The Car thread

[Rob1742]

I was against autos years ago as I used to think they would be boring to drive. As in, they weren’t for people who enjoyed driving.

 

Think this may have been the case many many years ago, but technology has changed and I could now no longer drive a manual.

 

As an example, even the super cars like Aston Martin are sold mainly in auto (with a manual paddle option that is rarely used), so if they do it, you can see how autos have changed over the years.

[Uranyl Yellow]

I don't pay much heed to American ways, but I think they definitely have the right idea in teaching people to drive in an automatic first. It massively removes most of the complication in driving a car and allows the student to concentrate on actually driving, rather than worrying about the gears at the same time as trying to concentrate on the road. I have no idea why people even bother with manual cars anymore. It just makes life harder for yourself. 

[notnow john]

Can anyone recommend a local company that re-conditions Diesel engines,mines just let go!

ive tried Neyta motors but they seem expensive ( 2 thou.)

 

[simFox]

2 hours ago, notnow john said:

Can anyone recommend a local company that re-conditions Diesel engines,mines just let go!

ive tried Neyta motors but they seem expensive ( 2 thou.)

 

What car is it? To be honest, I wouldn't bother with a rebuild, just get a replacement engine, will be less than a grand to swap it out. You might even be able to sell some bits off your old engine depending what you buy, if it's just a long block you'll have to swop over the ancillaries, but it will still be cheaper.

 

I've rebuilt loads of engines, but only for more power, and it can get expensive.

Edited 4 February 2018 by simFox

[notnow john]

3 hours ago, simFox said:

What car is it? To be honest, I wouldn't bother with a rebuild, just get a replacement engine, will be less than a grand to swap it out. You might even be able to sell some bits off your old engine depending what you buy, if it's just a long block you'll have to swop over the ancillaries, but it will still be cheaper.

 

I've rebuilt loads of engines, but only for more power, and it can get expensive.

It's an Astra and doing it myself is way beyond me. Do you mean a replacement from a breakers?

Iwas just thinking of  a re-con that gave a guarantee 

[isaidno]

5 hours ago, notnow john said:

Can anyone recommend a local company that re-conditions Diesel engines,mines just let go!

ive tried Neyta motors but they seem expensive ( 2 thou.)

 

Welham Diesel

[potter3]

Driven a couple of automatics, didn't really care for it. I think if I did a lot of miles and/or city driving I'd probably give them another go though, it really is nice to forget about the clutch in stop start traffic.

 

 

14 hours ago, Marmite said:

Has anyone used Available Car.com? 

Im in the process of looking for a new car for the wife, looking at there prices they are slightly more expensive than most places but at least I know it’s going to come with MOT and a guarantee. 

 

My mum got a car from there, didn't have a great experience with the salesmen iirc. Battery was a dud as well, but they swapped it out no hassle so can't really complain.

[Col city fan]

On 2/3/2018 at 12:15, Steve_Walsh5 said:

Nice that is mate.

 

I bought an Audi A4 in the summer S-line, black edition, automatic. It’s probably the best & most comfortable car I’ve had. I’ve previously had a 1 series, 3 series and an A3 and overall the Audi’s have been the nicer drive. I am looking at changing it and getting an A6 estate probably won’t bother for another 6 months. 

 

I use a garage called Fleet Cars near Cosby. It might be a bit far from your way but they do nice cars. The woman who owns it has a contract with a lease company so she gets first refusal on ex lease cars. Most of them are 3/4 years old but all well maintained with full service history. 

 

https://www.fleetsalesleicester.co.uk/

Cheers for that mate cos I never knew they existed. They have some beauties. I love the white Jag!

[Col city fan]

21 hours ago, Izzy Muzzett said:

It’s fvcking brilliant when you first drive an auto mate and you’ll think “why the fvck didn’t I do this years ago?”

 

Its so easy and such less hassle than a manual I find. My last 3 motors have been autos and no way I’d ever go back.

 

Even persuaded my wife and Mum to buy autos but they still sit at traffic lights in drive mode riding their brakes 

 

Enjoy!

 

I love autos and have a dodgy disc which gives me sciatica in my left leg. Not having to use a clutch is heaven! I do sometimes miss the physical action of changing up and down gears when I need to though. Driving seems more like driving when you need to change down a gear to overtake, quickly moving through the gearshift and blasting past.

[Wakeyfox]

Automatics for the people

[Steve_Walsh5]

2 hours ago, Col city fan said:

Cheers for that mate cos I never knew they existed. They have some beauties. I love the white Jag!

Yes she does have nice cars. Only a 10 minutes drive from our way also.

[simFox]

On 04/02/2018 at 17:33, notnow john said:

It's an Astra and doing it myself is way beyond me. Do you mean a replacement from a breakers?

Iwas just thinking of  a re-con that gave a guarantee 

Yeah, you can just buy the replacement from a breaker and then get a garage to fit it. It's by far the easiest and most hassle free way.

[Izzy]

16 minutes ago, Worthington said:

Well .... swerve occurred ..Looked at 4-5 Mercs, (plus a couple of Beamers), but...all in all Jag, yet again, came out on top, so have committed, yet again, to 'Cat' ownership....This will be my last car purchase, and I'm happy that it involves a Jaguar !!.

