Car issue, advice please!

[seboni121]

Ah I see it's possibly health n safety ? Hot water and skin doesn't mix , so better safe than sorry ? Could you not have sprayed de-icer on the jets ? , anyway I wouldn't use supermarket fuels is the zafira chuck some BG I the fuel tank

Edited 26 July, 2014 by seboni121

[Toxicvrs]

Just put some super unleaded in the fabia! Goes even better :)

[gadgetman]

Usually Texaco 95, sometimes Morrisons 95

Morrisons. Say no more

[mender]

Morrisons is the ONLY fuel I'll avoid tbh.

Out of interest, why?

 

I was told it all came from the same refinery!

 

I would understand if using it in an old car for 10,000 miles might have an effect, but occasionally in a brand new car with 2500 miles?  It may explain the issues I had with the Iveco which were cured with BG244 additive though.

[mender]

Ah I see it's possibly health n safety ? Hot water and skin doesn't mix , so better safe than sorry ? Could you not have sprayed de-icer on the jets ? , anyway I wouldn't use supermarket fuels is the zafira chuck some BG I the fuel tank

Definitely not H&S as the water was freely available to was your hands in the loos and was tepid.  I of course tried everything else first but the best quality English screenwash I had used had frozen solid from the bonnet to the jets, it could not cope with minus 15 (minus 28 some of that day).

 

The were being truly obnoxious-especially given the conditions, the kids in the car and the fact I'd just after spent 90EUR on screenwash and fuel and had asked politely in German.

It still narks me now.  Given the situation again, I'd do exactly the same again.

 

I've just cured an EML/EDC fault in the Iveco with BG244 additive after using Morrisons fuel in it for ages.

[seboni121]

Definitely not H&S as the water was freely available to was your hands in the loos and was tepid. I of course tried everything else first but the best quality English screenwash I had used had frozen solid from the bonnet to the jets, it could not cope with minus 15 (minus 28 some of that day).

The were being truly obnoxious-especially given the conditions, the kids in the car and the fact I'd just after spent 90EUR on screenwash and fuel and had asked politely in German.

It still narks me now. Given the situation again, I'd do exactly the same again.

I've just cured an EML/EDC fault in the Iveco with BG244 additive after using Morrisons fuel in it for ages.

There you go supermarket fuel ! , just chuck some BG for petrol in and she will run sweet but I will never use supermarket fuels , however the momentum has cleaning agents in it I think ?,my son has a little arosa with 1.0 engine and he puts vpower in it runs sweet as a nut , however he initially put tesco fuel in and it was lumpy as hell , chucked BG in the tank and ran it on shell and it's been fine ever since Edited 27 July, 2014 by seboni121

[nickguzzi]

Out of interest, why?

 

I was told it all came from the same refinery!

Oil comes from a hole in the ground/ocean floor, owned by Oil Co#1.

Piped to nearest/most convenient refinery, happens to be owned by Oil Co#2.

Shipped off to retail outlets owned by Oil Co#3

Once refined, it gets additives provided by a specialist third party additive producer.

There are only a handful of companies round the world, none of them sounding like oil companies, that make the additive packages, and they all produce a product to spec, dependant on retailer or market.

So you could have fuel made from oil extracted from an Exxon well, refined in a BP refinery, retailed via a Shell station.

The additive packages make the difference. They are chosen by the retailer, not having them is not really an option. Its just there are lots of things to include or leave out. The less you include, the cheaper the package, and cheaper you can sell it for and still make a profit.

Supermarkets don't own any part of the above production chain. They are just resellers of oil products like they are of own brand cornflakes or beer.

I'm sure you know this, but in case someone pops in later...

[gadgetman]

Isn't the reason that Morrisons use a higher bio fuel ratio.

Was blamed years ago for a high rate of Ford EGR failures.

It's the only fuel I won't use at all

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Morrisons+egr&oq=Morrisons+egr&aqs=chrome..69i57j0.2833j0j4&client=ms-android-google&sourceid=chrome-mobile&espv=1&ie=UTF-8

[mender]

Isn't the reason that Morrisons use a higher bio fuel ratio.

Was blamed years ago for a high rate of Ford EGR failures.

It's the only fuel I won't use at all

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Morrisons+egr&oq=Morrisons+egr&aqs=chrome..69i57j0.2833j0j4&client=ms-android-google&sourceid=chrome-mobile&espv=1&ie=UTF-8

That's interesting, it may explain the van issues, but using it occasionally in a brand new car?

