Ask a Shiter

[Tamworthbay]

Just checked and it’s 15 years now, but still not much use for most of us.

[mrbenn]

My youngest car would still be 6 months too old!

 

Odd, really. They'd cover a 6 year old Kia Picanto (for example) that hadn't seen a single service during it's life, yet something like my Ford that gets maintained by the book (and then some) would be a no go.

[skattrd]

I'm with GEM for breakdown, and have been for a long time. This year it went to just over £100.

They cover homestart and generally recover me to where-ever I'm going with little to no fuss.

They've never mentioned age of car, although they did whinge a little after the second recovery in a month in my 30 year old Espace. Although I'd expect that to be because of the recurring fault, not the age of the vehicle.

[Dick Cheeseburger]

This may help---

https://www.gov.uk/personalised-vehicle-registration-numbers/take-private-number-off

Thanks, chap. Looks like it’s fine to remove as is even though my fiancées car has a recently lapsed MOT. £80 to remove though - scamming bastards.

 

 

[Vantman]

As far as I can remember the £80 includes assigning the number to the next car--don't quote me though!

[Tamworthbay]

My youngest car would still be 6 months too old!

 

Odd, really. They'd cover a 6 year old Kia Picanto (for example) that hadn't seen a single service during it's life, yet something like my Ford that gets maintained by the book (and then some) would be a no go.

Yup it’s mad. I would think cars of 5-15 years old are probably more likely to break down as that’s where they go through the run at minimum expense phase, and new ones come to think about it. I know a few friends with new cars who have had ‘running in’ issues.

[Crispian_J_Hotson]

Where's the non motoring 'ask a shitter' ? I thought there was one but I can't find it?

[clayts450]

Where's the non motoring 'ask a shitter' ? I thought there was one but I can't find it?

 

Have you tried asking in the non-motoring 'ask a shitter' topic ?

[clayts450]

What a pain in the arse. Not sure where you stand legally but if it fails again I'd be looking at trying to reject it. Twitter may be your friend re the poor customer service received so far.

 

There surely must be some consumer rights regarding the rejection of goods, ie don't trust the car any more, lost faith in the Skoda brand etc etc. Maybe they'll find you an unsold Superb to placate you....

[Crispian_J_Hotson]

Have you tried asking in the non-motoring 'ask a shitter' topic ?

 

 

This is the problem...

[clayts450]

Shoddy attempt at irony failed

 

Try this

 

http://autoshite.com/topic/23231-the-non-car-question-thread/

[Crispian_J_Hotson]

No, I got it... Maybe I read it and pulled a face like 'very good..' whilst I typed a reply. Probably a bit like this:    . I found it eventually.

[Heidel_Kakao]

Quad headlamps, as far as I understand the inner units are meant to be main beam only, is there any reason why I can't use dip/main beam units with H4 bulbs for all four units?

 

https://www.moss-europe.co.uk/cibie-headlamp-units-5-75-52946.html

 

Those seem to the type that I need for Cedric.

[Eddie Honda]

Quad headlamps, as far as I understand the inner units are meant to be main beam only, is there any reason why I can't use dip/main beam units with H4 bulbs for all four units.

 

RVLR 1989 - Appears you can have two pairs of dipped headlamps (both inner and outer) if first used before 1st April 1991. http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/1796/schedule/4/made

 

Main beam, as many as you want: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/1796/schedule/5/made

 

Check, but given the age of the car I reckon 4 all the same would be a goer.

[DodgeRover]

Quad headlamps, as far as I understand the inner units are meant to be main beam only, is there any reason why I can't use dip/main beam units with H4 bulbs for all four units?

 

https://www.moss-europe.co.uk/cibie-headlamp-units-5-75-52946.html

 

Those seem to the type that I need for Cedric.

Welcome back to the forum, hope you are well.

[wuvvum]

Is there any reason why one cannot fit commercial (as in R16C) tyres to a "normal" (albeit 4x4) car?

[Cavcraft]

Is there any reason why one cannot fit commercial (as in R16C) tyres to a "normal" (albeit 4x4) car?

 

I'd imagine that would be an insurance issue, i.e if involved in an accident they wouldn't pay out and would cite stiffer sidewalls effecting the handling or something.

[Rocket88]

Is there any reason why one cannot fit commercial (as in R16C) tyres to a "normal" (albeit 4x4) car?

 

 

Most black cabs seem to run on "commercial " tyres..are they not a car?

[DodgeRover]

Can't see it being an issue as long as the speed rating is correct (which might be difficult) just the same as fitting mud & slush tyres really.

[wuvvum]

Can't see it being an issue as long as the speed rating is correct

When you say "correct", what does that mean exactly?  It's for the HR-V, which isn't exactly a Range Rover V8 Supercharged - in fact it probably has a lower top speed than the Maxus, which is on commercial tyres.

[artdjones]

I don't see it being too much of a problem.Commercial tyres have a higher load rating than a car tyre.They usually have inferior grip,though.I dont think your insurance company would care,but you might if you have to slam the brakes on in the wet. You could fit XL tyres,if available in the correct size.They are reinforced,but not to the same level as C tyres,and have a more car like tread pattern.

[panhard65]

Years ago I had a Jensen Interceptor that the previous owner had put one commercial tyre on the back. I thought I would be clever and fit another to make them a matched pair. What a mistake the handling was bordering on dangerous and they were soon binned for the correct car type tyres. Commercial tyres have much stiffer sidewalls and will not work well even on a 4x4.

[Rocket88]

The story so far.............Bought an 18 plate Fabia [brand new] on PCP from Skoda dealer in Yeovil. Petrol 1.0 auto.

