I rented a Ford Focus recently and I noticed that the handbrake is on
the passenger seat side instead of in the middle or next to the driver
seat. Is this always the case, or do you think that that car might
have been import with an incomplete right hand conversion?

Ka..... A few months ago I whipped the drums off, checked for leaks and
gave everything a good clean with brake cleaner, everything went back
together OK and I didn't touch anything else.
The wife has just pointed out that the handbrake has an issue now, when

Many years ago I used to use the green Swarfega hand cleaner.
After that I always used Swarfega Orange (with grains in it) but
sometimes it's just a bit too rough and I want to get th "ordinary"
Swarfega.

Fiat cinqutento.
Tried to start car and it kind of started then faded.
Lights work ok, plenty of fuel.Engine turns but wont fire.
My thinking is possible cambelt or fuel blockage, how do I check for these?

HELPPPPPPP please!
I have a Fiat Bravo SX 1.6 (R) reg 1998.
I have had a dodgy connection behind my steering wheel for a while
now, something I have managed to bodge but now it really does need a

Who's cheap at the moment? Any offers going on? Just got a price from
National Tyres for a Starlet battery - £72. FRO!
Si

An acquaintance has been told by her local Nissan garage that there is
"a hole in her car's gearbox" and it needs replacing.  (Car is about 4
years old)
They've quoted her £2350 to replace the box, clutch & labour.

I have been clearing out some stuff and have two complete
headlights/sidelights  for an old Carlton .Mk 2 IIRC.  I did try
before punting them on Ebay without success. I'm really reluctant to
skip them as I'm sure there is someone somewhere who could use them

The stereo, time and date display on  my 52 Astra is no longer visable apart
from at night when it is very dim. I thought the fader was the same as the
dashboard fader.
Is there an other fade control for the stereo display?

My N reg metallic blue Punto has a bonnet that looks like it has the
measles. The laquer coat is lifting in spots revealing a dull blue beneath
with some white spots breaking through.Obviously a major paint failure of
some sort.A bad respray of some sort is no doubt to blame.

Hi.  I've got a '97 Seat Toledo 2.0 litre sport that seems to have given up
the ghost.  It isn't worth much so if it's a major (i.e. expensive) problem,
I doubt it would be worth fixing it.  Here is my best description of what
happened.

I have been looking at the current Golf and I see they have had some
reliability problems in recent years but I can't find any statistics
to show whether this has been solved in the current run. Does anybody
have any idea how good reliability in new golfs? I see that they are

I am take part in a contest organized by NASA Tech Brief and
Solidworks Corporation. The subject is "EARTHQUAKE RESISTANT
BUILDING". Please click the link below to see details & send it to
your friends also.

Hi all, I wondered if anyone could reccomend a dyno up this way with
experience of setting up diesels? My injector pump has been calibrated
by a monkey with a lump hammer, and I figure the best way of getting
it right is to stick it on a rolling road and measure the mixture

At the risk of starting another funny thread, I'd just like any pointers
to:
?   215/55/16/W tyres for Volvo V70 2.4 (I have to replace worn Pirelli
p6000s - but don't want them again). Low noise and strong sidewalls, if