Stevey Y

Hi the easiest and cheapest way of curing it is to buy some chrome handle covers on eBay, or the other way is get hold of a mobile smart repair guy and get him to respray the handle they can do that without removal. Steve.

Hi Al it all boils down to the ship and the halfpenny of tar, it just makes a better job of the head even if you get the seats cut and lapped in theres not normally any need to buy new rocker gear or valves unless the existing valves are pitted, this will ensure that with the hone and rings it runs like new. Steve.

Hi Al if the big ends look okay you are in with a shout, if you can get a reasonable cylinder head used that what I would go for and just re cut the valve seats lap them in and with all the rest you are doing you should get a perfectly serviceable engine, I would also suggest a new oil pump.

Hi why not try paintless dent removal if they only need pushing out, these people do an excellent job for about £50 per dent I have used my local one a few times he is an Indian chap known as Singh the Ding. Steve.

Hi you will have to get the car scanned for codes it may well be the mechatronics unit playing up. Steve.

Hi if its P2002 code its the low pressure EGR cooler going south how many miles has it covered and what is the engine code. Steve.

Hi, NO you need to put the car in to service lining mode with VCDS/OBD and make sure you have a battery connected to the jump posts under the bonnet otherwise if your battery is as old as the car and the voltage drops it will fry the calliper motors. Steve.

Hi I don't know what the exchange rate is but you might be better off sourcing a replacement on eBay as I am sure it won't come to that!, I get my alternators done locally and a refurb with a three year guarantee is only about £350, do some research and find out if there is anyone that does reconditioning in your neck of the woods. Steve.

Hi they normally have Garrett on the outer casting in fact even a recon unit will have that, can you post a picture of that label with the build info, I rather suspect that the tune up that was mentioned was a remap that alone can cause problems depending on the level of mapping also did anyone explain what popped up with the turbo? codes etc as from experience I found any turbo fault throws the EML/Flashing glow plug light. Steve.

Hi Dawood I really think that changing the alternator would be best policy as they will have to check its charging correctly and if its not they will have to find out why, but I honestly think its the internal voltage regulator thats gone bad especially in view of its age. Steve.

Hi if you give a visual inspection with the car jacked up using a bar place pressure on them and if they move a lot thats your problem the balljoint end rarely wears but the bush on the subframe end is normally the culprit and when really worn it will look like this.

Hi please post the resolution to your problem as it forms a roadmap for other members which is what this forum is about. Steve.

Hi the clunking is the centre engine mount its the bit inside the subframe you can just see the bolt in the picture its a two piece bush and will fall out when removed the replacement is a lot more interesting and requires a lot of rubber grease and swearing, ask any Skoda owner its a common problem. Steve.

Hi if it won't replicate the symptoms for a few days then starts again its not an air leak it sounds more like the Lambda sensor going stupid in view of the relatively low cost and ease of change I would try that first. Steve.

Hi no you don't have to have the repairs done by them any independent garage that turns over £40,000 a year and pays VAT can do it, please check but I am sure that was the ruling when I last checked, as for the discs I seriously doubt there is a major lip and in their estimation the wear would indicate that you still have 40 percent left which is way over the 10 percent required for efficient braking, example being my accountant bought a 17 plate Q5 this year with 68,000 miles from a private dealer and his brakes definitely had lips on the discs and despite the dealer fitting new pads at the front they were wearing unevenly on one side as the disc was scored, I gave him the number of the garage I use [independent] and they specced discs and pads front and back in Brembo E9 marked as well as a full brake system flush with ESP4 for £575.00 inc VAT, I rest my case. Steve.

Hi have you scanned the vehicle for faults as that would give you an idea why the light comes on, my theory is the piece of loom that runs along the gearbox has not been replaced on its clips properly and is fouling the gear linkage whilst rubbing the insulation on one of the wires, other than that its the gear linkage is worn, they do a repair kit for the bushes, it might also be the rear mount gone soft, I had that on my car which made the gear change vague as when you changed down or up the movement on the tail shaft made gear selection difficult. Steve.

Hi its probably the original units have lost some gas so if you just replace them they should be ok, FEBI, Stabilo any aftermarket brand should do it just buy the heavy duty model. Steve.

Hi they don't always stop rattling when you put the clutch in especially if its the release bearing gone dry, I would get your local garage to hoist it up on a ramp and have a listen' Steve.

Hi in the Wonderfull world of simplicity just change the light unit as chances are that the facelift bumper is different along with the light units which unless they are LED units won't need coding just a little adjusting of the level via the screws on the light itself. Steve.

Hi could be the flywheel how many miles has it covered? Steve.

Hi pictures, price, service history, milage, all the prior might raise some interest. Steve.

Hi you said it, Ford which is a completely different animal as the thesis behind their build perception is that you are better off with more cabin gadgets that invariably break, thats why I ended up buying an Audi, lord knows they have their faults but basically are built to a high standard and from good quality parts, I had three Fords and a lot of miles out of them but the butchers bill for parts was astronomical, I changed my MAP-MAF and DPF sensors this week at 160k, both the MK4 Mondeos I had listed all three items every year. Steve.

Hi these things are a piece of rubbish, if you change the oil as I have after driving the thing still says its low despite having the right amount of oil, if I drive another three cycles so its then nice and hot if I wait five mins and then check it comes right, try deleting the codes and then run it as suggested, its all down to the bonnet counter, worst case scenario yo might need to find someone with VCDS to re adapt the sensor. Steve.

Hi my accountant bought a 3 series BMW from a local high end car sales establishment and after three months the car went in on recall from BMW thats when the whole horrible mess was discovered it had been remapped and the Cat and DPF had been gutted none of this was mentioned in the sales pitch and the company that sold it were obliged to pay for all the remedial work at BMW, a dealer is not allowed to sell a modified car that has the emissions tinkered with as its technically only for off road use therefore illegal and not fit for purpose. Steve.

Hi it could well be a bad wiring problem in the plug as they are in a pretty bad area and the original alloy units normally corrode, check for breakages inside the insulation if you strip the wire back and the inner copper is brown thats your problem. Steve.