August 2007
Let me tell you the reason for asking this. My license is less than 2 years old. So, any 2 speeding offenses (2x3 points) will mean automatic cancellation!
My regular commuting doesn't involve motorway journey. However, often I'm on motorway on weekends.
I tend not to drive over 80 mph (indicated on speedo) ever. Of course, I could always stick to 70 mph but for long journey, 80 mph over 70 mph really makes the journey time shorter.
Since, most speedos over estimate speed, should I be ok if I constantly maintain an 85 mph indicated speed? (I'm not talking of temporary speed restricted areas).
Just wondering how cops and speed cameras consider 80 mph on motorway as an offence!
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Just wondering if Backroomers have any ideas on the current scrap value of cars, what with the price of metals going up. Could we expect to get anything for the old Fiesta that we intend scrapping at the end of the month - or should we just be grateful that someone will get rid of it for us? I live in East Anglia, if that has any bearing on the matter.
Thanks, Waino. Read more
Current scrap values are decided from the overall car condition and the metal rate as well. But i think blackroom may not help you that much but a scrap yard will definitely be helpful in this.
After extensive trawling of garages with Swmbo. We have come up with our shortlist of cars, one of them being Nissan Primera (1999 to 2003 model).
Having looked up on the reliability index
The Nissan Primera has a rating of 116.11, against 95.56 for renault megane
Nissan Primera - www.reliabilityindex.co.uk/search_results.html?apc...1
Renault Megane - www.reliabilityindex.co.uk/search_results.html?apc...1
I thought Nissans would be more reliable.
Is there any particular issues with the Primera 2000 year model that one should be aware of ?
Many thanks Read more
Appolgies for not snipping the quote but was in a rush to get to work if you can belive that!
Just notified of speeding offence of 52mph in a temporary 40mph limit--roadworks. The road is normally 50mph.
Any getouts?
telboy
Subject line made less vague, this will get moved into the speed camera thread shortly. - PU Read more
In that context, yes. ;-)
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Fullchat
I have a 1998 306. when the battery needed replacing the radio reset itself and requested the code. in my wisdom i entered some random numbers to see what would happen and now the radio appears to be locked - the display just shows "- - - -". i now have the correct code and have tried disconnecting the battery to get the radio to reset itself, but it now seems to be jammed on the 4 dashes. Any ideas please?
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Please, what is de ~ button? I can find in my 2040 radio. Tks
was shopping around for tyres , federal 175/70/r13 £23.50 each fitted balanced new valve, or does any one know a better deal? Midlands area... thanks Read more
I would advise against any truly cheap and unknown brands of tyre especially made in China.
At best they will be or get out of shape making them impossible to balance....
The handbook says:
10W-30 is preferable for temperatures above -20C.
5W-30 will positively improve economy.
No-one seems to do a 10W-30.
Comma recommend 5W-30.
Castrol recommend 0W-30 (edge), or 10W-40 (Magnatec)
I'm probably being super fussy, but what would you do? It's that word preferable that's bothering me.
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Only a starter motor-I remember carrying a battery(6v. of course) to get it charged.
Hi
Can anyone help with the level of buyers fees charged by Britich Car Auctions (BCA) to individuals? The response, via email, from BCA indicates that this is something of a secret! I'm just after a % level to enable me to budget. Last time I purchased, in 2004, I paid £165.11 plus VAT = £194.00 on a purchase price of £4723 plus VAT =£5744. Arev these percentages still realistic across a whole range of sale prices?
Any advice welcomed.
Regards Read more
Well, there you go. Back in 2011 I wrote above that BCA's owners were trying to get as much value out of BCA as possible before exiting quickly at a profit.
IIRC they paid £400m for it and have just sold it for £1.2m....
Noticed on Sunday the offside dipped beam not working on my 04 Megane Hatchback. Handbook says 'Restricted access. Use Main Dealer.' Phoned my usual Main Dealer in Oldham and was quoted £50 including labour and parts for replacing both bulbs.
Phoned an independent Renault specialist in Stockport (as HJ advises). Told one side takes 2 hours and the other 1 hour, labour charge is £40/hour and bulbs are £7.50 each. Total £135.
Going to France next week. Don't have the time or (apparently) small enough hands, and definitely not enough patience or big enough swear box according to SWMBO so Main Dealer gets £50. Job done in 35 minutes.
Three comments. Firstly independents are supposed to be cheaper, aren't they? It just shows always shop around. Secondly what do I do if an anti rosbeouf Gendarme stops me on a dark, wet and windy night, tells me I have a headlamp bulb not working and, a propos, I cannot drive the vehicle at night until it is fixed. Thirdly who on earth designed the system.
