Ask a Shiter

[DVee8]

SoC of this very parish,sent me a text telling me that there was a big problem with the distributor for my Daimler 250V8.I'm going to see him tomorrow to discuss the problem.

If my memory is correct  there is someone on here that works for a company refurbishing such items,but who is it?

I think I was thinking of Angry Dicky..May be wrong.

[Bucketeer]

Moved to correct location:

 

How much ROUGHLY would I expect to pay to trailer a car from Wembley in London,to Devon near Lyme Regis,320 mile round trip.

Car is complete but not roadworthy?

[Mally]

Tends to work out around £1 per mile.

There are many recovery firms on ebay, look for one at either end of the journey and ask for a quote.

[catsinthewelder]

My MK3 Astra could really use some new front brake discs but passed the MOT brake test with flying colours. That was a couple of months ago though and this morning I've had to abandon a job and head home as the brakes were barely there at all. Fluid level was fine but pedal dropped nearly to the floor before doing anything. Could new discs help or is it time for a new master cylinder or trip to the bridge? It is rusty, dented and full of k- seal so won't last that much longer anyway.

[mercrocker]

Noticed a few posts moved here lately....

 

Time for a thread title change to reflect a much more general range of questions?

[The Moog]

Air in the system - that is what is compressing .Unless discs are wafer thin.

 

If you pump the pedal does it firm up? If so that might be seals in MC.

[warninglight]

Agree with Mally, £1 a mile one way is about right, if I was selling a car and had a 320 mile round trip to deliver it, I'd shift it for £160 or so.

[Jim Bell]

Noticed a few posts moved here lately....

 

Time for a thread title change to reflect a much more general range of questions?

 

+1 for THE QUESTION THREAD reboot.

[Crispian_J_Hotson]

Someone I know quite well has asked if I want a clean looking W REG berlingo van. Ex TNT looking thing, still bearing the livery but no Lettering...and no V5. It's been in a multi story car park for about a year and they want it shifting. Apparently it runs and has keys. MOT ran out in October last year, previous Mot was at 100,000 ish miles. I don't want it as I have no space or spare time or money for other chod, but is it of any interest to anyone else? Van is not far from Camden, London... PM me if interested and I'll see if I can get in contact with the right people however I'll have no part in anything else.

 

Just heard the last motor they got rid of a couple of weeks ago was a range rover for £100!

[robinmasters]

Is it possible in any of these places to go in, pick something, then take it to the till or whatever without having to speak to anyone or have shit pit conversations about what would happen if I died or had a puncture.

Can you do this? Or buy a car in a totally internet transaction? New cars are all the same etc etc, so why would you even need to try them out? (I understand that people do actually buy new cars without a test drive)

[DodgeRover]

Has anybody bought anything from India via Indiamart, there are several lpg transfer pumps advertised on there but the only contact option appears to be via putting my mobile number in.

[mrbenn]

At what tread depth do folk change their tyres? All 4 Dunlops on my Focus are at 3mm. I check them regularly and was well aware of this, was quite rightly advised of same by the mechanic that serviced the car this week.

 

Legal limit is 1.6mm but apparently nuns and kitten will immediately die on mass if they get anywhere near 2mm, wet weather grip will be non-existant, stopping distances will treble and the Spice Girls will never perform again.

 

Any thoughts?

[clayts450]

1.61mm shurely ?

 

Me, I get very twitchy below 2mm

[mrbenn]

I'm sort of trying to work out how long it will take to go from 3mm to 2mm. Theoretically, if tyres have 8mm when new and have taken 25k (for example) miles to go from 8mm to 3mm, then 1mm = 5k miles so it would false economy to change them yet. 2mm would seem a reasonable point but that is rather close to the minimum. Do I trust my tread depth gauge to be that accurate?!

[Mally]

Ah! but the circumference is smaller as you go on, so more revolutions to travel the same distance equals faster wear.

