Ask a Shiter

[Partridge]

No bloody way!!

[Leyland Lawrence]

A dealer has offered £ for my old Y reg '83 BMW E21 (sad I don't want it to go but I just couldn't sell privately and I feel bad having 4 cars)

 

He has offered to transfer funds electronically ahead of me releasing the car. Now, is there a risk he can pull the money back out electronically? I think there is? Is there a stage where, like cheques, it looks like the money has gone through but then it gets taken back out (if there's a problem- which can be detected many days after)

 

Thanks

[outlaw118]

Does anyone fancy making me a bacon and egg sandwich?

Thanks.

[pompei]

I was looking at the pictures that are all over the place of the Mk 1 Lotus Cortina and was wondering why do old cars have such a narrow track, particularly at the rear?

[barefoot]

Does anyone fancy making me a bacon and egg sandwich?

Thanks.

It's in the post.

[inconsistant]

Follow a truck at night and select neutral, and switch off the engine on the down hill bits.

Bump start it in top gear, do not use starter motor

Run on sidelights, in the dry and do not use the fans, radio etc

Pump up the tyres to a millionty psi

Dump the spare tyre and anything else removable.

Drive in shorts, a t shirt and barefoot

Do not wear a watch or glasses

Gaffa tape all shut lines

 

Let me know how you get on

 

Before you start... shave, clean your ears & nose out, cut your toe nails, empty your belly button of excess fluff. And have the poo of your life.

[overrun]

And of course fold down the rear seats for teh best w8 distribution*

 

 

 

 

*Proven on the strip

[Station]

I saw this under an M3 today and, with the aid of REALOEM http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=KG92&mospid=52121&btnr=33_1419&hg=33&fg=10 , reckon its either cooling fins in the diff casing or additional oil passages to cool the diff oil.

 

It doesn't look like this:

 

 

It's more of a single wire, but it's in the same location so it must be!

 

 

 

I've been roped in to doing a charity mpg challenge driving a new model Honda Civic dizzle. Basically the team that scores the highest MPG wins some money to go to charidy.

 

 

 

I am the master of MPG! Just apply throttle at about 52 - 56mph, and you will feel the middleground between acceleration and deceleration. I've managed 80mpg from a small engined car and used to get 45mpg from a 2.0 high performance one. If you stick at 56mph in fifth and sit behind a HGV, you'll do it no probs.

[Rocket88]

A dealer has offered £ for my old Y reg '83 BMW E21 (sad I don't want it to go but I just couldn't sell privately and I feel bad having 4 cars)

 

He has offered to transfer funds electronically ahead of me releasing the car. Now, is there a risk he can pull the money back out electronically? I think there is? Is there a stage where, like cheques, it looks like the money has gone through but then it gets taken back out (if there's a problem- which can be detected many days after)

 

Thanks

 

I doubt it. I think you need to issue an instruction with your bank to return the funds

 

 

 

 

[Cavcraft]

The other thing ith the MPG attempt is to read the road well ahead, and behind. If you realise you're gaining (even just very slightly) on something then pull into the middle lane of the motorway in plenty of time so you can keep your exact speed up. I'm not on about being a middle lane hog obviously.

[barefoot]

Mpg continued...

 

Remove all wiper blades, empty all fluids to the minimum acceptable requirement.

Obviously with no wipers you'll need no washer fluid, but a drop of oil and coolant is good.

[beko1987]

Put the back seats down too, improve the centre of gravity*

 

I can make my barge do 32mpg sitting at 55-60 behind some foreign lorry which isnt limited to 52, some new eco shitbox should easily smash whatever expectations you had!

 

Do you get to drive it back again but this time aiming for the lowest mpg?

[cort16]

 

Do you get to drive it back again but this time aiming for the lowest mpg?

 

This is the intention.

My plan is to drive down the M74 to Penrith. That's approx 100 miles. Should take about 2 hours there and 1 hour back.

