Feb 5, 2020 | Environment |
Would you use recycled or second-hand parts for your car? Online auction platform eBay thinks so. This will save our planet. And used parts will be cheaper and save us money too. But what are the risks? We explore it in this article.
What exactly does eBay mean by used car parts
When most people think of recycled parts, they imagine parts from scrap yards, from cars that have been in collisions, for example. But this is not what eBay is talking about; they mean parts that have been reconditioned.
A reconditioned part has failed or has come to the end of its natural service life. But instead of throwing them away, garages send them to experts who strip them. Worn parts are then replaced with new ones. This overhaul creates less waste and is therefore better for the environment than a new part.
This is common practice in countries like France and Germany. Parts are thoroughly checked when they are rebuilt and are sold with a guarantee.
Parts that can undergo this process are engines, gearboxes, links, calipers and radiators.
Why should you use remanufactured parts?
The answer is simple: it is much kinder to the environment!
Ebay believes that if car owners in the Netherlands used just 10 per cent more recycled car parts, this would prevent 390,000 vehicle parts from going into landfill each year. This would save 190,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions that come from making entirely new parts.
By buying used components, car owners would save owners around 60 per cent / per part. Ebay's calls follow EU legislation passed earlier this year requiring a more 'circular economy'. This is a step away from our current economic model.
Manufacturers must make parts accessible to professional repairers who can repair car parts instead of throwing them away. Currently, regulations require the automotive industry to recycle, salvage or repair 95 per cent of every car at the end of its life.
But are these parts safe?
There are strict regulations for the recycling of used parts. This allows us to buy something that is safe, better for the environment and saves a lot of money. And while there are many components that can be remanufactured and recycled, unsafe components are actually destroyed.
We warn that not all parts are suitable for reuse.
"While responsible reuse and recycling of vehicle components is important, safety is the top priority and not all components, such as seatbelts and airbags, are suitable for reuse. "
There are also official brands operating in the recycling industry
If you have a car of the Peugeot brand, Lemon or DS, or you have a Fiat, Chrysler or Jeep, chances are you can already buy remanufactured parts (especially active in the UK). Both companies have official recycling programmes for parts such as clutches, particulate filters, radiators, turbos and brake calipers. They sell these components for around 40 per cent less than new parts and they come with an official 12-month warranty!
Feb 4, 2020 | Buying advice, Peugeot |
For many years, the French manufacturer has been Peugeot a leading brand. The brand had been successful for a long time. When the 208 In 2012, the Peugeot 208 was launched to become Peugeot's most popular car and surpass previous successes. The Peugeot 208 is the sequel to the Peugeot 208. 207. For this, the model 206 and 205 already on the market. The Peugeot 205 is also called the saviour of this car brand. Since 1982, 142,349 of them have been sold in the Netherlands. The Peugeot 206 has had some 153,218 new sales in the Netherlands. All these types were incredibly popular!
The Peugeot 208 is still popular with an average of 438 sales per month in the Netherlands. Worldwide, this model is often at the top of the lists of most sold used cars. This model is especially recommended for its technical performance, driving style, looks and price. Since 2019, an electric version of the 208 has also been on sale. Unfortunately, it is not all roses and moonlight. Problems with the Peugeot 208 unfortunately also occur.
Common problems Peugeot 208
The Peugeot 208 is one of the most sought-after used cars on Marktplaats. What problems with the 208 variant should be taken into account? The most important issues are listed here for you:
- Check the brakes carefully! These are known to wear out quickly on the 208.
- Be careful with the 1.6 petrol engines. With these types, the ignition coils often refuse. It is important to have this checked. This can cause serious damage to the catalytic converter.
- With manual transmissions, pay particular attention to the sound of the transmission. If it makes too much noise, this is definitely not a good sign! This could indicate serious problems with the engine. Loud bangs in the suspension are not part of the noise and are risky, pay attention to this as well.
