Ford Focus equivalents

Thanks for that.

In some ways though I prefer the explanation I heard from a BMW owner:

"It's so people who work in BMW dealerships can afford BMWs."

Reply to
Robin
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I don't have auto stop/start but if I have to wait for more than just a few seconds I would normally apply the handbrake and select neutral. Would that be sufficient to trigger auto stop?

If I have to wait an extended time (think level crossing rather that traffic lights) I often switch off the engine anyway.

Reply to
Graham J
[...]

:-)

Chris

Reply to
Chris Whelan

Looks like about an 09 Focus, 70,000 miles. Anything thought of as better would be older, and even if more reliable might be about to need some reliable but expensive parts.

You may be able to find an older, cheaper Focus which has had already had the timing belt change and suspension parts fitted.

Reply to
Nick Finnigan

Not in the Nissan Pulsar, you have to dazzle the people behind as well as selecting neutral.

Reply to
rp

In town? I can just believe it if you do a crash stop from 90 mph and keep the brakes hard on after stopping - as they will be very hot.

Otherwise I think it an urban myth. Put about by those who get annoyed with people who don't use their handbrake in traffic. Ie, 99% of all drivers these days. ;-)

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

Heh heh. If the actual mechanics were very well paid, I'd not object quite so much to the labour rates. But they're actually paid less per hour than my local BMW independant specialist pays his.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

It seems the more ordinary a car body design looks, the sillier the lights they fit to it.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

I've oft wondered why they fit those massive brake lights to a Pious. Given they are generally driven so slowly you'd not need to know when they braked.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

Is another that the pads can cause localised heating of a disk and cause it to warp, assuming a juddering disk checked and a runout found? Or could this 'transfer of material' continue to cause juddering and then wear / heating / distortion?

I say this because a mate looks after a Focus his son drives and seems to be replacing front disks (because of juddering) far more regularly than he has ever had to do for himself.

His theory was that his son drives harder / faster than him, including not slowly reducing speed when say leaving a motorway and then holding the brake on at the end of the slip and whilst waiting to join a roundabout or at the lights etc?

Cheers, T i m

Reply to
T i m
[...]

If it's transfer of pad material, you can scrub the disc aggressively with a Scotch pad and remove it.

Chris

Reply to
Chris Whelan
[...]

I used to have my doubts, but there's plenty of evidence on-line.

I've saved a couple of folk from unnecessary disc replacement by scrubbing their discs with a Scotch pad to remove the pad material.

Chris

Reply to
Chris Whelan

You'll find evidence to support anything you want to believe on-line. ;-)

Or just apply the brakes firmly a few times?

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)
[...]

The type of judder caused by the build up of pad material on the disc feels different from a warped disc. It tends to only be noticeable when braking firmly from high speed.

It cannot, at least in my experience, be removed by firm (or indeed any other) type of braking.

Chris

Reply to
Chris Whelan

Think it's called pad poop in the US. All sorts of tips for removing it.

I'll try them once I've experienced it. Got my first car with disc brakes in the mid '60s, so I may have to wait some time more.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)
[..]

My first disc-braked car was a 1966 Hillman Super Minx!

I've never had it happen either, but over the years I have changed discs for others that I now believe could have been successfully scoured.

The likelihood or otherwise of it happening could well be down to driving habits.

Chris

Reply to
Chris Whelan

I've certainly had discs that have gone out of true over the years and replacement cured it. But dunno whether to believe the warped camp or the pad transfer camp.

I've currently got a disc that gives me a bit of wobble under braking. I had a go at it with emery and it felt *a bit* better after. I'd previously scrubbed the hub and disc face to get it all sitting square so I'm on the fence!

Reply to
Scott M

The other thing that can cause wheel shimmy under braking is a worn suspension bush. Either the front tension rod / ARB bush on McPherson or the rear bush on L shaped lower links.

Reply to
Peter Hill

That explains the ?250 for the battery but why does it cost a whopping ?200 to fit it?

Reply to
pamela

5 min to fit the battery, no doubt the calibration cycle takes 1 hour to complete and you are charged £100/hr or part thereof.
Reply to
Peter Hill

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