Practically Classics Forum

Hi chaps,

A few weeks ago I asked what was a good forum for modern VWs, and you told me, and I even had a look, but can't for the life of me remember where it was, nor did I save it to favourites like I should have.

Can you remind me?

My son's MY2000 1.0 litre Polo has put the MIL light on today, P0171 (too lean Bank 1) and I want to see if there are any common causes for this. Otherwise I'll go on a vacuum leak hunt.

Cheers!

http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/

Thanks John - I've registered and posted the problem there, we'll see how it goes.

I'll have a search for a vacuum leak on the car as soon as the lad has the car here in the daylight.

Cheers!

Well that forum is not a great deal of help to be honest - since posting on Tuesday I've got two replies, both of which are telling me what a P0171 code means, which I already know, and which doesn't in any way answer my question.

Anybody know of any slightly more "active" VW forums?

Cheers!

I'm not too surprised about the lack of response, "Crasher" is their technical wizard (and doom monger) and I think his business is keeping him well occupied. Otherwise, I think the Audi brigade are taking over and less popular VW models don't seem to get much attention. Mind you, I'm not a regular there because of that - and the odd time I've checked it recently, there doesn't seem to be much happening (compared to three or four years ago).

I've heard good words about these two forums, but I don't have a Polo, so haven't tried myself. They may be more enthusiastic than the VAG forum!

http://www.uk-polos.net/

http://www.clubpolo.co.uk/forum/index.php?app=portal

Ooh, ta very much Tractorman - I'll give those a whirl!

Cheers

tractorman wrote: I've heard good words about these two forums, but I don't have a Polo, so haven't tried myself. They may be more enthusiastic than the VAG forum!

http://www.uk-polos.net/

http://www.clubpolo.co.uk/forum/index.php?app=portal

^^WHS^^

I'd try GSF for parts, they have most things and often have two or three different qualities of parts - the ones you fit to sell a car, the ones you fit when you aren't too bothered about life and OEM or similar quality parts.

I admit that it's been a while since I bought anything there, though will be buying some filters soon: the "new" Golf has done few miles since I bought it in May 2012 and has only had a couple of tyres, an oil change and a sensor in that time!

I suspect you've been there for Volvo bits, so I may be preaching to the converted!

I confess that I made a really amateur mistake this morning. I was in a rush when shopping, so got some oil (4l + 1l of Castrol edge 5W-30) and a pair of wiper blades at Halfrauds! That sounds OK, but the bill was just under £100!!!

tractorman wrote: I confess that I made a really amateur mistake this morning. I was in a rush when shopping, so got some oil (4l + 1l of Castrol edge 5W-30) and a pair of wiper blades at Halfrauds! That sounds OK, but the bill was just under £100!!!

HOW MUCH??? I bought 2 new blades for the Dolomite from Wilkinsons for £4, and even 3 for the nephews Rover only set him back £12 from our local car accessory emporium. Hellfrauds really do take the piss with some prices, and even though they're virtually right on my doorstep, I'll travel that bit further not to get ripped off and get the same stuff cheaper elsewhere.

I have found the receipt! The oil was £46.99 for four litres and £19.39 for the one litre, the Bosch wiper blades (fancy modern things) were £31.99 a set. I have seen them on eBay for under £20 (though not sure about carriage) and, while I would normally have a spare "gallon" of oil in the shed, I haven't needed to top up, so haven't got any spare - and gave away an almost full can of oil for the old Golf (not suitable for this one apparently) : I don't want to end up with a full can of this oil whenever the car passes on. Mind you, with the amount of use it is getting, I suspect I may pass on before the car does!

I would have gone to the VW agents, but only remembered after passing the junction and Christmas traffic was being annoying (as were the old farts in Tesco!), so I thought I might just go to Halfords on the way past. I wish I had forgotten by the time I got there - I can get 4l of the Quantum stuff (as sold by VW agents) for under £30 delivered on eBay!

I'm trying to remember when I last went to Halfords - I think it was September, when I got an aerosol can of Waxoyl to spray the digger's hydraulic rams for winter!

They wonder why their sales and profits are down! Mind you, they had some nice combination spanner sets on offer - would have been handy for the tractors if they had been imperial sizes!

On the up side: I bought air and oil filters (plus a drain plug with washer) and a six pack of blue towels from GSF last night for £39. Mind you, the towels were £16.50, just over double what I paid for the last pack!