Archive for May, 2007

Without any doubt the introduction of vehicle seat belts has saved many from serious injury or even death, so their inclusion into the MOT test in 1969 for front seat belts and extended to cover rear belts in 1991 was to many a foregone conclusion.

The regulations relating to seat belts are relatively complex in that they change markedly with vehicle age and type, for example prior to 1965 no belts were required at all and before April 1981 no rear belts were needed. Further complications exist regarding the type of belt i.e. lap, lap/diagonal, harness etc not only this but rules exist which stipulate whether the belt has to have an inertia mechanism to control slack.

Once through the regulatory minefield the tester then concentrates on a test routine which includes checks on belts presence, condition, lock effectiveness, working of any inertia reel system and also the vehicle structure within 300mm of any mounting point (the prescribed areas). During examination the belt must be pulled out to its fullest extent and allowed to retract with minimal assistance. The condition of the belt webbing is examined with particular attention given to any fraying which must be to the extent that the belt is clearly weakened, any cut which causes the fibres to separate as well as weakening the units’ effectiveness as a safety device.  The condition of all locks, flexible STALKS and height adjusters are also checked to ensure that they are present and effective; this will include all seating where the belts are attached to the seat structure.

Many modern vehicles have seat belt pre-tensioners which are basically small explosive devices designed and fitted to the seat belt mechanisms to automatically tighten the belts in the event of an impact. Should these devices have been deployed a “flag� normally displays at one or more mounting points signifying such, this situation is not an MOT fail point but the owner should be notified via issue of an advisory notice.

If your vehicle has its MOT test coming up and you’re worried about your seat belts or your vehicle has just failed its MOT test and you need parts we can locate affordable used car parts for any make or model, you can save 60% on used Vauxhall parts.

The best way to feel the power of the Vauxhall Vectra is by driving it. The Vauxhall Vectra is treated with respect because it is a great road car as well as a tough competitor as a championship race car. You would probably think that a state of the art car like this one would need special parts, which may be hard to find. The reality is that all Vauxhall Vectra parts are easily available with dealers such as Carsparefinder. So whether it’s the Angel eye headlamps or the Irmscher GSI front bumper, you can find any Vauxhall part at Carsparefinder and be ensured of their top quality and genuineness.

I have a Vauxhall Vectra saloon, which is powerful enough to compete with the Laguna, C5 and the Primera. This 4 door saloon looks terrific in solid exterior colors, and mine is blue. This 1.8i 16v VVT can deliver a maximum speed of 131mph. The transmission is manual and the engine capacity is 1796c.c. With a compression ration of 10.5:1, the Vectra Life has a curb weight of 1335 and maximum power of 140@6300 rpm. An off-road incident required me to look for a silencer gasket, which I was able to locate, with ease, at the Vauxhall Vectra parts dealerships online. So if you are unable to find Vauxhall Vectra parts for your car, then you know where to go!

For me driving is a passion and when I am in my Vauxhall Vectra elite nav – 4 door saloon then driving becomes a thrilling experience. But the one thing that has kept me worried till now is the availability of Vauxhall Vectra spares in the market. Of course, a special car like mine deserves special care but without the right spares, it can also become a nightmare. Last weekend, I took my family angling at the Walton Pond in Somerset and while driving back, a lone biker came from nowhere and crashed into the rear of my Vectra. A few scratches in the shiny red coat were unmistakably loud but what was worse was that my left rear lights were no more of use. Now where on earth could I find a Vauxhall Vectra spare especially since it was almost past 9 pm? Back home, I had a friend waiting and he told me that I could find Vauxhall Vectra spares at the dealerships with online presence such as Carsparefinder. Honestly, I was reluctant – Never trust the online guys! But did I have an option? So reluctance gave away to the need for getting the rear light fitted and to my surprise I was able to locate a nice pair of Vectra clears style rear lights at the Carsparefinder’s spare parts database available online. I put in a request, and soon enough I received an email in reply to my enquiry. Not only was I able to get the spare, but I also managed to save 40% on the cost of the new lights.

