We got a lot of serious enquiries and sold quickly, but for a lot less than the real value of the car. Still better than cutting it fine and taking a log offer from a dealer.
Good luck getting it shifted.
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Can you still swap it for a gun? A bet a gun is easier to shift over there.
Sadly we're not still in Vegas. I WAS seriously interested in what firearms he thought might make a fair trade for a van?
If the webuyyourcar people do another round of reducing then they'll effectively be taking it off our hands for nothing to "do us a favour" (the offer was that low).
Good info re: wholesale prices, that makes a lot of sense. Before we bought it we discussed the fact that we simply may not be able to shift it at the end and we'd have to be willing to write the cost of the van off (it was always going to be cheaper than hiring something suitable for 6 months). It'd be good if it did sell for something as I saw a rather nice Passat V6 Tdi on ebay the other day...(Nat seems to want a twingo!).
We're not yet in Denver but I'd given up on any interest from the Boulder region / climbers given what a mess the flooding has caused there.
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Plus side is Denver has loads of second hand garages in one area; Broadway in Engelwood if I remember, you can just drive the street and see who gives you the best offer.
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Plus side is Denver has loads of second hand garages in one area; Broadway in Engelwood if I remember, you can just drive the street and see who gives you the best offer.
and pick up another free cap from Rockys Autos...
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Being serious - if you go the craigslist way - why not consider swapping for something you could reasonably take back with you of value - macbook for example...?
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Swings and roundabouts. Mine went for it's 2 yr service recently and they didn't try to screw me at all. Also, they came and picked it up from my house and dropped it off a few hours later saving me the faff of dropping it off, courtesy cars etc etc. And they'd washed it.
Hilarious. I do such low mileage now that I'll get nowhere near 30k by the time my 3 yr / 30k service contract is up. Done just over 15k in 2 yrs most of which was in the first.
I'm trying to use this as justification for buying a far less economical car next year but I don't think it's going to work. ;)
I must admit I got the valet and collect/drop off (plus a Convertible Beetle 'Fender 50's edition' with red leather seats for the day to drive around feeling daft in). I'm in the same boat mileage wise, about 19k, and I'm starting to see fuel economy improve like they said it would, so it'd be daft to replace after 2 years having paid for bluemotion etc...
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Fuck it Jim just get an R:
http://www.evo.co.uk/news/evonews/290662/vw_golf_r_mk7_video_frankfurt_motor_show_2013.html (http://www.evo.co.uk/news/evonews/290662/vw_golf_r_mk7_video_frankfurt_motor_show_2013.html)
300 BHP :blink:
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OR - get involved in a underground card game - and use it as stake money?
This is only useful if you lose! Doh!
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Being serious - if you go the craigslist way - why not consider swapping for something you could reasonably take back with you of value - macbook for example...?
Cash is of most value having sold our vehicle in the UK and ripped through our savings to fund this trip. I'd have to sell whatever it is we swapped it for as any leftover money will be channelled into replacing the car (we can obviously do without but its a lot easier for Nat with her job being in Leeds).
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OR - get involved in a underground card game - and use it as stake money?
This is only useful if you lose! Doh!
Or you win more than the value of the car!
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I have some colleagues/friends in Boulder - if you can give me some van details/times/dates/price (that fits in 140 chars)
I can tweet it over to them? You never know...?
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I have some colleagues/friends in Boulder - if you can give me some van details/times/dates/price (that fits in 140 chars)
I can tweet it over to them? You never know...?
Done.
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The van sold tonight so thanks for the input (now, I wonder how much currency it's OK to take out of the USA, likely a lot more than we sold it for!)
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You're supposed to report anything over $10k and fill some form in.
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Alternatively you can wear a few grand up your botty
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wibble
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So, we sold our Fabia vRS (very nice it was too) to provide some contingency money in case our trip ended up busting the budget. It didn't and now that we're home Nat is keen to get a car again.
My first thoughts were something like a Passat estate diesel (we currently do around 25k miles a year so diesel still makes sense). The budget is 3k so we were thinking of the 1.9 tdi 130 engine (which is the same as we've just had in the vRS), probably a highline spec car so that it has all of the toys.
However, we live in a block of flats in Sheffield and my better half commutes to Leeds daily, parking there in a tight multi-storey so we've also had a look at BMW 3-series (20 and 30d) touring. They look really nice and from what I can gather they're likely to be a lot more fun to drive (although I've been warned that they have a funny driving position) but I have zero experience with BMWs (her father has BMW blinkers so I've tried stubbornly not to look at them for us, it'd make him too happy) in terms of maintenance, common faults etc.
Insurance between the two is about the same and economy is better on the BMWs (although reviews suggest it isn't actually attainable unlike the VWs where I've exceeded their figures reliably).
Any thoughts from UKB? Other cars we should consider (Golf estates seem too pricey)?
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I had the same experience as TomTom with an e46 '53 320d. Bomber.
I upgraded last year to an e90, no problems so far but the 1st owner had paid for the full BMW service pack so for a couple of years I won't be getting (too) fleeced.
No weird driving position. Never heard that. Part ex'd my E46 320d with 120k on for £3.5. Having driven 70k in it I can only say that it was a fantastic car, never had a problem and I would recommend one.
Shite in the snow mind, if that's something you care about. Saltbeef still has one. Shark had a 330, I believe the word fun is more appropriate than economy.
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Snow is a worry but then again last time it was bad and I was required to be across town (Sheffield) we didn't get very far before I turned around for fear of someone driving into me. I think Nat also said that when it was 'bad' she was happier on the train for similar reasons and/or stress.
I can remember Sharks 330d from my first climbing experience at Uni, he seems to have calmed down his old age :jab: .
Isn't Saltbeef a lunatic Dr. Driver?
Does anyone know common faults of the 3-series diesels?
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Focus estate looks horrible but nice to drive - not sure what you'd get for 3K though.
Of course there's the Mondeo if you're prepared to look beyond the image/badge - nice to drive but perhaps a bit big for your needs.
Honda Accord 2.2 diesel estate would be good but they're like rocking horse shit to find....also maybe a bit big.
Pug 307?
Personally I'd for the Passat over the BMW.
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Personally I'd for the Passat over the BMW.
Badge or another reason?
High mileage and French seems like a bad combination! Mondeos seem a little big, yours is nice though!
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Mine's been a great car - 3 trips to France, 1 to Croatia, daily use, etc. Currently at 153k but fine and the interior is still solid. A bit big but probably not actually much bigger to park than the other estates you're considering. Octavia?
I'd go for the Passat because I've owned a couple of VW and a couple of BMW's and the VWs were more reliable and cost less to fix. Also, RWD is fun in the dry but a liability in the wet if you get a big engined one and unless you fit winter tyres you can forget it in the snow.
Parkers (http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/reviews/used/) is a great site for good, down to earth reviews of 2nd hand cars.
Also, Honest John (http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/) - have a look in the "what's bad" section for common problems to look out for.
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You seemingly get a lot less for the money if you go Skoda, they also don't seem to have made an estate version of the superb until '06.
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Honda Accord 2.2 diesel estate would be good but they're like rocking horse shit to find....also maybe a bit big.
I highly rate mine, I keep thinking of changing it but can't find anything I'd prefer. With two little ones we manage to fill it on most trips. Happily takes boats, bikes and still pulls when I need it to. There are more fuel efficient cars around but I still get around 40mpg even when loaded up as long as I don't hammer it too much.
In the family we have big VWs and big Volvos, all good cars but I prefer my Honda.
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Not a fan of our 1 series.
I've had the pleasure of some volvo s60&80s over the last few years. Incredible fuel economy and a beaut' for commuting from Sheffield to Leeds.
Still loving the berlingo, but I won't get you to stanage as fast as Jerry.
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Does anyone know common faults of the 3-series diesels?
Swirl flaps! From memory part of the head that are known to break quite readily, and if ingested into the engine then it could be a turbo replace too. They can all be removed at a cost (£200 bricks maybe) but will need an investigation to see if this has already been done or not. My 330d was pre-flaps so wasn't an issue, but you'll have to check the engine type and size to see when these were introduced.
(Innuendo's ensue now please!)
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No weird driving position. Never heard that.
The pedals were the complaint and I could see what he meant yesterday, they're very close together and offset when compared to the VAG setup. Certainly in guide tennies this would've been a problem.
We viewed a few cars yesterday and concluded that a Passat is likely too big. The A4 avant we looked at seemed about right but was a poor example (it looked and sounded great on Autotrader, as they always do). The 320d seemed good but quite old tech in comparison and the bodywork seems significantly worse on it (bubbling on the arches etc.) it'd also had a new turbo I think (I couldn't get a proper look due to the engine cover and lack of tools).
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Focus estate looks horrible but nice to drive - not sure what you'd get for 3K though.
Not much if you are looking for a diesel. I think we paid a bit more for our petrol one and never had any major probs with it. Fucking boring, but not bad to drive around town / short commute.
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Whatever you do, don't touch any Ford with a 1.6 Tdci engine. Untold turbo and DPF issues.
I had a 51 reg Focus Estate (1.6 petrol) which was brilliant. Did 190k without a single problem.
So i bought another one - 08 reg 1.6 diesel, which was a big mistake. A quick google will tell you all about it. Just stay clear.
If you want a reliable estate car, just check out what's in your nearest taxi rank. Most likely all Skoda Octavia/Toyota Avensis/VW Passat
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Does anyone know if the 98-05 3-series touring comes with a split tailgate as standard?
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Righteo...
We ended up buying an 04 320d M-sport touring. Which I love and I'm pretty sure, hates me.
Straight away I had the swirl flaps removed and these were hanging on for their life. If you own one of these (or any BMW diesel pre 2007) then go and get this done.
Then the engine was running cold when driven on the motorway and the heater output was terrible (we test drove it on a hot day and it felt 'ok' to me then). So, both thermostats were changed and both myself and (more importantly) Nat were very happy as the economy shot back up to ~50mpg.
I found a site which chucks out the factory fittment list if you give it a VIN number and it turned out we also had full bluetooth. A little bid of fiddling and this was all working. Now I had a very happy Nat. To top off the day the Nav unit warned her of upcoming traffic (and was correct).
This morning one of the headlights was out and when I checked we have the factory Xenons. Bulbs are eye-wateringly expensive but no worries, it turned back on by itself at lunchtime!
I hate electrical Gremlins and I can't say I'm looking forward to when it needs to be MOT'd / anything else...
I'm fairly certain she'd have preferred the Skoda Octavia 105 4x4 we happened upon.
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I found a site which chucks out the factory fittment list if you give it a VIN number and it turned out we also had full bluetooth. A little bid of fiddling and this was all working. Now I had a very happy Nat. To top off the day the Nav unit warned her of upcoming traffic (and was correct).
Not all bad though. You've got some stuff sorted relatively cheaply/painlessly. Keep an eye out for some winter tyres if you've got a BMW.
What's the site please?
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Yes, I guess. Intermittent faults are just such a pain (especially if it's a faulty headlight unit, $$$).
Winter tyres can't really happen due to where we live, there's simply nowhere to store them. When it gets to Dec my good lady switches to the train as the M1 becomes a bit epic as does the Meadowhell junction (or so I'm told).
BMWVIN.com
There are others out there too. You can also get lots of information via the OBD (such as coolant temperature for instance). This is easy to get to and very useful for fault finding. In fact, you can buy a lead for £25 which comes with all of the diagnostic and (factory) coding features available to the dealers.
If I'm totally honest I quite enjoy tinkering (and will therefore be fixing the parking sensors, fog light and interior vent out of stubbornness alone)...
Pictures:
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3833/10401080083_2990388059_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/39660023@N03/10401080083/)
BMW E46 320d M-sport Touring (http://www.flickr.com/photos/39660023@N03/10401080083/#) by travelswithmyt4 (http://www.flickr.com/people/39660023@N03/), on Flickr
(http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2831/10400889905_77ec4dd50a_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/39660023@N03/10400889905/)
BMW E46 320d M-sport Touring (http://www.flickr.com/photos/39660023@N03/10400889905/#) by travelswithmyt4 (http://www.flickr.com/people/39660023@N03/), on Flickr
(http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5483/10400912886_538dab0e29_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/39660023@N03/10400912886/)
BMW E46 320d M-sport Touring (http://www.flickr.com/photos/39660023@N03/10400912886/#) by travelswithmyt4 (http://www.flickr.com/people/39660023@N03/), on Flickr
Swirl flaps (for anyone still on the fence):
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7335/10400784706_e3fe701c32_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/39660023@N03/10400784706/)
swirl flaps (http://www.flickr.com/photos/39660023@N03/10400784706/#) by travelswithmyt4 (http://www.flickr.com/people/39660023@N03/), on Flickr
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Our winter tyres have their summer holidays in a barn at the inlaws. You must know someone who can store them. Off to get them this weekend. Definitely worth travelling to get it sorted.
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Our winter tyres have their summer holidays in a barn at the inlaws. You must know someone who can store them. Off to get them this weekend. Definitely worth travelling to get it sorted.
I've left so many vehicles garaged at my parents whilst we go travelling etc. that I now feel genuinely guilty doing so. One required us to remove the garage door and deflate the tyres to get it in. On re-inflating the tyres inside the garage I had visions of someone stealing my 1972 camper and trashing their garage in the getaway.
We'll see, if it looks like a long-term purchase (i.e. doesn't turn into a money-pit and Nat settles towards actually liking it) then I might sort them out for next year. Spending yet more money (on steelies + winter tyres [18"]) isn't currently on the agenda.
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:worms:
New flywheel thus new clutch. Failed MOT on some bushings and I was given advisories on the front pads + discs (not really a problem but when it stacks onto the above it comes to a hefty bill). It'll also need a service at some point.
Now, where did I leave my Fabia?
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In an underwater carpark??
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In an underwater carpark??
No, that was an utterly outrageous 1960 ragtop beetle with a custom 2.0 Volkspeed engine, twin carbs, gene berg gearbox and narrowed front end that was almost certainly going to be the death of me if it hadn't flooded.
The Fabia sold 1 day before Nat was granted her sabbatical for the USA-tour. Woe is me.
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Word getting back to the winter tyres thing, as I understand it some tyre places will store your other set of shoes while you've got the winters on, assuming you're going to them to get em fitted and unfitted. Not sure if there's also a fee for storage but if you're keen on winter shoes its probably worth a look.
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After today's expenditure, suggesting I get the car another set of 'shoes' might prove volatile.
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New car on the market (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-25955249) :clown:
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After today's expenditure, suggesting I get the car another set of 'shoes' might prove volatile.
A couple of mates took a rear wheel drive tranny to the Alps a couple of winters ago with just snow socks for the regular tyres. Said they were very good. Cheaper than winter tyres and ultimately easier to store. Not used them myself so I have no personal experience.
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A couple of mates took a rear wheel drive tranny to the Alps a couple of winters ago with just snow socks for the regular tyres. Said they were very good. Cheaper than winter tyres and ultimately easier to store. Not used them myself so I have no personal experience.
Quite effective and quick to put on s ideal for short stretches but I prefer chains for longer distances and not rquirement to keep taking them off.
Snow snocks get shagged very quickly if they even sniff tarmac.....
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Have a friend who spent a few years in Chamonix in his standard Golf Gti.
He said all he ever did was get chains (aka "poor man's 4 wheel drive") and never got stuck.
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Like Snow Socks, Chains can't be used for any distance on tarmac either, they knacker the road and the chain. Fine for places like Cham where they don't salt, so have compacted snow on the roads most of the winter. (They spread crushed rock for grip). For places like the UK where some roads are salted and clear or slushly but the next road is covered in snow, winter tyres are by far the most effective option.
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Like Snow Socks, Chains can't be used for any distance on tarmac either, they knacker the road and the chain.
my point was more that as the snow ends, you often can't just stop and take your socks off, you need to get to where you can pull over a bit. This short distance often kills your socks. Chains, however, will survive.
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Given this thread has been awoken, the fly-wheel + clutch have made massive improvements to the car in terms of torque (must've been slipping), fuel economy (etc.) and general ease of use.
I'd almost be happy if I knew it didn't need new pads + discs up front and new shoes for the handbrake (which ultimately means new pads + discs for the back). Also the Bluetooth no longer works after updating to a Moto G, seems like Android and BMW don't play well together currently and there's not a lot I can do about that.
I've got a set of fancy, self levelling, self centering chains that I was forced to buy on a mountain pass in Switzerland 6 years ago, they're amazing but I was warned the mechanisms wouldn't last long if I ventured onto tarmac. This meant stopping and removing them for stretches of tunnels which made for a very long drive. In one of the tunnels I heard a fantastic engine noise and turned around to see an Audi S4 absolutely flying. Obviously he had winter tyres as he continued onto the snow at a ridiculous pace with total ease.
I assume he was having lots of fun.
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Have we had this before?
Audi Quattro plows its own lane in snow (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d85AmkJpPRY#)
I am quite psyched for a Quattro after driving Jim's back from Dover during last March's big freeze. I remember Rhys' being quite useful as a ski lift up Mamtor a few years back too.
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not psyched by running a 4wd permanently and not that Audi lump either (no offence Jim just various basic problems looked horrifically expensive) although I'm sure Nat would be happier with the Skoda Octavia 4x4 we viewed. As usual for Skoda the spec level was fantastic.
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It'll probably be up for sale soonish.
What are these basic problems are you one about? in 8 years of owning my audi (it's the same car as a skoda) it's only let me down once with the timing belt tensionor going, unfortunately it was in france where there charged me 2.5k euro's for a £700 job
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They had you over a fucking barrel there Jim, bad times.
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various basic problems looked horrifically expensive
Unlike with a BMW, obviously.
Sorry... ;-)
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Have we had this before?
(http://i62.tinypic.com/2wecopk.jpg)
Not quite as deep but the other winter I loved being able to park by the door of work, among the 4x4s. Access to the carpark was via a steep ramp.
Honda 2x4 + Conti Winter Contacts= :punk:
(And I may have done quite a bit of hooning around the big carpark once everyone else had gone. :guilty:)
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various basic problems looked horrifically expensive
Unlike with a BMW, obviously.
Quite, however a DMF + Clutch on a VAG engine is the same cost almost exactly. I'm aware the current car wasn't the most sensible option but it is at least interesting, even when I paid that bill I was smiling on the way home (a short 5 min journey).
It was this post elsewhere that got me when looking at a very nice A4 2.5Tdi V6:
2.5 is smoother more refined and quite a bit more torquie than 1.9.
But its still very old technology so nothing like as smooth as a modern diesel engine.
However 1.9 TDI do seem to be pretty much bullet proof. Might want a turbo at some stage other than that nothing expensive ever goes wrong on them.
2.5TDIs on the other hand, Turbo's £1200, pumps £1000, oil leaks £300, crankcase breather valves £350 and the camshafts are made of chocolate. If the cams wear to the point that they fail, they wipe out the rockers and smashup the head. £3000+ In some cases resulting in a new engine required £5500-£7000, although replacement of the head usually suffices.
A 2.5tdi when its working is a nicer engine than a 1.9, and most 2.5 will be higher spec cars. But with engine over 100k on them my professional opinion is live with the harshness and get a 1.9.
There were other similar sentiments elsewhere.
it's the same car as a skoda
I didn't say car I said lump/engine, they're both Audi, but the 1.9 and 2.5 diesel engines are very different beasts (the Octavia 4x4s of that era were all 1.9 Tdi 105, the 105 being the dull part).
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I am quite psyched for a Quattro after driving Jim's back from Dover during last March's big freeze. I remember Rhys' being quite useful as a ski lift up Mamtor a few years back too.
I'm tempted by 4WD also. Saw a lovely 3 series touring with an Xdrive badge on the side the other day. Finally BM bringing the Xdrive over here to their normal cars.
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I am quite psyched for a Quattro after driving Jim's back from Dover during last March's big freeze. I remember Rhys' being quite useful as a ski lift up Mamtor a few years back too.
I'm tempted by 4WD also. Saw a lovely 3 series touring with an Xdrive badge on the side the other day. Finally BM bringing the Xdrive over here to their normal cars.
I thought about getting a 4wd saloon next too - then figured that getting a set of winter tyres was a far cheaper option (less maintenence, less fuel consumption, less initial cost etc..). Would be fun though :)
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Saw a lovely 3 series touring with an Xdrive badge on the side the other day. Finally BM bringing the Xdrive over here to their normal cars.
Saw a 530d xDrive Touring two days ago...not sure how because you can't buy them here yet - must have been an import.
It'll be a few years before the prices drop for the likes of me to afford but I can live in hope...
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various basic problems looked horrifically expensive
Unlike with a BMW, obviously.
Quite, however a DMF + Clutch on a VAG engine is the same cost almost exactly. I'm aware the current car wasn't the most sensible option but it is at least interesting, even when I paid that bill I was smiling on the way home (a short 5 min journey).
It was this post elsewhere that got me when looking at a very nice A4 2.5Tdi V6:
2.5 is smoother more refined and quite a bit more torquie than 1.9.
But its still very old technology so nothing like as smooth as a modern diesel engine.
However 1.9 TDI do seem to be pretty much bullet proof. Might want a turbo at some stage other than that nothing expensive ever goes wrong on them.
2.5TDIs on the other hand, Turbo's £1200, pumps £1000, oil leaks £300, crankcase breather valves £350 and the camshafts are made of chocolate. If the cams wear to the point that they fail, they wipe out the rockers and smashup the head. £3000+ In some cases resulting in a new engine required £5500-£7000, although replacement of the head usually suffices.
A 2.5tdi when its working is a nicer engine than a 1.9, and most 2.5 will be higher spec cars. But with engine over 100k on them my professional opinion is live with the harshness and get a 1.9.
There were other similar sentiments elsewhere.
it's the same car as a skoda
I didn't say car I said lump/engine, they're both Audi, but the 1.9 and 2.5 diesel engines are very different beasts (the Octavia 4x4s of that era were all 1.9 Tdi 105, the 105 being the dull part).
Sorry, didn't realise you where just refering to the engine, but it is pretty accurate. Mines got 150k on it tho and still smooth. The 1.9's are bomb proof and there is also a 1.9 quattro, worm had one but the turbo died on it I think
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The love / hate relationship continues... this time with a mild vibration above 50mph. No pulling under breaking and it doesn't seem to be linked to RPM. Sticking calliper perhaps (front discs + pads were an advisory).
I see $$$ signs in the eyes of Quarry Motors once again.
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Hello Paul
if you drive for any length of time (say half an hour) with the vibration happening, as soon as you stop have a feel of the wheels themselves near the hubs. If it's a sticking brake the offending side could feel quite warm. A clean out with an airbrush and re-grease should not cost much if it is the case.
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Thanks.
I guess the other main suspect (as Bubba and TomTom have suggested) is a balance / wheel weight issue.
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Could easily be: somewhere like HiQ would likely check this for free or not much. When I get my T4 looked at for new tyres my local tyre spot charges £12 for all 4 corners balanced, and I think this is at the expensive end of the scale. Good luck with it all!
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Could easily be: somewhere like HiQ would likely check this for free or not much. When I get my T4 looked at for new tyres my local tyre spot charges £12 for all 4 corners balanced, and I think this is at the expensive end of the scale. Good luck with it all!
Paul - you mentioned (on twitter) that the tyres were quite new? Maybe worth taking back to where they were fitted and getting them to have a look (might not charge you?)
TT
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There's no excessive heat or directional pull under braking (although the front pads are VERY low). I think this rules out a sticking calliper?
The rear tyre pressures were on the low side and now at the correct pressure the problem seems a lot worse (more pronounced at low speeds, lots of vibration at the rear-end).
The tyres were all new on it when I got it (~4 months now?). One got a nice shard of metal in it (front) and was subsequently changed and re-balanced at the local place, the other had a slow from being poorly sealed which again was fixed at the local shop. Unless a wheel weight has been lost I can't see how the car would suddenly go out of alignment without being kerbed or something failing?
It always happens at the one time you've (or in this case Nat) have something important to attend on Mon morning (5AM train it is!).
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At the risk of asking a stupid question, have you checked the tightness of the wheelnuts? I believe alloys can work loose after being tinkered with. Apologies if this comes across as patronising, I once ignored a 'wheelbearing' rattle until it became unbearable, then on inspection realised that one wheel was so loose I could move the nuts with my fingers...
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Its a fair point. I haven't got a torque wrench but I did just go around all four corners and give each wheel a damn good tug and found zero play:
Propshaft donut seems like another possible candidate?
Wheel bearing?
Wheel balance?
Alignment -> haven't hit anything to cause it.
Rear Shocks?
Sticking Calliper -> No heat despite pads up front being totally shot.
Handbrake shoes -> these need replacing and could be dragging but again, no heat.
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Good call - though it's a knocking that starts at low speed.. I did once have one of my rear wheels overtake me though :D
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Fixed!
It turned out to be the drivers side rear tyre (which was a tad low the other day). You couldn't see it in the arch but once it was off it was massively deformed.
Either this has been caused by running it at a slightly lower pressure for a while or it's had a traumatic experience of some sort (a Sheffield pothole perhaps).
As I said above the tyres were all new when I bought the car but now 3 out of 4 have needed attention and I do wonder whether this one and the front I had re-fitted came from some cowboy operation (they're budget tyres for starters). Obviously one still remains that hasn't given me problems but I'm not holding my breath.
Also whilst doing some research I found New Hall BMW, another Sheffield independent who are going to get my business from now on. I haven't been totally sold on Quarry since my first visit and these guys have been very helpful over the phone.
Thanks for all of the help. I'm please/relieved it wasn't anything more or this car was doomed to Autotrader I fear.
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it's had a traumatic experience of some sort (a Sheffield pothole perhaps).
http://www.potholes.co.uk/ (http://www.potholes.co.uk/) - For reporting them and advice on making claims (if you can identify where/when it occurred, but doesn't sound likely).
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I did that with the road between Malham and Kilnsey which ate a tyre last year (some spirited driving between the two after a post-crux wetness based fall to find a drier project). I reported it and did all of the FOI request and was given a letter telling me they'd filled all of the potholes in on that road the year before.
It's quite simply bollocks though as there were more holes than road.
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It seems like I'm constantly losing pressure from my rear tyres.
The car had poor non-name branded tyres all around when I got it and now they've all either worn out (very fast) or failed (gone out of shape) etc.
However, I've now got Avons on the rear and Vredestein on the front and I'm consistently needing to top up the rears (although not at the same rate). Now it IS a possibility that I've got a pair of slows but this seems to be a feature on this car, that I'd initially put down to poor quality / poorly fitted tyres. These aren't and they were fitted by a tyre shop I've trusted for a while now.
Anything that could be the cause of this (beyond a nail etc.), I was wondering if the wheels were slightly out of shape? They are 18s on fairly low profile tyres so not all too suited to Sheffield / Potholes.
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18's low profile tyre, Potholes.................. yeah that sounds about right as far recipes for delating tyres go.
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thing is, when you crack a pothole enough to worry yourself about the tyre you usually know... The last car was on 16s but those were stupidly low too and it just wasn't an issue.
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I just ordered one of these with the same 19" rims. Suppose I'll just have to be careful with the potholes. I'll live with it.
(http://img.pistonheads.com.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/Fullsize/volkswagen/golf-mk7/gtd-dsg/volkswagen-golf-mk7-gtd-dsg-S1162215-1.jpg)
Seriously, what Paul said. Every time I've fucked a tyre on a pothole I've winced at the horrible clunk and known it was done at the time. In fact it's only once that it was properly screwed and the other couple of winces I've got away with.
So I think the low profile 18s vs Sheffield potholes aren't the answer.
Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk
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Some alloys reputedly become porous over time meaning they will then develop a slow leak. Can't remember which makes have been commonly affected...
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I had a 93 Vauxhaul that had porous alloys - ended up replacing them as it was right ballache checking the pressures all the time.
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yes, I agree, sounds like the alloys to me
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Standard 18 inch M sport alloys are what it has. Checking this morning I've lost 5 psi from one so I'd guess it either has a slow or simply needs refitting?
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Tube em.
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?
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Inner tube. As for some puncture repairs. Not sure they work with low profiles... That's what I did anyway on car with leaky alloys 15 odd yrs ago.
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Could you try putting in the tyre sealing goo you get for MTB tyres?
I.e. some of this stuff: http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_1005703_langId_-1_categoryId_273923 (http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_1005703_langId_-1_categoryId_273923)
Oh, wait a minute - you can get a car tyre specific brand: http://ebay.eu/1lQy5dE (http://ebay.eu/1lQy5dE)
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yeah I could but next time it needs a tyre I'll have to pay for them to scrape it all off!
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<noob> get the garage to thoroughly clean the alloys? </noob>
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<noob> get the garage to thoroughly clean the alloys? </noob>
sorry? I didn't complain they were dirty ;)
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yes, I agree, sounds like the alloys to me
what's the solution then Jim, refurb? A damn good application of bead sealer? My car hates me.
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I meant them to thoroughly clean / scrub (wirebrush?) the rims where the tyres join. I had that done on mine when I'd twatted a kerb or rock or something and needed new tyres. Despite having some chips out of the alloy rims and a car that weighs as much as the Bowderstone and Glasgow potholes making Sheffield look like a F1 track, I've had no deflation.
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I had both rear tyres on the Fab' VRS dropping down to about 12psi in about 10 days. The cause was pitting to the rim of the alloy. The local tyre fitter removed the tyres, then spun the wheels and gently ground down the inner faces where the tyre seats. Sorted it for me.
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I had both rear tyres on the Fab' VRS dropping down to about 12psi in about 10 days. The cause was pitting to the rim of the alloy. The local tyre fitter removed the tyres, then spun the wheels and gently ground down the inner faces where the tyre seats. Sorted it for me.
seems the vRS alloys are very prone to this which I find mildly ironic given with our vRS we had no issue! I'll speak to Hawleys at the weekend.
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leaking valve, no charge.
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Anyone used Lovers Leap garage in at Stoney?
Need my car servicing and due to exams etc I'm in the library most of the time.
Thinking if I get it done there, then I can have a few hours at minus 10 and treat it at a revision break...
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Anyone used Lovers Leap garage in at Stoney?
Need my car servicing and due to exams etc I'm in the library most of the time.
Thinking if I get it done there, then I can have a few hours at minus 10 and treat it at a revision break...
In have hears this garage described in less than complementary terms.
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Ah well, back to DOT then most likely. Cheers!
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leaking valve, no charge.
:D ha ha! Did you try the glob of spit over the valve test?
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No, I didn't!
Actually, it took them ages to find it.
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Sat by A46 waiting for recovery, offside front top wishbone broken... Could have been worse, had literally just got off the m4 to avoid some traffic, very glad it didn't let go while I was on the motorway.
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First recovery van turned up, only had one of those trailers that you strap the front wheels too - obviously no use when one of them is all wobbly - rang for proper flatbed to put car on, just pulled up, had to pull forward 50m or so to let a lorry get by, then instead of just reversing back to me has disappeared down the lane, which I know has no turning points for a couple of miles!
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The joys of recovery vehicles...
Hope you get sorted soon!
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Cheers, car at garage and me home now, lets hope the bills not too nasty!
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The joys of recovery vehicles...
Hope you get sorted soon!
Wishbone failure, ouch!
I had the AA tell me that they'd definitely have a replacement windscreen for a 1972 VW Camper (Transporter) and to "Not worry, these things are laminated so they won't actually collapse" whilst I was pretty much wearing the shattered windscreen of the van!
I've just had the call back from mine. The starter pack failed again, that'll be the one they replaced not that long ago but given they're now claiming a 30 day warranty on used parts (which is considerably less than the 3 months I was told!) work I'll be paying again. Did I mention the other Indie BMW place in Sheffield?
Newhall BMW.
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Even by your standards you're not having a lot of luck with this car P-Ben.
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So, since having my hazards on for a couple of hours the other day (see above), my indicators have bust. Seems weird tho, first, after being on for an hour or so, the hazards stopped flashing, and just stayed on. I turned them off and on again, and all seemed fine. When I got the car back from the garage, the indicators were doing the same thing, just staying on rather than blinking. I briefly turned the hazards back on and off, and that seemed to solve it, but today they at first blinked briefly before going out, and now don't come on at all! Any ideas?
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Very weird. Knackered relay?
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sounds like it although I'd change the bulbs first, indicators do funny things although usually they just blink twice as quickly.
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Bulbs all fine, can see when I lock/unlock. Cheers all
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How much has the Bimmer cost so far P-Ben?
Picked up my new motor last Friday and the week before I had a look at the front tyres on the Passat and felt quite happy that they'd easily seen me through the last 10k miles and still had loads of life left. Only one pair of fronts after the original Contis expired after 15k seemed quite a good deal really for 3 years... Then last Tuesday some knobhead forced me to the side on Mickley Lane and the pothole I've hit a few times slashed an inside sidewall. New tyre cost £80 and I gave the car back with the unused spare alloy on the front and an brand new tyre in the boot.
If you drive downhill on that road watch out just after you pass the big hay shed on the right after the trees. The pothole is just after it on the left where the roads narrows a bit
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Bulbs all fine, can see when I lock/unlock. Cheers all
Its the hazard/relay box thing. Ah - flasher unit - thats what they're called (thanks memory). Simply a bimetalic strip that bends when a current passes through it (as it heats up) causing it to lose contact - break the circuit, cool down, relax back to its former shape, make contact again and so on... so its mechanical - and I imagine if you leave it on for ages it'll get knackered. Should think a replacement is in the £5-10 range. Normally found in/around the fuse box and shaped like a black cube, c 2 by 2 by2 cm in size...
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How much has the Bimmer cost so far P-Ben?
Too much.
The park distance worked for a short period yesterday (it never has) but promptly went back to the error beep.
Just sat in the in-laws new fiesta 1 litre 3 cylinder thing. I'm astounded by it (and for once their sensible choice of city vehicle). I bet the ST is a right laugh!
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I'd like any info people can offer on dash cams please. I started thinking about it today after arriving, and then leaving, The Avenue Washlands where a set of really dodgy / chavvy / downright nasty looking fuckers were just leaving the trail, clocked the car in a really 'we want to do something to that' way and then sat down and began watching us park up etc.
I'm less bothered about recording driving (although obviously it'd be great to do just in case) and more about something that would sense movement when left alone and get a picture / vid of any naughty people. I'm not even sure doing so would be worth the bother what with being insured etc anyway but it got me thinking...
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I've got one. Bubba has one. Mine was quite ££ (150) but has good lens/sensor. Most have motion detect etc.. More expensive have gps. Even more expensive wifi. Size important depending if you want it mounted permanently or not. On hols at mo. But can post more upon return in 10 days or so...
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leaking valve, no charge.
Or not. Turns out it was obviously still loosing pressure as on Fri night on the M1 it pretty much tore itself apart (quite a lot of sidewall damage).
The tyre shop have been apologetic, done a full inspection and used a tar based sealer this time. They say it doesn't need a refurb currently.
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I'm not at heart a mean man but I lv reading your bad luck stories Paul
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I'd like any info people can offer on dash cams please.
This site is great for up to date dashcam info: http://dashcamtalk.com/
Guide and forums, etc...
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Bulbs all fine, can see when I lock/unlock. Cheers all
Its the hazard/relay box thing. Ah - flasher unit - thats what they're called (thanks memory). Simply a bimetalic strip that bends when a current passes through it (as it heats up) causing it to lose contact - break the circuit, cool down, relax back to its former shape, make contact again and so on... so its mechanical - and I imagine if you leave it on for ages it'll get knackered. Should think a replacement is in the £5-10 range. Normally found in/around the fuse box and shaped like a black cube, c 2 by 2 by2 cm in size...
That's the thing I was thinking of, I though it was just called a relay.
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From what I understand you can either have a relay, a bimetallic strip or a chip.
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I'd like any info people can offer on dash cams please. I started thinking about it today after arriving, and then leaving, The Avenue Washlands where a set of really dodgy / chavvy / downright nasty looking fuckers were just leaving the trail, clocked the car in a really 'we want to do something to that' way and then sat down and began watching us park up etc.
I'm less bothered about recording driving (although obviously it'd be great to do just in case) and more about something that would sense movement when left alone and get a picture / vid of any naughty people. I'm not even sure doing so would be worth the bother what with being insured etc anyway but it got me thinking...
The problem with 'snapping' the offenders is that the images may well be of insufficient quality to rely on in criminal prosecutions; also the Police are unlikely to be interested in low level vehicle damage, I'd suggest that unless you have a very high end vehicle the costs would outweigh any benefits and the camera would be the thing they'd look to steal.
The camera to record driving is, if you're a higher risk driver (by reason of age, car, where you live etc) would probably repay its cost in one collision that would otherwise be likely to be settled @ 50/50 i.e rounabout collisions, narrow roads, no witnesses etc. In fact I'm thinking of getting one.
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Thats why I have one Sloper.. 25K PA on the (mainly on the M60/M62) and the odds are at some point I will have a crash/accident - where there will be a chance its hard to prove one way or the other (especially as I mainly drive on my own..).
Interestingly, it also makes me drive better - as I also think if I have an accident while hooning along it'll be recorded if a clever copper spots the camera! To date the closest incident I've nearly had to use if for was when a big lump of wood came off a trailer in front of me on the M56 - that I fairly easily avoided - but if I'd not been able to it would have been very handy...
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Yes, some fuckmonkey recorded himself on a bike doing>150 and then after he crashed they hit 'playback' :wank: :wank: :wank: do not pass go, when out of hospital go direct to gaol.
I can't remember the theory but observation general improves performance, from stacking shelves to surgery; I guess it just goes to show as a species we're lazy careless bastards.
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Yes, some fuckmonkey recorded himself on a bike doing>150 and then after he crashed they hit 'playback' :wank: :wank: :wank: do not pass go, when out of hospital go direct to gaol.
I can't remember the theory but observation general improves performance, from stacking shelves to surgery; I guess it just goes to show as a species we're lazy careless bastards.
Sounds like they need some cameras up in that tyre place you went to :/
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Fucking useless Kawasaki...
Somehow my 2009 Ninja is not the 2009 blue as you would expect.
Instead, I have the 2008 blue which is much lighter. Now I've got to get 4 fucking fairings respray to the correct colour because the place I bought them from in the States doesn't fucking sell the 2008 blue.
And the paint is US$200 for just under a litre! Fuck knows how much paint I'll need to buy.
I got dicked around by the guy I tried to buy an exhaust from aswell.
He had the Carbon exhaust on ebay (brand new in Italy). So I buy it and pay with Paypal. He accepts the payment then decides to email me and say that he doesn't have the Carbon in stock and will take an extra 3 fucking weeks for him to get it in. And would I want the cheaper Titanium model (that he has in stock) instead... Tell him nope, just refund my money simple as and I'll buy from someone else. He refunds it and paypal place a fucking block on the money. Not like I fucking needed it to buy the exhaust from someone else!
Moral of the stories: Don't crash your fucking motorbike. It hurts your body and your wallet.
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Sidenote: Not in any way related to Sloper's post above! I hadn't noticed it! :D
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Steam steam fucking STEAM.
Passenger side of the windscreen and the side window are both steaming up and not demisting, especially in wet weather (not unknown up here).
Blowers are working fine, I can feel then with my hand and they're about equal in force and heat on the passenger side and drivers side.
I replaced the pollen filter last week, the only one was filthy but has made little difference.
I suspect there is water / dampness coming in "somewhere" but I can't find any. I had taken out the glovebox and taken up the carpet whilst searching for the pollen filter in completely the wrong place, and there was no dampness.
Any ideas that don't involve "just take it to the garage"??
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Run it with the ac on.
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I'm going to take a guess that your rubber seals are a bit perished. Do you have a sunroof?
I think they're like this on mine but I can't see any visible signs of where the problem might be arising from.
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TT aircon died a while ago, can't be arsed to get it fixed for the 4 days of hot weather this year. Steaming has only been a problem in the last few weeks.
PB yes that sort of thing sounds right, I will have a close look at them.
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Just get the ac pressure tested and re-gassed if it passes. As car repairs go this will be fairly cheap.
I'd definitely check your sunroof first if you've got one. I'm sure if it's perished you can just run a bead of bathroom sealant over it... job done.
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Ac's useful in these circs as it dries things out... Steamed up windows when you come back to the car on a sunny day? If so just residual water that's leaked in somewhere...
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Do you park on a hill? We've had leaks in various cars, some are due to parking on a steep drive and heavy rain running over the door sills. I've also had leaks around a pollen filter in a SEAT where water ingresses through the plenum chamber. Due to really poor design that I would hope is only on SEATS not other VAGs, but worth checking.
Check the carpet in all footwells, it may be damp under the carpet.
Another thing to check is the drain holes in the bottom of doors, if they get blocked water that flows down the window runs into the door and builds up until it drains into the car, although is this was the case I would expect very damp carpets or even puddles! :fishing:
As suggested get the AC fixed, some cars use the AC when you put the demister on so if it's not working the demister won't work nearly as well as it should.
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Cheers Obi. I park on the flat. We do get occasional heavy rain tho.
Didn't notice any dampness when I took up the carpets before.
I do get a lot of water coming out of the drivers door when I open it after rain, but no dampness inside and no problems with steam on my side.
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Okay. Someone on Facebook suggested it might be coolant leaking into the "heat exchange manifold" (or something like that). I immediately dismissed this idea because it wasn't happening on the driver's side of the car.
Today I realised that my car has different temperature controls for the driver's side and the passenger side :-[ Which means there might well be different heat exchange manifolds (?) or at least different aspects / feeds from it....
And the fluid definitely seems to be more.....oily and less evaporaty than water....
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This has happened on my Berlingo but you can smell it to be honest, the first time the heat goes on after a few days off.
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Check if you're losing coolant. If you keep having to top up your radiator (or coolant bottle) then it's a possibility. But most coolant had a fair chunk of antifreeze in it - and smells sweet (for want of a better description) when spilled..
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Not noticing any more coolant loss than usual BUT it's a fine fog on the windows so I doubt I would notice it yet.
No obvious smell, but it's definitely oilier than water. I will taste it tomorrow, for fun.
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Okay. Someone on Facebook suggested it might be coolant leaking into the "heat exchange manifold" (or something like that). I immediately dismissed this idea because it wasn't happening on the driver's side
I've had this, it's a simple fix. Just get a bottle of radiator sealant and stick it in your coolant.
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*like
button somewhere
it works
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Okay will try that. Assuming you're not sandbagging me :P
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Fiend - first of all check to see if you are losing coolant over time... if you are not - then the leak isnt coming from there! No point in putting radweld (or equivalent) in a perfectly fine system...
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Dragging up an old topic but on the subject of the OP I would recommend anyone to ditch runflats.
Just replaced Michelin PS2 RFs with ContiSportContact5s and the difference is staggering - the car is now suitable for UK roads and even Sheffield's legendary potholes are now bearable whereas before I was thinking I'd bought the wrong car.
Tyre fitters said that they get loads of cracked alloys when people are running 18" or over & runflats.
One of these (http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003QHY000/ref=sr_ph?ie=UTF8&qid=1430562907&sr=1&keywords=slime) in the boot means no need for for a spare.
About £200 cheaper for the set as well. Win.
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the c4 grand picasso comes with one of those repair kits instead of a spare wheel - i must get around to testing that the pump actually works...
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Get on eBay and get a space saver lagers.. Never heard of those repair kits working...
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On the few times I've had the need, just a can of Tyre Weld has seen me right until I can get to a fitter.
Forgot to say, I'm running .2 bar higher pressure than the recommended on the non runflats. Seems to feel about right.
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the c4 grand picasso comes with one of those repair kits instead of a spare wheel - i must get around to testing that the pump actually works...
If you bought the car used check the previous owner didn't part-use it and then put it back. My Dad found this out the hard way, somewhere remote with no signal on his phone (probably Lancashire).
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(http://vizbloguk.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/103_04242014_17-34.jpg)
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The missus picked up her new company car today. Really proud of it till I pointed out its got a 14 plate on the front and a 15 plate at the back. ;D
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmOhBnBoftk
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I know FA about cars and I would normally ask my Dad about this but he's away so UKB is to be my substitute Dad.
C1 failed to start for my partner this morning. Didn't have a chance to look at it before I left for work but on coming home it appears to me that the battery is flat.
Symptoms:
Central locking doesn't work (you can hear it trying but not enough power); lights etc don't work
HUD with fuel level etc doesn't fully show, quite flickery, so obviously struggling for power
Absolutely nothing happens when you try and start it
I guess all this means the battery is flat?
Diagnosis:
To my knowledge it definitely wasn't left with any lights/radio etc on last night so can't see any reason why that would have drained it.
Car gets daily use for commuting (2x 45 minute journeys) and a good run out cragging at the weekend so can't think it hasn't had a chance to charge properly.
Alternator could be fucked? Not sure how I would tell if this was the case.
Don't think it will be a faulty component draining it slowly over time. It always starts very well and haven't noticed a weak battery before. We did have a brake light go recently which I haven't got round to replacing. No idea if that could be related!
Could just be that the battery is flat? Do batteries sometimes just go flat?
Treatment:
We share the car between us and are very reliant on it. It would be good to have it back on the road as soon as possible. With this in mind I could go out and buy a charger and plug it in tonight, and hopefully have it working in the morning. However, if its a problem with the alternator/a shit component that is draining it then presumably it will just go flat again?
If its a faulty battery then charging might not work?
Suggested course of action? :please:
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Try charging the battery first. If it doesnt hold a charge then theres your problem. Usually batteries give up fairly slowly - so if it is on its way out it will probably hold a charge for a day or two then start to fail.. but unless they're really fucked it should be OK immediately after charging.
However, your car is french. So it may well be shrugging at you and saying pah.
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Ask a friend with jump leads to jump start it for you and then you'll know it's probably to do with the battery if it starts. Measure the voltage across the battery when the car is running and when it's stopped. When the car is the running, the alternator should provide a higher voltage for charging, like 14V or something (google it if you want) but when the engine is off it will be 12.somethingV.
If it's not giving you a higher voltage when running then the alternator is probably fooked. Or perhaps the auxiliary belt has come off but you'd lose other stuff potentially, like power steering if that was the case. If you get the higher voltage then perhaps the battery is knackered, or you did somehow drain the battery. I think what I've suggested is the cheapest option provided you've got jump leads and a multi-meter. Good luck.
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How old is the car. I found that the batteries in small cars tend to go after about 3 years. Also if you've used anything like a pump via the cigarette lighter can make them fail dramatically.
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Sit rep. We fortunately have a sloping drive so was able to jump start it and took it for a drive on the bypass. Everything seemed to work but turning the headlights on definitely made it go a bit funny at first but after some repeated offing and onning it seemed to work :shrug:
Also had two random warning lights on - handbrake and ABS.
Got it back onto the drive and killed the power. Turning the key, I could get the lights on but there was nothing at all from the starting motor. Will try and get it into the garage tomorrow.
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Dead battery and/or dead alternator. More likely the latter.
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Dead battery and/or dead alternator. More likely the latter.
Battery.
If it was the alternator you would have 1. not been able to bump start it or 2. had any electrics running once it was running (ie lights would have been mega dim)... in other words it must have been working to make the electrics work with no battery attached. Chain is partly right - but the engine has to be revving in order to generate more than the 12v. Often on tickover it wont generate enough voltage.
Warning lights often come on after the battery has been changed - gone flat... but it is a French car ;)
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Merde.
If it was the alternator you would have 1. not been able to bump start it or 2. had any electrics running once it was running (ie lights would have been mega dim)
That's what I though (honest). Hopefully just a new battery or something like that.
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True that. Wine fuzzled brain. Read more type less :chair:
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Web says new battery £50 (first look)... one of those things that doesnt last for ever...
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Dead battery and/or dead alternator. More likely the latter.
but it is a French car
Thems is fighting words TT
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Dead battery and/or dead alternator. More likely the latter.
but it is a French car
Thems is fighting words TT
But if we were having a duel - your gun would jam ;)
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Plus, to be accurate, a C1 is technically a go cart :smartass:
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I'm sure if it came down to it the French car would surrender...
Perhaps your car has gone on strike Will?
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I'm sure if it came down to it the French car would surrender...
Perhaps your car has gone on strike Will?
Someone will be burning tyres on your drive tomorrow Will, to stop you bump starting it again...
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Chain is partly right - but the engine has to be revving in order to generate more than the 12v.
Not sure how true this is, I've done these tests on my old octavia and my fiat ducato motorhome and have always got at least 13.7V with the car at idle. I'd imagine that the current would vary a bit though.
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Battery check first, generally the root of all evil. Any drive in service centre (Kwik Fit if you must, but I try and avoid them like the plague) can do a quick test.
Alternatively it being a C1, you can ask a passing small child (anyone over age 5 would do) to push it for you.
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Garage did a battery check and it was FUBAR. Replaced battery and fixed wobbly mud flaps for good measure. 76 sheets inc vat which seems reasonable to me. Hurrah. Thanks all.
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After chatting away merrily about me and the missus getting a second car, we are now actually getting serious about it. She's starting a new job in October and we'll need a car each.
So, took ourselves off to The Car People today and had a mooch around. We're quite taken with the Skoda Fabia and wondered if anybody had any comments on the 1.2 petrol engine they put in them? When I asked here before about the Fabia everyone was raging about the 1.9TDI but since the car will do lots of short, stop-start journeys we're steering clear of diesel.
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We're quite taken with the Skoda Fabia and wondered if anybody had any comments on the 1.2 petrol engine they put in them?
We were looking at the 1.2 fabia. Test drove a few and thought they were alright. Don't know if the newer ones are different but we were looking at 2005 - 2008 and they came in either 3 or 4 cylinders. I heard that the 3 cylinder has a timing chain instead of belt which saves money on getting the cambelt changed. We ended up being offered my aunty's 1.2 polo at part exchange price so went with that but I assume it's the same engine as it's 3 cylinders and we've now found out it's a timing chain
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MrsTT didn't like the 3cyl 1.2 - but that was in a polo (same car more or less). Petrol a better idea than diesel for lots of short journeys..
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Having a wee issue with starting my A3 when it hasn't been run for a while:
https://vimeo.com/144744431
The slowness / roughness of the start is in proportion to how long it's been left, although over 12 hours it's pretty much similar.
The temperature has no effect whatsoever (5'C start the same as a 20'C start). How recently it's been running has the only effect.
There seems to be no effect from using the battery beforehand (e.g. listening to stereo, turning ignition on and off without starting).
There are no other running / stalling / juddering problems once the engine is running. It never fails to start.
...
I've taken it back to the dealer and had the following work done:
Dual mass flywheel replaced (local Audi specialist and dealer suspected it could be this).
Fuel pump changed (there was evidence of contamination and oil seeping in).
Fuel filter changed twice (before and after fuel pump change).
Glow plugs replaced.
Battery checked.
New cambelt (as part of standard 80,000 mile change).
Also the dealer checked with Audi and apparently the fuel injectors were replaced in 2013 under a general recall.
...but the issue still remains. Possibilities could be battery / starter motor?? Taking it back and forth to the dealer is a pain in the arse so ideas in advance would be helpful.
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When was battery last checked?
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It could be:
Fuel pump timing still not set properly. Hot starts and cold starts (not related to ambient temperature, but engine temperature - as far as I can remember, the pump timing is slightly different dependent on hot/cold mode.)
Fuel system leaking a little bit, meaning that the fuel pump has to prime a little bit. Do you get white smoke after a start like this?
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it might just be laziness
go into the options section of the computer and change the language to "Deutche" - it'll make more of an effort to start properly
it will also make a big deal of appearing to be more efficient
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Battery checked when I bought it two months ago. Problem has been continuous since then.
Don't get any white smoke, not that I'm aware of anyway.
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Its
(1) not the battery (as the engine is turning over fine)
(2) injectors (as they've been changed duh..)
(3) I'd doubt its a fuel supply issue as its fine when warm...
(4) what bellend suggested the flywheel!! never heard of that.... was that ££££?
Its only happening when the engine is cold, so its an cold ignition problem (diesels need high compression to make the fuel burn instead of having a spark plug) - on earlier diesels they had a glow plug in each cylinder, so when the engine was cold this would help the combhustion start - and would switch off when the engine was warm, as the heat within the engine is enough to make it burn once its been running for a while (hence yours sounds fine after 7 min etc..). However, I don't think your VAG engine has glow plugs as its direct injection.. THOUGH.. a 1 min google shows that certainly some A3's have them..
(this video is very very boring..)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46dwIFS_FgI
So I would be going to the garage and saying - does my Golf (sorry) A3 have glow plugs? If so are they alright?
If its NOT the glow plugs or you don't have them - then it may be more serious. It suggests that there is poor compression in one or two of the cylinders. This could be due to the head (valve seals etc..), valve timing or damage to the pistons (expensive). I had a similar problem in a Nova TDi (had an isuzu engine - superb car...) where it was worn shims on top of the valves that did the timing/valve clearances. Had to be done at a Vauxhall garage - but when done went from starting on a cool day taking 1-2 min (spluttering like yours) to perfect.
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My other shout on the above was ECU - I'm assuming someone's plugged into into the relevant diagnostic tool and checked out the fault codes?
You can do this yourself with a number of easily accessible online downloads and a cable, or failing that a check of the PH forums might find you a local VAG technician who can look at it on the weekend for you in exchange for some C.R.E.A.M. Geezer over the road from me is, and does.
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You mean
Its not
(1) not the battery (as the engine is turning over fine)
(2) injectors (as they've been changed duh..)
(3) I'd doubt its a fuel supply issue as its fine when warm...
(4) what bellend suggested the flywheel!! never heard of that.... was that ££££?
??
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You mean
Its not
(1) not the battery (as the engine is turning over fine)
(2) injectors (as they've been changed duh..)
(3) I'd doubt its a fuel supply issue as its fine when warm...
(4) what bellend suggested the flywheel!! never heard of that.... was that ££££?
??
Meh - brain fade. Sorry. Personally I doubt its ECU as its happening when the engine is cold. Theres two bits of SW that you can use on the VAG engines - theres the generic 'what the engine is doing' software that is there due to an EU regulation so any garage can do basic diagnostics. You can get a bluetooth dongle to read this for £20 or less on ebay and free SW for your ifern/android to check whilst running. Or there is VAGCOM which is VW's bespoke software for doing this. pirate versions and dongles from £20 again.. or the proper version is £400 IIRC. Or find a garage/mate who has it as 3T suggested.
Bodgers tip for diesel engines that start badly when its really cold - carefully and slowly pour a kettle or two of hot water over the inlet manifold to warm it up (and thus aid combustion)... avoid the block as it can (allegedly) crack the block if you pour too much on that.. Though fiend, your A3 lump probably has loads of largely useless bits of plastic covering all the gubbins under the bonnet..
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He already said he's replaced the glow plugs :rtfm:
Good shout on the fault codes though.
What makes you think it couldn't be a fuel issue on the unpressurised side? I'm no expert, but when our fuel leak off pipe was split and leaking, starting after sitting a while always took some cranking.
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Popped into Kwik Fit to get the battery tested. Down to 67% (of something, when it should be 80+%), and the testing machine printed out "Battery Unservicable". Which might be it.
Incidentally A4Audi (glasgow specialists) suggested the flywheel, also googling did indicate that was a possibility. I left it with the dealer for them to check and the dealer also decided to replace the flywheel. Blame them not me. This is all under warranty so far.
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I wouldn't trust Kwik Fit to tighten my wheel nuts.
You can test your car battery yourself with a multimeter.
Maybe you've got a friend that owns one?
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Think that Fultonius is on the money with his diagnosis that it's pressure loss on the fuel system given the time involved and it rings bells on something I read a long time ago on the T5 forums. Seem to remember that it's a pain to diagnose as they will need to clamp off the return pipes overnight and then see if it does it again the following morning. Might be worth checking on the forums for your car though the engine will be common across various models.
Can't see how it would be the DMF either but if it has been done under warranty then no great loss.
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Yeah everyone likes to slag Kwikfit off, dealers and punters. Funny enough Kwikfit like to slag off the dealers too. Which means I'm in the middle with side A saying this and side B saying that, and so all I think the automotive industry is a pile of dick and I'm fed up with everyone I deal with.
FWIW, the KF guy gave me a print-out from their machine, and then showed me the machine itself doing the reading from scratch - after I'd told him I'd have to go back to the dealer to get it done under warranty (and therefore wouldn't be getting it from KF).
I'll keep the fuel pressure loss in mind too, when I was googling start-up problems that didn't come up, will search more specifically for it.
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Think that Fultonius is on the money with his diagnosis that it's pressure loss on the fuel system given the time involved and it rings bells on something I read a long time ago on the T5 forums. Seem to remember that it's a pain to diagnose as they will need to clamp off the return pipes overnight and then see if it does it again the following morning. Might be worth checking on the forums for your car though the engine will be common across various models.
Can't see how it would be the DMF either but if it has been done under warranty then no great loss.
If it's a fuel pressure problem why does it only happen on cold starts?
