Ask a Shiter

[TataBobu]

It's a lot cheaper to insure a car in Bulgaria or Romania, as for the MOT it's still possible to go to an MOT centre in Romania and ask for one "without problems". The car, however, must be there because they have to take a picture of it on the brake stand. I don't know if in Bulgaria the car must be present or it's enough to have the car's registration and pay double the tax.

[Pillock]

One of our sites who employ loads of eastern European agency workers had the plod and immigration park up outside one morning and just pull over every non - UK registered car for a chat. They were looking for people who had settled here (job, house etc) but not registered the vehicle.

 

Caused havoc at work, it was 50% of the workforce stood outside

[Parky]

That's interesting. Loads of Eastern European registered cars around our way, some of which I know have been here ages.

 

I assume if they re-register it here they end up with a uk plate or can Doovla handle overseas numbers?

[dave21478]

A UK resident is not allowed to drive a foreign registered car at all, so in theory as soon as forrins become resident they need to re-register their cars. In practice, nobody bothers. Not all cops seem fully up to speed with the rules, its hard to prove residency or otherwise and until a shonky old beemer on foreign plates that hasnt seen the inside of an MOT bay here or at its home for years has brake failure, plows into a queue of nuns waiting to get into a kitten show and its LPG install goes up Hiroshima style, nobody cares enough.

 

See also - UK ex pats living in France and Spain but still driving on UK plates.

[barefoot]

The radio in the Scirocco has stopped working. It's a Blaupunkt something that I originally had in the t2.

It has a removeable front panel and if I take it off and bung it on top of the windscreen heater thing for a couple of miles and then stick it back on again it works fine.

Any idea what the prob is and how to sort it?

[Pillock]

Has it got damp inside it?

Either that or a loose connection, dry solder joint etc.

[Sealtainn]

The Granada has a "6" in the middle at the bottom of the rev counter and I think it is under reading. Can anyone tell me if said "6" relates to the 6 cylinder cars and as mine is a 4 cylinder, should mine have a 4?

[Richard]

I think that's very likely, do you think it's under reading by 50%?

[sheffcortinacentre]

yes ford rev counters have the small number at bottom to show which eng their compatible with.

[Sealtainn]

It's showing approx 400rpm at idle. Something else to look for on the spares list then. I'll take a look through the history and see if there is a record of it being changed. Thanks

 

Sent from my E2105 using Tapatalk

[sierraman]

This is the Rover radio I'm on about...

[stripped fred]

One of the less important jobs I plan to do on my recently acquired pug 406 is to sort the n/s passenger elec window. I managed to get it to go down about 2" but could only get it back up by operating it and pushing it up at the same time. Now it doesn't work at all. Without stripping it down would this likely be the motor or mechanism at fault? I'd rather order the parts in first.

[Richard]

This is the Rover radio I'm on about...

 

I think these have a bulb in a bayonet type holder, similar to the ones you find in instrument panels. If that's not the case it will still have a bulb that can easily be changed by someone who's handy with a soldering iron. Take the lid off and have a look/ post a picture.

 

One of the less important jobs I plan to do on my recently acquired pug 406 is to sort the n/s passenger elec window. I managed to get it to go down about 2" but could only get it back up by operating it and pushing it up at the same time. Now it doesn't work at all. Without stripping it down would this likely be the motor or mechanism at fault? I'd rather order the parts in first.

I'd suspect a broken wire in the door shut. The quick test is to try and pull the wires apart with your hands, if the conductor is good you won't make an impression on it, if it's only the insulation holding it together it will come apart.

[Danblez]

Why when everyone says 6 sided sockets are best do we in a world were 12 sided wins the popularity stakes?

[twosmoke300]

One of the less important jobs I plan to do on my recently acquired pug 406 is to sort the n/s passenger elec window. I managed to get it to go down about 2" but could only get it back up by operating it and pushing it up at the same time. Now it doesn't work at all. Without stripping it down would this likely be the motor or mechanism at fault? I'd rather order the parts in first.

Its worth spraying some silcone spray down the channels first . Pour it in till it runs out the bottom of the doors while you move window up and down

[stripped fred]

Its worth spraying some silcone spray down the channels first . Pour it in till it runs out the bottom of the doors while you move window up and down

Thanks, I'll give it a go. I have more important jobs to do first but nice to have a plan with this.

[TataBobu]

Why do 12 sides sockets even exist? Surely they are more difficult to manufacture.

In what situation is a 12 sided socket beneficial over a 6 sided socket (except when you have a 12 sides bolt )?

 

When there's no space at all to turn a bolt 60 degrees.

[Danblez]

When there's no space at all to turn a bolt 60 degrees.

 

Isn't this just the quality of the ratchet though?

[Richard]

You aren't always using a ratchet, you might be using a breaker bar. A 12 point socket can help in a tight space.

 

It must be cheaper to make 12 point sockets though, because cheap sets always seem to have 12 point sockets.

[andy18s]

It's easier to split a 12 point socket,so you have to buy replacements. ...

 

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

[scaryoldcortina]

12 point sockets are ideal for hammering over a locking* wheel nut when you can't find the key.

[The Moog]

Will I end up with a flat battery if I unplug the smart charge cable from the Alt in the focus? 

 

Today driving to work the volts kept peaking to 16v and flashing the battery light on. If I unplug it I get a 13.6v charge.  

[gm]

have eBay taken over gumtree ? I just noticed their name in the address window at the top of the screen

 

[gm]

hadn't noticed that, although it might explain why it is so ad heavy these days

[Lacquer Peel]

Jailbreak your device and install ad-blocking software, you won't regret it.

[Asimo]

Will I end up with a flat battery if I unplug the smart charge cable from the Alt in the focus? 

 

Today driving to work the volts kept peaking to 16v and flashing the battery light on. If I unplug it I get a 13.6v charge.

 

I just read through this http://www.petercoopercarrepairs.co.uk/ford_focus_alternator_smart_charging.htm

which suggests you would be ok to run unplugged.

 

Until your post I had not heard of "smart charge". I hope my transit doesn't have it, it doesn't sound smart to me at all.

[FakeConcern]

I always used to scroll down through forums using the arrow down key, but the last couple of days this won't work. Any ideas?

 

Windoze 7, usually use Firefox

[steve_earwig]

You might want to give some clues there, OS, browser etc.

 

Works fine for me (WIn 7 64bit Firefox, fingers and toes)

 

Until your post I had not heard of "smart charge". I hope my transit doesn't have it, it doesn't sound smart to me at all.

I've noticed that, everything is "smart" these days but none of it actually works. I'm starting to think it's smart as in flash (e.g. "a smart haircut"), no actual intelligence there at all.

[dave21478]

 

I've noticed that, everything is "smart" these days but none of it actually works. I'm starting to think it's smart as in flash (e.g. "a smart haircut"), no actual intelligence there at all.

 

Exactly.

 

Looking at washing machines today - why does a washing machine need a touch screen display? how is that in any way better-and more importantly- more robust than a rotary switch or push buttons?

Its not even more user-friendly. Being a lazy bloke, mine is left permanently on 40 degrees cotton, and very occasionally turned to Quick Wash.....bang the clothes and powder in, press GO, done. These need time to "boot up" when switched on FFS, then fannying with menus until it will start.

 

Fuck "progress". Too much shit these days is bluetooth, smart, interactive, gaudy toss festooned with overly bright blue LEDS.

 

And I am not even in the Grumpy Thread.

[scaryoldcortina]

Some progress is just daft. A mate of mine who works in a guitar shop was showing me the latest thing in guitar amps - it has no controls at all and only works if you connect it to an iOS device.