[Can]

While I don't have figure to back this up I find modern cars are much more fuel sensitive due to the fiddling that has/is been done to comply with ever more obtuse EU emissions regulations. Also why would it be less of an issue on a new engine than an older engine. Due to the engine operating tighter tolerances any build up would be more of an issue not less.

[mender]

While I don't have figure to back this up I find modern cars are much more fuel sensitive due to the fiddling that has/is been done to comply with ever more obtuse EU emissions regulations. Also why would it be less of an issue on a new engine than an older engine. Due to the engine operating tighter tolerances any build up would be more of an issue not less.

Good point, I was thinking more of the cleaners added not being necessary at such low miles...

[Toxicvrs]

Still not come up again?

[mender]

Still not come up again?

No, but interestingly another local new Zafira owner had thieir EML light come on randomly this week, they turned it off with their reader and it has not recurred too.

 

Bizarre.

[gadgetman]

No, but interestingly another local new Zafira owner had thieir EML light come on randomly this week, they turned it off with their reader and it has not recurred too.

 

Bizarre.

 

Be interesting to know what fuel they use

While I don't have figure to back this up I find modern cars are much more fuel sensitive due to the fiddling that has/is been done to comply with ever more obtuse EU emissions regulations. Also why would it be less of an issue on a new engine than an older engine. Due to the engine operating tighter tolerances any build up would be more of an issue not less.

Every engine IME likes different fuel.  Line up 10 identical cars and each will favour a different fuel.

 

Works car I'm now tied to a retailer due to now having a fuel card, and it isnt happy on BP at all. Usually I used Sainsburys, which I find gives good results as its City Fuel.

 

SWMBO fills the Touran with Tesco which it hates, but likes BP & Sainsburys.  Shell and Esso it'll run happily, but MPG drops 2-3mpg

[mac11irl]

in the roi i avoid amber fuels, it is cheaper than everywhere else for a reason - its ****

[mender]

Well, we've not had the light back on and the Zafira seems to be running ok, it pulses a little under acceleration, but has done since new and does pull ok given the size, weight and bhp.

 

We tried to find another decent new family car for around £10k with great safety, ESP, decent economy, cruise control, air-con and a back seat wide enough for two child seats plus an adult as we need this to carry mother in law in Poland with us-and when she stays here.  It can't be black as we hate the colour; it always looks scratched, always looks dirty and gets red hot in summer (esp in 40 deg Polish summers).  We also detest privacy glass for various reasons.

 

Options:

 

Dacia Sandero (or Stepway)-only Laureate comes with air-con, had a new Renault last year and vowed to avoid them and their dealers for life, watching the crash test shows the A pillar collapse, so another 5mph the car would be flattened.  £8995 for a free road tax, 80mph, 1.5 dci Laureate with touchscreen, alloys, metallic, 14 plate with 000010 miles was tempting though as it gets bluetooth and looks smart.

 

Nissan Note 1.2 Acenta Premium 14 plate, 000005 miles, £9995 inc metallic (diesel Acenta-not premium £10,995).  Nice outside, great economy, bit cramped, boot too small, bit "mumsy".  Stupid privacy glass.

 

Vauxhall Meriva 1.4 100 Techline 14 plate, 000015 miles, £9995 in red.  Has everything going for it; even has bluetooth, nice alloys, heated seats, heated steering wheel, ergo seats, huge boot, great safety, etc-but the engine is worse than the Zafiras and it has the privacy glass again.

 

Skoda Rapid 1.2 TSI S pre-reg, a few around at £10k, but no cruise and looks cheap in S spec, same story with the Toledo...SE spec too expensive

 

Skoda Fabia; loads of run out models but too small in rear seat and boot

 

Skoda Yeti; some blinding diesel ones for £10k on pre-reg but we both feel queasy looking at it; looks like a Berlingo was cut and shut to a Fabia.

 

Citroen C3 Picasso 1.6 HDI VTR; great deals on these at £10k new as being replaced this month, but just horrid and rear seat too small; much the same with Bipper, Qubo and Nemo, plus curtain-bags an option on all and not available without factory order and ESP only on some.

 

Citroen Berlingo: £10,600 new-but air-con is £600 option and not ticked on an of the ones available, same with safety kit, again.  Had a top spec one new in 2005 but times have moved on and the new model should have air-con and better safety as standard.