Didn't see the glow plug thing - sorry.
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Anyway - sorry to hear it's playing up - and glad they're replacing stuff under warranty rather than piss you about.
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Cold start = long time since last run. If there is a slight leak on the non-pressurised (i.e. feed) side of the pump, it could pull in some air which would need to be purged on next start. It *should* be fairly obvious as there would be a diesel coming out somewhere. It happened to us in the T4.
But, battery replacement at first call. Fiend - if you can make it to the South Side Cumming Automotive seemed really good when they did our MOT. Neither main dealer nor KWikThief.
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Yeah everyone likes to slag Kwikfit off, dealers and punters. Funny enough Kwikfit like to slag off the dealers too.
It's down to the individual you deal with, not the company. There of plenty of independents who are rip-off merchants and I'm sure plenty of honest chaps in main dealers. The problem is the corporate approach of maximising margins and high turnover of the big garages means things are more likely missed/ignored.
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Free dual mass flywheel sounds like a win anyway, seem to remember the french had Jim over a barrel for several grand when his went. Hope you get it sorted. Having had a few error messages from mine it seems the sensors are much less reliable than the components.
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The flywheel.... A4Audi technician said he was "99% certain" that was the problem when they checked it out (it was in for the timing belt, I asked them to look at the rough start at the same time). Took it to the dealer to check out, obviously they wanted to be sure before doing the work on it, he kept it in for a couple of days and kept checking it before deciding to to replace the DMF. When they took it off, they did find some play in it it (but obviously it isn't the main problem!). I think a replacement would have been about £850 fully fitted. However now the dealer/technician does whine a bit "Well you're lucky, we've replaced the DMF and glow plugs and fuel pump for you, that's a bonus". Yeah whatever homie I don't want a fucking bonus and TBH I don't really care about getting a load of work done on the car under warranty, I just want it to start smooth, if that's a 1/2 hour job and £50 part I get for free then I'd be happy with that :whatever:
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Have you made them aware of who you are?
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Sone replacement wheels for you here Fiend..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRQ567yQ7UA
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Weird that they thought it was the DMF, that would be a problem all the time, not just from cold starts. I guess the only thing it could be is a fuelling issue and I would envision that the ECU uses lots of different sensors to decide on the specifics of that.
I know the ECU resets itself after the battery being disconnected for a period of time and then takes a period of time to relearn settings:
I reset the ECU, and now the car runs rough! Why? The engine may run rough or idle poorly right after ECU reset. The ECU now has default numbers in its trim memory - it has to adjust them to match the tune of your engine and its sensors and actuators. It might take a day or two of driving in traffic before the engine will settle down again. Now you know why the ECU remembers these values in the first place!
http://www.technomotive.com/theory/myth/ecureset.htm (http://www.technomotive.com/theory/myth/ecureset.htm)
Did you say they've had it hooked up to diagnostics?
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Anyone got any beta about the kia ceed estate? Need a new car (second hand) and it looks like a possibility.
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My boss has the hatchback version, he's not a climber but I'll get some info from him tomorrow.
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Thanks
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Is that the one that's pretty much a fake octavia?
Heard good things about them
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Yer that's the one.
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I've got one and I like it. It's reliable as hell, the only thing that's ever gone wrong with it was a failed starter motor which was replaced under the enormously long 7 year warranty. Even when that went, I bump started it and got home fine. I get about 53-55mpg (113bhp 1.6l diesel in an '07-'09 model, I think the newer ones are better because they've got 6 gears). Boot size is pretty average, about the same as a Focus. Likewise the level of interior comfort. Max pad width to fit in the simplest way is about 105cm, but I've also got a 115cm Edelrid one that shoves in level with the bottom of the windows and bags just go underneath. Roof rails are handy, but you'll need a short-ish roof box because the boot hinges quite a long way into the roof. It does mean you can back it right up to things and still get in the boot, mind.
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Thanks
Turns out my boss is off work today but I think I'll see him next on Thursday.
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Tyre help. This shit confuses me.
We've sold old Ford Focus estate (2005) and bought a newer one (2014 Ford Focus Diesel Estate Zetec TDCI with a 1560 cc engine)
Now I've still gt a set of old steel wheels with winter tyres from the old one with winter tyres on it. I've checked the stud spacing and it's the same. Old tyres are 205/55 R16 91H, tyres on new car are 215/55/R16 93H.
So if I'm right the old tyres have a bit smaller outer diameter, but still good to go. Only bit I'm unsure of is the load rating, which is lower on the old tyres. How do you work out or find out what the minimum load rating is for a car? I've tried assorted tyre sales databases, but they all seem to give different results.
Thanks
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Check your insurance CHRIS - they may get a bit sniffy about non standard sizes for winter tyres (btw winter tyres seem to get a v good resale price with wheels on eBay at this time of year....)
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Sorry for the caps. Phone text blah.
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Check your insurance CHRIS - they may get a bit sniffy about non standard sizes for winter tyres (btw winter tyres seem to get a v good resale price with wheels on eBay at this time of year....)
WORD ^
If the insurance is happy - happy days! If not, then do some more googling and argue your case.
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OK, but that aside, still confused about the load rating?
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Lay off the pies then ;)
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Check your logbook for the max permissible weight, divide by 4, check against black circles load ratings. I think don't quote me on that!
Sent from my XT1039 using Tapatalk
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Bleh.
Took the car to the dealer, they checked the battery, was dropping to below 10 volts on start up so they agreed to replace it.
Still got the same fucking problem happening.
I printed out what you were saying Fultonious, and showed it to him. He said it couldn't be a fuel pump timing issue as it would be happening during the car running. He said it shouldn't be the fuel lines leaking as there would be a smell of diesel around the car.
It's worth reiterating that there are no issues whatsoever once the engine is running - it idles at 900 rpm with no fluctuations, no stalling, no juddering, no lagging, nothing.
Unfortunately they don't have the VAG-COM diagnostic gubbins so they can't check more specifcally.
It's getting on my tits now because the dealer is going to get more and more reluctant to do more warranty work on it and it's going to end up a battle of wills getting them to keep looking into, which I relish about as much as cheesegrating my bellend.
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It's daft not to do a diagnostic with VAG-COM.
Join your friendly Audi (or VAG) forum and find someone locally (likely someone with a mate in prison) who is happy to plug it in and see what's what. Plenty of people (not just garages) have this ability in full. It'd also be a better bet (no offense to the people of UKB) for fault-finding.
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Bleh.
Took the car to the dealer, they checked the battery, was dropping to below 10 volts on start up so they agreed to replace it.
Still got the same fucking problem happening.
I printed out what you were saying Fultonious, and showed it to him. He said it couldn't be a fuel pump timing issue as it would be happening during the car running.
Unfortunately they don't have the VAG-COM diagnostic gubbins so they can't check more specifcally.
Did you buy it from Arnold Shark???
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It's daft not to do a diagnostic with VAG-COM.
Join your friendly Audi (or VAG) forum and find someone locally (likely someone with a mate in prison) who is happy to plug it in and see what's what. Plenty of people (not just garages) have this ability in full. It'd also be a better bet (no offense to the people of UKB) for fault-finding.
What paul said - get online and post up. There are (literally) millions of people in the world with cars using the same series of engine so this problem will have happened before...
My money is still on some thing to do with the compression/valves....
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Yeah will do.
Fultnus, nope 5th Gear in Aidrie. Just who had a car available.
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I take it you're not Sheffside anytime soon? Matt at AutoHaus Dolby would be worth speaking to / paying for a diagnostic (actually I don't think he charges for the diagnostic).
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Equally not-near-you but IVC in Leeds are absolute top notch.
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I've been having issue getting the BMW ('04 320d touring) started of late. It seems to be either:
a) following a cold night
b) several short journeys in a row
It barely tries to turn over the engine in both cases, occasionally I can catch it with a bit of carefully added fuel but most of the time not. Thankfully we live on a hill and I leave for work later than everyone else!
Given it'll charge on a long run (i.e. ~60mph, ~10mins) I think this points to the battery (it may be the original 2004 battery) rather than the alternator / glow plugs? I'm torn between pushing it over the 200,000 mile barrier and sacking it off for something that requires less constant intervention. That said, if it's only a battery and it's taxed and tested until the end of Jan...
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sounds like battery to me. Could be the alternator - but suspect you'd be ending up with a dead car rather than a sluggush to turn over one. not the glowplugs imho..
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Surely the first thing is to stick a multimeter across it?
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but when, at night when I park up and then in the morning?
It may have a voltage readout in the fault finding mode that you can get on the dash with a combination of button bashing.
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but when, at night when I park up and then in the morning?
It may have a voltage readout in the fault finding mode that you can get on the dash with a combination of button bashing.
Yup - I think the 'correct' starting voltage is about 12.7v (before you turn the key under no strain etc..) If its in the low 11's or 10's then I think (please check there will be www info about this) its not healthy..
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It didn't start at the office. Bumping wasn't even easy. 7 mile drive back and using the on board readout I was getting around 14v which suggests the alternator is fine. Stopped, 13.6 then 12.6 about 30 mins later.
I'm expecting to bump it in the morning. New battery?
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yes
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Got a trickle charger or booster battery thing? If so I'd get it prepared...
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Update:
The mechanic had a look at it today, there were no error codes coming through on VAG-COM, and he was pretty sure it was the tandem fuel pump that was loosing pressure slowly when the car was sitting (pretty sure the dealer only replaced the other fuel pump (the one before the fuel filter?)). He's kept it in for more testing though. He said it would be unlikely to be fuel pipes leaking as you'd notice the diesel, and the seals looked like the intact originals.
Does that sound feasible??
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It is pretty much what me and someone else was saying a while back so I have to say yes really. ;)
Seriously - it sounds right to me.
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Yeah, sounds pretty feasible. My original thought was that the main pump was having to prime the low pressure side (i.e. suck fuel from the filter/tank). I suggested a leak as that's what caused the same issue in our van - I hadn't thought of the possibility that the LP (tandem) pump might be faulty, but it sounds totally feasible.
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Not exactly sure where this belongs, but a good read nonetheless...
Wheelspin at 345 kmh... 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
http://gtspirit.com/2014/05/31/the-most-powerful-f1-car-ever/ (http://gtspirit.com/2014/05/31/the-most-powerful-f1-car-ever/)
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Probably here: http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,19868.0.html
Latest testing with mine by Argyll Diesel Electrics concludes that there is a small amount of air getting into the system around the injectors, somewhere between the tandem fuel pump (which was replaced) and the feed pipe out to the fuel filter. Like you guys were suggesting. Possibly dodgy seals around the injectors...
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had a bit of a CCFC moment yesterday
Mrs Starfish had a puncture (no spare), so I headed straight from the crag to pic the kids up from school
the auxiliary belt on my car went after a couple of hundred yards meaning that I had no power steering and that the alternator was not being spun - making me reluctant to turn on the lights or stereo
anyway - I got to school in time for the kids and then got my wife's car (she inflated it and managed to get home before it went flat again) to On The Spot Tyres before they shut to get a couple of new tyres fitted
turned out nice again, hasn't it?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0qyrnGLnsw
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Blimey - lucky you managed to limp home... By which time I was zooming off in the opposite direction.. Glad all sorted without the need to use the glue and pump on MrsLagers tyre...
In the good old days I've used a shoe lace to replace a broken fan belt - but just around the crank and water pump to stop it overheating ...
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the other issue was the car revving REALLY FUCKING HIGH whilst it was supposed to idle - no idea how this could be related to the belt's absence
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What are people's opinions on the 2010 Civic Type S, probably the 1.8 VTEC?
Nat wants something a bit smaller to park on our road and the 320d is heading interstellar and will likely go wrong in the near future (gearbox?).
The battery was the original BTW, so 11 years old!
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I looked at the civics - was put off by many reviews saying bad seats. Though comfort/back pain was one of my main criteria. 1.8 diesel lump is supposed to be top of its class..
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My exhaust decided to go west on the motorway on the way home from the in laws. Friday night is not a good time to call rescue people. Wish I had some car knowledge (spent my youth practicing the piano and climbing) break down man wiggled it and the whole silencer came off in his hand. Luckily we were only 30 mins from home. He said we could drive it home so that's what we did, sounded a bit 'sporty'.
Would rather not have a car bill before Christmas...
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Chances are it's not a mega bill if it's just the rear silencer that's fallen/rotted off...
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Well that's something, thanks
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Yeah should be OK, somewhere £50 - 80 depending on car. They might try and convince you to replace the rest of system as well, have a look if you can before deciding, if it does look totally shot it can save you repeating the exercise in a few months, but if you plan selling the car soon, don't bother.
I did a roadside running repair on ours when it came off using a roll of gaffer tape and a 2l coke bottle full of water, guy in garage was impressed with handywork.
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The long-running issue of the Audi A3 start-up problem.
Finally got in contact with the dealer and their service department after many un-returned calls before Christmas. Their service dept said they understood what Argyle Diesel had suggested (investigate injector / head unit as there is some loss of fuel pressure in that area after engine has been off). However the dealer themselves said they didn't want to do any more work on the car because, and I quote, "I can't expect it to run like a new car" and it was only a "slight hesitation" in starting. So I had to go and see him in person and explain the error of those terms and how insulted I feel having the issue dismissed like that. A confrontation which I handled well but relish about as much as flossing my urethra with barbed wire, and has left me pissed off all afternoon. He has agreed to have it in on Monday to have the bolts holding the injectors in replaced - A.D. suggested this as the first thing to check, however, they also suggested that as part of a full inspection of the injector seals, so once again I am going to have to persuade the dealer / service dept to do this full inspection rather than doing the bare minimum and hoping to get away with it. I've said quite clearly that I don't want the car back until it starts properly, although the dealer maintains the current starting, as per video a few pages back, is "acceptable" and we have a "difference of opinions" about it. IF it doesn't work after injector inspection I will speak to the owner of the company and express my displeasure about being sold a defective product. And if nothing comes from that, I will suck it up, but make sure to leave accurate reviews in any relevant places.
TL,DR: Dealer tries to downplay the problem, Fiend gets pissed but calmly and firmly explains it's not acceptable, dealer agrees to get service dept to look at injector bolts (and hopefully injectors). Off the record, Fiend is FFSYOUFUCKINGWANKINGSHITCUNTSIDIDNTBUYTHISSHITCOCKINGCARTOHAVEITINYOURCUNTINGGARAGEEVEROTHERWEEKANDHAVETOFUCKINGARGUETHATTHATHEAPOFSHITFUCKEDUPSTARTINGISUNACCEPTABLEYOUSHITTINGFUCKTARDS.
Edit:
This is what he calls "acceptable" and a "slight hesitation":
https://vimeo.com/144744431
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Our van is doing similar things after a long layoff. (but it's 18 years old & 197,000miles, so to be expected). Battery ok.
I've noticed that if i leave the ignition on for 10-15 secs (way past glow plug lights going off) then it starts much better. My guess is that the fuel system takes a wee while to pressurise. Try it and see if that makes any difference.
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Fiend hasn't got time sit on his arse doing nothing for 15 seconds every time he wants to start the car
what if there's a troll or a load of orks chasing him?
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Fiend hasn't got time sit on his arse doing nothing for 15 seconds every time he wants to start the car
what if there's a troll or a load of orks chasing him?
Feeling better sweet pea?
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I've noticed that if i leave the ignition on for 10-15 secs (way past glow plug lights going off) then it starts much better. My guess is that the fuel system takes a wee while to pressurise. Try it and see if that makes any difference.
That's what Argyle Diesels did to test it, along with turning ignition on and off several times. It does work slightly better - but not fucking "acceptably" - after that, which they say indicates the fuel tank pump is doing a bit of work to re-pressurise the area around the head.
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Anyone know if you can get two bouldering pads in the back of the previous shape BMW 1 series hatchback? E.g moon warrior size?
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No idea what size moon warrior is but: http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,26794.0.html indicates you can fit some sort of pads in. When I looked at a 1-series the boot did seem a decent space for the size of car. Can probably be calculated by googling the stats??
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Anyone know if you can get two bouldering pads in the back of the previous shape BMW 1 series hatchback? E.g moon warrior size?
Perhaps ask Cowboyhat?
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You can get boot dimemsions from google etc. easily enough. In some distance between wheelarches is the limiting factor - in some the opening. I went along and tried when in was gettin !y latest car.
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went 6 days without having to open the bonnet today and then sprung a radiator leak! doh! was almost on for a record 7 days!
my "To do list" keeps getting longer faster than i can complete tasks!
(http://i.imgur.com/TAxa16P.png)
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I'm a bit nervous having just driven past Cuisinere and had the car (still the 3-series) vibrating heavily through the steering wheel (we're due to drive back tomorrow).
The day before leaving (~ 2 weeks ago) I had two new rear tyres put on the car. He had a bit of a 'mare balancing these (like the car these are past their best). I've checked and no wheel weights appear to have come off.
I've just managed to get 1/4 of a turn out of a few wheel nuts using the supplied wrench and my meagre bodyweight but it wasn't as if one wheel was loose specifically.
The vibration doesn't appear to be linked to a specific speed but does seem to not occur at low speeds (it has come on a few times around 55-75mph) and this time the front end felt 'light'.
I forgot to try it in neutral to see if it's a drivetrain issue but no doubt I'll get another chance soon enough.
Any clues?
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If its through the steering, focus your attention mainly (but not exclusively) on the front wheels.
Check the tyre pressures (unequal can lead to this).
Look for any obvious deformations/carbuncles on the tyres - including the inside of the tyres (get under and have a look).
Its probably some balance weights come off (on alloys they normally have the glued on ones on the inside as well?).
Loose wheels are characterised by a distinct (its not faint) knocking noise. If this happens stop right away and check the wheel nuts - get it checked out.. (I've had a rear wheel overtake me by ignoring this in the past!).
Hmm.. 1/4 turn seems quite alot using just the wrench. I'd make sure they are tight - then drive around the block and check again (allows them to settle). Stand on the end of the wheel brace if you want to get more into them..
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There was no knocking noise to speak of.
The 1.4 turn was with me standing on the wrench but then again I'm not exactly a bloater even after all of these pastries! If it was a wheel weight would it not be constantly present at a given speed?
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If it was a wheel weight would it not be constantly present at a given speed?
Yes.. could be a suspension bush has worn and wheedled its way out.. check the front tyres (esp inside wall) for any carbuncles/deformed looking bits/bulges
A tricky one - if nothing obvious is wrong could you limp back to the ferry/chunnel at 50? (at least you'd save some fuel...)
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I had a similar thing on my 320i on a trip to Font - worn front tyres turned out to be the problem
issue wasn't there when I had them replaced
these guys in Font checked balance etc for me (either didn't charge, or charged very little, can't remember)
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Speedauto/@48.41068,2.7074859,3a,60y,317.24h,86.96t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1slSbysrCGPTqUoaGRmQclIA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!4m2!3m1!1s0x47e5f460983b4721:0xb4bd2d9fcb7a5771!6m1!1e1
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I've had a similar thing with an Audi many moons ago. Changed driveshafts, wheel bearings etc, turned out to be a crap tyre.
Has it come on suddenly?
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Ditto, had this, turned out to be tyre carbuncle.
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The front drivers wheel looks to have no weights in or out and there's an obvious scar, the likely culprit?
The rest have a lot of weights. All tyres look to be in good condition to me.
I'm in Dunkirk now and my RAC cover will resume on the other side.
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Good old blighty spirit.
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Well I've been dropped off ready for work and the car passed the 198k mile mark...
This morning I had the fronts rebalanced; the driver's side had 40g missing and the passenger front had 'round the clock' balancing done poorly.
This fixed the heavy vibration but I'm not convinced it's the only issue as it still didn't feel/sound right under certain conditions.
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One for drivers of the older sheds round here...sure you'll all be familiar with the "cloudy headlight" problem that eventually manifests itself over time. I hadn't realised until I spoke to my mate last weekend that it can lead to an MOT fail, and potentially hundreds of pounds for new headlight clusters.
Alternatively, there's a 3M product that lets you do a restoration job yourself at home with nothing more than a powerdrill and the kit's only approximately 8 fuckalls:
http://www.3mdirect.co.uk/3m-headlight-restoration-kit-39073.html?gclid=Cj0KEQjw94-6BRDkk568hcyg3-YBEiQAnmuwksfFl8SXIqUN_LmIiNHF0yf0PBB06d_s-DkMpCBHaGAaAjLV8P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds (http://www.3mdirect.co.uk/3m-headlight-restoration-kit-39073.html?gclid=Cj0KEQjw94-6BRDkk568hcyg3-YBEiQAnmuwksfFl8SXIqUN_LmIiNHF0yf0PBB06d_s-DkMpCBHaGAaAjLV8P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds)
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One for drivers of the older sheds round here...sure you'll all be familiar with the "cloudy headlight" problem that eventually manifests itself over time. I hadn't realised until I spoke to my mate last weekend that it can lead to an MOT fail, and potentially hundreds of pounds for new headlight clusters.
Alternatively, there's a 3M product that lets you do a restoration job yourself at home with nothing more than a powerdrill and the kit's only approximately 8 fuckalls:
http://www.3mdirect.co.uk/3m-headlight-restoration-kit-39073.html?gclid=Cj0KEQjw94-6BRDkk568hcyg3-YBEiQAnmuwksfFl8SXIqUN_LmIiNHF0yf0PBB06d_s-DkMpCBHaGAaAjLV8P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds (http://www.3mdirect.co.uk/3m-headlight-restoration-kit-39073.html?gclid=Cj0KEQjw94-6BRDkk568hcyg3-YBEiQAnmuwksfFl8SXIqUN_LmIiNHF0yf0PBB06d_s-DkMpCBHaGAaAjLV8P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds)
Wow - thats very useful.. my old mans car was scrapped for this! (this is for cloudy lens caused by dust/weathering/impacts rather than by moisture..)
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Had the car in today for it's first MOT which went fine.
However, the garage (I've found this garage to be excellent in the past, offering very helpful, honest service) were reluctant to carry out a service on it since they've had some problems with this engine (petrol 1.2 TSI) that they didn't want to end up liable for. Apparently some of them (the one they had seen was a 2011 model) had a recall on the timing chain which could slip, especially when oil pressure is dropped during a service oil change. The car has just under a month left in the statutory 3 year warranty period so he's advised me to take it to the dealership and to ask whether there are any standing recalls on this particular car in relation to the timing chain, and to get them to fix this under warranty if there is.
The garage also recommended that I ask them to inspect the actuator which makes a slight rattling noise when the engine is revved. They may replace this, or may just say it's not a problem (from a comment on a YouTube video, VW said it was meant to be fitted slightly loose to allow for heat expansion.)
So two questions really. First, can I expect to get an honest answer out of the dealership with regard to there being a need to change the timing chain? I suspect they may try and dodge this work since the warranty is so close to expiry (I don't have any warranty documentation, I just gather that there is a statutory 3 year warranty on all cars?)
Second, can I expect the dealership to inspect the actuator for free, or is this something I'm going to have to argue the toss over?
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OK, booked into the dealer on Friday and they will look at the alternator. I'm expecting to have to argue with them as I expect the standard line is "it's not a problem" and then wait till it blows up out of warranty.
On enquiring about the timing chain, the response was "we're not aware of any recall", which doesn't tally with what my garage tells me. It may be that they did an unofficial recall and just changed it as and when cars came into the dealerships, keeping it on the quiet. What I'm not sure of is whether they changed the chain/belt on models built in 2013 and thereafter? If anybody's up to Googling it, it would be appreciated. I'm struggling to find any good info.
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Has the car been serviced with genuine maker parts for the 3 years? If not any is Null and void. Also unless you had it from new, some warranties are not transferable from the original owner. What car is it? There should be a list of official recalls somewhere? Most cars have a car owner's forum which is usually a pretty good place for independent knowledge.
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without knowing what car it is, but assuming its a VW, there are a lot of VAG car forums out there. That would be the best place to start
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It's a 2013 Fabia. Each annual service has been done at a Skoda dealership.
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It's a 2013 Fabia. Each annual service has been done at a Skoda dealership.
Briskoda is what you're looking for.
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I looked into this recently with my 2010 1.8TSi Octavia. My understanding is that on the whole family of TSi engines across VW/Audi/Skoda/Seat there was a defective design of timing chain tensioner, which tends to break, mostly on start-up and results in the engine lunching itself. I believe VAG went through 4 designs of tensioner between 2010 and 2012 so yours being a 2013 should have the latest design. There wasn't any recall to update earlier designs, though there were technical service bulletins, if the tensioner was replaced on a car it was as a preventative measure at the owner's expense (£5-600 at an indy, £800+ at main dealer...).
HTH
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Ta. It sounds like I should be in the clear but will take it to the dealer regardless. The actuator makes a funny noise, which I hadn't noticed but the garage pointed out to me. I believe this is a common thing and may not actually be a problem but I'll see what they say.
Thread on briskoda if anyone is interested. The guy who has replied to me doesn't seem to be giving the full picture as its fairly well documented that TSIs, certainly up till 2013, had big problems with chains.
http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/402697-2013-12-tsi-timing-chain/
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Does anyone know much about the differences between automatics and manuals?
I'm not bothered by the driving as such as I've used both, but I'm interested in the reliability of them. Seen a reasonable offer on a 2013 berlingo locally but it's an automatic.
I'm assuming that these days they are pretty reliable, but guess that any repair costs are likely to be higher?
It's only got 30k on the clock so I'd hope it would be okay but as it's something I'd like to use over the next 4 years I want to make sure it's going to last and hold a reasonable amount of value (not sure if it would depreciate more with higher miles etc compared to a manual?).
Any thoughts would be welcomed.
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Two types of automatics now. Those that have 6 or 7 gears and are more like a manual box that shifts automatically and the older type with a torque converter and typically 4 or 5 gears.
Typically the torque converter type are c10-20% less good on fuel but possibly (brand dependent) more reliable. They're also often slower...
Servicing costs can be higher on an auto sometimes - if something goes wrong with an auto box it can be expensive (as can be with a manual, but manual boxes are less complicated but often more reliable).
If it's been regularly serviced with only 30k on the clock then it's probably not so much of an issue (reliability/longevity wise).
Autos are much easier to drive in stop start traffic
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Cheers Tom. It's a 6-speed semi auto so I guess it's the non torque version that you mentioned. It's got a FSH (though I'm unsure of the exact frequency) but the MOT is due in 5 months which I might try to get included if I go for it. They also do full service if it's due before sale as it's a main dealer.
The stop-start aspect is what interests me too, plus the cruise control. Having messed my knee up last year running driving can often be painful so the combination of an Auto and CC is very appealing.
One thing that strikes me is that it's from a main dealer but is the cheapest on auto trader for that kind of mileage and age - something that's not often the case. And it's cheaper than similar specs of the same vehicle from the same dealer. Will hopefully go and look at it this weekend.
It's outside my ideal budget really but it might be worth going for to try and avoid repair costs over the coming years (plus resale value).
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Cheers Tom. It's a 6-speed semi auto so I guess it's the non torque version that you mentioned. It's got a FSH (though I'm unsure of the exact frequency) but the MOT is due in 5 months which I might try to get included if I go for it. They also do full service if it's due before sale as it's a main dealer.
The stop-start aspect is what interests me too, plus the cruise control. Having messed my knee up last year running driving can often be painful so the combination of an Auto and CC is very appealing.
One thing that strikes me is that it's from a main dealer but is the cheapest on auto trader for that kind of mileage and age - something that's not often the case. And it's cheaper than similar specs of the same vehicle from the same dealer. Will hopefully go and look at it this weekend.
It's outside my ideal budget really but it might be worth going for to try and avoid repair costs over the coming years (plus resale value).
I looked at an automatic Berlingo when I upgraded a few months back. It was a great deal with just 13k on the clock and being a similar price to ones with 50k (previous owner was a 75 year old lady who barely drove anymore). In the end, I went for a manual one that had done a few more miles but was £2,500 cheaper.
The claimed mpg on the automatic was actually slightly better than the manuals although I wouldn't put much faith in to those figures.
The automatic was surprisingly good to drive. The stop/start coped fine on some steep hill starts and it was better than I expected at overtaking in semi-manual mode.
One minor annoyance was that you can't switch between automatic and manual modes unless you are stationary, meaning you can't keep it in automatic then switch to manual in order to drop it down a gear to overtake a slow vehicle. You don't buy a Berlingo for its overtaking abilities though so I wouldn't worry about that too much.
On the subject of cruise control, you can easily retrofit it on most berlingos, just check it has the right pedals before you buy.
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One thing that strikes me is that it's from a main dealer but is the cheapest on auto trader for that kind of mileage and age - something that's not often the case. And it's cheaper than similar specs of the same vehicle from the same dealer. Will hopefully go and look at it this weekend.
Alarm bells!
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I looked at an automatic Berlingo when I upgraded a few months back. It was a great deal with just 13k on the clock and being a similar price to ones with 50k (previous owner was a 75 year old lady who barely drove anymore). In the end, I went for a manual one that had done a few more miles but was £2,500 cheaper.
The claimed mpg on the automatic was actually slightly better than the manuals although I wouldn't put much faith in to those figures.
The automatic was surprisingly good to drive. The stop/start coped fine on some steep hill starts and it was better than I expected at overtaking in semi-manual mode.
One minor annoyance was that you can't switch between automatic and manual modes unless you are stationary, meaning you can't keep it in automatic then switch to manual in order to drop it down a gear to overtake a slow vehicle. You don't buy a Berlingo for its overtaking abilities though so I wouldn't worry about that too much.
On the subject of cruise control, you can easily retrofit it on most berlingos, just check it has the right pedals before you buy.
Good to know about the cruise control - it's something I'd definitely like to have. Do you know if it's a reasonably cheap job?
I'm going to keep my eye out for manuals too - I'm not adverse to higher mileage but I think 50k is about my max as I'm hoping to put that on it over the next few years as well with trips to Europe a few times a year.
Alarm bells!
It's something I need to bear in mind - I'm not sure they'll provide their rationale though...
Need to do a bit more research and have a look - it could just have some scratches or something. Hard to tell from photos on a silver car.
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I looked at an automatic Berlingo when I upgraded a few months back. It was a great deal with just 13k on the clock and being a similar price to ones with 50k (previous owner was a 75 year old lady who barely drove anymore). In the end, I went for a manual one that had done a few more miles but was £2,500 cheaper.
The claimed mpg on the automatic was actually slightly better than the manuals although I wouldn't put much faith in to those figures.
The automatic was surprisingly good to drive. The stop/start coped fine on some steep hill starts and it was better than I expected at overtaking in semi-manual mode.
One minor annoyance was that you can't switch between automatic and manual modes unless you are stationary, meaning you can't keep it in automatic then switch to manual in order to drop it down a gear to overtake a slow vehicle. You don't buy a Berlingo for its overtaking abilities though so I wouldn't worry about that too much.
On the subject of cruise control, you can easily retrofit it on most berlingos, just check it has the right pedals before you buy.
Good to know about the cruise control - it's something I'd definitely like to have. Do you know if it's a reasonably cheap job?
I'm going to keep my eye out for manuals too - I'm not adverse to higher mileage but I think 50k is about my max as I'm hoping to put that on it over the next few years as well with trips to Europe a few times a year.
Alarm bells!
It's something I need to bear in mind - I'm not sure they'll provide their rationale though...
Need to do a bit more research and have a look - it could just have some scratches or something. Hard to tell from photos on a silver car.
The stork can be picked up for about £30-40 if you source it yourself (most Citroëns use the same stork). Then it is just a case of popping out the plastic cover, clipping the stork in and then plugging it in to Citroën's software to change 2 values to turn it on.
If you can find a non-dealer garage with the software, you should be able to get it all done with plenty of change from £100.
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Ok car people, '04 1.9 TDI Passat, just started to get a fairly pronounced rumble knocking type thing when driving with the clutch depressed. Doesn't seem to be related to road or engine speed especially. Sounds rough. Can feel the clutch pedal vibrating when pressed. Any ideas, clutch release bearing? How's likely am I to further fuck this up by driving on it further?
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DMF.
£600-800 ish for a repair I'd say.
You don't particularly want it to fail totally IMO.
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Looking at the forums - clutch and parts (new release bearing and clutch etc..) £100-140 and DMF (dual mass flywheel) more like £250-350. That's for the parts. 3-5 hour job - labour cost xxx per hour etc...
Possibly close to a scrap it job...
Ps labour costs similar for both jobs - once he clutch is exposed dmf is too.
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You guys are no good, what I wanna be hearing right now is "oh yeah shouldn't be too bad, cheap fix" etc etc.
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You guys are no good, what I wanna be hearing right now is "oh yeah shouldn't be too bad, cheap fix" etc etc.
Just wait a moment, I'm getting Ms May on the line:
"What's that, yes, yes, it's all going to be fine"
There you have it. No need to worry.
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http://m.imgur.com/CVcYtFJ?r
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Ok car people, '04 1.9 TDI Passat, just started to get a fairly pronounced rumble knocking type thing when driving with the clutch depressed. Doesn't seem to be related to road or engine speed especially. Sounds rough. Can feel the clutch pedal vibrating when pressed. Any ideas, clutch release bearing? How's likely am I to further fuck this up by driving on it further?
To add to this, only seems to start doing it once you've been driving for 5-10 mins, so something to do with it getting warm.
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I had a new clutch/DMF pack on mine this summer, cost under a grand. Mine was due to slave cylinder failure though, clutch pedal slowly got squishier over a month or so.
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Like I said on Facebook it'll be worth fixing regardless as the courtesy car Passat (1.9 Tdi) I get to drive is now on 440k miles (they bought it off a customer at ~200k miles)!
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TBH I would rather painfully fork out for it to be fixed than have to go through the faff of buying a new motor right now, even if it'll cost more than the car is worth. Plus I really like that car and it'll probably be the only one I ever own that doesn't just have the basic level of trim and accessories. Gnnna be tough to walk away from those leather seats.
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Gnnna be tough to peel myself off of, and then walk away from those sweaty leather seats.
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Annoying development - garage had car in and drove it around for 15 mins and it wasn't doing the bad noise/rumbling thing. I drove it yesterday for 20mins at least and it didn't do it either. Any idea if the clutch/DMF thing can be intermittent?
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Unlikely..
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As a fellow shed motorist, I just accept such developments with open arms, and assume that the car has magically fixed itself.
I could run a book on the various permutations of engine management / EPC light I'm getting on turning the ignition at the moment. Some days it lights up like a Christmas tree, then the next day absolutely nothing.
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I changed a DMF on a 2.0 TDCI Mondeo, it's an expensive bit of kit, but think of it as a consumable. Totally doable yourself if you have some heavy tools. I wouldn't want to do it again though, certainly not on my own with only a small pair of axle stands, gearboxes are f'ing heavy.
I never noticed mine to be intermittent but it's not really noticeable unless you know what you're looking. It should be at its worst in idle and if you gently rest your foot against the clutch pedal you should feel vibrations if it's knackered. I found mine to be not too bad once it's in gear, it's mainly doing it's job of damping vibrations when you're changing gears/speed.
What's the mileage on the car and has it ever had the clutch replaced? If it's high mileage (and therefore due a clutch) I'd just replace it and at least you've got a car you know the history of. The job is no different to replacing a clutch really apart from the extra cost of the DMF.
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It's about 119k at the minute. When it was doing it the other day it deffo sounded bad when idling or with the clutch at the bite. Don't think it's ever had a new clutch, over never done it, and before me my dad had it from 11months old.
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Probably easier to think of what a knackered DMF means. It generally means that the springs inside of it are now shot, so the DMF no longer does it's job of dampening vibrations in the system. With the springs knackered you start to get metal bits hitting other metal bits they aren't meant to hit within the DMF and in extreme situations they fall apart completely and break other more expensive bits in the process.
This metal on metal action generates a lot of metal dust, which finds its way into your starter motor. Common ways to find out your DMF is knackered is to find your car won't start and it is because the starter motor is clogged up with the dust. People then replace their starter motor for the DMF to break 6 months later and also need another starter motor as the new one is now knackered.
I suppose with that in mind, you could take your starter motor out and see how clogged with metal dust it is. Some cars it's an easy job to do if there's not a lot in the way.
The clutch on my berlingo lasted 100k from new, so having to change at 112k isn't the end of the world. Obviously some people go 200k+ on a clutch, just depends what the car is used for. I personally would never buy a diesel again unless I was doing big miles. Too many expensive things to go wrong for the miles I do!
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I personally would never buy a diesel again unless I was doing big miles. Too many expensive things to go wrong for the miles I do!
As an aside, is there a large difference between petrol and diesel in terms of repair costs? Currently looking at new cars and have been erring on the side of diesel but that's mainly because the cars I'm looking at (berlingo) are more common in the diesel than petrol.
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do you do lots of small journeys? If so then definitely petrol
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Thinking of switching to petrol soonish. I think diesel will be largely socially unacceptable in ten years and values will plummet.
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:agree:
Thinking of switching to petrol soonish. I think diesel will be largely socially unacceptable in ten years and values will plummet.
I wonder if you'll still think the same when the highly economical small engine petrol cars are having longevity issues. 183BHP out of a 1.5T? :tumble:
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Petrol will be socially unacceptable at some point in the future.
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Yeah, plan is to go petrol initially then electric. We're not far off a tipping point with electric.
Certainly won't be looking for high bhp from a small petrol engine.
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Certainly won't be looking for high bhp from a small petrol engine.
They're all high BHP relative to their diminutive size. Just look at the evolution of something like the Golf GTI as an example, the same is applied to poverty spec versions.
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Hybrid for me with the next motor. Diesel is a burning platform (literally and metaphorically) - and the NO2 emissions are sonething I'm not cool comfortable with as an owner. Latest Korean offerings wedding electric with 6-7 speed auto's rather than toyota's cvt look promising.
Full electric is a way off (infrastructure more than car tech) and would only become viable for me when it reliably cracks 200-250 miles (as in that distance when its cold, wet and with a headwind!!). But I love the idea of electric cars. Anyway - driverless will be here in a big way in ten years time.
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Actually, the Golf is a poor example - look at something like a Fiesta ST.
I think diesel will be largely socially unacceptable in ten years and values will plummet.
"I'll take that 335d M Sport Touring, thanks", although I guess they'll tax the hell out of it.
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I don't think we can write diesel off just yet; the majority of commercial motors will remain diesel for many years to come - who knows what advances will be made in diesel to make it less polluting?
"I'll take that 335d M Sport Touring, thanks", although I guess they'll tax the hell out of it.
:yes:
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Solutions to the NO2 are straightforward and readily available (addblue - urea) but the market (cars that is) isn't geared up for it.
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I would like to go full electric for the family car, but it would need a reliable 250 miles with the ability to mostly recharge during a lunch break to get us on the odd trip up to the in-laws in Scotland. Otherwise most likely for the next car plug in hybrid that can do 25-30 miles off the batteries - that would cover I think more than 3/4 of our use. I know it's mostly just shifting the pollution from exhaust pipe to the power station but I do like the idea of instant torque from the electric motor (though I would want to keep a fun car with a big simple non-turbo V6...)
I suspect diesel will be taxed out of existence for driving in major cities relatively quickly, probably within the next 10 years. I also read that the next round of emissions legislation beyond the current Euro VI is tough enough that it may make diesels uneconomic for small and family cars due to the cost of making compliant engines.
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Solutions to the NO2 are straightforward and readily available (addblue - urea) but the market (cars that is) isn't geared up for it.
Don't quite a lot of recent diesel cars use Adblue?
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I would like to go full electric for the family car, but it would need a reliable 250 miles with the ability to mostly recharge during a lunch break to get us on the odd trip up to the in-laws in Scotland. Otherwise most likely for the next car plug in hybrid that can do 25-30 miles off the batteries - that would cover I think more than 3/4 of our use. I know it's mostly just shifting the pollution from exhaust pipe to the power station but I do like the idea of instant torque from the electric motor (though I would want to keep a fun car with a big simple non-turbo V6...)
I suspect diesel will be taxed out of existence for driving in major cities relatively quickly, probably within the next 10 years. I also read that the next round of emissions legislation beyond the current Euro VI is tough enough that it may make diesels uneconomic for small and family cars due to the cost of making compliant engines.
I too am going to go full electric but will hold fire for a year. Battery tech has had a major breakthrough this year and in conjunction with huge battery factories such as teslas gigafactory, the cost of batteries is set to plummet. The risk for me is buying too early. I don't want to get a family car with a 200 mild range if a 300 mile range comes out 6 months later for cheaper.
The question of emissions is a no brainer for me. Our power is increasingly coming from renewables with huge investments from private companies to move towards low carbon. (Have a google at what tech firms are investing into combattjng climare change, its comforting.... a little)Although the government is far from proactive wrt climate, economics will continue to push renewables as there is lots of money to be made and many if the major tech firms are very environmentally conscientious. This year has been record breaking in terms of the energy from renewables so the future of our energy I believe is bright despite the likes of trump and the infatuation of the government towards fracking.
We've just switched our electricity and gas to octopus energy. This has saved me 300 quid a year (with no sneaky price rise after one year) and all my leccy is from renewable and all my gas offset by planting trees. If I charge a leccy car on my drive I would be zero emissions ( except for carbon footprint in manufacture which will drop as more electric cars are made and economies of scale kick in).
If more people switch to such fantastic energy companies which invest a huge percentage of profits into new solar (read the reviews and check out the octopus website) then more solar etc will be built. I'm well up for this solar and ev revolution.
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Scouse is already ahead of the game vis a vis cranial-mounted solar panel.
What I've found looking at the current array of leccy cars is there's very little being made in the family-size segment, bar the Teslas. Is that just cos they think the biggest market for them is compacts and city cars, or because they can't currently make a heavier car with a decent range on current battery tech?
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I reckon just hold off for a while and I reckon we will see a hole glut of ev suvs and family saloons. Every car manufacturer seems to have an electric range in the pipeline. The one family size one I've seen which looks half decent is the Hyundai iconiq which you can buy as full electric or hybrid but like I say, just wait a bit and there will be shitloads to choose from. This is a decent website http://www.nextgreencar.com/
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Scouse is already ahead of the game vis a vis cranial-mounted solar panel.
What I've found looking at the current array of leccy cars is there's very little being made in the family-size segment, bar the Teslas. Is that just cos they think the biggest market for them is compacts and city cars, or because they can't currently make a heavier car with a decent range on current battery tech?
I think it's profit margins and market demand at the moment. With cost of current battery tech, a mid-size vehicle would probably be extortionate compared to the petrol/diesel competition, whereas an executive size, with the higher profit margin in that class, you can lose a lot of the battery cost by taking a slightly smaller margin. + you need a certain size and density of battery for a given range, which then dictates the size of vehicle. City cars are more or less all range 100 miles or less so smaller batteries?
I suspect range anxiety for family size cars (that annual trip to the in-laws...) is also a big killer for pure EV so they are all plug-in hybrid EV at the moment. Probably we will have to wait for the mid-size Tesla to force change in that market as well (though looking at their blurb for the 3 the estimated range is barely going to break 200 miles.)
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I'm well up for this solar and ev revolution.
Must admit I have aesthetic issues with the creeping industrialisation of farmland by solar panels...
I'll also be holding on to the existing cars as long as possible as it is greener to run what you have than replace it with a new car of any description.
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For me it's all about the infrastructure. The tech exists to allow a 150mile range car be charged in 30-40 min - which allows long journeys etc... but there are few/no such places. Certainly not enough to charge 200 cars at once etc.. (supply and demand I guess..). For those of you with driveways - that's fine for charging. I live in a terrace (as many do) with no allocated or off street parking.. so that's a non starter..
It'll come.. but needs a bit more of a push before it tips over. It also takes a while to iron out the tech difficulties.. we're now on the 5th gen of Prius drive trains - and several motoring iourno's recob it's taken them this long to get it right..
Hybrid/plug in hybrid is a good stopgap as others have mentioned - especially if most of your journeys are short...
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For me it's all about the infrastructure. The tech exists to allow a 150mile range car be charged in 30-40 min - which allows long journeys etc... but there are few/no such places. Certainly not enough to charge 200 cars at once etc.. (supply and demand I guess..). For those of you with driveways - that's fine for charging. I live in a terrace (as many do) with no allocated or off street parking.. so that's a non starter..
This is a big issue of city living. I'm the same as Tom in a Manchester terrace so have no way of charging my electric car at home. It would be quite an effort to have a dedicated parking spot in front of all terraced houses with charging cables run under the pavement to a roadside charging point.Large swathes of Manchester are terraces, as are most cities I guess, so it's a big issue. There are a couple of electric charging points where I live but I've no idea of the cost/how they work.
As an aside, Es Tressider (ex-Cullin Ridge record holder, runner, climber, GB ski mountaineer) wrote something about living in the highlands having an electric car as your only car. I'll see if I can find it.
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As an aside, Es Tressider (ex-Cullin Ridge record holder, runner, climber, GB ski mountaineer) wrote something about living in the highlands having an electric car as your only car. I'll see if I can find it.
I've also read this and was trying to find it earlier... was an interesting read.. IIRC it was all fine apart from a round trip to Manchester airport in shitty weather when their range crapped out badly...
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Is it on his website?
Maybe this one
http://www.es-on-ice.co.uk/article/show/2
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As an aside, Es Tressider (ex-Cullin Ridge record holder, runner, climber, GB ski mountaineer) wrote something about living in the highlands having an electric car as your only car. I'll see if I can find it.
I've also read this and was trying to find it earlier... was an interesting read.. IIRC it was all fine apart from a round trip to Manchester airport in shitty weather when their range crapped out badly...
https://twitter.com/EsTresidder/status/793227965626736640
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Is it on his website?
Maybe this one
http://www.es-on-ice.co.uk/article/show/2
nope.. fraind not, was like a car review in many ways...
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Hybrid for me with the next motor. Diesel is a burning platform (literally and metaphorically) - and the NO2 emissions are sonething I'm not cool comfortable with as an owner. Latest Korean offerings wedding electric with 6-7 speed auto's rather than toyota's cvt look promising.
Full electric is a way off (infrastructure more than car tech) and would only become viable for me when it reliably cracks 200-250 miles (as in that distance when its cold, wet and with a headwind!!). But I love the idea of electric cars. Anyway - driverless will be here in a big way in ten years time.
So, what you're trying to say is: yep, I'm on the waiting list for a Telsa model 3? :P
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Es-on-cars (https://www.facebook.com/es.tresidder/posts/10157780948475145), it's food for thought.
A Norwegian academic colleague runs a Leaf and it's a very nice car. A no-brainer for his 30 mile commute from Hell (...the place, the drive along Trondheimsfjorden is glorious!). Electric-only cars wouldn't currently work for us because of the street charging issues and requirement to do 300+ miles (Portland) in a short day. Or would they?
We're currently running an old diesel that has about the same fuel economy as a hybrid. It only gets used on long runs, never in the city, so currently taking the chris j stance that replacing a functioning vehicle is, overall, less green. The retired Super Alpinist's Prius seems a well-sorted car though and I'd definitely consider one when the Skoda dies.
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Es-on-cars (https://www.facebook.com/es.tresidder/posts/10157780948475145), it's food for thought.
Thats the one!
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As an aside, Es Tressider (ex-Cullin Ridge record holder, runner, climber, GB ski mountaineer) wrote something about living in the highlands having an electric car as your only car. I'll see if I can find it.
I've also read this and was trying to find it earlier... was an interesting read.. IIRC it was all fine apart from a round trip to Manchester airport in shitty weather when their range crapped out badly...
https://twitter.com/EsTresidder/status/793227965626736640
Quick write up of 4 months of life with an electric car in the Scottish highlands:
....
The second was driving to Derbyshire (400 miles from here) to see family in stormy weather with gale-force southerly winds.
...
I thought having an electric car would be one of those things, like rarely flying and heating my house at 19 degrees, that I do because I’m concerned about climate change, but that I’d rather not do. On the contrary I’d say for our lifestyle it’s a nicer, more convenient car to have. The experience so far has been really positive and it gives me hope that electric cars can very rapidly take over from ICE cars in the years to come, especially as cars with double the range of ours for a similar price are on the horizon in the next 2 or 3 years.
;)
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Full electric is a way off (infrastructure more than car tech) and would only become viable for me when it reliably cracks 200-250 miles (as in that distance when its cold, wet and with a headwind!!). But I love the idea of electric cars. Anyway - driverless will be here in a big way in ten years time.
Electric-only cars wouldn't currently work for us because of the street charging issues and requirement to do 300+ miles (Portland) in a short day. Or would they?
Thinking about this some more. It’s good to take a break every 100-120 miles, I’d be fine with a car with this range after a 25-30 minute recharge.
Typical climbing trip to Portland: 100 miles from London gets you to Ringwood, recharge car (~80% in 30 minutes) and driver, on to Portland, climb, back to Ringwood (another 100 miles), recharge, and return to London.
A car with a 120 mile range (e.g. a Leaf) could work, just, if everything was in your favour. At present, our nearest street charging is 1km away. You’d need to be very organised to always set off with a full charge. Realistically, the round trip would frequently involve three or four stops. That's a significant barrier for me.
A car with a 180 mile range in non-ideal conditions (at a non-Tesla price) is my tipping point. You could then start 70% charged, say you’d been unable to top-up a day or two before, and still do 100 miles with a bit to spare. Or do the whole trip with one stop in Weymouth. Logistics of other long journeys are similar: drive two hours, half an hour break, rinse and repeat.
It sounds like we could see this in ~5 years.
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...
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In an attempt to be as prophetic as possible I'm going to lay it on the line here. I reckon in 10-15 years we're all going to wonder why.t.f. we didn't push for electric sooner (not why we, as consumers didn't switch - Duncan's "tipping point" is exactly why) but I mean more pushing for the technology. Elon Musk really has to take a lot of the credit in my opinion.
Practically no servicing required, (oil changes, timing belts etc.) quieter, cleaner, much cheaper to run. Can de-mist your windows form the comfort of you breakfast table via your phone.
I can't wait! Shame the only camper currently available has about 80 mile range: http://www.hillsideleisure.co.uk/blog/electric-campervan/
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In an attempt to be as prophetic as possible I'm going to lay it on the line here. I reckon in 10-15 years we're all going to wonder why.t.f. we didn't push for electric sooner
Yep, it'll be like when the ban on smoking in pubs came in.
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Over the medium/long term I think hydrogen will win out over leccy...
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Yep, it'll be like when the ban on smoking in pubs came in.
We're going to sit around wishing they weren't so unhealthy cos they sure covered the farty smell?
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Over the medium/long term I think hydrogen will win out over leccy...
Out of interest, why? (assuming you mean fuel cells, it's just a different battery, they're all electric motors) Hydrogen is just a storage tech really (splitting water to get the hydrogen is going to use electricity I guess?)
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Over the medium/long term I think hydrogen will win out over leccy...
I don't think anyone will pay to develop the infrastructure for widespread public hydrogen use. Bus companies and the like where they fill up from only one central location will probably continue to develop it but I think it will remain niche.
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Out of interest, why?
Faster "charging", longer range. But in reality it probably never will as there's only 8 public filling stations so far in the UK so way behind EVs. I thought it had had more adoption but no :blink:
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Quick question regarding selling my van.
It's a 07 Peugeot Partner (120k miles) with a mini camper conversion (lights and bed) but it's a basic one. It starts first time and runs fine but I've had a few problems with it.
First, the oil light comes on occasionally on a longer drive and the engine sound changes. I've fairly certain (from asking various garages and getting it looked at) that it probably needs a bloody good service. Clean the oil sump out, replace filters etc. As it only happens occasionally the general consensus is that it probably has some crap in the sump/oil that loosens on a longer drive and a bit of it is circulated, hence causing the oil pressure warning. It stops once the engine is turned off and left for 5 mins but would come back faster than if you left it for a day or two (I've had it happen and then be okay for the next 1000 or so miles).
Secondly, something locked up once and forced me into an emergency stop. It was looked at a lot by the recovery team and a local garage and there were no issues with the breaks and they were fairly certain it wasn't them. The only thing they could think of is that I somehow knocked the clutch (or it slipped) and it locked up. This was pretty scary but only happened once and has been driven a fair bit since without issue.
So the question...
It's MOT is due in 3 weeks and I want to sell it as I'm getting a new vehicle soon. I personally think it will do okay and require minimal repair (if any) given it has been seen by my (old) local garage a lot in the last year and had a fair bit of work done. However having not really used it in the last 6 months, mainly due to the potential oil issue and having access to another car, I don't want to spend any money on repairs etc.
Thus, is it better for me to try and sell it now with the above caveats?
Or stick it in for an MOT at Halfords this week (£30) and then risk having to sell it as an MOT fail if any repairs are needed that I don't want to foot the bill for?
Any thoughts/experience would be appreciated. I know it's not going to go for much but it would be good to maximise it's value.
Other than that - if anyone wants a cheap van with known issues then let me know...
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Whatever you do, don't put it into a Halfords MOT - those are designed purely to give you "advisories" that you then have to fix at halfords... I've had advisories one year, which miraculously fixed themselves the next year...
Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk
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There are two centres in Sheffield that do the Councils MOTs that Bonjoy put people onto in the Campervan thread if I remember correctly (too busy to go digging for his post now). They don't do any repairs so have no incentive to find advisories or things that need repairing.
One is DOT MOT (http://www.dotmotltd.co.uk/) on Olive Grove Road. Last MOT there on my campervan and like Fultonious advisories from the previous MOT had cleared up on their own.
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I might avoid Halfords then - thanks!
I'm living in Leeds now but there's a council one here too which might be able to fit it in at some point. I used it for an old car years ago and I'd forgotten about it so great recommendation. I'll give them a call later to see if it would be an option before it's due.
I used DOT a few years ago whilst at uni in Sheffield - it does do repairs now as it ended up costing me about £500 after getting break pipes etc replaced through them. Nice bunch of guys but the name is a little misleading now I think.
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I think that's a 'fairly recent' change. Bubba always used to recommend them too.
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Changes to taxes I was unaware of. Sounds like a stitch up for hybrids.
http://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/ved-car-tax-changes-in-2017-what-do-i-need-to-know/
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Well that's fucking retarded. Nice one George.
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Before everyone goes crazy - its for cars registered from 2017 onwards.... nothing to see here unless you are buying a new car...
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Well the thread has been discussing the transition to renewables. Which clearly the current government have very little interest in promoting. :wall:
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The sliding scale clearly promotes low CO2 cars (down to £0 for no emissions/EV's) whats a bit odd/shit/strange is that after that unless you have 0 emissions its a blanket £140 a year... so you can buy your Humvee and some one has to suck up a £2k tax bill in the first year, then £140 afterwards... same as a prius...
Apols if posted first in haste... seen alot of "AAAAGHH" about it on car forums to be replace by "oooh" when its pointed out its for 2017 onwards cars..
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Taxation of electric/hybrid would happen at some point anyway, its highly unlikely that any government would disregard the income generated from Vehicle Excise Duty.
It does seem a little premature though given the relatively slow uptake of the technology, but given manufacturers are moving towards those vehicles anyway then given time there won't be much else (new) to buy.
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The sliding scale clearly promotes low CO2 cars (down to £0 for no emissions/EV's) whats a bit odd/shit/strange is that after that unless you have 0 emissions its a blanket £140 a year... so you can buy your Humvee and some one has to suck up a £2k tax bill in the first year, then £140 afterwards... same as a prius...
Apols if posted first in haste... seen alot of "AAAAGHH" about it on car forums to be replace by "oooh" when its pointed out its for 2017 onwards cars..
The amount raised from VED is fairly small compared to the amount raised from tax on fuel (~5 billion cf ~ 25 billion I think) so you could argue that if the Hummer owner chooses to use the car a lot then he will be paying his fair share in tax as he goes.
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Before everyone goes crazy - its for cars registered from 2017 onwards.... nothing to see here unless you are buying a new car...
So any leccy / hybrid car with any of the potential new developments discussed above
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But the potential glut of new, cheap ev will still be tax free.
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Test
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There are two centres in Sheffield that do the Councils MOTs that Bonjoy put people onto in the Campervan thread if I remember correctly (too busy to go digging for his post now). They don't do any repairs so have no incentive to find advisories or things that need repairing.
One is DOT MOT (http://www.dotmotltd.co.uk/) on Olive Grove Road. Last MOT there on my campervan and like Fultonious advisories from the previous MOT had cleared up on their own.
As an update, I booked it in at one of the local council centres today and the old guy did me proud! It failed but just needs a headlight readjusting as it currently points upwards. Should be an easy fix and the retest is free. Very few advisories also (some pitting on the front disks).
Glad I got it done as it should hopefully increase the value a fair bit. Just needs a good service now (which I might let the new owner do – obviously selling it with a caveat) and it should be a little climbing van for someone else!
Thanks for the recommendations!
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My 2p. ABS light came on, car out of action for a week, £400 please. Bleurgh.
Violins out s'il vous plait
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Cause?