- Check the operation of the hand brake cable, this can sometimes be faulty. This can lead to dangerous situations, so check it extra carefully!
- The wipers are of poor quality and often in a bad state.
- GTI version? Pay attention to the engine oil temperature. A common problem is that it rises too quickly because the sensor does not work properly.
- Want to buy a 2Tronic automatic transmission? Then pay extra attention! This model is known for its many mikes. Because this is not really an automatic but rather a computer-controlled one, it often causes problems. Consider carefully whether this type is worth buying. Of course, everyone must decide this for themselves. The model has many advantages and disadvantages.
Buying advice Peugeot 208
The Peugeot 208 is definitely not a car where anything is wrong with it! This car is known to be very reliable and is therefore often a good buy. By taking into account the most common defects, a bad purchase can often be avoided. Buying advice Peugeot 208; take your time to check the car. Check if there are any defects or flaws to be found. This can help you negotiate the price. This car is certainly an interesting buy. It is important to take into account the most common problems mentioned above. Of course, invoices of maintenance are good to have.
Jan 31, 2020 | Buying advice, BMW |
BMW 3 Series E46 technology, problems and buying advice
The BMW E46 is the fourth generation of the 3-series and was to surpass the E36. This model was available as a sedan, coupe, touring, compact and convertible. The first year of production was 1997, but the first delivery was in 1998. The E46 received a facelift in 2001 and was taken out of production in 2006 with the arrival of the E90. This 3-series was expected to become the benchmark in the D-segment. As the Audi A4 and the Mercedes C-class had been on the market for several years when the E46 was introduced, the BMW had a head start on these competitors. This lead made the 3-Series the benchmark in the D-segment. It actually only lost on the aspect of interior space. This is because BMW always strives for ideal weight distribution, which means that the engine is placed further back, at the expense of the interior space. Despite this shortcoming, the E46 became a huge sales success.
The design of the E46
The design of the E46 was not very daring; the car had to have good aerodynamics and an aggressive nose. Compared to the E36, this 3 series had more rounded lines and was more oriented towards the twenty-first century. After the facelift in 2001, the E46 got new lights, the bonnet was modified and the rear lights were redesigned. An outlier in the design was the compact model. It had a completely different nose and was a hatchback with folding rear seats. Many people did not like the compact and its sales were disappointing. The facelifted sedan and touring model, on the other hand, sold very well. 2002 was even the best year for sales of this BMW 3 series.
The technology of the E46
The predecessor of the E46, the E36 had the difficult task of succeeding the popular and very reliable E30. Although the E36 sold reasonably well, it was not a resounding sales success. The E46 was meant to be. The wheelbase was longer and the E46 had a lower standard ride height. In addition, this generation received adaptive headlights, more airbags such as side airbags and the possibility of a built-in navigation system.
The engines of the E46
BMW is known for offering a huge range of engines with each model. The E46 is no exception. The first engine was the 316i, which produced 105 hp and had a capacity of 1,895 cc and was also used in the E36. This engine was also in the first generation 318i and produced 117 bhp through the modified DISA intake system. There were also the well-known 6-cylinder in-line engines that were also used in the E39. The smallest six-cylinder produced 150 bhp, and although this was not a streamer, it did deliver a nice constant power output over the entire rev range.
The diesels delivered by BMW in this period were immediately the benchmark, fast, economical and quiet. Even the entry-level M47D20 It had a top speed of more than 200 km/h and with normal driving, almost 1 to 20. I myself had an E39 with this engine, sometimes it seemed impossible to empty the tank. If I drove a lot of motorway kilometres, the fuel consumption was 1 to 20, very impressive. What many people don't know is that this engine (the first generation) has no common rail system but is equipped with a unit injector. Besides this four cylinder diesel, there was the well known M57D30, this six cylinder was the fastest diesel on the market at the time and showed that a diesel could indeed be sporty, the torque of the engine seemed to go on forever and the top speed was over 220 km/h.