I've just been roped into it so I don't know exactly what the rules are and how I prove I achieved the MPG other than snapping the MPGomiter in the car.

[Richard]

Remove the alternator, that will save a bit and there's no way running without it will send the electronics into a tailspin.

[RobT]

My newly acquired Honda engined R8 stinks on start up, and even when the revs die down when warm it still pongs a fair bit at idle.  I haven't yet done the time-consuming act of bending down to see if a cat is fitted, but I presume not (it's a '91 plate so could or could not).

 

Would the fact that the engine clatters like a sewing machine be related?  I nearly gassed one of my neighbours when taking it out of the garage yesterday, poor old girl probably went back to her flat with a headache!  I'm starting to think I bought the right car but with the RONG engine

[Honey Badger]

Is having an ABS light on is an MOT failure now? Neither of my present cars has abs so I haven't really been paying attention to the new(ish) sections of the test.

 

I'm watching a Legend Coupe on fleabay at the moment and the MOT is a bit short and the car is showing an abs fault, which should make me walk away swiftly but I do like the big luxury Hondas and the coupes are particularly attractive.

 

Whatever's wrong will either be made of unobtainum or will be available but will cost the same weight for weight as platinum, yet I'm still interested.

[cort16]

Yes, abs light is a fail and has been for the last few years, the airbag light used to be an advisory but is now a fail.

[garbaldy]

 the airbag light used to be an advisory but is now a fail.

 

 

are you sure I could have sworn they extended the consultation period again

[Honey Badger]

Yes, abs light is a fail and has been for the last few years, the airbag light used to be an advisory but is now a fail.

 

Thank you Sir, I'll leave well alone in that case.

[hauserplenty]

 

I never get hassled by the 'black A3 Dizzler on the never-never' brigade in this.

Do wot?

[explosive-cabbage]

Has anyone ever heard of a Sofia 16?

 

Pornstar.

[willswitchengage]

Can I tax a car at the Post Office without the reminder letter?

[Mr Livered]

Yes. You need V5 or green slip, mot and insurance.

[ShiteRider]

My mk5 fiesta is getting pressed into daily cervix next month. The seats are okay-ish but i do a lot of miles and the big seven has spoiled me comfort wise, so the battle plan is XJ6 leather seats.

Where should i be taking a feed to power them? i was thinking fag lighter.

[KruJoe]

That power supply won't be man enough, methinks. I'd run some BFO cable from the +ve batt terminal.

Before you get that far, you'll have some more fundamental issues to overcome, as I'm sure you know.

[Pillock]

Fag lighter will be a 20A fuse max, maybe even a 10A in a Fiesta. 

It might work, you could find it'd blow the fuse if you try to do two sets of adjustment at once. Or if you move the seat whilst you're lighting a fag or something. Don't just bung a bigger fuse in as then your wiring loom becomes the weak link.

 

I'd run a line from the fusebox, and put a fuse in it too. Get an XJ6 fuse diagram to see what fuse is meant to run the seats.

[HillmanImp]

Does a car need a passenger seat in it for the MOT? If I leave the seat out will it pass? I have checked the following website and it says:

 

http://www.motester.co.uk/mot-general-information/mot-information-for-motorists/mot-test-checks-list-continued

MOT Test of Seats

• The driver's and the front passenger's seats must be secure.
• The driver's seat fore and aft adjustment mechanism must function as intended.
• All seat backs must be securable in the upright position.

Does this mean I have to have a seat? Or if there is one, does it just need to be secure if it is actually there?

[cort16]

I've seen a car having it's passenger seat taken out to pass and MOT but it depends on the relationship you have with your MOT station. I recon they could find away to be awkward even if it is by the book.

[HillmanImp]

I suppose I could ring them up and ask. Will do that prior to booking it.

[skattrd]

As my tame MOT tester says, "if it's not there they can't test it ..."

 

The passenger seat in my rally car is bolted to the floor and not adjustable in any way, it has passed several MOT's like that. As for not having one at all I can't say. If you want I could have a word with my local place