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I got this as an MOT fail so need to fix it. I know it means one of my light beams is in a European style - but how do I know which is incorrect?
I'm planning to correct it with one of the sticker things but how do I know when it is then corrected?
Seems too simple to take it to a garage but by saying both nearside and offsite it is confusing me.
It's the only thing wrong but I didn't get chance to speak to the person doing the MOT after it was done and it was a council place so they don't do repairs otherwise I guess they would've just fixed it. I need to take it back later this week to get it retested for free so could do with fixing it today or tomorrow.
any advice would be appreciated thanks
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Is it the left or right James? Easy way is to park it about 3 m from a wall then switch the lights off. Then adjust the offending lamp down until it's at the same level as the correct one. Depending on your car this may be turning a thumb wheel/knob near the light under the bonnet or turning something with a screwdriver.
What car is it and why do you think one of the headlights is foreign??
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Lights on notnoff. Sorry. On dipped beam.
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That's one of the things that confused me... it looks like the driver side one may be a little high but I don't really know what I'm looking at to be honest...
The fail is described as:
Headlamp aim beam image kick up to the offside nearside [1.8]
Which seems to suggest the passenger side is kicking up towards the drivers side... perhaps...
I just had a little play with it but didn't get anywhere. However the passenger side bulb. Is verticle and the driver side bulb is off verticle. But as the bulb can't rotate I'm assuming that is correct.
It's an 07 Peugeot Partnet van. When I mentioned European it was because the beam was described as being
___/
when it should be like
\___
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Probably not a super clear reply, sorry. Mainly due to lack of knowledge and trying to type on a tiny screen...
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Probably not the bulb. You can tell by looking at the markings on the headlamp glass - where there should be similar shading/opaque parts to direct the light down and left. These should be the same onnleft and right - NOT mirror images of each other if that makes sense. If they are mirror images then it sounds like maybe someon has fitted a LHD lens to the car which would be really really odd. It might be easiest to take it to your nearest most amenable looking independent garage and say any chance they could take a look and adjust them for you? I'd suggest it's a £20 cash in the lunch hour job at the most....
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Cause?
A fault with the ABS system. They had to send a part away to be fixed, that was the cheaper option. Its a common problem apparently, not that that made the bill any easier to handle... Back on the road thankfully
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Our old pug had a sensor embedded in the brake pad which set off ABS when it wore to a certain point. A good idea, but a bit more info would be useful.
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Our old pug had a sensor embedded in the brake pad which set off ABS when it wore to a certain point. A good idea, but a bit more info would be useful.
Thats a bit shit isn't it? I thought ABS (Anti-lock Breaking System) was meant to be used all the time on brakes and not just when the pads got worn down.
Was the sensor not just telling you your pads were worn?
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Yes, but it was was linked to the ABS warning light, and you needed to plug in to diagnostics to find actual fault.
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Annoying development - garage had car in and drove it around for 15 mins and it wasn't doing the bad noise/rumbling thing. I drove it yesterday for 20mins at least and it didn't do it either. Any idea if the clutch/DMF thing can be intermittent?
Back onto this, having driven around with it for a fortnight without issue (but no journeys longer than 15 mins) tonight it's started kinda doing clutch stuff again. This time distinct rumbling noise and vibration coming through the clutch pedal. Fine when moving and clutch out, only happens when the clutch is depressed, even at idle or in neutral. Thoughts etc?
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Yes, but it was was linked to the ABS warning light, and you needed to plug in to diagnostics to find actual fault.
The whole world now needs to be plugged into a bloody laptop to know whats the matter... don't know if its good or bad
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Can anyone recommend me a reputable garage in Sheffield? I need the brakes and ABS looking at on my Fabia and don't want to get ripped off. Cheers.
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I've been using Smiths on Little London Road for the last couple of years and they've always been very good and a decent price, though often quite booked up.
Used to use Steve Plain when I had a 306, who mainly specialises in Peageot / French cars though will look at anything. Really nice guy, but possibly not the cheapest.
Please note I know fuck all about cars
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Can anyone recommend me a reputable garage in Sheffield? I need the brakes and ABS looking at on my Fabia and don't want to get ripped off. Cheers.
Autohaus Dolby for anything VAG (IMO).
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How do recalls work?
I just had a letter saying there's a recall on my car. Do I now have to panic and rush to the nearest dealer immediately, and would be uninsured if anything happened before I did? Or can I just take the recall letter with me when I take the car in for its annual service which is due in a few weeks?
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How do recalls work?
I just had a letter saying there's a recall on my car. Do I now have to panic and rush to the nearest dealer immediately, and would be uninsured if anything happened before I did? Or can I just take the recall letter with me when I take the car in for its annual service which is due in a few weeks?
It kind of depends what the recall is for, the letter should say if it's serious! Generally you'd phone the dealer and they'll fit you in when they've got time so I would think getting it done at the service would be no problem. I'd give them a ring soon to make sure they allocate time to fit it in, they might have a rush on or be short of the part needed and not be able to do it if you just tell them on the day.
This article suggests ignoring it could invalidate your insurance but surely they'd have to give you a reasonable length of time to get the work done before going to that length.
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-news/94036/car-recalls-uk-check-if-your-car-is-subject-to-a-recall
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Yes - it depends what it is.
Usually car companies only issue recalls if its something they think they'll get sued to shit for.. so usually safety OR something major (read expensive and widespread) mechanically.
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Probably not the bulb. You can tell by looking at the markings on the headlamp glass - where there should be similar shading/opaque parts to direct the light down and left. These should be the same onnleft and right - NOT mirror images of each other if that makes sense. If they are mirror images then it sounds like maybe someon has fitted a LHD lens to the car which would be really really odd. It might be easiest to take it to your nearest most amenable looking independent garage and say any chance they could take a look and adjust them for you? I'd suggest it's a £20 cash in the lunch hour job at the most....
TT - thanks for the advice. I ended up popping it in the garage as I wanted the Auxiliary belt changing anyway. He said that is does actually have European headlamps on which seems odd. No idea why - I'll have to look through my service history to see if or when it had them changed.
They just put some tape across as a temporary measure and it passed the retest the morning. Only cost £10 on top of the work I got done anyway so not bad at all.
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Probably not the bulb. You can tell by looking at the markings on the headlamp glass - where there should be similar shading/opaque parts to direct the light down and left. These should be the same onnleft and right - NOT mirror images of each other if that makes sense. If they are mirror images then it sounds like maybe someon has fitted a LHD lens to the car which would be really really odd. It might be easiest to take it to your nearest most amenable looking independent garage and say any chance they could take a look and adjust them for you? I'd suggest it's a £20 cash in the lunch hour job at the most....
TT - thanks for the advice. I ended up popping it in the garage as I wanted the Auxiliary belt changing anyway. He said that is does actually have European headlamps on which seems odd. No idea why - I'll have to look through my service history to see if or when it had them changed.
They just put some tape across as a temporary measure and it passed the retest the morning. Only cost £10 on top of the work I got done anyway so not bad at all.
Thats weird! maybe its spent a while overseas before! The whole headlamp unit probably has to be replaced to sort this out without using tape ~ and I suspect they'll be £50-100 each second hand.. so maybe not worth doing.. Anyway, as long as its passed its MOT etc..
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Yeah it's pretty odd. It was a van used for a building firm in the SE so I can't see why it would have been abroad as they owned it the whole time for business purposes. I've every receipt for it so I will have a scan through them tonight.
But yes, it's passed it's MOT and will be up for sale once I've managed to give it a clean. I'm not expecting much for it (<£1000 definitely) so there's not much point in replacing the headlamps if some duct tape does the job.
I got an additional advisory as well today on the retest - object (sat nav) in the window, but not obscuring the drivers view. Not one I'd heard of before... I'd have taken it down if I knew!
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Yeah it's pretty odd. It was a van used for a building firm in the SE so I can't see why it would have been abroad as they owned it the whole time for business purposes. I've every receipt for it so I will have a scan through them tonight.
But yes, it's passed it's MOT and will be up for sale once I've managed to give it a clean. I'm not expecting much for it (<£1000 definitely) so there's not much point in replacing the headlamps if some duct tape does the job.
I got an additional advisory as well today on the retest - object (sat nav) in the window, but not obscuring the drivers view. Not one I'd heard of before... I'd have taken it down if I knew!
:D love the council MOT's...
Mates dad was a tester once.. He had quite a few tales..
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Hoping to look at an 09 Berlingo car tomorrow and just checked it's MOT history.
In October 2014, 2015 and 2016 it failed the MOT for the same two reasons:
Nearside Outer Front constant velocity joint gaiter insecure to the extent that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc (2.5.C.1a)
Offside Outer Front constant velocity joint gaiter insecure to the extent that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc (2.5.C.1a)
I've seen this as a failure on a number of berlingos that I have looked at but never the same thing three times in a row. So I guess either it was bodged each time, or something is up with the car that means it wears quickly for some reason.
If anyone has any thoughts it would be interesting to here as I've pretty clueless as to what this actually means...
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Okay so the CV boot is a rubber boot on the universal joint at the end of the drive shaft near the wheel. It's like a little rubber cover to stop all the dirt getting into the joint. However if it's been split open in Dirt can get in could cause the joints to be worn.
It's really common thing to happen in many front wheel drive cars. The way to tell if it has caused any damage is to take the car for a test drive and at low speed do some turns at full lock and if you hear any clunking noises from the wheels/joints whilst driving slowly eg at 1 mph then that might mean there is some wear in the joints.
Aside from checking that the work has been done, this bath check should give you an idea whether they are worn or not. If they are broken or break in the future it's not a massive job but might be 2 to £300 so
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This is a super bad example.. it's rarely this bad normally a clicking.
https://youtu.be/2c1nxR7aq1o
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Cheers TT - I should just start PMing you questions :D
Glad to hear it's not a hugely expensive job should it need doing. I'll be sure to do some slow turning too!
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On the subject of cruise control, you can easily retrofit it on most berlingos, just check it has the right pedals before you buy.
I bought a Berlingo yesterday (to pick up next week) - YYFY! Just wondering what I would need to check on the pedals to see if it can be retrofit?
Also, does anyone know how easy it is to add parking sensors?
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Aftermarket ones? If so, fairly easy although it will require some drilling of your bumper.
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Aftermarket ones? If so, fairly easy although it will require some drilling of your bumper.
Yes - not sure what type we would be after but happy to do some drilling if needed. Ideally I would install something with a screen (we need to upgrade the stereo anyway) and have the sensors linked to that and display the radar-type effect of distance.
However, I think this would probable get expensive so we will probably just get a sound-based one and a crappy stereo.
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Mine has it's own little indicator bar (Green, Amber, Red etc.) and a distance indicator in the middle. Similar to this:
(https://www.prlog.org/10132017-prk-001-reverse-parking-sensor-system-by-gearflag.jpg)
It chirps when you put it in reverse to let you know that it is indeed working. If you were going for a new head-unit it may be worth thinking about a rear camera as an option?
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What's the spec of your Berlingo? I don't think it's as simple as checking the pedals, I think it depends on the type of fuel injection system you have (Bosch or Siemens). It's been on my to do list to look into this but because mine is Bosch, I think chances are slim. There's more info, but not masses on the Berlingo forum. I'm not sure I like the idea of the after market cruise control systems personally, aren't they a slightly more sophisticated version of shoving a block against the accelerator when you've reached the desired speed? If I'm wrong then fair enough.
I've fitted after market parking sensors before (on my old T4) and it was easy enough to do. I personally wouldn't bother on the Berlingo as the visibility for parking is fine and I just go for the 'drive really slow until you touch the other car gently' approach for tight parallel parking spaces! If I was going to do it again, it may be worth looking for wireless kits if they exist? Saves taking all your plastics off to hide the wires.
*** Edit, cruise control comments were assuming you have a M49 or M59 berlingo, I have no knowledge of the newer ones ***
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Mine has it's own little indicator bar (Green, Amber, Red etc.) and a distance indicator in the middle. Similar to this:
It chirps when you put it in reverse to let you know that it is indeed working. If you were going for a new head-unit it may be worth thinking about a rear camera as an option?
Thanks for that, Paul. Looks like a good system and there are some available in Maplin for under £50. Have you got a wired or wireless system?
Yeah I've looked at some cameras which are pretty reasonable too. Though I'm not sure on the head unit itself yet. Those with a screen seem to be much more expensive than I imagined. That is assuming the cheap versions on ebay etc aren't that great...
What's the spec of your Berlingo? I don't think it's as simple as checking the pedals, I think it depends on the type of fuel injection system you have (Bosch or Siemens). It's been on my to do list to look into this but because mine is Bosch, I think chances are slim. There's more info, but not masses on the Berlingo forum. I'm not sure I like the idea of the after market cruise control systems personally, aren't they a slightly more sophisticated version of shoving a block against the accelerator when you've reached the desired speed? If I'm wrong then fair enough.
I've fitted after market parking sensors before (on my old T4) and it was easy enough to do. I personally wouldn't bother on the Berlingo as the visibility for parking is fine and I just go for the 'drive really slow until you touch the other car gently' approach for tight parallel parking spaces! If I was going to do it again, it may be worth looking for wireless kits if they exist? Saves taking all your plastics off to hide the wires.
*** Edit, cruise control comments were assuming you have a M49 or M59 berlingo, I have no knowledge of the newer ones ***
The berlingo I have gone for is a 2009 1.6 HDi (90bhp) VTR 5d
http://www.parkers.co.uk/citroen/berlingo-multispace/estate-2008/16-hdi-(90bhp)-vtr-5d/specs/
That's all the info that I have unfortunately (pick it up next week). Would there be a way to know which fuel injection system is in there? Or if it's an M49 or M59 even?
Yes I'm still undecided on the parking sensors - I've never hit anything yet! We live in an area that's very limited on space so it might be useful now we've got a bigger car. Though it'll be a little bit before we buy/fit it I imagine so we may find we're okay without it.
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M49 is pre 2002, m59 2002 -2008
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Mine's wired.
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What's the spec of your Berlingo? I don't think it's as simple as checking the pedals, I think it depends on the type of fuel injection system you have (Bosch or Siemens). It's been on my to do list to look into this but because mine is Bosch, I think chances are slim. There's more info, but not masses on the Berlingo forum. I'm not sure I like the idea of the after market cruise control systems personally, aren't they a slightly more sophisticated version of shoving a block against the accelerator when you've reached the desired speed? If I'm wrong then fair enough.
*** Edit, cruise control comments were assuming you have a M49 or M59 berlingo, I have no knowledge of the newer ones ***
The berlingo I have gone for is a 2009 1.6 HDi (90bhp) VTR 5d
http://www.parkers.co.uk/citroen/berlingo-multispace/estate-2008/16-hdi-(90bhp)-vtr-5d/specs/
That's all the info that I have unfortunately (pick it up next week). Would there be a way to know which fuel injection system is in there? Or if it's an M49 or M59 even?
Yes I'm still undecided on the parking sensors - I've never hit anything yet! We live in an area that's very limited on space so it might be useful now we've got a bigger car. Though it'll be a little bit before we buy/fit it I imagine so we may find we're okay without it.
Yours is the B9 (second generation).
To be able to retrofit cruise control, your Berlingo needs to have 3 things:
1) A switch on your clutch pedal to tell the car to deactivate the cruise control when you press the clutch. The switch usually has black wires coming out of it, going in to a blue housing and can be seen by getting down by the pedals and pressing the clutch. A mirror and torch may be necessary.
2) A switch on the brake pedal to deactivate the cruise control when you press the brake. All Berlingos have a white switch (I think this activates the brake lights), the switch you want is a second red switch to the right of the white one. This one is more awkward to see. There are some pictures on the Berlingo forums if you are struggling.
3) Have the right version of the software installed in your car. As I understand it, this shouldn't be a problem on yours. Some of the earliest B9s didn't have the right software but I haven't heard of any problems from anyone with an 09 plate.
You then just need to fit the stalk and get someone to plug it in to Lexia to change the right values to activate it.
There is a switch on the throttle which is required if you also want the speed limiter activated. Most Berlingos don't have this switch as standard and the replacement throttle pedal is expensive so most people don't bother with this. If you install a cruise control stalk with the speed limiter but you don't have the right throttle, the cruise control will still work fine.
There's quite a few threads on berlingoforum.co.uk on the subject and you may even find someone local on there who has access to Lexia for a good price.
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OK, not long after I started my Seat Altea this morning there was a long warning beep, an "ESP (https://www.acerecords.co.uk/images/MillieJacksonESP-CDS.jpg) Fault" message appeared on the dashboard, some lights lit up and the power steering stopped working. :(
I drove it round the corner, turned off the ignition, waited 30 seconds and it was fine when I started it again so I drove the 25 miles to work with no problem whatsoever.
A bit of online research suggests that that error message can mean many things and it needs plugging into a VAG computer to find out exactly how much of my new camera fund I'm goinf to have to part with.
Anyone know a good independent VAG place to get it looked at in Sheffield?
and
If I show up with no lights showing will they even be able to diagnose anything?
Thanks in advance!
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OK, not long after I started my Seat Altea this morning there was a long warning beep, an "ESP (https://www.acerecords.co.uk/images/MillieJacksonESP-CDS.jpg) Fault" message appeared on the dashboard, some lights lit up and the power steering stopped working. :(
I drove it round the corner, turned off the ignition, waited 30 seconds and it was fine when I started it again so I drove the 25 miles to work with no problem whatsoever.
A bit of online research suggests that that error message can mean many things and it needs plugging into a VAG computer to find out exactly how much of my new camera fund I'm goinf to have to part with.
Anyone know a good independent VAG place to get it looked at in Sheffield?
and
If I show up with no lights showing will they even be able to diagnose anything?
Thanks in advance!
Pretty standard VAG oversensitivity that - my 06 Skoda randomly lights up the ESP and the engine warning lights from time to time, then reverts to being fine on next startup. I heard somewhere that someone who'd been speaking to an RAC man reported that a lot of their callouts were for these warning lights, and unless you're in "limp mode" you're totally fine to carry on driving.
Yes, the faults are stored so if you get it plugged in you'll find out what it was but it could just be a bit of dirt passing through your lambda sensor. I guess depending on your appetite for spending money on your car / maintenance you can decide whether you want to do that. If you were to search the Pistonheads / a Seat specialist forum you could well find a local person / garage mechanic who could hook you up out of hours for a bit of cash in hand.
Sorry but can't help in a VAG place in Sheff - if you were talking Leeds I can heartily recommend German Autocare in Pudsey, which has the added benefit of being opposite The Depot.
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Heard good things about this place The Garage Sheffield
3 Sheaf Gardens, Sheffield S2 4BB
0114 273 7333
https://goo.gl/maps/JeYzpLJNHsj
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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What's the spec of your Berlingo? I don't think it's as simple as checking the pedals, I think it depends on the type of fuel injection system you have (Bosch or Siemens). It's been on my to do list to look into this but because mine is Bosch, I think chances are slim. There's more info, but not masses on the Berlingo forum. I'm not sure I like the idea of the after market cruise control systems personally, aren't they a slightly more sophisticated version of shoving a block against the accelerator when you've reached the desired speed? If I'm wrong then fair enough.
*** Edit, cruise control comments were assuming you have a M49 or M59 berlingo, I have no knowledge of the newer ones ***
The berlingo I have gone for is a 2009 1.6 HDi (90bhp) VTR 5d
http://www.parkers.co.uk/citroen/berlingo-multispace/estate-2008/16-hdi-(90bhp)-vtr-5d/specs/
That's all the info that I have unfortunately (pick it up next week). Would there be a way to know which fuel injection system is in there? Or if it's an M49 or M59 even?
Yes I'm still undecided on the parking sensors - I've never hit anything yet! We live in an area that's very limited on space so it might be useful now we've got a bigger car. Though it'll be a little bit before we buy/fit it I imagine so we may find we're okay without it.
Yours is the B9 (second generation).
To be able to retrofit cruise control, your Berlingo needs to have 3 things:
1) A switch on your clutch pedal to tell the car to deactivate the cruise control when you press the clutch. The switch usually has black wires coming out of it, going in to a blue housing and can be seen by getting down by the pedals and pressing the clutch. A mirror and torch may be necessary.
2) A switch on the brake pedal to deactivate the cruise control when you press the brake. All Berlingos have a white switch (I think this activates the brake lights), the switch you want is a second red switch to the right of the white one. This one is more awkward to see. There are some pictures on the Berlingo forums if you are struggling.
3) Have the right version of the software installed in your car. As I understand it, this shouldn't be a problem on yours. Some of the earliest B9s didn't have the right software but I haven't heard of any problems from anyone with an 09 plate.
You then just need to fit the stalk and get someone to plug it in to Lexia to change the right values to activate it.
There is a switch on the throttle which is required if you also want the speed limiter activated. Most Berlingos don't have this switch as standard and the replacement throttle pedal is expensive so most people don't bother with this. If you install a cruise control stalk with the speed limiter but you don't have the right throttle, the cruise control will still work fine.
There's quite a few threads on berlingoforum.co.uk on the subject and you may even find someone local on there who has access to Lexia for a good price.
SDM - Thanks for the very comprehensive reply. I'll check the pedals next week when I get the car from the dealer. Are these the type you mean (so I know what I'm looking for)? https://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt266/mechcanicolee/100_2371.jpg
After a bit of googling I've found a place with Lexia in leeds, but I'll search the forums you mentioned to see if there is anyone else out there once I get a quote.
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Heard good things about this place The Garage Sheffield
3 Sheaf Gardens, Sheffield S2 4BB
0114 273 7333
https://goo.gl/maps/JeYzpLJNHsj
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sorry, dont know what the %^$£ Tapatalk has done with my profile on here.
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Awesome, cheers TTT (&BTOL for the garage details). That's exactly what my colleague's just said to me as well.
If I'd have have thought about it properly I would have realised that there's an error log saved by the computer. :slap:
It's working fine so I'll just carry on as usual. Service & MOT due in a month so that will hopefully pick anything up.
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Anyone got any tips for removing hi-vis strickers from the back of a van? (The stuff they use on highway maintenance and emergency vehicles.) I've tried a hair dryer and a steam cleaner and it's proving
a right sodding bugger awkward to remove - to the point that I've taken off fist-sized patches of paint (the paint is surprisingly thin...) Which brings me to question number 2: anyone got any experience of respraying cars/vans? I've only really got access to Halfords spray cans and am going to need to do a fair bit. It doesn't have to be a pro job but I'd like it to look half decent.
Alternatively, anyone got any idea how much I'm looking at to get the rear doors resprayed on a Berlingo van?
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Awesome, cheers TTT (&BTOL for the garage details). That's exactly what my colleague's just said to me as well.
If I'd have have thought about it properly I would have realised that there's an error log saved by the computer. :slap:
It's working fine so I'll just carry on as usual. Service & MOT due in a month so that will hopefully pick anything up.
I can't remember the last time I didn't have a car with the check engine light on. It's become something of a tradition. As long as you're not in limp mode, ignore the shit out of it.
Disclaimer: I also only buy heaps of junk with long MOTs. Then just drive them till the wheels fall off and they move on to a better place. So if your car is worth more than your climbing rack, unlike mine, you can get a USB tool to plug your laptop in for about a tenner on eBay if you want to see what the issue is.
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Anyone got any tips for removing hi-vis strickers from the back of a van? (The stuff they use on highway maintenance and emergency vehicles.) I've tried a hair dryer and a steam cleaner and it's proving a right sodding bugger awkward to remove - to the point that I've taken off fist-sized patches of paint (the paint is surprisingly thin...) Which brings me to question number 2: anyone got any experience of respraying cars/vans? I've only really got access to Halfords spray cans and am going to need to do a fair bit. It doesn't have to be a pro job but I'd like it to look half decent.
Alternatively, anyone got any idea how much I'm looking at to get the rear doors resprayed on a Berlingo van?
if you can get the non permeable layer off leaving the adhesive I've found that most adhesives will dissolve with one of the following:
- Lighter fluid
- Meths
- Nail varnish remover
- WD40
They tend to dissolve with only one of these, when the others won' touch it. you can buy numerous specialist removers but I doubt they are much better than the above. http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/adhesive-remover
In terms of spraying a whole panel yourself, I did this once myself and swore to never do it again. To do it properly you need to do primer (if bare metal), undercoat, multiple layers of topcoat, plus multiple layers of lacquer, not to mention the sanding down, dust removal cloths etc etc. Not only will this cost a lot in cans and other stuff, the finished product will be patchy as hell and you'll wish you forked out to get it professionally done. If the car has any resale value at all don't even think about doing it yourself. Probably only a couple of hundred if you shop around. You'll probably find somewhere who will do the lot including remove the tape.
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Ta. I'm still optimistic about removing the rest without causing more damage, which will only leave a couple of fist-sized areas to paint. I'm equally optimistic that I can do this with a few cans of primer, paint and lacquer... I'll probably feel the same way as you about respraying in a day or two.
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Awesome, cheers TTT (&BTOL for the garage details). That's exactly what my colleague's just said to me as well.
If I'd have have thought about it properly I would have realised that there's an error log saved by the computer. :slap:
It's working fine so I'll just carry on as usual. Service & MOT due in a month so that will hopefully pick anything up.
Yeah, just bear in mind that an engine warning light on is now (I'm pretty sure) an MOT fail. That said, most of the lights are on a cycle, so if you've got a persistent one you can just keep starting the car until it goes out (yes I have done this before!).
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Or go behind the dash and take the bulb out...
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Ta. I'm still optimistic about removing the rest without causing more damage, which will only leave a couple of fist-sized areas to paint. I'm equally optimistic that I can do this with a few cans of primer, paint and lacquer... I'll probably feel the same way as you about respraying in a day or two.
I have done some home spraying and plan to do the whole van in the spring (ambitious/stupid...). It's pretty difficult to get a good finish with rattle cans and you can't really just "do a few patches" - it's nigh on impossible to blend. You really need to spray to the nearest discontinuity. It's seems like a lot extra work, but it's only really the topcoat and lacquer that need to go all the way - the primer/high build primer layers will be mainly focused on the bare metal patches.
Probably £200 to get a tailgate done, maybe more. One thing you could do is find a friendly local sprayer and see about doing the prep/pimer yourself (not too hard) then get them to quickly lay down the final coats. Many sprayers will say no though...
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What's the spec of your Berlingo? I don't think it's as simple as checking the pedals, I think it depends on the type of fuel injection system you have (Bosch or Siemens). It's been on my to do list to look into this but because mine is Bosch, I think chances are slim. There's more info, but not masses on the Berlingo forum. I'm not sure I like the idea of the after market cruise control systems personally, aren't they a slightly more sophisticated version of shoving a block against the accelerator when you've reached the desired speed? If I'm wrong then fair enough.
*** Edit, cruise control comments were assuming you have a M49 or M59 berlingo, I have no knowledge of the newer ones ***
The berlingo I have gone for is a 2009 1.6 HDi (90bhp) VTR 5d
http://www.parkers.co.uk/citroen/berlingo-multispace/estate-2008/16-hdi-(90bhp)-vtr-5d/specs/
That's all the info that I have unfortunately (pick it up next week). Would there be a way to know which fuel injection system is in there? Or if it's an M49 or M59 even?
Yes I'm still undecided on the parking sensors - I've never hit anything yet! We live in an area that's very limited on space so it might be useful now we've got a bigger car. Though it'll be a little bit before we buy/fit it I imagine so we may find we're okay without it.
Yours is the B9 (second generation).
To be able to retrofit cruise control, your Berlingo needs to have 3 things:
1) A switch on your clutch pedal to tell the car to deactivate the cruise control when you press the clutch. The switch usually has black wires coming out of it, going in to a blue housing and can be seen by getting down by the pedals and pressing the clutch. A mirror and torch may be necessary.
2) A switch on the brake pedal to deactivate the cruise control when you press the brake. All Berlingos have a white switch (I think this activates the brake lights), the switch you want is a second red switch to the right of the white one. This one is more awkward to see. There are some pictures on the Berlingo forums if you are struggling.
3) Have the right version of the software installed in your car. As I understand it, this shouldn't be a problem on yours. Some of the earliest B9s didn't have the right software but I haven't heard of any problems from anyone with an 09 plate.
You then just need to fit the stalk and get someone to plug it in to Lexia to change the right values to activate it.
There is a switch on the throttle which is required if you also want the speed limiter activated. Most Berlingos don't have this switch as standard and the replacement throttle pedal is expensive so most people don't bother with this. If you install a cruise control stalk with the speed limiter but you don't have the right throttle, the cruise control will still work fine.
There's quite a few threads on berlingoforum.co.uk on the subject and you may even find someone local on there who has access to Lexia for a good price.
SDM - Thanks for the very comprehensive reply. I'll check the pedals next week when I get the car from the dealer. Are these the type you mean (so I know what I'm looking for)? https://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt266/mechcanicolee/100_2371.jpg
After a bit of googling I've found a place with Lexia in leeds, but I'll search the forums you mentioned to see if there is anyone else out there once I get a quote.
Yeah, those are the ones. My clutch switch and wires are different colours but I don't think the colour is important as long as its present.
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Mini YYFY for the van... After a year of having a dodgy speedo, trying various fixes, and a new speedo (which we needed anyway for MPH) a new speed sensor finally fixed it! And strangely it fixed the wandering fuel gauge too... And the cruise control now works again!
Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk
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Hey all, hopefully someone has come across this before and has some advice more useful than get rid (it's a Citroen). I've got a 2007 Xsara Picasso 1.6HDI with just over 40,000 on the clock. I've had it about 18 months and over the last 6 or so the engine fault light has come on occasionally. It's always gone off after a week or less (anywhere between 1 and about 8 re-starts) but as it's happened a few times now I thought I'd check it out. I bought a cheap fault code reader and came back with:
P0238 - Turbocharger Boost Sensor A Circuit High
P1351
P1351 P
The P1351 code seems to be glow plug related however I can't find any info about the "P1351 P" code.
Having looked at a few other forums offering advice I can't find any consistent fixes so thought I'd throw it out here.
I'd like it to be sorted fairly soon if possible as I'm driving to Font in April and don't want the hassle of any major issues in Euro-land.
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its a pretty standard engine - used in Fords, Mini's, Peugots, Volvo's... so maybe look in those forums? Ford one might be a good place to start? Its generally known as the 1.6PSA engine I think...
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Hopefully a quick question on car stereos...
I want to replace mine (Citroen Berlingo (B9 - second gen)) with one that has an aux/Bluetooth input. Last time I did this for another car I just paid Halfords to do it. It also meant that the volume controls on the steering wheel didn't work as I didn't pay the £40 to get the extra cable.
Does anyone know if:
a) it is an easy job on a berlingo?
b) it requires additional cables to make the audio stick thing work?
c) there is anything else I should consider before embarking on such a job?
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Anyone had problems with key (not) going into ignition on Seat/Golf/Octavia/A3 etc? We'be got an '08 Seat Altea that's started playing up this morning. Apparently a plastic dust cover that won't retract. Did a temp fix using a screwdriver and WD40, but it's popped out again. Tow to a garage and new barrel required?
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Snap off the plastic cover? Or (risky) a teeny bit of superglue on the cover so it's always open?
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2nd hand barrels 25-40 on eBay... probably not too bad a diy job aside from getting the wheel off. (Airbag to deal with (no idea how hard) and fuck off big spanner/socket rqd for wheel nut)
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Green Flag got the key in so I dropped it in the shop. Bit annoying, but doesn't sound epic to fix.
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Car. Money. Fuck. As the saying goes...
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Just a headsup because I know I'm not the only one who runs a high miles Beemer on here...
BMW "Lifetime Fluids" = bollocks.
My E91 has done 97k miles and is still generally wonderful but recently decided to change out the auto gearbox fluid and the rear diff fluid despite BMW claiming that these never need to be replaced.
Massive improvement from the auto box - nice tight changes instead of a sluggish "rubber band" feeling.
Dropped the diff oil and it was in a horrendous state. New oil and the car feels more lively. Easy job, 1/2 hr max.
Recommended :2thumbsup:
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Interestingly I wanted to do this on my ~185k mile E46 320d (the gearbox oil) and quarry motors advised me against it (strongly).
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also, anyone with a manual box that is notchy or playing up, try sticking some auto fluid in it (the red stuff) really makes a difference. especially if you've got a short shifter
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also, anyone with a manual box that is notchy or playing up, try sticking some auto fluid in it (the red stuff) really makes a difference. especially if you've got a short shifter
Interesting again, second is a bit notchy on mine (~115k miles now I think).
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Had a leak from the connector at the supply end of the fuel rail, went in to investigate and found that, some time in the past, somebody's snapped the male end of the connector off the rail and reattached it with what looks like (now almost completely decomposed) superglue. Utterly boggled that anyone would do such a shonky repair that will piss petrol all over the hot engine when it inevitably fails.
Sorry, just had to vent about it.
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Live next to the works can anyone recommend a garage to mot my clio
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Been taking my polo to PLM autocentre on Rydal Road for the past few years, no complaints, owner Pete is a good guy.
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Cheers
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Awesome, cheers TTT (&BTOL for the garage details). That's exactly what my colleague's just said to me as well.
If I'd have have thought about it properly I would have realised that there's an error log saved by the computer. :slap:
It's working fine so I'll just carry on as usual. Service & MOT due in a month so that will hopefully pick anything up.
As if to back up my own point - just had mine back in the garage as my traction control light came on last weekend. Coincidentally my EGR light was on, and I've been getting that and the "engine" light come on regularly over the last couple of months.
The put it on diagnostic and:
Traction control light - no faults listed, all they spotted was my rear brake light bulbs had blown, they replaced them and it went off.
EGR light - fault listed for a sensor they fitted 9 months ago which they tested and was working fine, no other faults listed.
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Mine was the same- haven't had any problems at all since that one morning, passed MOT with no advisories and service listed no diagnostic problems whatsoever. :)
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I got the van ready for MOT over the last week - couple of new tyres, new bulbs where needed, temporarily sorted LPG leak etc
today is has started pissing fluid (probably engine coolant)
hopefully it will be split hose near the water pump rather than the pump itself - changing the pump is a time consuming process exacerbated by having to mine past/through the LPG system to get to it
going to put it in for MOT as planned and see if it's a quick fix, otherwise it might not be worth the money (LPG tank needs replacing as well - rest of van could fall apart at any moment)
I just want to squeeze another year out of it
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Fucking cars indeed.
Have had 118d bm 2012, 50k miles for over two years.
Good economy, nice to drive etc.
Last couple of weeks felt rough at idle with engine vibration through car.
On fri last week pulled away in first, loss of power, had to over rev to get it running.
No dash warning lights etc, just sounds like I'm driving a bag of spanners, vibration more noticeable over last few days.
Last drove today taken to garage for service/mot, due now fortunately, passed mot.
Upshot is that garage computers came back with zilch.
Mechanic said needed to be taken to main dealer, he stated "whoosh" had gone.
Possible software electronic glitch.
What a ball ache can see me pissing away good money after bad.
Anybody got any ideas?
Having been thinking over last few months that this car might not be for me....
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If you suspect software type issue, always worth a try disconnecting the battery for 10 or 15 minutes which should reset the engine management
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On fri last week pulled away in first, loss of power, had to over rev to get it running.
Was it in limp mode i.e. no turbo (no woosh)?
You say the codes came back with zero, but you seem to get a variable results with this depending on which type of garage you've used.
In Sheffield, I'd say take it to one of the two specialists (Quarry or the other one in Don Valley). Also, Bimmer forums are probably a better place to ask than here (I never had an issue diagnosing my E46 problems on there).
More info like whether it's getting up to temperature (perceived quality means this info is damped so a minor amount off optimum is reasonably significant) would be useful.
Disconnecting the MAF is always worth a shot with intermittent power issues.
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Thanks Paul and Jim,
Going to take it to inde BMW specialist.
Live in London, most of drive to work 40-50mph.
But quite a bit of stop starting on the way back due to heavy traffic etc.
Had a look on line, not the best place to diagnose faults.
But reading up on possible dual mass fly wheel failure.
Oh dear, if this the case.
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Thanks Paul and Jim,
Going to take it to inde BMW specialist.
Live in London, most of drive to work 40-50mph.
But quite a bit of stop starting on the way back due to heavy traffic etc.
Had a look on line, not the best place to diagnose faults.
But reading up on possible dual mass fly wheel failure.
Oh dear, if this the case.
Its a manual?
I take it the engine sounds fine when you rev it up out of gear when stationary etc..?
If it is the DMF then that may sound expensive, but in the realm of 'bad things that can happen to a turbo charged diesel engine' it is actually good news... fairly straight forward to replace - doesnt involve any "we're not sure whats happening so we'll randomly change sensors/components" type electrical fault diagnosis - no expensive DPF/exhaust issues - no very expensive turbo issues...
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Thanks Paul and Jim,
Going to take it to inde BMW specialist.
Live in London, most of drive to work 40-50mph.
But quite a bit of stop starting on the way back due to heavy traffic etc.
Had a look on line, not the best place to diagnose faults.
But reading up on possible dual mass fly wheel failure.
Oh dear, if this the case.
Its a manual?
I take it the engine sounds fine when you rev it up out of gear when stationary etc..?
If it is the DMF then that may sound expensive, but in the realm of 'bad things that can happen to a turbo charged diesel engine' it is actually good news... fairly straight forward to replace - doesnt involve any "we're not sure whats happening so we'll randomly change sensors/components" type electrical fault diagnosis - no expensive DPF/exhaust issues - no very expensive turbo issues...
Yep manual, booked into garage for Tuesday, not going to chance my arm driving it until then. Hopefully nothing too sinister. Will find out in due course. I was up for changing the car after it's mot, to some kind of petrol/hybrid auto, as I drive round the n circ every in London. Lots of stop starting stationary traffic. So thats why I think it could be the dmf, but I'm no mechanic. Will just have to see. Things are not going to well for family jfdm at the moment, seems like one thing after another. On the plus note means I now can't get to arch north so until its fixed will be at Arch in town, loads of problems to go at there, not been there for ages.
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Quite a bit of thinking yesterday arvo about what to do with car.
Went to Car Giant in the end - huge car supermarket, to see if it could be part-ex.
The drive there was a bit white knuckle, 1st/2nd really ropey.
Heart in mouth when valuer revved it stating, something not quite right.
That would need to be taken to garage for computer diagnostics.
Was thinking he would come back saying would not accept in this condition.
Anyway 10 mins later came back, prob with dmf/clutch, so offer p/x price minus £500.
Said common problem with diesel beemers driven in city.
Diesel owners be careful riding the clutch around city.
Things starting to add up with car, needed new break pads and disc at rear £400.
New tyre at least £100, this would be ontop of fixing clutch/dmf.
So accepted this p/x this towards newer Aygo, 1litre, petrol, auto.
No car tax, great economy, loads of kit, more of a relaxed run around.
Downside might be Mrs jfdm might have to get out and push when going up hill.
Time will tell if it was a good idea or not.
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Knowing when to stick or twist is hard... hope the new motor works out..
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MOT says no to my focus estate. Does anyone know any not shit 2nd hand dealers round Leeds/Halifax way. Looking for a small estate with as few miles as possible for £1500 tops...
I have been cruising gumtree, autotrader, random used car websites. If anyone has any recommendations that would be great. Or if anyone wants to by a focus estate....
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What did it fail on?
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Got a hole in the rear near (I think) side that needs welding and there are some major issues with the rear axle. I can't remember exactly what he said, but I need to go reclaim it tonight so I can find out.
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Might not be that bad to fix... though I guess if it's more than say £500 it's not worth it for an extra year..
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The mechanic said about £500, and he would cap it at £600 to get it through the MOT, so i'm pretty sure it is time to move on :wavecry:
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Stick or twist!
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Its a log game the cheap car game...
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Sure this has been answered elsewhere but struggled to find anything recent through the search.
Anyone got any recommendations for a good garage to get an MOT done? Preferably near Nether Edge or maybe Bramall Lane.
Cheers
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We use the Halfords autocentre in the centre of town. Easy job to leave the car there during the day, pick up in the evening after work. They do a good job and I've never had issues with them.
Some of the academics I work with use the MOT prestige car centre at the top of cementary road at the back of Netheredge with good results.
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I've a 2009 Citroen Berlingo Multispace and would like to fit a new stereo with bluetooth etc.
I asked in Halfords and they said an adapter to connect a new stereo to the Control Stalk on the steering wheel would be approaching £200. That's just for the adapter!!
I was quoted about £35 for my astra when I had it so this price seems a little ridiculous. Perhaps they don't sell a cheap version for my vehicle, or so I hope...
Does anyone who knows anything about this have an idea where I could source a cheaper version? I can get the normal adapter to make it work for a tenner but I would like to keep the stalk's functionality if possible.
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I've a 2009 Citroen Berlingo Multispace and would like to fit a new stereo with bluetooth etc.
I asked in Halfords and they said an adapter to connect a new stereo to the Control Stalk on the steering wheel would be approaching £200. That's just for the adapter!!
I was quoted about £35 for my astra when I had it so this price seems a little ridiculous. Perhaps they don't sell a cheap version for my vehicle, or so I hope...
Does anyone who knows anything about this have an idea where I could source a cheaper version? I can get the normal adapter to make it work for a tenner but I would like to keep the stalk's functionality if possible.
No idea if any of these are suitable - but looks like £20-40 is more like it....
https://www.ebay.co.uk/b/Vehicle-Steering-Wheel-Interfaces-for-Berlingo/174122/bn_9791609
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2013 Skoda Fabia hatchback (the best car ever created :ang:)
I park on a sloped drive and always reverse on so the car is pointing downhill. Sometimes, particularly if the car isn't used for a day or two, the brakes can stick on momentarily when going to set off. They come loose with a little "bang" (it's not like it's an explosion or anything, but that's the best word I can think of to describe it).
So, yesterday morning, car hasn't been driven since Saturday. Handbrake comes off and car doesn't go anywhere (normally we're rolling down the drive at this point). Had to use a bit of gas to "break free" from the moorings. This has happened before but not with this much "stick", normally the weight of the car on the slope is enough to get it shifting. Has also happened on flat ground so not sure if that's a factor. Yesterday was particularly bad as it felt like the brake was sticking right down the drive and only really released when I reversed a little.
Oddly, when I drove it on the Saturday morning the car had been stood for a fortnight and I didn't really have a problem.
Does anyone know what this is? It doesn't seem to be doing any harm at the moment but I'd like to nip it in the bud if it's going to be an issue.
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Drive faster ;)
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There's a part in the wheel which is broken, causing the spring that releases your handbrake not to work. I can't remember what this part is called but I had mine replaced after having similar issues. It was a quick, cheap and simple job from a KwikFit or similar
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Cheers Ross. Was that a Fabia hatch? Same symptoms?
Googling suggests that this is a common problem with drum brakes. Causes seem to vary, though wet weather seems to be a common contributor. Some suggest that there's a small rust build up; another explanation is that the drum brakes release a glue like substance when used in the wet which then "sets" overnight (seems a bit far fetched?).
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How corroded are your rear discs (actually, are they discs or drums)? Just stop using the handbrake and leave it in gear :devangel:
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Soz, was editing when you posted. I think it's rear drum brakes; no idea if they're a bit rusty.
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I’d agree with Paul, leave it in 1st and apply handbrake lightly. Leaving it wrenched on In wet weather can cause them to stick a bit, we have the same problem at work (admittedly it’s on a nearly 30 year old ex military RB44) but as a general rule all vehicles are left in lowest gear and handbrake off. I appreciate you might not want to do this if it’s on a drive, but you’ll be fine.
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Cheers Ross. Was that a Fabia hatch? Same symptoms?
Googling suggests that this is a common problem with drum brakes. Causes seem to vary, though wet weather seems to be a common contributor. Some suggest that there's a small rust build up; another explanation is that the drum brakes release a glue like substance when used in the wet which then "sets" overnight (seems a bit far fetched?).
Focus hatch with drum brakes. However it wasn't a problem with the corrosion/rust of the drum for me, just this small part that was broken. I can't remember or find (with googling) what this part was called though :(
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Cheers Ross. Was that a Fabia hatch? Same symptoms?
Googling suggests that this is a common problem with drum brakes. Causes seem to vary, though wet weather seems to be a common contributor. Some suggest that there's a small rust build up; another explanation is that the drum brakes release a glue like substance when used in the wet which then "sets" overnight (seems a bit far fetched?).
Yes. Sound like common or garden brakes binding to me. Your first prognosis is probably the one - mild rust buildup caused by moisture and car not moving.
You clearly never had the "pleasure" of owning a 70s Mini as your first car. Used to happen all the time to mine.
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2013 Skoda Fabia hatchback (the best car ever created :ang:)
Okay, forget that thing about the brakes, it's been trumped big time.
18 months ago, when the car was still just in warranty, I took it to get serviced at an independent garage and was advised to get the turbo actuator looked at as it was making a lot of noise when revved. I took it to the dealership and had them look at it under warranty. They reported that this wasn't a fault. I've got the service invoice to prove this.
Fast forward a year and a half and I turn on the car to get two fault lights and the car in limp mode. Breakdown repair bloke can't fix it but the error code he's getting is to do with the turbo. It appears that the actuator (or something turbo related) has stopped moving.
Some googling indicates that people with this problem have ended up having to completely replace the turbo - in the region of 2k. Car not in warranty.
The dealership is going to look at the car this week and I want to be prepared for whatever argument I might need to have with them. The car has only done 45k miles and has a full documented service history. If they want to charge me big bucks to fix this, do I have any recourse? As far as I'm concerned, a well looked after car should not need a new turbo at that mileage, especially since the dealership looked at it 18 months ago and reported that all was well.
Any advice appreciated as I'm well out of my depth with this stuff.
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As far as I'm concerned, a well looked after car should not need a new turbo at that mileage, especially since the dealership looked at it 18 months ago and reported that all was well.
Sure, it's early but if you've done lots of short journeys then the turbo won't have had a good life. £2k seems a bit steep for a turbo replacement unless it's already imploded?
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Sadly its probably a 'tough shit mate' moment...
But - you could argue with the dealer that as this was investigated 18 months ago whether they could discount the repair to show good will on the part of the dealers and of Skoda (is it a Skoda?) - after all they do have a very good dealer reputation.
It may well be that any discounted dealer price for the fix is about the same (still more) than an independent garages fix costs... Its not an uncommon engine, sounds like its not an uncommon fault so shop around and as Paul said - £2k seems a bit steep for replacing a snail...
Has Paul been near, sat in or brushed past your car in the last 18 months? Such encounters are normally in the small print in car warranties to invalidate any claims.... ;)
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It may well be that any discounted dealer price for the fix is about the same (still more) than an independent garages fix costs... Its not an uncommon engine, sounds like its not an uncommon fault so shop around and as Paul said - £2k seems a bit steep for replacing a snail...
Seconded - depending on how it goes you might want a second opinion.
I'd recommend German Autocare in Pudsey, who are a very good independant and look after my shed of a Fabia. Plus they're literally across the road from The Depot.
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Thanks guys, my garage down the road (who are great) also said it was likely to be a case of "tough shit".
I'll see what the dealer says and then get a quote from my local.
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Exploring small engined estate possibilities at the moment.
Does anyone know how good pads stack in a kia c'eed estate or a vauxhall astra estate? Previously had a ford focus (ace for pads) and a skoda fabia (less good...).
cheers!
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The Skoda locking wheel nut design is a heap of shit. Anybody got four spare normal nuts for a Fabia that they wouldn't mind parting with? Ta!
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I recently got my Berlingo serviced by Citroen and have a number of things which I might need to consider fixing soon. Some items (pollen filter & break fluid replacement) I'm going to get done at a local place due to the extortionate prices Citroen charge.
Others I'd prefer to get done elsewhere also but I've no idea what would be involved or if it's needed.
The main one is: "Engine under tray is broken and hanging down. May be best to remove it. Will need new tray and all fixings and both wheel arch liners"
They quoted £485 to do this (inc VAT) which seems a lot for something they describe "may" be best removing.
Any thoughts on how best to approach this or any garages in Leeds who could provide a second opinion? A quick Google shows you can get an under tray for around £40. But I'm not sure why the wheel arches would need replacing also.
They also quoted £275 to replace the front disk brakes and pads which have some cracking. Does this sound reasonable?
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The main one is: "Engine under tray is broken and hanging down. May be best to remove it. Will need new tray and all fixings and both wheel arch liners"
They quoted £485 to do this (inc VAT) which seems a lot for something they describe "may" be best removing.
Any thoughts on how best to approach this or any garages in Leeds who could provide a second opinion? A quick Google shows you can get an under tray for around £40. But I'm not sure why the wheel arches would need replacing also.
They also quoted £275 to replace the front disk brakes and pads which have some cracking. Does this sound reasonable?
Its the plastic cover under the engine that helps keep crap off the engine and also makes the underside of the car more aerodynamic (in some cases). I've had loads of cars that never had one - and aside from a dirty engine (engines are rarely clean anyway!) on an older vehicle I wouldnt lose too much sleep over it not being there.. They probably quote the inner wheel arches as I guess thats something that the undertray is also screwed to (and the plastic has probably broken).
On my car the tray has fallen down (a bit too much rally driving scraping it :) ) and I just used a few self tapping screws to hold it up. This may be an option from your local garage if you ask. TBH, they'll probably just say rip it off mate.
£275 for discs and pads sounds like quite alot. Its also the type of job most nationwide tyre joints (e.g. Kwick Fit, National, ATS etc..) and places like Halfords will do. You can probably get an online quote for the price.
Google how to change the pollen filter - it may be a 5 min job you can do yourself following a youtube vid. On some cars its about as hard as changing a bag on a hoover...
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The main one is: "Engine under tray is broken and hanging down. May be best to remove it. Will need new tray and all fixings and both wheel arch liners"
They quoted £485 to do this (inc VAT) which seems a lot for something they describe "may" be best removing.
Any thoughts on how best to approach this or any garages in Leeds who could provide a second opinion? A quick Google shows you can get an under tray for around £40. But I'm not sure why the wheel arches would need replacing also.
They also quoted £275 to replace the front disk brakes and pads which have some cracking. Does this sound reasonable?
Its the plastic cover under the engine that helps keep crap off the engine and also makes the underside of the car more aerodynamic (in some cases). I've had loads of cars that never had one - and aside from a dirty engine (engines are rarely clean anyway!) on an older vehicle I wouldnt lose too much sleep over it not being there.. They probably quote the inner wheel arches as I guess thats something that the undertray is also screwed to (and the plastic has probably broken).
On my car the tray has fallen down (a bit too much rally driving scraping it :) ) and I just used a few self tapping screws to hold it up. This may be an option from your local garage if you ask. TBH, they'll probably just say rip it off mate.
£275 for discs and pads sounds like quite alot. Its also the type of job most nationwide tyre joints (e.g. Kwick Fit, National, ATS etc..) and places like Halfords will do. You can probably get an online quote for the price.
Google how to change the pollen filter - it may be a 5 min job you can do yourself following a youtube vid. On some cars its about as hard as changing a bag on a hoover...
Cheers TT! I'll save myself the money and see what the local place says then. Good to know it's nothing vital. Could be a duct tape fix depending on how bad it is... same for the breaks, I'll get a quote but may leave them to run down a bit.
They did day on the phone that it's not an urgent job so no problem to wait.
The pollen filler does look easy as well, nor sure where the £60 charge they wanted was going... same for the £30 side lamp bulb!
Really appreciate the help.
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A few sturdy cable ties should be OK to get it back in place. I've done that before, was probably stronger than screwing it in,a bit more "give" in the system. Might need to make some new holes in the tray.
With a Haynes manual or an online video and a decent trolley jack and a good set of tools, you can do pads and discs yourself in a couple of hours, if you really want to save the money, but it takes just one seized nut or threaded screw to really throw a spanner in the works (pun intended). I've not bothered since I got a paying job though, the time effort and skinned knuckles aren't worth the money. It's a standard job, so you can easily phone a few local garages to get a quote. Avoid Kwik Fit if you can though, had too many bad experiences.
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Are we talking about an older style Blingo here? If so I wouldn't worry about the under tray, unlikely to cause any problems until long after the engine/electricals give out. I'd also be a bit wary of just using cable ties to reattach it. Mine fell off (an '03 Blingo) on the M60 which wasn't much fun. Turned out it had only been cable tied on. In fact.....what car was that on Chris? :P
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Wasn't me. It was my old Espace, first and last time I ever owned a french vehicle. Main thing it does is stop water splashing up into electric compartment, which may account for the central locking activating when i used the indicators if it was raining.
Whoever fixed yours probably wasn't versed enough in the load bearing properties of cable ties. It's an art.
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It's a 59 plate Multispace. So fairly old, but definitely an updated version compared to some that I've seen in the past.
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I've noticed a bit of a vibration coming through the steering wheel of my car the last few weeks. Just got chance to jack it up and have found that there is considerable resistance to turning one of the rear wheels. So I am thinking seized bearing or brake. Only problem is I'm now stranded in Hull and need to get back to Sheffield tomorrow. Is it safe to drive back and get I looked at during the week or will I have to leave it here and get my folks to take it to a garage for me?
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I've noticed a bit of a vibration coming through the steering wheel of my car the last few weeks. Just got chance to jack it up and have found that there is considerable resistance to turning one of the rear wheels. So I am thinking seized bearing or brake. Only problem is I'm now stranded in Hull and need to get back to Sheffield tomorrow. Is it safe to drive back and get I looked at during the week or will I have to leave it here and get my folks to take it to a garage for me?
Id be surprised if that was caus JT the vibration thru the steering wheel...
How big was the vibration (low speed, high speed or just at one speed?) and how hard is it to turn the rear wheel?
I recommend PMA motors on Newland Ave BTW.
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Vibration pretty minor, you would only notice it if you drove the car regularly, girlfriend didn't even notice. Only noticeable on smooth roads. Only vibrates over 50mph. The unaffected wheel keeps spinning when you give it a turn. The dodgy one can be turned pretty easily with one hand but doesn't keep spinning.
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Cheers for the recommendation. Don't suppose you know if they're open Sundays? Have only found kwik fit so far and not that keen.
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Also the vibration is through the whole car not just specifically the steering wheel.
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Sounds like it’s a wheel bearing - any noise when you try to spin it? It could also be a sticking brake as you said.
Don’t think pma are open on a Sunday.. (few garages are). I’ve not driven it - but suspect you could limp it back to sheff pottering along at 50-60 and maybe stopping once or twice for 10-20 min to let it cool down?
There are other things it could be of course. The vibration (unusual from a wheel bearing - they normally give a full rumbling droning noise) could be wheel balance, a deformity in a tyre, worn suspension bushes....
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Vibration pretty minor, you would only notice it if you drove the car regularly, girlfriend didn't even notice. Only noticeable on smooth roads. Only vibrates over 50mph. The unaffected wheel keeps spinning when you give it a turn. The dodgy one can be turned pretty easily with one hand but doesn't keep spinning.
Sounds more like a tyre gone out of shape from the 50mph bit. More likely than a bearing which you would notice by the "drone" when going in a straight line all the time or of a sticking brake which would progressively get stickier and just smell bad.
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Have checked the tyres pretty thoroughly and they seem fine.
Spoke to mechanic last night and he told me to drive a few miles and then touch hub to test temperature of brakes. If the brake is stuck on the hub will heat up. After driving about 8 miles the dodgy wheel brake drum was a bit warmer than on the other side. The mechanics said that if it was badly stuck on then touching the brake drum could burn me so I guess this is quite minor. Think I will risk the drive back to Sheffield and get it looked at in the week.
Cheers all.
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I'd risk driving with a few breaks. Hopefully it's a rainy day...
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I'm getting ready to update my whip. Car needs to be large diesel estate. Went and viewed an A6 Avant this week, perfect in every way other than it costing £540 per year tax :o
So I've lowered my aspirations slightly, and find myself looking at Honda Accords and Mazda 6. Anyone got any experience with either of these? Other options I had considered were Skoda Superb and 5 series but I don't have the coin for them. Budget is 5k absolute max.
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Friend liked his Mazda6 and praised it highly before he got a Superb....
Oil burner or petrol?
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Toyota Avensis or Citroen C5. Both depreciate heavily so should be able to find a relatively low mileage one that isn't too old for your 5K.
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Friend liked his Mazda6 and praised it highly before he got a Superb....
Oil burner or petrol?
Dirty diesel. Your friends scenario doesn’t help mine haha! I really love the Superb, just can’t get that much coin together. Mazda is forerunner at present.
Toyota Avensis or Citroen C5. Both depreciate heavily so should be able to find a relatively low mileage one that isn't too old for your 5K.
Avensis is an option. I’m a bit of a snob when it comes to cars. I’ll never own a French one!
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A couple more left field options could be a Chrysler 300C, they do a V6 diesel that is massive! Or a Saab 95 if you can find one.
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Tried using the autotrader app (for choice not buying) - you can filter the search to eg. Estate, diesel, 0-6 <9 secs etc. Etc... ?