The Vauxhall Vectra is a powerful car but what will it be without its powerful v6 engine? I am talking from experience because I am a proud owner of the Vectra B 4 door saloon. The Vauxhall Vectra engine is a 75 PS (55 kW) 1.6 L, 8 valve engine, which was later replaced by a 16-valve. It is termed as a Family 1 engine, which is a straight-4 piston engine developed by GM-Opel powertrain. This was the perfect replacement for the low displacement engines from the Family II versions. After the initial Vectra model, now I have the Vauxhall Vectra Ecotec engine. My Vectra is not just powerful now; it is eco-friendly too. A 1.8 L (1796 cc); 88.2 mm (3.47 in) stroke, 80.5 mm (3.17  in) bore, and 10.5:1 compression, the Vectra gives a 125 hp (92 kW) and 123 ft. lbf (167 Nm) of torque. Some of the later versions of the same car come with a Variable intake engine or the VLIM. It is an engine manifold technology and uses a VLIM that has a variable intake tract length to optimize power and torque and also increase the fuel efficiency. But what is wonderful is that if I had to go for small repairs or replacement in my Vauxhall Vectra engine then I can look at car spare parts locating services such as Carsparefinder, who put me in control. These folks, only act as a medium to fulfill my needs or requirements for Vauxhall Vectra parts - whether new or used.

When we talk about Vauxhall spares, it includes everything from the engine to the brake discs to the rear lights and even the bumper. Every part of Vauxhall is a spare but then every part of the Vauxhall is special too. In fact, the Vauxhall Vectra itself is a car that has the capability to challenge any car in the same segment like the Ford Mondeo, the Saab 900 and the Pontiac G6. I would love to race with the Pontiac G6 if given the opportunity and if my health and age permits. Of course even gliding to the countryside can be pure ecstasy in a Vauxhall, which can only be disturbed by the distorted noise coming out of the rear bumper. But where will you really find Vauxhall Vectra spares in the countryside? I came home with the broken bumper, and decided to locate some car spare part dealers over the internet since sleep was eluding me. I found this really nice spare parts location service called Carsparefinder. These guys act as a medium between us (Car users) and the suppliers, which means that we (you and I) are in control here!

All I did was fill up the spare part request form available on their website, and I received 3-4 emails (you can opt for SMS as well) the next day without any obligation to purchase the part. With over 100 of the UK’s top Car, and Van part suppliers registered with them, I was able to get the lowest and best price for the rear bumper.

Today whenever I am in need of any Vauxhall spares, I just go to the website and make a spare part request. They have everything from new car spares to used car parts and cheap car spare breakers.

The inspection of the tyres is restricted to those fitted to the vehicle at the time of the test; this does not include any spare tyre/wheel.

The most obvious test requirement for tyres is of course that of wear, the tyre must have at least 1.6mm of tread depth across the central three quarters and around the entire circumference. The other basic stipulation is that the tyres fitted across the same axle must be of the same size. This size ruling also extends to the aspect ratio of the tyre, for example, a tyre 175/70×14 must not be fitted on the same axle as a 175/65×14. One slight contradiction in this area is the use of the so called “standardâ€? profile, these tyres may be marked, for example , 155×13 and have an aspect ratio of 82%, they can be fitted on the same axle as a tyre 155/80×13. This 2% difference is specifically allowed by the MoT test regulations.

When inspecting the tyres from underneath the tester will also examine each tyre for any lump or bulge which may indicate structural damage and also check that the tyres do not foul any part of the vehicle i.e. rubbing on bodywork or steering/suspension component. In the area of cuts the regulations state that any cut at least 25mm long or at least 10% of the tread width deep enough to reach the structure must fail. On the subject of structure, the tyre must not have any area of ply or cord exposed.

Another tyre feature which comes under the testers eye is that of rotation specific construction, these are easily spotted and will have a clear sidewall marking with either an arrow indicating forward direction of rotation or the word “outside� denoting outward facing fitment.

With tyre fitting in mind attention will be paid to the tyre valve ensuring that it is not damaged or seriously mis-aligned (often caused by poorly fitted wheel trims) and whether it is correctly seated on the wheel.

Moving onto the wheels, checks must be made by the tester to ensure that they are not badly damaged, distorted or cracked and in some cases where spoked wheels are fitted the spokes are not loose, bent or corroded. This reference to spokes applies equally to wire, steel and alloy construction.

Lastly, the tester will examine each road wheel for security, checking where possible for the correct number of nuts/studs/bolts. These checks must be done without disturbing any wheel trim/cap etc.

Remember if you need tyres for your vehicle weather your test is coming up or just gone Carsparefinder can locate legal Vauxhall parts or used car parts for any vehicle new or old.

