July 2007
One of my neighbours was in the car with his girfriend when she turned right across the front of one of a pair of motorcyclists on an open country road. The motorcyclist lost control of his bike and slid into the front wing of neighbour's car and survived with a broken leg and severe bruising. The motorcyclist says there was no indication; girfriend says she checked her mirrors and did indicate, but because of a bend in the road and the speed he was travelling, he had no chance of avoiding her car. Why didn't the motorcyclist pass down the left of her car? Why did he choose to overtake a right-turning car? Why did girlfriend (with a spotless driving record for 20 years) pull across in front of the motorcyclist?
Many of these questions would be answered if the car and bike had "black box" recorders in them. So how much would they cost? Would backroomers like them in their cars or not? Will they appear in the future?
Hawkeye
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Stranger in a strange land Read more
Avon and Somerset Police are mounting an anti drink-driving campaign throughout the summer............ roadside checks would be carried out at known hotspots .......
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bristol/6921358.stm Read more
And stop bothering the grownups.
Yes, young man!
ô? That's ALT 0244
--
e Prôf - Another Recycled Teenager
I was wondering do the newer shape focus car mats fit my older 1999 focus? or have the focus's (mk2, mk3) have different car mat sizes? anyone know the answer? Read more
I always found with previous Fords that the genuine parts were excellent and not too expensive...
I have ditched the verdant pennant insurance because of cost and I have just taken out annual breakdown cover with Europ Assistance via QuotelineDirect for £59. Pretty good - it gives UK assistance at home, recovery etc. It also covers European motoring for up to 90 days as long as each trip does not exceed 21 days.
A tiny catch which does not affect me, but might be critical to some at this time of year: European cover does not start until 10 days into the policy. So take it out nice and early. Read more
My Peugeot 306 is 10 years old. These breakdown insurers want your confirmation that the car is less than 20 years old, so you are OK on that front. They are a bit picky about servicing though - e.g. they won't cover "worn friction material" i.e. clutch plates and brake pads unless you have had the car serviced "in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations".
They say that's the reason for the 10 day delay - supposedly it gives you time to get it ready for the trip!
Otherwise it seems very good value. It's cheaper for me than Green Flag for the UK alone.
I thought traffic officers (not the real police) were supposed to help with clearing incidents/holdups etc . . . . .
M 40 last night. I was northbound, one accident just north of Marlow - 2 mile queue. In the queue was sat a highways Agency 4x4 patiently waiting with everyone else. Only a 2 mile queue because . . . . .
Just a few miles up the road was another southbound accident - 5 mile queue this time.
So what were the highways officers doing?
Suggestions . . . . . (btw: I haven't a clue what they were doing). Read more
>>>the annoying thing is they cant nick the pink fluffy dice who decide that the hard
shoulder is a personal lane in the event of holdups.<<<
They can't!
They can't nick them but they can stop on the hard shoulder and block it just before a slip road, and have a "chat" with offending drivers (and looked like they were taking reg. numbers to pass on to police?). It appeared the lane 1 drivers were quite reluctant to let these people back in!
I saw this being done on the M1 just after the Traffic Officers first became operational, but not seen it again on any recent hold ups.
I just love my new CRV except...... The amount of oil it uses.
In the hand book it says 625 miles to a litre and at £10 a litre makes this expensive motoring.
I spoke to Honda and they said "didn't they tell you about this before you bought it" .....NO they didn't.
My last 2 litre diesel Hdi went between 12000 mile services without even topping up.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
{Subject header elaborated on to include the problem - DD} Read more
After all the engine has had an unofficial 4 oil changes in the `extended service interval`.
I thought that when I read the OP too.
However I've run several company Peugeots with 20K service intervals that haven't needed any oil (ran one to 120K miles) and my current Merc did 18500mls to its first service and I only added 0.5L (and it didn't really need that - it only asks for oil if the level drops by 1L).
Following on from the "Dealer attempted rip-off or fraud?" thread, my question is about servicing. As soon as the car is out of warranty, why take it for a regular service? Let me clarify, I would always recommend an oil and filter change when due, but you can get that done at most quick fit places for around £20 - £30, air filter once a year, brakes obviously need to be checked but these can be checked every 6 months or so, depending on mileage done each month, when the oil filter is done. I'm not saying that this 'schedule' must be followed but taking your car to a main dealer for servicing seems expensive when I can only think that they 'suggest' to change parts when really they have a few more months or 1000's of miles left on them? The only reason I can think of taking it for a regular service is that it may stop your car from breaking down, but hey, a car regularly serviced can breakdown just as much (I've had such an experience) . I'm thinking how much money can be saved by not regularly servicing against getting work done as and when needed instead of being replaced ints nearly nearly broken/worn out? I'm not condoning servicing or non servicing, but I know people who regularly get their cars serviced and people who don't and in my opinion neither have any more trouble with their cars than the other?
Personal experience, bought a 5 series from an indie I sued when I lived up north (Stoke On trent), but when I moved down to the south west I took my 5 series to a main dealer for a service who recommended £1000 worth of repairs, I promptly drove the car back up north to get the car assessed and repaired at my trusted indie, however the indie recommended not doing any of the work 'at the moment'. One of the repairs was to do with a bearing on the cooling fan/area, and now my dad has the car, still hasnt broken or been replaced 6 years since the main dealer recommended the change.
Thoughts anyone?
{Typo in header amended - DD} Read more
>>The other point (that my wife made the other day) is that we've not had a "mechanical" based breakdown since I started having cars serviced rather than repaired.
Lucky you. Parts can fracture unexpectedly. Alternators and starter motors can fail with no warning. Coolant pipes can spring leaks. etc. etc. etc.
Regular servicing can have little impact on such failures. You wouldn't replace a head gasket on a Rover annually, would you?
On the other hand, poor starting in winter can be rectified with new 'plugs etc. etc.
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The above should not be construed as a recommendation or advice. Be
Hi Folks,
Hi I have a Peugeot 92' 1.8 Turbo Diesel. Could you help me, I need to drain the water system entirely for an antifreeze change. The radiator is the easy bit. When I need to be underneath the engine to empty the block, if say I'm sitting underneath facing upwards with my legs facing outwards and in front of the car where do I find the bolt/grub screw ??
Many thanks in advance.....................Lills
Subject line tweaked - PU Read more
My Astra 1.8 is suffering intermittent starting problems. Sometimes it starts first time no problem but occasionally the engine turns over for a few seconds before firing. It has never failed to start but can be quite frustrating. I have been told by a well meaning colleague that it may be the cam sensor needs adjusting. The vehicle has had a top end rebuild and seems to have started this problem. Any thoughts.
{Subject header amended to make less vague - DD} Read more
Also check the earth to the coil pack - if need be, run a new one directly to the battery earth, it isn't a long cable run.
Number_Cruncher
(The title doesn't tell us what the thread is about, but in this case Nsar can be forgiven. HJ)
Just been away for the weekend. As we're leaving we come across a plod car parked on our track with two plod with an A-Z out. Being a helpful sort I stop and ask them which house they are looking for. Oh we're looking for... (my address)...that's me I say. Thanks, here's an NIP we had to deliver because of the postal strike.
Apparently it's a better use of our money to send a PC and CSO scuttling round in a patrol car to hand deliver NIPs than it is to wait a day and put a stamp on it.
Read more
AND they could pick up pizza on the way back to home base! Bargain!
Pizza Base!
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Terribly sorry PU.
I knew it was someone with an edit button who can change words at a blink of an eye to make it look like they've said nice things about the moderators ... :o)