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Tried using the autotrader app (for choice not buying) - you can filter the search to eg. Estate, diesel, 0-6 <9 secs etc. Etc... ?
At least 5 or 6 times a day..... I'm such a loser......
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Tried using the autotrader app (for choice not buying) - you can filter the search to eg. Estate, diesel, 0-6 <9 secs etc. Etc... ?
At least 5 or 6 times a day..... I'm such a loser......
:D (made me nearly LOL..) I'm the same.....
Do any of the big diesel Mercs slip into your category?
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So I've lowered my aspirations slightly, and find myself looking at Honda Accords and Mazda 6.
The neighbours across the street love their Accord. 16 years old, going strong.
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Had an avensis tourer for 5 years and liked it, 130k miles and still running fine, 130 tax per year
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Which engine was costing £540 a year in tax? :w00t:
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Good info on Avensis and Accord. Mazda still out in front I reckon, great spec, cheap to run and I like the look of them (Avensis is possibly a tad boring dare I say it)
Which engine was costing £540 a year in tax? :w00t:
3 litre V6 diesel Paul. Absolutely crackers!
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If you like the Mazda have you considered a 5 rather than a 6 estate. 5+2 seat mpv that is really good value second hand.
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If you like the Mazda have you considered a 5 rather than a 6 estate. 5+2 seat mpv that is really good value second hand.
True - I was looking at these as Nai had one. If you're patient / flexible you can pick up low miler mid/late 2000s models for a mere £2k.
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The Mazda 5 is one step too close to a people carrier I'm afraid. Its bad enough that I have to give up on my dream of owning something totally stupid like an S4, R32, Impreza or other equally fast and unsuitable car. I couldn't bring myself to crusing about in an MPV. Sorry if I sound like a wally, just I know what I like, and know what I really don't like.
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Volvo V50 1.6D. 70 mpg and about 50p a year road tax.
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Currently cruising about in a very aged XC70. I must admit, I find the car economical and comfortable, but not my style. And you know I need style TC.
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Volvo V50 1.6D. 70 mpg and about 50p a year road tax.
Great until the turbo goes.
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Hang on let me get your requirements straight: fast, stylish, low tax, practical, spacious, cheap. Anything I missed?
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:tumble:
Hang on let me get your requirements straight: fast, stylish, low tax, practical, spacious, cheap. Anything I missed?
Not French, as a Renaultsport Megane ticks all those boxes ;)
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Hang on let me get your requirements straight: fast, stylish, low tax, practical, spacious, cheap. Anything I missed?
Almost mate! Not that bothered about speed, but needs to be able to pick its arse up when needed. When u say stylish, I mean not boring ad not a people carrier/MPV. Tax needs to be less than that hideously overpriced A6 by at least half. And practical and spacious both a must. I'm a bit of a car snob and have been set in my ways for years. So basically no French motors, no Vauxhall, no Ford, no Italian (sorry Nibs). German or Japanese is effectively where I am, and edging more towards Japanese as German stuff is way to pricey. Hence my interest in Honda Accord, Mazda 6,Totota Avensis etc.
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I’ve found a mint looking Mazda, not far away from me at all. So will try and get along and see it soon. The other thing to consider is all I am going to do is whack a load of miles on it, so realistically I’m better off with something that is relatively cheap to buy and run, and that I don’t mind tootling about in for the next few years.
The RS6 Avant will just have to wait a few years!
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The Mazda 5 is one step too close to a people carrier I'm afraid. Its bad enough that I have to give up on my dream of owning something totally stupid like an S4, R32, Impreza or other equally fast and unsuitable car. I couldn't bring myself to crusing about in an MPV. Sorry if I sound like a wally, just I know what I like, and know what I really don't like.
I'm the same as you - I have been round virtually the same process as you looking for something sensible and slighly bigger for family use, only to end up with a 12 year old 210bhp 2.0l turbo petrol Saab.
I figured I'll give it 6 months, see how much it cripples me financially and take a view from there. Can always punt it on if it gets silly.
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Looked at the seat estates? Exeo, Leon?
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TTT good to know I'm not alone!
TT yes I've had a butchers at the Exeo, it is in essence and A4 so not quite big enough unfortunately. Cheers for the shout though.
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Present you casting the net at the moment for a small estate.
Interested in trying the latest small petrol lumps 3 cylinder 1.0 used by BMW, VAG and Ford... time to cast away my long line of oil burners...
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A lady at work just had her turbo go pop on the 1.0 3 cyclinder petrol engine used by VAG at 22k miles :tumble:
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Yes..... under warranty I assume..
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Word up - MOT changing quite a lot from May 20th. Esp for 2006 onwards diesel owners...
https://www.theguardian.com/money/2018/apr/14/mot-changes-strict-tests-diesel-cars-fail?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
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Update!
Paid deposit on a mint Mazda 6 today, picking it up from Derby on Thursday so will report back once I’ve got it (taking a bit of a gamble as bought a one way train ticket there, so car better be what they say it is, or I’ll be asking for recommendations for hotels in Derby!)
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The RS6 Avant will just have to wait a few years!
Indeed the perfect all round car - great family car, great load hauler (mine regularly takes bales of hay/straw etc) - good in snow, magnificent in rain - also the a6 frame takes a Saturn pad across the backseats leaving boot free for other pads..
If it makes you hate me any less for having one, the low profiles are pitiful on peak potholes and I’m currently off road with my concurrent 4th and 5th punctures over the last 2yrs - tyres £300 a pop
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Mike, if it all goes pear shaped then it is an easy 20 min train journey up to matlock to stay at ours.
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Nice one mike. Hope it’s all good.
On a random Q - does anyone in Manchester have a 7mm Allen key/hex on a 1/2 inch socket I can borrow?
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Mike, if it all goes pear shaped then it is an easy 20 min train journey up to matlock to stay at ours.
Cheers matey! Fingers crossed all goes well!
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Car broke down yesterday on way out of Sheffield :( can anyone recommend someone local and cheap to tow it to a garage? If anyone on here has a vehicle capable of towing a skoda fabia ~5 miles would be willing to pay £50 for a tow!
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Thinking about getting a new car. Been looking at all the usual estates and MPVs but second hand price on many of these would be the same as a brand new Dacia Logan MCV.
I'm looking at the petrol TCe 0.9L version, seems to have good MPG and a massive boot so thinking it would be a good option to fit the family and a load of gear in to get about for the next few years. Currently driving a 20 year old 1L Polo so really not too fussed about spec and performance as anything will be an upgrade on what I've currently got. Can extend from a 3 year to a 7 year warranty for around £800 so considering buying new so I'm set for the next 7 years. Don't see many about though so wondering if this is because there are a bit shit!
Just wondering whether anyone on here has got one and can give any input?
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Look at the numbers for getting one thats 1yo. You can probably extend the warranty if you want to - and you'll save at least 20% on new... Or get one with a few bells and whistles (e.g. AC and maybe bluetooth etc..) for the same price as the most basic models.
If you go for new - ring around Dacia dealers around the UK to see what kind of deal they'll do.. the warranty/servicing will work in any garage once you've bought it....
Personally I'm never going to buy a new car again (brand new). Its nice and all that, but loses 20% (the vat) the moment you drive it off the forecourt - and I always noticed every blemish and thing that happened to it. At least with a second hand car (even one year old) I'm not so precious about it.
I have no idea what they're like though. sorry!!
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Cheers Tom, I'd never have considered brand new previously for the reason you mention. Just wondering if in this case it may be worth paying the premium to get the full 7 years peace of mind warranty and to know the car's history. Guessing due to type of car it is there's not too many out there that will have been thrashed by boy racers though anyway.
Hadn't thought about getting the warranty extended on a nearly new, was going to book a test drive so will get more info about how the warranty works.
Thanks again.
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I've discovered that the seals under the door cards on the rear doors of my car are letting in water. I've bought some sealant from halfords, any one got any tips for repairing the leak and getting a good seal?
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I've discovered that the seals under the door cards on the rear doors of my car are letting in water. I've bought some sealant from halfords, any one got any tips for repairing the leak and getting a good seal?
Try Gummi Pflege. Great on frameless window seals, might do the trick.
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Bit of a weird one. My car has started smelling of damp really badly. But I can't identify any leaks or wet patches. Seems worst in the boot.
Any tips: (a) of what it might be/rogue leaks that I might not have considered; (b) how to stop a car smelling of damp?
Cheers!
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(b) how to stop a car smelling of damp?
In the many leaky cars I've owned a margerine tub full of cat litter (punch holes in the top and put the whole thing in an old sock/tights) has done wonders for absorbing a lot of the moisture.
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I've just had this in my front passenger side foot well.
Check that drain lines for where rain water runs off your car. Chances are you've got a gulley blocked somewhere, or the actual drain hole filled up with a horrid black sludge of water and decomposing leaves (which was the case in mine).
Other than that I'd check the door and boot seals. The rubber perishes over time.
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Could try those allegedly dehumidfying stones or packets of silica in the boot? Obviously not ideal if you have a dog in there or similar.
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I've discovered that the seals under the door cards on the rear doors of my car are letting in water. I've bought some sealant from halfords, any one got any tips for repairing the leak and getting a good seal?
Mid-2000s Fabia have a well-known issue the rear door seals - look at any of that era this time of year, back windows will always be fogged up.
There's a fix that main dealers do which involves silicone bathroom sealant. Worked on mine.
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Thinking about getting a new car. Been looking at all the usual estates and MPVs but second hand price on many of these would be the same as a brand new Dacia Logan MCV.
Branch of Renault isn’t it? They do ‘approved used’ ie nearly new but much cheaper and will have full warranty. I bought a Kia estate that way, pretty happy with the result.
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While this thread is reawoken, I have a very irritating squeak in the drivers side door. Short of WD40'ing everything I can reach, is there anything I can do without taking the door panel off? Would I be better off just turning the radio up?
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Turn the radio up...
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4fBbhyzE9A
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Reminds of the cartoon I saw in a garage once - "the bad news is I couldn't fix your brakes, the good news is I've made your horn a lot louder!"
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A cool looking electric incoming:
https://www.pistonheads.com/regulars/ph-ev/honda-e-prototype-points-to-2019-road-car/39708 (https://www.pistonheads.com/regulars/ph-ev/honda-e-prototype-points-to-2019-road-car/39708)
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As I have had some luck selling things through ukb recently I thought I would put up my car that I'm trying to sell. It is a Fiat Panda 100hp, for more details see the eBay listing that is currently up, https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F333110756314.
It has been a reliable and cheap motor for me. Needs the oil topping up and occasionally the offside rear break caliper sticks (think it just needs a clean and grease) however apart from that it is good to go. It has full service history and has had the cambelt and water pump done a couple o years ago.
If any ukber would like to buy then just send me a pm. I will be happy to stop the eBay listing early and sell for any reasonable offer.
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Those are really cool, if you're in the market for a small car look no further.
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Yeah, if I could convince the missus (spoiler alert: I won't) I would take it like a shot to replace our knackered-but-still-won't-die Fabia.
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Yeah, if I could convince the missus (spoiler alert: I won't) I would take it like a shot to replace our knackered-but-still-won't-die Fabia.
I now have to drive and park in an annoyingly tight multi storey which I know is going to end in bleary eyed disaster. I'd love a little Panda 100hp (/similar) but currently changing the vRS just doesn't make sense (although it is due a service, 2 rear tyres (just had the fronts), 4-wheel alignment and then the MOT a month later). :worms:
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First World problems. ;)
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First World problems. ;)
Absolutely.
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I know someone who's keen to get shot of a knackered-but-won't-die Skoda Fabia Paul.
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Just to reinforce my impending feeling of doom...
Driving to work this morning something in the (Peugeot Partner) gearbox felt like it changed position and I couldn't shift into second or first. This has happened periodically in the past but gets fixed by wiggling the gearstick. Not this time. For the rest of the drive to work shifting between gears felt noticeably different to previously and it was significantly clunkier going into second. It still drives fine but I can't escape the feeling that something has got worse in there...
Its going to the garage tomorrow for a look but I've got no idea what it might be beyond the nuclear option of fucked gearbox and/or clutch. Hoping it can wait until next week, whatever it is as I have a fair amount of driving planned this weekend. Anyone got any predictions?
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Sorry no knowledge from me spidermonkey, just a question of my own:
the low oil light came on the other day on my 08 Audi A3 - topped it up but the light's still on - is this something that would just need resetting by a garage, or is there possibly something worse going on?
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I'd take it to the garage ASAP to be safe, the oil light is usually a low pressure indicator, not a level indicator, so low oil level will will make the light come on, but may not necessarily be the only cause, if you know what I mean. It could mean the oil pump is on the verge of failing or there is a leak in the circulation system somewhere, and insufficient lubrication can result in a failure that will be very costly.
With some fiddling / googling you can get some cars to show a list basic diagnostics, and there will be a list online of what the codes mean. I've done it with our old ford focus but the information it provided showed no faults, so it needed plugging in at garage for a full diagnosis.
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Cheers Chris, will get it in the garage
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Sorry no knowledge from me spidermonkey, just a question of my own:
the low oil light came on the other day on my 08 Audi A3 - topped it up but the light's still on - is this something that would just need resetting by a garage, or is there possibly something worse going on?
How much did you put in? Mine sometimes needs a full litre before it goes off.
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Put half a litre in, checked level and it was just below the middle of the dipstick. Drove it across town and light still on, so added another half litre. Now is near the max on the dipstick so don't want to add anymore, light still on though.
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As SA Chris says it could be low pressure / issue with pump. I ignored an oil light once and totally fucked the engine
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I've not driven it since, the nice weather has been conducive to using the motorbike this week.
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Book it in the nearest garage and drive it there very slowly, preferably outside of busy traffic.
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Book it in the nearest garage and drive it there very slowly, preferably outside of busy traffic.
Or get it towed there.... low oil pressure can be the death (or be a symptom of the death) of an engine... call the garage first.
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cheers all, bit more worried now than when I asked! It's booked in to the garage down the road on tues, won't need to drive it before then. Garage didn't seem too concerned, so fingers crossed.
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Just to reinforce my impending feeling of doom...
Driving to work this morning something in the (Peugeot Partner) gearbox felt like it changed position and I couldn't shift into second or first. This has happened periodically in the past but gets fixed by wiggling the gearstick. Not this time. For the rest of the drive to work shifting between gears felt noticeably different to previously and it was significantly clunkier going into second. It still drives fine but I can't escape the feeling that something has got worse in there...
Its going to the garage tomorrow for a look but I've got no idea what it might be beyond the nuclear option of fucked gearbox and/or clutch. Hoping it can wait until next week, whatever it is as I have a fair amount of driving planned this weekend. Anyone got any predictions?
So after I attempted to drive home last night and the entire gearbox went 'floppy' and got stuck in 5th, resulting in a tow back to the garage it was booked in at this morning...the upshot is a few linkages have come loose and the ball that sits at the base of the gear level has come off. Total cost should be in the realm of £100ish which feels like a result after it get towed last night!
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Sounds like dodging a bullet. I just got a major service done on the van yesterday that was over 4 x that much!
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If it is just the linkage, that can be a fairly straightforward DIY fix on many cars even with no mechanical knowledge (like me).
The linkage went on my last car. Luckily, it went when I was in 3rd gear and I was only 3 miles from home late at night on quiet roads so I was able to nurse it home. I was worried it was going to be a very expensive problem but a quick bit of research when I got home left me confident it was worth trying to fix myself as the local garage was shut over the weekend anyway.
I think the replacement part was about 2 fuck alls from ebay and YouTube guided me through the rest. It was fiddly accessing it and took a couple of hours due to my lack of expertise but it wasn't difficult.
The replaced part outlasted the car and I never had any further gearbox issues.
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cheers all, bit more worried now than when I asked! It's booked in to the garage down the road on tues, won't need to drive it before then. Garage didn't seem too concerned, so fingers crossed.
My experience with my A3 has been that the sensors are less reliable than the issue they're supposed to warn you about.
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If it is just the linkage, that can be a fairly straightforward DIY fix on many cars even with no mechanical knowledge (like me).
The linkage went on my last car. Luckily, it went when I was in 3rd gear and I was only 3 miles from home late at night on quiet roads so I was able to nurse it home. I was worried it was going to be a very expensive problem but a quick bit of research when I got home left me confident it was worth trying to fix myself as the local garage was shut over the weekend anyway.
I think the replacement part was about 2 fuck alls from ebay and YouTube guided me through the rest. It was fiddly accessing it and took a couple of hours due to my lack of expertise but it wasn't difficult.
The replaced part outlasted the car and I never had any further gearbox issues.
Interesting; its a rod and another part that needs replacing in addition anyway so the scope for self repair is limited even if I was halfway competent! Sounds like the linkages had previously been repaired with cable ties (apparently a common repair) so they're sorting that out too. I don't have the inclination or the ability to fix cars myself even if it does lose me man points...
Mine went with the stick in 5th but I ended up unable to accelerate so rescue was the only option!
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I had an old Citroen XM (god that was a good car - massive, more like a boat, but a good car nonetheless) that dropped a linkage.
Called out the AA and I don't think I'm misremembering this, he fixed it with a paperclip we found in my glovebox as he hadn't got anything small enough. I was given strict instructions to get to to a garage and properly fixed, but the car ran fine with it in and did so for a further 9 months!
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I'm selling my nice Mazda 6 Estate if anyone is keen.
https://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/mazda-6-diesel-estate-sport/1336289814
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Just because.
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Not another one. Who started this thread..
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Easy to answer that question!
Intercoursing?
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I was minding my own business this morning at 60mph when a pigeon decided to drop in for a friendly chat. Sadly, it was totally obliterated before we could properly converse, leaving a crack across 3/4 of the width of my windscreen, which isn't covered under my cheapskate insurance policy.
Does anybody have any experience with prices for this sort of thing? A quick look on Autoglass gives a quote for about £400. Am I likely to get much cheaper by calling round or is this the going rate?
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You coo-coo'd get a better quote elsewhere (maybe)
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Thank you for your input, Huw :)
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I was minding my own business this morning at 60mph when a pigeon decided to drop in for a friendly chat. Sadly, it was totally obliterated before we could properly converse, leaving a crack across 3/4 of the width of my windscreen, which isn't covered under my cheapskate insurance policy.
Does anybody have any experience with prices for this sort of thing? A quick look on Autoglass gives a quote for about £400. Am I likely to get much cheaper by calling round or is this the going rate?
Is the renewal soon? Just wait it out until then if so, take out the appropriate policy, wait a month and then use the windscreen repair element (which you have ensured is included) which shouldn't affect your no claims. :thumbsup:
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I was minding my own business this morning at 60mph when a pigeon decided to drop in for a friendly chat. Sadly, it was totally obliterated before we could properly converse, leaving a crack across 3/4 of the width of my windscreen, which isn't covered under my cheapskate insurance policy.
Does anybody have any experience with prices for this sort of thing? A quick look on Autoglass gives a quote for about £400. Am I likely to get much cheaper by calling round or is this the going rate?
Is the renewal soon? Just wait it out until then if so, take out the appropriate policy, wait a month and then use the windscreen repair element (which you have ensured is included) which shouldn't affect your no claims. :thumbsup:
As inviting as a life of crime may be, the renewal is due in October.
I'm not expecting people to get me quotes, just wondering if anybody has had this done recently and has any experience of whether there was a significant difference in price/quality between Autoglass and a smaller company/local independent.
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You could just wing it until then.
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I had my van done by national windscreens (was selling it and insurance had just lapsed) , £120. (ie only a few fuck alls more than the excess on the insurance was) Think it's very dependent on the windscreen itself, some modern heated/coated ones are pretty expensive.
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You could try https://www.breakeryard.com/ or similar or even ebay for a second hand one. They offer a guarantee and everything.
I got a set of steel wheels for a ford focus delivered for £80.
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Okay quick car question here. I was a bit of a dipshit today and accidentally put about 50p worth of diesel into my petrol Civic.
Do I need to get the fuel flushed out for such a small amount?
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Its ‘probably’ ok. It will smoke for a bit when it burns it through bitbshould be alright. This is based on doing the same (May be a 5 ers worth of diesel though) in a fiesta hire car 20 years ago.
If it’s a newer car (ie worth more) then might be worth asking a professional. Presumably you filled up with petrol afterwards? If so that would help dilute the issue...
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Yes filled up with petrol straight away. Drive it home which is apparently a no-no but only a few hundred meters.
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I’ve a feeling that petrol in diesels fucks them up but not the other way around.
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I’ve a feeling that petrol in diesels fucks them up but not the other way around.
Correct. Bit of diesel in a petrol , it'll probably run a touch smokey but unless you've brimmed it you'll be reyt.
Petrol in a diesel on the other hand...my mate's wife brimmed their old Merc diesel with unleaded in the midst of a family emergency, and then drove it about 50 miles. He said he was amazed the thing survived, but that's 90s Mercedes engineering for you.
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I’ve a feeling that petrol in diesels fucks them up but not the other way around.
Correct. Bit of diesel in a petrol , it'll probably run a touch smokey but unless you've brimmed it you'll be reyt.
Petrol in a diesel on the other hand...my mate's wife brimmed their old Merc diesel with unleaded in the midst of a family emergency, and then drove it about 50 miles. He said he was amazed the thing survived, but that's 90s Mercedes engineering for you.
Yup agree with that. Newer engines are a lot less tolerant, due to all he fecking emissions sensors. Shouldn't do any long term harm though.
That said I panic when I have to stick £10 worth 95 Ron in mine, to get to a filling station with 99 Ron in he pump. :w00t:
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Okay quick car question here. I was a bit of a dipshit today and accidentally put about 50p worth of diesel into my petrol Civic.
Do I need to get the fuel flushed out for such a small amount?
You'll be absolutely fine; doubt it'll even be that smokey if you have added a load of petrol on top.
Correct - diesel common rail fuel pumps are lubricated by the fuel. Gasoline/petrol has a very low lubricity and will screw-up your fuel pump double quick. Even then, a dilute mix of petrol in diesel might be okay in older diesels (e.g. the Mercedes example above, or pre-2014 VW PD TDI)
I’ve a feeling that petrol in diesels fucks them up but not the other way around.
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Okay quick car question here. I was a bit of a dipshit today and accidentally put about 50p worth of diesel into my petrol Civic.
Do I need to get the fuel flushed out for such a small amount?
You'll be absolutely fine; doubt it'll even be that smokey if you have added a load of petrol on top.
Thanks guys, have driven it since and all has been well.
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Driving my 59 plate Seat Altea today and the “bulb’s gone” warning light was on the dashboard. Not a problem as each time you start it with such a fault it will tell you which bulb it is.
Restarted it and it listed about half the lights on the car and, sure enough, loads are out. At the front I have a working main beam on one side, sidelight on the other and one indicator and that’s it. At the back the entire left side is out I think, one indicator works, can’t remember if it’s left or right though. Number plate lights and all but one fog light gone too. :blink: When I indicate the indicator on the dashboard goes at double speed too, although this isn’t reflected in the indicators themselves.
Anyone have any idea what this is? The random collection of lights seems to rule out fuses going (the number plate ones are the only category that’s gone completely and it’s surely not all the bulbs going at once!
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Some good advice here if you're mechanically minded. Personally I'd be taking the lambo to the garage.
https://www.howacarworks.com/advanced-driving/what-to-do-if-car-lights-stop-working (https://www.howacarworks.com/advanced-driving/what-to-do-if-car-lights-stop-working)
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Could be a fuse - often a group of lights on one side. First check of the bulbs have actually blown (inspection can tell). If not it’s a fuse or something else shorting.
If they have blown - then try changing a few and see if they blow again. It could be something weird or random - but of loads have gone at once I’d be wondering why... process of elimination and all that.
Double speed indicator is when one of the indicator bulbs is blown.
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Cheers guys, I’ll be taking it to the garage no doubt. Too complicated to fuck about trying to diagnose myself but I am curious.
Cheers for the indicator knowledge TT. Is that a warning feature or some side-effect of the bulb failing?
I once replaced a brake light bulb with the wrong type in my old Micra which caused the brake lights to be on permanently. I only realised this after many lorries had panickedly flashed their lights at me after I pulled into the left lane in front of them!
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On older cars indicators used a bimetallic switch to do the on and off. When current flowed on the circuit to the indicators the metal in the switch would heat up - bend (two strips of different metal) and break the contact indicators would go off. Then the strip would cool and make the contact again - and repeat. So lights flicked on and off. And the contact being made and then broken by the switch made the indicator click.
If one bulb broke - the current in the circuit was greater so the switch warmed up faster so flashed faster.
Now it’s all electronics and they put a false click noise on to make everyone feel comfy.
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This is the reason a relay is needed for trailer electronics as it can affect the indicator speed likewise using LED bulbs as they have less resistance.
If one bulb broke - the current in the circuit was greater so the switch warmed up faster so flashed faster.
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Has water got in somewhere? Could cause everything to short out. It has been a tad damp lately.
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It could be. The only category of lights that’s completely out is the little ones on the number plates so maybe that’s a useful clue. Got a guy coming to look at it on Thursday so I’ll let him worry about it!
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Has water got in somewhere? Could cause everything to short out. It has been a tad damp lately.
^ this. Open the bonnet and clear all the leaves out from the top corners. Check the area round the fuse box etc. Leave it in the sun during the day.
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Has water got in somewhere? Could cause everything to short out. It has been a tad damp lately.
^ this. Open the bonnet and clear all the leaves out from the top corners. Check the area round the fuse box etc. Leave it in the sun during the day.
Sun?
It’s November, we won’t see that thing until after Easter...
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Has water got in somewhere? Could cause everything to short out. It has been a tad damp lately.
^ this. Open the bonnet and clear all the leaves out from the top corners. Check the area round the fuse box etc. Leave it in the sun during the day.
Good advice this. Had a look just now and there was loads of leaves and leaf mulch in there and residual water as a result- clearing it out is the sort of thing I’ll do in a normal autumn but with it having rained very day for seemingly the last 6 weeks car-fiddling has been nonexistent.
Looks like water has got into the back of the fusebox and there’s one fuse that’s kind of melted into it’s place as a result of some kind of short. As I say there’s a pro coming to look at it on Thursday so hopefully it’ll be fairly quick and painless to get running again.
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Hopefully some spare slots in the box, so he can just move the connectors across.
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Fixed now- the fuse that was damaged is to do with the “control systems” and was shorting in and out rather than having straight blown. They were able to get it out, clean the contacts and replace it which is good as apparently VAG fuseboxes these days are “potted” and more extensive damage would have required a whole new one.
None of the bulbs were blown- all lights working again now they’ve sorted the fuse and reset the error codes with their diagnostic gadget. Didn’t cost me any more than the callout charge. :2thumbsup:
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Best result.
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So I think one of the buttons on the key to the A3 (2008) has gone. Won't unlock remotely, though other two buttons work fine. I've a vague idea that new keys cost a fortune, and I'd live with just unlocking it manually but the alarm goes off unless I turn the ignition on pretty soon after opening it which is really irritating with kids/shopping etc. Is new key the only way or can I just get the button fixed?
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I’ve only done it on ford keys, but I’d be surprised if yours is any different. You can usually get the buttons off eBay for a few quid for a pack of 3. If you have access to a soldering iron it’s a 5 minute job to change the button. Not sure if a cobblers-and-keys type place will replace a button for you, but they might. If neither of those is an option somewhere like timpsons will do you a key for a lot less than a dealer will, but you’re still probably looking at £50+.
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So I think one of the buttons on the key to the A3 (2008) has gone. Won't unlock remotely, though other two buttons work fine. I've a vague idea that new keys cost a fortune, and I'd live with just unlocking it manually but the alarm goes off unless I turn the ignition on pretty soon after opening it which is really irritating with kids/shopping etc. Is new key the only way or can I just get the button fixed?
LOL snap, exactly what's happened to me (A3 (2006)). Funny thing is, if I take the battery case off so the battery disconnects, the unlock button will start working again, sometimes for a couple of weeks but usually a couple of days.
Let me know if you get a decent fix, or I will too if I get my arse in gear first ;)
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Ha, cheers Fiend that worked! Hadn't even tried taking the back off as assumed the battery was OK from the other buttons working...
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For me it's only been a sporadic fix.
I took the case apart today to check things further - you need two small torque heads and it's fiddling getting the spring for the key itself back in. I couldn't see any obvious issues and didn't want to tinker with the circuit board further so just gave it a brush and put it back together....
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Am I allowed to say I haven't been in a car for over three weeks and its bloody fantastic.
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Anyone on here in the market for a cheap motor? I'm selling my 2005 Fabia 1.2 petrol if anyone's interested? It's in really good nick, I've had it for three and a bit years and have had no major problems. Engine serviced about 15k ago, currently about 100k on the clock. It seems pretty unstoppable. I have recently moved to Austria so need to sell, though I am very reluctant as it is such a great car.
Problems: petrol filler cap has to be opened from the boot as the cable has snapped.
I think it is worth about £600 but I am open to offers! It is currently in Hull so might be a bit out of the way for most.
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Ha, cheers Fiend that worked! Hadn't even tried taking the back off as assumed the battery was OK from the other buttons working...
BTW. I replaced the battery in mine and it's been unlocking fine for several weeks. Maybe the unlock button demands more power for security reasons? Anyway, might help.
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Anyone got any thoughts/knowledge on MPVs?
We're in the market for a new used car planning to spend £6-10k. Always had cheap high mileage estate cars (currently slumming it in a 2006 Vauxhall Astra on 130k miles :strongbench:) and changed them every 3-4 years but the birth of a granddaughter, a decision to invest in something a bit more long-term and the prospect or more grandsprogs in the coming years has me thinking about an MPV.
My boss has a Ford Grand C-Max and rates it. I like the look of the Zafira Tourer and Citroen C4 Grand and there's plenty of all types around in the 25-40k mileage in our price range.
Has anyone on here got one and/or has preferences?
Cheers
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I'd avoid the zafira at all costs, my grandpa had two of them but had nothing but issues with them, also possibly the most uncomfortable car I've ever ridden in. Been in a Cmax they look smart, ford are normally pretty reliable.
Always had cheap high mileage estate cars (currently slumming it in a 2006 Vauxhall Astra on 130k miles :strongbench:)
That all? barley run in, my 2010 Avensis is up to 163k so far.
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No model advice but I can recommend sliding rear doors, much easier to load them in/out of seats while they're very young without the door flapping around or half shut on you in a car park, and no chance of them opening a door and pranging another in a tight space when they grow a bit.
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Watch the ecoboost petrol engines on the C-Max. Ford say they've sorted it but still seem to be lots going...
BOOM!
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I am looking for something similar at the moment and my advice would be leave plenty of time to find the right car, I have looked at probably 15 cars so far and all have been crap in one way or another (dog chewed seat belts in the boot, terrible service history as not owned by 'car' people, ruined interiors due to kids, oil leaks, etc). It seems that 7 seat MPV's get abused and generally aren't well maintained so finding a second hand one isn't that easy. It has never taken me this long before to buy a decent motor however i have previously been buying either fast small enthusiast cars or diesel estates which both seem to be generally better looked after.
As for models probably be best to narrow it down based on size, you have small 7 seaters such as Ford Grand C Max, Toyota Verso, Kia Carens, Mazda 5, then slightly bigger such as Renault Grand Scenic, VW Touran, Vauxhall Zafira Tourer then bigger but not full size including Citroen Grand C4 Picasso, Peugeot 5008, Ford S-max, finally you have massive full sized MPV's with 7 seats usable by adults such as Ford Galaxy, VW Sharan, Seat Albrahama. This is of course ignoring SUV's due to the terrible fuel consumption, there are 7 seater options there though if you are prepared to put up with the higher running costs.
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Fatneck - I find the autotrader app really useful for this type of thing. You can filter it according to number of seats, petrol diesel, price range etc... then check (on the options it leaves you with) what brands and models there are - and finally get to see some prices.
Whilst you don't have to use it to find THE car, it gives you an idea of price spread and availability....
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Thanks everyone and yes Tom - Autotrader app is great!
Going to visit a few potential's on Sunday ;D
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Thanks everyone and yes Tom - Autotrader app is great!
Going to visit a few potential's on Sunday ;D
I started looking for you 😂
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Si to save you some time if you send me links to the ones you are looking at and I can let you know if I have already been and viewed... We are looking at same price and mileage in the same area so I might be able to cross some off for you and save you the time of traveling to view something shite.
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What if you both spy the same one? Ro-Sham-Bo for it?
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If I see a good one it will be getting bought! Just I have looked at 10-15 cars over the last two weekends and not found a decent one yet - even though they looked good on Autotrader... Thought I could maybe save the hassle of travelling to look at some of the dross
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Anyone got any thoughts/knowledge on MPVs?
We're in the market for a new used car planning to spend £6-10k. Always had cheap high mileage estate cars (currently slumming it in a 2006 Vauxhall Astra on 130k miles :strongbench:) and changed them every 3-4 years but the birth of a granddaughter, a decision to invest in something a bit more long-term and the prospect or more grandsprogs in the coming years has me thinking about an MPV.
My boss has a Ford Grand C-Max and rates it. I like the look of the Zafira Tourer and Citroen C4 Grand and there's plenty of all types around in the 25-40k mileage in our price range.
Has anyone on here got one and/or has preferences?
Cheers
I was looking at a Mazda 5 as a sensible family shed - partly due to having been in nai's - seemed to relatively scant, but what was out there was sensible in terms of mileage and condition.
Also researched C-Maxes, plenty of them about so you can be more choosy.
That said, I swiftly pivoted and purchased a 200bhp, 4-door, mid-2000s saloon from a defunct car company instead. Shows what I know about sensible.
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The mighty Fabia has died (multiple organ failure). This could easily have gone in NNFN but as it cost £1300 and has given me 125k miles over 13 years I can't complain.
I want a slightly bigger version of the same: slow, boring, spartan, reliable, economical and with as few electrics as possible. More boot space would be good. Has to be Petrol Euro 4 (or Diesel Euro 6 but this is likely to break the budget) as we live within what will become the extended ULEZ (http://hhttps://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/ultra-low-emission-zone/ulez-where-and-when#on-this-page-5).
Budget up to £5k? Suggestions or offers...?
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boring, spartan
If you're talking about the car that's painted in a shade that Leo Fender would have described as "Sea Foam Green" I'm not sure these are the right adjectives. 8)
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The mighty Fabia has died (multiple organ failure). This could easily have gone in NNFN but as it cost £1300 and has given me 125k miles over 13 years I can't complain.
Thats the deal of the century. You can't expect to ever get lucky buying cars again after that :lol:
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Duncan; petrol Skoda Roomster
seems about the same size as a Fabia estate but with more boot height. Some pretty cheap ones on autotrader. For what its worth I happen to think they look pretty good for a car of that type.
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Duncan; petrol Skoda Roomster
seems about the same size as a Fabia estate but with more boot height. Some pretty cheap ones on autotrader. For what its worth I happen to think they look pretty good for a car of that type.
I own an Octavia (2011 vRS; diesel) and it has been great. I'd buy an Octavia over a Roomster. The engine range will likely be exactly the same.
I think my boot currently has 3 pads in it and my site PPE with the cover over. I went for the Octy over a 3 series as I was worried the tapering of the boot on the 3 (both towards the rear and from the roof) would make it too small but I was totally wrong, she looks lost in it (and has actually bent an interior panel sliding into it).
Out of interest, why is that when you're abroad (I'm thinking Mallorca here) everyone has a Berlingo (you don't see many Roomsters)?
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A friend has recently been through this process at this price. If you want petrol the choice is limited. If you want diesel there is much more. My ideas - avoiding french/Ford/Vauxhall (that’s just me).
Fabia Estate.
Dacia Logan MCV.
Hyundai i30 / Kia CEED
Also Prius in that money...
Lots of Golfs in that range...
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Fabia Estate.
The newer shape is a retrograde step in usable space.
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Fabia Estate.
The newer shape is a retrograde step in usable space.
Really? We had one as a hire car last year an I though it was great. Loads of boot space for the size... same length as my Volvo and nearly twice the boot size it felt. Swallowed family of three stuff all on the boot.
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Going with Duncans remit; I think Octavias are quite a bit larger than the Roomster, longer and wider anyway.
Fabia estate is a weird one, fucking ugly rear overhang but clearly a practical little car.
Caveat being I have no knowledge of this market place but having seen the Roomster a few times thought it looked neat. And they're relatively rare which is appealing to me.
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Really? We had one as a hire car last year an I though it was great. Loads of boot space for the size... same length as my Volvo and nearly twice the boot size it felt. Swallowed family of three stuff all on the boot.
I went to look at one as firm favorite and walked away pretty unimpressed (I didn't have much love for the vRS gearbox either). The cabin felt cramped compared to the older style (all of this of course is just my opinion).
Going with Duncans remit; I think Octavias are quite a bit larger than the Roomster, longer and wider anyway.
Fair enough. Living on a terrace I repeatedly have to drive past spaces where other cars would fit and I take Nat's mini when I can as at work I park in a multi-storey where in certain bays I can't actually open the door if there's anything next to me.
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@paul. Yeah - I’ve v little experience of the mk1 fabia.
And I’d expect going from an octavia to that you’d be disappointed. It was narrow inside - but I am tall so figured it was that.
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I’ve got a Logan, it’s boring and spartan and has a massive boot but not that long for an estate. My Snap Wrap slides in sideways all the way to the back flat, could fit another on top with loads of room for other gear. Would recommend the 0.9 Tce as the alternative Sce 75 is painfully slow and less economical.
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And I’d expect going from an octavia to that you’d be disappointed. It was narrow inside - but I am tall so figured it was that.
It was before the Octavia (or perhaps at the time of looking I can't remember).
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Thanks for the suggestions so far.
A friend has recently been through this process at this price. If you want petrol the choice is limited. If you want diesel there is much more. My ideas - avoiding french/Ford/Vauxhall (that’s just me).
Fabia Estate.
Dacia Logan MCV.
Hyundai i30 / Kia CEED
Also Prius in that money...
Lots of Golfs in that range...
Can't be Diesel unfortunately as any journey will attract a £20 ULEZ charge. Sadly Korean cars will be vetoed as unpatriotic (and, bizarrely, Japanese as too boring). Logan is an interesting off-piste suggestion but isn't it basically a Renault which is French and so...
boring, spartan
If you're talking about the car that's painted in a shade that Leo Fender would have described as "Sea Foam Green" I'm not sure these are the right adjectives. 8)
It was very distinctive colour, no difficulty finding it in the airport car park! That and being a private sale in Dumfries were the reasons it was so cheap I think. I've accepted that it was a once-in-a-lifetime deal and moved on.
Roomster is a decent call. Or a Caddy life? (these seem rare and attract a VW premium). Parking can be tight and an Octavia estate is huge so probably not on.
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I'm in the market for a new estate options at the moment are c class, 320d or another octavia vrs which I'd readily have again. Any other ideas?
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Budget?
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I reckon I'd spend up to 14 grand or so.
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Not much choice other than the options you outlined.
You can get a High Milage C class PHEV estate - which was different.
Or Subaru Outback? (Only 8 nationwide on Autotrader)
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I'm in the market for a new estate options at the moment are c class, 320d or another octavia vrs which I'd readily have again. Any other ideas?
Just got and buy the Octy again (what happened with the last one, I've still got mine?). My 320d (E46) was a better drive than the Octavia but its lazy lump of torque makes it an easier thing to live with day in day out and maintenance has been significantly cheaper than BMW.
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Loads of other options to consider... Alfa Romeo 159 Sportwagon, Volvo V60 R design, VW Golf GTD, Vauxhall Insignia VXR, Seat Leon Cupra, Peugeot 308SW GT, Mazda 6 Sport, KIA Optima GT Line, Ford Focus ST.
Assumed you were after something a bit quicker with the VRS being an option...
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Turns out octavias aren't great off-road, especially at about 60mph along a motorway slip road embankment.
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Re V60. Bit of an old design now (2011?) and despite their size have a pretty small (sub 500l) boot. Bizarrely the S60 has a larger one (but not estate abilities etc)
D4’s (Twin turbo) have had lots of EGR issues...
(I’ve a Volvo and love it - comfiest car I’ve ever owned - so not being down on the brand - just that model).
You after an oil burner Moo or petrol? Bargains to be had with the former - less choices but a cleaner NO2 conscience with the latter...
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Sorry for more random posts / it’s a car choice / price bracket I’ve been looking in.
If you can stand not having a VrS - you can get a 1 year old low mileage 1.5 petrol DSG ‘tech’ octavia estate for that money. Lots of bells and whistles and the 150bhp 1.5l petrol is supposed to be a good unit...
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Arse.
The car (2010 Citroen C4 HDi) had got a dodgy ERG valve (for the third time) and the brake vacuum pump needs replacing. So £550 in parts. And it needs a service. So realistically an £800+ bill. On a car worth around £1000. Time to scrap, of do I bite the bullet and hope it lasts another 12-18 months?
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Mileage?
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It's done over 111000. The only issues up to this point have been the EGR valve, which has needed two replacements already.
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Tricky one, on the cusp. Depends on your finances I guess, personally if I had the money I'd replace, but if not then repair. Based on my experiences, I'm amazed French electrics have lasted that long!
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It's done over 111000. The only issues up to this point have been the EGR valve, which has needed two replacements already.
1.6 PSA engine? Those are normally solid...
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The engine is fine as are the electronics. It's the bits around it that are failing.
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The engine is fine as are the electronics. It's the bits around it that are failing.
I think I'd lose it and invest.
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First post on here in a few years, but this should be the place to ask.
I'm after a van-based MPV (Berlingo/Partner/Doblo etc) that will be reliable, frugal on fuel and, importantly, I can remove the seats fully to take decent loads from time to time and for the occasional overnight doss. Ideally a 7-seater for when the family visit.
Any recommendations?
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Arse.
The car (2010 Citroen C4 HDi) had got a dodgy ERG valve (for the third time) and the brake vacuum pump needs replacing. So £550 in parts. And it needs a service. So realistically an £800+ bill. On a car worth around £1000. Time to scrap, of do I bite the bullet and hope it lasts another 12-18 months?
While I'm all for keeping CATs/DPFs and EGRs where possible, scrapping because of a dodgy EGR seems mad. Can you not just fit a blanking plate?
[Some googling later] not so simples.... can be done, but you need a ECU remap:
https://www.berlingoforum.com/thread-13407.html
Still, in my mind more environmentally friendly to delete EGR and keep running a few years than bin and buy new.
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Read a bit last week that sub £5k car market was 60% up on last year - people looking for public transport alternatives Re CV19 etc...
Suspect that’ll trickle down to the cheaper categories raising prices/demand there too...
I could be very wrong though..
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Arse.
The car (2010 Citroen C4 HDi) had got a dodgy ERG valve (for the third time) and the brake vacuum pump needs replacing. So £550 in parts. And it needs a service. So realistically an £800+ bill. On a car worth around £1000. Time to scrap, of do I bite the bullet and hope it lasts another 12-18 months?
While I'm all for keeping CATs/DPFs and EGRs where possible, scrapping because of a dodgy EGR seems mad. Can you not just fit a blanking plate?
[Some googling later] not so simples.... can be done, but you need a ECU remap:
https://www.berlingoforum.com/thread-13407.html
Still, in my mind more environmentally friendly to delete EGR and keep running a few years than bin and buy new.
It wasn't just the EGR. There were major brake issues, suspension issues after hitting a large pot hole and air flow sensor needed replacing.
I've binned it.
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Fair enough, sometimes it's just time to call it!
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Yeah. I'll be sad to see it go, it's always been comfy and economical to run and up to this point very reliable (excluding EGR valve issues).
Still, on the bright side, my wife has agreed to an estate next, so more pads can fit in the boot :2thumbsup:
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What are people's thoughts on getting timing belts etc. done/not done prior to sale?
The Octavia vRS ('11 plate) is on ~150k miles. From my reckoning it has just hit the age criteria (this varies depending on where you read it) for a new one (not the mileage criteria). It's due an MOT and service (extended until Nov. due to Covid, but it hasn't really moved since).
Despite being mechanically sound it has some cosmetic issues (the phantom keyer from my previous village had a good go at it, and a few of Kilnsey's pheasant population decided it was "their time" to end it (using the front bumper)
Autotrader gives me a woefully low valuation for both private sale and trade-in. I'm looking at changing it with something higher clearance and 4WD given every road to the new house has a steep hill on it.
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Whats your definition of woefully low? Timing belts are normally approx 400-500 if my shit car knowledge serves me?
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Whats your definition of woefully low? Timing belts are normally approx 400-500 if my shit car knowledge serves me?
I think that's about right, hopefully at the lower end of that as Lancs prices seem to be reasonable for most things.
Autotrader is saying ~3.2k private, ~2.2k trade-in (and WeStealYourCar would probably tell me they're doing me a favour taking it off my hands); it's a lot of car for that or, I certainly feel it's worth more than that to me but I suppose that is something that goes hand-in-hand with running such cars to relatively high mileage.
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That’s not too bad a price... mine (different car but similar cost to yours brand new) is on a 14 plate 120k and worth £4K....
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Guess when you get to that mileage it's a risk thing - will it go pop, won't it?
One things for sure, you won't get much for it if it does let go.
At the end of the day, I'm guessing a prospective buyer would be expecting a few quid off as it hasn't been done.
Probably one of those things that will increase your chances of selling it if not necessarily the value.
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Guess when you get to that mileage it's a risk thing - will it go pop, won't it?
That's not really my risk in this situation; it's more a question of does it actually add any value given it's ~10% of the value to get the work done?
That’s not too bad a price... mine (different car but similar cost to yours brand new) is on a 14 plate 120k and worth £4K....
Residuals of the vRS' seem to higher than other vehicles but perhaps I'm deluded with that!
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What 3T said - it may make it shift faster - but you won’t recoup the cost...
Try without and if it doesn’t shift because of it...?
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That's not really my risk in this situation; it's more a question of does it actually add any value given it's ~10% of the value to get the work done?
I meant more in the sense of - if you don't get it done, and if/when (and this is you we're talking about here Paul!) next weekend the belt snaps, you'll be left with a 500 quid spares or repair VRS to list on eBay, and no usable car.
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Autotrader is saying ~3.2k private, ~2.2k trade-in (and WeStealYourCar would probably tell me they're doing me a favour taking it off my hands); it's a lot of car for that or, I certainly feel it's worth more than that to me but I suppose that is something that goes hand-in-hand with running such cars to relatively high mileage.
Quick scoot through that’s available currently on Autotrader and this price seems right. As you’ve said the mileage makes a massive difference, with examples at 80k the same ages getting you a couple of grand more at least.
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Yeah it's an interesting one. I'm looking at a 66 plate which has done quite a lot of miles, but to me that's pointing to it trundling up and down the motorway for 4 years.
What are people's experience with the VAG 3.0 TDI unit? We're considering an A6 Allroad.
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I think my Dad's A4 Allroad was 3l. He loved it and regretted selling it. Towing spec was overrated though (or the gearing wasn't suitable) which is why he sold it. Although they have more clearance than standard quattros they still aren't much use off-road. But then most 4x4s aren't either.
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Cheers!
High(er) clearance is something I'd like for a few reasons; the road pavement has failed around here in a few places and I'd like to be able to confidently go over the edge without praying for my sump. The second is all of the lanes are walled and visibility is pretty sh*t in mine. I'd get something higher but my dog still doesn't know she can jump and she's too heavy to lift in and out (especially as she gets older). The farmer had his slurry pipes across the access road the other day and mine would barely clear the metal ramps.
I won't be towing and I'll be avoiding cars with tow bars. My folks have the same engine in a Touareg (tow car).
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Octavia Scouts are worth a look. Really like mine so far.
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Octavia Scouts are worth a look. Really like mine so far.
There’s a 184bhp version too which should hopefully be enough squirt for Paul, I looked at one before getting a van.
Sounds like what Paul really needs to buy is some weights so he can work up to lifting his dog up 😄
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Don’t the 3.0 tdi VAG units incurr pretty high car tax nowadays?
My Austrian friends with a house 800m up above Salzburg (Emtb in summer for commute) have a regular Octavia with snow tyres then chains - and for when it’s really bad their Suzuki Jimmy (or whatever it’s called) is apparently very good.
Thought about a Subaru? Drove an outback (May have been called an explorer) in Oz two years ago for a while and it was sturdy but civilised..?
Have a look at the Xdrive Vs Quattro videos on YouTube - there’s a pretty clear winner...
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Octavia Scouts are worth a look. Really like mine so far.
There’s a 184bhp version too which should hopefully be enough squirt for Paul, I looked at one before getting a van.
Sounds like what Paul really needs to buy is some weights so he can work up to lifting his dog up 😄
I opted for the 150bhp manual. Still pretty quick.
With normal tyres on it was well happy trundling up Lady Canning car park which my Focus couldn't touch the previous winter.
Xdrive does alright in this pretty fair comparison test.
https://youtu.be/Wu72tAG2IWQ (https://youtu.be/Wu72tAG2IWQ)
Boot space is a problem in BMs though.
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Octavia Scouts are worth a look. Really like mine so far.
Have looked. They look like a great option and far more sensible (like Volvo options).
Don’t the 3.0 tdi VAG units incurr pretty high car tax nowadays?
Depends how old; £165 which is not dissimilar to my Octavia (~£140 last time). I don't know how this works, my friend's 140i is less than my Octavia.
There’s a 184bhp version too which should hopefully be enough squirt for Paul, I looked at one before getting a van.
:tumble: I've tried to convince Nat to get rid of her mini and replace it with something for 'cheap' thrills (Fiesta ST will accept a greyhound), but I was hoping that the 'squirt' might increase by more than 9 bhp given I've so far failed in this endeavour.
Boot space is a problem in BMs though.
There's not really a higher clearance option either without going to some of their X-models (or am I missing one)? I didn't get a 3-series this time due to the boot tapering in from all angles.
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Looks like Subaru do an Outback with a big engine 250bhp but they seem pretty rare.
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Looks like Subaru do an Outback with a big engine 250bhp but they seem pretty rare.
I drove a few of these in Aus and they were awesome.
Also I had presumed this dog was a fluffy beast that would be genuinely tricky to lift, but... A greyhound?! :weakbench:
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I don't really know how to explain the dog well. Just accept that we've had two dog walkers over the 5 years we've had her and the first was unsuccessful in getting her to leave the rear yard, even when the garden gate was being replaced. The second took a significant amount of time and brought her working collie to 'assist'.
She's 30kg of back heavy non compliant animal. She was unable to work out she could step over a baby gate that excluded her from the kitchen in the last place. Although, today out of nowhere she cleared a head high stile like it was nothing. She can do these things, she just doesn't give a toss about what either of us may want her to do. You'll laugh but at Kilnsey if we're both working things at opposite ends, we won't get her to bother after we've both put the QDs in. Thankfully she's very happy for one of the various failed RPers to sit and fuss her in our absence. We walk her two to three times a week. Any more than that and she will sit and refuse until she's bleeding from her paws. It's unsurprising from a breed where humans have waited on their every need for years!
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Looks like Subaru do an Outback with a big engine 250bhp but they seem pretty rare.
I drove a few of these in Aus and they were awesome.
Also I had presumed this dog was a fluffy beast that would be genuinely tricky to lift, but... A greyhound?! :weakbench:
A used Subaru Forester might be worth considering - reportedly less refined and nippy than an Outback but a lot cheaper and very capable on rough terrain. Anecdotal and confirmation bias ahoy, but they seem popular with tight-fisted farmers who have mysterious and convenient barn fires. Which suggests to me that they are at least a capable and economic choice.
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Thanks Moose (and that made me laugh).
If you log onto Autotrader and tick 4WD, estate (as TomTom suggested), you don't get a lot of options!
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Paul, if you want a 4x4 estate with space and pace how about the SEAT Leon Cupra ST. Yes it's petrol but you should still get 40 mpg.
I've now got 2L diesel ST 150, but considering a remap to take it up to 180. Very pleased with it so far, lots of space, toys and economical but pretty quick.
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Paul, if you want a 4x4 estate with space and pace how about the SEAT Leon Cupra ST. Yes it's petrol but you should still get 40 mpg.
Clearance will be sh*t. As I've said above, gently landed on my sump pulling over for a Range Rover on the approach to Widdop. I don't want to cringe every time I move over or there's a puddle.
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Forester STi Paul?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/184409825425 (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/184409825425)
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The seller is in Selby. I wouldn't trust them. Nothing good has ever come from Selby (unless you count Henry I).
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Forester STi
Was thinking about these, but aren’t they all grey imports? Knowing Paul’s luck he’d end up with one from a Yakuza boss which got seized a week after he bought it!
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Yeah they are. One of the Pistonheads guys has had one for a while and posts regular articles with updates.
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Forester STi
Was thinking about these, but aren’t they all grey imports? Knowing Paul’s luck he’d end up with one from a Yakuza boss which got seized a week after he bought it!
If it's got a load of coke and guns stashed inside, it'll pay for itself.
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;D - I do like the way Moose writes on forums!
Yesterday I went and test drove an A6 Allroad 3.0Tdi V6 s-tronic which has done starship miles (service history was strong and the lack of tow-bar suggested motorway miles; it wasn't bought at auction either). I thought it was an amazing thing to drive with effortless power and I'm not sure I've been in anything as comfortable ever (given my father in-law has always had a thing for large BMWs as well)? It had a slight squeak from the RH rear quarter (linked to hitting surface imperfections not acceleration or braking) which I'm guessing is a bushing (and was promised to be rectified). I was a little disappointed by the room in the boot compared to the Octavia (non-scout); the 4WD eats in from the side but also underneath (understandably); I was expecting a little more headroom back there (725mm). Tax is £165 (it has an ad-blue system).
I also happened to drive a Fiesta ST as they had one in. Wow, that's a crazy little car! My plan of convincing Nat to go that direction seemed to fail though as stepping out of something really refined (the A6) and into a something with a noisy dump valve (apparently they're childish) highlighted the stark difference. She absolutely hated it whilst I had a grin from ear to ear (it was slightly damp to add to the fun). WRT small, relatively cheap, hot hatches, there are few with a reasonable sized boot (and we've had Nina in the in-laws Fiesta, by accident when it was left open and I wasn't paying attention).
He offered 2.5k for mine trade-in as was trying to find a polite way of saying it's a bit scrappy on the outside.
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New Electric Mini? No fiesta ST, but sounds like it actually drives pretty well.
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Gym membership to get hench enough to lift Nina into any awkward boot?
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New Electric Mini? No fiesta ST, but sounds like it actually drives pretty well.
I bet they do! Different price bracket I'd imagine?
I've put a deposit down on the A6. :dance1:
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When you say starship miles, what are we talkin?
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When you say starship miles, what are we talkin?
Only 84k miles above average. In all seriousness though, I bought the vRS at 104k (now at 150k), the E46 before that was 140k miles (and I traded it in at ~200k miles) and this had services listed like clockwork (and no signs of towing; interestingly looking at the A4s I was finding it a lot harder to find them without tow bars).
I'll send you a link on either Insta or Twitter.
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Should have saved the old (and ex- the old man's) V70 XC for you. Comfy, nippy, semi-economical on LPG, great boot for dogs, and a snip at 255k miles (actually starship miles, it's greater than the average distance between the earth and moon, not that I tried....).
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My Berlingo's timing belt/water pump is due a change and the local garage quoted £350-400, Halfords is £450 and going to the main Citroen Dealer is £520.
Is there much benefit with going for a main dealer for this kind of work? Better warranties etc? No idea how easy a job it is to mess up and ruin the engine if it went due to a bad installation.
Got a potential big drive coming up so want to get it booked in soon as I'm just reaching the recommended 100k changeover mileage.
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It’s a tricky ish job but very common. Local garage would be fine imho. Check if they need to change water pump at same time. If it’s the psa engine that’s often done at same time.
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It’s a tricky ish job but very common. Local garage would be fine imho. Check if they need to change water pump at same time. If it’s the psa engine that’s often done at same time.
Cheers - I'll probably go local then. Means I can walk home and not bother with courtesy cars etc too.
Get the servicing done at the main dealer but normally end up getting work done elsewhere. This was one of the few jobs that I thought actually had a decent quote from the main garage. Beats the £60 they quoted to change two bulbs!
Will get the water pump done as well (edited the original post when you were typing).
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Worth asking garage about the water pump first. If its the diesel PSA engine - then if the water pump goes - you have to take the timing belt off to change it (so the labour is the same as the timing belt change). If its the same engine as in my car - then they had a look at the water pump and said it was looking alright when it was all apart etc..
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Looking for car recommendations. My other half is wanting to move onto something a bit more suited to having two young kids.
Her requirements:
Generous boot to fit pram + other kid related shite - maybe camping gear. i.e. able to fit in the gear for a family Font trip etc (strong preference for something without a lip).
Reasonably reliable
Reasonably fuel efficient
Price around £10k at <50k miles and <5 years old
Looks reasonably nice (she doesn't really like the sticky out boot of a saloon design)
Some nice interior features like bluetooth connection
The moon on a stick
Does a car exist that meets these requirements?