My ideal car is the Vauxhall Vectra VXR 2.8i V6 24v Turbo in star silver, but I opted for the two coat pearlescent Arden blue. It makes my Vauxhall stand out. Although, in the past I have been told by many that it is near impossible to find genuine Vauxhall spare parts. It ruffled a few feathers and I almost went into a state of paranoia where I rarely used my Vauxhall for the fear of developing a problem or getting a broken light, which might seem impossible to replace. But how could I keep the 2792cc Vauxhall Vectra with a maximum torque of 355@1800 rpm just sitting there at home. Just because of the fear of not finding genuine Vauxhall spare parts, I couldn’t let this exquisite piece of machinery be wasted. In the coming months I slowly got out of the fear and at the same time, literally “banged� into a car salesman, who advised me to check the Carsparefinder website for any new or used Vauxhall Vectra parts requirements. I browsed through this website and discovered that Carsparefinder guys act as a medium between suppliers and us (car users). We can use their locater services to get genuine spare parts for any car brand and enjoy a 50-80% on many parts as well. It can’t get better for me! And now, I have been showing off my Vauxhall more often to my friends, colleagues and now I even take my family out for small camping trips in the wilderness.

Having a Vauxhall is like owning the king of the road but it also means that you should know where to find Vauxhall Vectra parts. At times finding the part that you require whether that is a rear light or a 314mm brake upgrade can be difficult. I have been through the situation where my Vauxhall Vectra was stranded in the middle of nowhere with a problem in the brake as well as the clutch. That’s what you call dual problems! All this happened at almost 6pm, which incidentally is the peak traffic hour as most people drive back home from office. I didn’t want to get caught in the traffic but here I was stranded in the middle of nowhere looking for Vauxhall parts and with nothing but a WAP enabled cell phone. I had to send SOS to a friend, who sent me the numbers for a spare part locater service called Carsparefinder and said I could find my Vauxhall parts here.

I was a little astonished for I wasn’t really expecting this kind of help but when nothing really works, you can’t help but try whatever options you have. At Carsparefinder, you request them to provide you with the quote for the Vauxhall parts (they have all brands) and within 10 mins. they send you the first quotation on your cell phone or email id. Soon, I was able to get a hitch a ride back home, and request a supplier to deliver the spare part for my car. I took my mechanic where my car was stranded and he fixed the car with the new spare part. It couldn’t have been easier…

I often fight with my wife, not over expensive dinners or shopping but over a drive in our Vauxhall Vectra 4 door saloon. The only thing that worries my wife is where to find Vauxhall car parts since she has been involved in more than one accident. I have a massive 2.0i 16v turbo in royal blue and sports 19-inch alloy wheels. It has a lowered and up rated sports suspension, sports front seats, trip computer, CD 30 stereo radio/CD player, cruise control, air-conditioning, front fog lights, dark-style headlights and tail lights, visible stainless steel exhaust tailpipe, and body coloured rear lip spoiler to name a few.

Every time, my wife has an accident, I get to pay the bill and also locate the required Vauxhall Vectra car parts. If you are wondering about the place where I get the spare parts from then let me share this secret with you. One of my friend’s who is also a cars fan familiar with my situation, suggested I check out the car spare parts locater service – Carsparefinder. He also told me that this service has over 100 of UK’s top spare par suppliers! But that’s not all. Carsparefinder replies to your Vauxhall car parts request within 10 minutes of receiving the request. Must say, I am very impressed by the service I have received so far. You just have to get online at carsparefinder.co.uk and search for the Vauxhall car parts you need. You can check their existing database of car parts available for your car model and also get a free no obligation quote. The best part is that you will save a few extra pounds, not in weight but in money.

 

There are only a handful of genuine Vauxhall Breakers in the UK and for those who are ardent fans of the magical machine called Vauxhall; it will always be a little bit difficult to find genuine spare parts for their Vauxhall. Driving a Vauxhall is certainly a rich as well as special experience as the Vauxhall offers luxury, comfort, smooth driving experience and power. Definitely a first choice for me!

Whether it’s the Vauxhall Vectra or the Vauxhall Antara, I have test driven almost all their models and each one is a shade better than the other and yet you can’t compare any of them. What makes Vauxhall more interesting is the fact that it is a GM production vehicle. Although it is not completely British but it can give all British cars a race for their money. A fine SUV like the Antara can take you deep into the heart of the wilderness. But like any other car, it needs attention or you will have to look for Vauxhall breakers. So what better place to start than with than Carsparefinder? If you are in need of a specific Vauxhall car part then they are the best choice. You can find anything from Vauxhall Headlamps to Vauxhall Brake pads and all this is just a click away. Don’t just take my word for it – try their range of services today!