The first E46 M3 was delivered from 2000 onwards. This icon had a six-cylinder engine with a capacity of 3,246 cc. The power was impressive, 338 hp and that without turbocharging!
After the facelift, a few new engines were introduced. The 316i and 318i were replaced by the more modern N Series engines. These had more power and were more economical.
Driving characteristics of the E46
The E46 was also the benchmark in the D-segment in terms of handling. The rear-wheel drive three-series was solid on the road and remained neutral for a long time. It has to be said that the suspension of the E46 was quite sporty, which not everyone could appreciate. A Mercedes C-Class for example was much more geared towards comfort, but in the corners it was no match for the E46. The driving part and the engines are fine, but the gear change mechanism falls short in my opinion. In my opinion, there is far too much space in the manual gearboxes and the strokes are long, which doesn't do justice to the character of the car.
I have owned three different E46s, a 318i sedan, a 318td compact and 330d touring. And now you will probably be surprised, but I found the 318td compact to drive the best. This car is so stiff that (with the right tyres) it can go through the corner incredibly fast. The 330d touring has a great engine, but the nose is also quite heavy because of this engine. This pushes the nose a bit more to the outside. Finally, good shock absorbers (preferably original) are crucial for good handling.
Common problems with the E46
An E46 is in comparison with, for example, a E60 reasonably "bulletproof", complicated electronics were not yet used in this 3 series. However, it is not completely faultless.
The overview below lists the most common errors:
- In petrol engines (especially the 4 cylinder engines), the valve cover and more specifically the valve cover gasket sometimes leak. You notice this by high oil consumption and an oil smell in the interior or under the bonnet. The part, the gasket, is not expensive, but a mechanic will spend a few hours on this job. Therefore, depending on your garage, it can be a costly repair. Most gaskets last about 60,000 km, so ask when you buy one when it was done.
- The window mechanism sometimes gives up the ghost. To fix this, the door panel has to be removed and sometimes a new motor has to be installed.
- Coolant leaks are a regular occurrence with the E46. This is almost never caused by a head gasket leak. Usually there is a leak near the expansion tank. This expansion vessel can explode in exceptional cases, due to blockages. If this happens, it is important to stop the car immediately and not to continue driving. Installing a new expansion tank is not very expensive, but continuing to drive without coolant can cause your engine to die. This problem can also be caused by not replacing the water pump on time. It is not replaced frequently on BMWs, because they are driven by a distribution chain instead of a gearbox. timing belt. The water pump is often also replaced when the belt is changed, but this is not the case with BMW.
- Front suspension arms wear out faster than other models. If you drive over a threshold, you can hear it clearly
- Wind noise at the front doors can indicate worn door rubbers.
- The air mass meter breaks down above average. You will notice this when the car runs irregularly and when it accelerates unevenly in certain revs.
- The E46 is not extremely susceptible to rust, but the wheel arches can suffer from it when they get older. Fortunately, there is plenty of sheet metal available and replacing a front mudguard is not very complicated.
- Especially the 320d from after the facelift sometimes gets problems with the turbo. Regular oil changes and letting the car cool down after a heavy load are crucial for the life of the turbo.
- The automatic gearbox can have problems with high mileage. This is especially true of the high-horsepower and high-torque variants, the 330d being an example.
E46 buying advice
Of course, there are a lot of clichés about buying a used car. Such as filled service books, not too many owners, no ones and twos on the number plate, etc. But as described, the E46 is (apart from a few blemishes) "bullit proof".
Of course, every car needs maintenance after a certain period of time, and this is no different for an E46. There are also certain types of engines that experience more problems than average. The petrol versions from after the facelift have more problems with leaking valve cover gaskets. You can smell the oil in the interior or under the bonnet, and if there is a lot of oil leaking, the car may start to smoke.
Try to find one in original condition, a 3 series with aftermarket parts like bumpers, sideskirts19 inch rims are often less well maintained. Finally, maintenance invoices are leading, completed maintenance booklets are not always representative.