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Octavia estate
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I'm advocating an Octavia (maybe even the hatchback if the boot is big enough) but it seems to be falling down on the price criteria at the desired age/mileage.
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I'm advocating an Octavia (maybe even the hatchback if the boot is big enough) but it seems to be falling down on the price criteria at the desired age/mileage.
Plenty on autotrader within your criteria
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202010275497025?atmobcid=soc3
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Left field estate choices: Kia Optima, Honda Civic, Peugeot 308
7 seater family car: Ford Grand C Max. 7 (5+2) seats sliding doors on the rear
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I saw octavia estate with less than fifty on it going for 10.5 k. Could probs get em to 10. Was white though. Might not jave been high spec interior. Have you looked at a ford kuga?
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I saw octavia estate with less than fifty on it going for 10.5 k. Could probs get em to 10. Was white though. Might not jave been high spec interior. Have you looked at a ford kuga?
That reminds me - lower cost rebrands (due to manufacturers sharing platforms etc..) are that under the skin (and of course built in a different factory) Renault Captur is the same as a Nissan Quashquai, Ford Kuga (if you get the right year) is a much cheaper Volvo XC60
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I've just bought a Kia ceed estate of the age and mileage you're looking at for under your budget.
You'll be able to get a a ~3yr old ceed or Optima, it'll still have the balance of their seven year warranty (as long as it's been serviced as per recommendations) and be equipped with everything you could wish for.
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I've just bought a Kia ceed equipped with everything you could wish for.
It even has a downgrade button on the dash Will :)
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Well, the good news is that her ladyship has had an epiphany this morning and realised that she doesn't want a Ford Kuga after all.
The bad news is that she has decided that, because my Fabia hatchback is a chalk-ridden mess, ALL Skodas have an undesirable interior.
We're going to one of those car supermarket places today. She's leaning towards a Ford Focus estate (I'll get her to look at some of the alternatives mentioned here so thanks for those), either with a diesel engine or one of those petrol ecoboost things. I've heard good things about the ecoboost so if anybody has any horror stories then please speak now!
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I’m going to punter you for being lazy Will.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=ecoboost+problems&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-gb&client=safari
But before you waste 10K I’d avoid the petrol ecoboosts. Great engine. Goes bang regularly.
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My mum recently picked up a Mondeo estate for 1200 quid so might be worth looking at them at the value end of the spectrum. Obviously no high spec stuff though!
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Why do people always reach for an Octavia on this thread?
What’s so fucking great about them?
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Seat Leon ST. I got a 5 year old 2.0l diesel DSG for under 10k with only 21K miles on the clock. Slightly less space than an Octavia, but better looking and better handling.
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Why do people always reach for an Octavia on this thread?
What’s so fucking great about them?
I was only trying to sandbag Will :D
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Seat Leon ST. I got a 5 year old 2.0l diesel DSG for under 10k with only 21K miles on the clock. Slightly less space than an Octavia, but better looking and better handling.
Good shout though it’s weird that people are buying vag diesels. Maybe it’s less of an issue if you don’t live in the ULEZ.
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I’m going to punter you for being lazy Will.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=ecoboost+problems&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-gb&client=safari
But before you waste 10K I’d avoid the petrol ecoboosts. Great engine. Goes bang regularly.
Hmmm. The problems seem to be predominantly on the earlier models. The issue is that the age and type of cars that she's looking at (she is in love with the focus estate now) generally only come with Ecoboost or Tsi engines or theyre diesels. I'm not in love with the idea of a diesel for emissions reasons so there doesn't seem to be much alternative to Ecoboost, even though they do give me the jitters.
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Because they’re cheap - because they’re diesels.
With the Covid demise of public transport - apparently there’s been a rise in used car prices under 10k...
Leon estate is an option too.
Anyway, He’ll probably
Come back from the showroom having put a deposit on. Ssansong Ryvita or something obscure.. 😀
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My mum recently picked up a Mondeo estate for 1200 quid so might be worth looking at them at the value end of the spectrum. Obviously no high spec stuff though!
You can get a very high spec Mondeo with more comfort, bells and whistles than a similar priced Octavia.
They have a much larger and more square boot with no lip and the seats fold down flat if you need more space. I think the Focus is more square than the Octavia too(?)
On the downside, they are BIG so parallel parking and maneuvering are more awkward if that's a consideration but it's fine with parking sensors etc.
My sister's Octavia has a boot lip. I think there is an optional extra to flatten the lip, but at a cost in boot capacity. With one toddler and a dog, their boot is barely big enough for the toddler's things and a dog (no climbing gear) so a family trip to Font might be a squeeze.
They would have gone for the next size up and a Superb/Mondeo/E-Class if they had their time again.
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Why do people always reach for an Octavia on this thread?
What’s so fucking great about them?
They do regularly come out as one of the best 2nd hand estates you can buy.
https://www.whatcar.com/news/best-used-estate-cars-and-the-ones-to-avoid/n17029
We recently got a new estate car (1 toddler and new baby coming next year, plus 2 dogs) and opted for a Passat. Two main reasons. Massive boot. And wife wanted leather seats (easier to keep clean) which is harder to find on octavias, golfs, mondeos etc.
So far very happy with it. Drives nicely. Diesel engine is very fuel efficient. Can get tons of shit in it. Seats are staying relatively clean. Success. Although they are a bit more expensive.
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Seat Leon ST. I got a 5 year old 2.0l diesel DSG for under 10k with only 21K miles on the clock. Slightly less space than an Octavia, but better looking and better handling.
Good shout though it’s weird that people are buying vag diesels. Maybe it’s less of an issue if you don’t live in the ULEZ.
Not living anywhere near the ULEZ or having any intention of going into it, plus needing to drive 75 miles to the Peak/Yorkshire/the lakes/Wales to get to a crag at the weekend, having a diesel makes sense.
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We had a focus estate diesel and it was a dog. I mean I bought one for his mum because that’s what she wanted at the time.
Get a 320i Touring or really, echoing the previous posts: go up a size class.
Better value for what you get and once kids are involved with pads and the rest, you’ll find these Octavias and the like pretty tight.
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With the octavia boot, a dmm highball works well as a boot flattener.
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Amazing that 560l of Octavia estate boot isn’t enough!!!
My car has 380 or so and we get by fine with toddler and all his stuff. For long trips we reach for the roof box. Mats go in the back with the seats down. That said I wish I had something larger - though long cars are a problem in our road (herringbone parking) so something Octavia length is a problem for me.
I sometimes think car boot capacity is always volumeneeded-1 - if there’s room you’ll fill it!
Anyway - think I’m going to eek out my motor for another year-18months and get an electric one when they’re a little more developed/cheaper/infrastructure
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I think from my point of view this is all moot anyway. I'd optimistically thought that I might be able to say her but her mind is made up and she knows what she wants!
If it explodes in a year's time I'll direct her to this thread and say I told you so :)
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A focus estate? Cheap date
Premium and bigger cars have better seats, as someone who has done about 17k a year for the preceding 12 years or so, this is very high up my priority list.
Good luck anyway
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I sometimes think car boot capacity is always volumeneeded-1 - if there’s room you’ll fill it!
The boot space equivalent of Parkinson’s law. Have to agree.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkinson%27s_law
Amazing to think I’ve been on bouldering trips with 3 adults and a dog in a 106 but now I ‘need’ as large a family estate as we can get. ;D
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😄 five to font camping in a Yaris. Two mats strapped to the roof...
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Something to note is that larger estates often have smaller boot capacity due to the rear seats being larger and having more leg room. Obviously the overall load capacity with the seats down is more on larger estates, this isn't of use when you have kids in the back seats though.
Obviously if the kids are teenagers having larger seats maybe better, when young though I don't find the space in the rear seats to be an issue with car seats and would rather have the boot capacity for all the paraphernalia that goes with toddlers and babies!
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Amazing that 560l of Octavia estate boot isn’t enough!!!
It isn't the overall volume that's their problem, it's the shape.
The angle of the seats and the loss around the wheel arches reduce the amount of useful space.
With a dog crate, a pushchair, a baby carrier etc, they have a lot of large items that can't be squashed down.
Soft bags and even bouldering mats can be squashed down a bit in to whatever shaped space you have. Big, unsquashable items don't fit well in an irregular shaped boot, even if the volume is large.
There's probably also an element of filling whatever space they have and the grass always being greener.
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Why do people always reach for an Octavia on this thread?
What’s so fucking great about them?
The boot is pretty darn good, especially on the newer models (IMO) with the floor that rocks down as required. There's more load space than the A6 I've just replaced mine with (although TBH the dog seems happier with less room to slide around; the interior side boot panel did end up a bit bent). She's also got far less headroom and the other dog we had briefly would've struggled (although he was massive and a bit of a goon).
Previously I've taken two bikes, the dog, and a lot of climbing gear down to South Wales, all inside the car (bikes on the back seat). When I tried to do this recently with the A6 I really struggled (the seat bases don't flip up so you lose headroom with them flat).
The Octavia vRS models are also relatively cheap thrills (although nowhere near as engaging as a 3-series). Having just sold mine, it really didn't cost me much over its life apart from standard consumables (brakes and tyres etc.).
I don't see the hang-up with mileage on these things (Will, why less than 50k?). If anything, I'd be wary of anything around the timing belt/water pump needing changing age (which isn't overly clear with VAG cars).
I had to look up ULEZ which is probably a good thing having just bought a 3.0 V6 TDI. I had to do a round trip to Cornwall within 24H for work and I was blown away but just how competent it was for long distance cruising.
Pretty pleased to see our Mini go through its test straight away again today. Small cars are so refreshing when two new decent-branded tyres come out at ~£100! (although I'm still wishing I'd been given the nod to change it to a Fiesta ST a few months ago; the dump valve was branded "childish" after my test drive).
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Sounds like you could do with a Ute to get that lot in Sdm! A tray back would do you right! 😀
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Strange to hear the Octavia is more practical than an A6, I wonder if any of those features carry over to the Superb?
See far fewer of those though, Superb rare in these toddler heartlands of north london, compared to Octavia, A6, 5 series, xc90s, etc.
I’d buy a fiesta ST if I was in that marketplace. Apart from the fruity exhaust, you liked it?
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If I could stretch to it, I'd go for a Cupra ST. Pace, space and grace. A Golf R estate in nicer clothes and less money.
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Strange to hear the Octavia is more practical than an A6, I wonder if any of those features carry over to the Superb?
I have an Octavia vrs estate that I bought because of boot space. I could fit all four of my pads at the time (3 mediums and an old smallish pod one) in the boot with the seats up and no impact on rear visibility. This wasn't possible in anything else I tried (with the pads physically at the garage) - including a golf, leon, passat or 5 series estate. Although the latter two had wider boots than the octavia, they were not quite as deep /high (can't remember which) and I had to leave one pad out.
All these were 5-6 years old a couple of years ago. Never tried a Superb.
I've gone and bought a big Cirro pad now so have to put half the seats down anyway :lol:
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The A6 is a funny one, the outer dimensions aren't too much different but it feels massive in comparison. I think I'll have said it a few pages earlier but I wanted high clearance 4WD for around here during winter. There's not a huge amount of choice in that market if you're not fond of SUVs!
I’d buy a fiesta ST if I was in that marketplace. Apart from the fruity exhaust, you liked it?
Sorry, perhaps I wasn't clear, I loved everything about it (apart from the slight ditch finder potential). Nat scowled through the majority of the test drive and it felt very different (obviously) to the A6 we'd just been out in. Our London 12 Cooper D has been amazing but the boot is a total joke and I want to be able to put the dog in both cars at a push.
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I have a Mazda 6 Estate. It’s got a very good spec, with a heap of toys. Bose sound system, fancy auto headlights, that are bright and also turn when you turn the wheel, keyless entry and push button start, rear view warning system (beeps if you indicate and something coming passed you), heated seats, auto wipers, parking sensors etc, the list goes on. Great big boot with a handy feature that allows you to drop the rear seats from inside the boot. I’ve had it for two years and been solid and reliable for me at least. It’s done two trips to Cornwall from North Yorkshire, fully loaded with family and luggage. Done 111k miles now. I had it remapped recently so it has 200bhp and a heap of torque. It can certainly pick its skirt up! I like it, it’s very well specced vs it’s German counterparts and is very competitively priced too.
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Masda comes with Bose? That’s well good. I have a Bose system and it’s fucking mega.
Along with seats, another major consideration for me is stereo. This is compound with noise at motorway speeds, I find my priorities evolving as I age.
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There's more load space than the A6 I've just replaced mine with
Good info, thanks. I'd been toying between an A6 and Superb to replace our Octy (with kids, bikes, camping, wetsuits etc the Octy is packed like a sardine can) so I suspect we'll look for high end Superbs rather than the base A6 now.
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I don't know if you lose less in terms of the boot if its not the Allroad/Quattro version?
I can take a few snaps and send them via another means if it's useful.
Along with seats, another major consideration for me is stereo. This is compound with noise at motorway speeds, I find my priorities evolving as I age.
Amen, and in every other aspect of life too! The North West to Cornwall and back solo would've been a completely different prospect in the Octavia. My opinion on gear boxes has also shifted (pun intended).
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Along with seats, another major consideration for me is stereo. This is compound with noise at motorway speeds, I find my priorities evolving as I age.
Seats are a big issue for me too. Under non WFH scenarios I do 20k+ per year - and my persistent lower back problems disappeared when I moved from a Golf to a Volvo. Prior to the Golf I had an E46 BMW, and that was good. So brands where I’ve had no back issues (based on ownership and lengthy hire car drives) are BMW, Volvo and Hyundai.. unfortunately, all the VAG group (VW Gold, Audi A3, Skoda Fabia & Octavia) have all led to back pain...
For motorway noise - tyre choice can make a noticeable difference...
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BTW Will - if you want to buy a car before December (or quite possibly later now..) car showrooms will have to close as of Thursday. #lockdown2.0
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BTW Will - if you want to buy a car before December (or quite possibly later now..) car showrooms will have to close as of Thursday. #lockdown2.0
We basically ended up buying the first Ford Focus that we clapped eyes on. The plan had been a recce to settle on a model. The thing we looked at was fine and at the right price for our budget. We were ready to put a deposit down and go home to look for more competitive deals when it was announced that there was going to be an announcement. The whole place became a hive of activity with them calling in everybody who was due to collect a car in the next few days. We explained that we were happy to buy (there was quite a bit of pressure to get the part ex through as they'd quoted us a very good price for the old car and its MOT is due at end of November and it'll cost a fortune) but that we hadn't sorted insurance. They threw that in for free and also that daft protective coating that they try and sell you as the stock of it they had open wouldn't keep and not using it would mean disposal at cost.
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Strange to hear the Octavia is more practical than an A6, I wonder if any of those features carry over to the Superb?
See far fewer of those though, Superb rare in these toddler heartlands of north london, compared to Octavia, A6, 5 series, xc90s, etc.
I have a 4yr old Superb and it is, well, Superb. The boot is the biggest you can get in an estate and fits four medium pads with the seats still up. Best I've managed is 2 big pads, 4 medium pads, 3 people and luggage for a week in Font.
Plus it comes with all sorts of thinks like a removable boot floor, dividers to stop things rolling around, little hooks to hang your shopping on to stop it flying all over the place, etc. Think they're all standard too.
It's decent enough to drive, not going to blow anyone away but get on a motorway, stick on cruise control and a podcast and just wake up when you get there; never had a car so easy and relaxing to drive long distances. Does okay on country roads too.
Biggest selling point though was that it's about £20k cheaper than all the equivalent size and spec things from BMW, Audi, Merc, Volvo, etc., and really no lesser car.
I sometimes think car boot capacity is always volumeneeded-1 - if there’s room you’ll fill it!
Amazing to think I’ve been on bouldering trips with 3 adults and a dog in a 106 but now I ‘need’ as large a family estate as we can get. ;D
Haha over summer I arrived at a crag parking spot and there were 3 young lads just leaving in the world's most beat up 106, whilst I'm on my tod in my massive estate :lol:
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Have a few questions on behalf of my Dad.
He's got a Vauxhall Astra 1.4 turbo 16V 150 SRI 5dr - registered Nov 2017.
He bought the car from a main Vauxhall Dealer in Jan 2019 with just under 13k on the clock, and he's done 5k miles in the last 22 months.
He's having problems with the engine warning light which you're not suppose to drive with it on according to the manual. There's been 6 times it's come on, each time having to go back to the dealer whilst, luckily, under warranty.
1) Engine power reduced light came on the day after he bought it - dealer changed some engine exhaust cam sensors.
2) Happened again whilst driving home - dealer replaced more exhaust cam sensors.
3) Happened again a month later - dealer changed exhaust cam sensors again
4) Happened again - Dealer changed exhaust cam shaft and mechanical actuator/pulley
5) Okay for a few months - went again at start of lockdown - had courtesy car for 6-7 weeks. Dealer changed full engine harness cabling/wiring
6) Gone again this week - dealer is replacing timing chain / pulleys (estimated as a big 8hr job).
Luckily, all of this was done under warranty, which ends tomorrow.
He's trying to work out how to go forward given it's been plagued with the issue since buying it. He is going to get the extended warranty from them but isn't sure if there's anything he can do under the sale of goods act etc, of how liable they would be if it went again when he get's it back.
He's retired and whilst affordable, it was a fairly big investment for him to upgrade from his previous Astra (which only had 25k miles itself and never had a problem). Just one of those things which will eat at him until he knows what could be done.
Given it's had 4 different things changed and it keeps happening, it feels to me that either they keep diagnosing the wrong thing and the problem was never fixed. or the car is a piece of shit and everything is failing on it and they all happen to impact the engine warning light.
Any advice would be appreciated!
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Sounds like its gone from knowing what’s wrong and changing/fixing that to:
Not knowing what’s wrong and changing lots of things until something fixes it...
I’d suggest first a good look an even a post on Vauxhall forums about this... it may be a known problem with an easy - or not easy fix. either way you know more.
If this doesnt yield any changes - I think it might be worth a frank conversation with the dealer - and possibly Vauxhall UK about swapping it out for a different car. This may mean he loses out financially - a bit - depending how generous they are - but at least he doesnt have to go through all the faff. This will after all be costing Vauxhall and/or their dealer a chunk of time and money etc...
If conversations with the dealer/Vauxhall don’t lead to much maybe get i touch with the guardian money column - they had a feature last week about Passat GTE’s going badly wrong just out of warranty....
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This sounds very similar to what happened when my ECR valve went...
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Seems like a "bad smell" to me - as Tom said, a) sounds like this is a scattergun approach to fault-finding and b) your old man might be best rid of it. Every brand makes a few "Friday afternoon" cars, it's just bad luck if you get stuck with one.
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Sounds like its gone from knowing what’s wrong and changing/fixing that to:
Not knowing what’s wrong and changing lots of things until something fixes it...
Respectfully disagree with that first part. Looking at the history:
1) Engine power reduced light came on the day after he bought it - dealer changed some engine exhaust cam sensors.
2) Happened again whilst driving home - dealer replaced more exhaust cam sensors.
3) Happened again a month later - dealer changed exhaust cam sensors again
4) Happened again - Dealer changed exhaust cam shaft and mechanical actuator/pulley
5) Okay for a few months - went again at start of lockdown - had courtesy car for 6-7 weeks. Dealer changed full engine harness cabling/wiring
6) Gone again this week - dealer is replacing timing chain / pulleys (estimated as a big 8hr job).
Points 1 to 3 indicate a very obvious conclusion - the camshaft position sensor itself was not at fault.
What has *probably* happened here is that they have put the diagnostic tool on the car and it has thrown up a code which mentions "camshaft position sensor". Quite reasonably they have replaced it on occasion 1 to see what happened. Being a dealer they have hopefully used a genuine Vauxhall part. If the sensor itself was faulty this would have fixed the problem. The fact it came on again driving home from that fix should have indicated to them that this needed further investigation. The only justification for replacing the sensor a second time is if they used a dodgy knock off non-OEM part to begin with. If they used genuine they should have tested the sensor against their specs to make sure it was good and then checked all the wiring for the sensor then. This is probably where the fault was given the age and mileage of the car.
I can't see any justification for replacing a third time as they are as good as saying that Vauxhall sensors are only good for a month - this is not true! At this point all we know is that it probably isn't the CPS unit at fault. It could be upstream (CPS wiring / ECU) or downstream (i.e. CPS & ECU are correct and something is indeed causing faulty timing).
The 4th visit to replace the camshaft (i.e. garage assume issue is downstream) - there is no way a camshaft is worn after 18K miles under normal conditions. However this may well have been needed if the camshaft had become worn by the engine being driven with incorrect timing. The fact is though a worn camshaft is almost certainly not the root problem, if it needed doing its a symptom. Either way the garage have inferred this as camshaft doesn't "speak" to the ECU so won't throw up its own code, the sensor does, so fault code probably still the same. Will it fix it - unlikely. Root problem - unknown.
Lo and behold the problem returns, 5th visit they change the entire engine wiring loom (i.e. garage have switched to upstream, should have been checked much earlier). Reason - its a dealership so they probably have them in stock, and in actual fact its much easier than pinpointing any faulty electrics / doing proper diagnostics, which is something they clearly don't do! Root problem - unknown (although probably this).
6th visit - timing chain and pulleys. Timing chains are good for 120K+ miles if correctly adjusted. Has it been changed previously? Could be a cause if so and badly installed, could just be a symptom if timing was thrown out by faulty CPS data. I guess we'll see what happens (hopefully it fixes it!). Root problem - unknown.
Overall, the issue is that no-one seems to know what the root problem is, including the dealership. Given the history I wouldn't put much store in their ability to figure it out. They have put the diagnostic tool on, read some words, and replaced that. Didn't work, guesswork begins. Under warranty then fine (apart from inconvenience). At your own cost - no way. It would be interesting to know what codes they were seeing, and whether they have changed over time or its the same one throughout. If extra ones have appeared its likely they are spin offs from the original problem not being sorted.
What to do - drive the car for a bit! With any luck the original problem was faulty CPS wiring which is now fixed by the new loom. The timing chain issue (if it exists!) is hopefully a "hangover" from driving 5K with incorrect timing and will put everything back to rights. In other words hopefully they have got there in the end! Either way I would ask to see the definitive evidence that the timing chain / pulleys were knackered and causing problems. If they aren't then is it a fix? No, and I would start to worry about it being a money pit...
If it happens again after the warranty has finished, then go elsewhere for a proper diagnosis. But I would go and ask the dealership first to provide you with the history of the codes they've read on each occasion, and tell them that unless they can tell you exactly what the actual problem is and guarantee a fix at a very reduced rate then you will take it elsewhere. They may feel like being helpful! Or ask them for a PX on it to see how keen they are, that way you'll get their genuine assessment of the car!
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Sounds like its gone from knowing what’s wrong and changing/fixing that to:
Not knowing what’s wrong and changing lots of things until something fixes it...
I think we’re on the same page Nigel! I probably should have said “thought they know what the problem is for the first part” as in it threw a code and they tried to fix the source of that...
Changing the loom sounds like a real shot in the dark. Like you said why not get a proper auto electrician in to check it rather than just change the lot (which is not an insignificant job.. having reshelled a old simple car before I’d personally never want to change a loom again!! 😂)
Changing the camshaft is a weird one - unless as you said they’d found excess wear/ a fault with it.
Anyway good luck James!
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Good post Nigel.
Only other thing I'd add is code readers are pretty cheap / easy to come by - might be worth an investment of £25 or whatever.
On a totally different note, wanted to highlight the recent Johnny Smith videos with Chris Harris. Always like Chris Harris' YouTube stuff, and was really chuffed he got put on Top Gear. Hadn't realised the toll it had taken on him mentally with all the abuse idiots were giving him.
He also has a pretty decent car collection.
I personally respect anyone who realises how ludicrously priced an RS6 Avant is brand new, and decides that suitable alternative family car is a 1990s N-Plate 5 Series Tourer with an M5 grafted into it!
Part 1:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7lD0PQBvg4 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7lD0PQBvg4)
Part 2:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2zWdIlIX4Y (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2zWdIlIX4Y)
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Really useful replies, many thanks for all the input. I've sent them on and hopefully he finds some of it helpful in getting towards some kind of outcome with the dealer.
It's not a car that he trusts now (he's considered hiring a car for some longer journeys recently) so any information he can use to get a good outcome is great.
Thanks!!
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Yeah - the trust issue is a real one - and why I’d be inclined to move the car on. Always listening for a funny noise or wondering if that was the warning light flickering on etc...
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I think we’re on the same page Nigel! I probably should have said “thought they know what the problem is for the first part” as in it threw a code and they tried to fix the source of that...
Apologies, dived in and misinterpreted! You're right of course, no doubt that is what happened.
Changing the loom sounds like a real shot in the dark. Like you said why not get a proper auto electrician in to check it rather than just change the lot (which is not an insignificant job.. having reshelled a old simple car before I’d personally never want to change a loom again!! 😂)
Changing the camshaft is a weird one - unless as you said they’d found excess wear/ a fault with it.
Anyway good luck James!
Changing the loom is a shot in the dark as you say! But if the problem was electrical e.g. a shorted wire it should hopefully work. However they should have diagnosed the issue properly as you say.
(For James for more info....)The problem with doing it their way, instead of diagnosing the true issue in isolation, is twofold - 1) on a fundamental level you can't be sure what the problem was, so are none the wiser if it happens again. If a wire has been shorted because its badly routed, or there is a design flaw whereby they run over a sharp edge, and this happens again, back to square one! Or it could just be as simple as a single bad connection. 2) It is a very expensive and long-winded way to do it! As Tomtom rightly says it is actually a nightmare to do. The reason I said it was "easier" is that "technically" it is - you could give an apprentice the loom and tell them to just match up the coloured wires on the new one to the old one and swap it in one connector at a time. Anyone who isn't colour blind can do that, given enough time. Apparently it took them 6 weeks, so I would guess this is possibly what happened! Poor them. If your dad had paid for this, the cost doesn't bear thinking about.
I do feel for garages somewhat because engines are a bit "black box" now they are computer controlled. Usually it is faulty sensors which cause check engine lights. However if a simple sensor swap doesn't fix things then you have to be methodical and logical, in that instance the codes can be more of a hindrance than a help as they can lead you up the garden path...
That said I would echo TTT in that getting a cheap code reader is a good idea if you want to avoid being totally in the dark and at the mercy of garages! Mine was £20 and paid for itself immediately - I had a persistent "check engine" light which had been turned off a couple of times by my friendly garage over the road. Both times he said the fault indicated an exhaust gas sensor fault, or a blocked cat, neither of which were worth the expense of doing on a £500 Yaris. The code reader said it was "lean condition fault" (i.e. too much unmetered air or too little fuel). 5 minutes and 6 inches of duct tape on a cracked air box later, the problem is fixed. James your situation is different but at least if your Dad has one then if the light comes on he can find out what the codes are and google them. If it is still the same as before (if he can find this out) then at least he'll have a starting point to discuss with any garage. And there will be info on the Vauxhall owner's forums that will help. This may be a common issue? You don't want to flying blind into any future fix as if people are already randomly opening up the engine / replacing looms you are looking at big money if you're not under warranty. You want to have some faith it will work when its coming out of your own pocket! But, hopefully it is now fixed and the saga is over...
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Thanks again, Nigel. Really useful information again. I'll suggest getting a reader and checking forums/speaking with a local garage.
The 6 week time (for the new loom) was more due to the lockdown I think. I believe they essentially downed tools during this time. Luckily he managed to convince them to stay open late and give him a courtesy car the evening before the lockdown so he could still get to the shops!
The staff have been great there, just the actual fixing of the problem has been the issue. Makes it much nicer when dealing with them though.
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The staff have been great there, just the actual fixing of the problem has been the issue. Makes it much nicer when dealing with them though.
That's good, if they seem nice then knowing the whole saga they may be happy to accomodate your dad on decent terms if it happens again, especially if he bought it from them originally. Or if not then maybe speak directly to any future garage to help them resolve this. Best of luck.
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Is there anything a main dealer would do in a service that an independent garage might not?
I always got my Berlingo done at the Citroen Garage where I bought it. It was local and easy so I never looked into other garages really.
Now I've moved away and the local garage (one I used a lot in the past but mainly for MOTs) is way more convenient. It's reached 100k so I think a bigger than normal service is needed?
I think that the main dealer said they flushed something out that they said got rid of 100% of some kind of build up. God knows what it was or if it's standard.
Anyway, I guess other than having official parts, is there any benefit to going with a main dealer? I'm not bothered about re-sale value as it won't be much.
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No. Unless it's needed to maintain warranty, I wouldn't bother. The "added value" of it always being services by a dealer will not move the resale value much.
My experience of dealers is they will always try and do unneeded things too.
Not sure about the flushing, could be cooling system, could be hydraulic system, could be fuel, none of them are complicated. If fuel, my local garage recommended every 4th or 5th tank of fuel be some of the "posh" stuff with cleaning additives, rather than just filling up with supermarket fuel every time.
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I’ve always used a good Indy garage. Labour charges are typically 50-60% that of a main dealer.
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Plus buy local, don't feed the corporate machine! (any more than you have to)
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Cheers - I'll go with local then.
Because of the boat we moved around a lot so I always used this local one for MOT's as we were in Skipton in Summer (MOT due) and main dealer in Leeds in Winter (service due).
Will move both to the local now then.
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I know a few members on here have had (or do have) BMW 135i/140i.
I've been offered first refusal on one ('16 plate) owned by an ex (senior) colleague. I can't see that I'd find a better example but it's looking unlikely I'm going to go for it. If anyone is interested drop me a message as it looks as if he's going to use an online car buyer (although not westealyourcar.com).
It'll be in Halifax.
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Do insurance providers vary much / is it generally best to avoid those you've not heard of much?
I know they're all regulated but I assume after-sales etc varies considerably.
Currently we admiral and their renewal is £495, but I can get much better quotes elsewhere.
Aviva is the cheapest at £300 (I think they are a pretty big provider).
Next that I've heard of are:
Sheila's Wheels: £355
Hastings: £390
AxA: £390
Lloyds: £410
I've dealt with Lloyds in the past so would be happy to go with them, but going cheaper means more board holds...
Any reason to avoid those cheaper ones? All seem like bigger providers so hopefully would be okay in the event of an accident?
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Ring Admiral up, tell them your cheapest quote, they'll match it or get pretty close. The fact that I have to do this every year is bloody annoying though.
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Sheila's Wheels: £355
We've been with SW up until recently (turns out they don't like Burnley postcodes :tumble: ); they were good to deal with.
I know a few members on here have had (or do have) BMW 135i/140i.
I've been offered first refusal on one ('16 plate) owned by an ex (senior) colleague.
BTW this went to a car buyer for £12k with 32k miles on the clock. I can't imagine there was a better example going. This was a recent benchmark:
https://collectingcars.com/for-sale/2017-bmw-m140i-shadow-edition
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Aviva is the cheapest at £300 (I think they are a pretty big provider).
Next that I've heard of are:
Sheila's Wheels: £355
Aviva used to be Norwich Union - a major home and business Insurer.
Sheila's Wheels are part of Esure, so again, hardly an unknown.
Axa are another biggie.
That said, the quality of service is often little to do with the size of the insurer, which at least with domestic claims can be more to do with the individual loss adjuster handling the claim.
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Thanks for the replies - I’ll do a little research on service tomorrow and go with one of the cheaper ones. Admiral weren’t interested in dropping the price last year (don’t know why I chose to renew really) but I’ll try asking them again tomorrow :thumbsup:
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Pretty weird request - but I've been hankering after the new Yaris GR, but have zero intentions of ever signing up for a lease on one, especially as I barely drive anywhere now.
From a mate who did similar with a 911, rented one for a weekend and said it was the best thing he'd ever done as he'd "scratched that itch now"...anyone come across a place where I could rent one for a weekend?
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You can hire them at the ring... Good excuse for a weekend away when we can travel to Germany
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Pretty weird request - but I've been hankering after the new Yaris GR, but have zero intentions of ever signing up for a lease on one, especially as I barely drive anywhere now.
From a mate who did similar with a 911, rented one for a weekend and said it was the best thing he'd ever done as he'd "scratched that itch now"...anyone come across a place where I could rent one for a weekend?
Ive had a few extended test drives off dealers and lease companies if they think your keen to sign up. Got and RS3 off Audi for 4 days totally free, although we do have a lot of Audis off them for the business so guess this wasnt normal.
Merc gave me an A3 AMG overnight as well and i didnt lease one afterwards.
You would be amazed what you can get test drives in from dealers if they think your legit.
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Yeah I did consider that route but I guess it's a bit brazen / sketchy, and in COVID-land probably not the cleverest thing.
On the subject of Yaris GRs and brazen behaviour...check out Chris Harris' Twitter feed, he's called out an "influencer" for some typically influencer-ish behaviour.
Seems Influencer A approached tuning company Lichfield with their new Yaris GR, with a view to getting Lichfield's new suspension kit on it. Apparently this was followed up by a request that Lichfield pay Influencer A £25k for the exposure, plus an ongoing %age of any sales!
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There's also the very real risk that this doesn't scratch the itch but instead inflames it :tumble:
If anybody wants a laugh at my expense, the locking mechanism on the A6's fuel cap stuck on me recently, typically when the tank was approaching empty. The emergency release did sweet FA and was approximately double the length it should be suggesting that this issue may have presented itself previously. An ocean of WD40 appears to have fixed it for now but I think for the £30 I'll just replace the part!
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If you want to test drive something enthusiastically then now is the time to do it.
Dealers don't come out with you on test drives due to COVID.
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If you want to test drive something enthusiastically...
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If you want to test drive something enthusiastically...
True story - that's the very origin of my username, although the car has long since gone. Shame, as it's probably worth a small fortune now.
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There's also the very real risk that this doesn't scratch the itch but instead inflames it :tumble:
I think no matter how amazing it is, there's no way it's gonna convert me from a £2k shed which owes me nothing to a c.£250 monthly payment on something I a) don't own b) will sit around not getting driven and c) will probably be a crime-magnet!
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If anybody wants a laugh at my expense, the locking mechanism on the A6's fuel cap stuck on me recently, typically when the tank was approaching empty. The emergency release did sweet FA and was approximately double the length it should be suggesting that this issue may have presented itself previously. An ocean of WD40 appears to have fixed it for now but I think for the £30 I'll just replace the part!
Mate had the same problem on his, said apparently it's a common fault?
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We had it happen on my other half's old (£2k shed) Clio - after removing most of my knuckles finding and triggering the emergency release, I just snipped off the locking "pin" thing.
Not like people syphoning off your fuel is really a common crime nowadays, they're more interested in angle-grinding your Cat off, or just breaking into your house for your keys so they can export your car to Europe and break it for parts!
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There's also the very real risk that this doesn't scratch the itch but instead inflames it :tumble:
If anybody wants a laugh at my expense, the locking mechanism on the A6's fuel cap stuck on me recently, typically when the tank was approaching empty. The emergency release did sweet FA and was approximately double the length it should be suggesting that this issue may have presented itself previously. An ocean of WD40 appears to have fixed it for now but I think for the £30 I'll just replace the part!
Its happened twice on my wifes A class. The 1st time she was in a mad rush and ripped the colour coded cover off trying to open it. Luckily they paid for that as well.
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If you want to test drive something enthusiastically then now is the time to do it.
Dealers don't come out with you on test drives due to COVID.
I have found they actually encourage you to drive enthusiastically when they are with you. I guess they want to hook you in and you dont buy an RS/AMG/M car to pootle about in.
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My Dad was a traffic policeman for most of his career. It was always fun going out on test drives with dealers being a little panicked by his 'commitment' in the corners.
I don't know where its gone mind you as I drove his toy (which isn't my cup of tea), a V6 Quattro original TT, and he was wanting me to drive it at speeds my current shed would've been fine. He's the same.
Yes, the filler cap issue is common on Audis, but you can't just vandalise the mechanism as its also the bit that holds the flap flush to the body (it's a T headed mechanism that rotates through 90deg as it goes in/out and engages in a slot). The part is <£30.
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was perusing autotrader, with TT's advice on comfy seats in mind, and this popped up - think its a sign!
(https://m.atcdn.co.uk/a/media/w1024/5018e26d8c8f422f8d0b750b47169965.jpg)
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We had really cold temperatures up here a few weeks ago (as in minus and double figures at night) and having not needed to go anywhere both cars had been stood. Don't let cars with lots of electrics get a flat battery unless you want a whole world of pain.
Thankfully Peewee owns a CARISTA bluetooth OBD dongle (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Carista-Bluetooth-Adapter-Scanner-Technology/dp/B00YVHGTBM/ref=asc_df_B00YVHGTBM/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309775958298&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17079982543004394511&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006941&hvtargid=pla-564504693297&psc=1) and with the Car Scanner Android App (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ovz.carscanner&hl=en_GB&gl=US) I was able to reset it (airbag system on Audi's supposedly need this every time).
Given the cost of a diagnostic scan such items pay for themselves.
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was perusing autotrader, with TT's advice on comfy seats in mind, and this popped up - think its a sign!
(https://m.atcdn.co.uk/a/media/w1024/5018e26d8c8f422f8d0b750b47169965.jpg)
I like mine (it’s a focus built by Volvo - so has good handling etc..) but it does have a smallish boot - that frustratingly is only 90cm wide so most pads have to go in with the back seats down. Except organic regular pads... had mine for nearly five years if you want any tips/more info...
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We had really cold temperatures up here a few weeks ago (as in minus and double figures at night) and having not needed to go anywhere both cars had been stood. Don't let cars with lots of electrics get a flat battery unless you want a whole world of pain.
Thankfully Peewee owns a CARISTA bluetooth OBD dongle (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Carista-Bluetooth-Adapter-Scanner-Technology/dp/B00YVHGTBM/ref=asc_df_B00YVHGTBM/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309775958298&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17079982543004394511&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006941&hvtargid=pla-564504693297&psc=1) and with the Car Scanner Android App (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ovz.carscanner&hl=en_GB&gl=US) I was able to reset it (airbag system on Audi's supposedly need this every time).
Given the cost of a diagnostic scan such items pay for themselves.
Mine had a low battery warning the other day - as it’s only been in one short journey a week since Jan...
Figured I needed a trickle charger. I discovered this is now a whole different ballgame since I last got one ten years ago or more. Many modern cars can’t use old ones or be jump started - it Seems gel batteries need a fancy charger...
In the end I got an Einhell one off Amazon for £22 - it’s not fast (2A max) bit worked fine and now all is back to normal (including the start stop).
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was perusing autotrader, with TT's advice on comfy seats in mind, and this popped up - think its a sign!
(https://m.atcdn.co.uk/a/media/w1024/5018e26d8c8f422f8d0b750b47169965.jpg)
I like mine (it’s a focus built by Volvo - so has good handling etc..) but it does have a smallish boot - that frustratingly is only 90cm wide so most pads have to go in with the back seats down. Except organic regular pads... had mine for nearly five years if you want any tips/more info...
Any tips gratefully recieved, it'd be a motorway tool almost entirely (bristol - swindon). Your comments on the seats was what made me look at them as I don't really get on with the A3's. That one's done 90k, anything to look out for?
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I'm not that keen on Einhell after buying a petrol strimmer that had a mind of its own (randomly engaging when set down by itself on first use which was less than desirable). Dealing with them (being petrol it couldn't just go back to Toolstation) was a total PITA.
I believe CTEK are good for trickle chargers / battery conditioners; this advice comes from my boss, who is a glutton for punishment with classic cars (inc. a TVR).
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@duma - what engine you looking at? Mine came with the winter pack (heated seats and electric front screen) that’s ace in winter. The next trim up has adaptive cruise that would be great for motorway plodding (i had the choice on one with that but worse colour). That bright Volvo blue is ace.
@paul. Ctek ones were £60+. For the one time in 5 years I’ll probably use it £22 seemed a better bet. It’s worked perfectly.
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It's the D4 rline
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@paul. Ctek ones were £60+. For the one time in 5 years I’ll probably use it £22 seemed a better bet. It’s worked perfectly.
Yup! I've got my Dad's here currently which looks like it's from the 80s 8).
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Talking of cars the Fiendmobile is showing it's age with various annoying niggles (just like it's owner) and thus I'm considering a similar replacement for when I'm able to drive further than the local Tesco.
Sticking with VAG of course, ideally a like-for-like slightly younger A3 but they seem to be pretty rare in the right spec (<7K, >2010, <80K, auto gearbox, 5 door - as I've turned into a right fanny I'm willing to go below 150bhp and above 9 sec 0-60 (although not too far!)). Thus have considered other options. Seat Leon - again pretty rare with the right spec. Skoda - not really similar.
What IS coming up a lot is a VW Golf, I tried one when I got the A3 but didn't like the inside ergonomics of the pre 2010 models, very low central console etc. They seem to improved since then, and obviously I'd be going for an era before everything got fucking touchscreen-ified for maximum inconvenience and driver distraction. There seem to be plenty around in 1.4 TSI (tempted be petrol after DPF issues) or 1.8+ TDI and decent spec. Not bothered about fanciness apart from steering wheel controls and cruise control. Any thoughts from the UKB massif?? Am I right in assuming that dealers are not doing test drives at the covid moment?? (Based on a sample of one dealer I tried, who said they were doing in-car inspections and start-ups but only 14 day money back guarantees in lieu of road tests).
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If it’s a 5 cylinder D4 it’ll be fun and it’s a solid (if a little old) lump.
But the 4 pot D4’s had persistent problems with the EGR valve. It’s a fancy twin turbo set up (small one for low revs, large one for high) and when I was looking at Volvo forums (up to 2018) a good few people were still having problems with them. Multiple dealer visits etc.. may well be resolved now but it was an issue. Watch the tax too - that can be high for quicker diesels...
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Whilst on the topic of VAG and OBD, anyone any (diy) experience of using OBD cables/scanners/software on VAGs?
I'm after clearing airbag light on Octavia II ahead of its MOT. I take various seats out when car is in camping mode and this requires disconnecting airbag cables. When seats go back in and connections remade, lights stay on but as I understand it, the fault just needs clearing. Would be keen to be able to do this and other faiult code stuff myself rather than paying each time at MOT. Brief research suggests 3 cheap options:
i) OBD usb cable and connect to laptop. Only issue here is I don't think I have access to any older versions of windows which the software needs. ie. xp or 7. I use linux so might be able to get it running in wine but bound to be faffy...
ii) OBD scanner thing. self contained unit with little lcd screen. likely clunky interface, not much/ nothing you can do if it doesn't just work...
iii) Bluetooth OBD dongle thing and pair to phone or laptop. Looks like there are free apps for android which should be able to clear fault codes. But lots of moving parts, probably horrible apps, plenty to go wrong and similar to above probably not much customisation possible if it doesn't just work?
Leaning towards (i) as think I'll be able to get it working one way or another with worst case scenario having to steal and install a copy of windows xp on an old laptop....
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I ‘think’ that for vag stuff the Bluetooth and phone app can work fine.
One for a vag forum?
The f@cking Volvo has to sync to some mainframe in Sweden via their own software to clear stuff. Means £30-40 from even an independent garage. Or get a knock off copy for £200.
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I can confirm no test drives until the 12th of April at the earliest. I was looking to replace the family wagon before the MOT was due however I refused to buy a used car without driving it first.
As for the replacement car why VAG cars specifically? There are some other interesting options that meet your requirements...
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The f@cking Volvo has to sync to some mainframe in Sweden via their own software to clear stuff. Means £30-40 from even an independent garage. Or get a knock off copy for £200.
You can clear standard codes with standard OBD2 readers. For things like airbag lights and to read/clear Volvo proprietary codes as well as general tinkering, the software you need is VIDA which is a free download, but you also need a dice unit (or vxdiag. Go for about £50/£100 depending on ebay inflation) and a laptop to put it all in (windows 7 max and a pain to setup).
You can buy laptops with VIDA preinstalled + DICE unit from £165 at todays prices which is not too bad (The guy selling them changes prices depending on the laptops he can get his hands on)
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Nice one Lopez - last time I checked (couple or three years back) it seemed harder / more expensive. Had to clear a wheel sensor for the ABS in Nov...
Though thinking of moving the car on. Diesel guilt.. and it’s now done 120k. But it’s still going great...
Though at that point where it’s now only worth about 3k so maybe run it for a couple of years and if it looks like a big bill on the way not feel too bad about saying goodbye...
Stick or twist etc...
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Talking of cars the Fiendmobile is showing it's age with various annoying niggles (just like it's owner) and thus I'm considering a similar replacement for when I'm able to drive further than the local Tesco.
Sticking with VAG of course, ideally a like-for-like slightly younger A3 but they seem to be pretty rare in the right spec (<7K, >2010, <80K, auto gearbox, 5 door - as I've turned into a right fanny I'm willing to go below 150bhp and above 9 sec 0-60 (although not too far!)). Thus have considered other options. Seat Leon - again pretty rare with the right spec. Skoda - not really similar.
What IS coming up a lot is a VW Golf, I tried one when I got the A3 but didn't like the inside ergonomics of the pre 2010 models, very low central console etc. They seem to improved since then, and obviously I'd be going for an era before everything got fucking touchscreen-ified for maximum inconvenience and driver distraction. There seem to be plenty around in 1.4 TSI (tempted be petrol after DPF issues) or 1.8+ TDI and decent spec. Not bothered about fanciness apart from steering wheel controls and cruise control. Any thoughts from the UKB massif?? Am I right in assuming that dealers are not doing test drives at the covid moment?? (Based on a sample of one dealer I tried, who said they were doing in-car inspections and start-ups but only 14 day money back guarantees in lieu of road tests).
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/bold-new-nissan-ariya-pivotal-electric-suv-310-mile-range exactly, precisely what your asked for.
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If it’s a 5 cylinder D4 it’ll be fun and it’s a solid (if a little old) lump.
But the 4 pot D4’s had persistent problems with the EGR valve. It’s a fancy twin turbo set up (small one for low revs, large one for high) and when I was looking at Volvo forums (up to 2018) a good few people were still having problems with them. Multiple dealer visits etc.. may well be resolved now but it was an issue. Watch the tax too - that can be high for quicker diesels...
How can I tell? Sorry for car ignorance, my main requirement is it doesn't break!
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I can confirm no test drives until the 12th of April at the earliest. I was looking to replace the family wagon before the MOT was due however I refused to buy a used car without driving it first.
As for the replacement car why VAG cars specifically? There are some other interesting options that meet your requirements...
Open to ideas but I really like the Audi and comparable models within the group. Hit me with the knowledge that fits the specs.
Also Fultonious I am not even clicking on that because I'm sure it's the cybertruck rip-off abortion that doesn't have any physical controls any more, I bet the fucking indicators are touchpads and all.
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If it’s a 5 cylinder D4 it’ll be fun and it’s a solid (if a little old) lump.
But the 4 pot D4’s had persistent problems with the EGR valve. It’s a fancy twin turbo set up (small one for low revs, large one for high) and when I was looking at Volvo forums (up to 2018) a good few people were still having problems with them. Multiple dealer visits etc.. may well be resolved now but it was an issue. Watch the tax too - that can be high for quicker diesels...
How can I tell? Sorry for car ignorance, my main requirement is it doesn't break!
D2[3] D4162T 2012–2015 115 PS (85 kW; 113 hp) 270 N⋅m (199 lb⋅ft) at 1750–2500 1,560 cc (95.2 in3) Ford & PSA
D3[3] D5204T6 2012–2015 150 PS (110 kW; 148 hp) 350 N⋅m (258 lb⋅ft) at 1500–2750 1,984 cc (121.1 in3) VD5
D4[3] D5204T4 2012–2015 177 PS (130 kW; 175 hp) 400 N⋅m (295 lb⋅ft) at 1750–2750 1,984 cc (121.1 in3) VD5
D2[16] D4204T8 2015–2019 121 PS (89 kW; 119 hp) 280 N⋅m (207 lb⋅ft) at 1500–2250 1,969 cc (120.2 in3) VEA
D3[16] D4204T9 2015–2019 152 PS (112 kW; 150 hp) 320 N⋅m (236 lb⋅ft) at 1750–3000 1,969 cc (120.2 in3) VEA
D4[16] D4204T14 2015–2019 192 PS (141 kW; 189 hp) 400 N⋅m (295 lb⋅ft) at 1750–2500 1,969 cc (120.2 in3) VEA
earlier one has different horsepower...
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If it’s a 5 cylinder D4 it’ll be fun and it’s a solid (if a little old) lump.
But the 4 pot D4’s had persistent problems with the EGR valve. It’s a fancy twin turbo set up (small one for low revs, large one for high) and when I was looking at Volvo forums (up to 2018) a good few people were still having problems with them. Multiple dealer visits etc.. may well be resolved now but it was an issue. Watch the tax too - that can be high for quicker diesels...
How can I tell? Sorry for car ignorance, my main requirement is it doesn't break!
That one is a 4cyl D4. They are actually very good engines, but on that particular car i'd personally pass.
2 of the MOT's it was taken to with dead tyres (and a nail in one!) It's wearing cheapo tyres right now. It has outstanding safety recalls (which are done for free by Volvo) and the MOT is about to expire (No excuse for that if you are a dealer). None of that gives any reassurance that the previous owner took care of the car, and it isn't a bargain to chance it.
Might be worth a punt for the number plate ;D
If you really fancy one of those, plenty for sale in Facebook for example. If you search for 'V40 Rebel Blue' a fair few come up. (Rebel Blue colour was only offered in the R-Design trims, so they will all be the same or better). Searching for "V40" will throw more.
Just need to be careful and make all your checks if buying privately, though there's some dealers in there
For example
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/860945541143160/
Edit: Just seen that car i posted has outstanding finance.
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Most obvious option is a 1 series BMW. Lots about to chose from that meet your requirements. As an example (£400 over budget yet looks nice) - http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202102239381423?atmobcid=soc3
Alfa Romeo Guiletta. Dual clutch auto box very similar to the VAG DSG box. Alfa interior so nice seats/place to be. http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202009023202520?atmobcid=soc3
Mercedes B class. Ok so it is an MPV. If you can live with that though the interiors look nice and they are good value second hand. http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202103039692392?atmobcid=soc3
Honda Civic. Japanese so should be a good second hand buy in terms of reliability. Generally well reviewed. Only down side is the non premium badge. http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202103039682326?atmobcid=soc3
Now for the totally left field option... Infiniti EX. V6 diesel in the Nissan premium small SUV package. Won't be cheap to run however it will be premium being the Nissan equivalent to Toyota's Lexus. http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202102108900692?atmobcid=soc3
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Cheers Lopez, tbh that particular one I just posted because of the plate, I do think that model does tick most of my boxes though, and it is a great colour!
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Whilst on the topic of VAG and OBD, anyone any (diy) experience of using OBD cables/scanners/software on VAGs?
I'm after clearing airbag light on Octavia II ahead of its MOT. I take various seats out when car is in camping mode and this requires disconnecting airbag cables. When seats go back in and connections remade, lights stay on but as I understand it, the fault just needs clearing. Would be keen to be able to do this and other faiult code stuff myself rather than paying each time at MOT. Brief research suggests 3 cheap options:
i) OBD usb cable and connect to laptop. Only issue here is I don't think I have access to any older versions of windows which the software needs. ie. xp or 7. I use linux so might be able to get it running in wine but bound to be faffy...
ii) OBD scanner thing. self contained unit with little lcd screen. likely clunky interface, not much/ nothing you can do if it doesn't just work...
iii) Bluetooth OBD dongle thing and pair to phone or laptop. Looks like there are free apps for android which should be able to clear fault codes. But lots of moving parts, probably horrible apps, plenty to go wrong and similar to above probably not much customisation possible if it doesn't just work?
Leaning towards (i) as think I'll be able to get it working one way or another with worst case scenario having to steal and install a copy of windows xp on an old laptop....
As I said earlier today, I've just cleared a lot on a 16 plate A6 Allroad (I linked the dongle and app). It was piss.
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Cheers sxrxg, some interesting ideas there....
BMW1 - have definitely considered this, did try one when I got the A3 but didn't like the feel as much. I met a UKBer with one who wasn't so keen. Not ruled it out completely.
Alfa - I've heard poor reports about their reliability. That model does look swank (a bit too much for me!) and not so keen on the inside.
Merc - bit big.
Honda - interesting, will factor that in. Looks okay, that one's a bit on the slow side tho.
Infiniti - those running costs had me closing the browser tab as quickly as possible!!
P.S. Thanks for the no test drive till mid-April confirmation, useful to know.
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Well that car has been up for sale at that price for 3 months, since at least 18 December 2020, so may be worth a phone call asking for a discount, a fresh MOT, the recalls done, and a 3/6 month guarantee :whistle:
Edit: December 17th actually
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Also Fultonious I am not even clicking on that because I'm sure it's the cybertruck rip-off abortion that doesn't have any physical controls any more, I bet the fucking indicators are touchpads and all.
:ras: :chair: :lol: :lol:
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Talking of cars the Fiendmobile is showing it's age with various annoying niggles (just like it's owner) and thus I'm considering a similar replacement for when I'm able to drive further than the local Tesco.
Sticking with VAG of course, ideally a like-for-like slightly younger A3 but they seem to be pretty rare in the right spec (<7K, >2010, <80K, auto gearbox, 5 door - as I've turned into a right fanny I'm willing to go below 150bhp and above 9 sec 0-60 (although not too far!)). Thus have considered other options. Seat Leon - again pretty rare with the right spec. Skoda - not really similar.
Fiend, I picked up a 64 plate 2.0 diesel DSG Leon estate with only 21k miles, FSH etc for under 10k. Very impressed and happy with it (although I have mulled over a stage 1 conversion to get it up to 195 bhp). It didn't take much finding. They are out there.
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Fiend, I'd never consider this personally as a die-hard £2k shed-man, but given the state of the car market lease / PCP deals are very low at the moment. If it's a route you'd consider it sounds like it's a good time to get a deal.
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So it appears the test drive rules have changed... https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/industry-news/covid-guidance-car-dealers-can-offer-test-drives-during-lockdown
It is possible to test drive however you must have paid a deposit and have your own insurance in place. TBH it sounds easier to just wait until showrooms open again in April unless you really need a car now.
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Cheers people. The wee red thing is still going for now at least. Just the niggles are getting annoying.
Andy was that the thing blocking the parking bay at Pinfold meaning I had to trot my way up from parking halfway to the Berwynion?? ;). I'm not after an estate but will keep my eye on Leons, the idea of a budget VAG is appealing but although there were a few suitable options, not as much choice as Golfs.
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the idea of a budget VAG is appealing
If so, why are ruling out Skoda?
The Octavia is basically a larger, cheaper, Golf, and there are a number of other smaller options (Fabia, Scala, Rapid, etc.) if space isn't important (can't see why it wouldn't be for a climber...).
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From all the jdpowers surveys etc.. Skodas always do best of the vag group.
Implying (heavily) they’re better built (maybe not as ‘exciting’ though).
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+1 on Skodas - I had Fabia from 36k to nearly 90k and it was solid as.
If you go down the Octavia route there are the VRS models to which are pretty hot, and tune-able if you want to get silly:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWotswktQ_8 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWotswktQ_8)
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Good question Bradders. Mostly because I've really got used to a standard-sized hatchback (yes yes it's not all meticulously logical decision making) and the only like-for-like thing Skoda do - Scala - is out of my price range. Not sure I like the bulk of an Octavia, Fabia hatchback is too small, and Fabia estate, hmmmmmm if they still did a VRS...
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Good question Bradders. Mostly because I've really got used to a standard-sized hatchback (yes yes it's not all meticulously logical decision making) and the only like-for-like thing Skoda do - Scala - is out of my price range. Not sure I like the bulk of an Octavia, Fabia hatchback is too small, and Fabia estate, hmmmmmm if they still did a VRS...
The octavia is basically a Golf/A3/Leon with a boot on it. The estate is pretty much the same external dimensions as a Golf/Leon estate...
If you're after a newer one, the more recent 1.5 petrol engines are supposed to be great... (DSG too)
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Andy was that the thing blocking the parking bay at Pinfold meaning I had to trot my way up from parking halfway to the Berwynion?? ;). I'm not after an estate but will keep my eye on Leons, the idea of a budget VAG is appealing but although there were a few suitable options, not as much choice as Golfs.
That was the wife's BMW, which will be why it was parked badly :whistle:
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+1 on Skodas - I had Fabia from 36k to nearly 90k and it was solid as.
If you go down the Octavia route there are the VRS models to which are pretty hot, and tune-able if you want to get silly:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWotswktQ_8 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWotswktQ_8)
Gosh, that Superb is quite something!
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Isn't it - Ricky has some really interesting stuff on there.
The tuning potential of modern kit is crazy, but why people plough the time and money into making 600bhp-800bhp beasts is beyond me. Between traffic, intelligent motorways, speed cameras and thieves, surely the chances to really enjoy them a severely limited.
