November 2013
Hi guys,
I'm looking to buy an A3 but sadly my budget is not all that much - £4k - £5k. I've done some looing on all the classified ad sites and come across two that have really tickled my
www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/20130928901...p - This one has a lot of miles (123k) but it looks the business and seems to have full service
www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/bargain-200...t - this one looks nice and seems pretty cheap, but I'm not sure if it's got service history
I'm a bit of a newbie when it comes to buying cars so could you give me an opinion on those cars and what I should be looking for?
I've emailed both of the above, asking what work the car has had done (I.e Cambelt changed) what else should I be asking?
Many thanks
Read more
please help ! i bought a second hand ford focus ST 2.5 2006 plate from a ford dealer last week , it only has 61kmiles , just had a full major service, how ever yesterday i got in my car started it ... let it warm up for about 5-10 mins , drove about 1-1.5 mile (normal driving not putting my foot down) i parked up and let it cool down for 2 minutes and removed key , got out my car and locked it as normal, after half an hour i returned to my car , unlocked , opened , started to see ENGINE SYSTEM FAULT & ACCELERATION REDUCED however there is not lights on the dash board it just says that message where my mileage is ? the AA have come out and cant read any fault codes because there is no engine management light on nor MIL (malfuction indication light) the car starts fine and DOES drive however it is in limp mode ? PLEASE HELP !!!!!!!! THANKS
jordan Read more
"But I expect you never make an error, you must be absolutely perfect in every respect and all your posts contain invaluable info."
I have never said nor implied any of those things. And why suddenly switch the argument into a personal attack?...
Hi all
I have the infamous speedometer problem on my 2002 1.6 Ford Focus. Speedo drops to 0, engine gets a little "jumpy" etc.... Read more
I have the same problems too, but when my speedo drops to zero my radio also goes quieter did yours do this as well??
Touting this problem out there in the hope someone can throw some light on this long and sorry saga.
Many thanks.... Read more
He's had it since 2013 so may have found that out already.
My Jan 2010 Tiguan suddenly lost all engine power (scary) and had to be towed by RAC to VW service dealer. Outcome was that the v-belt had partly "shredded" and a length of severed belt had whipped the cambelt, and knocked the timing out. Result - irreperable damage to the engine, and turbo charger also found faulty. This required a new engine and turbo charger at a cool £7200 !!
The vehicle had done 55,000 miles, been serviced only by VW franchise dealer, and belts had been ticked ok in the multipoint check just three weeks previously. Dealer reports this as a freak occurrance, and theorises that a small stone must have caught in the pulley, to cause the v belt to shred.... Read more
Thank goodness for a good old boy with working knoweldge of todays so called advances in mechaical design , who in their right mind would design a camshaft with interference fit lobes
The same manufacturer that put an interference fit oil pump drive shaft on their PD diesels, and look what happened to them....
Sorry for asking for help on my first post, but i'm in a bit of a fix.
Van was running fine, pulled up turn it off and when i went to restart it - nothing.... Read more
No Peter, connecting jump leads makes no difference. Basically you turn ignition on but when you go to start it does nothing, no attempt at engaging starter.
Bump start no problem....
Hi, recently I have had this code pop up on my OBD2 scanner. P2300 "ign coil A Prim Control low" and P2303 "ign coil B Prim Control low" My car has actually cut out twice also (no restart) After replacing both my Coil and Leads, seemed ok. Drove down the dual carrigeway and it re-appeared. Car didnt cut out this time though. Today I drove it and when I left the dual carrigeway, cut out and wouldnt start! I fiddled with the wires that run into the coil and it started no problem. I have been reading other forums and this connector seems to be a common fault? Ford dont sell this seperatly though? Any one else having similar issues?
thanks... Read more
OK Jason,
that's good news I'm glad you used contact cleaner and nothing else!...
Here's a little tale of how diagnostic codes stored in ECUs can be misleading and ambiguous when trying to trace the true cause of a fault.
Just under 3 weeks ago, I had the 'emissions warning' lamp light up in my 2011 V60 D3 when I was in the middle of a 200 mile journey. The DPF was regenerating at the time, and the regeneration stopped when the lamp lit. I checked the manual, it said the car was safe to drive. The engine wasn’t in limp mode but performance was a little reduced, so I drove the rest of the journey reasonably gently.... Read more
Well done to the dealer for sorting it, but 3 years down the line when this is a used and well out of warranty car the cost to find and fix something like this could run into eye watering sums.
Indeed - in an idle moment at the weekend, I worked out that the dealer has already thrown something like 4 to 5 days of diagnostic time at this, not to mention parts. This already adds up to a couple of grand, easily, at main dealer rates....
now that the new M.O.T rules are in force has anybody had any problems with having HID's fitted and failing the m.o.t because of them ?
I read up about the new rule about car's having non standard hid's fitted and that would result in a fail unless also fitted with headlight washer's and auto levellers. my car is fitted with a 6000k H7R kit and i've been told that being the H7R that it doesnt mess with the light pattern as much as it would if it was the H7 ! ... Read more
Agreed Hamsafar. We have EU and UK regulations coming thick and fast but once they have passed Type Approval little is done to enforce them DPFs. Is a typical example.
Hi everyone, I have recently bought a Xsara Picasso 1.6 hdi on 54 plate with 48000 miles. It drove well on test and on pick-up but thinking back the seller ( a very nice man in Pudsey) was not at home both times and arrived full of apologies in a warmed-up car which I bought, It is a nice car but will not accelerate above 40 mph, especially uphill. Strangely, it accelerates best with very slight pressure on the accelerator pedal. Flooring it does nothing. It's a nice car overall and I am very frustrated at the lack of performance. Your majestic knowledge will be much appreciated. Thanks, Keith. Read more
Join this site of Picasso owners, give them the story so far. Tell them as much as possible.
There is a microswitch behind either the clutch or brake pedal (I can't remember which). If it becomes dislodged you can get the same results. It may just be loose and cause intermiitent problems....
Browse
.jpg)
Well you must take things as you find them. If I had a 1300 bill I wouldn't be to happy. That said I'm an intrigued. If you ran diesels for 10 years doing significant mileage and then wiped out your savings on fuel with a 1300 bill you can't have been getting very good mpg. What do you estimate the focus was giving you?
I think the issue with diesels in some cases is they have been mis sold. People get hooked up on the tax issue and perceived economy. The salesman is only to happy to sell you a car that costs more initially than a petrol and then we end up with people driving diesels round on the school run and crying when the dpf chokes up.