I am told other manufacturers, including Rover, require this under-the-wheelarch contortionist, small handed but long fingered, working blind technique. Come to think of it I do seem to remember one of the Renault technicians didn't half remind me of ET.
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No, sorry. Not done a fog light. Haynes manual probably says - £18 Amazon.
I have a Renault Espace Mk3 2.2DCi 2002 that has done 75000 miles and I would like to know if any other Espace Diesel owners viewing this forum have experienced the following.
When coasting up to a stop (usually three or four minutes into a journey) the car stalls, especially up hill. It does not stall at high speed (like some other reports) and it is independent of temperature. The local Renault garage cannot find a reason. The diagnostic check said ?glow plugs? but at least they were honest to admit that that was unlikely to be the cause which saved me a waste of money but I am still none the wiser.
The stalling is not that serious but it could be. The loss of power which until you re-cycle the ignition means that the brakes and steering are much less effective which downhill on a bend leading up to a busy road might cause a scare. Along with all of the other reports on this website I think Renault really should be obliged to make these stalling problems a safety recall. Perhaps they do not know how to fix it.
I have also had the ?loss of power? two or three times since new when the car goes into ?limp mode?. The first was after only 12 months from purchase of the new car. I do not remember what they fixed as it was all under guarantee and I did not get a copy of the paperwork, but I do remember that it took them a few visits to the garage for them to fix the problem. I seem to remember that it might have been the TDC (Top Dead Centre) valve (or adjuster).
More recently, just before the (3 year) guarantee ran out the loss of power happened again and the garage changed the ERG valve about 3 months later when they finally figured out what they thought was wrong. It seems to have done the trick so far. Renault paid 80% of this claiming that if I paid 20% it would be guaranteed for a year. Seemed a reasonable compromise but that year has almost passed now.
My local non-Renault garage thinks that the ERG valve might still be the problem so I am thinking of having it blanked off, like some other respondents in this forum have suggested/done. Anyone able to tell me what they experienced after doing it. The car is booked in for next Friday so I am keen to get feedback before then.
Seems like I should think strongly about getting rid of this car but as I bought it expecting to keep it from new for 10 and possibly 15 years, I am still quite reluctant to do this especially after just paying for the 72000 cambelt change, the 72000 major service, and for coolant and brake fluid changes (not at a Renault garage but using Renault parts and a saving over Renault dealerships of 50% £600 for all this rather than £1200). Apart from the engine problems I think the car is excellent. As Parkers and other second hand car guides now mention the problems with the diesel variants, I expect the second hand value is plummeting like a stone.
It seems from what I have read (on this and other sites) that if I keep the Espace I am looking at a future of a new turbo every 100,000 miles, 4 new injectors every 100,000 miles, ERG valves every 50,000 miles and possibly much more before it gets to even 10 years old, let alone 15 and possibly much sooner. Pity as the bodywork will probably last forever.
Then if I do change the Espace for another car, any suggestions as to what large People Carrier I can buy to match the Espace Grand that will not have similar problems, what about a Renault Espace Petrol?, a Toyota Previa?, a Chrysler Voyager?, a Mercedes ???, a large Volvo?. Do all the modern diesel engines (common rail designs) suffer from the same high failure rates a few years down the line, or is it only Renault that got it so wrong?
Post renamed as suggested (by the OP amongst others) in now hidden replies. As Volume 1 reached 180 posts, this post has become Vol2 - Vol 1(below link) has been locked - continue debate in this one, far more logical than my original edit !
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?v=e&t=24...3
s
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This discussion started a looonnnnggg time ago but will add my two cents nonetheless just to confirm what was said earlier (in case someone else lands here). I had the same problem with my 2002 Espace III DCi, 165k miles, engine cutting out with no fault message, then restarted when flicking the ignition switch off/on, and the Renault garage was not able to find the problem ('time to get rid of the car'). Searching these forums led me to replace all the injectors and the problem was solved.
The Renault garage did do a diagnostic test on the injectors and the result was fine. So this fault (whereby one or more of the injectors returns too much fuel at certain loads as per other forum discussions) is not something the diagnostics pick up, nor does the onboard computer flag the issue as a fault when it happens. The engine simply stops dead with no error message on the dashboard at all....
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I always find this sort of subject interesting, because people base their opinion on what they have gotten away with so far ! it is a bit like someone falling of a roof of a high story building and thinking he is not going to hit the floor until he actually hits it.
Speed limits are black and white so lets get that out of the way, and yes you can be done for doing 71 on the motorway or dual carriageway, you can be done for doing 61 on a single carriageway, and 31 in a built up area, but the police rarely stop you as long as you drive a manner that does not attract their attention....