recently my car is taking ages to start i have the key turned for about 20secs while it seems to cough into life but as soon as it has started i can turn it off and it starts fine its a diesel so it shouldnt be any electrics hopefully, but i have noticed that when i go over bumps in the road i am sure the headlights dim or go out what should i check for battery, starter motor, alternator or could it be fuel lines/filter glow plugs thanks anyone

sounds like poor charging,diesels need a good kick to fire them up.connections and earth straps i would check.could be as simple as a loose battery connection

cud be the glow plugs!

i would say glow plugs too

thanks for the replies i am going to get new glow plugs and fuel filter soon and let you know if it solves the problem

Glow plugs too; a silly question though, are you letting it heat and waiting for the light to go out before starting?

i was thinking glow plugs, but lights going out over bumps, i would check battery leads are not loose first

il change my mind to both then, glow plugs (or not letting them warm up) and the battery being loose

finally got back on line after 2 weeks after i had i virus and it knacked my hard drive.
i let the glow plugs warm the fuel first its been serviced fully and its still playing up now been told its the fuel pump so i am hacked off lol.
so does £900 sound ok for a R reg 75sx my girlfriends cousin is selling it and needs the cash soon for a holiday he is going on

Sometimes a diesel starting problem can be the relay that controls the glow plugs. The plugs themselves are fine but a bad relay can keep them from working. Another possible problem is low compression. If this is what ails you, it's engine rebuild time or just replace the car.

thanx for that but the relay broke about 3 months ago and it cost £90 to get a new one i mite get a compression test done and also check the injecters.

Pour a bottle of good quality injector cleaner for diesels (not anything for petrol engines or something that works in all vehicles) into a half tank of fuel and run it on that before you do any mechanical work or even checks on the injectors. Also, open the draincock on the fuel filter and let the water out, but don't empty the filter in the process.

finally got it sorted woohoo one of the glow plugs had come loose. all that money i spent and fingers crossed its sorted

Great news! Hope that solves the probelm.

yeah thanks its much better i just wonder why the light on the dashboard never stayed on to show me the problem