malcolm.dobell

SEAT or VW? If it were me I'd avoid anything secondhand. never know how it's been used!!!!!

I have found that it helps to take the wiper blade out of the carrier and gently bend it to a more curved shape. The rear screen is curved in two directions and this seems to be a problem for blades which seem rather stiff!

The mirrors on my old Galaxy were bigger than the ones on Sharan/Alhambra - beware!

Best to try yourself! I've used it and I manage to convince myself it's better, but that might just be wishful thinking connected to a temporarily less heavy right foot! HOWEVER, make sure it's Diesel you put in Ultimate Diesel doesn't have a black nozzle and is sometimes right next to the Ultimate Petrol nozzle. BEWARE!!!

Try here. http://www.spikesspider.com/ or here: http://www.roofbox.co.uk/spikes1.html 195/65x15 equipped cars can use normal snow chains. On some versions with wider tyres there's no space between the tyre and the suspension strut for normal chains. Both my current and previous Alhambras were affected according to the manuals. Anyway once the wheels are prepared for fitting the Sport Spiders, actually fitting them is a doddle compared with chains. For something completely different try these. http://www.roofbox.co.uk/snowhome.html look interesting but have only seen one pair in Valmeinier on a Renault Laguna

I have a feeling it's a feature - as they say - I noticed mine often needed a lower gear than the old less powerful engine. Perhaps it's linked to being very high geared. My solution - try and keep up the revs.

This is my first ever rant on the forum - just a gentle one. Is it me, or do technical threads descend into general natter about nothing after a few posts? no names, no pack drill, but it would be much easier to navigate the threads if we all kept to the point! Not quite so much fun I suppose, but we do have this section! Best wishes to everyone

1. Malcolm (obviously) 2. Milton Keynes 3. Alhambra TDI130 SE 4. 1996 - current one is the third. 5. No - something more modern. 6. Me nothing; warranty a good

To the starter of the thread. is your's a mk1. In my experience, mk1's don't flash, mk2's do.

I have a 17" Viewsonic, using the DVi input. Excellent; much better than HP analogue at work

195/60 16 are the same diameter at 215/55 16. the "60" or "55" is a "%" not "mm". I've had 195, 215, and 225 tyres on three different cars of this type (one gal, 2 alhambra) all were same diameter. Current car has 225/45 17, sith a 195/60 16 spare ("space saver" - well not very space saving!) Important thing is that the tyres should be reinforced - a "94" for the load rating or a "rf" somewhere on the tyre.

I know that 6" makes all the difference in some circumstances, but when a car's already 15' long, 6" is nothing. If in doubt go for parking sensors

everyone seems to be thoroughly confused. CC in AUTO has both heating and air con "switched on". Cooled air is heated eonough to give the temperature set on the unit. The cold air is dehumidified, and so reduces the risk if misting up when the outside temperature is cold. If the system is set to HI, then temerature regulation is switched off and you just have all the cooled air heated, and for LO, none of the cooled air is heated. Sunlight sensor may well modify this a bit. Pressing Econ switches off the cooling. On a cold day, if Econ is selected you will feel the air get slightly "warmer/damper" If temperature is blow 5C the air con switches off to protect itself from icing. so, if outside temp above 5C and LO selected you should get a cold blast, but outside temp really has to be above 18/20C for you to be sure the compressor is really working. Be aware that heating is effectively never switched off. There's always hot water circulating through both the front and rear heater units even though airflow over them is switched off. This is one reason why parked cars are sometimes hot when you return to them after a short while even though it's not that sunny!!!! I've learned the hard way over three of these cars: diagnose faults on CC in summer and on auxiliary heater in winter!

Certainly the front seat adjecters are different between mk1 and mk2. also my mk 2 has seat mounted airbags which I don't recall on mk 1 perhaps change seats and runners for compatibility but haven't delved that far

the normal double deck eurotunnel trains have a height limit of 1.85m. The Alhambra/etc with roof rails are 1.83. Each time we travel there's a sharp intake of breath as we go under the height limit bars. Has anyone come a cropper?

My Alhambra has 245/45x17 tyres as standard. When replacing two front tyres, tracking was reset to 1mm toe out. Does anyone know if this is the correct dimension, as the steering feels funny. Found lots of references to tracking but none to the dimension! Thanks in advance

After a year and three new auxiliary heaters and several more visits to the dealer, mine now works. What makes the third one work when ther previous two didn't? The third one was the right one. The official SEAT parts list shows my car to have the version of aux heater that can pre-heat even when the engine isn't running. However it can't do this, and needs the other one which only works when the engine is running. When they finally decided to fit the "wrong" one, it worked!m Must have cost SEAT a fortune in warrenty work!

try here http://www.wiperblades.co.uk/products.asp?id=372

The TDI 130 is running at 1200/1300rpm at 30 in 4th. That's why I use 3rd

I wonder if SEATkid has sussed the problem? He said that the stering will want to self centre if the steering wheel is off centre. When the garage went to check my tracking they very carefullt centred the steering wheel and then locked it in that position. Only then did they check the tracking - lathough it didn't need adjustment.

I know it sounds daft, but do check obvious things like tyre pressures. Then find a one way street with a camber to the right hand curb and drive "on the right". See if the car then pulls to the right. They do seem to pull a bit on cambered roads, especially with wide tyres!

Double, triple check it's in the right way round - the disc - and then turn oof the radio, turn on again and reinsert the caddie. Sometimes a tempramental beast

I'm speculating, but didn't some basic vehicles come with 5 seats and no rear heater. Perhaps that negated the need for the auxiliary booster heater??

What is "wrong" with 30 in third. This is characteristic of lots of cars these days. Indeed it might help you keep to the limit. In mine I have a rule - 30=3rd, 40=4th,50=5th, 60=6th It works!

The fact that he offered you anything at all after the first letter is a bonus. Keep in mind the rule of three - it takes three letters to show you're serious; most people give up after two! Do you know any other customers? Continue to be polite and reasonable, and like you've done for us, keep what is called a "contemporaneous note" of what he says if he phones rather than writing! Good luck