Used car buying advice

[Richard]

Ed, while I have also moved over to the car is just transport that only needs to get there and back with safety and comfort camp, I am not sure that I can totally agree on speed limits where I live. When I moved in some years ago the ‘main road’ had only the national limit and due to local driving standards a bad accident record. The limit is now 40, and traffic levels have risen on a narrow single, bi-directional carriageway, with very limited pedestrian pavement. The accident rate is modestly better, perhaps more a case of regression to the mean, but driving standards remain ‘variable’. Witness the loon doing 60 plus on almost bald tyres, in a torrential downpour. One dead, one brain damaged, two cars written off he was also badly injured as was the innocent he hit. However most of the loons now do less damage themselves and others due to their lower speeds. The ‘blind’ motor cyclist who travelled down the centre line hatchings to pass the slower traffic adjusting speed behind a car turning right. Their chariot slid under the side of the car, causing disruption and minor damage  but no serious injury. So far most of our local limits appear reasonable, including the ones for a local road scheme  though the duration of that ‘mud-pie-men’ exercise appears over generous and many have been the result of previous serious accident records. As for Surrey, I have little experience apart from being stopped in a routine police road block in a foreign registered car at 3:00 a.m. back in 1975. Happily I had full documentation so was soon on my way once more documentation and the result was smiles all round.

[Ed P]

Richard, the emphasis is on inappropriate. If the potential dangers, or accident rate justify lower speeds then that is appropriate in my book. Short stretches of speed restrictions before bends or junctions may well be appropriate as well.

I suspect that many of the Surrey restrictions I rant about are due more to the local hunt wanting to cross these roads at weekends/Bank Holidays than anything else.

[Richard]

I can only call as I find and so far as I have seen that sort of issue is not one we have, which is why I did massage my words with the disclaimer ‘So far most of our local limits appear reasonable‘. It is a few minutes since I was last in Surrey and will probably not visit again. The one limit I did find odd, until I saw why, was one beautiful road surface, straight road with very good sight lines yet a very low limit and strict parking regulation, then I saw, it was near Diana’s old home. There were just no crowds, or other cars to warn me as I passed by.

[PlaneMan]

Richard, totally agree with you about the position of the touchscreen in the new Fiesta being a good thing for some people. It was in an ergonomic position for the vast majority of people (I’m guessing) but for me it was just wrong. Looked and felt awkward.

I totally understand why some people are over the driving for fun aspect of motoring, so many terrible drivers on the roads it’s a miracle there aren’t many more serious accidents. Like the pillock I encountered this morning, ancient white Transit belching smoke and doing 45 mph in the middle lane of a 3 lane stretch on the M4. I honestly thought it was on fire, judging by the flashing lights and horns blaring of other motorists I reckon lots of them thought so as well.

[PlaneMan]

My cars air con seems to be a bit feeble, the air is cool rather than cold, even when turned to the lowest setting. I was very warm today even in a t-shirt. I suspect it needs a service/regas. It was much colder when I got it.

There are a few places nearby that are ‘specialists’ but I just wonder if anyone has any experience of having this kind of job done. I know you can buy the canisters and DIY it but I think it’d render me useless for a day or two to even try it.

T.I.A

[Ed P]

You almost certainly need to have the working fluid topped up. (Probably propane + lubricant is used today ). Kwik-fit and others do it.

Probably best to have a specialist do it so they can vac rest it for leaks.

When I lived in the Tropics this was a regular 3 year job (freon in those days).

[PlaneMan]

Thanks Ed.

There’s a place very near that has very good feedback from one of the people I used to do a bit of IT type stuff for. He deals in cars, some very high end now.

Anybody else that wants to chip in, please do .

[Richard]

Kwik-fit, or quick and fit, quick is what they often are not and fit is what you have after getting the results. Do go to a specialist, I suspect a leaking hose, they will tend to go porous after a while and leak. Vacuum recovery of the old product is important I am told, but as part of a proper system check.. Done properly it should restore the system. I also used to use the gas canisters while in the Middle East, every one was an equally bad AC person back then! Just do not tip the cylinder up as liquid will smash the pump, it needs to run on gas not liquid.

[Ed P]

Other than Health&Safety regs I do not think they have to recover the propane today, except perhaps to vent it safely. However back in the days that freon was being phased out there certainly was a mandatory recovery requirement.

[JayCeeDee]

As Richard says, see a specialist. More info HERE on why Kwikfit and others are not up to the task.

[PlaneMan]

JCD, thanks, there is a place almost literally around the corner from me that is on the list at the bottom of the article, I’ll go and have a word with them today.

[JayCeeDee]

??

[Richard]

Yes, sound advice and the article put it very well. Leaks are a right royal pain. They are a bit like wiring breaks that hide within the plastic sheathing and come out only when something shakes the right way. Then the computer reports the end appearance not the cause.

[PlaneMan]

The place nearby don’t really do other makes anymore since they became SsangYong and Isuzu dealers. They can do it but not for a fortnight.

There’s another place not far away that the garage I use send their customers to so I’ll go and see them later.

[Richard]

I have used a specialist ‘come to you’ person in the past. He appeared to know his stuff, since his continued work flow does depend on getting it right there is some incentive. If all else fails, that is an option.

[PlaneMan]

Just got back from the recommended place and it’s going in next Wednesday.

They explained that if there is a tiny leak it could stop working again after 2 weeks but because of the way they remove the old gas and pressure test with a dye the route of the escaping gas will show up under UV light.  All the major, expensive parts are covered under my extended warranty but perishables like hoses aren’t.

£50+ VAT is the cost, the same as places like Halfords but this is being done properly.

[Richard]

Result! That is about the average cost and sound very fair to me. Hopefully they will know the gas to use, though that is only really an issue with older cars these days. They should also add the right lubrication if the system is completely evacuated, but you should be able to have confidence in them to get all that stuff right.

[PlaneMan]

I forgot to mention that the lubricant is included.

[The Duke]

The car is actually called the Arona, in its excellence Lux spec its very nice. Not my type of car but a decent compromise.

The 1litre engine felt fine around town but on the motorway doing 60 in 6th, i had to drop down to 3rd to overtake, which ran out of power quick. I forgot how weedy petrol engines are, mix that with it only being 1litre 3cly. However id get an auto, and the dsg is a quick box and its a 7 speed iirc, so “should” always be in the correct gear .

I have one issue with these small economical engines, they ain’t economical. The car had 2.5k miles on not and averaged 32mpg from new. For 32mpg costs id expect a 6.5s to 60 car. I reckon this is probably 11. I’ve not checked.

Boot maybe the reason we don’t go for that. It’s a tad small.

Pros are it has every bit of kit known to man, from auto lights to parking itself , though if you want an armrest, you need to get the top of the line. Which is bizzar given al the kit it comes with.

No rear chargers, however there is 2 USB in the going, and the 12v is right at the back of the centre armrest area so would just pass that test. No rear air vents either, bit i don’t sit in the rear .

The seats are fab, half leather/Alcantara and the leather very nice .

[PlaneMan]

Just got back from having the air con done, 55 minutes and £58.80 later and it’s all sorted. No detectable leaks but was asked to bring it back should it stop working in the near future and they’ll break out the UV light.

They said the compressor was a little on the weak side but it’s not an issue due to the size of the car, they reckon it should be fine for at least 3 years if not more . I’ll need to check my warranty and see if covers failing parts or only ones that fail. I suspect the latter.

Very happy that my car now gets ice cold quickly, the gas was down to 25% of what it should have been. Top notch service for a fair price.

[Author]

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