Jan 24, 2020 | Buying advice, BMW |
The BMW E60 (5 Series) had the difficult task of succeeding the famous E39. The E39 was the benchmark in the E-segment and was produced until 2003. In 2003, the E60/61 had to take over as the 5th generation of the 5 Series and hold its own against the Mercedes E-Class and the Audi A6, not an easy task.
The design of the E60
The E60 is nothing like its predecessor. The lines and the lights/grill are completely different. This resulted in two camps; one camp thought the model was hideous and did not fit in with BMW's model line, while the other camp thought the design was beautiful. It was immediately clear that BMW had chosen a different path and that the other models would have a similar design, which later became visible in the BMW 1-series.
Although the design has been accepted by most BMW enthusiasts, in my opinion, this large mid-range car does require large rims of at least 17 inches (larger than 18-inch rims do not benefit the driving characteristics) and the M-package gives the car just that little bit more body.
The technology of the E60
Compared to the E39, which was still fairly mechanical, the E60 was packed with electronics. This put this 5-series ahead of its competitors. Below is a list of these ingenious electronics:
- iDrive (the first BMW to be equipped with this system)
- Head-up display
- Active cruise control
- Active steering
- Adaptive headlights
- Dynamic Stability Control
- Night Vision
- Voice control
They are all beautiful pieces of technology, but they are also very sensitive to malfunctions, of course. These electronics can cause problems in older cars, which we will discuss later in this article.
The engines of the E60
BMW is known for offering a huge range of engines with each model. The E60 is no exception. At the time of its introduction, only 6-cylinders were available, and among the petrol variants the entry-level version was a 520i. This engine had a 2171 cc capacity, 4 valves per cylinder and delivered 170 hp. Its top speed was well over 200 km/h, and acceleration from 0-100 km/h was achieved in 9 seconds. After the facelift in 2007, the 520i was delivered with a 4 cylinder. This engine had 163 hp and almost the same performance as the six-cylinder, but the six-cylinder had a better power output and was quieter. The consumption of the four-cylinder is much better. In addition to several types of six-cylinders, the E60 was also supplied with two eight-cylinders and in the legendary M5 there was even a V10 with more than 500 bhp.
For the diesels, the same story applies to a certain extent; when they were first introduced, they were only available with six-cylinder diesels, and in 2003, the M57TUD30 (530d) was used. This delicious diesel produced 215 hp and had no less than 500 Nm of torque. In addition, this big diesel was fairly economical with diesel, making it a perfect mile-eater. From 2005, the 5-Series was also available with a four-cylinder diesel. This two-litre diesel produces 163 hp and, in combination with a manual gearbox, is extremely economical. Unfortunately, every car above 140 km/hr uses a lot more fuel.
Driving characteristics of the E60
As expected, an E60 drives sublime when properly maintained. The suspension communicates well and you can steer the car precisely. When it's dry and you have a-brand tyres, the 5 series is like a railway train. When it's wet and you decide to switch off electronic aids, the E60 can surprise you, especially when you're not used to driving a rear wheel drive car.
The maintenance point we will come to next is also important for the driving characteristics. Because an E60 has such a refined chassis, you'll immediately notice any defects. Imitation parts and C-brand tyres are also a bad idea, because they can ruin the essentially excellent driving characteristics.
Common problems with the E60
You probably already knew that the E60 is not faultless, so the most common problems are described below:
- Fuel related problems, there may be problems in the fuel pump. This can be noticed by reduced power and high consumption. This problem occurs especially in pre-facelift models.
- Suspension arm rubbers can be worn out, causing play, which is communicated by the chassis through a "thump thump" sound.
- An automatic can cause problems if it is not maintained.
- With diesels, the well-known swirl flaps can break off. These are often removed as a preventive measure.
- The 520d can get problems with the turbo at a later age. The 525d and 530d have virtually no problems with this (if driven normally and the turbo is allowed to cool down after a long drive, so the car is not immediately turned off).