My last two car have been Jags (only x-types) and whenever I change next it will be a Jag again (probably an XE) Can't go wrong mate. Top motors IMO 

[Izzy]

9 minutes ago, Worthington said:

Us too Izzy... Have had 3 x-types, (well, 'other half's' cars actually), and have gone for another...One of the very last made! Like you say, you can't go wrong...Like driving a well equipped sofa, yet remarkably cheap to run and maintain.. We considered an XF, but the x-type suited our needs better ! I'd recommend Jags to anyone !

Totally mate. I've had my latest x-type for the last 5 years. It's an '09 plate but 'only' done 80,000 and I reckon I've easy got another 4 years out of it (I only do 10k miles a year). Automatic, sat nav, cruise control, leather seats etc, it's like driving a sofa as you say. The critics will say it's just a Mondeo with a Jag badge but it only cost's me about £500 a year in servicing and parts and the insurance is cheap as chips 

[UpTheLeagueFox]

19 hours ago, Izzy Muzzett said:

Totally mate. I've had my latest x-type for the last 5 years. It's an '09 plate but 'only' done 80,000 and I reckon I've easy got another 4 years out of it (I only do 10k miles a year). Automatic, sat nav, cruise control, leather seats etc, it's like driving a sofa as you say. The critics will say it's just a Mondeo with a Jag badge but it only cost's me about £500 a year in servicing and parts and the insurance is cheap as chips 

When we were at school together mate I never imagined you one day being a Jag driver! 

[Wymsey]

59 minutes ago, UpTheLeagueFox said:

When we were at school together mate I never imagined you one day being a Jag driver! 

I don't know you personally but, based on your background, I can imagine your car being fitted with these?..

[Izzy]

1 hour ago, UpTheLeagueFox said:

When we were at school together mate I never imagined you one day being a Jag driver! 

Remember I’m an old man now mate. My boy racer days are well behind me 

[Parafox]

1 hour ago, Wymeswold fox said:

I don't know you personally but, based on your background, I can imagine your car being fitted with these?..

No wonder 19 year old drivers can't hear our sirens 

 

21 hours ago, Izzy Muzzett said:

Totally mate. I've had my latest x-type for the last 5 years. It's an '09 plate but 'only' done 80,000 and I reckon I've easy got another 4 years out of it (I only do 10k miles a year). Automatic, sat nav, cruise control, leather seats etc, it's like driving a sofa as you say. The critics will say it's just a Mondeo with a Jag badge but it only cost's me about £500 a year in servicing and parts and the insurance is cheap as chips 

Lazy and a cheapskate 

[Parafox]

Does anyone know if the additives for fuel that are supposed to clean a DPF, actually work?

[Steve_Walsh5]

7 minutes ago, Parafox said:

Does anyone know if the additives for fuel that are supposed to clean a DPF, actually work?

Just take it for a blast down the motorway once a week. 

[Parafox]

Some years ago, I bought a Ford Sierra for £300 from a guy on a nearby council estate.

 

It looked pukka, had the right paperwork, drove reasonably well (albeit like being on a ship), loads of room in the boot/hatch, folding rear seats. I'm thinking, "this is the best car I've had", rev counter, 2 speed wipers, rear and front fogs,. Then a few weeks later, went over a large bump and when I got home I discovered a hole had appeared in the wing near the A pillar. I checked under the wheel arch to find it had been stuffed with newspaper, skimmed over with filler and painted. On further inspection the offside wing was the same as was the bottom edge of both front doors and the bottom edge of the hatch.

 

Let that be a lesson to me... 

[Parafox]

18 minutes ago, Steve_Walsh5 said:

Just take it for a blast down the motorway once a week. 

 I've heard that's a good way to burn the residues off. Being relatively rural I'll try a burn-up down the A5. Just wondered if additives were a was a better option. Bearing in mind the Gov are going to bring in additional aspects to the MOT which (I think) will include whether or not you can prove a DPF has been cleaned.

Edited 11 February 2018 by Parafox

[The Bear]

A good blast down the carriageway will help lower your emissions when MOT time comes. At least it used to anyway. 

 

The fuel cleaners are good for the injectors, especially with the crap that they add to supermarket fuel. Worth putting in with a full tank every 6 months. Either that or just go to somewhere like Shell for every fill up. 

[Parafox]

11 hours ago, Worthington said:

"Cheapskate" maybe ....but with insurance at £185 per year for two of us , (fully comp), I'm happy to be labelled as that for the privilege of owning a Jag !

So you and Izzy are a couple? 

 

But, yeah, why not? £185 is cheap and I don't blame you. How old is the Jag and what about costs of things like tyres, exhaust brakes etc?

[Legend_in_blue]

There's been a few articles flying around over the past week about this new Ford Fiesta ST: 

 

 

It's out over the summer so it might actually be worth looking at this model once it is.  The new versions of the Fiesta are pants atm.

 

I may well hold back and see how it fares over the next 12 months with a view to getting one.  The fact that it comes in a 5 door version suits me too.

 

The lauch control system sounds interesting.