January 2007
Had a look at one of these in showroom today, it was a specced up 2 litre with tan leather etc and looked stunning. At £20000 it looks like relatively good value ,but as we know,a £20000 mondeo, for example, will lose about 60-70% of its value in the first year. Would the Focus cab be any different or will Ford limit its availability to try and keep its value up,like the VW Eos,where used ones are dearer than new? Any thoughts?
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I am thinking of buying a Nissan 1996 ELGRAND MPV 3.2 TD Imported from Japan with a BITMA Certificate.... comments please! Read more
Never seen one on the road but there is a Black one for sale near Warrington that would make an excellent hearse (with the seats removed.
We are thinking of buying one. It is is for semi-rural driving, max. 6,000 mls/yr, to keep 5 yrs max.
Should we be overly worried by absence of airbags?
Opinions on any aspect of car (reliability, driving in snow, etc.) most welcome. Read more
I hired one of these in Crete last year . It only had about 6000 k on the clock and I was pleasantly surprised with the comfortable ride and I am fairly sure that it had airbags .
It was also a very competent performer in 4wd when climbing up and down some very steep stony and rutted tracks to a retreat in the mountains near to the Samaria Gorge although that was with only two up.
Room in the back is limited.
I have hired the older Jimnys in Kefalonia and they were a bit basic but still tremendous fun to drive off road. No idea how they perform in snow.
The scenario is:-
My Father, due to a medical matter, is having to change from a manual to an automatic. He currently drives an X-Type diesel which he is very, very happy with, budget is about 7-8k. Due to now limited mobility the mileage he will be doing is low, but he does not want to buy a 2nd hand starship!!! so either petrol or diesel will be considered - apart from another X-type (which is what I suspect he will get) what else is there! Mondeo's and Vectra type cars need not apply, no matter how good they are (yes I know the Jag is a glorified mondeo, but he doesn't) He is a badge snob. I would also like some suggestions on cars that have a high seating position, making it easier to get in and out of, but that is not an MPV.
Away you go then, lets have the suggestions.
Ta in advance. Read more
To update on this thread, He has now conceded that he has to be practical!! Has also been given DLA which means he can get a car on Motability. As a result he has ruled out Subaru as they do not do Motability and back not big enough for his chair, seems to have narrowed the search down to 2 at the moment. The Renault Grand Scenic and the Citroen C4 Picasso Grande.
I think the Citroen is a better looking car and probably more reliable. He would be able to get the wheelchair hoist in both and his electric chair will fit in the back of both. Only struggling point at the moment is neither come with an electric sliding drivers seat which he could really do with. The C4 can have it as an option with the leather pack at £1800, but as it wont be his he will be paying that out of his own pocket and would not see a return.
So 2 questions really.
1. Anyone know of any companies that will fit an electric seat motor?
2. Have any BR's got a C4 or can comment on the reliability? (yes I know it is leased and therefore not a real worry, but don't want it braking down every 5 minutes either)
I am looking to but a W X or Y reg primera diesel. Does anyone have any experience of these. Are the the new common rail type or the older ones?
Does anyone have any power or performance figures fir this model?
Thanks in advance
xf8u Read more
I ended up with a VAG PD diesel - so far,
very good.
Would be my pick as well.
Hi. My 2001 VW Passat tdi has developed a rattle in the nearside front wheel or suspension. The odd thing is that it only does it at low speed for a second or two, like when I pull away from lights, or pull out of a side-road. Fine when cruising. Turning steering wheel doesn't make it better or worse. Sounds like a loose wheel but isn't. Is it the drive-shaft? Has been going on for couple of months, doesn't seem to get worse. Help! Read more
Hi. No, the rattle doesn't happen in time with wheels' revolutions, it's just a rattle for a second or two, no longer, and always happens when pulling away, for example in second gear, but disappears every time when revs pick up and cannot be heard at all at speed or in third fourth or fifth. It sounds exactly like a loose wheel, like the wheel isn't tightened up properly. Guess I'll have to bite the bullet and spend some money.