Don't worry about it, just check them every month like everyone* else does.

[sierraman]

I'd say 2mm. Michelin or whoever say change them at 3mm but then they would as they sell the bloody things.

[Tickman]

At what tread depth do folk change their tyres? All 4 Dunlops on my Focus are at 3mm. I check them regularly and was well aware of this, was quite rightly advised of same by the mechanic that serviced the car this week.

 

Legal limit is 1.6mm but apparently nuns and kitten will immediately die on mass if they get anywhere near 2mm, wet weather grip will be non-existant, stopping distances will treble and the Spice Girls will never perform again.

 

Any thoughts?

1.6mm is still legal but 1.59mm isn't so when they get there change them.

 

If you were coming into winter and planned on keeping the car then I would change earlier however as summer is on the way when the tyres become slicks they will be better

 

Ah! but the circumference is smaller as you go on, so more revolutions to travel the same distance equals faster wear.

Don't worry about it, just check them every month like everyone* else does.

 

I think the "they are on 3mm so you should change them" is for the fact no one checks them as Mally points out.

[mrbenn]

Good advice on the tyres - many thanks all

[xtriple]

I have never noticed tyres to wear equally across the full tread, usually the edges go first leaving loads of tread in the middle. So, when the edges have gone to the wear limit, I change them. Probably very wasteful but I hate looking at the tyres and seeing low outer/inner treads. I know this is down to over-inflation but I think it;s also down to heavy cars and the sheer number of roundabouts.

[Pillock]

I can't remember the last time I had to replace a tyre because it was low. Punctures from shit in the road, or from potholes get them long before them.

[tinribs]

I have never noticed tyres to wear equally across the full tread, usually the edges go first leaving loads of tread in the middle. So, when the edges have gone to the wear limit, I change them. Probably very wasteful but I hate looking at the tyres and seeing low outer/inner treads. I know this is down to over-inflation but I think it;s also down to heavy cars and the sheer number of roundabouts.

Bald inner tread - over inflation. Tyre bulges at the tread centre so makes more contact with tarmac and will not bend when cornering.

Bald outers - under inflation. Soft floppy tyres will roll around on their sidewalls more often. I bet this is more common due to nobody giving a fuck any more.

Bald to the chords on one side - you've had your tracking done at Farmers!

[M'coli]

Why has this had a name change? Who thought it was a good idea? What's the point of fixing something that wasn't broken?

 

I can't be the only one getting pissed-off with this sort of interference?

[Split_Pin]

I realised that I had out a touch too much oil in the 75 this morning, level seemed fine on Weds. Drained a bit out and noticed metallic flakes in it? This isnt good is it?

[puddlethumper]

Sometimes I have a question

 

Why has this had a name change? Who thought it was a good idea? What's the point of fixing something that wasn't broken?

I can't be the only one getting pissed-off with this sort of interference?

If I have a sensible question I don't want to put it in the stupid question thread. 

I am not pissed off with the change. 

[angle]

OK, answers other than 'its a Laguna' welcome - the steering has started creaking. Sometimes quiet, sometimes loud, but only ever when I'm turning the wheel right. Turning left is fine, holding it in a right turn is fine. PAS fluid seems to be where it should (although the reservoir is pretty opaque). Doesn't feel rough or heavy at all. Both front springs recently replaced, sounds a bit like its knocking over bumps from the nearside front but the local garage checked it over and said they couldn't see anything wrong. Any ideas?

[sierraman]

Astra 1.7 diesel, going into limp home every time you press accelerator. Any ideas?

[wuvvum]

All Vauxhalls are shite?

[wuvvum]

Or is it overboosting?  That can cause engine management systems to get their panties in a bunch.

[sierraman]

I did say that.

[AlabamaShrimp]

Any idea where I can get that broken rubber seat base from for the Frontera.

 

 

Can't find anything but stuff that doesn't look like it will fit for Triumphs etc.