 

In August, going up to London see the the other half, it cut out on me in the outside lane of the M3, cue much swevery and near death, managed to get it to the hard shoulder. Various warning lights, including check oil, park pilot inop, and other random scariness. Checked oil..fine. Restarted it, and trundled along in the slow lane..did it again..and again. Phoned Skoda assist. Told that a patrol would have to come and have a look before they could send a recovery truck.

Being ex A.A, I knew that on a Bank Holiday that could take forever. Restarted car, EML light now on, so limped 20 miles to my destination, telling Skoda assist that I needed a patrol to meet me there to have a look.

He duly turned up, plugged in his code reader........and said that a Skoda technician would have to have a look. He duly turned up on Sunday morning, and said there were myriad faults showing, and advised me not to drive the car. They suppled a hire car, and the Fabia was despatched to Skoda in Yeovil.

They had the car for a MONTH, and could find nothing wrong, the fault refused to re-occur. Skoda UK then said that they couldn't spend any more man hours trying to fix it...and it had to have it back.............I was not happy, but had to no choice in the matter.

Yesterday, had to go up to Oxfordshire from Maidstone [where I now have relocated to from Yeovil area] After about 80 miles.......it does it again, again at about 70 in the outside lane, ..........more swevery and near death. Same symptoms as above, but worse. More re-starting and cutting out. I was close to my destination, and the car was now in limp home mode, so phoned Skoda assist to send patrol to meet me there. He rocks up, clears fault codes.and says 'it should be fine"......yeah right, thinks I............I conclude my business, and head for home...........and you've guessed it.................happens again. This time, grinds to a halt completely. 

Back on the phone to Skoda assist. After two hours, bloke turns up from a local garage, and plugs in a generic code reader........"fuck knows mate, it's bollocksed." No shit, Sherlock.! By this time I'm royally pissed off. Phone Skoda again.......we need a tow truck, and I want the car taken to my home address...and a hire to get me home. 'No problem Sir"............."the hire car company will call you"..................

90 minutes later [after no phone call from hire car bods, A.A relay turn up......I phone again 'where's my hire car"........'you can't have one unless car is recovered to a dealer"......FFS....not what you told me 2 hours ago............

So.....A.A bloke loads car, takes it to nearest dealer [Reading] and drops me round to Eurocar..........they hire me [oh, the irony] an Octavia. Drive back to Maidstone. Get a call this morning from the dealer...."we've found the fault, chafed wiring above the gearbox"..all fixed now........

By this time I'd reached the conclusion that I want nothing more to do with a car that's tried to kill me twice. My other half won't travel in it, let alone drive it..........I want out. Ongoing discussions are taking place between Skoda UK myself, and the dealer, but I'm being leant on to take the car back....I'm not happy about this... other half even less so........................

Any advise from the Autoshite massive....!

 

In further news..........being forced to pick up this potential deathtrap on Monday. If you see a gigantic fireball between Reading and Maidstone, it'll probably be me.............one thing did occur to me.......if a passenger aircraft displayed the same problem [systems power failure, with no cause found] would chief tech bloke at Boeing just hand the pilot back the keys with, "fuck knows mate, we couldn't find anything wrong with it".................

[mat_the_cat]

Surely a Vivaro/Trafic owner can answer this question?

 

 

Looking at the lower pair of rear lights, the bottom part is obviously a fog light on the offside and a reversing light on the nearside. But what about the top clear part on both sides? Is this something to provide extra illumination when unloading perhaps?

[DodgeRover]

Years ago I had a Jensen Interceptor that the previous owner had put one commercial tyre on the back. I thought I would be clever and fit another to make them a matched pair. What a mistake the handling was bordering on dangerous and they were soon binned for the correct car type tyres. Commercial tyres have much stiffer sidewalls and will not work well even on a 4x4.

From experience with our lexus I can't tell the difference, it has rain max commercials on it, much better in the wet too than the well worn mud and slush ones.

I would think a modern 4x4 is heavier than a medium sized van with a light load?

 

When you say "correct", what does that mean exactly? It's for the HR-V, which isn't exactly a Range Rover V8 Supercharged - in fact it probably has a lower top speed than the Maxus, which is on commercial tyres.

Look at what is specified as standard - usually written on the car somewhere or in the handbook and make sure they are the same or greater rating.

[doug]

Just "won" a  motorbike ebay fair and square. Got a message from the seller "no sale". Whit the feck! How do you proceed?

[mrbenn]

Explain to him how eBay works. Preferably using the word “shitehawk”.

[AMC Rebel]

In further news..........being forced to pick up this potential deathtrap on Monday. If you see a gigantic fireball between Reading and Maidstone, it'll probably be me.............one thing did occur to me.......if a passenger aircraft displayed the same problem [systems power failure, with no cause found] would chief tech bloke at Boeing just hand the pilot back the keys with, "fuck knows mate, we couldn't find anything wrong with it".................

I know this is not helpful - but have you ever read a plane maintenance log? They are full of “no fault found”

 

After that 777 crash landed at Heathrow they linked a number of similar unexplained power loss incidents to it. Same thing with the rudder faults on 737s.

 

As for the Skoda it sounded very like when the earth points disintegrated on my previous Jag. All the fancy diagnostics and fault codes couldn’t cope with the simple problem of an intermittent earth so it kept throwing all sorts of alarming fault codes. Needless to say the dealer had to have several goes before they figured it out.

 

With that said the Jag wasn’t new or on a pcp or warranted.

 

Hopefully they have actually found the fault this time.

[dozeydustman]

Explain to him how eBay works. Preferably using the word “cunt”.

 

 

FTFY

[DodgeRover]

Just "won" a motorbike ebay fair and square. Got a message from the seller "no sale". Whit the feck! How do you proceed?

Make sure to bid a billionty pounds on every one of their subsequent auctions.

 

Leave a negative then move on.