04 1.6 8V Mariva aircon issue?

dirty egr valve would be a first thing to look at

So, that's the thing that links the exhaust to the inlet?

So, will it enjoy a cleanup (or does it need replacing) and would be pointers to that seen in any fault codes etc please (I might have it back here in an hour and could see if my reader can talk to it. Where is the port on those do you know please before I pull the entire interior out)? ;-)

Cheers, T i m

thr port is below the plastic just below and slightly in front of the handbrake. You will usually get a warning light showing if there is a code to be read. egr valve problems are quite common , often careful cleaning will get them going ok again, carb cleaner is good. another possible is something as simple as an air leak

Thanks, that saved us a search. Us because I borrowed my mates Suntune thingy and it came up with no fault codes.

Which makes sense then (as there wasn't).

Yeah, I think I reported a fault here re daughters 1.2 Corsa C and it was suggested (possibly by your good self) that it was the EGR valve. That fault seemed to have cleared itself, as has this on one the Mariva from today's little test run anyway.

Ok.

Ok, well I wont rule that one out either then. A mate paid a lot of money getting his BM looked at, with no one finding the fault but he eventually tracked it down himself to a split air hose.

Thanks, T i m

p.s. Any deal breakers on the Z16SE engined Mariva would you say please. Would you dive one as a your daily runabout?

If the vehicle has been run on cheap fuel and poodled around then it may just be that a bit of coke has got dislodged and jammed the valve open slightly which is enough to stop it idling happily. The valve should normally be totally shut at idle and open up once you are moving. So the situation can heal itself. Vauxhall have issued various TSBs about this and even offer a kit to blank off the valve and re-program the ecu (they have to do that bit) on some versions, not all.

It isn't a vehicle that I would want to keep, and it should sell easily enough, YMMV :)

(Sorry I've not been back sooner ... all sorts of distractions ..)

U think Dad used to get a move on on the Motorway but not more than 30 miles in any one burst of late and probably no real 'high speed' stuff.

Understood.

Ok.

Thanks.

I'm not sure I should be but I'm sort of torn between this 04 Mariva with 44k on the clock and probably free and next doors 04 1.6 Focus with 75k on the clock but will cost some money (although he said it would be 'cheap')

Not sure the Focus would be as roomy / flexible (luggage / in the back) as the Mariva, or that the Mrs would be able to get in and out of it as easily (even when she has the left knee replaced like the right) and I wonder how the TAX / Insurance would compare (I believe they may be similar mpg).

I have been quoted £240 Comp on the old Rover 218SD and £330 on the Mariva. Not tried the Focus yet.

The other thing is the Mariva is the full TAX (£210+?) but I'm not sure if the Focus is lower because of C02 etc?

I'm aware the Focus might be more of a 'drivers car' than the Mariva .... not sure if I warrant that these days though over practicality / ease / cost of maintenance. (Mind you, I wanted estates when mates were driving hot hatches). ;-)

One thing that seems to be getting less and less practical is roof racks. The Sierra estate had nice long gutters that would quickly and easily tale my Thule roof bars and carried all sorts of things (from sheet materials to steel tube for the V6 powered CF Camper I was rebuilding to boats / canoes and my dinghy mast). The Belmont and daughters Astra have holes in the roof to attach similar but the Rover and I think the Mariva need the type the sit on the roof and clip into the door frame (I know the Rover does for sure).

... and the Mariva was Mum / Dads and I think she would like me to have it both as it's tidier than what we have currently plus it would keep it in the family as such. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

p.s. Dad treated us all to fish and chips out a while back and he joked with daughters b/f that "you had better not leave you car parked near Tim as he would fit a towbar to it ... ". I had already fitted one to the Rover, Belmont, sonny Jim's Hi-Lux and daughters Corsa so he wasn't far off! I wonder how easy it will be to fit one to the Mariva ....

I don't know about the tow bar, but most modern vehicles are more of a pain than old ones.

You can check the road tax at dvla, just type in the reg. no. on the vehicle check page.

In your situation mobility problems should decide what you go for, the Focus is a better car, BUT the access is worse.

I used to use roof racks, but since getting a box trailer I haven't.

I have still got a CF camper, I put the 2.3 diesel in it, but it is very slow, I am considering going back to a 2 litre pinto just so it can get to motorway speeds !

Understood.

Ah, thanks. Focus £165pa, Meriva £210pa. ;-(

OOI, what specifically makes the Focus better car IYO please? I mean. I though I was a 'Ford man', having a (company) MkII Escort, Mk5 Cortina and a Mk1 Sierra and the (MkII Escort based) Kit Car over a 25 year period but I have been quite impressed with daughters Corsa re the things we have had to do on it so far (both the little details re how things are put together and availability of parts, new and s/h).

Agreed and I think I'd be more inclined to use one of my (3) box trailers with the Mariva or Focus because they are both generally 'clean' versus the Rover where I treat it more like a truck (saving a lot of time and effort of course). Box trailers are not so much use for the 13' long folding boat or 16' canoe though.

Oh dear. My first CF camper (ex ambulance) was powered by the std 1800 Vauxhall (slanty) lump and that was ok for pottering about. The LWB hi-top CF came with a Ford V6 and the std gearbox / axle and was good for about 50 mph but got there very quickly!