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Yeah I mean he said he'd originally got the 280bhp version of the Superb which is pretty quick in itself!
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Fabia VRS estate was made up until 2014 all had automatic gearboxes and several seem to be within budget and mileage constraints...
The Skoda Rapid Spaceback might also be an option? Looks to be a similar size to an A3.
Another far east option if you are considering the Civic could be the Kia Ceed - https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202102038644724
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I saw a video review of the ProCe'ed the other day, which looked decent and a bit of an undercover rocket...
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I saw a video review of the ProCe'ed the other day, which looked decent and a bit of an undercover rocket...
The Cee'd GT looks like a spaceship inside the amount of tech you get.
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Isn't it - Ricky has some really interesting stuff on there.
The tuning potential of modern kit is crazy, but why people plough the time and money into making 600bhp-800bhp beasts is beyond me. Between traffic, intelligent motorways, speed cameras and thieves, surely the chances to really enjoy them a severely limited.
I overtook a McLaren on the way home today (really). I mean, what’s the point?
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Well you've got to pass the time somehow. Presumably they wonder the same about dirty weirdos who cling to small rocks for entertainment.
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I overtook a McLaren on the way home today (really). I mean, what’s the point?
Haven’t you noticed drivers of supercars tend to sit in the middle lane on the motorway at around 65mph? I’m sure it’s to maximise visibility.
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Haven’t you noticed drivers of supercars tend to sit in the middle lane on the motorway at around 65mph? I’m sure it’s to maximise visibility.
I’ve always assumed the ones doing this are on 11 points and are being very careful, but your interpretation is more likely!
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T3 shared this site on Twitter and I got lost on it for half an hour, so thought I’d share here https://carsandbids.com/ pick your favourite make or model and check out the rarities!
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Haha, I clicked on that link and made a little noise that my partner sitting next to me described as a sex noise, when the first thing that came up was this:
https://carsandbids.com/auctions/9aZaq6RP/2010-mitsubishi-lancer-evolution-x
:shag:
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realised that's the US one. This is the one where you can see how close they are to you too!
https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/
Time to trade in some stocks Bradders https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1315465
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realised that's the US one. This is the one where you can see how close they are to you too!
https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/
Time to trade in some stocks Bradders https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1315465
Haha nice! Maybe merge the two threads, cars as an investment? ;D
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Thought this deserved a post. After banging on here with Duma about rebel blue Volvos with the 4cyl D4 engines, i somehow ended up getting myself a rebel blue Volvo with the 4cyl D4 engine... :lol: Hopefully not too many ' Cars, Cars, Fucking CARS !!' to come out of it.
(https://i.imgur.com/37CpQVy.jpeg)
And if anyone is after a climbing touring machine which doubles as a motorhome if you are 5"7 or shorter my V50 is being forced into exile out of London by Sadiq Khan so it's up for grabs cheaply :spam:
(https://i.imgur.com/rDt5jM0.jpeg)
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Rebel blue is a great colour...
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Yes Lopez!
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I've been using my mates Rs2 a bit recently. What a car and what an attention grabbing car it is.
The break alarm goes when warming up. That's likely a couple hundred. Also went out the other night and I'm sure the clutch slipped a little on boost. God knows what a clutch will cost to replace. My Mrs paid 1200 in a mini diesel.
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Maybe not the best thread for this, but this guy's YouTube channel expresses the sentiment more than most.
Such an up/down feel good journey to car restoration, and a great way to put your woes into perspective:
https://youtu.be/s8u7rrsfvys
:clap2:
Worth watching from the beginning, if you can.
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realised that's the US one. This is the one where you can see how close they are to you too!
https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/
Time to trade in some stocks Bradders https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1315465
Haha nice! Maybe merge the two threads, cars as an investment? ;D
Or just have a Classic Cars thread?
:thumbsup:
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Anyone got / had / have any experience of a Peugeot 508 estate? Looking at a 15 plate 2l deisal SW and worried that 2 pads won't fit in the boot well....
Thought it was worth an ask here before I head to the dealership with the pads tomorrow :lol:
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Cant help with the Pug, but just changed from a Mondeo Mk4 to Mondeo Mk5 estate and disappointed that the boot is definitely smaller. >:(
Struggling to put two Moon Warriors in now. The seats don't fold down in quite the same way either now, so seems less roomy in that situation. Should have done some research first!.
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Don’t know if this is the right place, but I have a car stereo question. I have an old (2006?) Honda Civic with a CD player, but it’s not got an auxiliary port to plug in a phone or MP3 players. I’ve had one of those radio connector things but it’s crap, so would rather just plug my phone in directly.
Do I need a new stereo or is there a way to convert the one currently there? It’s not a standard square stereo so might be awkward. Can Halfords manage this or do I need to brave some specialist car stereo place?
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Similar to my situation - my Saab had an aux in (very forward thinking for 2006!), which promptly broke after about a month of use.
Get one of the Bluetooth things that plug into your car socket. I got one off Amazon for about 10 fuckalls and it's excellent. Also gives you a USB to plug your charger cable into.
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Similar to my situation - my Saab had an aux in (very forward thinking for 2006!), which promptly broke after about a month of use.
Get one of the Bluetooth things that plug into your car socket. I got one off Amazon for about 10 fuckalls and it's excellent. Also gives you a USB to plug your charger cable into.
Thanks! Stupid question here, when you say "car socket" what do you mean?
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Your cig lighter - something like this would do I'm sure:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/VT-Tele-FL-Transmitter-Hands-Free/dp/B095SS6CVZ/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=VNyZZ&pf_rd_p=14181977-ffda-43e9-9ad5-f2431a74838d&pf_rd_r=G9Q2D4VC43NC9KYCNGAQ&pd_rd_r=eb16a9b0-89f0-4650-84cb-e4ce2f7b2a28&pd_rd_wg=bLs6Q&ref_=pd_gw_ci_mcx_mr_hp_d (https://www.amazon.co.uk/VT-Tele-FL-Transmitter-Hands-Free/dp/B095SS6CVZ/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=VNyZZ&pf_rd_p=14181977-ffda-43e9-9ad5-f2431a74838d&pf_rd_r=G9Q2D4VC43NC9KYCNGAQ&pd_rd_r=eb16a9b0-89f0-4650-84cb-e4ce2f7b2a28&pd_rd_wg=bLs6Q&ref_=pd_gw_ci_mcx_mr_hp_d)
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The current thing I have is a combined radio/bluetooth adapator and the bluetooth has never worked. The radio reception is also rubbish, lots of crackle and it picks up the radio stations as easily as the device - hence wanting to connect the two devices with a wire that plugs in to some sort of socket.
Perhaps I'm just being terribly old fashioned here.
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TTT - you've just invited a load of randoms to your Zoom call :lol:
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Ha ha - thanks for the tipoff!
This is why i shouldn't multitask...
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The current thing I have is a combined radio/bluetooth adapator and the bluetooth has never worked. The radio reception is also rubbish, lots of crackle and it picks up the radio stations as easily as the device - hence wanting to connect the two devices with a wire that plugs in to some sort of socket.
Perhaps I'm just being terribly old fashioned here.
Hmmm - I bought one and I've never experienced that, other half has one too, and will admit it's not great in her car.
Sounds like your alternative is new stereo then. I bought a cheapo JVC off the internet about 10 years ago for my old Micra which I think was the cheapest one you could get with an Aux In, was about £40.
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Sometimes the line input exists on the stereo but there isn’t a socket on your version of the car to use it. In these cases you just need the right cable to click into the back of the unit and then you can Heath-Robinson the other end into a handy place.
If that’s the case then this (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/265120998291) (and figuring out how to get to the back of your stereo to plug it in) looks like it’s all you need. You can check by fiddling with the options on your stereo. If you can select an aux input but there’s no socket for it then Bob’s your uncle.
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Yeah, or if you have a changer you can spoof it so the head unit thinks the Aux in is your changer - my mate did that in his shed Audi!
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Sometimes the line input exists on the stereo but there isn’t a socket on your version of the car to use it. In these cases you just need the right cable to click into the back of the unit and then you can Heath-Robinson the other end into a handy place.
If that’s the case then this (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/265120998291) (and figuring out how to get to the back of your stereo to plug it in) looks like it’s all you need. You can check by fiddling with the options on your stereo. If you can select an aux input but there’s no socket for it then Bob’s your uncle.
Thanks, that is cheap and looks useful. There are various videos explaining how to fit gizmo in, all involving clips and pulling things out and even some drilling. I cannot imagine a more stressful way to spend my free time! I simply am not that man. But perhaps some sort of horny handed son of toil could do it for me.
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Are there any benefits to a newer van with higher miles over an older van with lower miles? Or visa versa?
2016 with 60k
vs
2018 with 77k
Same engine etc and both good condition and similar ish price.
Don’t know if one could be better than the other all else being similar.
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Short answer - it depends.
General condition and history probably more important at that level. I'd be getting on the MOT checker to see what has been done over the years, you can tell a lot about the owners' approaches to maintenance by looking at that.
Also higher miles not necessarily a bad thing, depends how they've been racked up. e.g. 10k of motorway miles arguably a lot kinder on a vehicle than the equivalent city miles.
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What T3 said, plus 10k/year for a van is getting on for suspiciously low for a van potentially suggesting lots of small journeys as he said.
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Sometimes the line input exists on the stereo but there isn’t a socket on your version of the car to use it. In these cases you just need the right cable to click into the back of the unit and then you can Heath-Robinson the other end into a handy place.
If that’s the case then this (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/265120998291) (and figuring out how to get to the back of your stereo to plug it in) looks like it’s all you need.
There are various videos explaining how to fit gizmo in, all involving clips and pulling things out and even some drilling. I cannot imagine a more stressful way to spend my free time!
I did this with my old Ford Focus. Getting the radio out does require a certain amount of determination, but it's actually pretty simple. Plug the device in the back, drill an escape hole for the cable if you're fancy, or just jam it in next the radio and Robert is your mother's brother.
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After the recent deluges my Berlingo (2009) is sloshing a lot of water around on the drivers side when accelerating/breaking.
Doesn’t appear to be in the doors (based on some door swinging tests), though I wouldn’t write it off. Any thoughts on where it could be trapped would be welcome.
It’s due an MOT the next 4 weeks so I’ll ask the local garage to have a look if no joy before then.
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So it sloshes during linear momentum change - acceleration / braking only - presume it sounds to be travelling "alongside" you to your right when in driver's seat? And at a low level i.e. floor level? If so most likely water trapped in sills. Will rot them from the inside so might be worth having a poke about the sills to see if there's any rust / holes appearing. If so then there may be some welding on the horizon one day...might be better to get it done soon (with waxoyl on inside of sill) to catch early if you are wanting to keep the van for more years. OR if its a banger being run into the ground then may well be ignorable if structurally able to pass MOT for long enough for your needs. Garage will advise.
Either way if the noise annoys you could drill a small drain hole. Finding where water is getting in more difficult, but only an issue if going down repair route.
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So it sloshes during linear momentum change - acceleration / braking only - presume it sounds to be travelling "alongside" you to your right when in driver's seat? And at a low level i.e. floor level? If so most likely water trapped in sills. Will rot them from the inside so might be worth having a poke about the sills to see if there's any rust / holes appearing. If so then there may be some welding on the horizon one day...might be better to get it done soon (with waxoyl on inside of sill) to catch early if you are wanting to keep the van for more years. OR if its a banger being run into the ground then may well be ignorable if structurally able to pass MOT for long enough for your needs. Garage will advise.
Either way if the noise annoys you could drill a small drain hole. Finding where water is getting in more difficult, but only an issue if going down repair route.
Thanks for the help. You’re right around how it sounds with linear momentum change.
It was a lot worse today after some more downpours yesterday. But I managed to hear it when swinging the drivers door today (couldn’t get any reaction yesterday).
Found some rubber plugs at the bottom of the door which I could pull out and the water quickly started flowing out. Couldn’t hear it again on the drive home so hopefully that’s sorted it out.
I managed to check some of the sills and they seemed dry so hopefully it was just the bits in the door. Given the chance since yesterday I think it’s something I’ll have to keep on top of - I might just remove one of the plugs permanently.
Not sure where it’s getting in (window surround maybe) but the car interior Is dry at least.
Fingers crossed that was it all…
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Sure this is a pretty niche concern - has everyone seen the stuff about new E10 fuel?
I've checked and was pretty surprised to find that my 2006 Saab is totally fine with the new stuff.
My new "daily" - a 1983 VW Passat, is going to pose slightly more of a problem. Reading around, it sounds like the jury's out on whether one could / should use E10 in a "classic", with a few people suggesting it might actually be good for them.\
Anyway, worth doing a check - there's a UK Govt site you can use to make sure.
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Are there any benefits to a newer van with higher miles over an older van with lower miles? Or visa versa?
2016 with 60k
vs
2018 with 77k
Same engine etc and both good condition and similar ish price.
Don’t know if one could be better than the other all else being similar.
As an extension to this question (still not bought a van yet!), would you shy away from higher mileage vans? Specifically Relay/Boxers with 2.0 engines?
I’m looking at some which have 120-130k on the clock which have just ended a 4 year lease deal (March 2017 Registrations).
MOT history doesn’t show up anything worrying but no service history available as they were purchased from the Lease company and this wasn’t supplied - though conditions of the lease stipulated regular servicing so you would assume it was done but the business (though uncertain on mileage intervals).
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If anyone wants a laugh at my expense then the night before going on holiday I loaded the dog into the Audi A6 Allroad to take her round my folks. I got about a mile down the road and the dash lit up with words you just don't want to see "gearbox failure - limited functionality". We went to the airport with three people (including my 74yr old MiL) and luggage in a Mini.
I tried clearing the fault with a dongle and it was straight back. The local garage did the same (straight back). The car is currently on the way (on the back of a wagon) to a nearby transmission specialist. It'll give me 2nd and 4th but not 1, 3 or 5th. The fault code is:
"p173E00 valve 1 in sub transmission electrical fault"
and it could still work out to be a relatively low cost issue (the wiring loom within the box) but there's supposedly an extended warranty issue (5 years +50k miles) on this exact fault. It's not looking cheap. I was aware when buying this car that it was a risk with it having fairly complex electronics but I have to say, Mechatronic gearbox failure wasn't something I thought was likely!
Anyhow, the specialists I've spoken to have 8 cars in with the same fault and turnover 60-80 a week.
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DSG?
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No, it's the 7 speed slush box.
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I've got my eyes on an imported car, originally from Japan. Anyone got experience of living with one? Was it hard to insure etc, parts hard to find and so on?
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Car people, I want to get a car.
Currently household has a 2nd gen Leaf and a VW camper. I’d like something small*, reliable, cheap to run, that can seat 5 (not necessarily in comfort…) and capable in adverse conditions… Budget up to £7k but would be nice if closer to £5k
Like the idea of 1st gen Leaf but seems to be still a bit pricey, and obvious range issues.
Panda 4x4 is very popular locally and is certainly a good option for the week or so of snow a year…
Anybody got alternative suggestions?
* no requirement to fit pads or such like, not much driveway real estate available so needs to petite…
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Skoda Yeti
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Swift 4x4 (beware the low undercarriage).
PS the Audi is back on the road with a new gearbox ECU. On a completely different note, does anyone need a kidney?
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Sauteed or casseroled?
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Don't really care as long as you're paying.
Is it sensible to replace the free road tax mini that's been infallible for a Fiat 595 Compezione? Again, asking for a friend :worms:
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If you aren't being sensible anyway way not go the whole hog and get a Fiat 695 Biposto...
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Thanks for the alternate suggestions, both look to have potential :)
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If you aren't being sensible anyway way not go the whole hog and get a Fiat 695 Biposto...
There's a bit of a price difference (but that gearbox :wub:).
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Sauteed or casseroled?
with some Fava beans and a nice Chianti?
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Does anybody know anything about Ford's issue with keyless entry, particularly regarding the Fiesta ST?
They seem to go missing an awful lot (particularly where I live).
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Is this the issue where they plug into the OBD port to disable the immobiliser etc and drive away? Or is this a separate issue?
My mate had his Fiesta ST stolen to order this way. They broke in, plugged in to the OBD, and were driving away in under 10 seconds.
On the replacement, he:
1) put in a dummy OBD in the usual place
2) moved the OBD to a hidden, hard to reach, location with a physical lock and
3) added an old school steering wheel lock
It's unlikely to stop the most advanced and determined thieves but he hopes it will at least delay them long enough for the alarm to attract some attention.
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I don't know but neither issue seem that good where we live which is pretty rural/remote. The power was out over last weekend and as soon as it went dark we had some unscrupulous people in pickup trucks down the lane "looking for some off-roading". :tumble:
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That's shite.
Our own van woes (still got the old T4 transporter) . Just replaced the ECU with a refurb due to a sensor fault in the old one (atmospheric pressure sensor), meaning we were getting no boost.
Put new one it, but it didn't start first time. Power clicked off when I tried to crank.
Dash lights etc. all came on, but when I turned it just clicked and all the power went off. Checked the battery and it seemed OK, but we were only getting 2v elsewhere. Assumed bad battery connection, remade that and it started OK. Went for a test drive, turbo boost a bit improved so one thing fixed!
Drive for 20 mins, all seemed OK except a faint whiff of hot/melting.. Came back to the van 3 hours later. (after cinema...) and the same thing happened, except this time battery was down to 11.5v. Tried connecting up our leisure battery via jump leads but no luck.
Breakdown guy tried his booster pack, which got it to crank a little but but it was super sluggish and wouldn't start. Ultimately, it drained his booster in about 5 crank attempts so I reckon we've got a short or a bad earth and there's some massive resistance somewhere. In the garage now (who were a bit reluctant given the ECU swap, but talked him round).
Finger crossed it's something simple.
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That's shite.
I think I can say ditto! Elecrtical gremlins are such a pain.
Looks like the Fiesta is a non-starter so I'm back to the silly Italian option (having quit my current job and signed a 100% WFH contract today there's no time like the present).
I test drove a 595 Comp. the other evening in the rain/cold/dark and it felt like an utter animal (I lit up the traction control a fair amount on a short test drive); I've got a soft spot for silly small Italian cars after owning a few Punto HGTs quite some time ago now.
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It isn't Italian however have you considered a Vauxhall Adam S? Similar size to the Abarth, probably similar real world performance. A bit more rare and looks to have a nicer interior (especially if you can get the leather recaro seats...)
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It isn't Italian however have you considered a Vauxhall Adam S? Similar size to the Abarth, probably similar real world performance. A bit more rare and looks to have a nicer interior (especially if you can get the leather recaro seats...)
No, I haven't but this isn't solely my decision (and it's taking an absolute age). When I switched the Octavia 18M or so ago for the A6 Allroad we test drove an ST at the same garage and I'd have gone home with it then and there but I was told it was loud, uncomfortable and ultimately childish (pop pop bang etc.); the 595 seems to be surviving that (somehow, possibly because the one we're looking at is relatively 'pretty').
It's hard to tell after a significant gap in time between test drives but the 595 chassis didn't seem anywhere near as good as the ST (again it was v. wet on Saturday which wasn't ideal). This seems to be reflected in reviews such as Evo mag.
(PS - if anyone is in the market for a 12 plate Mini Cooper D then let me know; London 12 special edition with 85k miles. I'm happy to be pretty open about the pros and cons of the car).
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.....This seems to be reflected in reviews such as Evo mag.
"...not my views Lynne - the views of Top Gear magazine..."!
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Glad this thread has resurfaced. Wanted to say thanks to Paul for his Suzuki Swit 4x4. Got a low mileage one and it’s exactly what I was after.
Nice one 👍
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Glad this thread has resurfaced. Wanted to say thanks to Paul for his Suzuki Swit 4x4. Got a low mileage one and it’s exactly what I was after.
Nice one 👍
I'm a bit envious TBH they're great little things.
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[having quit my current job and signed a 100% WFH contract today there's no time like the present).
YYFY surely? I'm, about to do the same (well 60% WFH, but that might slip to 100% given the current situation).
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Just about on topic...
Had my van serviced today and the mechanic asked me what my plan for it was when the clean air scheme came into force in Manchester. I had only heard about it once before in passing but just googled it. I reckon as a private van owner (Peugeot Partner, 2004, diesel) I've got until JUN 2023 before I have to pay a tenner a day to drive it. :o any dissenting views on this?
I will probably try to sell it before then if that's the case but in any case it needs to pass another Mot before it even becomes an issue!
https://cleanairgm.com/
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Move? ;)
Can you get a grant to replace?
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Just about on topic...
Had my van serviced today and the mechanic asked me what my plan for it was when the clean air scheme came into force in Manchester. I had only heard about it once before in passing but just googled it. I reckon as a private van owner (Peugeot Partner, 2004, diesel) I've got until JUN 2023 before I have to pay a tenner a day to drive it. :o any dissenting views on this?
I will probably try to sell it before then if that's the case but in any case it needs to pass another Mot before it even becomes an issue!
https://cleanairgm.com/
Same issue in Glasgow; however, fairly geographically limited (city centre only) so won't really affect us as we have no need to ever go there. If they widen it though......
I'm busy trying to work out the sums for getting a new Toyota Pro-Ace Electric, converting it as a camper, renting it out most of the year and using it ourselves in between. Will probably make a lot more sense in 2-3 years....
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Just about on topic...
Had my van serviced today and the mechanic asked me what my plan for it was when the clean air scheme came into force in Manchester. I had only heard about it once before in passing but just googled it. I reckon as a private van owner (Peugeot Partner, 2004, diesel) I've got until JUN 2023 before I have to pay a tenner a day to drive it. :o any dissenting views on this?
I will probably try to sell it before then if that's the case but in any case it needs to pass another Mot before it even becomes an issue!
https://cleanairgm.com/
Looks like your date is Jun 23. Just saw a few road signs advertising this zone for the first time yesterday.
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Just about on topic...
Had my van serviced today and the mechanic asked me what my plan for it was when the clean air scheme came into force in Manchester. I had only heard about it once before in passing but just googled it. I reckon as a private van owner (Peugeot Partner, 2004, diesel) I've got until JUN 2023 before I have to pay a tenner a day to drive it. :o any dissenting views on this?
I will probably try to sell it before then if that's the case but in any case it needs to pass another Mot before it even becomes an issue!
https://cleanairgm.com/
I don't really go to the wall in my camper so won't make too much difference to me but currently says temporary exemption on it for some reason. Yet my 3L Audi doesn't have a charge at all. :-\
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Same thing happening in Sheffield back end of 2022.
I kind of agree with it in principal, but at the end of the day, Sheffield CC couldn't organise a piss up at the Abbeydale brewery and thus it will be a total clusterfuck. By including the ring road in the zone, it will force a shit ton of traffic into the suburbs (where the vast majority of residents and schools are) as they find rat runs to avoid the charge. I foresee carnage.
Meanwhile, the minging black taxis, with their 50 year old, held together by bailing twine exhausts will presumably still be aloud to queue up at the train station by the dozen, idling their engines and belching black soot all the way up the ring road as they depart.
:furious:
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I don't really go to the wall in my camper so won't make too much difference to me but currently says temporary exemption on it for some reason. Yet my 3L Audi doesn't have a charge at all. :-\
"Private cars, mopeds and motorbikes are NOT Included in the Zone."
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I don't really go to the wall in my camper so won't make too much difference to me but currently says temporary exemption on it for some reason. Yet my 3L Audi doesn't have a charge at all. :-\
"Private cars, mopeds and motorbikes are NOT Included in the Zone."
Yeah i gathered that but seems daft i have to now pick the car that is the biggest polluter to drive into town in to avoid paying charges on the other.
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Same thing happening in Sheffield back end of 2022.
I kind of agree with it in principal, but at the end of the day, Sheffield CC couldn't organise a piss up at the Abbeydale brewery and thus it will be a total clusterfuck. By including the ring road in the zone, it will force a shit ton of traffic into the suburbs (where the vast majority of residents and schools are) as they find rat runs to avoid the charge. I foresee carnage.
Meanwhile, the minging black taxis, with their 50 year old, held together by bailing twine exhausts will presumably still be aloud to queue up at the train station by the dozen, idling their engines and belching black soot all the way up the ring road as they depart.
:furious:
Yeah, this is the thing. Manchester's roads are really bad already and I can't see this will actually make a difference. I also agree with it in principle, something has to be done, although its pretty annoying it extends so far out to Bury area. Having just had a look at the map, at this stage the area covered is so massive almost everybody will get caught. Maybe this is a better policy than just the city centre to prevent new rat runs becoming popular?
How wide is it planned to be in Sheffield? Thats going to fuck over a lot of climbers with vans there.
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Yeah i gathered that but seems daft i have to now pick the car that is the biggest polluter to drive into town in to avoid paying charges on the other.
You'll look like every other commuter on Kingsway/ the Parkway then :)
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No, I haven't but this isn't solely my decision (and it's taking an absolute age). When I switched the Octavia 18M or so ago for the A6 Allroad we test drove an ST at the same garage and I'd have gone home with it then and there but I was told it
(PS - if anyone is in the market for a 12 plate Mini Cooper D then let me know; London 12 special edition with 85k miles. I'm happy to be pretty open about the pros and cons of the car).
Sold!
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Same issue in Glasgow; however, fairly geographically limited (city centre only) so won't really affect us as we have no need to ever go there. If they widen it though......
I don't think even the most fanatical St Greta acolyte could accuse the Manchester zone of being fairly geographically limited....
(https://images.ctfassets.net/tlpgbvy1k6h2/1ewzgk4dwD86WeL0bPG8v3/095139eaf472e971e918c3df219b2622/Zone-Illustration-528x300_2x.png?w=1000&q=70)
I wonder if they've done any calculations on the environmental damage caused by the need to manufacture all those extra vehicles to replace chargeable pre-2016 diesels....
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Noticed the first few signs around ours the other day. I can't see how a scheme that massive will be even approaching ready to go by Jun 23. Bet there's an extension of at least a year.
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If anyone is daft enough to buy a Fiat group car be aware that the modern head units rely on their uConnect app system for a lot of the functionality.
If this is linked to a previous owner, there's nothing you can do about it without providing a fair amount of documentation to uConnect/a dealership to prove ownership which will then allow them to reset the account (after allowing some time for the previous owner to respond/stake claim).
Thankfully for me, the previous owner's details (i.e. before the garage I bought from) were left in the service history and he was happy enough to sort it out for me.
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You bought one then, which is it?
Which colourway?
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I (well, more accurately, we) went for a 66' plate 595 Competizione with a list of factory extras that make it fairly rare (pan-roof, 7" touch plus upgraded stereo system, 17" alloys, Xenons, Sabelt half-leather carbon backed seats). It's very yellow and black (think of the old Cinq. sporting type vibes).
EDIT: this is pretty similar (minus the pan-roof):
https://www.aspinallcars.co.uk/cars-for-sale-dorking/abarth-595-competizione-t-jet-3dr-1-4-2016/
I'm well aware of its flaws when compared to other similar vehicles (mainly handline) but things like the insurance only going up £120 compared with a 12' plate Mini with little residual value is one of the major plus points, Michelin Pilot Sport 3s being <£100 ea. etc; (relatively) cheap thrills.
Ultimately I don't think we could risk an ST living where we do. OK, I could have had a Ghost fitted but I don't particularly want to live with the angst of the car getting unwanted attention.
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but I don't particularly want to live with the angst of the car getting unwanted attention.
So you got a "subtle" yellow car instead :jab:
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With an in-built tracker, yes.
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We’re going to be away for 9 months and would prefer not to sell our car (not a fancy one but been super reliable for us).
We have some friends who would probably benefit from using it whilst we are away but before I ask them anyone is there anything I should carefully think about before offering?
My thinking was that I would get it serviced and MOT’d before leaving and ask them to do the same (depending on usage) before giving it back, or pay for it when it’s due. I assume they could get insurance as a non-registered owner, and they could pay for 9m of the tax.
If it has a fault then I would pay to get it repaired (assuming they’ve not crashed it or something) as it would have broken anyway whilst I was driving it. But perhaps ask for a contribution towards wear and tear things / depreciation (some monthly fixed amount).
It’s a 2009 Berlingo with 110k miles. Never had an issue other than standard wear and tear in the 70k miles we’ve put on it.
If it died whilst we were away I’d not be that bothered and it’s not worth enough to be overly precious about it - they would probably look after it better than me!
Is there anything I should consider before asking them? The alternative would be to leave it on the street outside our house.
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I'm getting ever more frustrated by owning a saloon, especially as an owner of the big alpkit pad, which demands a wrestling match every time it needs loading! Shame as it's been a great car (mazda 6).
I can't decide whether to go for a large estate, or whether a standard hatchback (e.g. focus) would suffice.
Although i tend to like big cars more, the smallest car that does the job is probably the better idea considering running costs and it being a 2nd car. How big do I need to go to get 3 to 4 pads in the boot as well as people in the back seats? Will a big pad even fit in a standard hatchback without the seats down?
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I would say don't discount an MPV - Nai (of this province) had an excellent Mazda 5 thing which swallowed pads. Price-wise, MPVs tend to be cheap as they normally have a hard life and only get kept till the kids grow out of needing the space.
RE: saloon vs. estate, from experience of owning what I thought would be a great estate car for climbing use (E30 BMW Touring), the issue with estates is the degree to which the wheel arches intrude on your boot space. I couldn't even fit an old-skool Franklin Drop Zone across the boot folded as the arches took too much width out.
That said, I currently have a Saab 9-3 saloon - the only compromise when I got it was that I couldn't find a similarly decent estate - the boot is massive on it, and I can imagine the estate version is even massive-er.
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I'd say a Focus hatch boot space isn't big enough for your needs, the estate isn't much bigger overall or much pricier, but the boot is considerably bigger. The heated front windscreen is a bonus if you can find one with it.
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Estates wise, Ford Mondeo, or Skoda Superb for massive boot space.
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I'm getting ever more frustrated by owning a saloon, especially as an owner of the big alpkit pad, which demands a wrestling match every time it needs loading! Shame as it's been a great car (mazda 6).
I can't decide whether to go for a large estate, or whether a standard hatchback (e.g. focus) would suffice.
Although i tend to like big cars more, the smallest car that does the job is probably the better idea considering running costs and it being a 2nd car. How big do I need to go to get 3 to 4 pads in the boot as well as people in the back seats? Will a big pad even fit in a standard hatchback without the seats down?
Not very exciting but I get 52 mpg on average from our Berlingo. Had up to 6 pads in it without much effort without taking any seats down. I love the huge boot, makes life so much easier.
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I've recently been hiring the likes of the Berlingo (Rifter has been the favourite so far) abroad and each time I come home thinking they'd be a good choice. Although the newest shape are outrageous money currently.
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Any decent size estate with a split seat in the back will allow 4 adults plus 2 big pads and 2-3 normal size pads (big pads longways upright with the 1/3 seat down). I don’t know if even a Superb is big enough for a big pad without the seat down, but Bradders will know.
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Thanks for all the views. Reading with interest.
Any decent size estate with a split seat in the back will allow 4 adults plus 2 big pads and 2-3 normal size pads (big pads longways upright with the 1/3 seat down). I don’t know if even a Superb is big enough for a big pad without the seat down, but Bradders will know.
It's partly seeing Bradders' car filled with an assortment of pads and ladders that's got me looking! I'd love a Superb but just trying to figure out whether I need to spend that much.
I'm not overly concerned by high mileage or age, with the exception that the creature comforts of newer cars are nice. Good seats with adjustable lumbar support etc are also something I really like in my Mazda, and this is rarely seen in lower spec cars, otherwise i'd be happy getting a banger!
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Any decent size estate with a split seat in the back and seats that fold flat will allow 4 adults plus 2 big pads and 2-3 normal size pads
Before buying my Mondeo, I tested an A6, Exeo and i40 estate. All decent sized estates and all totally useless for transporting pads plus passengers as the seats didn't fold beyond about 45 degrees.
I also tested an A6 of a similar age where the seats did fold pretty flat. Always check the seats on the specific car/model, don't assume that a big car is capable of carrying pads plus passengers.
I considered a Superb before buying the Mondeo. The same money bought a much higher spec or a newer, lower mileage Mondeo than a Superb.
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Any decent size estate with a split seat in the back and seats that fold flat will allow 4 adults plus 2 big pads and 2-3 normal size pads
Before buying my Mondeo, I tested an A6, Exeo and i40 estate. All decent sized estates and all totally useless for transporting pads plus passengers as the seats didn't fold beyond about 45 degrees.
Had 2 i40's for company cars, and did a large amount of miles to N Wales etc with this set up, it's only the cushions and not anything hard that stops it folding down more, so you can squish them flat. Sounds like Mondeo is better designed for the purpose though, which is not surprising as the rep mobile of choice! Normally a decent amount of ex fleet Modeos knocking about which should fit your criteria re: creature comforts Liam.
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I had a Mondeo Mk4 Titanium X for a long time and it was fantastic. No Kudos, but all the gizmos for much less money than your Audi's/Skoda/Bimmers.
Thus, replaced it with a the newer Mk5 shape Titanium estate, but to be honest, I've been a little disappointed by it. Drive is less lively, and more sluggish. Less Gizmos (no heated seats). The boot seems smaller. Seats dont fold as flat as before. On the older version - you flipped the bench seat bit forward, then the back rest folded much flatter.
However, since I got the e-Niro, its been sat collecting pigeon shit on the road, and will only really be dusted off for longer, and load carrying journeys.
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does the new one have the eco-boost engine?
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I don’t know if even a Superb is big enough for a big pad without the seat down, but Bradders will know.
It isn't ::)
It's really annoying actually, an Organic big pad is so close to just fitting in the boot with the seats up that I've tried to squeeze the boot closed with it like that on more than one occasion haha
Best I've managed was 3 people, assorted baggage for a week in Font, 3 big pads and 4 or 5 medium pads.
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My A6 seats fold totally flat (just pull the levers in the boot and crush whatever you forgot was on the back seats) but it's completely toss for pads (and the dog TBH) because of the shape (and the 4WD). My Octavia estate was far better for moving stuff. I miss it if I'm honest.
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does the new one have the eco-boost engine?
Hmm - good question - I don't think mine does..
Its the Ford Mondeo 2.0 TDCi ECOnetic Titanium 5dr (150bhp)
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I think that's an Ecoboost, but still a decent size. I'd heard the Focus with the 1l EcoBoost was a bit gutless. We still have the 2l dirty diesel for now, but may change if we actually have to start using it daily.
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One thing I forgot to mention was - as I know a couple of climbers who have them, what about the Skoda Roomster?
Look like a Popemobile, not the coolest thing out there, but might fit the bill as a pad transporter?!
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I'm not overly concerned by high mileage or age, with the exception that the creature comforts of newer cars are nice. Good seats with adjustable lumbar support etc are also something I really like in my Mazda, and this is rarely seen in lower spec cars, otherwise i'd be happy getting a banger!
Sounds like you want to get a Mazda 6 estate ;D
I think seats are worth consideration, perhaps especially for climbers who often do a lot of miles and ideally want to avoid exiting the vehicle feeling like a 70yr old having driven 1hr+ to a crag... I noticed the downgraded seat going from a decent spec old banger passat estate to standard spec octavia estate. The passat had lumbar support adjust, comfy arm rest (and heated, ahh heaven!) and just felt generally better/comfier.
One potential work around is swapping seats from a compatible higher spec vehicle (ebay or scrap yard sourced) into your basic spec banger. Could be as simple as four bolts....
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Incredibly unexciting in almost all respects, but i40 CRDi came with adjustable lumbar support, heated seats and steering wheel. I guess the usual story that you get more gadgets as standard from the Asian companies than you do from VAG etc.
T3 the Roomster does seem to be an excellent option if you’re not worried about your street cred and I think they ran until 2015 so should be some good second hand examples about still.
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Also asked on the other channel..
I was driving last night and the car felt sluggish, slowing down a lot when in neutral etc. I suspected a flat tyre but when I pulled over they were fine, but there was a burning smell and loads of heat coming off the front passenger side break.
I decided against the rest of the drive and headed home. I did a few emergency stop type breaks and didn’t seem to have any problems for the 20 minutes back home.
MOT and service was done 3 weeks ago and didn’t show anything up for the front breaks (only minor pitting on the rear).
I was planning on a 3hr drive tonight in it (though have a campervan I can take instead if needed). Not sure what the problem is (garage said maybe a sticking calliper?) but my local garage is going to try and squeeze me in at the end of the day.
If they can’t fit it in, am I right in thinking it’s probably best to just take the camper instead? Or is it likely to be nothing too serious?
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I'd not drive a distance if there was an issue like that and you had an alternative, not worth the risk. You can end up with warped discs or worse if heat gets excessive.
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I'd not drive a distance if there was an issue like that and you had an alternative, not worth the risk. You can end up with warped discs or worse if heat gets excessive.
Cheers - camper is probably the best option if I can’t get it fixed today then (or assessed at least).
Just makes logistics trickier. Happy to leave my crappy car at the train station car park for the weekend. Less keen to leave the van 6 weeks before we go off on a long trip…
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Couldn't you just drive the van to wherever you're going and pay to park it nearby?
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Couldn't you just drive the van to wherever you're going and pay to park it nearby?
I’m off to fairly central London so planned to drive most of the way, stay with a friend tonight near Huntingdon, and then get the train in for the last leg of the journey. He’s also too far from a station to leave the van at his. So the car (or van) makes the last bit more faffy in this case. Also means 6 hours of driving rather than 10 overall.
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Sounds similar symptoms to when my car had a sticky caliper. I drove it to font and (just about) back with it making some pretty awful noises towards the end (unsurprisingly given there was no brake pad left!) New discs and calipers required after that.
I'd take the van, less hassle and cost than having to replace the disc + caliper.
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Couldn't you just drive the van to wherever you're going and pay to park it nearby?
I’m off to fairly central London so planned to drive most of the way, stay with a friend tonight near Huntingdon, and then get the train in for the last leg of the journey. He’s also too far from a station to leave the van at his. So the car (or van) makes the last bit more faffy in this case. Also means 6 hours of driving rather than 10 overall.
Presumed it would be a London issue. For peace of mind you could always get a taxi from your mates to the station I guess? Driving into central London definitely to be avoided!
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What's the vehicle? I had a handbrake shoe fail (I kinda knew it had happened as pulling away from the airport parking took some 'effort' and made a noise you don't want to hear) with similar symptoms.
Bangernomics was such fun.
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Had this once in the T4, and friend's also in their Transit camper. Quite likely to be internal breakdown of the flexible brake hoses, or as Remus says - sticky caliper.
It's a cheap and quick fix to do the hoses and re-bleed, and you're no worse off after. If it's still bad it's the caliper, which can be re-built if you have time and tools, but most likely just needs replaced.
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Caliper replacement was a bit pricey when I needed it, so worth avoiding! Definitely sounds like the right symptoms. An easy test is after driving for a bit, one of the discs should be bloody hot - flick a bit of water on it to test. Not that this helps with tonight's dilemma.
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It’s a berlingo.
Garage is checking it over - going to replace the pads as they were due soon anyway and checking the callipers properly tomorrow. Van it is tonight. Nicer to drive anyway, just much less fuel efficient!
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Final outcome seems to be that the pins were sticking (rather than the caliper itself). So no fix required there.
Didn’t really trust them hugely (Qwik Fit) on some other things but getting it done anyway - they recommend new pad and new rear discs. Price was okay so might as well sort them whilst it’s in the garage.
Reason for some distrust was firstly, they just called about the read pads and hadn’t even looked at what it was in for (I had to remind them at this point) and secondly, it’s just had a service and MOT at it’s usual garage and nothing was mentioned at all.
But I’m sure they will have needed sorting sooner rather than later so just going ahead with it anyway. Thanks for the advice on here!
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Trust Kwik Fit as far as I can throw them. Had them trying to change out discs when there was no need either. When queried they said it was "corroded". No shit.
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Final outcome seems to be that the pins were sticking (rather than the caliper itself). So no fix required there.
Didn’t really trust them hugely (Qwik Fit) on some other things but getting it done anyway - they recommend new pad and new rear discs. Price was okay so might as well sort them whilst it’s in the garage.
Reason for some distrust was firstly, they just called about the read pads and hadn’t even looked at what it was in for (I had to remind them at this point) and secondly, it’s just had a service and MOT at it’s usual garage and nothing was mentioned at all.
But I’m sure they will have needed sorting sooner rather than later so just going ahead with it anyway. Thanks for the advice on here!
Every car that goes into quick fit* gets recommended new discs and pads - they've been running that scam for 15+ years. An ex of mine took her MR2 in for the handbrake to get tightened and they refused to work on it without her shelling out £350 for new discs and pads all round. She got another 15k miles out of them....
Also known as "Quick Thief", "Quick Cunts" and other similar monikers.
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Got completely stung recently - member of staffs van was having brake issues so needed a there and then fix. Kwikcnuts were the only option in the locality and quite rightly they were not confident of driving the van back home (2 hour drive). I cant quite remember the upshot, but they refused to do the repair without doing discs and pads (I cant let them leave with them like that, more than my jobs worth mate etc etc). Totally over barrel, pants down. Cost a pretty penny. :furious:
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and unless you have a measuring caliper to measure the thickness, it's hard to prove otherwise.
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and unless you have a measuring caliper to measure the thickness, it's hard to prove otherwise.
Doesn't matter, they have no legal right to force you to do any work you don't want to. If it's *actually* dangerous, it's a different story but it never is. They're total thiefs.
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Hi folks, car advice please. My Nissan X-trail is getting on a bit and newer versions are much smaller.
I want something that will fit a moon saturn (the x-trail took a saturn, warrior and alpkit in the boot without folding seats down and still had room for wellies). Got kids seats in the rear so can't be taking them out and folding every time I want to go climbing.
Oh yeah, also needs to be able to pull a1600kg caravan. Volvo and Land-rover are a bit pricey. Current thinking is maybe a nissan navarra. Any recommendations/ suggestions?
Many thanks
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and unless you have a measuring caliper to measure the thickness, it's hard to prove otherwise.
Doesn't matter, they have no legal right to force you to do any work you don't want to. If it's *actually* dangerous, it's a different story but it never is. They're total thiefs.
I know, but unless they are in the know, most people will bow to what is perceived as their better knowledge.
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True, and I guess that's what their business model relies on!
Avoid....
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Counterpoint; I've had surprisingly good experience with a Kwik Fit near me, and consequently used them several times. (Only for tyres and tracking etc).
Past experience elsewhere had been ropey. Aren't they all just franchises? Experience may vary...
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Fortunately my 10 year old BMW 5 series just ‘squeaked’ through its MOT despite a faulty rear left shock absorber which is a good job as the part only seems to be available on order through BMW in Germany and has a 5 week delivery time and is £556! Fortunately fitting is straightforward and inexpensive.
The complication is that my car has Variable Damper Control (VDC) which was an optional extra so is more expensive. It also means that it is scarce secondhand and I can’t find any available on the internet and Quarry Motors breakers yard can’t either but are looking out.
Seen that a reconditioned one can be bought from Germany for £291 + £25 delivery (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/264971542192?mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5338722076&customid=&toolid=10050) but presumably there will be duty on that and unsure whether to buy that.
Any thoughts? (Part number is 37126796985)
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Is there any chance you can get anything back on your unit (either from Quarry if they've got the skills to refurb it, or your ebay link)?
EDIT: I think your link might be for an overhaul of your unit (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/303812053129?mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5338722076&customid=&toolid=10050)?
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Should have read the translation - well spotted.
Done a quick google and there is an outfit in Sheffield (https://germanautocentre.co.uk/services/shock-absorbers/) that says they do it so I’ve emailed them :clap2:
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Are they linked to Newhall (over the road)? I used Newhall after having a bad experience with Quarry Motors.
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No idea.
I’ve used Quarry Motors for nearly 20 years without issue
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I’ve used Quarry Motors for nearly 20 years without issue
It was a warranty issue on a used electrical part. I can't remember if it was the ballast or starter pack for the Xenons (which I'm assuming were an extra for that era) but neither were particularly cheap for the E46. Quoted as 6M, failed after 3M +1 day and they rowed back to 3M warranty.
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Our old T4 Bus has been giving us some shit recently......
This is a copy of the email I just sent to a garage to enquire about fixing the van...
It's a 1998 2.5TDI that has done 254k miles, we got it at around 140k (km). It’s LHD, imported. The previous owner had it re-mapped and the EGR is disabled (but not removed / blanked – just the vacuum hoses are disconnected and capped). I’m not sure if the map accounts for the EGR not being in use in the airflow...
The van has always run well and pulled hard right up to 95mph on the autobahn.
Recently we’ve noticed a lack of boost and here follows the saga...
I plugged in VCDS and the first thing I noticed was low air flow vs expected. 550 max vs 850 expected.
Removed and cleaned the MAF carefully with isopropyl alcohol.
No Change (note, also later in the story a garage in Slovenia test fitted a spare MAF which made no difference)
I then spotted the atmospheric pressure sensor was showing a weird reading. (600mbar). We have the version that measures the pressure in the ECU. I asked an ECU repair company if they could repair, they said no. This is a long side story, but the relevant bits are:
- Our ECU has physically had it’s chips de-soldered and new “flashable” chips soldered in place.
- In the end they DID repair the old ECU, by swapping out the broken baro sensor chip.
- Pressure sensor now reads the expected 996-1000mbar.
Unfortunately this didn’t fix our problem.
We’ve just been out in Europe for a few weeks and the van was running badly, struggling to get up to motorway speed and slow up hills. However, things took a major turn for the worse driving from Italy to Slovenia, where we could barely get to 65mph downhill and the fuel economy was insane, like 25mpg instead of 40.
At this point we had no choice but to leave it in a local VW garage to see if they could sort anything. As mentioned, they temp swapped out the MAF which made no difference. The noticed fuel pressure was low, so swapped out the fuel filter (it may have got clogged after sitting in -15c for 3 days without running, the really bad running happened just after this and I remember in the past living in the Alps, summer diesel and cold temps could be disastrous for fuel filters. They also:
- Noticed the Inlet Manifold Pressure wasn’t reading, so they traced that back to a bust tube in the ECU which they fixed.
After this, the van was running a bit better, MPG back to 35ish and able to sit at motorway speeds, but still down on power.
Now that I’m back, I’ve been out with the VCDS again and doing some checks:
- EGR is not clogged
- Inlet manifold is pretty manky with build up, but no worse than 5 years ago when I last looked inside, so I don’t think it’s air-restriction.
- Wastegate Actuator tube from N75 was split, which I’ve replaced.
- Ran tests on VCDS to force the N75, but the actuator didn’t move.
- Tested the actuator using spare vacuum hose from EGR, doesn’t move
- So I think the wastegate actuator may have failed
- Tested wastegate by hand pushing the arm against the spring, no change in engine note and no change in manifold pressure.
- N75 Solenoid is 30ohm
- When running the actuator tests (VCDS Block 11) there doesn’t seem to be any change on the supply pins to the N75:
-N75 Plug: Brn/Blue: 5.75v to Earth,
-Blk/Yel: 14.3V to Earth
Not changing despite being in Group 11 N75 test mode
Well fuck me didn't I just fix it!
Rather than going climbing, on my birthday I just had a burning need to rule out a few more things, so after a bit more googling, some people with similar symptoms had said they had a "blocked cat". We've got a full stainless system, with apparently a "high flow" cat. I went down, removed (angle grinder may have been used...) the 3 bolts and pulled the section of exhaust with the cat away from the down pipe, started it up and it seemed like I was getting more airflow on the VCDS, but I really needed a drive to confirm.
Rush hour! Driving around town giving it full beans with no exhaust pulled a few funny looks, but WOHOOOO :punk: it's boosting again! So much so that it popped off one of the intercooler pipes mid acceleration giving a worrying "pop", luckily it's not the first time that's happened....
Oh, and I realised I'd not tested the wastegate actuator properly, it needs pressure to work, not vacuum...
Anyway, bit of a YYFY in the end as it's nice not to plough any MORE money into it for now...
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My other half has a 63-plate Suzuki Alto. It’s done about 45k miles, gets serviced every year, has always run fine.
Last June she started a job that’s 100% home working. She hates driving and despite my encouragement to use the thing so it doesn’t develop the problems cars that never get driven get she barely drove it over the winter and in February it wouldn’t start. I couldn’t jump start it either so we assumed the battery was dead.
An AA bloke was called out and he replaced the battery. That fixed it.
Unfortunately she only got a chance to drive it once before breaking her leg. After the dust had settled from that I got myself insured on it so I could keep the car running while she’s got her Ilizarov frame on.
It wouldn’t start again and I again had no success jump starting it. Got a gadget to charge the battery off the mains and charged it up that way. It still won’t bloody start.
Anyone have any idea why? It surely isn’t a complicated reason.
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Be worth checking the battery terminals if it’s still not starting on a charged battery. We had a similar issue where a car had been sat for a while and the terminal had developed a load of crap on the inside so it wasn’t connecting properly.
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What Stubbz said - had exactly the same problem with my Saab over Easter holiday when it sat idle when me and the missus both got COVID for a week.
If the battery's been changed then you know that's good - it'll just be getting drained off through cold / inactivity / various low-power things it'll be doing in the background like the alarm etc.
When you put the jump leads on give em a really good scrape around so you are sure you've got metal to metal contact. If you connect the positives first, when you connect the negative you should get a spark. That'll prove you've done it right.
Also sometimes, if the dead car is REALLY dead, you might need to leave it connected for a few minutes before trying to turn it over. Giving the working car a rev while you do it can't hurt.
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And make sure your jump leads are really good quality chunky ones. I was amazed at the difference it made when my crappy bootlace ones wouldn't jump my car. Borrowed chunky ones from a neighbour and it started first time.
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How long has the fuel been in there? Is it trying to turn over?
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Quite a while! She last filled it up on the 21st December.
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could do with more info...As Paul asked, is starter motor turning engine over or totally dead?
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Yeah it’s turning. It sounds just like when you normally start a car except the engine doesn’t start.
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ok, can probably rule out battery, starter motor, connections, alternator, etc then. When did car last run? Presumably not firing at all? Difficulty starting is probably just a symptom of it been sat a while. One easy thing to try - make sure battery is fully charged (good thing you've already got a charger!), make sure everything is off (lights, heater, radio, etc., turn ignition on to last notch before starter motor engage and wait a few secs (wait till any noises stop, fuel priming, etc.), switch ignition back to off position, repeat previous step but this time after waiting the few secs turn ignition all the way and engage starter motor. Hopefully it fires/starts...
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If it was last filled up in December then assuming E10 fuel (most unleaded now) then you might have condensation in the fuel tank. It might be trying to pull this into the engine which is why it can't ignite and start. Maybe try starting it again whilst booting the loud pedal to see if you can pull some fuel through into the engine instead of water/diluted fuel.
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…turn ignition on to last notch before starter motor engage and wait a few secs (wait till any noises stop, fuel priming, etc…
It’s be worth checking that you can actually hear the fuel pump priming as it’s a quick and easy check - do as described above and listen for a buzz that lasts a second or two then stops, (usually coming from under the back seat on the same side as the filler cap). If you can’t hear it, the issue is the fuel pump or its relay/fuse/power supply.
Hope you get it started.
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You are getting some excellent advice here Cheque! An engine will run if the following are all present and correct:
Fuel, air, spark, and compression.
You can forget about air and compression for now as leaving a car standing won't affect these.
As everyone else has said most likely is spark. If battery is fairly new (it is) and engine turns over then the most likely scenario is battery is OK but just not at full pelt. In the absence of checking battery voltage with a multimeter, then either follow SteveR's charge and start beta, or jump start from a working car. If car starts then drive for half an hour at least and all will be well. If you don't do the drive it will happen again. If room in tank top up with fresh fuel at end of drive, see next para...
Next most likely is a fuel issue. As has been suggested, petrol does "go off" over time. Its a common problem for motorbikes which are often laid up over winter and then won't start in spring until the fuel is refreshed. As sxrsg says its probably just condensation in system so repeated starting attempts will hopefully sort it.
If car doesn't start after some multiple good goes at it with a jump / fully charged battery and pumping throttle then check back in. More likely than not this should work...
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If only it was a motorbike that gives me a fuel issue rather than a 4 stroke Hyundai lawnmower that I perpetually forget to drain. When did I get this old?
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a 4 stroke lawnmower
That's no way to talk about the wee Abarth!!
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Yeah it’s turning. It sounds just like when you normally start a car except the engine doesn’t start.
Did you ever get this running?
We've got the van running well again, back to 40mpg and goot power. Not bad for 309000 miles! Annoyingly it's randomly going into limp home mode and the fault code is Throttle Posn Sensor. Checked that and it seems fine, so I suspect something else is causing issues on the earth or something. The Speedo and fuel gauge are also wandering about, so hopefully it's linked to that. Vaguely remember having similar issues when the engine speed sensor failed, so hoping a new sensor fixes it (clutching at straws...).
Anyone had a 2009 ish mini cooper S before? (1.6 172bhp). Considering getting one as a runaround while the van is getting worked on.
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I've not had the S, although I did test drive one and return it with smoke coming from the front (it wasn't my fault, the salesman told me to do another lap of the Skipton bypass after I said I could smell something bad [he was adamant it was the car behind]!).
Obviously I can't comment on the engine in the S but we had the same shape (I think?) in a Cooper D (special edition) and generally the car was bombproof, including all of the electronics. The head lights were pretty rubbish until I put night breakers or similar in.
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Re 1.6 S. If it’s the supercharged one then it’s a blast but renowned for being tricky to run. Drinks oil (a litre per 1000miles isn’t unusual and ‘within manufacturers tolerances) hence the likely smells on your test drive Paul. Of course if something breaks expect a large bill given all the supercharged gubbins.
I think they changed to a turbo around 08/09 so might be a turbo one - which I’m afraid I know nothing about! Except it’s probably a good laugh to drive!
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I couldn't believe that despite it literally billowing white smoke in front of the dealership (I declined to park it as it was that bad I just stopped it as soon as I was on their property) he still tried to continue the sale!
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Re 1.6 S. If it’s the supercharged one then it’s a blast but renowned for being tricky to run. Drinks oil (a litre per 1000miles isn’t unusual and ‘within manufacturers tolerances) hence the likely smells on your test drive Paul. Of course if something breaks expect a large bill given all the supercharged gubbins.
I think they changed to a turbo around 08/09 so might be a turbo one - which I’m afraid I know nothing about! Except it’s probably a good laugh to drive!
I'm pretty sure it's the turbo version (173BHP) but I'll check. Not planning on keeping it long, so the most important thing is it's a good price with nothing major looming. Test drove one with 90k miles for £3400 and it was very clean and tidy. Might be my last bit of petrol fun before going electric.
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Not much to add but I bought a Shed money (£1400) sub-60k mile Mini One back in Nov and kind of wish I'd held out for a Cooper S, as while this one's fun to chuck about, it's pretty gutless...I think 74bhp from the specs!
Have been stalking Cooper S-es on eBay for a while but really hard to find one that's reasonable mileage / not been Barried. If you've found a good one then go for it, you'll be able to flip it in 6 months for what you paid with the car market as it is.
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Not much to add but I bought a Shed money (£1400) sub-60k mile Mini One back in Nov and kind of wish I'd held out for a Cooper S, as while this one's fun to chuck about, it's pretty gutless...I think 74bhp from the specs!
This was my main complaint about the Cooper D which I think was 112bhp.
£3400 seems like a good deal to me. I traded in our Cooper D for similar money recently (to an indy dealer) and it's no longer on his website.
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Our Electronic Stability Control (ESC) light is coming on a lot when we’re going up switch backs in Margalef. It’s an L4 Peugeot Boxer so we’re having to do 3 point turns on some of them.
I think the steep turn is meaning that the wheels are at odd positions relative to each other and is triggering the light.
Anything I should worry about? Didn’t have it on the first trip to this parking, but happened a lot today.
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Our Electronic Stability Control (ESC) light is coming on a lot when we’re going up switch backs in Margalef. It’s an L4 Peugeot Boxer so we’re having to do 3 point turns on some of them.
I think the steep turn is meaning that the wheels are at odd positions relative to each other and is triggering the light.
Anything I should worry about? Didn’t have it on the first trip to this parking, but happened a lot today.
Sounds a lot like it's a false positive, those turns are pretty tight from memory.
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If that's the only corner it's happening on, and its an extreme corner, then I'd ignore it
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Cheers. It’s only happening whilst trying to start on a steep corner with full lock on. And only on the worst ones.
Just a few really tight corners on the way to Espedelles - think I’ve got the line sorted for all but 1 now so we will see how it goes next time we go there.
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My folks are going to be selling their cars shortly. I doubt they'll be of interest to anyone here but you never know; one is my Dad's 05 3.2 V6 Quattro TT in red (66k miles). It's never floated my boat but it is immaculate and it displaced my car out of the garage when they moved in last winter. We thought it had an issue with the subframe but it went to a garage recently with the intention of it being replaced and after cleaning it up everything was actually OK (I think he got before/after photos). If anyone is interested I can get some photos together.
