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4261

General Car Chat / Re: So what have you done to your car today?

« on: 05 June 2015, 22:17:20 »

Thanks . Specifically its. Mk4 golf. But also Jetta and and bora of the same vintage. Bout £20 on the bay.

4262

General Car Chat / Re: So what have you done to your car today?

« on: 05 June 2015, 21:51:52 »

Been playing with mig today. Fitted my new head unit and also a cup holder . Just need to get a half DIN blanking plate and I'm done. Really pleased with how it turned out.





It's also a VAG cup holder so hopefully should last longer than a Chinese eBay number

4263

General Discussion Area / Re: I forgot to tick the box!

« on: 05 June 2015, 09:50:04 »

Very unfortunate..........that he thought he could save a few bob by not declaring an existing condition.

This. Insurers price based on risk and a condition like the one he "forgot" about would have pushed his premium sky high. For example my wife and I travelled to the USA two years ago, 18 months before she had been given the all clear from cancer, our premium for two weeks' holiday? £550  .

In a former life I worked as an auditor for the UK Travel & Motor Insurance arm of one of the largest insurers in the world, so I have seen this from both sides of the fence.

The company was actually winding down a number of lines of travel & overseas medical business, mostly those that are online and purchased at the same time as airline tickets as they were massively loss making. On some flights, over 70% of policies sold would be claimed on after the trip was completed  . As the CFO pointed out to me "people just see it as a way of halving the cost of their holiday." Between that and "alcohol related injuries" it was costing the business a fortune.

Everyone loves the idea that all insurance companies are miserly money-grabbers who profiteer from people's misfortune, or fear thereof. Probably because its easier to swallow than the idea that we (as the collective that is the British public) are a dishonest bunch who can excuse straight up fraud just by declaring it a "victimless crime".

4264

Omega Electrical and Audio Help / Re: Potential AC trouble spots?

« on: 05 June 2015, 08:57:30 »

Thanks Andy, I'm working away in Portsmouth for the next few weeks and I've found a mobile guy who only deals with AC. Seems like a better bet than a regular garage. I'll get a leak test done and see what components need changing if any.

Dave, I took a car to Kwik Fit once when that deal was on. Had a terrible experience, they re-gassed it and I could hear the gas hissing out when I went to collect the car from the car park  . Needless to say words were had and a refund obtained!

4265

Omega Electrical and Audio Help / Re: Potential AC trouble spots?

« on: 03 June 2015, 23:42:40 »

Thanks chaps,I'll take a look at the condenser and renew if it looks less than 100%.

Does this come with a fitting kit or are additional o-rings required? Reason I ask is I'm working away these next couple of weeks so any potential work is likely to take place in a Portsmouth hotel car park.

We're also renovating our house so away jobs are basically the only time I get to spend on the car these days

4266

Omega Electrical and Audio Help / Re: Potential AC trouble spots?

« on: 03 June 2015, 23:00:00 »

That's definitely on the list rob. What I was getting at more was, are ther half a dozen o-rings I should replace before someone charges me  £100 to "diagnose" them  .

4267

Omega Electrical and Audio Help / Potential AC trouble spots?

« on: 03 June 2015, 22:06:06 »

So, now that summer seems to be upon us and the miggy is soon to be my only car, it's time to sort the AC.

I get absolutely no cooling from it, in fact it warms the air a tiny but  . I suspect due to the previous owner never using it. Now, thus is one of the few areas of a car I know comparatively little about.

I understand if they go unused the seals can dry out, is there any way I can test this (I'm not a fan of paying for maintenance I can do myself) and any other likely trouble spots to start with before I hand it over to a "professional".

4268

General Car Chat / Re: Jacking pads

« on: 03 June 2015, 10:47:32 »

Ahh I See 

Same is true of all car forums I think, some folks get pretty militant about OEM consumables and bits. I'll always fit the proper stuff if it makes a difference, but not going to pay more just for an OEM packet or box with the same stuff inside 

4269

General Car Chat / Re: Hard Too Sell

« on: 03 June 2015, 10:40:54 »

Very true! I think the (un)reliability of older cars is also over-hyped, doubtless by people wanting to sell you a new one!

Since I started driving - 14 yrs and about 250,000 miles ago I've been "stranded" at the road side a total of 4 times, and one of those was a dead battery during the extreme cold in 2010.

My colleagues - none of whom run a car older than 3 years can't understand how I manage one week to the next, firmly believing my car must be on the brink of death!

4270

General Car Chat / Re: Hard Too Sell

« on: 03 June 2015, 09:04:25 »

I think a big part of the problem is fuel consumption and Tax, if you ask (almost) anyone about car choices, unless they are petrol heads, they will always cite these two costs, plus insurance if they're <25yrs old. These really hurt the Omega as you don't really have any economical options.

Ironic really as they generally aren't even close to the biggest running costs in most cases. They're just what cash outflow people see, so are the ones they think about!

4271

General Car Chat / Re: Jacking pads

« on: 01 June 2015, 22:03:12 »

Yup, used these for a while now. I would always buy "genuine" NHL ones. Reason being the teeth of the jack base bite into them and a friend of mine had one split on him 

Genuine hockey puk. In addition to genuine cam cover gaskets. 

Newbie alert! I don't get it 

4272

General Car Chat / Re: Jacking pads

« on: 01 June 2015, 20:38:49 »

Yup, used these for a while now. I would always buy "genuine" NHL ones. Reason being the teeth of the jack base bite into them and a friend of mine had one split on him 

4273

General Car Chat / Re: Are there any "new to OOF market" Omegas out there?

« on: 01 June 2015, 20:33:36 »

Interesting question about the low mileage ones though. Bought mine as it was the lowest I'd seen in a long time (52k). Only on 57k now  .

My other motor (9-5 Aero) is nicely run in at 180k 

4274

General Car Chat / Re: New wheels

« on: 29 May 2015, 18:07:59 »

I think your figures shouldn't be too far off to be honest, maybe not quite such a drop as 20%.  Remember, you will still use petrol (warming up, when you run out of gas).  I'd say a 30-35% saving on fuel bill is quite realistic.

You need to fill when nearly empty - short filling or filling when only half empty seems to severely impact MPG, I can only assume quite a lot is lost in the filling process.

Excellent tip, thanks. 30% Saving is great, means itll pay back in <1yr given my current mileage. Should also give me a good idea of range vs tank size. If I understand the guide correctly. Actual capacity of a tank is roughly 80% of nominal capacity?

4275

General Car Chat / Re: New wheels

« on: 28 May 2015, 23:34:02 »

Cost on wallet of effective 55mpg, what is not to love?

Just to derail the thread further, as I'm planning a conversion over Christmas this year. What real mpg do you get on gas from the 2.2? Mine (auto) currently gives about 28mpg on a mixed commute. I'm anticipating 20% ish drop in mpg on gas so about 23.