December 2003
Wife's Focus, 3 yrs old, 26K miles has started making a whining noise from the rear end. This rises and decreases in volume with road wheel speed. I've checked under car for trapped debris / loose lines etc. to no avail. I've come to the conclusion it's likely to be one / both rear wheel bearings. Is 26K miles par for the course with a Focus ? Is it as easy a job as it used to be on Escorts/Fiesta which I've done several times before ?? Thanks. Read more
VW Passat 95 N
My headlights have clip-on plastic protectors fitted by the previous owner.
One has broken - must have happened last night coming back from Scotland down the east coast running ahead of the snow.
Anyone know where they can be purchased?
Who makes them?
Thanks Read more
If they are Smoothy Light Guards by Signam then go to
www.signam.co.uk/Guard.Car.asp
or your local Halfords
Anyone got any personal views/preferences on the Jaguar X-type?
After drawing up a shortlist of cars in this class, I originally thought an IS Lexus would be a good idea. However, due to fidgety ride and the fact that an all new model arrives in 2005 thought I ought to consider the small Jag.
Thoughts on reliability etc. much appreciated. I think the 2.5 SE Auto would be the best all-rounder for my needs.
Thanks. Read more
"I bought the X Type, at 61 years of age,"
Speaks volumes for the reliability anyway!!(Sorry!)
Have passed several gritters over the weekend as I've travelled around on the motorways, and was wondering if you can actually claim compensation from anyone for paitwork or glass chipped as a result of these gritters throwing out thousands of 'missiles' per minute? I have no chips, it's just a point of curiosity. Read more
I've been overtaken by a gritter whilst riding a bicycle when
weearing shorts.
I bet you grit your teeth as it passes you!!
--
L'escargot by name, but not by nature.
Had the misfortune to drive to London on Thursday. 3 hours to get from Manchester to the North Circular, and a further hour to do the last few miles to Shepherds Bush. The following day I had to go to Brighton. 1 hr 23 mins to do get to Kingston, 16 miles from starting point, and 3 hours overall to get to Brighton. It only took 3 1/2 hours to do Brighton to Manchester, at 1am.
I could never live there. Read more
pdc,
The average speed of traffic in London is 9mph so your journeys were about par. The congestion charge in Central London has increased traffic on the outskirts, although not a great deal.
Presumably you came down M1 to the North Circular? - That stretch of the dreaded A406 is horrible. Should you ever do the journey(Manchester - Shepherds Bush) again you would be much better off coming down the M40/A40 which takes you just North of your destination.
There is no easy route from Shepherds Bush to Brighton through SW London. I would be tempted to go A4/M4 to M25.
Commiserations
C
Daughter's car (Fiesta) failed it's MOT on Saturday at a national chain.
It failed on "offside front lower arm rear bush worn to excess" and the corresponding tyre being very bald on the inner edge only. Tester said that the wear on the bush may have caused the wear to the tyre.
Q1. Is this likely? Or should I be looking further (tracking?). They fitted the arm for £84 and re-tested but didn't track it. (They charge £17 to track, which seemed a lot to my daughter and me).
Q2. I wasn't charged for the retest. Same station, same day. I presume if I'd taken it away to get retested somewhere else (having taken corrective actions) I'd have been charged retest fee?
Additional info: the testing station were prepared to swap just one tyre on the front, despite the other being quite low. £38 for a "budget" tyre. So I took it to nearby CostCo and had two replaced for £34, and that included balancing, and putting new tyres on rear and rears onto front! Read more
Q2. I wasn't charged for the retest. Same station, same day. I presume if I'd taken it away to get retested somewhere else (having taken corrective actions) I'd have been charged retest fee?
You'd have been charged a full test fee and been given a full test.
Well the forcast is for snow today and the moment I see a snowflake fall I am off home, as I don't fancy my chance with those who can barely drive in clear summers day conditions. Read more
;-)
Just been that busy over the past 3 weeks (sadly following the Human League 2000 miles around the country) that haven't had time to post. But those 2000 miles have been quite an eye opener.
Well, as the title says, has anyone used this place to buy a car??
They are offering 25.5% off New unregistered UK supplied Mondeos, making a 2.0 TDCi Ghia X Estate £16600 (Saving £5800), Although options are full price, just wondered if anyone has used them? My only concern is that you pay the initial £500 to them, then the rest to the UK suppling dealer.
Drivethedeal.com on the other had are offering about £3000 off the same model, but also offer the same discount (12.5% I think) on all options, and you pay all your money to the UK suppling dealer....
Obviously the 2nd option is the savest, but £5800 discount is alot!!!
Neil T
SEAT Leon TDi 150, Toledo 20VT Sport, Various Montegos... Read more
That would put me off.
I've no problem with a pre-registered car but I would want the papers in my hands when I part with the money.
Who is the first registered keeper, anyway?
Anyone know what cars do & don't meet the forthcoming 2005 regs ?
Seems to me manufacturers of current models are keeping VERY quiet about this, as I presume quite a few cars are going to have updated engines - the VW 1.9tdi 90/100bhp for starters to the 105bhp job in the Golf V..... Read more
I drive a 1997 323i Automatic. Recently, on returning from a 250 mile round trip i noticed a scraping noise coming from the front of the car. I assumed the under tray had come off and was dragging on the road; however this was not the case. The noise seems to occur when the engine revs beyond, or drops below 2250, revs or there abouts. Any ideas?? This noise occurs even when i hold it in second gear so have ruled out the clutch or gearbox as being at fault. Read more
Err, i see what you mean. Initially there was a scraping sound which occurred at low revs at a particular point in the rev range (between 1500 and 2000 revs). Subsequently, i have also noticed a vibration coming from low down/ possibly in front of the cabin when stationary with engine running. Thanks.
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You would be well advised to replace the other side.It is normal practice.And save you the £8