Recent content by Mike6

472 pounds for an inspection 2!. Most is covered by the MOT so a rip off. You can easily change oil and plugs yourself ., all they will do is kick the tyres and tell you it needs new discs as there is a tiny amount of wear

I would still be thinking of battery before anything else even though you have swapped with another one. You will need a new one eventually and it's amazing how many wrongs a new one cures.

How old is the battery. Think I would look at that as a first step. If it's not that old try disconnecting battery for 15 minutes then try again.

Is it the thingy that goes over the positive battery terminal to protect it .

Sorry no experience of cracked manifold. It's just my garage was getting to the point of suspecting blocked cats but it turned out to be a simple maf problem which I fixed myself. These cars can throw some very confusing codes starting from battery needs replacing, air leaks somewhere on intake...

Again, no expert but mileage to me would not suggest cat failure despite what code is suggesting. I believe other faults could cause this and I would explore all other possibilities first including cracked manifold. Is there some sort of test that could be carried out. My garage suggested they...

Not sure I can help that much but I was told by garage that my cats might be blocked or lazy and could explain engine lights and car going into limp mode under acceleration. Turned out it was maf failing under load. Are you certain therefore that it is your cats.

Not if airbags had been activated and who is going to have facilities to dismantle car. If it's a 500 quid cat it's that price for a reason.

Hmm, very unloved wouldn't appeal to me even at that price but you never know could be a bargain , it's all a gamble. Does it start, any dashboard lights showing. Service history?. Why has it been standing for so long. On second thoughts just walk away.

I never buy high mileage cars as a point of principal. It doesn't matter what you do to them or how much you spend they will always be high mileage and lower value. That said trying to find a six pot with less than 100k on the clock is becoming difficult and if 20 years old that is only 5k a...

Just to close down this thread. Replacement maf seems to have fixed problem which began a couple of years ago. Car actually runs much better and sports button seems to be having a positive effect. Even brakes are much more responsive, which is hard to fathom . My epic began when I got a code for...

Surface rust I would say. That exhaust to downpipe joint is a notorious one and there are a number of threads on the subject. On my car it looked terminal but Mr exhaust worked wonders and it was all solid underneath what looked like a lump of rust. Getting the bolts undone is the biggest...

Isn't the handbrake a mechanical mechanism operating separate pads to the braking system. As such isn't it more likely that handbrake is sticking as there is no connection to the brake fluid. Or am I completely wrong

There were cable ties on mine which you had to cut through to get motor out of housing

Still finding it hard to believe maf was the culprit as last summer ran the car a few times with it disconnected and eml still came on although it didn't go into limp mode on acceleration. Evidence however seems to suggest the MAF as it's now a few runs with no eml . Will do a write up at some...