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My other half has a 63-plate Suzuki she barely drove it over the winter and in February it wouldn’t start. I couldn’t jump start it either so we assumed the battery was dead.
An AA bloke was called out and he replaced the battery. That fixed it.
Unfortunately she only got a chance to drive it once before breaking her leg. After the dust had settled from that I got myself insured on it so I could keep the car running while she’s got her Ilizarov frame on.
It wouldn’t start again and I again had no success jump starting it. Got a gadget to charge the battery off the mains and charged it up that way. It still won’t bloody start.
Anyone have any idea why? It surely isn’t a complicated reason.
Update on this- I didn’t do anything else with it apart from unsuccessfully trying to start it a few more times.
Today she got the AA out again. Turns out the problem was with the immobiliser not recognising the key- the plastic housing of her key that opens the doors remotely fell apart last winter so she’d been using the spare key that doesn’t have buttons. A few days before she broke her leg I’d fixed it with a new housing from eBay. I didn’t replace anything electronic so didn’t think about immobiliser issues but apparently if the key’s without the battery for a while the immobiliser forgets it.
With the accident we’d both forgotten the timeline of these events so didn’t realise that the fixed key was untested… so I could have been driving the car around this whole time using the other key :slap: .
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Knew I should have sorted something but I ran out of time.
Haven’t actually tried yet but is there anything I should be careful of for a car that’s been sat for 3 months? Been on flat ground. Will check tyre pressures but anything in particular to be aware of? Breaks sticking, oil etc?
It’s an 09 Diesel Berlingo.
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First port of call on any of my sheds would be a jump-start / battery pack etc!
Brakes will probably be a bit rusty / bind-y but a good run will take off the top layer. Don't think 3 months is long enough to worry about bad fuel or anything.
I'd probably start up and get up to temperature before going anywhere first.
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First port of call on any of my sheds would be a jump-start / battery pack etc!
Brakes will probably be a bit rusty / bind-y but a good run will take off the top layer. Don't think 3 months is long enough to worry about bad fuel or anything.
I'd probably start up and get up to temperature before going anywhere first.
Thanks! I’ll give that a go today 🙂
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Obviously check your fluids etc, both of mine have minor "non-excessive" oil leaks so a top-up might be in order if it's been sat.
Only other thing I can think of might be a quick visual check of your pipework, just make sure none of your hoses have perished / come away or whatever, but again I think 3 months isn't really long enough on a modern-ish car to worry about that kind of thing.
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Started first time and all the checks seemed okay too. Thanks for the help!
I felt like a racing driver after 3 months of driving a van!
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Does anyone know what this cable is going to the front wheel? (2017 Peugeot Boxer Van)
Just noticed that the passenger side one has detached at some point…
Drivers side:
(https://i.ibb.co/dMSzY56/5033-D918-A745-4-C6-A-9347-8-B0-C707-D7-A66.jpg) (https://ibb.co/C8qTGHv)
Passenger side:
(https://i.ibb.co/d5JhmRg/9-B80-AFEA-D181-468-A-92-D6-95-C6-D10175-E6.jpg) (https://ibb.co/874hYHc)
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Anti lock brake sensor perhaps? I think some cars (newer than mine!) Have brake pad wear sensors, could be that?
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Ah yeah looks like a brake pad wear sensor. Fiat ducato is a very similar van, pics here https://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/Ducato-front-brake-pad-warning-light/49065/
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Thanks Remus! That sounds like it - will get it sorted soon but good to know it shouldn’t cause any danger driving this weekend…
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Okay got a bit of a CCFC mystery for you chaps to get stuck into (and PB to gloat over because he hates me for not getting a 25mpg boy racer car).
I have an intermittent and seemingly random coolant leak. Quite often after a long-ish journey, the coolant will drain out overnight whilst the car is parked. There is occasionally a small amount of draining during a journey, but this is less noticeable. One time when I stopped the car and left it running, there was a bit of spluttering and coolant escape from the coolant reservoir, but again this seems to rarely happen.
There is no steam or anything appearing. There's no increase in engine temp at all. No difference with the heatwave. No other issues with the car running at all.
One garage saw some residue around the water pump. They gave me some radiator sealer cement to see if that work, but it didn't., so I got the water pump and the timing belt replaced.
The local independent specialist also checked it and did a pressure test and couldn't find anything wrong. They replaced the coolant reservoir, just in case.
The problem is still occurring. There is some evidence of coolant leakage around the (new) reservoir, and below it into the engine area. I have tried several times to place a rag beneath the reservoir overnight to see if it leaks, this has invariably coincided with the system deciding not to leak that time.
The local specialist did suggest it might be some block in the heater matrix causing over-pressurisation of the system, although I'm not sure how this would cause a parked-up leak. They were quite keen to moan about me using Radweld at the previous garages suggestion, but I have been quite clear to point out the leak was happening for a few WEEKS before I was anywhere near the radweld.
Help??
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Hose down the whole engine area around the reservoir, pump, radiator, coolant hoses, etc. basically anywhere around where coolant lives. Get coolant UV dye and put it in the reservoir.Every night have a good look with a UV light all around these areas. The origin of the leak will present itself in pretty lights. To find the cause of the leak you reverse engineer from there
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Is the radiator fan working? You should hear it e.g. when you’re stopped in traffic on a hot day. If not it could cause the coolant to boil and leak out from the header tank after you stop the engine from hot. If the fan isn’t coming on, check the fuse, relay, connector and wiring for the fan. As it sounds like it’s intermittent, it’s probably not the fuse, but worth checking anyway.
A clogged radiator or heater matrix can also cause this, even if the fan runs. Cooling systems tend to be designed with a lot of safety margin, so your rad can be pretty far gone and still not overheat when running. When the car is up to temp on the gauge, feel the radiator and the fat hoses at either end. The rad should be warm all the way across, and both hoses should be too. If it’s hot on one side but cold on the other, it’s blocked. If the rad and the hoses don’t heat up, the thermostat has failed, this is quick and cheap to replace, but I think it’d be overheating regularly if it had gone.
The dye suggestion above is a good call. Alternatively a cardboard box under the engine bay when you park up might help show you where the leak is, depending on undertrays etc.
Also check thoroughly for wet carpets in the front footwells, which would suggest a leak around the heater matrix. The heater matrix tends to be a pig to get to, and if it’s clogged rather than leaking doesn’t have any unambiguous symptoms. Eliminate the other stuff first.
If you need to keep driving it while you work out what’s up, carry water and a towel. Most things that this could be will get worse and cause an overheat or major failure somewhere else in the cooling system sooner or later. If you need to add water, let it cool down for a bit before you open the header tank, and do it gingerly using the towel over the cap. If you open it hot it’ll piss boiling coolant all over your hands, which is best avoided.
Hope that helps.
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Thanks Nic and Lopez.
I will keep an ear out for the fan, although I do think there is enough whirring noises when I've stopped the car to indicate it's working.
When I stop, turn off the engine and check the coolant, it's usually hot but doesn't seem to be boiling excessively. I'll keep an eye on that too.
I'll check the radiator, once I work out which bits to check from what you said.
The dye test is a bit hampered by no hosepipe to clean the compartment and nowhere to attach a hosepipe where I live.
There's no dampness inside the footwells that I can notice and I do check them occasionally to remove the massive amount of rice-cake crumbs that build up.
I do take a few litres of water around with me to top up the coolant. Since it usually disappears after the car has been parked a while, it's not too much of an issue to refill.
I also have a rag that I often leave wedged under the coolant reservoir to see if it's leaking noticeably from there, on the garage's suggestion. This so far has inevitably corresponded with the coolant miraculously deciding to not drain on that occasion ::) ::) ::)
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Must be the CCFC season.
After over 4 years and 30k+ miles of pretty decent Shed service, I took the Saab to Tescos to check the air and fill up, ironically before it was due to be taken off down to Windsor by my other half on a break.
My car admin was somewhat interrupted by the large amount of liquid under the engine and the sickening realisation it wasn't just a puddle.
Got back in, gingerly started up - temp fine, running fine, stopped and started fine. Went to manoeuvre the car and felt like I needed Hulk muscles to turn the wheel. Seems it had dumped all the power steering fluid all over the car park.
Looking at a pricey repair - and we don't really need 2 cars any more, let alone a sub 30mpg high-tax-band liability.
Glad I've owned it, I'll miss the turbo fun but the scrapper is coming Thursday to pick it up.
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I also have a rag that I often leave wedged under the coolant reservoir to see if it's leaking noticeably from there, on the garage's suggestion. This so far has inevitably corresponded with the coolant miraculously deciding to not drain on that occasion ::) ::) ::)
Sounds like you’ve found a fix ;)
Another thing that occurs - did the garage pressure test it warm or cold? I’ve never done it but would have thought you’d normally want to do it warm. In your case cold might be better, as that’s when you see the coolant loss.
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Back in the garage (for another issue but also having the coolant issue re-checked). I've put it in this evening for tomorrow morning so they can see if it drains overnight, if so where from, pressure test from cold, etc.
The radiator fan does go if I've been in traffic on a hot day, yes. I forgot to check if the temperature is universal across the radiator though (tbh in the last week testing hot things has not been foremost in my mind).
I've done the rag under the header tank about a dozen times, most of which has been when it's decided not to drain, a couple of times it drained a bit and nothing on the rag. BUT sometimes there's a small bit of fluid around the plastic on the header tank after running, so maybe it is boiling over a bit??
Maybe something about it will make some fucking sense tomorrow.
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Hope they find the cause. Another thought - does the temperature set on the cabin heater have any effect on whether the coolant drains? I think some (but definitely not all) cars regulate the temperature of the heater by controlling the flow of coolant through the heater matrix, so if that’s where the problem is, it could only show up when the blower is set to hot.
Had my own CCFC incident last night. Long drive home, got off the motorway and felt the brakes start to go mushy. Had gone from mushy to completely useless by the top of the last, long, windy downhill before home. First gear and handbrake required to get home safely. Took a look this morning and there was a big puddle of brake fluid under one wheel. Assumed it was the caliper seal, so bought new caliper and went to fit it this evening. With the wheel off, it is obvious that the caliper is pretty new (only had the car since January, must’ve been fitted shortly before I bought it) and in perfect working order. After a bit of a poke about, I found a gash in the metal brake line between the flexi hose and the caliper that looks like it was made by a grinder. Has anyone seen anything like it before?
I don’t think I’ve made any enemies recently.
(https://i.ibb.co/M6d9rbx/A7-DA3-BE1-F8-FD-4-AF9-9640-7928-E09-EBD22.jpg) (https://ibb.co/nCpR9TN)
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Gulp! Although maybe it is something on the wheel or axle rubbing on it, rather than a mafia hit??
Hope they find the cause. Another thought - does the temperature set on the cabin heater have any effect on whether the coolant drains? I think some (but definitely not all) cars regulate the temperature of the heater by controlling the flow of coolant through the heater matrix, so if that’s where the problem is, it could only show up when the blower is set to hot.
That's been hard to tell as it's mostly been blowing cold for a long while now, but I don't think I've noticed a correlation.
Obviously it didn't leak overnight at the garage so that's no help ::) From the small residues of coolant near the header tank in the engine tray, they suspect it's something getting over-pressurised in the system and causing it to escape from the header tank. Possible suspects include: radiator, thermostat, or heater matrix, but they don't know which one and don't want to risk wasting money replacing a random choice. So they've said take it to the VW dealer. SIGH.
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I found a gash in the metal brake line between the flexi hose and the caliper that looks like it was made by a grinder. Has anyone seen anything like it before?
Can't see the pic (work laptop says no) but have you been anywhere offroad recently, driven over a loose surface or driven over anything? I guess flying debris could cause the damage.
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Obviously it didn't leak overnight at the garage so that's no help ::) From the small residues of coolant near the header tank in the engine tray, they suspect it's something getting over-pressurised in the system and causing it to escape from the header tank. Possible suspects include: radiator, thermostat, or heater matrix, but they don't know which one and don't want to risk wasting money replacing a random choice. So they've said take it to the VW dealer. SIGH.
Uuurgh. Sorry to hear that. Feeling the radiator once the engine is up to temperature should rule out the thermostat - if it gets warm, the thermostat is definitely opening. Not sure what the current tech is, but the ones I’ve had to look at are very simple and either work or don’t, no shades of grey. Sod’s law says the thermostat is fine, as it’s the easiest, quickest and cheapest part out of your 3 options to test and replace.
Brake pipe is a weird one. The gash is on the side away from the wheel, disc etc so I don’t think it can have been rubbing on anything. No off-roading but debris from the road is possible I guess. It looks a lot more like grinding/rubbing though.
My current best guess is that whoever replaced the caliper couldn’t get the bolts undone, so ground the heads off, nicked the brake line in the process and either didn’t notice or thought they’d got away with it. If that’s what happened, they must have not quite gone through but left a wafer thin bit of the pipe wall which failed some months later.
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Sounds possible.
Also, I had to say "wafer thin" to myself in John Cleese's French accent.
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My current best guess is that whoever replaced the caliper couldn’t get the bolts undone, so ground the heads off, nicked the brake line in the process and either didn’t notice or thought they’d got away with it. If that’s what happened, they must have not quite gone through but left a wafer thin bit of the pipe wall which failed some months later.
Cheers for your general support nic, will book it in to the local VW dealer soon. As for the brake pipe, your explanation does sound the most logical for sure.
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Does anyone know the VAG equivalent of Quarry Motors?
I'm looking for an offside rear shock absorber 4G0616031AD for a 66 plate Audi A6 AllRoad. The best I've found yet is £480 ish from Germany!
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Does anyone know the VAG equivalent of Quarry Motors?
I'm looking for an offside rear shock absorber 4G0616031AD for a 66 plate Audi A6 AllRoad. The best I've found yet is £480 ish from Germany!
I've just driven this back from the garage (with a fresh MOT; I haven't paid my bill yet) and the instant reaction is I love it and don't want to part with it just yet. I expect more pain in this relationship.
Likewise, driving the Abarth the 5 miles (it's got a slow on one of the tyres which it's had since I bought it) to the garage down some tiny little backroads and I'm grinning like a small child. Again, I expect some more pain in this relationship.
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Anyone know a good mechanic near Magic Wood? Got a knackered wheel bearing...
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Anyone know a good mechanic near Magic Wood? Got a knackered wheel bearing...
I used the closest one I could find for a CV joint (sorry this was '08 so I can't remember exactly where). They were fine but given the cost of cornflakes it obviously felt expensive!
I think it was this one (https://www.google.com/maps/@46.606443,9.4274427,3a,75y,349.75h,90.08t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sKdwBndb7PTVM6eTpUYLPVw!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DKdwBndb7PTVM6eTpUYLPVw%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D132.79361%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656).
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Nice one ta... Did they speak English? Not sure I can must enough A-level German form my history to describe a wheel bearing noise!
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Just use google translate.
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Nice one ta... Did they speak English? Not sure I can must enough A-level German form my history to describe a wheel bearing noise!
My German was actually quite good at the time so again, pass although Italy was the only country we struggled with language barriers during that trip.
I forgot to say, the problem was pretty bloody obvious driving round the car park with lock on with LOUD CLICKING/CRUNCHING.
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If you can get it fixed in France or Germany on the way back - I'd imagine it will be ALOT cheaper... Perhaps even book in advance and travel back a day early?
EDIT: Google says a replacement for a front hub/bearing for a caddy (sorry if you've something different now) is about £50.. I'd imagine its a couple of hours labour on top of that. ie UK price £150-200 ish (a fairly broad ish...)
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I can also recommend one in Germany where we got the other one changed not long after...
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Cheers Paul, took it to the guy in Andeer, very friendly happy man, especially when he told me how much it was going to cost to replace the rear wheel bearings and clean out the rear brakes...
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Took a photo of a lorry hitting a car earlier. Didn’t stop but caused a fair amount of damage.
Went to get a pen/paper but car moved in the 5 mins I was away (end of work time).
I’ve put a notice up where it was done as it’s the kind of place I imagine people park in the same place each day.
Any better ways of helping? Call 101?
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Got a form on the local police website and supplied all the details so hopefully that helps.
Kind of feel bad for any potential consequences for the driver, but the car looked nicely looked after and was quite a mess afterwards…
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Fortunately my 10 year old BMW 5 series just ‘squeaked’ through its MOT despite a faulty rear left shock absorber which is a good job as the part only seems to be available on order through BMW in Germany and has a 5 week delivery time and is £556! Fortunately fitting is straightforward and inexpensive.
The complication is that my car has Variable Damper Control (VDC) which was an optional extra so is more expensive. It also means that it is scarce secondhand and I can’t find any available on the internet and Quarry Motors breakers yard can’t either but are looking out.
Seen that a reconditioned one can be bought from Germany for £291 + £25 delivery (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/264971542192?mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5338722076&customid=&toolid=10050) but presumably there will be duty on that and unsure whether to buy that.
Any thoughts? (Part number is 37126796985)
Without wishing to tempt fate this little saga is now over. I lived with the clunky shock absorber and from time to time checked the net to see if anything came up and in the end one did on eBay for £200. The seller initially sent me one for the RHS (part number 37126796984) rather than the LHS (part number 37126796985) so obviously glad I uncharacteristically checked when it arrived and was able to arrange a swap. It’s now fitted and hopefully will last the course 🤞
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VWs, VWs, Fucking VWs
Drove to Sheffield at rush hour last night with a constant smell of diesel when the fan was on. As soon as I turned the fan off the smell went. I suspect a fuel leak. Can anyone recommend a good, quick garage in Sheffield? I've to head back up north this weekend ideally...
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https://thegaragesheffield.co.uk/
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VWs, VWs, Fucking VWs
Drove to Sheffield at rush hour last night with a constant smell of diesel when the fan was on. As soon as I turned the fan off the smell went. I suspect a fuel leak. Can anyone recommend a good, quick garage in Sheffield? I've to head back up north this weekend ideally...
Not to be alarmist, but I know someone whose VW burned to a shell after something similar - so the less you can drive the better! Get it seen to ASAP.
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Yikes! Thanks, will do.
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https://thegaragesheffield.co.uk/
Used them for years as they are near work, used to be very good but went steadily downhill (I can expand) for the last three years or so and I've stopped using them. Haven't found anywhere great yet though.
Steve Plain is the best garage I've used in Sheffield. Peugeot specialist, climber, great guy.
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VWs, VWs, Fucking VWs
Drove to Sheffield at rush hour last night with a constant smell of diesel when the fan was on. As soon as I turned the fan off the smell went. I suspect a fuel leak. Can anyone recommend a good, quick garage in Sheffield? I've to head back up north this weekend ideally...
Best VW garage in Sheffield is Autohaus Dolby. Although you might not get in at short notice.
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I've had really good experiences with this place - https://www.autotecnic.co.uk/ - as someone who knows absolutely nothing about cars, they seem to be honest, reasonably priced, blah blah.
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Cheers all, ended up taking it to Chew Automotive just off Abbeydale Road, who is managing to fit me in today. Sounds like a dodgy leak-off pipe!
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Cheers all, ended up taking it to Chew Automotive just off Abbeydale Road, who is managing to fit me in today. Sounds like a dodgy leak-off pipe!
Could describe half the 40+ guys on here :lol:
We had that in our T4 once, came back to the van after a day in Lyon (where my bike got stolen grrr) and there was a pool of diesel underneath. We just trimmed 5mm off the end and reconnected, but this was after getting breakdown callout. Easy enough to replace after.
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Leak-off pipe fixed, and I nearly made it all the way back to Inverness before breaking down again. This time, flashing coil light, limp mode, stuttering turnover. Think it's the fuel injectors. This is totally ridiculous now. Every time I go somewhere something fucks up.
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If it makes you feel any better the Abarth has an amber EML. Frustratingly the Carista dongle doesn't seem to speak Italian/Eastern European.
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Do any UKBers run a Panda Cross 4x4? We're back in the position of needing two cars for work rather than being able to have one practical car (the A6) and something less practical (the 595).
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Positive news for me, at least, if not the environment, I got my car back yesterday after having its engine re-built. It took just six months and I've rarely missed it. Now the joy of running it in, c1000 miles, which is a bloody long way if you are starting from Central London.
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I'll need to take this to the garage but just wondered if anybody recognised these symptoms for a heads up on what it might be.
2013 Skoda Fabia petrol 1.2l
Driving down the bypass and approaching a junction. Start to brake and it feels like the brake becomes stuck slightly on. I thought it was this because it sounded and felt a bit like when the ABS kicks in when braking hard.
Turn off onto a quiet industrial street and have a look at the brakes which don't look fucked (but what would I know?). Restart the car and do some emergency stop tests and things seem ok. Assume that some crap was on the brakes which has now cleared.
Back on the bypass and it drives ok but it does later start to happen again. This time I notice a bit more about what's happening. Speed needle floating back and forth +/- a few mph. Juddery brake pedal with that same grindy brake noise. Revs at about 3000rpm even with no foot on the accelerator and the clutch down.
Drive home on the slow roads and it does happen again at lower speeds but seems to happen only intermittently.
Any ideas?
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Ultra lay-punter here says it might be a sticking caliper?? Have had that a couple of times on previous cars. One way I've checked is after it's doing the thing, pull over and spit or flick a bit of water at each brake disc. If one is sizzling then that could have been stuck on.
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Can also tell if a brake is binding from how you roll and come to a stop at low speed on the flat. Sharpish stop (like how you'd stop with the handbrake on slightly) indicates binding.
Start to brake and it feels like the brake becomes stuck slightly on. I thought it was this because it sounded and felt a bit like when the ABS kicks in when braking hard.
This doesn't really compute....ABS is a binary thing - it's either deployed under braking or not, so 'felt a bit like' sounds odd. If it is an ABS fault I'd guess the dash lights esp and/or abs would be on or flicking on when it's misbehaving.
Revs at about 3000rpm even with no foot on the accelerator and the clutch down.
Neither a binding caliper nor abs fault would explain this... sounds fucked though :shrug:
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When did anyone last do anything to it? Service etc?
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This doesn't really compute....ABS is a binary thing - it's either deployed under braking or not, so 'felt a bit like' sounds odd. If it is an ABS fault I'd guess the dash lights esp and/or abs would be on or flicking on when it's misbehaving.
I might not be describing this properly. It felt (on the pedal) and sounded like it sounds when you brake hard and suddenly. I'm not sure how to describe that noise and feeling.
Serviced a few weeks ago with its MOT about a month before that (they couldn't fit a service in on the same day as MOT). Garage is normally very good and diligent. It has done some long drives since that though - Northumberland and back (2.5 hours each way), Trowbarrow (1.5 hours each way), a couple of commutes.
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Did they do anything to brakes? Odds are something wasn't replaced properly and has taken a couple of weeks to work loose. I'd take it back for them to look at.
Garages are not infallible. I've had a VW dealer not screw the oil drain plug all the way in, got home as warning lights started flashing like mad and looked under van and saw oil everywhere. Another 10 miles would have killed the engine.
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Well after the death of SaabShed we've finally bitten the bullet, taken out a loan for a fair whack (fortunately just before rates went up) and we're looking for a "sensible" / "reliable" car to sweat for the next x years.
However, finding stuff if proving tricky between the market being a bit mad at the "nice nearly new" end finding time to go and see / test drive stuff, and finally finding something that Mrs. Tone likes.
I'm getting thoroughly sick of being car-less (as Mrs Tone uses the remaining Shed we have to commute), which is stopping me getting to gym on lunchtimes, and creating some awkward issues with 2 kids needing to do activities etc.
So I'm thinking of finding a short term / stopgap Shed which, worst comes to worst, we can chop in against what we end up buying as a more permanent fixture, or I'll just re-flog it.
Loooooong shot, but if anyone in the Leeds / Bradford area here has or knows of someone booting on a sub-£1k (or even sub £500?!) beast, give me a shout. I'm sick of trawling Facebook Marketplace and eBay and coming up short!
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I'm sick of trawling Facebook Marketplace and eBay and coming up short!
Both miserable platforms for buying and selling cars. You're probably already aware but I find gumtree and its useful filters (https://www.gumtree.com/search?search_category=cars&search_location=leeds&distance=10&max_price=1000) much better*. There's Autotrader obviously too but less good for bangers as ads aren't free to place.
*better as in easier to navigate, search and filter. not better as in quality of vehicles available. <£1k cars prob as much of a minefield on there as anywhere else...
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Both miserable platforms for buying and selling cars.
Agreed. I'm in an owner's group and someone had agreed a purchase and given a deposit on a car (at an indy dealer) and found that it was undeclared as Cat S! The photos from the report are quite something too.
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Yeah, hence the post really - hoping that a UKB-er might have a granny / parent who's been offered a pitiful part-ex / We Buy Any Car etc valuation on their Yaris or whatever!
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I'll need to take this to the garage but just wondered if anybody recognised these symptoms for a heads up on what it might be.
2013 Skoda Fabia petrol 1.2l
Driving down the bypass and approaching a junction. Start to brake and it feels like the brake becomes stuck slightly on. I thought it was this because it sounded and felt a bit like when the ABS kicks in when braking hard.
Turn off onto a quiet industrial street and have a look at the brakes which don't look fucked (but what would I know?). Restart the car and do some emergency stop tests and things seem ok. Assume that some crap was on the brakes which has now cleared.
Back on the bypass and it drives ok but it does later start to happen again. This time I notice a bit more about what's happening. Speed needle floating back and forth +/- a few mph. Juddery brake pedal with that same grindy brake noise. Revs at about 3000rpm even with no foot on the accelerator and the clutch down.
Drive home on the slow roads and it does happen again at lower speeds but seems to happen only intermittently.
Any ideas?
For anyone who might be interested the suspicion at drop-off was a seized caliper. However what's actually going on (it seems, the associated light hasn't actually come on) is the ABS sensor on one of the front wheels is faulty, so activates the ABS when it shouldn't.
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This was already a bad year for cars in our house, and it just got worse. The 1998 T4 camper has just failed the MOT on rust, rust and more rust. Sills, jacking points, front cross-member. I'm guessing it'll be £1k just to patch up and get through the MOT, but we're now having to decide if we should strip it for parts and scrap, or do a more thorough job. I'm doing an evening welding course, so I could consider doing the patchwork myself - but if so it's likely to be into next year as I'll need to find a space to do it.
This all comes on top of the worst purchasing decision I have made in many years - the "stop gap mini" which is still due to go through the courts after it being punted back a few months by the accused.... (long story, may elaborate at some point)
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Sucks, tough choices. Our T5 van made it through MOT yesterday with advisories. I keep forgetting how long we've had it, it's older than the children, feels like yesterday <<misty eyes>>
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After a friends van has just frozen in Switzerland (fixed by an evening in a warm garage) it’s got me wondering about our van over Xmas.
The forecast for Leipzig is looking like it’s going to be permanently below zero (down to -8 currently) and it’s making me wonder if we should be doing anything with the van.
Will empty the water tanks, and maybe Chuck the heating on for a bit each day.
But is there anything else we should think about? I’m hoping the diesel being sold should be able to cope with those temps.
Don’t want to get the van stuck and miss the ferry!
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Also, we have proper all season tyres on the back of the van. Front ones are Mud and Snow (so legal in Germany in winter conditions for now) but it turns out they are just summer tyres that have that marking.
Because of the weather we’re likely to be sticking to main roads and visiting the odd city rather than venturing anywhere rural or at altitude.
But we will be passing through places with forecasts down to -12. Is it stupid to drive like this or should it be okay?
I’m wondering if we should be changing the front before we head into the cold…
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If you just drive cautiously and the tyres are fairly new (i.e. loads of tread) then you'll be perfectly safe. It's only really actual snow driving that massively benefits from true winter tyres - yes, they give better grip in any cold conditions, particularly if it's damp, but in the alps it's often cold and dry and in those conditions you really won't notice the difference. (spent 4 years living in Chamonix, doing a sporadic trips to Geneva as a part-time transfer driver)
The best option would be to get a half decent set of chains rather than switching tyres. When your fronts finally wear out, just get a good set of all-season van tyres.
With regards to winter prep for the van - if it's recently serviced most things should be ok. Drain out your windscreen washer bottle (probably just run it until dry) and fill with the -20c stuff. Winter diesel will definitely be sold high up, but down in the cities it might not be. We found it really only got bad one time in Chamonix, and it didn't get warmer than -12c for two weeks, with -17c to -20c overnight. My seat leon had normal diesel in it and I couldn't get it running one day - just sat spluttering and trying to catch but then dying - any water in the fuel and waxy constituents can go sludgy in these temps, and the fuel filter can clog leading to very low power / no running. It's best not to try to run if this happens as it can be bad for the fuel pump etc.
Batteries take a hammering in the cold, so if it's already old and weak, the the cold might be the end of it - try to minimise any short journies.
If it get's REALLY cold, our van engine never got up to temp. You can block off part of the radiator with some cardboard to help.
Handbrake cables can get stuck. This nearly screwed us when we first moved to Chamonix - we had to stop en-route and it was -13c outside, we had a van full of kit and a cat! We were running late and our new landlady said she couldn't meet us at 10pm (which I get is late) but she didn't give a shit that we had no-where to stay (we found out later that she was well known in the valley...infamous some might say...).
Park in underground garages if you can.......
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If you just drive cautiously and the tyres are fairly new (i.e. loads of tread) then you'll be perfectly safe. It's only really actual snow driving that massively benefits from true winter tyres - yes, they give better grip in any cold conditions, particularly if it's damp, but in the alps it's often cold and dry and in those conditions you really won't notice the difference. (spent 4 years living in Chamonix, doing a sporadic trips to Geneva as a part-time transfer driver)
The best option would be to get a half decent set of chains rather than switching tyres. When your fronts finally wear out, just get a good set of all-season van tyres.
With regards to winter prep for the van - if it's recently serviced most things should be ok. Drain out your windscreen washer bottle (probably just run it until dry) and fill with the -20c stuff. Winter diesel will definitely be sold high up, but down in the cities it might not be. We found it really only got bad one time in Chamonix, and it didn't get warmer than -12c for two weeks, with -17c to -20c overnight. My seat leon had normal diesel in it and I couldn't get it running one day - just sat spluttering and trying to catch but then dying - any water in the fuel and waxy constituents can go sludgy in these temps, and the fuel filter can clog leading to very low power / no running. It's best not to try to run if this happens as it can be bad for the fuel pump etc.
Batteries take a hammering in the cold, so if it's already old and weak, the the cold might be the end of it - try to minimise any short journies.
If it get's REALLY cold, our van engine never got up to temp. You can block off part of the radiator with some cardboard to help.
Handbrake cables can get stuck. This nearly screwed us when we first moved to Chamonix - we had to stop en-route and it was -13c outside, we had a van full of kit and a cat! We were running late and our new landlady said she couldn't meet us at 10pm (which I get is late) but she didn't give a shit that we had no-where to stay (we found out later that she was well known in the valley...infamous some might say...).
Park in underground garages if you can.......
Thanks! That’s all really useful advice.
The tyres are relatively new (which is why we only upgraded the older rear tyres recently).
Hopefully we don’t run into the same issues that you did! But I’ll change the wiperfluid and make sure we fill up with diesel somewhere cold (just filled up in much warmer Spain).
Our battery should hopefully be okay but I will maybe test it out and give the van a run out a few days before we’re due to leave. I can imagine finding it hard to get a new battery on Boxing Day (when we are due to set off home).
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Do any UKBers run a Panda Cross 4x4? We're back in the position of needing two cars for work rather than being able to have one practical car (the A6) and something less practical (the 595).
I've got a panda 4x4 but not a Cross one..
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Ta. I've now got a Panda Cross 4x4 (the 0.9L Twinair). I'm instantly having minor electrical gremlins though; TPS system has a fault and the start/stop system is throwing up a general fault (before it got cold and with a fully charged battery). The main dealer I bought it from are also being far worse than any indy-dealer I've ever dealt with.
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Worse than Nissan Maindealer? (old joke)
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Batteries take a hammering in the cold, so if it's already old and weak, the the cold might be the end of it - try to minimise any short journies.
Just a thought on this.
We’ve never had a problem with our battery yet, but also don’t know how old it is.
The van will end up being parked outside for 6 days and we’re unlikely to use it in that time.
Is there any benefit in bringing the battery inside the house for that time? Waking up on Boxing Day with it dead would be a pain in the arse!
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I really think itll be fine. Worst case scenario get a jump start, or start it each day.
Its been really cold in the UK the last week and my van wouldn't start one morning. Learned from Google to turn off the radio and heater and half depress the clutch before turning the ignition. Its caught every time since. Its amazing how much juice the car pulls from the battery while you're warming the glowplugs up on an old diesel via the heater/radio.
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Just park on a slight hill?
I was too lazy/tight to replace the battery in my E46 for circa 1 year and would routinely bump it. Trickle chargers are incredibly cheap and if you're feeling flush you can by li-ion jump start packs (my neighbour uses his on his quite large tractor) that are tiny.
I keep bleating on about this but if you buy a £10 OBD bluetooth dongle you can live monitor your battery when driving (or not) and it'll give you a good indication on health. They're very useful and very cheap.
EDIT: Yes, or just get a jump off someone (buy a decent thick set of leads and they'll last you a lifetime).
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And learn to connect them properly.
Fortunately our drive has a slight downhill, Enough for one shot, and I usually get it, plenty of practice over the years.
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EDIT: Yes, or just get a jump off someone (buy a decent thick set of leads and they'll last you a lifetime).
My pal was the superstar of the Magic Wood parking this early autumn as he had a jump-start battery pack that he could charge via USB. Whilst I was there he jump-started three vehicles. Keep meaning to get one as I've had a few unfortunate incidents involving leaving my spotlights on and returning to a dead battery. Fortuantely both occasions I was close to plenty of other vehicles to jump start!
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Anybody recommend an engine rebuilding type garage in Manchester? I want to check if my engine can be rebuilt/replaced after an oil starvation event, but have no clue as to which garage to contact and don't want to ring them all....
Ta.
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Anybody recommend an engine rebuilding type garage in Manchester? I want to check if my engine can be rebuilt/replaced after an oil starvation event, but have no clue as to which garage to contact and don't want to ring them all....
Ta.
What's the car/engine? Do you have the ability to drain the oil and see if there's any metallic stuff in there?
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half depress the clutch before turning the ignition. Its caught every time since
What does the half clutch down do?
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half depress the clutch before turning the ignition. Its caught every time since
What does the half clutch down do?
Allegedly makes the job easier for the starter motor according to google.
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Cool, worth knowing, thanks
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What's the car/engine? Do you have the ability to drain the oil and see if there's any metallic stuff in there?
Ford Cmax 1l ecoboost.
I guess I might have the ability but I'm not sure I have the inclination. I'm not sure I could apply the gained knowledge in a useful way... What would my actions be if it was or wasn't metalic bits?
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It would give you an indication if there was any obvious damage / the scale of damage.
Can I ask what caused the starvation event? I'm just being a bit nosey here as I was watching a video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INkTYe-fv7E&list=PLfxQXU4eWmzWDJ-zo0DonFKR9mOQUAx17) the other day of a repair on a crash damaged M5 where the engine seemed to have survived starvation as the pyro fuse had blown (so the engine cut prior to the oil being dispersed all over the floor).
I'm pretty sure one of Slackline's mates was a vehicle mechanic who specialised in EcoBoost engines as I seem to recall discussing them with him at the time when my MiL bought one (1.0 in a Fiesta). I'll ask via other channels.
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not been able to have anybody have a proper look but the suspicion is there is a fault with ecoboosts where an internal belt delams and clogs up a filter causign the oil pump to stop working so you loose oil pressure and if you don't stop immediatly your engine gets pained. This is based on the in the dark analysis of a passing AA person and the internet..
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not been able to have anybody have a proper look but the suspicion is there is a fault with ecoboosts where an internal belt delams and clogs up a filter causign the oil pump to stop working so you loose oil pressure and if you don't stop immediatly your engine gets pained. This is based on the in the dark analysis of a passing AA person and the internet..
https://ystradservicecentre.com/blog/f/ford-10l-ecoboost-oil-pressure-issues
Yikes! That seems to suggest you're likely on the money:
There are several issues that can trigger a low oil pressure warning, they range from something as simple as the oil level being low to a faulty pressure sensor, unfortunately our technicians noted every 1.0l Ecoboost vehicle that passed through our workshop with a low oil pressure fault seemed to be suffering from the same issue, the material of the timing belt (which is found inside the engine and known as a 'wet belt') had started to break down.
This issue is developing far earlier than the manufacturers recommended timing belt replacement interval which is set at 150,000 miles or 10 years, some of the failures we've observed have occurred on vehicles that are just over four years old, one had barely covered 30,000 miles which is well within the timing belt lifetime as specified by the manufacturer.
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Well aren't I glad I didn't press on with my suggestions for an EcoBoost Focus when we got our car recently!
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Got the car booked in on Tuesday with a garage after ringing a number who didn't want to have a look. He says he has seen quite a few cars with this problem and often with a new oil pump/belt and a change of oil etc they are ok and the horrible noise is meerly the sound of an engine running with no oil rather than an acutally fucked engine. He says he has sorted them out a treat. Will have to see if I stopped in time after the light came on...TBC.
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Let us know how you get on! Slackers hasn't replied as of yet.
My MiL is going to have a discussion with the local garage (Ford main dealership) off the back of that article. She's only done 25k since about 2015 and the car is immaculate so it would be a shame for it to get wrecked. That 1.0 engine is really fun too.
In other news the Abarth I sold has had significant problems since I sold it (gearbox and driveshaft) to the point the new owner has returned it and has been given a full refund (he contacted me through the owners group).
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My MiL is going to have a discussion with the local garage (Ford main dealership) off the back of that article. She's only done 25k since about 2015 and the car is immaculate so it would be a shame for it to get wrecked. That 1.0 engine is really fun too.
I ended up doing this today. Our local Ford dealership (who have generally been quite good to deal with) told me that they haven't seen any of the 1.0 EcoBoost engines present with this issue. However, I'd got the date of registration wrong for her car which is actually Mar 2013 so it's basically at the 10yr threshold. It's now booked in to have it done (so thanks erm,sam). The cost was pretty dismaying mind at £1350 :o
Let us know how you get on! Slackers hasn't replied as of yet.
He has now but he's no longer in direct contact with the person.
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Appreciating that this question has been answered several times in this thread (and others) has anyone got fresh advice on a family car to buy with climbing/bouldering trips in mind?
From this thread I have Skoda Octavia or Superb in mind, with Berlingo a further possibility (even though I’m not a fan of the aesthetic).
Aiming for something for two adults, two young children/babies, plus associated paraphernalia, alongside at least one but hopefully two pads.
Goal would be weekend crags with occasional Font trip. Last time I rented a small SUV, think was a Vauxhall Crossland X, seemed to work pretty well with no spare tire.
If I only one car then would need to use for commuting as well. Currently using Corsa which seems to be on last legs and just about coping with one child, no climbing stuff, but unlikely to be big enough for two.
Given the recent changes in fuel prices etc does anyone have any suggestions/experience with above cars/requirements that might help?
Also trying to bear in mind environmental impact and don’t really know how changing to an electric world in the future may effect things now. Any insight much appreciated!
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I'd consider looking at Toyota Avensis/Auris/Corolla estates, i've had my Avensis since 2013 and done 183k in it and it's just nudged over 201k on the clock ( Paul B recorded the moment it hit 200k on our way to the airport recently), its been a great car and very reliable, for the mileage it still feels tight as a nut. It's no sports car but it has loads of room and features and tows my rally car around with no problems too. On long motorway blasts itll do 50+mpg and 40/45 around town if its flattish which is very respectable for the size of the car.
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Hard to disagree with what's being said really and I can vouch for it not feeling like a 200k mile car (even if the interior suggests everything put in that car during the 200k miles still remains there, including glove box lighter fluid?). It absolutely swallowed two bike boxes, luggage for two and of course two people recently which was a less certain affair than with my A6 (although it did go in eventually).
I took my first Uber on Sat. and that was a hybrid Auris and the boot was also respectably sized.
The Octavia (vRS) would still be my pick. I wouldn't step up in size to the Superb mainly as I live adjacent to very narrow lanes and even the marginal increase in width feels a bit uncomfortable. I can't remember why but TG looked at these recently (albeit for brand new cars) and the Superb got ditched leaving the Octy still standing (MPG?).
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I have just placed a deposit on a 4th Gen Octavia estate to replace my 2nd Gen Octavia vRS estate.
I too considered a Superb estate as an option, but decided that the combination of ~5 mpg penalty and it feeling a bit "floppy" around corners on a test drive was enough to outweigh the benefits of 5cm extra leg room and 10cm more boot space.
Also, for comparable money i've got a '22 plate Octy with 9k miles versus '20 plate 30k miles for the Superb.
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No experience in this type of car (or budget, I'm strictly Sheds - I'd be telling you to eBay search for Saab 9-5 Estates...)
Only other thing I'd consider / look for would be big Volvos. I've searched for them in the past though, and struggled to find ones without big miles on the clock, but I guess that's a sign that they just keep going.
Arguably slightly more refined that the others suggested here, most probably better seats (for those long slogs down the Autoroutes to Font), plus the obvious Volvo estate benefits of massive space in the back and ridiculous safety.
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Appreciating that this question has been answered several times in this thread (and others) has anyone got fresh advice on a family car to buy with climbing/bouldering trips in mind?
From this thread I have Skoda Octavia or Superb in mind, with Berlingo a further possibility (even though I’m not a fan of the aesthetic).
Aiming for something for two adults, two young children/babies, plus associated paraphernalia, alongside at least one but hopefully two pads.
Goal would be weekend crags with occasional Font trip. Last time I rented a small SUV, think was a Vauxhall Crossland X, seemed to work pretty well with no spare tire.
If I only one car then would need to use for commuting as well. Currently using Corsa which seems to be on last legs and just about coping with one child, no climbing stuff, but unlikely to be big enough for two.
Given the recent changes in fuel prices etc does anyone have any suggestions/experience with above cars/requirements that might help?
Also trying to bear in mind environmental impact and don’t really know how changing to an electric world in the future may effect things now. Any insight much appreciated!
I have an Octavia vRS estate (2015 model) and two young kids. We manage to get one medium sized pad plus all our stuff in for week-long Font trips although it's a bit of a squeeze. You could probably manage two medium pads if you scimped heavily on packing. Maybe we managed one medium and one small one year. Another option might be to rent an extra pad from Padadise while you are there, I used them in October, they are good.
For normal days out bouldering the boot will take four medium/small pads (ie that fit sideways inside 1m width) in the boot with the back seats up. However if you have any large pads ie Saturn size, you'll have to put half the back seats down.
Not quite sure what you are getting at wrt your last paragraph but we run an ID3 (electric VW similar to a Golf) alongside the Octavia; the Octavia is only ever used now when we absolutely need the bigger boot space. The ID3 is better at everything else, apart from being environmentally friendly. That's obviously an expensive solution though, unless you have another car to replace. If you just want one big car with a big boot and don't want to shell out for an expensive EV SUV type thing (estate options are still poor at the moment) then the best option is to buy a used estate and save up for an EV in a few years. Don't bother with hybrid as an interim step.
On the plus side, used EVs are coming down in price now, especially as more of them get towards 3 years old. I'm hoping to get something bigger to replace the Octy in a year or two.
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Only other thing I'd consider / look for would be big Volvos. I've searched for them in the past though, and struggled to find ones without big miles on the clock, but I guess that's a sign that they just keep going.
Arguably slightly more refined that the others suggested here, most probably better seats (for those long slogs down the Autoroutes to Font), plus the obvious Volvo estate benefits of massive space in the back and ridiculous safety.
Massive caveat on that. Avoid late '14 to '15 models like the plague. In fact, wise to stick to earlier models only (i loved my v50). That was the date at which Volvo decided to get out of working with Ford and go it alone, and the results aren't pretty if you are unlucky enough to end up saddled with one, built whilst they were still trying to get hang on how to design and build a car.
The official moan is as follows
Had one of these for 2 years. Spent the first year trying to keep up with all that was going wrong with it, no sooner you fix something the next issue pops up, till i decided enough is enough a year ago and stopped working full time on it.
In this last year of me not putting all my money and time into it, the car has become a classic, not so much in the traditional sense, but more in the literal one, of a car built in the 1940s.
I got no air-conditioned or dehumidifier, no power steering, no glow plugs, barely working injection, a turbo that works part time and most of that is on strike anyway. Clogged non-working swirl flaps (i clenaed the whole thing in the honeymoon year and it's clogged again). Blocked egr cooler (as previous), no wind screen washer, a failing parking brake, and god knows what else i'm forgetting. ABS and traction control failed twice in that time so i did hold the full house at times. This is an 8 year old car with 125000 miles...
That fiat 500 in the other thread sounds like a freacking Bentley in comparison :'(
Best part, got my mot due in 2 weeks which will fail unless i sort the washer and power steering. Can fix the washer easy enough (if i can be bothered tbh) but the power steering i'm being quoted £2500 by volvo to fix.
Thing is, the clever boys at Volvo won't let you just replace the failed module, or refurb it, or fix it in any way. No, you got to buy and replace the whole steering rack, which you can only buy from Volvo, and of course it has to be brand new as they set up the modues so that once they are coded to a car they cant be reprogrammed for another one. No ebay jobbies allowed.
So it seems short of me spending next week touring MOT centres waving wads of £20 notes see if i can find one of those mythical dodgy MOT centres that's the car getting scrapped.
Oh, and last week a freaking mouse huddled up in my engine bay and got the munchies while in there, so just spent the whole week searching for munched through cables all throughout the engine bay and splicing them while the dash was lighting up with errors like a christmas tree. Still Volvo's fault for making this piece of shit so sexy :spank:
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14/15 plate? LUXURY
I think you underestimate the level of Shed at which I operate!
I'm talking 03 plate V40s or V50s, proper Shedman fodder...buy for a grand or two, waft about in for a bit and then send off to the great big scrapyard in the sky.
TBH my last epic Shed (Saab 9-3 Aero) did nearly 4 years of faithful service off a £2k initial "investment" so I'll take that. It's successor (a £1400 2003 Mini One) is still staggering on.
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Ha, got to thank TFL for that. Had to get rid of the 50 to get an ULEZ compliant car.
Totally agree on the shed approach. Got the V50 for £2500 and it was a 2011, also the top of the range se lux to boot.
Worked flawlessly for 3 years with nothing more than basic maintenance. Incredibly comfortable and practical to the point i'd spend up to 6 weeks at a time travelling and living on it (helps that i'm a shorty). Really good fuel economy as well
Sold it to a mate for 1000 quid for him to use as company car/van and it's still going strong.
I'd revert back to one of those in a snap if i could
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Thanks all, hugely useful. Was wondering about whether there would be much benefit of a superb over Octavia, but sounds like not much on balance.
Last font trip got away with a single moon warrior, which I assume counts as medium size, and ample opportunity to rent out there.
Not quite sure what you are getting at wrt your last paragraph but we run an ID3 (electric VW similar to a Golf) alongside the Octavia; the Octavia is only ever used now when we absolutely need the bigger boot space. The ID3 is better at everything else, apart from being environmentally friendly. That's obviously an expensive solution though, unless you have another car to replace. If you just want one big car with a big boot and don't want to shell out for an expensive EV SUV type thing (estate options are still poor at the moment) then the best option is to buy a used estate and save up for an EV in a few years. Don't bother with hybrid as an interim step.
On the plus side, used EVs are coming down in price now, especially as more of them get towards 3 years old. I'm hoping to get something bigger to replace the Octy in a year or two.
That was essentially what I was getting at, unsure of any benefit of getting a hybrid and wondering about the gradual phasing out of fossil fuel cars once they ban their production. I guess that will be incredibly gradual.
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1L Ecoboost engine update. The garage had hoped a new oil pump and belt would be ok, but in fact it needs a full stripdown and regrinding crank?cam?shaft etc.. Will cost 2500 plus vat, if they don't need to source a new/2nd hand crank/cam? shaft.....
So, spending a grand proactivly to change the belt at 50,000 or what ever, whilst painful, is a deffo positive saving..
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Have you considered just replacing the engine? Looks like £1300 can get a reconditioned one with 6 months unlimited mileage warranty off eBay. Even with fitting should be a fair bit cheaper than you have been quoted.
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That was essentially what I was getting at, unsure of any benefit of getting a hybrid and wondering about the gradual phasing out of fossil fuel cars once they ban their production. I guess that will be incredibly gradual.
Hybrids are basically marketed as a stepping stone for people nervous about going electric, but for the vast majority of people now, any anxiety is unnecessary (I took my son to Font in ours, it was ok). Full electric is much better than a hybrid and prices aren't much different (everything is expensive!)
Used combustion petrol and diesels will still be around for many years, only new ones will be banned. Although by 2030 there will be a decent range of used EVs up to a good few years old, so they'll be available at a better range of prices too.
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That was essentially what I was getting at, unsure of any benefit of getting a hybrid and wondering about the gradual phasing out of fossil fuel cars once they ban their production. I guess that will be incredibly gradual.
Hybrids are basically marketed as a stepping stone for people nervous about going electric, but for the vast majority of people now, any anxiety is unnecessary (I took my son to Font in ours, it was ok). Full electric is much better than a hybrid and prices aren't much different (everything is expensive!)
Used combustion petrol and diesels will still be around for many years, only new ones will be banned. Although by 2030 there will be a decent range of used EVs up to a good few years old, so they'll be available at a better range of prices too.
If my memory serves me right, you live in the Netherlands?
I'm all for getting an EV myself, but I'm under no illusion that the UK is still quite poorly served by charging infrastructure. NL has nearly 30% of all the chargers installed in the entire EU!! https://www.acea.auto/press-release/electric-cars-half-of-all-chargers-in-eu-concentrated-in-just-two-countries/
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That was essentially what I was getting at, unsure of any benefit of getting a hybrid and wondering about the gradual phasing out of fossil fuel cars once they ban their production. I guess that will be incredibly gradual.
Hybrids are basically marketed as a stepping stone for people nervous about going electric, but for the vast majority of people now, any anxiety is unnecessary (I took my son to Font in ours, it was ok). Full electric is much better than a hybrid and prices aren't much different (everything is expensive!)
Used combustion petrol and diesels will still be around for many years, only new ones will be banned. Although by 2030 there will be a decent range of used EVs up to a good few years old, so they'll be available at a better range of prices too.
If my memory serves me right, you live in the Netherlands?
I'm all for getting an EV myself, but I'm under no illusion that the UK is still quite poorly served by charging infrastructure. NL has nearly 30% of all the chargers installed in the entire EU!! https://www.acea.auto/press-release/electric-cars-half-of-all-chargers-in-eu-concentrated-in-just-two-countries/
Haha no, Dutch name but my ancestors moved across here about 170 years ago!
The charging infrastructure needs to improve and keep growing with demand but actually, if you know what you are doing, it's now perfectly adequate for long trips in the big majority of England (and also France through to Germany and Scandinavia). It has come on loads in just the last 12 months. It's poor in Wales and relatively sparse in Scotland (although per person they supposedly have more chargers).
So yer, the infrastructure is not a reason to avoid EV any more for longer trips, for most people. The horror stories you see are a mixture of deliberate BS and user error (mostly the latter - you do have to do some reading around the subject). For day to day stuff, they are less convenient if you don't have a home charger (ie driveway, basically), but super easy if you do. And obviously the cost of a new car is a barrier to many.
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Have you considered just replacing the engine? Looks like £1300 can get a reconditioned one with 6 months unlimited mileage warranty off eBay. Even with fitting should be a fair bit cheaper than you have been quoted.
I considered it for about 5 mins before concluding I knew too little about cars/the specific problem to make the call. If the same thing happened again I might do it differently. The engine is now out of the car being worked on, so feel like I might as well carry on...
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I was pretty unimpressed with the Ford garage charging my MiL an extra over for the oil on the £1350 EcoBoost timing belt change. Surely, surely, if you've quoted someone for changing a WET BELT you've accounted for the need to put oil back in the bloody engine when you're done?
They also charged her VAT on top of the quote which I'm fairly damn certain I'd confirmed was included at the time.
I'm finding main dealers to be far worse than any indy dealership I've dealt with. Trying to get the paperwork for my Panda's recent work is nigh on impossible.
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That was essentially what I was getting at, unsure of any benefit of getting a hybrid and wondering about the gradual phasing out of fossil fuel cars once they ban their production. I guess that will be incredibly gradual.
Hybrids are basically marketed as a stepping stone for people nervous about going electric, but for the vast majority of people now, any anxiety is unnecessary (I took my son to Font in ours, it was ok). Full electric is much better than a hybrid and prices aren't much different (everything is expensive!)
Used combustion petrol and diesels will still be around for many years, only new ones will be banned. Although by 2030 there will be a decent range of used EVs up to a good few years old, so they'll be available at a better range of prices too.
So you drove UK to Font full electric?? Easy to charge in France?
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That was essentially what I was getting at, unsure of any benefit of getting a hybrid and wondering about the gradual phasing out of fossil fuel cars once they ban their production. I guess that will be incredibly gradual.
Hybrids are basically marketed as a stepping stone for people nervous about going electric, but for the vast majority of people now, any anxiety is unnecessary (I took my son to Font in ours, it was ok). Full electric is much better than a hybrid and prices aren't much different (everything is expensive!)
Used combustion petrol and diesels will still be around for many years, only new ones will be banned. Although by 2030 there will be a decent range of used EVs up to a good few years old, so they'll be available at a better range of prices too.
So you drove UK to Font full electric?? Easy to charge in France?
Yes, very. There are big charging sites with multiple fast chargers at good intervals on the Autoroute and they all worked with a payment card that I got in the UK with my car (unlike the UK, most sites on the continent don't take a standard contactless credit card). I did have one occasion where I tried to access an autoroute charging station from a local road and couldn't because of a locked gate (this was at Arbonne la foret), so I had to drive out of my way to another site at Nemours. But that was mostly down to my own cockup with navigation.
The journey from Calais to Font probably took 45 minutes longer than it would have in my Octavia. At 130kph consumption is high so it takes a bit longer to charge back up, but I couldn't be bothered slowing down.
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Lots of UK electric cars heading to the alps last year with skis on the top. I was impressed. I guess you just have to accept that it'll take a few hours longer over all and be well organised with knowing where the charging stations are.. planning your journey and stops etc.
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Ha, got to thank TFL for that. Had to get rid of the 50 to get an ULEZ compliant car.
What make/model did you go for as ULEZ compliant?
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Ha, got to thank TFL for that. Had to get rid of the 50 to get an ULEZ compliant car.
What make/model did you go for as ULEZ compliant?
I got a Volvo V60 in the D4 flavour. Early VEA engine one as they were euro 6 from 2014 onwards. Seemingly they achieved that by having all the emissions sticking to the inside of the EGR/cooler/manifold/emap pipe/etc instead of coming out the exhaust :shit:
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Ha, got to thank TFL for that. Had to get rid of the 50 to get an ULEZ compliant car.
What make/model did you go for as ULEZ compliant?
I got a Volvo V60 in the D4 flavour. Early VEA engine one as they were euro 6 from 2014 onwards. Seemingly they achieved that by having all the emissions sticking to the inside of the EGR/cooler/manifold/emap pipe/etc instead of coming out the exhaust :shit:
Sweet. Any recommendations for cheap (ie. >£5k) ULEZ-compliant estates, preferably petrol?
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AutoAlex swapped his 3.0D X5 for a large petrol engined Porsche Cayenne and was suggesting that most diesels pre 2016 were screwed but for petrol engines that was much earlier, 2006 perhaps?
If that's correct there must be loads. In other news, if any London bound 335d Touring owners need to get rid then please let me know. :tumble:
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Sweet. Any recommendations for cheap (ie. >£5k) ULEZ-compliant estates, preferably petrol?
Not a a Volvo V60 in the D4 flavour with the early VEA engine :-\
As Paul mentions above, petrol engines only have to be Euro 4 which means any car made on/after 2006 will be compliant, so you are spoilt for choice really.
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So, got it fixed eventually. They did have to get new bits as they couldnt regrind as it was too knackered. Cost a fortune, but still cheaper than getting a new car, just about...
If you have a 1l ecoboost engine, replace the wet belt at 50,000 miles or 10 yrs! Or else.
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If you have a 1l ecoboost engine, replace the wet belt at 50,000 miles or 10 yrs! Or else.
It's 10yrs or 150k miles isn't it? If they need a £1350 service every 50k miles compared to VAGs £350-450 ish at a similar mileage then :worms:
I'm a little embarrassed to admit this, but did anyone else with air-suspension not know that your car likely has a jacking mode and not engaging it when putting the car on a lift or just changing a tyre isn't very good for the bags?
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Good tip.