- The E60 is susceptible to poor alignment, which can make the car feel strange. You can also see this in the unevenly worn tyres.
- A faulty iDrive can be costly to replace
- A panoramic roof can start leaking as it gets older
- In particular, the faster models such as the 535d and, of course, the M5, have complex technology and are therefore more susceptible to faulty maintenance.
E60/E61 buying advice
Of course, there are a lot of clichés when it comes to buying a used car. For example, filled service books, not too many owners, no ones and twos on the number plate, etc.
In the case of an E60, the clichés are true - if this large mid-sized car is not serviced in time, you can end up with a lot of backlogs. The electronics in particular can sometimes cause problems. For this you really need to go to a specialist, because standard read-outs often do not get deep enough into the system. Buying an E60 with warning lights on is therefore not advisable. Especially since dealers understand that a car without malfunctions sells better and they have probably already tried to solve the problem. In addition, the maintenance history is important, and then invoices are preferable to filled-in maintenance booklets (which anyone can fill in).
Finally, it may or may not be sensible to insist on a 3-month guarantee. In many cases, any defects will become apparent within a few weeks. Yet this will be a challenge, because garage owners also know that an E60 can cause high unforeseen costs.
Jan 23, 2020 | Diesel |
An EGR valve is found almost exclusively in diesel engines. This system was first tested by General Motors. This happened as early as 1970 and it has been a widely used technique ever since. The valve helps to reduce the emission of toxic substances from the atmosphere. Unfortunately, a dirty EGR valve can cause malfunctions. In this case, it can be cleaned or removed completely. After reading this article, you will know how an EGR valve works, how to maintain it and whether removing it is wise.
Operation
The term EGR valve stands for exhaust gas recirculation. General Motors first tested this system in 1970. It recirculates spent exhaust gases back into the air intake of an engine. This is also one of the reasons why the EGR valve can become contaminated.
The system is controlled by the central computer of the car. Depending on the manufacturer, the valve is opened at a certain speed, for example 2000 rpm.
The engine computer controls the EGR valve via a solenoid valve or an electric valve, depending on various parameters (water temperature, air temperature, engine load data, etc.).
By reusing the exhaust gases, the emissions (NOx) are reduced by 10 to 40%. This depends on the engine and the engine management. Each manufacturer has to comply with the emission regulations of the respective country, the engine management is adjusted accordingly.
Disadvantage of an EGR valve
The engine emits an excess of nitrogen oxide and small particles into the atmosphere, which violates European emission standards. In an attempt to reduce such emissions, manufacturers install the EGR valve, which directs exhaust gas back to the injection so that it burns a second time. Unfortunately, this process creates excess hydrocarbons in the form of soot, which accumulates in the EGR system and sometimes clogs it up completely; this can affect the rest of the engine. The engine no longer functions as it should because of the unburnt gases that are injected into it. The EGR valve starts to malfunction when it is clogged; carbon emissions (soot) accumulate in the valve and restrict the mobility of the solenoid or the valve, which can lead to a complete blockage. The system fails and the engine computer switches to a lower operating mode, causing a significant loss of power.
A permanently open valve can damage your intake system. It is therefore important to regularly service the EGR valve of your diesel. Otherwise it can become a recurring problem.
Symptoms of a defective EGR valve:
- Power loss
- Engine management light on (emission fault)
- Black clouds of smoke when accelerating rapidly
- A faltering car
EGR valve removal
Although it is not permitted to remove or cap the EGR valve, in some cases it is the only way to get the car to function normally again. In extreme cases, you can also install a new valve, but this can be a costly affair.
However, because it is not allowed, problems can arise during the MOT, the so-called soot measurement will show too high values, resulting in a car being rejected. Besides a complete replacement, cleaning can also work, although there is a chance that the problem will return in time.
Finally, driving many short distances can also have a detrimental effect on the EGR valve, which is why, as with the soot filter It is wise to drive long distances at times.
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