I'm considering changing my Audi A4 Cabriolet, but have been advised that the car would fetch a higher price if I waited until Spring. Is the case, or would I be better selling now (with a slightly lower mileage on the vehicle)? Read more
TOO LATE!!
Mrs V had her top off again today (on the Mx5) & the crocus & snowdrops are out too!!
VB
Golf MKIII ABS 1.8 single wire O" sensors. It is cycling but 0.2 to 0.7 volts whilst in circuit. I was expecting 0.1 to 0.9 at least. Any ideas the data book does not define the scale of the display. Regards Peter Read more
It might be worth a clean of the insides of the throttle body and edge of the butterfly valve, as these can get gummed up and not "open" cleanly when expected to.
Hi there ?.
I?m after a ?cheap? new/newly-new car which was designed in the nineties with technology from the eighties- ish! My husband bemoans the advances in technology in newer cars as he?s unable to ?fix? these. I know that Dawoo (have I spelt that right?) used to produced warmed-up ancient Vauxhalls but is there any other manufacturer offering the same today? We?re not bothered about badge status, colour or origin ? we?re just after a car with all the complexity of a knife and fork. Someone has pointed me in the direction of a Rover 214 ? but all ideas and suggestions are awaited with interest. Our previously loyal old cars are now dead and dying ?. Help!
Thanks!
Deb
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RE THE SUGGESTION FOR A KA .....
Is there much difference between the 'new' post '02 ka and the original. I know one has slightly higher HP but didn't know whether this made the two materially different in terms of DIY servicing?
Thanks ... discussion has been useful!
D
I'd be interested in others BR'ers opinion on a warranty claim I'm currently pursuing. (sorry, this is a bit long!)
I've had a niggly problem with the automatic shift smoothness on my c270 cdi since I bought it under approved used warranty from a Mercedes dealer last year. Basically, when the engine's cold it's 'jerky' from 1st-2nd for the first few miles or 10 mins running. So much so, that I prefer the 'winter' mode i.e. it starts off in 2nd from a standstill.
I mentioned this first to the supplying dealer soon after I bought the car (they're 280 miles away btw) but didn't worry too much, since I thought any problems would be sorted at next service under warranty & I actually prefer the 'winter' mode change anyway.
At the next scheduled B-service (cost £500 ), my local Mercedes dealer replaced a sender unit of some kind, and said it was a common/known problem(under warranty) - well, it didn't fix it. Again, I wasn't too bothered or too keen to have the vehicle away again for 'observation'.
Up to date now: The car broke down a couple of weeks ago, it was fixed under the 'Mobilo' scheme (very well as it happens - bad electronic ignition was the cause) , at the same time I asked the dealer (the B-service one ) to finally fix the 'jerky' gearbox problem - before the warranty expires at start of February. Well, they found the problem - it's apparently a software upgrade or re-flash that's required, so no actual 'mechanical' part was broken.
I checked with the Mercedes Warranty adminstration & was informed the cost would not be covered - as it's deemed an 'adjustment' or upgrade & not a mechanical failure. Of course, I suggested that the car works as a whole & whether the problem is software or hardware related, it manifests itself as a fault - so should be covered (in spirit!) by the warranty .
I'm currently talking to the original (280 miles away one) supplying dealer as well to get their POV
thoughts?
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>>Are you 100% sure they have applied the software upgrade?
I'm pretty sure - if 'upgrade' means more keen to drop a gear when overtaking etc., it certainly feels different in its changing regime (problem aside)
What you say Aprilia, makes sense, even though I'm not a mechanic. (although I'm a species of engineer)
From what I can tell, they're following a problen diagnostic flowchart (they showed it to me) - it looks just likes the flows I work from in my line - decision boxes, with alternative 'fixes' etc. flowing down to a big box saying 'change gearbox' at the end.
I've been (hopefully) as explicit & informative as I could have been in the symptom list I presented with - they've also experienced it independently themselves. I'll gently mention the logic flow you outline to them - maybe they're slavishly following the flowchart more than engaging the brain - I spoke to the (very) young mechanic himself - maybe experience tells in these tricky cases.
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A £16k (list) car for £8k is rather different than a £21k (list) car for £6k or £7k.