 

Fiat Doblo: had one before new top spec 57 plate, but current model is even odder and has weird spec, can't get the bits we need for £10k-ish and makes the Zafira fit and finish look like a Lexus compared

 

VW Jetta 1.4 TSI S, pre-reg 63, 000020 miles £11,200; lovely car, not the right spec and was our least favourite colour-black, now sold anyway

 

 

We decided not to swap.  It comes down to the fact that the Zafira has a few faults (the EML light mystery, the stupidly low-geared transmission, the hard/flat seats which take ages to recline, the lack of power etc) but it wops all of the above as a new family car at this price level and has the seven seat option too.  All of the above have their own faults or omissions.

The clinchers are the handy seven seats or five decent seats and huge boot option, the lifetime warranty and the impressive crash testing* where it does not even break the windscreen in the off-set test.

 

*hard to compare like for like now that the test in this had back in 2005 has changed to an updated test, most cars now have the later test which scores differently

 

The best suggestion along the way was from the Hyundai salesman who recommended their lovely but tiny I10; fitted with a sidecar for the mother-in-law   

 

My problem is that I love small cars (Citigo, I10, diesel Panda, Fiat 500, Picanto etc) but need a family car.  Perhaps we should ditch the both cars, buy an old Passat for family trips again and I'll have a new tiddler for full-lock, full power roundabout hi-jinks  :sun:

[DanHarper]

My car occasionally (5 times in 7k miles) throws a code regarding the CAT efficiency (post cat O2 iirc?), however, on the last tank of Momentum 99 it threw the code 6 times. Since refilling with the same fuel from the same station, its not returned. Could have been a dodgy batch of fuel?

[mender]

No, but interestingly another local new Zafira owner had thieir EML light come on randomly this week, they turned it off with their reader and it has not recurred too.

 

Bizarre.

Well, Zafira was filled with Texaco fuel, not Morrisons and the problem has not recurred 1500 miles on after crossing Holland and Germany, onto Baltic Coast (North Poland) and onto central Poland.  It has been fed on Statoil, Arlen, LukOil etc 98 grade fuels only and is running perfect.

 

It has given 38mpg average, which is good for a 5-up, loaded to the roof 1.6 petrol 7 seater, especially considering I've been maxing it whenever possbile on the Autobahns and fully using the 87mph Polish motorway limit for miles on end, plus have had hours of stop start holiday traffic as well as the Polish traffic flow of vmax, hard braking, vmax, queue, etc.

Since leaving the UK, the headlights and air-con have been on full time too, which hurts economy-especially in stop-start traffic.

 

Re: above post, the other Zafira owner lives 100yds from Morrisons fuel, so I'm guessing that may be where he filled up too....

 

 

I hope the change of fuel was the answer and this is the end of the story 

Only 1500 miles to go to get back....

[Toxicvrs]

Well, Zafira was filled with Texaco fuel, not Morrisons and the problem has not recurred 1500 miles on after crossing Holland and Germany, onto Baltic Coast (North Poland) and onto central Poland. It has been fed on Statoil, Arlen, LukOil etc 98 grade fuels only and is running perfect.

It has given 38mpg average, which is good for a 5-up, loaded to the roof 1.6 petrol 7 seater, especially considering I've been maxing it whenever possbile on the Autobahns and fully using the 87mph Polish motorway limit for miles on end, plus have had hours of stop start holiday traffic as well as the Polish traffic flow of vmax, hard braking, vmax, queue, etc.

Since leaving the UK, the headlights and air-con have been on full time too, which hurts economy-especially in stop-start traffic.

Re: above post, the other Zafira owner lives 100yds from Morrisons fuel, so I'm guessing that may be where he filled up too....

I hope the change of fuel was the answer and this is the end of the story

Only 1500 miles to go to get back....

Morrisons of Leom?

[mender]

Morrisons of Leom?

The same....

[mender]

Well, we've not had the light back on and the Zafira seems to be running ok, it pulses a little under acceleration, but has done since new and does pull ok given the size, weight and bhp.

 

We tried to find another decent new family car for around £10k with great safety, ESP, decent economy, cruise control, air-con and a back seat wide enough for two child seats plus an adult as we need this to carry mother in law in Poland with us-and when she stays here.  It can't be black as we hate the colour; it always looks scratched, always looks dirty and gets red hot in summer (esp in 40 deg Polish summers).  We also detest privacy glass for various reasons.

