Parrot of Doom

That's a solution looking for a problem that doesn't exist. And how would you open the door if the car was t-boned?

The reason speedometers tend to overestimate speed is because regulations allow them to do so. They are not allowed to underestimate speed. My friend had a Mitsubishi that gave a perfect reading of his speed. My TVR would tell me I was doing 70mph at 62mph...

Disappointing also to see that replacing these bulbs requires tools, namely a small spanner/socket and a screwdriver. It's bad design, bulbs should always be fully accessible without tools.

As per the title, discovered at the MOT today that the sidelights were dead. I've replaced them now but I thought it curious that the car didn't tell me about this. Is there a fuse I can investigate? Conveniently, the page in the manual that lists the fuses has been torn out.

Could be a spilled sugary drink on the interior switch, otherwise I'd suspect corrosion somewhere at the front of the car.

Yeah, I'm betting they won't be an upgrade. They'll probably blind everyone around you though.

I tried to add my location to my profile. Unfortunately, since the list doesn't include Greater Manchester, I'm unable to do this. So I chose something at random.

My mk4 has rust in the top corners of the front windscreen and on the offside rear wheel arch. There's also quite a bit of rust around the rear diff, where the brake pipes run. None of it is particularly serious, it's a 15-year-old car and I'm not all that concerned about keeping it cosmetically perfect. As long as it's mechanically ok. One thing I have found is that any nuts and bolts under the car, if they haven't been treated beforehand, will be completely seized. The front strut rods had to be heated up and cut off they were that bad.

Strut bars are the big hunk of slightly curved metal that go from the bottom front ball joint to the chassis. Two bolts on the ball joint, one huge bushing on the chassis. But if you're not experiencing any knocks then I doubt that's the problem. I would still be looking at tyres and related components, it's almost always the cause.

A bit of copper tube from your local friendly plumber will do the job just as well. I wouldn't use copper, what with it being a fairly soft metal that's easily damaged. I'd much rather have a steel pipe on there.

You might try checking the tyres under pressure. Most tyre fitters take the wheels off the car to balance them, but a tyre with a physical defect only apparent when weight is applied would pass any such tests. http://www.balancemycar.co.uk/ Tyres are always the first port of call, however, as this vibration is through the steering wheel, it should be simple to isolate. Does the front make any clunking/creaking noises while driving? For instance, I recently replaced both the front strut bars on mine and a minor vibration which I thought was a "warped" disc disappeared.

"I WILL NOT ALLOW INSPECTION UPON COLLECTION" Nope. Do not buy this car. Ebay allows winning bidders to refuse payment if a car's condition isn't as listed. This guy is a chancer trying to sell a car that obviously has some faults.

The long u-shaped pipe on mine looks crusty as hell but I'm not paying Lexus prices for that, I'm going to a local transmission specialist and they can make me one - it's only a bent pipe. You should repair yours as soon as you can, you never know when that weep will turn into a raging torrent (which of course ends up on the road, and oil + water + winter + asphalt = lethal)

Had to remove the airbox and push the reservoir out of the way. It would have been a simple job were it not for the part of the pipe that runs down the side of the engine.

I've recently repaired a power steering leak on my mk4 (1998), corroded pipes between the reservoir, pump and front of the engine (cooling). Worth considering.

Brilliant, the old bulb pulled out with pliers, the new one went straight in without issue. It's the small things that make the car nicer :)

Thanks. Do they pull out of the holder? The one above seemed quite tight.

Correct, the socket and light cover has a bit of plastic, but there's nothing above the pedals. The passenger side has a nice bit of plastic covering that area.

Well I never knew there were supposed to be trumpets on there - mine doesn't have them.

Either they've fitted the starter incorrectly and two bits of metal are engaging when they shouldn't, or something has fallen into the engine from around the location of the starter motor. Or, against all the odds, your engine has gone wrong just as they're working on it. I know where my money is.

There's always been a little bit of play in the steering on this car, not an issue while driving although it does produce some slightly uncomfortable knocks now and again. I've pretty much just ignored it as it hasn't ever gotten worse. I presumed it was on the steering column somewhere, in a place difficult to get to. However, today I discovered that the play is almost certainly in the universal joint just above the driver's pedals, where the steering column pokes through the carpet. I can put my fingers around it and feel it moving as I twitch the wheel back and forth. So obviously, now I know exactly where it is, I want to fix it. Has anyone else had such an issue? And while I'm on the subject, I find it strange that there's no bit of plastic covering the top of the pedals. Am I missing a bit of trim?

The driver's side footwell lamp has died, but it's a funny little thing. I've attached a picture. Does anyone know of a suitable replacement? I'd like to get the correct wattage (illegible on the lamp) so it's not brighter or dimmer than the passenger footwell. Also, the central interior lamp is so dim I have a feeling that the last owner put the incorrect bulb in (it's like the moon compared to the 2 suns on either side). Anyone know what value that is?

Like tyres it will be dependent on the type of driving. Lots of short trips, accelerating, etc = more wear. I drive mostly on the motorways and the engine stays at around 2,000rpm, so I imagine my belt will last slightly longer for it.

I'm currently living under the "cambelt uncertainty" shadow. The sticker on my engine says about 60,000 miles. The receipts I collected when I bought the car include a timing belt and tensioner kit at around 120,000 miles, but that's no guarantee the work was done. The car is currently at around 175,000 miles. I'm going to have it done early next year, unless a glut of work comes in. I've just had both front strut rods replaced, new ARB links installed, and new shocks and accessories on the rear, so with a load of work on the house and investment in the business, I'm a bit short. I don't suppose there's any easy inspection hatch on the mk4 engine to look at the condition of the belt?

If you suspect worn engine mounts, don't wait around - get them checked. Engines that fall from broken mounts tend to break a lot of things on their way down.