Magnet

Thanks Di, I hope it works out for you, and apologies for being pessimistic, but I hope you won’t end up trading equally high garage bills for a more modern troublesome model. Trade in value? Expect just what they might knock off the car you are interested in, if you didn’t trade it in = scrap value. If you get offered more than that, then be wary of your intended purchase being listed at an inflated price. When you say it’s insured for £2,000, do you mean it’s on an agreed value policy at that price, or have you just judged its value to be £2,000 when you took your policy out? Two completely different valuations. Regards, Gareth.

Welcome Simon, Virtually impossible to judge from just ‘good nick….76K’. Suggest searching Car & Classic and EBay websites for guidance. Regards, Gareth.

Um. You will be paying a higher insurance premium on an import? I also mentioned in a post a couple or so weeks back, that some marques are not treated with much if any underbody treatment for Japan destination. VAG?? Well worth getting the underside of this 14 year old car inspected, before deciding on your way forward. Regards, Gareth.

Many thanks Di, and sorry to hear you are now parting with it, since I get the impression you are understandably attached to the car. Have you given this decision a good couple of coats of thinking about, and concluded that you definitely won’t regret parting with it? If it were mine, I would seek a second opinion on the condition of the hoses, and simply continue to search for replacements - without pressure. Once it’s gone, it’s gone, and as you will gather from this forum, more modern models are prone to a host of expensive problems ( as are most marques). Devils and knowing? Regards, Gareth. p.s. Could you please let us know what price you want for it, if you really do want to part with it.

Welcome Steve, Worth doing a forum search under Air suspension or similar and you should find reference already made to a good contact. Regards, Gareth.

As I understand it MMI sort outs can be specialist and expensive. Beware of their procrastination which can result in 30 days elapsing and your option of rejecting the car going out of the window. Regards, Gareth.

Doesn’t seem so. The ‘language policing’ system is pretty crxp! You can enter offensive terminology in initial letter form, and it allows that! System package logic I guess.

Thanks Sean for helping Nathan out.

Welcome Steve, and glad to hear you are pleased with the car, apart from the Sat. Nav. When you say the garage are ignoring you - is that not returning your phone calls, or not responding to your e-mails? If the former, I would recommend you e-mail them outlining the issue and asking them to respond by……. say 3 days from when you send it. If they don’t then take advice from CAB. Re. diagnostics:- you run the risk of a retort of ‘you have been fiddling with it’, and this would be my last resort unless you intend not perusing the seller to sort it out. Please let us know how things progress. Regards, Gareth.

Thanks Nav, Great, problem solved safely. Regards, Gareth.

Very confused now! Why on earth would you want to get a new one manufactured to replicate one which doesn’t work?? I don’t think I can add much more to this post.

Which is more than your pulley did with your engine Barry!

Hello Jerome, I’m a bit confused! Original part no……………C. ’Ordered a few on line under ……….C.’ So what is the problem with the ones you have bought? Trust we can sort out your confusion with part number! It’s much easier if you could have initially told us where you had tried, to avoid us suggesting where you had already searched. EBay International? Breaker link systems such as Partsfinder - there are more. Speedy Cables Ltd. (Swansea) should be able to make one to your old pattern if all else fails. Regards, Gareth.

Appreciating the forum hasn’t been able to give you a definitive figure, but has given you some pointers. Could you please let us have your comments? Regards, Gareth.

Welcome Stephen, Actually visit ( rather than phone/email) your local dealer Parts Dept., talk nicely to them, and they should be able to print off a build record for you. Delay this until you are able to take your new V5 in your name. Please let us know how you get on. Regards, Gareth.

Welcome Gregory, Two options:- Visit your nearest dealer - armed with your VIN - and if (in caps) the original wheels have not already been refurbished, they should be able to provide you with a colour code and touch-up or aerosol. Visit a local wheel refurbisher and seek advice there. Please let us know how you get on so other members can benefit from your experience. Regards, Gareth.

Hello Stefan, Not sure where my mention of websites comes from - ? Regards, Gareth.

£150 ish for a Halfords branded battery? Who now manufactures Halfords batteries? - don’t know. Worth thinking about its equivalent Exide from Parts in Motion EBay - delivered to your door for a discounted £94 ish until 16/2 ?

No problem Di, if we can help, we will. Could you post some photos of the repaired hose, and the other ones you would like to renew? Regards, Gareth.

What brand of battery are you considering, and where are you going to get that fitted?

Hello Ci, Hoses are generally long lived components these days. Are any of yours in a condition where they are visibly deteriorated, or will they be adequate for service while you search for replacements? Regards, Gareth.

Tax and insurance status significantly controls your ability to take this car anywhere for further inspection. I guess you don’t want to share that information, so are we all making impractical suggestions of reporting this issue to DVSA? ‘Consumer rights argument’ ? Really not seeing this, except that if you have a concern about work which has been done, then the protocol is to address that concern at source. I’m probably putting two and two together and probably making five, but if you want a resolution, act as advised, or simply re-bleed all four brakes. Regards, Gareth. Post overlapped Richard’s.

Thanks, but back to the fundamental question - why didn’t you raise the issue with them once you started to drive the car away? If not then, have you expressed your discontent since? The situation is this - you shouldn’t drive this car if you (in caps) believe the brakes are inadequate, and as as been suggested and on going actions remain your sole responsibility. Yours isn’t to diagnose possible causes, but to set up a plan to complain to the appropriate source. If it were mine I would select from the following:- Complain to the garage that carried out the work and issued the MOT. Notify the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency that you consider the brakes to be inadequate despite it having been issued with an MOT pass on x date, and has covered x miles since. Is the car now taxed and the insurance valid?

Repeating - dealer parts for these applications, for reasons given. Not sure how I can be of further help, so I’ll leave it to others.

Fair point Cliff, but a certain amount of pedal travel (OP doesn’t quantify) could be expected since car has just been fitted with new discs and pads all-round, and need some miles under its belt to bed in. Please let us know what a ‘fair bit…’ equates to Leah. Regards, Gareth.