 

Options:

 

Dacia Sandero (or Stepway)-only Laureate comes with air-con, had a new Renault last year and vowed to avoid them and their dealers for life, watching the crash test shows the A pillar collapse, so another 5mph the car would be flattened.  £8995 for a free road tax, 80mph, 1.5 dci Laureate with touchscreen, alloys, metallic, 14 plate with 000010 miles was tempting though as it gets bluetooth and looks smart.

 

Nissan Note 1.2 Acenta Premium 14 plate, 000005 miles, £9995 inc metallic (diesel Acenta-not premium £10,995).  Nice outside, great economy, bit cramped, boot too small, bit "mumsy".  Stupid privacy glass.

 

Vauxhall Meriva 1.4 100 Techline 14 plate, 000015 miles, £9995 in red.  Has everything going for it; even has bluetooth, nice alloys, heated seats, heated steering wheel, ergo seats, huge boot, great safety, etc-but the engine is worse than the Zafiras and it has the privacy glass again.

 

Skoda Rapid 1.2 TSI S pre-reg, a few around at £10k, but no cruise and looks cheap in S spec, same story with the Toledo...SE spec too expensive

 

Skoda Fabia; loads of run out models but too small in rear seat and boot

 

Skoda Yeti; some blinding diesel ones for £10k on pre-reg but we both feel queasy looking at it; looks like a Berlingo was cut and shut to a Fabia.

 

Citroen C3 Picasso 1.6 HDI VTR; great deals on these at £10k new as being replaced this month, but just horrid and rear seat too small; much the same with Bipper, Qubo and Nemo, plus curtain-bags an option on all and not available without factory order and ESP only on some.

 

Citroen Berlingo: £10,600 new-but air-con is £600 option and not ticked on an of the ones available, same with safety kit, again.  Had a top spec one new in 2005 but times have moved on and the new model should have air-con and better safety as standard.

 

Fiat Doblo: had one before new top spec 57 plate, but current model is even odder and has weird spec, can't get the bits we need for £10k-ish and makes the Zafira fit and finish look like a Lexus compared

 

VW Jetta 1.4 TSI S, pre-reg 63, 000020 miles £11,200; lovely car, not the right spec and was our least favourite colour-black, now sold anyway

 

 

We decided not to swap.  It comes down to the fact that the Zafira has a few faults (the EML light mystery, the stupidly low-geared transmission, the hard/flat seats which take ages to recline, the lack of power etc) but it wops all of the above as a new family car at this price level and has the seven seat option too.  All of the above have their own faults or omissions.

The clinchers are the handy seven seats or five decent seats and huge boot option, the lifetime warranty and the impressive crash testing* where it does not even break the windscreen in the off-set test.

 

*hard to compare like for like now that the test in this had back in 2005 has changed to an updated test, most cars now have the later test which scores differently

 

The best suggestion along the way was from the Hyundai salesman who recommended their lovely but tiny I10; fitted with a sidecar for the mother-in-law   

 

My problem is that I love small cars (Citigo, I10, diesel Panda, Fiat 500, Picanto etc) but need a family car.  Perhaps we should ditch the both cars, buy an old Passat for family trips again and I'll have a new tiddler for full-lock, full power roundabout hi-jinks  :sun:

Yeti should read Roomster, I love the Yeti, but it's ££££££

[Toxicvrs]

The same....

Thought so! Don't tend to use them when possible! I normally go to Texaco as I've got star rewards

[mender]

Thought so! Don't tend to use them when possible! I normally go to Texaco as I've got star rewards 

I used to always use the Texaco Supreme diesel for the Tourneo-as it was old and needed love, but the van and any new car got Morrisons as I did not think it mattered 

[Toxicvrs]

I used to always use the Texaco Supreme diesel for the Tourneo-as it was old and needed love, but the van and any new car got Morrisons as I did not think it mattered

Texaco is nearest to me and cheap enough too but I will sometimes when running low just fill it anywhere

[mac11irl]

Cheap fuel is a engine killer.

Our work fleet is tied to Topaz - Formerly Shell and Statoil who both pulled out of the market. Great fuel, reckon its being bought from Statoil or shell still...

But, the topza nearest our work depot has rebranded to Great Gas so wont take our fuel cards anymore.

a deal got done with the Amber station in the town to take the cards.

2 of the guys i work with who put mega miles on their vans and had been pretty much living in the Amber station,

filling up everytime they are passing to/from work have had their vans in the lease company's work shops several times since the fuel change -

no power, slugish etc - Fuel filters are gone in no time... one guy had the filters done, and again 7 weeks later....

they've been told to fuel up pretty much anywhere else from now on....