December 2020
Reading today of a BP petrol station in GTR Manchester. It has additional facilities such as a car wash and shop. Customers are given !5 minutes to visit the forecourt for whatever and thereafter risk a fine for PARKING on private land. Short of not using the BP station the unwary are being sent "fines" by the parking enforcement company Euro Car Parks. This would maybe not be too bad if the "fines" were reasonable, but the company are demanding £100 for breach of time and generously offering a fine of £60 if paid early! I understand that this company is operating all over the country presumably with the agreement of the land owner who presumably gets his share.
How can the DVLA condone this blatant rip off of innocent motorists. They apparently have contracts with councils and companies to provide the Registered keepers details given a reasonable excuse for such information and for a fee! I would suggest that parking on private land is nothing to do with government and the DVLA and any information should not be released especially to these rip off merchants Read more
Hello!
I’m new here and I’m looking for some advice on getting my first car. I’m a mechanical engineering student starting my first job in wales.
I’ll be commuting around 20mins a day whilst also doing some longer drives home (3+ hours on the motorway) quite regularly too, about 1-2 times a month.
I’d like some recommendations for cars with a bit of personality!
I have an interest in car maintainence, I don’t have any experience of it yet but I would love to learn and have a first car that has a relatively simple set up which I could tinker with and do simple jobs. I’m hoping to learn more to one day be able to do up classics/project cars.
I have a budget of around max £2,500. I really like the look of Peugeot 106 (but I have read they’re not great for motorway driving) or citoeren Saxo, particularly the 1.5 Diesel. Also had a look at older Micras and Fiestas. I’m thinking perhaps a diesel would suit me better as I’ll need it for some long distance driving, but I also want to be able to visit cities and I know some now have a diesel ban so I’m considering both diesel and petrol, preferably manual.
I know I will not get a car that is perfect, but something that’s got a bit of character, but still roadworthy with MOT and reliable and won’t cost a fortune in repairs, with the possibility of learning a bit more about car repairs/maintenance too. Also needs to be able to withstand motorway driving (personally I am not too concerned with comfort or road noise, doesn’t really bother me, just something that’ll be fun to drive). A future classic perhaps?
If any one had any recommendations of any other makes/models to have a look at or tips for buying I’d be really greatful.
Many many Thanks!
(from a newbie hoping to learn more soon!)
I have posted this in both the main motoring discussion and classics as I didn’t know which was most applicable. Hope that’s ok! Read more
Sure Badbus
Thats what a bought for my newly qualified daughter in law....
Hi, I recently (within the last 3 months) purchased a 2016 Renault Zoe - when it arrived it had no working air con/heating (which is needed for the battery charging system to function correctly).
The dealer finally got round to 'fixing it', which involved simply regassing the air con system as it was empty. They gave it back to me, despite the compressor making a grinding noise, and lo and behold it's stopped working again less than 24 hours later.... Read more
If the compressor has gone and is grinding the whole system is probably full of metal swarf and will need replacing.
You need to read up on your rights to a repair or refund, but as they have had a chance to repair you may be in a strong position to reject....
Anyone Help! I started the car but the steering lock was stuck on, so I turned off the engine but the key will only turn one click to the 1st ignition. I can't turn the key to the off position to get it out. the car starts but the steering lock will not disengage. Any help please? Read more
No more French cars for me - ever.
And I thought you lived there ? What do the neighbours say ? :-)...
Hi all
I have a problem that i hope some motoring gurus can help with.... Read more
hi
i have bought a relay and a heater resistor....
A week ago I brought myself a Hyundai i30 as a second car. The car has got full Hyundai service history but is now out of Hyundai's 5 year warranty. The car had its last service with Hyundai in July which was it's fifth service. The car wasn't purchased from Hyundai but Evans Halshaw.
So i've got a bit of a dilemma, I know its 6 year service isn't for months yet but is there any advantage now the car is out of Hyundai's warranty to keep getting serviced by them and they inflated servicing cost or do I now entrust the maintenance of the car to a local family owned business which has got a good reputation Read more
I think that the 6 year service for an i30 petrol includes a cam belt change. That could be pricey and you might want to get quotes before making a decision on where to go.
The man who claimed to have done John O'Groats to Lands End in 9h36m was cleared today of dangerous driving and perverting the course of justice.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/dec/04/man-cleare...p... Read more
Looking at this in a bit of detail, I don't believe this feat could have been achieved.
It is 250 miles from John O’Groats to Dunblane, where the driver will first join the motorway network. The only feasible route for this journey is via the A99 to Wick and then the A9. This route passes through a number of sizeable towns including Wick itself, Helmsdale and Brora. It also skirts closely a number of others, not the least Inverness. These impediments would seriously compromise any sustained high speed running whatever is being driven and whoever is driving it. The route is largely single carriageway throughout with no substantial dual carriageway available until the approaches to Perth, some 220m from John O’Groats. With such long stretches, encountering any level of moderate traffic would make sustained excessive speed impossible. The AA’s Routefinder suggests it would take just short of five hours to cover these 220 miles. Let’s be generous and say the driver might cover this stretch in four hours. ...
Hi All,
Hoping your wealth of experience might give me a clue to why my Audi S5 has decided to make a loud (and very annoying) chirping / squealing noise from the flywheel / drive plate area.
Here is a link to a video:
I have a Honda Jazz III 2012 CVT. Great car, but as its a 2012 it lacks a lot of modern niceties...... Read more
Forgot to mention, but assuming you need a replacement trim panel to go around the unit, these are also easily available. Seen them on both EBay and Amazon, though the cheapest were on Amazon at £35.
I was reading an article about the iminent new BMW M3 and M4. Not only will neither be available with a manual box (in this country), but the two pedal option will now be a t/c auto.
According to the M Division bod,... Read more
I have a Kia Ceed DCT - 6 year old car so still within warranty.
My previous car was 1st gen Ceed with TC auto. It had problems on 8th year! However, due to its having FSH from main dealer, Kia contributed partial payments towards fixing it. When that car was written off, I bought another (current) Kia - though by then they moved to DCT....
Browse
.jpg)