Also, if you’ve got an EV, many brands need a ‘Jack Pad’ (<£5 online) or you risk irreparably fucking your battery if you jack it up.
I narrowly missed finding this out first-hand.
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It's 10yrs or 150k miles isn't it?
You are probably right. I had stopped paying attention by then.
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Van is off the road yet again. Probably another fuel injector needing replaced. However, I'm now thinking whether it's time to move on and get a new vehicle, this Caddy is by far the most unreliable and costly vehicle I've ever owned. I'm tempted by a SWB Transporter, or similar size. Anyone got any beta on models to go for/avoid? Ta!
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Ours is a SWB 58 plate 1.9l Diesel T5 and it's been almost completely hassle free in that time (one glitch with immobiliser). It's only had 80k miles in that time though.
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Yeah I'd love something with that old 1.9 engine that lasted forever. The replacement 1.6 I'm convinced is made of crepe paper stuck together with masking tape.
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That's a bit unfair. It's probably load bearing cardboard...
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Don't know if it's the same engine, but the early 2000s-era VW 1.9 TDi was legendary for reliability. The Passats of that generation are good for spaceship mileage, not uncommon to see them still on eBay with 200k+!
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Yep, if anyone is selling an estate-shaped shed with a 1.9tdi, hit me up :lol:
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I had an early 2000's 1.9tdi passat, it was fucking great. Never broke in over 150k miles I did in it, had done almost 300k by the time it died (suspension)
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One of the operatives on a construction site I'm working on has an '04 Passat estate complete with taxi-driver beaded seats and a makeshift single platform bed in the rear. I haven't asked mileage but I'll see if I can find out tomorrow. I'm assuming it won't be small.
I know the 2.0TDi was never quite as good but TTT and I were discussing an Audi A4 Avant recently that was the 170bhp S-line and it looked immaculate. I can't remember the mileage but I think it was just over 110k miles and it was around £2,400. It's now gone of course.
I've also just been sat in Tebay services, eating a pie, staring at the same era RS4 which made me jump straight back onto Autotrader. If someone can keep the RS4 on the road then surely an 2.0TDI engine will be fine and will have had an easier life by far.
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Never broke in over 150k miles I did in it, had done almost 300k by the time it died (suspension)
I suspect that rust will claim ours first, downside of living so close to the sea, and it always being parked on shady side of house.
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Van is off the road yet again. Probably another fuel injector needing replaced.
Apparently it was an injector clamp bolt that had stretched over the life of the vehicle. A £3 part. Jolly good...
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I had an early 2000's 1.9tdi passat, it was fucking great. Never broke in over 150k miles I did in it, had done almost 300k by the time it died (suspension)
Agreed, best car I've ever had. '99 1.9tdi golf I had before it was similarly good. This vintage of VAG diesels must represent some sort of tri-parameter optimum for production cars in terms of economy, performance and reliability. Cars have just been getting worse since as far as I can tell. Not entirely sure why but a lot to do with reducing emissions presumably. And increasingly sophisticated and fragile (and pointless) electronics.
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fragile (and pointless) electronics.
It's madness isn't it. Electric bootlids and electric seats are two particular bug bears of mine in terms of utterly pointless technology.
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Really annoyed by unnecessarily electrifying and motorising things that can go wrong. We got van from new, and avoided anything like electric windows as added cost that might break down; I have 2 functioning hands.
Meanwhile, very few cars have things like heated windscreens which are a real benefit.
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I’ve been caught out by an electric boot release before. Old Nissan Primera, flat battery, no big problem I’ll crack out the jump leads. Oh, except they are in the boot underneath the spare tire, and the boot won’t open because it’s an electronic release.
Cue about 30 mins on intense physical exercise and swearing as I crawl into the boot via the back seats, and in a scene from a bad episode of the crystal maze, have to lift up the panel on the bottom of the boot whilst lying on top it, remove a spare tyre and retrieve the jump leads.
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You can blame Ford for most vehicles not having heated windscreens.
Although I can confirm that heated windscreens break eventually. Mine progressively lost its ability to heat most sections of the front and rear windscreens this winter.
I'm not sure whether the screen itself needs replacing or whether it's something that I can fix myself with 5 minutes and a soldering iron.
Or 5 minutes to do the actual job, plus 2 hours of swearing while you dismantle most of the car to get access to the 5 minute job.
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Well, not really, a patent on anything that is seen as improving safety is only limited and expired years ago. It's available on other cars but I believe only if ordered at time of buying the car new, not as a standard like the "climate pack" on some Ford models.
We have our second Focus with it, on the first one it was still working fine when the engine started giving out and we sold it (so must have been at least 8 years old), the second one is now 9 years old and a 2 " strip down the middle of the window has stopped defrosting. If it died, we might at that time get a large stone chip in the windscreen and get it replaced :)
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I’ve been caught out by an electric boot release before. Old Nissan Primera, flat battery, no big problem I’ll crack out the jump leads. Oh, except they are in the boot underneath the spare tire, and the boot won’t open because it’s an electronic release.
Cue about 30 mins on intense physical exercise and swearing as I crawl into the boot via the back seats, and in a scene from a bad episode of the crystal maze, have to lift up the panel on the bottom of the boot whilst lying on top it, remove a spare tyre and retrieve the jump leads.
I had exactly the same with my old Saab during lockdown when the battery drained through lack of use, but I had the added motivation of the alarm blaring at full blast to add to the fun of executing similar manoeuvres to get into boot for the jump leads!
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My old VW Passat estate had an electronic handbrake. Which failed, of course. An invention of an utter wanker. Perhaps literally, to save his hand.
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We have just invested in a new-ish Leon and the electric handbrake thing annoys me so much. The manual handbrake is/was not a problem that needed to be solved!
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Autohold can be pretty nice though?
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That's the one element of it that's a vague positive, but a) it's not like I can't do a hill start and b) I've found it just causes me problems when I switch back to the Shed Mini and forget it doesn't have it!
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Autohold can be pretty nice though?
My Expert van has 'autohold' without having a crap push-button electronic handbrake designed to malfunction when water gets into the caliper. It's a (seemingly... give it another 5 years) great design - manual handbrake with all the benefits of an autohold. Making hillstarts piss for those muppets that need it while still allowing handbrake turns in empty carparks.
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As had my Fiats from a long time ago too (Punto HGT x 2). They didn't break on those, unlike most other things.
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I'll be in the market for something over the summer as the van needs a lot of welding doing which is too much to justify. Going to go back to a car, and need something which can fit bouldering pads in and also a labrador. In practice I won't have a problem with pads in the boot and labrador on the back seat.
So, first question: what cars does a Moon Saturn fit in/ not fit in? I have one Saturn and an Ocun Dominator, which I doubt would be an issue. I'm thinking the usual estates (skoda octavia, ford focus etc) but also smaller things if they happen to have a cavernous boot. I could also flog the Saturn and get another normal sized pad, but I do like having a big one.
Any advice or thoughts appreciated.
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I don't think you'll beat the practicality of the boot in an Octavia. Depends how old you want to go but the Civics had a cavernous boot.
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I'll be going cheap so will probably be going old!
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Diesel Focus Estate, although boot is smaller than Octavia, probably just about OK for your needs. Don't hold value as well, so can probably get a better deal. Get one with heated windscreen if you can.
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Peewee's Toyota Avensis estate is pretty well spec'd and fits unreasonable amounts of stuff inside if you don't mind looking like a taxi.
I'll be going cheap so will probably be going old!
£?
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Looks are not something that bother me in a vehicle!
Probably between £2k and £3k.
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BMW 730i Sport. 2 bags. Done.
https://www.pistonheads.com/news/ph-features-sheds/bmw-730i-sport-e65-shed-of-the-week/47109 (https://www.pistonheads.com/news/ph-features-sheds/bmw-730i-sport-e65-shed-of-the-week/47109)
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Getting tempted by a Subaru Outback/Legacy...
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Autohold can be pretty nice though?
My Expert van has 'autohold' without having a crap push-button electronic handbrake designed to malfunction when water gets into the caliper. It's a (seemingly... give it another 5 years) great design - manual handbrake with all the benefits of an autohold. Making hillstarts piss for those muppets that need it while still allowing handbrake turns in empty carparks.
How did you get on with the expert? We're going to live with a car for a bit, but might get back into van life in a few years.
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Getting tempted by a Subaru Outback/Legacy...
Not bad workhorses, but the non-hot ones have a rep for being a bit meh - in fact Shed had the 3.0 Outback on a few weeks ago...
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non-hot?
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non-hot?
The girl told me take off your jacket.
T3 is referring to the lower BHP models being a bit pedestrian compared to their big engine turbo charged siblings. But that’s probably not a worry for the majority of people!
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Very good!
Yeah, not a huge concern for me. A workhorse is sort of what I'm after, but a bit concerned that it might be a bit thirsty. Theres so many similar estates out there in the price range, which is good, but ultimately means eventually I will probably just end up picking one and keeping my fingers crossed!
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Thirsty was one of Shed's conclusions on the 3.0(!) one they had on the other week!
https://www.pistonheads.com/regulars/ph-features-sheds/subaru-outback-3-0r--shed-of-the-week/46988 (https://www.pistonheads.com/regulars/ph-features-sheds/subaru-outback-3-0r--shed-of-the-week/46988)
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I wouldn't personally go near the boxer diesel engine.
Do you ever have to sit in traffic? If you do, I'd suggest you try a manual Subaru's clutch pedal. When we test drove one following an accident that had left Nat with a sprained ankle, she physically couldn't depress the clutch but happily drove the Octavia we later bought.
I'm not sure which ones have the CVT box but it's not renowned for good MPG.
I've seen some good Exeos recently and you cant go far wrong with that 2.0TDI engine in the 143bhp flavours.
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How did you get on with the expert? We're going to live with a car for a bit, but might get back into van life in a few years.
Love it. I’ve had two, one from work and one my own camper conversion. Work was a 115, my camper is a 120. The 120 feels quick. 120 feels like a much ‘looser’ engine than the 115 which felt tight. They drive like big cars (like most new vans I guess). There’s a comment on one of the review sites about the steering position being offset - I can honestly say I’ve never been aware of this, even after reading about it I couldn’t tell what they were on about.
I got the mid-range ‘professional’ trim on both vans, equipment is decent with cruise control, AC, decent audio/phone connectivity and an ‘OK’ sized screen for using phone map.
They also have good load carrying - around 1.2 ton from memory. I’ve had full ton bags of aggregate in the back a few times.
Thumbs up from me 👍
Edit: camper is great for shortish-term use for just me, or me and someone I like. For longer trips I’d get a Ducato. Or a pop top VW.
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Peewee's Toyota Avensis estate is pretty well spec'd and fits unreasonable amounts of stuff inside if you don't mind looking like a taxi.
The taxi within it lives strong, had it almost 10 years, and done 185K ( cars at 205k now) without issue. not an exciting car but it does everything you need it to in comfort and gets around 50-60mpg on a motorway run.
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If I was looking for a cheap, large, efficient workhorse (which I might be), I'd be looking at the two statistically most reliable car manufacturers: Toyota and Honda. There's the Avensis, or my preference the Honda Accord. The later Accords before they were discontinued in the UK (circa 2010-2014 I think) actually look quite nice.
I'm currently on the fence as to whether I should spend 10-15k and get something newer and nicer, or just spend a few grand on one of these with 150k+ on the clock. I think after 1 month of owning a more expensive car it would just feel normal and have little positive impact on my life over an old Honda...
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I'll be in the market for something over the summer as the van needs a lot of welding doing which is too much to justify. Going to go back to a car, and need something which can fit bouldering pads in and also a labrador. In practice I won't have a problem with pads in the boot and labrador on the back seat.
So, first question: what cars does a Moon Saturn fit in/ not fit in? I have one Saturn and an Ocun Dominator, which I doubt would be an issue. I'm thinking the usual estates (skoda octavia, ford focus etc) but also smaller things if they happen to have a cavernous boot. I could also flog the Saturn and get another normal sized pad, but I do like having a big one.
Any advice or thoughts appreciated.
You won't get a Moon Saturn in the boot of an Octavia. I can just get a big Organic in the boot of my Superb, with the seats up, but the Saturn is bigger so doesn't fit.
Suspect with big pads almost all cars are going to have to have back seats down to fit, with the possible exceptions of the more van like cars. Even big SUVs struggle to cope with a big pad with the back seats up.
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Yeah, having got a mate to measure his Octavia I had also come to this conclusion. Its a very awkward size for a pad. Off topic, but that was one of the best things about the Ocun Incubator that my housemate used to have; absolutely massive landing area but packed up same size as a standard pad.
Yeah, more good shouts there Liam, cheers. Attractive MPG is a consideration having had a few years of the van swallowing diesel!
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Just get an Avensis then, it'll outlive you*.
*probably
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For those searching for cars by pad haulage, i found this website really useful for booty atributes when last looking for a car (it gives detailed dimension of the boot and general interior space of the cars)
https://www.ridc.org.uk/features-reviews/out-and-about/car-search
This sub-page is handy if you got specific pads in mind https://www.ridc.org.uk/features-reviews/out-and-about/choosing-car/car?open=Boot
[spoiler] There seems ot be no cars that fit a Saturn pad with the rear seats up [/spoiler]
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Would a Saturn squeeze into a berlingo?
https://www.ridc.org.uk/features-reviews/out-and-about/choosing-car/car/citroen-berlingo-multispace-exclusive-hdi-115-16
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Might go in diagonally/stood up, maybe. Think the saturn was 1600 by 1200, the boot data for the berlingo is
Length of boot floor - back row of seats folded down or removed 1356mm
Length of boot floor - back row of seats upright 931mm
Vertical height of boot opening 1006mm
Boot sill height to floor of car 0mm
Boot sill height to ground 555mm
Width of boot floor at narrowest point 1201mm
Width of boot opening - bottom 1197mm
The 'cube' is roughly 931 x 1201 x 1006. Some trigonometry might be needed
931mm door to back of seats is rather limiting
(Edit: Doh, that'll be the unfolded dimensions. Probably 800 by 1200 folded, so i'm talking shite and the options are there)
P.s. Yes, it will fit in a berlingo ;D
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Waving goodbye to the BMW :wavecry:
The fuel pump went (apparently an increasing common issue) and the repair bill is £3300 on top of some other work that ideally needs doing. Doubt I’ll ever own such a nice car again
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Might go in diagonally/stood up, maybe. Think the saturn was 1600 by 1200, the boot data for the berlingo is
Length of boot floor - back row of seats folded down or removed 1356mm
Length of boot floor - back row of seats upright 931mm
Vertical height of boot opening 1006mm
Boot sill height to floor of car 0mm
Boot sill height to ground 555mm
Width of boot floor at narrowest point 1201mm
Width of boot opening - bottom 1197mm
The 'cube' is roughly 931 x 1201 x 1006. Some trigonometry might be needed
931mm door to back of seats is rather limiting
(Edit: Doh, that'll be the unfolded dimensions. Probably 800 by 1200 folded, so i'm talking shite and the options are there)
P.s. Yes, it will fit in a berlingo ;D
It would be a tight fit!
Definitely worth testing first too. My big organic first nicely, but only if its the bottom pad (i.e. on the floor).
If its any higher the boot wouldn't close due to the angle of the rear seats reducing the boot depth higher up.
You’re welcome to try it in our Car, Jim, if you’re ever passing skipton.
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Waving goodbye to the BMW :wavecry:
The fuel pump went (apparently an increasing common issue) and the repair bill is £3300 on top of some other work that ideally needs doing. Doubt I’ll ever own such a nice car again
Assuming that’s from a BMW dealer? If so - worth getting a quote from an independent BMW specialist (there are plenty around..) as they’re often substantially cheaper…
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Yes its an independent using aftermarket non BMW parts. They actually suggested it was marginal whether it was worth it. I could send you the details but academic as sold it on and it’s being taken away tomorrow
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What was it Shark? Another 330d Touring (which year)? I still remember your E46.
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I'm currently on the fence as to whether I should spend 10-15k and get something newer and nicer, or just spend a few grand on one of these with 150k+ on the clock. I think after 1 month of owning a more expensive car it would just feel normal and have little positive impact on my life over an old Honda...
We've just done this - spent £10k on a "nice car" back in Jan as the missus was "sick of the sheds"!
It's nice that it's newer, easier to drive, has nicer toys etc but it feels ordinary already. In addition I'm terrified to drive it as I'm worried about scratching or damaging it. At least with my sheds, if you pick up another battle scar you just shrug you shoulders and carry on.
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I'm currently on the fence as to whether I should spend 10-15k and get something newer and nicer, or just spend a few grand on one of these with 150k+ on the clock. I think after 1 month of owning a more expensive car it would just feel normal and have little positive impact on my life over an old Honda...
In addition I'm terrified to drive it as I'm worried about scratching or damaging it. At least with my sheds, if you pick up another battle scar you just shrug you shoulders and carry on.
My Avensis has gone to to this stage in the last few years, i must admit it feels liberating to not give a toss about things like that, as long as its good mechanically it doesnt matter.
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I'm currently on the fence as to whether I should spend 10-15k and get something newer and nicer, or just spend a few grand on one of these with 150k+ on the clock. I think after 1 month of owning a more expensive car it would just feel normal and have little positive impact on my life over an old Honda...
In addition I'm terrified to drive it as I'm worried about scratching or damaging it. At least with my sheds, if you pick up another battle scar you just shrug you shoulders and carry on.
My Avensis has gone to to this stage in the last few years, i must admit it feels liberating to not give a toss about things like that, as long as its good mechanically it doesnt matter.
We have a Mazda 6 for our nice car, but it's a saloon and mostly the wife's. With the last 2 cars I've had for myself, I've had similar liberating experiences, but unfortunately they've been as bad mechanically/functionally as they have cosmetically!
First I bought a 2015 insignia estate at the end of 2021 for just over a grand with 210k on it, some rattly suspension and a slow coolant leak. I put 15k on it, the coolant leak got worse, gearbox started disintegrating, and then the brake servo failed on me, so I ended up scrapping it (got over £500!). Next I got a free Astra off my dad as he wasn't going to get much for it at trade in. This ones been a bit better mechanically, but the gearbox is beginning to struggle again at only 112k (bloody Vauxhall) and there's some electrical niggles. But a 3-door Astra is just too small to fit everything in! (the life of the modern boulderer...)
I'm never buying another Vauxhall. Now I just want bulletproof reliability, cheap to maintain, big and economical. I'd rather not look like a taxi driver, hence leaning towards Honda over Toyota, but I do keep getting tempted to spend a bit more and get another Mazda 6 in the estate version.
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What was it Shark? Another 330d Touring (which year)? I still remember your E46.
530D Tourer. Had a big spec including adaptive suspension which made the handling amazing
No point having two big nice cars now kids have left. Sonia has a Land Rover Discovery Sport so will get a small runaround like a Yaris or similar
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I hear the GR is nice.
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so will get a small runaround like a Yaris or similar
I'm on my second Yaris and could not be more satisfied. I drive probably >3 times as much as the median owner, and nothing ever breaks. This can of course only be achieved by low torque and soft suspension. So bear that in mind.
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so will get a small runaround like a Yaris or similar
I'm on my second Yaris and could not be more satisfied. I drive probably >3 times as much as the median owner, and nothing ever breaks. This can of course only be achieved by low torque and soft suspension. So bear that in mind.
Agreed. My wife’s previous car was a Yaris and is now driven by our son. Over the ~14 years we’ve had it it has been very reliable
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While car searching we looked at a Nissan Pulsar. Mrs Tone didn't like it but I thought it was quite nice. There's a hot one as well (the Nismo Pulsar), but they're hard to find and therefore pretty pricey.
In the Toyota range, if you're looking Shark, what about the Auris? Bit bigger than the Yaris so might be better for pads etc.
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unfortunately they've been as bad mechanically/functionally as they have cosmetically!
I guess that's the issue with buying sheds that are already sheds; if they've not been looked after cosmetically they've also potentially not been cared for mechanically.
I reckon a good approach, which I've taken almost entirely by accident, is to get a reasonably nice, newer car but with decent shed potential, and just keep it as long as you can. Means you can ensure it's looked after mechanically, have all the mod cons, and in the long run probably costs the same as getting a series of actual sheds with potential mechanical issues.
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The problem with that approach, which I agree is the best if it works, is that often it falls into what I call the danger zone for cars; not new enough to be sure it's been looked after, not old enough to ensure you benefitting from a lower price. As a result one could easily spend upwards of 5k on a car only for it to have similar issues as a 2k one might have had. Probably this can be mitigated by knowing what you're talking about (I don't!).
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[shed science]
Everyone's definition of what constitutes a shed is probably a bit different. Here's one: the cost of buying a shed should be less than the cost to fuel it for one year - say 12,000 miles.
At 45 mpg and £1.55/l diesel a shed should cost less than approx. £2k
[/shed science]
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Before car prices went nuts that would seem fair. I'm not so sure now but that's perhaps because I'd buy something a little bit warm so I'm likely further down the depreciation curve (asking for a bit more trouble). Watching a few YouTube channels where they buy cars at this price point I don't see many success stories (buying from FB marketplace seems wild too).
I'm coming to the conclusion with car buying that it's better the devil you know.
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Having never bought a car from a dealer before (always bought private previously), I didn't really know what to expect, but it probably wasn't a completely disinterested staff member, who couldn't find the keys to the car, knew nothing about it, said there was no service history when the ad said there was and then to top it off, was unable to start the car for 5 minutes due to an 'engine malfunction' warning light.
Might give that one a miss. What a good use of an afternoon :furious:
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I'd hit the ground running, and not look back!
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Main dealers are shocking IMO.
I had a slightly better experience at a car supermarket (in Bury) but mainly because the experience wasn't unnecessarily drawn out rather than because they were any good (they did drop the oil at my request to check a potential head gasket issue, confirming it was just condensation).
Did you decide what you're looking for? I'm currently eyeing up a Shark-mobile of the 2003 vintage. This YouTube channel is my new happy place (project Raleigh and project Cologne particularly so):
https://www.youtube.com/c/M539Restorations
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We had similar when buying our "nice car" back in Jan.
Staff members either totally disinterested or all over you like a badly cut suit, cars in terrible condition for a test drive (factory fitted toolkit, jack etc strewn across the boot, loose anyone), dealers wanting you to buy the car before they'd even assess worrying noises coming from the car on a test drive...
...in the end we looked at our Seat at a small local place on a whim, only really because it's the place my parents-in-law have had all theirs from. Owner / dealer was nice, gave us the keys and left us to it, came back and asked if we had any questions, let us test drive it ourselves on our own, and no pressure to buy / put down a deposit when we got back and said we'd got a few others to view that day.
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Wasn't a main dealer by any stretch, more the complete opposite. one bloke in a metal 2m square shed who appeared to be the junior member of staff/owners son. bad vibes all round.
I'm still pretty open minded, which is both a help and a hindrance. Petrol estate seems to be the way forward to get round the Bradford ulez. Petrol Octavia's are like hens teeth, ditto Passats, so looking mostly at Focus estates and Subaru Legacys now. Poor MPG from a Subaru is a slight concern but they do look nice and I've always hankered after Subarus. Finding Focuses in good condition is hard as they seem to have rough lives/ rough owners!
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Note that the Bradford ULEZ doesn't apply to private cars, regardless of engine type.
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Ah I thought it did for some reason. Cheers!
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Note that the Bradford ULEZ doesn't apply to private cars, regardless of engine type.
Also, maybe I'm completely naive as to the effects of NO2 / diesel emissions / have some confirmation bias, but I genuinely think unless you can afford to go electric (which let's be honest is a massive outlay still), a good quality diesel is a very reasonable option. A lot of them are incredibly economical and have very low C02 outputs. I just drove my 2l Skoda Superb Estate all the way from Leeds to South West Ireland (c. 500 miles), then drove it around every day for a week and a half including several longer drives and have only just had to fill it up!
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so looking mostly at Focus estates
I didn't realise that I enjoyed driving my car until I drove my wife's Focus estate. Joyless.
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What engine does it have? Ours is the 1.9l diesel and while it's not like shit of a shovel, it's pretty nippy and economical.
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What engine does it have? Ours is the 1.9l diesel and while it's not like shit of a shovel, it's pretty nippy and economical.
They did the ST170 in the estate too. They're really rare but my experience of the 170 was not that it was boring.
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What engine does it have? Ours is the 1.9l diesel and while it's not like shit of a shovel, it's pretty nippy and economical.
If this is about the Focus then it's one of the petrol eco things, so unsurprising that it isn't very responsive. That's not the issue, my Fabia hatchback has a 1.2l petrol turbo, so not exactly a hot rod. It's the handling (or lack thereof) that sucks the fun out of the Focus. Maybe it's just estates in general, the Focus is the only one I've driven.
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Maybe. I've only ever driven estates, and I am usually in the T5 Van, so it feels nippy by comparison!
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If this is about the Focus then it's one of the petrol eco things, so unsurprising that it isn't very responsive.
EcoBoost/EcoBoom? The 1.0 EcoBoost in the Fiesta I've driven is a riot. It sounds like an angry wasp under the bonnet. I think the 1.5 EB engine is 182BHP in the Focus?
https://www.parkers.co.uk/ford/focus/hatchback-2011/15-ecoboost-(182bhp)-titanium-x-5d/specs/
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Unrelated but cars cars fucking cars crossed my thoughts and mouth a few times today.
3 series beamer 2.0td 113k on clock, timing belt snappage last night, adios engine, adios car. I was under the impression it had been changed at 100k, apparently not.
I struggle to understand why this is even possible with todays tec, and why everything cant be shifted over to chain.
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Was it not a chain then?
My E46 was chain driven.
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Going off what the AA said at the time, it was belt. But no, yes it was chain. I now have the unfortunate knowledge that the 4 cylinders chains (N47 engine in this one I believe) going pop is a common occurrence. Did you ever have any bother with yours?
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Loads, but I bought it with a lot of miles on the clock and added a load more. The chain wasn't one of my issues. I got the swirl flaps removed as soon as I had it home and one was so close to being ingested by the engine it's a miracle we made it.
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Ended up buying a Subaru Legacy with 100k on the clock, timing belt done at 60k and a complete service history for £2100 which I am tentatively pleased with. FWIW in the future if anyone else is in a similar position, the seats in these go dead flat so definitely an option for sleeping in.
All that being said I'm still not driving it far until the breakdown cover kicks in!
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Which engine?
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2.0 petrol
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Ended up buying a Subaru Legacy with 100k on the clock, timing belt done at 60k
Its more ‘when’ it was done year wise as its not just done on mileage. Sounds like it was done a few years ago.
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Significantly bigger intervals with Subarus though (if you're accustomed to VAG cars).
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Significantly bigger intervals with Subarus though (if you're accustomed to VAG cars).
For Jims its inspect every 30k and change every 105k. Or after 7 years
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Yeah, it's been in for 40k miles so would presumably have plenty of life left, but was many years ago, so prob due an inspection.
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Hello UKB.
I’m reaching out to see if anyone has been through the debacle I’m about to enter. Details as follows….
I bought a 2011 Passat CC from an independent dealer in Leeds, on the 28th of February this year. I was given a 3 month warranty as part of the deal, which was about as much use as a chocolate teapot as no garage within a 50 mile radius of my home would do work on the car due to the warranty company not paying out.
Initially I had troubles with the coolant temperature. I ended up getting a new thermostat and coolant temperature sensor fitted, which resolved the issue. On Friday last week, the car went into limp mode. The DPF light came on, the engine management light also. I’ve had the car into my local garage who do all my work and have done for the last 4 years. They rang today with bad news.
The turbo is about to go pop and is sucking oil in which has filled the inter cooler and likely the DPF too. There is oil everywhere in fact. They’ve looked and there has been some serious historic bodge work on the wiring to various sensors to do with the turbo etc. In summary, I’ve been sold an absolute shed. I’ve managed 3 months before it’s gone tits up big time.
I’ve been doing my research, and according to the Citizens Advice the dealer who sold me it should stand the costs for repair under the consumers rights act 2015. They also state that because I bought the car in the last 6 months, the law says it must have been faulty when I bought it.
I am now pondering how to proceed. The dealer was nice and pleasant (no surprise) originally, but I dare say he is going to try and worm out if this as the bill is 2-3k approximately for repair. But it sounds like he hasn’t a leg to stand on really.
Thoughts?
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Will reply to this when I get time, PM me if I forget...
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My guess is that you technically / legally have every right to get the car repaired at the vendor's expense, or potentially just return it for a refund (which is probably the better option, as who knows what other bodges are there?).
Getting it to happen however, that will be a test of your patience and probably your wallet as well.
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@MIke, that's a shit situation. I've just been through something similar, which ended up in the courts. I would recommend avoiding that option until the absolute last resort, but feel free to threaten it! It's tedious, stressful and even if oyu win (I did) it doesn't mean you'll get a penny back.
Have you got documented proof of all the issues? It seems like your garage has inspected just outside the 3 month window, but that shouldn't matter in a legal sense. The warranty is one thing, but as you say, legally you have the right to rectification up to 6 months (don't quote me n that, I'm just bouncing your research back at you but it sounds familiar!).
Is the car still driveable at all? If so, take it back to the dealer and drop it in there drive, give them the keys and say you're are giving them one opportunity to fully rectify the issues before you are formally rejecting the car* and give them a report showing why (get your trusted independent garage to issue you a formal condition report with all the issues detailed.). Did you pay cash / credit card or finance?
Obviously follow everything up in writing. (email is fine so long as you keep a copy somewhere - my SMSs were used as evidence!)
If you have any mates that are solicitors / lawyers, get some free advice. I suspect if you go in pretty heavy initially they may just buckle and get it sorted.
* I just checked here: https://www.thecarexpert.co.uk/rejecting-a-car/#:~:text=return%20the%20favour%E2%80%A6-,Final%20right%20to%20reject%20%E2%80%93%20the%20first%20six%20months,you%20can%20reject%20the%20vehicle. as I had initially said go straight to "rejection" but they reckon you have to give the garage one opportunity to fix
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Update!
The dealer initially tried to squirm out of it, but I got on my soapbox and started quoting various things a legal friend advised me to say. So as it stands, he has agreed to put another 3 months warranty on it at his cost, and then we will claim on said warranty for the work to be done. I guess this way his pocket isn’t impacted quite as much, and I will get the car fixed hopefully. As soon as it’s done, I’ll be taking it to my local trusted garage to get checked over. And it it’s ok, I’ll be selling the car immediately. I have just lost faith in it completely, and have decided I won’t be getting another modern diesel again unfortunately.
Thanks for the replies folks.
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Fucking breakdown cover cunts doing anything to avoid actually helping, the snotty little arsefucks.
Fuck, I'm not in the best of moods.
On a sidenote, has anyone in the last 10 years ever said, "boy, I sure am glad my car has an immobiliser"?
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Does anyone own a vehicle that runs michelin latitude cross or similar tyres? The Audi (A6 AllRoad) is due its MOT in a week or so and I've noticed I'm approaching the wear indicator.
With other tyres I'm reasonably familiar with alternatives and what's a good value alternative (Vredeatein Sessanta and then the Vorti; Michelin PS4 for anything vaguely fast etc) but I'm struggling here. As it's 4wd it'll be a full set that's required which is currently looking like a relatively large bill (235/55 R18). The weather at our place is dire in winter so wet performance and snow performance are important plus it gets taken places where most people decide to park and walk (access 'roads' to remote reservoirs).
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And now in the right place!
Just after some advice on if I (potentially) need to get arsey with the garage....
Van (Transit Custom) went in for service and mot a couple of weeks back. Bit more than normal but all expected - oil change, 2 x front tyres and new brake discs.
Just over a week later, and after around 50-100 miles max I came to stop at traffic lights and heard a slight crack and then the brakes were not working great. So happened it was right by the garage so took it in. They had a look around etc and didn't diagnose issue but agreed brakes were not great/something wrong. Had dogs + bunch of stuff so they suggested I drive it back home (about 2 miles) and bring back without dogs etc and leave with them. Set off and after 100yds went to brake and big crack... brake disc on front left fully shattered. Took back to garage and walked home with dogs etc.
During the week driving the van I hadn't done any heavy braking or prolonged braking. The initial crack was when the car in front got through lights and they changed on me - so heavier than normal but def not emergency stop.
Garage had van a week but not heard back yet (they are a small local garage and pretty busy + I said there was no major hurry.) My wife and mum both immediately said that they would expect the garage to cover all the costs - it was either a faulty disc or fitting fault.
Obv I'd prefer not to pay another ££, and when I hear from them they may offer to cover costs straight off. I've got v little mechanical knowledge so does it sound like the garage should cover the costs? They have been great in the past with stuff, the guy who did the work on the van lives in the same village as me - knows me enough to call me by name when we pass in street, receptionist at garage always remembers name etc so I don't want to make a fuss unless it's necessary and correct to.
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Do you know which discs they put on the van?
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No idea. I can see if it says on receipt although that's likely still in the van...
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I was just trying to establish if you've had OEM or equivalent parts or something lesser installed.
If you've got a good relationship with your garage then is the starting point simply not to ask what they think happened and then get that sense checked?
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Smells like faulty / bad parts, or incorrect fitting to me - would take a lot to break a break disc in the normal course of usage surely!
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As you've described it I'd be amazed if the garage doesn't cover the cost of rectifying that fault. If they don't then you're covered by consumer protection laws and should be clear on your rights, covered here: -
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/consumer-rights-refunds-exchange/
Sound like the work they did and/or the equipment fitted wasn't 'satisfactory quality', nor did the parts last for an 'appropriate length of time'(!).
Doubt it will come to that though.
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Just in case anybody had followed my tale of woe in January: Ford 1L Ecoboost engine with the wet belt faliure that caused an oil starvation event that ment I chose to get the engine rebult at great expense (£3500ish - was initially going to be £1500 but you know how it goes) as it was less than the cost of buying a new car; I have an update.
Well, after taking it back for a coolant fault, getting a new alternator (probably unrelated) and having the head gasket replaced (under warranty but in the garage for a month) I then had a probable though undiagnosed turbo failiure. I part exed it for £750 about 3 weeks ago and got a new (to me) car.
Based on that experience I will just buy a new car next time I have to choose between that and having the engine rebuilt. And I will never buy another Ford ever until my dying day. Not that they are all bad but fuck them for having a massive known problem with an engine that they just ignore.
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I recently bought a set of rolling tool drawers from a mobile Ford mechanic (mainly working on commercial vehicles) and we had a long chat about the EcoBoom. He was suggesting that engines produced in a certain time period were being replaced by Ford at their cost.
Your experience sounds shit and makes me very nervous about buying one in a Fiesta/Focus/Puma in the future and given the cost of the service buying one used without some very good paperwork is always going to be a gamble.
Other brands have known faults that they ignore too though. As an example my A6 (66 plate) had a gearbox ECU failure leading to a very big bill and it's rife. That gearbox is in a lot of VAG cars.
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My Octavia estate (1.6 diesel, 2012) has just been written off. I’m after something similar (big boot, economical, reliable) on a budget of about 3k. Currently looking at estate octavias, golfs, passats with the 1.6 or 1.9 diesel engine. Does anyone have any other recommendations? Thanks!
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If you're okay with non-VAG options then it might be worth considering a Mondeo estate. I've got a 2L diesel and it gets over 50mpg normally, and seen over 60mpg on a motorway with the cruise set at 65.
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I was looking for similar earlier in the year and found it quite hard going because so many of them in that price range had really high mileage. In the end I ended up with a petrol Subaru which only gets 35-40 MPG, albeit on slightly cheaper fuel, but had a good 50k less miles than the others I looked at. I did see some ok Focus estates too.
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Have a look at High Peak Autos on YouTube and see what he's stocked for that kind of money. You can see the common issues per brand. It's out of your budget but the grandad spec 4wd X Type Sovereign 3.0 V6 looks awesome. He also recently had a £1500 Volvo V50 that looked to be a lot of car for the money.
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If you're okay with non-VAG options then it might be worth considering a Mondeo estate. I've got a 2L diesel and it gets over 50mpg normally, and seen over 60mpg on a motorway with the cruise set at 65.
I get about 55mpg over the long term on my Mondeo 2L. My mileage tends to be 50:50 between congested urban commuting, and motorway journeys to climbing.
I drive quite efficiently, but with less urban driving, and a gentle right foot, you could beat 55mpg.
Mine's been reliable and economical to run. Your money buys a much better spec and/or newer/lower mileage than the VAG equivalents. When I bought mine, the same money for a Superb/Passat would have meant a lower spec, 2 years older, and 50k more on the clock.
If any Titanium X spec are available in your price range, they're very comfortable for long journeys and the heated/cooled seats and heated windscreens are nice. They don't often have low mileage but a lot of them have mostly done gentle motorway miles.
Only downside is they tend to be quite hungry on tire rubber. If you can view one on a rainy day, it's worth checking the seals around the rear windscreen and the boot door on an older model, as these can get a bit leaky with age.
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That’s helpful, thanks for the suggestions. Don’t know why I hadn’t looked at Mondeos, good shout. Definitely not wedded to VAG. High peak autos channel looks intriguing, and hadn’t even considered Subarus. Any other suggestions/recommendations welcome. Cheers.
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I know sam has just had a shitty experience with them, but our 14 plate Focus 1.9 Diesel has been hassle free since we bought it second hand about 7 years ago. Some of the elements on the heated screen have stopped working though.
Annoyance that I will soon have to make big detours to get to the climbing wall at the beach though, as it isn't compliant with the ULEZ coming into effect in Aberdeen. Having to take a longer route to where i need to go, in the name of environmentalism. Genius.
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Not sure where you live however it might be worth considering petrol options, with the different ulez zones coming into force all over the country you could well be in for additional charges with a diesel.
I wasn't looking however this came up in one of my saved searches on Auto trader only slightly over your budget:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202311194103662
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Thanks everyone for the knowledge.
The used car market seems pretty dire at the moment - the majority of private sellers seem to be on FB marketplace where every other ad is a scam, and dealer prices are crazy. Lots of options for stuff I’d like but couldn’t afford to tax, insure and put fuel in, but boring economical cars seem hard to come by. Petrol seems to attach a premium, especially for estates.
Saw some absolute stinkers (2011 Octavia with a bust turbo, bad oil pump and bad glow plugs for £3200 was a particular highlight).
Went for a 1.6 diesel Passat in the end. Hopefully it’ll last a while. It’s not euro 6, so I see some wet bike commutes in my future when the Sheffield ULEZ expands to cover private cars.
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Interesting that you had a similar experience to me. Estates seemed to be at a premium full stop I thought. Seemed expensive and with very high mileage generally. I've sold two cars on FB marketplace for good prices and bought one but its a really grim experience.
I went to look at Focus estate for £2kish with full service history from a dealer. When I got there no service history was present and the car failed to start, repeatedly. :shit:
Fingers crossed you get some good life out of the Passat until/if the ULEZ expands; is there a timeline on that?
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I didn’t look at anything other than estates to be honest, but lots of miles and more money than I’d like were a common theme. Also real dearth of private sellers. I assume this is because of we buy any car etc.
Last time I looked for cars on FB marketplace (a couple of years ago) there were definitely fewer obvious scams (copy pasted text, or the same pictures appearing in multiple ads from different sellers), but lots of people selling cars that they didn’t own, for income, posing as private sellers.
I don’t think there’s any timeline for extending the Sheffield ULEZ to private vehicles, but I remember in the run up to it being introduced lots of people saying that it was a “when”, not an “if”.
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My mum has just bought a VW Transporter from a dealer. Last night it broke down at 1am on the A1 (coolant issues) and the RAC man said he would be concerned it was the head gasket. She didn't get home till 5am.
Understandably some trust in the vehicle, which is a significant investment for her, has been shaken. My read is that since it's within 30 days of purchase, she is entitled to a refund under the 2015 Consumer Rights Act as the fault, whatever it is, would clearly have been present when she bought it 2 weeks ago.
Is there anything else people would advise quoting at the dealer from their soapbox should she decide to go down that route?
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Will try to reply later - heading out.
Suffice to say, having been through something similar a private sale (that shitty Mini I bought), and having been through court etc. I would say in the first instance:
They have the right to repair, so I would hand the car back, state that you (she) is going to reject it unless repaired to satisfactory condition (which is probably a new engine, or a major rebuild).
It's good it's a dealer - much easier if it does require further action. Right, gotta go.
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Thanks Fultonius. If you get time that would be great. I mean dealer in the sense that they sell cars for a living, not a main VW dealer.
I don't think they do have the right to repair within 30 days though from my reading?
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What was the actual issue/symptom that caused the breakdown?
Coolant issues could cover a whole range of things as simple as a hose failing. Which engine is it and what did they say regarding it being the head gasket? Personally, for the cost and added information I'd be buying a sniff test kit.
I bought a car that would traditionally have had people scream head gasket issues (white gunk on the oil cap) but was often a condensation issue on those engines when run for short periods, like at a dealer during test drives. I did make them drop the oil for me.
Edit: something like this:
https://www.drheadgasket.co.uk/bt-3-combustion-leak-tester-high-accuracy-with-filter-combustion-leak-detector-block-sniff-tester-petrol-diesel-lpg
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Don't know all the details as I wasn't there. Red coolant light came on and all the coolant had gone from the reservoir. RAC man explicitly said it wasn't a hose and did some sort of test which concluded with him saying he thought it was the head gasket but couldn't be sure. Bottom line is the vehicle isn't roadworthy I guess.
I get what you're saying and I'd prob be the same if it was mine but my mum is not mechanically minded and has lost all trust in the car (there have also been two knocking noises coming from the wheel arches which have already had to be fixed in the last 2 weeks!)
I think from my reading around its open and shut and she is entitled to a refund if she so desires under the said Act. Will be interesting to see if the dealer kicks off.
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Sorry, yes, hazy memory - 30 days and it looks like full refund is the way to go.
Given your mum's position and, no doubt, lack of interest in hassle and trying to deal with something technically challenging I would just get it delivered back to the dealer and write a letter saying you want a full refund and state you are rejecting it under the relevant act.
Yes, people like Paul might have the nouse and gumption to get a deal out of a lemon, but I considered myself fairly handy with fixing vans (had a 25yr+ T4 for 11 years and didn't most of the spanner work myself), but I still got shafted on a private sale second hand mini that died on me 2 months into ownership, with issues appearing within week.
I'd say walk away and find a better one. You don't want to go anywhere near court if you can avoid it. It's a load of hassle, time and money and even if you "win" (I did), there's no guarantee you'll get a penny). I was moderately fortunate and managed to get around £800mof the £3400 he was due me via bank arrestment, but it's a total lottery.
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It's more that I'd want the ammunition to say categorically that I think it has a head gasket problem. It sounds as if the tech might've sniff tested it already.
Given the popularity of the Transporter I can't see the garage putting up too much of a fight (let us know). They command such unreasonable prices.
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Given the popularity of the Transporter I can't see the garage putting up too much of a fight (let us know). They command such unreasonable prices.
Too right, I shit myself at every MOT that ours has a major issue, and will need replacing.
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My mum has just bought a VW Transporter from a dealer. Last night it broke down at 1am on the A1 (coolant issues) and the RAC man said he would be concerned it was the head gasket. She didn't get home till 5am.
Understandably some trust in the vehicle, which is a significant investment for her, has been shaken. My read is that since it's within 30 days of purchase, she is entitled to a refund under the 2015 Consumer Rights Act as the fault, whatever it is, would clearly have been present when she bought it 2 weeks ago.
Is there anything else people would advise quoting at the dealer from their soapbox should she decide to go down that route?
Sounds like a pretty watertight refund or repair as it's within 30 days. But failing that, if she paid by credit card for any part of the cost of the vehicle over £100 - could be £100.01p of the total cost - then she's legally covered for a refund of the total cost from the credit card company, without needing to bother with trying to claim from the dealer. The CC company will then claim their cost from the dealer. https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/section75-protect-your-purchases/
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Sounds like the dealer has grumpily agreed to a refund along the lines of 'if you don't want to give me a chance to fix it then so be it'.It may well be a perfectly good car but there just seems a bit too much gone wrong with it early doors to be confident. It was 8.5k, hardly a shed! Thats good knowledge re the credit card, I'll pass that on for future purchases, cheers.
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Sounds like best possible outcome.
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Good outcome!
£8.5k doesn’t get you much in transporterland, be looking at something written off, old or with moon mileage?
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£8.5k for a Transporter is shed money mad as that may be.
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Yeah fair comment, that is totally mental though!
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Engine warning light on Focus (some vague intermittent ABS fault according to diagnostics) and seized front brake caliper on T5, on the same day (yesterday). Should have bought a lottery ticket today..
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You're not driving the alps are you?
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Any suggestions for vans around the $5-10k mark?
Don’t mind if mileage is around 100k or so, just looking for most reliable ones…
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You're not driving the alps are you?
No, but leaving the stress of sorting them out for wife to deal with...
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The AllRoad has sh*t itself again.
It's looking like a ride height sensor but it's a reminder of the constant threat of big bills if you choose to run an older car that cost a small fortune when new... but V6 etc.
My trusted local garage closed last year which isn't ideal.
:tumble:
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I've been playing the bangernomics game for a while (for our second car anyway) and the most recent pile of shit has died.
My views on value have changed a bit, and I've decided to get something a bit nicer and more reliable. For me, peak value seems to be around 5-7 years old with 50-100k miles (10-20k per year), and no more than 2 owners. It seems this will cost around £8-12k. The car will mostly be used for going climbing, work (meetings / site inspections often a long way e.g. Stirling this week and Brighton in a couple of weeks!) and ferrying the kids around. I want an estate that's big enough to get a few pads in and is comfortable, quiet, and ideally has Android Auto for google maps.
I've always turned my nose up at the more premium cars, but I stumbled across the Audi A4 Avant 2.0 TDI and amazingly they're a similar price to Mondeos/Passats/Mazda 6's/etc., quite a bit nicer inside and extremely frugal. Perhaps they're £500-1000 more when comparing like-for-like age/mileage. After doing a bit of research, the reliability doesn't seem bad and I've found an immaculate 1 owner 2018 model with a good spec (heated leather, etc, etc) from a private seller who appears to have really taken care of it. If i'm concerend with reliability, should I forget about the Audi and buy a boring Toyota Avensis (for a similar price!), or is this still a relatively sensible choice? Of course, i'm aware that if something does go wrong, it will cost more to fix and with modern diesels there's always going to be some element of luck.
Paul B's post is worrying, but i'm definitely not looking at a 4 wheel drive V6 here!
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It's the same TDI engine across the VAG group cars regardless so you're not going to get better reliability out of a Golf/Passat/Octavia/A4 etc.
You can get some amazingly well equipped Superb Estates (not that I've been looking.. :tumble:). During the pandemic a client insisted I was needed on site for a meeting at the far end of Cornwall (from the NW). I drove the A6 down by myself and it was a dream on that kind of journey (auto, air suspension, V6 and a very nice cabin).
Look into the gearbox issues if you're going automatic (the gearbox ECU likes to fail and damage ensues; this is not cheap to fix). This happens on a range of VAG boxes including the 7 speed slush box (I had this) and the DSGs too.
Peewee's Avensis (07?) which he recently swapped for a '14 plate 520d Touring was bulletproof after a fair chunk of miles and was pretty well equipped. He'd recently fitted an AA head unit that looked factory for not much money.
I can fault scan the Audi using a Carista dongle and a free app (ELM Car Scanner). If you're ok with tech it seems like a bargain for £20-30.
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I've got a 2007 Audi 2.0TDi, doubt it's the same engine but had no problems despite it never sounding great. The DMF and/or clutch have been a common failure point, Jim's A4 DMF failed as we arrived in Font which was a fucking pain, I'm on my third clutch at 160K and wheel bearings are going one by one. Other issue is fault sensors which seem to have generally shorter lifespan than the part they sense, while there are no sensors on important bits like the clutch/ DMF. Still feels premium and I still enjoy driving it, cab is great and overall would recommend, looking at replacing with same or A4 avant. A4 might be a bit smaller in boot and back than your alternatives? Cheapest of the premium saloons I think (maybe Lexus?) but I see no advantages in a BMW or Merc.
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Engine warning light on Focus (some vague intermittent ABS fault according to diagnostics) and seized front brake caliper on T5, on the same day (yesterday). Should have bought a lottery ticket today..
Then guy pointed out while fixing the caliper that there is a knocking coming from flywheel and should probably replace assembly. Cue another big bill. Hopefully that's it for now...
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My 2007 A4 3.0 Tdi required new intake manifold flaps at 57k miles, at great expense. It was a good car for munching up the motorway miles, pretty efficient and could do London to Leeds and back without refuelling. Room in the boot for a couple of pads. The 2013 petrol Q3 which replaced it has been OK on the whole, other than a minor meltdown caused by a failed ABS sensor.
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A mate ran his Toyota hatchback to >250k miles, doing around 20–30k/year. It was held together with bits of gaffa tape in the end.
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I think I've said it here before but last time I had a courtesy car from a garage in Clitheroe it was a 1.9TDI Passat with 440k miles on the clock (that had previously belonged to a customer).
The engine felt surprisingly good, the exterior wasn't bad but the interior was hilarious as all of the symbols had worn off the buttons. I think it died a year or so after.
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A mate ran his Toyota hatchback to >250k miles, doing around 20–30k/year. It was held together with bits of gaffa tape in the end.
My dad had a Toyota Camry that managed similar, it was in SA, so long distance miles and dry climate though.
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Any tips on knowing if a car battery is fucked? I went to move my mums car last night snd the breaks were seized (apparently it happens a lot). Anyway, my van was behind it so I couldn’t reverse to unstick them, so waited until today and now the battery is dead.
It’s an old 45Ah Halfords battery (it is filthy) and down to 7.0V
Is there a way to know whether to just replace it, or if jump starting it would do the trick? She is away for another week and I wouldn’t drive her car.
I’m tempted to just fit her a new one so it is all sorted, but if it isn't completely dead then I would jump charge and take it for a drive.
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What type of battery is it (/car)? Stop/start systems use AGM type and people seem to overlook this. If it's not charging to about 12.6-12.7v I'd say you have an issue. It should be 14.4v ish during charging.
If you've got a decent trickle charger you can 'recondition' batteries although I've read it's a bit of a nonsense. I have an Einhell charger but Ctek seem to be the best recommended brand.
Again, you can monitor voltage during drives with a cheap OBD dongle to check your alternator etc. is performing correctly. I should say my Audi's battery (BIG AGM) was a bit problematic when we first got it as we didn't use the car all that much and I regularly had to trickle charge it during very cold spells. It's now not an issue (runs off to touch something wooden...).
This is my charger:
https://www.einhell.co.uk/p/1002225-ce-bc-4-m/
The benefits of the Ctek are I believe that some of them have the ability to wire up their connection points into accessible places which can be useful if you have a classic or something that sits for long periods of time. My Dad's TT which he garaged for winter was a bit of a pain for this. Mine goes on the jump points under the bonnet and I can route it out via the panel gaps around the headlight! ::)
https://www.ctek.com/uk/battery-chargers-12v-24v/mxs-3-8-uk
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It is this one. I am guessing just a standard Lead Acid? It is just used in a normal 15 year old petrol car, not a stop start one.
(https://i.ibb.co/JcdmsSb/3b88b825-af63-411e-a860-bdaf9fd16c9f.jpg) (https://ibb.co/3Ts4CP8)
When you say it should charge at 14.4V, would that be off the alternator if I jump started it from another car?
I think I can pick up a battery for under £80 so I am tempted to just replace it (though the charger could be useful for our other vehicles so maybe it is worth getting one and trying…)
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Battery of that size should be available for £50ish, try eurocarparts, local motor factors. Tbh at that age I would just replace rather than trying to trickle charge back to condition. 7 volts is very low and I would expect to have to replace batteries every 5-8ish years anyway.
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Just check it's the correct size for the car. The air box for my T4 was over the battery and the previous owner said it was recently replaced when I bought it. I didn't check and when things got cold I was struggling to start it (I was bumping it daily). Finally I took the air box off and the battery tray was massive and the battery was not (insufficient CCA). Yours at least looks physically correct in size but Halfords never inspires confidence so check what the manufacturer requires.
I meant with your car running, it'll be putting 14.4v to your battery. You can measure this with a multimeter if you have one. Why not just jump it/bump it and see if there's a problem after a long drive?
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I think I can pick up a battery for under £80 so I am tempted to just replace it (though the charger could be useful for our other vehicles so maybe it is worth getting one and trying…)
I used GSF car parts in Skipton for a battery before, they have a reg checker thing on their site to make sure you get the right battery.
https://www.gsfcarparts.com/
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It’s not my car (it’s my mum’s) and i won’t get chance to have a long drive whilst visiting. They are on holiday so it was more to make sure it’s working when she gets home.
I’ll try and jump start and see how it is charging. If it doesn’t work I’ll just sort out a new one so it is sorted for when she gets back home. I feel guilty that it went when it was me trying to move it!
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At 7v the battery will now be fucked even if it wasn't fucked before. Might be possible to revive it but it won't hold charge and will eventually die promptly for good, leaving her stranded in the worst case scenario.
Wet lead acid batteries also need topping up water and that looks like it's never had a top up, so would be another nail in the coffin. Might want to get a sealed lead acid instead (EFB,AGM, etc) for ease/lack of maintenance.
Paul's tip to check and make sure the alternator is charging is a good call. With a battery in good nick and not fully emptied out the voltage should read between 13.8 and 14.4 when running the engine as he mentions, depending how much charge is on it, but it won't be anywhere close to that with a battery at 7v until you got a fair bit of charge on it.
Best place to get batteries is Tayna https://www.tayna.co.uk/
Edit: And a top tip. When you buy a new battery (or get it delivered) check the mfg date and charge. Any older than 6 months, or lower voltage than 12.4v, reject it
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I've emailed you James in case you want to borrow the charger. I'm not here as of Monday but my wife is and I can easily leave it with a neighbour or somewhere secure.
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Thanks Paul, I really appreciate the offer but I’m visiting their house in Cumbria rather than at home in Skipton, so a bit far this time.
There’s a garage down the road which has them in stock for £80 so I’ll just sort a new one out as it would be a pain for her if it went again.
And thanks for the additional info Lopez, very useful to know!
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On her breaks, she always parks in gear without the handbrake on if she is leaving the car for more than a few days.
Though this time they have stuck anyway.
She was told it would be a massive job to fix. Is this really the case? It seems annoying to me and something I would try to sort out…
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Depends what's stuck? It's labour intensive rebuilding calipers (watch M539 do it if you've got the time). You could try a can of Holts!
I've had the parking brake fail on my E46 at Manchester Airport from a cracked shoe. Likewise, my Dad needed two calipers rebuilding when he wintered his TT in my garage.
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Brake calipers are actually some of the simplest and most straightforward repairs/rebuilds you can do on a car.
It's just a lump of cast iron or aluminium, with 1 moving part (piston) which is connected to the bracket wth 2 sliding pins so the caliper can move.
If it's seized it's because one of those 2 things (piston or sliding pins) are not moving freely. If the parking brake is cable operated sometimes the problem could be a frayed cable, but sems not to be the case here.
Very easy to remove the caliper to check the pins. Remove wheel, disconnect hoses/cables from whatever fixing brackets there are (just to get more movement. No need to disconnect from caliper), undo brake fluid reservoir cap (don't leave it open too long. It absorbs moisture from the air and gets f*cked), use a screwdriver between pads and disc to compress piston and get some clearance, close reservoir cap.
Now just remove two rubber caps at the back of the caliper, that give you access to the pins. The pins come out with an allen key through the hole the caps were protecting. Unscrew the pins out, and the caliper can come out with a bit of wiggling.
Now just reinsert the pins in the caliper and check if they move freely by hand. They go into rubber bushings which chances are will be dried and perished preventing free movement. (Replace rubber bushings, clean pins, and reinsert them with a load of lube. Job done)
Check the rubber boot on the piston. If it's cracked, ripped or perished chances are the piston is full of crap inside and rusty, preventing free movement.
Removing/replacing the piston is a little more involved but it only takes 5 minutes. Plenty videos around or we can run you through it if you want to go that way. Only thing with that is the brake fluid will need filling, bleeding and flushing, which is not a bad thing and should be done every 2 years at most anyway. (Absorbs moisture and gest f*cked, etc) but needs a bleeder ideally (cheap).
Rebuild kits can be bought everywhere and are cheap.They can be a basic kit of just gaskets, sliding pins rubber bushings, red grease to lubricate them, caps, etc. Or you can get them with new pistons as well. These guys are the go to for kits and they also have an ebay shop https://www.biggred.co.uk/
What i do with all my cars, i buy used calipers on ebay for peanuts. Rebuild them, and then do a straight swap. And so other than not having the car unavailable while rebuilding (i take the chance to paint them) i also have a second set ready at all times.
Some cars need a piston winding tool for the rears. If you want, i got one one i've been trying to get rid of for years that you can have