My 52 reg BMW 320D has developed a cold starting problem this winter.
Basically, depending on how cold it is, it can take a long time to get the
engine started. Once started no problems until the car is left for while
(usually overnight).

Dunno if this is a fault or not, but it seems pretty daft to me. The
aircon on my wife's Mondeo (W reg 1.8TD) is turned on by pushing the fan
speed dial, then a green light in the centre of the dial comes on. And
stays on forever. ISTR that when we first got the car, pressing the ...

I know this is a little OT but - Just a quick question about leaving
my car on tick over while I wait for someone to do some shopping.
Is it ok to leave the car running (while I'm in it) for 15 minutes
while I wait outside the shops?

Not my car and I've just had time for a quick look at the problem...
The alternator seems to have gone - charge voltage is wandering about
all the time and the battery went flat. It's a 98 Mondeo 1.8 diesel
with a/c. I think the engine is an Endura-DE.

If a gasket or seal has been used for a period of time I know it
requires replacing.  If I've put the cylinder head back on and tightened
to torque, not used the car at all and need to remove the head again.
Will the HG be reusable?

The ECU fault light on our 1994 cavalier (X20XEV engine) has been coming on
frequently of late. When I diagnose it I find fault code 24, which
according to a list I found on the internet translates to "Vehicle Speed
Sensor - No signal".

I wonder if someone could provide some advice - I've got a 2002 1.8
Passat which has got three warning lights which come on for a period o
time and then go off again. They are:
- Traction control light

I was just giving the car a clean and cheacking all the lights, horn, seats
belts etc etc and saw there is a chip in the drivers side of the windscreen.
Its very small and was wondering if this is a fail ?
There are a couple lower down of it too but are all tiny, I though it was

My step-dad's MK2 Mondeo has a horrible burning smell going on, it's an
"electrical" type burning smell, so my first check was the fan settings.
The fan still works on all 4 speed setting but I'd like to have a look at
the resistor pack.

Cool Group.
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I have a 53plate Combo Van with the 1.6 Petrol Engine (LPG).
Recently when the van has started making a phheert noice for about a second
at a time,usually this can be provoked by a variation in engine speed, say
when changing gear. But i can only ever make it do it once or twice ...

Now this is a long shot:
I have owned for many years a CF180 diesel with an auto box, it was
originally a gas board city installation van, nowadays it is in a camper
van.

Looking / considering the Fiat Croma 2.4 diesel. (2005)
Anyone had / got one, and any opinions??
Took it for a test drive and it was a good a drive - if not better than any
Vauxhall / Toyota / Ford (Even BMW) offering.

Damn, I suppose I should have seen this one coming.
Remember that Land Rover with the starting problem I asked about last
month? Well it had become fairly reliable until Saturday morning, when
it suddenly lost all compression. Luckily it happened on a quiet road

L reg, 74k miles & son's 1st car bought 2 wks ago from someone we know
with full MOT (car not seller) with advisory on a bandaged centre
section of the exhaust (we knew about this before the guy had it
mot'd). The car was previously a good runner but a couple of days