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- Heidfirst
Re. Government Advice
The towing limits for the current RAV4 hybrid are:
FWD unbraked 750Kg, braked 800Kg
AWD unbraked 750Kg, braked 1650Kg
- Engineer Andy
Good luck if DT gets a Tesla Model X or any other full EV car. I'd really like to see how much range they get out of it when towing, likely having to stop very often to charge it up at a busy motorway service stop on their way to their holiday destination, adding a considerable amount of time to their journey.
- conman
extracts from questions off this page.
'I changed my BMW 525i (petrol) Touring for a BMW 525d Touring on the advice of the government some 11 years ago in order to reduce atmospheric contamination'

#So you could say the government came up with some incentives for you to buy a DIESEL vehicle..

PHEVs such as the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV that's approved to tow 1,500kg but, now have lost its PHEV GOVERNMENT grant, prices start at £36,795
.
#So you could say the government came up with some incentives for you to buy a PHEV vehicle.

So in the near future when thousands of electric cars are trying to charge off hundreds of charges don't blame the Government. Also don't blame the Friends of the Earth, Green Party etc,etc, when they realise the massive amount pollution created in making Lithium batteries,

Because the the government came up with some incentives for you to buy an ELECTRIC vehicle.
- Captain-Cretin
Cardiff armed park

I would write back and ask for the fine to be voided as you were unable to leave to carpark due to circumstances out of your control.

They will OF COURSE, ignore this and continue to demand money, but there is a good chance they wont take it to court, and if they do, you have the reason in writing and dated to show the judge.

My own experience of a different large parking firm, starting from October 2018 is :-

Threats, more threats, final threats.

A last minute discount if you pay offer.

Nothing for a month, then:-

A different firm with threats, more threats, final threats.

Then, for the last 6 months, nothing.
Honest John's Motoring Agony Column 14-09-2019 Part 2 - Prince William
Reminds me of a television programme called “The Sheriffs Are Coming”.Give the curtains a twitch before you answer the door lol.
- glidermania
Slippery customer - considering this was a private sale and not with a trader, has HJ any examples where a private buyer has successfully sued another private individual where a car has subsequently developed a fault? Caveat emptor, isnt it?

And yes you could go to Small Claims \ County Court but that doesnt suggest the buyer would win against a private seller. Even if a car was described as immaculate but on viewing was obviously a wreck, no judge would find in favour of a buyer.
- MikeHerc
Re Bit of a Flap.
I’ve just bought a new RAV4 and there is no flimsy flap over the steering column, just the hard plastic surround.
Hers is probably an early car.
- Ta-Ta JLR
The RAV4 should have 10 to 20 mm of fabric visible in that position. It finishes the trim allowing the tilt function of the steering wheel to operate. This one looks to have become "un-tucked" from underneath the steering wheel side, or possibly it wasn't assembled correctly.
Honest John's Motoring Agony Column 14-09-2019 Part 2 - marinipersonal
The RAV4 should have 10 to 20 mm of fabric visible in that position. It finishes the trim allowing the tilt function of the steering wheel to operate. This one looks to have become "un-tucked" from underneath the steering wheel side, or possibly it wasn't assembled correctly.

Some people are really thick. Sorry but not a better way to describe them.

I could complaint about the fact that the new A Class offers reverse camera, but parking sensors only if a package is added. But hey, isn't the only car available. And if you're really after value, I would certainly look for a Dacia.

As mentioned, the gap is necessary to allow adjustments. If it was simply a hard plastic, either no adjustments or the gap without anything covering it.

- Scot5
Well said HJ.

The cheek of some folk trying to weasel out of doing wrong.

If I were in the OP's position then I'd hold up my hands and pay up. If I were a cheeky fraudster however, I'd conduct an internet search of the parking company and see how many complaints there are regarding false claims.

The cameras would have been situated at the entry / exit of the car park. Now sometimes the cameras get it wrong, they use number-plate recognition and fail to register when a car leaves. I genuinely fell victim to this... popped into Aldi for a few groceries in the morning, left 10mins later and then returned later that night for something I forgot. A week or so later I received a penalty notice and photographic evidence of me entering in the morning and leaving at night - according to the camera I'd left the car at my local Aldi carpark all day. I of course challaged this after discovering many other people were accused of this fraud ( I'm guessing Aldi use just one security company to monitor all their car parks?) My car was on security camera during the day at my place of work.

Anyway back to Cardiff. If I were a fraudster myself, I'd have said I only parked in their car park for 10mins to drop someone off then returned later that night to collect them again - the car did not spend over 3hrs in the car park and you have many witnesses that'll back you up on this in court.

The excuse is worth a punt however if they can produce evidence your car was indeed parked there ( they may also have a security camera?) then you'll get done for perjury as well and probably find yourself behind bars.

Take HJ's advice - if you commit an offence, it's best to pay up.
Honest John's Motoring Agony Column 14-09-2019 Part 2 - marinipersonal
Well said HJ. The cheek of some folk trying to weasel out of doing wrong. If I were in the OP's position then I'd hold up my hands and pay up. If I were a cheeky fraudster however, I'd conduct an internet search of the parking company and see how many complaints there are regarding false claims. The cameras would have been situated at the entry / exit of the car park. Now sometimes the cameras get it wrong, they use number-plate recognition and fail to register when a car leaves. I genuinely fell victim to this... popped into Aldi for a few groceries in the morning, left 10mins later and then returned later that night for something I forgot. A week or so later I received a penalty notice and photographic evidence of me entering in the morning and leaving at night - according to the camera I'd left the car at my local Aldi carpark all day. I of course challaged this after discovering many other people were accused of this fraud ( I'm guessing Aldi use just one security company to monitor all their car parks?) My car was on security camera during the day at my place of work. Anyway back to Cardiff. If I were a fraudster myself, I'd have said I only parked in their car park for 10mins to drop someone off then returned later that night to collect them again - the car did not spend over 3hrs in the car park and you have many witnesses that'll back you up on this in court. The excuse is worth a punt however if they can produce evidence your car was indeed parked there ( they may also have a security camera?) then you'll get done for perjury as well and probably find yourself behind bars. Take HJ's advice - if you commit an offence, it's best to pay up.

Correct. Same people who email HJ complaining, often calling names whoever enforcing penalties, to justify their wrong doing.

Some Bozo few months ago, as it was unreasonable to be fined, for stopping at a redline in London, to buy some fags. And just because the star was on the dole, it was unfair. As the cupcake was already under a lot of stress.

Sure, wrong are the other people who follow the rules and pay up for services, such as parking.

Next time you see someone paying for park, call them a sucker... Certainly using the business carpark, which is a facility for its customers, even if closed, is fair... Right.