Vauxhall service PHOTO's

Well, I have owned 2 cars, a Peugeot and a Vauxhall. The peugeot engine oil dipstick was in the same hole as the filler cap. The vauxhall has a seperate filler hole and dipstick for the engine oil (the slushbox shares its filler hole with its dipstick on the vauxhall but we'll leave that be for now).

Statistically, that means 50% of cars in my ownership experience have an engine oil dipstick/filler assembly combined.

I'd equate that to roughly half.

More if you count the last 4 cars my parents have had between them - all Peugeots. (c:

Douglas

In message , Johannes H Andersen writes

Who wants a big FIAT? How many Themas, I wonder.

No, the bodywork was pretty much perfect when it died. As I recall, somebody learnt the hard way about the relationship between cambelts and service schedules, and subsequently about the dangers of having an engine rebuilt by one's idiot nephew. Mind you, I'd previously learnt the hard way about buying a well (ab)used GTi from one's idiot cousin's dodgy garage, so I don't suppose I can be too hard on him.

I work just around the corner from a Fiat main dealer. A while ago there was a guy walking up and down outside the dealer wearing a "Don't buy a Fiat!" sandwich board and attracting many hoots from passing traffic on the busiest road in Slough (A4). Less than an hour later he was gone - not due to giving up I'm sure, I believe he gained a concession in whatever his gripe with Fiat was.

The moral? There are ways and means to get past dealer intransigence and making a fuss and giving them some bad PR is a good way.

All BMWs and Escorts have the dipstick sitting in the driving seat.

-- Martin

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Sorry - but I found this really, really funny - given your sig ;-)

"YESTERDAY is history.."

-- Martin

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The Croma was a much larger car than the Marea. Fiat no longer market a car in the Croma size / class.

The Marea was just a booted Bravo/a which replaced the Tipo / Tempra range.

However, Fiat found that there isn't a market for middle-sized saloon these days (the average family wants a hatch these days), so the Marea hasn't been replaced by a booted Stilo.

As an aside.... the Marea HLX is an awesome Q-car bargain.

You could spot them on the telly, they were always used as the red cars following Tour de France. They had big FIAT letters on them, so presumably there was some kinda deal with FIAT to provide the cars. In Italy they were popular as Taxis. The model lived on some years after they gave up selling it in the UK until the MAREA took over. However, the MAREA was just a smaller FIAT hammered out. Croma a much nicer car.

LOL, I completely agree. BMW drivers have some kinda secret understanding with each other that they always have to be 10 mph ahead of all other traffic.

Are there two different 1.7 litre units then ?

Indeed there are. The GM unit is very similar to other Vauxhall OHC engines. It started out as a 1.6 unit fitted to the Mk2 Astra/Cav, grew to

1.7 for the Mk3 Cav/Astra. Low pressure turbo-charging was added for 1995 Model Year, used in the facelifted Mk3 Astra. This continued on, being given engine management for the MK4 Astra, until approx 2001 when it was superseeded by the 1.7 DOHC Isuzu unit.

The Isuzu engine was first used in the Nova as a 1.5TD, soon after appearing in the Mk3 Cav/Astra as a 1.7TD (they had the red/black turbo/intercooler badge on the back). Only Isuzu Diesel engines were used in Corsa's/Combo's for some reason, and mostly NA apart from the 1.5TD, which disappeared from the range around 1996.

The Isuzu 1.7TD was a very nice engine - very reliable. We had a Vectra used as a taxi come in every 5-6weeks for a 10K mile service - it was on its

36th annual service by the time I left the garage. Original engine, although it did have a head gasket replaced at some point.

Anthony Remove eight from email to reply.

Sorry Martin but yes, I've taken the photo's down now that the matter has been resolved.

Oh my god, it doesn't bare thinking about (cringe) Yup the thought of a big fatsod with hairy arms in a frock waving pom poms.

I too can see how you found that funny. Seriously though the website was started on behalf of my niece and I just needed somewhere to host the pics. 'honest guv'

- Fatsod

in

Talking of BMW......

Tiger Woods drives his BMW into a petrol station in a remote part of the Irish countryside.

The pump attendant who knows nothing about golf, greets him in a typical Irish manner, completely unaware of who the golf pro is.

"Top of the mornin' to yer, sir" says the attendant.

Tiger nods a quick "hello" and bends forward to pick up the nozzle. As he does so, two tees fall out of his shirt pocket onto the ground.

"What are those, son?" asks the attendant.

"They're called tees" replies Tiger.

"Well, what on the good earth are they for?" inquires the Irishman.

"They're for resting my balls on when I'm driving", says Tiger.

"Feckin Jaysus", says the Irishman, "BMW thinks of everything"

Can actually believe it. People really do some daft things at times, and I personally know of one little old lady was bought a new BMW 535 automatic by her son. She drove everywhere in 2nd gear for a few weeks untill other son got in the car and spotted what she was doing.

Aparently, the little old dear thought 1 = slow 2 = fast.

I swear on a stack of bibles this is true. Oh the shame, and to think I'm related to her son.

- Fatsod

When I was originally trying to find information on replacing the cambelt on my GM 1.7D engine using the DTI, as far as I could gather it looked like the Iszu 1.7D version used a much more sensible (and potentially less grief stricken) way of camshaft alignment, i.e. simple locking studs.

I'm sorry but I think the customer is dealing with Vauxhall. Yes, the garage may be run as seperate company but the ultimate responsibility lies with Vauxhall. Even Vauxhall themselves admit this. That's why General Motors spent millions of pounds setting up the European Customer Care centre, they are committed to giving the customer a quality assured product via their chain of franchised dealers. That's why they the run training courses for dealership mechanic,fitters, techician, engineers call them what you will. That's why they hold seminars for suppliers of parts on the importance of quality.

And for what...... so that all the hard work can destroyed overnight by some chancer who thought they would take the chance and deliberatey deceive a customer. Believe me, I've no doubt that Vauxhall will be just as angry about this as I am.

But to be fair, lets not single out Vauxhall, because this kind of treatment is not acceptable at any time by ANY garage, franchised or not, irrespective of the make of vehicle.

Now there have been a lot of sarcastic comments about me by people in this thread who are quite clearly 'in the trade'.

Personally, it's like water off a ducks back, because we all know that your feeling just a tad guilty.

Lets this be a warning to you, the next time a Fatsod walks in your garage, I bet you think twice, grin and think Nay can't be him. But are you SURE, are you really sure PUNK !!.

- Fatsod (enjoying every minute of this payback time)

Thanks for that, now I know what engine I have in my Mk4 as when as my wifes Mk3.

Any ideas on the ..is it MK5 Astra common rail engine. Is that and Isuzu unit too.

Suppose it's about early to find out trade impressions of that engine as the jury will still be out until they start to come in for fault reapirs and servicing.

- Fatsod

I had fun with one last week, I was following a rush hour slug along a main road (35mph) with no passing opportunities, at a roundabout I got past onto a counrty road, new ugly BMW following very close behind all the time (like can't see reg. plate).

Now the country road is VERY twisty but visibility is good enough - I lost the BMW on the twisty road - great fun.

Very good.

Cool, didn't realise that. Pardon my ignorance then :)