I still have the 100k 2L Pinto lump I took out my had_from_new Sierra Estate and 5sp box and not sure what I'm going to do with it. I also have the sump and all the other bits to put it in the Kit Car, replacing the 1300 Kent but not sure I'll ever getroundtuit. ;-(

Cheers, T i m

vauxhalls have more expensive faults. in particular that vehicle has the powered steering column which die on a regular basis, replacement is easy, but 500 quid or so for the genuine part or a bit less for pattern/rebuilt. some early merivas had LHD wipers which don't clear the right bits of screen.

the focus has a quick clear screen which is a boon, the focus is very stable to drive which the meriva isn't.

Would that be the same thing as on daughters 2001 Corsa C? [1] If so that's done 160,000 miles so far I believe on the same type of PAS unit? Could just be luck / lighter car etc I guess.

Ouch. That is the sort of 'gotcha' I need to know about (so thanks).

FWIW, next doors Focus has recently had a little batch of bits replaced ... battery, alternator, fuel pump, front road springs and a bit of wiring that went manky for some reason? Still needs front and back bumpers to make it 'tidy' though (Only needs a rear bumper on the Mariva. Apparently it was Mums fault he backed into the planter ... ).

Funny I don't know if this one is L or RHD but I did notice the rhs of the screen wasn't wiped very close to the o/s screen pillar (which are quite big themselves).

This one has had that replaced 4 times since he had it from new (stone damage) but I watched it clearing some ice recently and it was pretty impressive.

So, what that the feeling of how 'flat' on the corners / roundabouts even the Rover 218 felt after driving about in the Mariva for a bit?

In a way we could probably make use of both (but not really afford). The Mariva would be good for the Mrs if she goes back to work if she gets her knee done (as you say, easy access) and I'd prefer the Focus as whilst I'm not into sports cars I do like to get_on_with_it when and where I get the chance.

And I could fit a towbar on the Focus in any case to give me a bit more space for runs to the dump / collecting materials etc (or towing the folding caravan / boat / motorcycle trailer).

Cheers and thanks for all the info. ;-)

T i m

p.s. How would you say the interior / load space of the Focus compares with a 94 Rover 218SD please?

[1] Again, I think I feel a certain 'deadness' re the steering on the Corsa and Mariva when going at faster speeds and making tiny steering adjustments. It feels like they 'stick' forcing a very slight meander while you apply enough steering force / angle to get it to 'un stick? Could this simply be me feeling how this powered column type PAS works or could they both need attention?

I would say that the 218 is larger inside than the focus, the tailgate certainly seems wider on the 218. Focus interior can feel a bit close compared with other cars.

The Focus will go round bends wet or dry at amazing speeds, quite how they got the geometry so right is amazing, I recently lent my one to a customer that raced national hot rods a few years back, he thought that the focus could have run rings around the hotrod even though the hotrod had slicks and the focus has a mishmash of worn non matching tyres.

The steering you describe is how the electric columns go after a while, apparently there is some kind of sliding contact thing inside which wears, obviously the central area gets the most use, I have seen them faulty with only 20k on the clock.

Try the getting in & out, the only thing the Meriva's got going for it is the access is good for a small car, the fuel consumptions higher (but you get quite a lot of fuel for the price difference to free) & the front A post is in just the wrong place for roundabouts. BUt my mum can get in and out of it with a badly arthritic knee.

It's funny, that's partly why Mum and Dad (both in their 70's at the time) went from the Belmont to the Meriva and when the Mrs got in it the other day she 'didn't notice' that she didn't have any issues doing so. I think that sort of thing notice more when you go back to a 'standard car'.

True. ;-)

Dell me about it! I nearly had an issue with just that when approaching a small local roundabout when I only noticed a car making it's way onto the roundabout after it appear from behind that big pillar. It's similar to the thing daughter noticed when she first got the Ka (and why she was happier with an older Corsa).

And that's the thing. Whilst we may still be running Mum about *and* helping her empty her house and possibly even moving to a flat I feel the (free?) Mariva may be a better solution. However, if it were just for me I think I'd go for the Focus.

Mind you, both of our existing cars are getting a bit long in the tooth and the Rover is looking pretty scruffy ... but at £100 and 7 years later and now with 200,000 on the clock, doesn't really owe me anything. ;-)

So, is there more value for such a thing with a years MOT sold as a 'runner' or would I be better off scrapping it (which is a shame as it

*always* starts on the button, all mostly works and drives like an auto). ;-(

So, the Mariva could replace her Belmont (also previously Dads) and the Focus (+ trailer) could replace the Rover for me. While we can still nearly afford to run two cars that is.

Just got insurance quotes on both cars and for the two of us Comp it's £33X on both. Focus cheaper to TAX though (and more economical on fuel you suggest)?

Cheers, T i m

mot and usable the rover must be worth 500 quid to someone, 250 for scrap.

the focus should do over 30mpg used locally and maybe 40 on a run.

Oh, cheers. ;-)

Ah, I thought (hoped) it might be a bit better than that, especially with fuel costs at an all time high. In fact I think the old 1.9 non-turbo diesel in the Rover is still doing about 42 mpg?

And I'm guessing to buy anything that is significantly more economical it's neither going to be as big as the stuff we have been talking about nor as cheap?

Ok, luckily we aren't doing big miles at the moment so maybe it isn't that big an issue but I can't see it getting any better short term.

Maybe it's time to dig the electric Moke out!

Cheers, T i m