dr_mat

The unregistered 311 version does not do basic settings, no, you need to register it for $99 (about seven pence at the moment) to get those extra functions. Depending on what cable you buy, you will need either the 311 or the 409 version, both will do basic settings if you register it.

SACHS/LUK, much of a muchness I'm afraid. They both have good days and bad days. The VW ones are the only ones worth paying a premium for, based on stuff I've heard.

I think we really need a definitive mpg thread ... :)

Minimal risk. Download the older version of vagcom, version 3.11 iirc, get one of the cheapo opto-isolated cables off ebay, bingo you have a working unregistered VAGCOM setup. Ross Tech's cables are USB, and include a key, so you don't have to go through the registration process for each PC you use the cable on - the cable itself is the key. Most of the ebay stuff is serial only (not all laptops have serial), and the opto-isolator cables aren't fast enough (generally) for the current rev of VAGCOM or the current cars. Your 1994 cars should be fine, however.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure it was the 290bhp XK8. That makes sense, similar performance to the VR. It's just that you get so used to driving a car, it doesn't really feel *fast* any more until something like this happens and you just realise you stuck to the back end of a £40k car..

£300 inc parts and labour and VAT, maybe. It's a 3 hour job by all accounts, so most places that's at least £150 labour.

I was surprised to find that a hard driven Jag XK8 couldn't leave me standing in the dust this morning on my way to work. (I know it was hard driven cos I could see puffs of black smoke from the exhaust on his gear changes ..) I stopped accelerating at about 110 (on a private racetrack on my way to work), and we were within a couple of car lengths of each other, had been like that all the way from 30 ish. I think he was a little annoyed that some scruffy old VW (it needs a wash!) had refused to budge.. I just thought I'd share .. nobody at work is a petrol head, sadly... :)

He's talking about the bloody air flow meter, by the sound of it .. Idiot.

For god's sake, VW can't find it? Take the car there, point at the bloody thing...

It's not unusual for cats to disintegrate. Usually it's thermal shock though, hot cat + cold water + minor thump = expensive accident.

Sounds feasible.

This part of the lock mechanism is readily available 2nd hand for peanuts, take a look around ebay. If in any doubt, replace it!

They aren't *that* bad when they're new. http://www.gpcvwaudi.com sell 'em for a lot less than VW, too.

Hmm, ignition switch problems? Maybe the load-cut relay not cutting out (it's supposed to cut off all your other electrical loads while the starter motor operates)?

They could apply a tax, but they couldn't base it on emissions that were never tested.. Of course they *will* continue to apply a tax, but us owners of old cars are only ever going to be paying the "default" road tax rate.

Well they haven't been tested in the UK, so even if something similar did come in, it couldn't be made retrospective.

Burble at idle is one thing, but it's flow damping at high revs you really need... Stainless always resonates more than mild steel, just how it is.

How are they planning on rating cars that are no longer made? All legislation on emissions has to be backed up with scientific tests carried out by the car manufacturer themselves, under supervision of the DoT, to be sure that it's a fair sample of the type of vehicle.

Careful on what you buy. Something that cheap, and described as a "fascia" could well just be the plastic panel on the front, with the hot/cold and fan speed markings ...

Could also be a leaky fuel pressure regulator.

Don't think the other things do need to match. You just need a matching key and ECU. As long as your transponder is reading the code from the key and passing it to the ECU .. ? Or at least, that's how I thought it worked ..

Um, making it work properly usually does the trick .. ! It's keyed into the ECU, so no, there's no easy way around it.

Why not just ignore the comment from someone who's idea of taste is clearly a burberry cap (peak backwards) with pink shell suit.

From what I've heard, powerflex et al are very much an acquired taste. Stick to VW unless you really know you want your suspension v. hard. The VW ones will last 100k miles and will be tons better than the old crap you've currently got.. I'll be interested to know what your pricings come out at.. Particularly for wishbones and stuff.

Sounds like it's time to take it to a professional, frankly. :(