August 2006
Does anyone know the fitting time to replace a cambelt on an ECR33 2.5 GTS Turbo Skyline? Thanks in advance. Read more
My brother needs a minimum 6 seat people carrier and has an absolute max of £7k budget.
It will be for a mix of adults and kids so small rear seats are not a problem.
He wants at least some boot space when fully laden with people and for this reason he has rejected the Zafira.
He has come to me for advice about what shortlist to build up.
I would have thought Galaxy / Alhambra / Multipla would do it, but what about others? Remember the budget as well.
Are there any estate cars within his financial reach that have the 'drop down extra seats in the boot' arrangement? I have seen this on older Volvo's and E class Mercs but what others? Can they be retro fitted to other cars for example?
The Multipla seems to be a very good compromise (despite its width being a bit of an issue in parking bays) but are they reliable?
His mileage will not be high therefore Petrol seems to be sensible due to the normally lower value of the cars.
His wife would prefer an Auto but they are happy with a manual if need be.
Any advice and recommendations?
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I need a couple of new tyres. My intention is to only replace the fronts (RWD car). The front and back are different sizes so switching stuff around is not an option, and there is loads of tread on the back.
I need two tyres which are 245/35 on 18" rims. Noise is not really an issue, or rather it would be but it'll be drowned out; grip is important, especially in the wet; longevity would be nice but not the most important.
Any particular recommendations ? Its got Dunlop something or others at the moment which seem ok, but not outstanding - its got the same model on the back and without the traction control I suspect that it would break away quite a lot.
M. Read more
Check your handbook/build-sheet first.
The standard fit AMG are 225/40 R18 front, 255/35 R18 rear.
Whatever the sizes, I'd stick with the OEM boots unless there's a good reason to change.
Kevin...
Automatics will only start in Park or Neutral ......
I know Park "Locks" the transmission - I am not sure how, but is it better for the car to start in Park, or move it into Neutral then fire the engine ?
Or does it not matter ?
I am assuming the car is parked with the handbrake on and stationary........
In a manual I always dip the clutch in neutral, so not spinning the gearbox when starting to save motor/battery.
In autos so far I have always started them in park, to no ill effect so far. Never yet stalled one, so never had to start on the go in neutral.
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You do know that in the eternal after life people are pets to dogs?
Anyway, When I have had and drive autos, the car was always left in park and got started in park. Foot on foot brake and a shift into chosen direction and off we jolywell.
See the thing about braking with your right foot with an auto is that there is no spare foot to accidently accelerate with.,
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
My 2003 2.0 20v (Audi branded) engine is munching oil and coolant, but there are no leaks and no sign or oil in water or water in the oil and no signs of any leaks - it's done 45K and has been serviced to the letter by VW (4 times). It's needed 4 litres of oil in the last 5,000 miles - despite using none in the first 40K and it's needed the coolant topping up a dozen times this year (and was topped up on Saturday and is already flashing up as low coolant (and has had a new radiator as a precaution (that's not leaking either from it or any joints (it's been fully pressure tested before and after)).
Any ideas where it's going - my thoughts are that there's only one place it can be going - into the engine and out the exhaust (though there's neither smoke nor any smells). I presume this is terminal for the engine and given VW's previous approach to problems with the car (don't want to know even when it's blatantly their fault by crap servicing (not worth going into here)) there will be no chance of a replacement from VW when it fails, so it's time to trade it out.
thanks
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I would take it to MoT station and let them 'sniff' the header tank for hydrocarbons. If water is not leaking out anywhere external then it must be going into the engine. It could be a small crack that is opening up only under heat and pressure.
Good morning fellow grease monkeys.
My 1999 Primera has discs all round and 54k on the clock. It has recently developed a slight kick in the brake pedal as the car comes to a stop. It is not bad but is noisy and irritating.
Having taken advice I have changed all 4 discs and pads but it still the same. I now suspect that it is the ABS system which thinks one of the wheels is locking up and so kicks back.
Do you think this could be the case and if so how do I find out which wheel is affected ?
Is this a" clean up" job or will I need to change the faulty sensor ? Do they come out or self destruct when they see the spanners ?
I would rather buy one sensor than four - as a Yorkshireman Im still moaning after buying the discs and pads !!!!!
(Its not totally true that a Yorkshireman is like a Scotsman with the charity beaten out of him.)
Thanks in anticipation.
Mike
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Aprilia,
You were 100% correct - even to identifying which wheel - it was the nearside ring which has a small crack so I can now get on with fixing it. I suppose the nearside one picks up more salt, debris and water than the offside one. Thanks for the advice.
Mike
My car was 1st registered on 29th Sept. 2003 and therefore not due it's first MOT until next month . Oddly? the RFL is due to expire at the end of this month however. Given the proximity of the MOT requirement, will I be able to obtain a new tax disc without having an MOT certificate?
Cheers. Read more
The back of the renewal form says MOT and Insurance "must be valid on the date the license comes into force".
p.s. the MOT price increase isn't a "consultation document" any more - it seems.
I have an X reg focus. Just lately the dials will flicker the engine managment light will come on and the dashboard lights go blank so I can't see the milage. I stop the car, turn off engine and wait a couple of minutes. Switch engine on and everything is fine for 30 or 40 miles then it does it again. Been to 4 different garages who have said that the car is fine we cannot find any fault. Can anyone help?
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www.3.8mustang.com/forum/showthread.php?t=55313
Same fault on a Ford Mustang, same meaasage and it's all explained.
Vauxhall astra 1998, 60,000m, intermitent stalling at junctions, on slowing when foot off gas. etc. Otherwise runs fine. Tickover at about 850rpm. been serviced and nothing detected by plug in fault reader. any thoughts as to where to start? Many thanks.
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Although, this is for a 2.0 litre 16valve engine - may give you an idea
I *think* it's the same.
Some more info in this previous thread of mine as well.
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?v=e&t=39...4
Reuters: Inventor turns dead cats into diesel
A German inventor says he's found a way to make cheap diesel fuel out of dead cats.
Dr Christian Koch, 55, from Kleinhartmannsdorf, said his method uses old tyres, weeds and animal cadavers.
They are heated up to 300 Celsius to filter out hydrocarbon which is then turned into diesel by a catalytic converter.
He said the resulting "high quality bio-diesel" costs just 15 pence per litre.
Koch said the cadaver of a fully grown cat can produce 2.5 litres of fuel - meaning around 20 cats are needed for a full tank. He said: "I tank my car with my own diesel mixture and have driven it for 105,000 miles without any problems."
Annelise Krauss of the Dresden Animal Protection Association blasted Koch's new diesel though, saying: "This is as bad as experimenting on animals." Read more
Sorry DD, no offence. Well done Armitage one can't help thinking... perhaps I should try harder to be offensive.
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I had 3 Renault Espace's, before buying a New 'P' Peugeot 806, loved it, sliding doors at the back, great for getting kids in and out safely, and on the model I had electrically operated wing mirrors, saved losing them on a few occasions. Kept it for 160k miles before it started becoming a money pit.
Then returned to an Espace, because of higher spec and safety features, unfortunately read previous postings for unrelaibility problems I've had with mine
For that budget probably best to look for a Honda or you might get lucky with a Pug.