Trending topics in September 2010
Questions from September 2010
I can't find a gasket for the EGR valve next to the exhaust manifold on my 2000 Volvo V70. Would you know of a supplier that could assist me with this part?
I hear a rumour that the new Honda Jazz will be available with the CVT transmission used in the earlier car. Do you have any intelligence on this?
I have a SEAT Leon 150 TDI FR. Today I have noticed a squealing/grinding/squeaking noise coming from the front of the car when I turn the steering wheel hard to the left or right. This noise is only heard...
I have a 2000 Volkswagen Golf 1.6 and have problems with it holding back, and it has no power when changing up gears. It also judders. It's ok for a while, but gets worse and will hardly pull away. I've...
What is the best car between the Audi A6, Mercedes-Benz E-Class and BMW 5 Series E60? I want my car to be spacious, reliable and as comfortable as possible, and it has to be automatic and preferably the...
I am changing my nice but very-expensive-to-run Saab 9-3 for a Panda Diesel. I've not owned or driven a diesel car before. I believe the Fiats are OK, but what should I look out for and do to keep it in...
I notice that you have mentioned the need for new diesel vehicles to do a yearly minimum mileage when fitted with a particulate filter. The other week you quoted "15,000 miles per year'". No one mentioned...
The Nissan literature gives the overall width of the Note as 1690 mm but makes no reference to wing mirrors extended or folded. My garage is extremely narrow and I am anxious to ascertain the width of...
The display in my 2001 Audi A6 TDI 2.5-litre's dash is not clear at all. When I first got the car four days ago I couldn't make out anything at all. It did clear slightly, but now it has gone funny again....
What are the rear seat width measurements for a 51-reg Mercedes-Benz E320 CDi Avantgarde automatic (estate)? I would like to know if it's possible to fit three child seats across the rear (two forward-facing,...
I have ordered a Skoda 1.6 Octavia Elegance via an online dealer. The local Skoda dealer really slags the online dealer off, saying that I will not get a correctly-built new model etc. The supplier has...
We have a MINI Cooper S 07-plate with 35,000 miles that we love, but feel it can be expensive to run. Our local BMW MINI dealer has told us we can save money by swapping now, with various savings on the...
I own a 2001 TDDI Ford Mondeo. Driving in very heavy rain, I approached traffic lights which changed to red and I hit the brakes. The car stopped as normal but the pedal went down further than normal....
My wife ordered a brand new Honda CR-V for delivery on 1 September, but it arrived at the dealer several days late and, as we had not sold her old one, we were not too concerned. We would like to take...
I've been told by the garage from where I'm about to buy a 1999 Land Rover Freelander 1.8EXI that it has had a conversion kit fitted to stop the head gasket problems associated with them. Is this correct?...
I had a new water pump on my car, then two days later it packed up again. I took it to back garage and he said to me that I need a new head gasket, which we only had done two years ago. Is it the garage's...
I have a 2008 Nissan Micra that I have owned from new, and in the time I have owned it I have had to replace the rear tyres twice due to them wearing on the outer edge. I went to an independent alignment...
I'm thinking of buying a Volkswagen Bora 1.9 diesel Sport. It's in very good condition, well maintained, 150,000 miles in black. The dealer is asking £2500. What do I need to look for and does the price...
I've got a problem with my 1.3 Daihatsu YRV 4Trac. Its gearbox seems stiff and gets stiffer as you drive it (it still drives though, and does not grind). Is there a known problem with this gearbox? I believe...
How often does the timing belt need doing on an 06 Peugeot 407 diesel?
I have a Mk1 Fiat Punto. I've had no problems with it at all until yesterday, when I was driving along and the battery light came on and is now not charging the battery. I have it on charge at the moment,...
We are looking at buying a Nissan Qashqai or Hyundai ix35 - we have two young children and like the style and space provided by both vehicles, but we are somewhat flummoxed by the finance options. The...
I bought a 2007 Citroen C4 SX HDI automatic on 22 April 2010 for £10,495. Within the first week it was signalling that the engine management system was faulty. The garage agreed to have the car inspected...
I just bought a 2007 Volkswagen Polo today, which was stolen/recovered from an auction site that insurance companies give their cars to. The car's back brakes are locked for some reason. Any ideas why...
I have read that the new Volkswagen Polo is not a lot smaller than the Golf, but a fair bit cheaper. I was considering a Golf, but this buyer's guide recommends that I take a look at the Polo as well....
I'm thinking of buying a MINI D4 Countryman (and spare winter wheels/tyres) as I live in the Scottish Highlands, but most journeys will be only 15-20 miles each way and 6-7000 miles a year. Will this keep...
I'm told I may have a mass air flow meter problem on my Citroen C5, but don't want to go to unnecessary expense. The car is very flat, especially down at the bottom. It feels like something is holding...
I have a 2003 Volkswagen Golf 1.9 TDi. When I depress the accelerator, I get a kind of intermittent grinding noise coming from the front of the car. The noise stops as soon as I take my foot off the accelerator,...
I have a Volvo S70 SE 10v automatic 2435cc with a gas conversion which has been running great, until yesterday when the gas indicator went off. On my fascia I have a button that, when I press a blue light,...
I have a 1999 Volkswagen Golf IV cabriolet 2.0 and the electric roof doesn't work. This is because the hydraulic fluid has leaked out. It seems that the pipe has come off the hydraulic pump which is situated...
I'm looking to buy a secondhand BMW 530i of about seven to ten years old, and I've found some really cheap ones. One obvious reason for this is they have over 100,000 on the clock! I've always heard that...
My 71-year-old mother drives a six-month-old Suzuki Grand Vitara manual diesel and recently the clutch started slipping, so she took it back to the dealer. They diagnosed it completely burned out and refused...
I read your report on the Mitsubishi ASX. Can the stop-start system be switched off? I think it would be very frustrating in a stop and start situation, on a motorway for example.
I have a T-reg Volkswagen Golf. I would like to get my engine checked. Who can do this?
I have a 2007 BMW 318D E90 2007. When I engage the cruise control (70mph) it cuts out the engine and all kind of warning lights appear on the dashboard. I restart the car and it drives away without problems....
I have a Yaris Verso GS 2001 model in beige. When I bought it in February this year it had only done 9980 miles. It was a Category D but was repaired, and I checked the MOT history to verify the mileage...
I have a 2001 BMW 330d. The other day the Mrs was driving it home from the gym and it overheated. A friend at a garage the next day confirmed all the belts etc were intact and bled the system, and the...
I'm thinking of buying a Mazda MX-5 Mk1. I would like to get the English version but how do you rate this against the import? Do you know the insurance groups for both cars?
Can you adjust the clutch free play on a Ford Focus 1.8 1998? If not, what roughly should i be looking at to replace it?
I have a 2000 W-reg Peugeot 306 diesel estate which produces a knocking from what seems to be the back of the car, although one witness believes the noise is from the front. Any suggestions please? The...
I took delivery of a new Audi A3 Sportback 2.0 TDi 170 S Line on 1 September. This is my third A3 and in all I have been very happy with the model. When ordering the new car I decided to go for several...
I own a Jaguar 2.0 diesel Classic 04 reg with 90,000 on the clock. Recently the engine has started to splutter, as if the idling speed kicks in as you increase acceleration (up to 50 mph). It seems as...
My 1998 Volkswagen Polo 1.4 CL loses power in the wet. Any ideas why this might be? It started happening after driving through a particularly deep puddle in the road. Then, once again, following a down...
My Volvo XC70 AWD (current model) is fitted with Pirelli Scorpion Zero 235/55 17 99V tyres all round. The rear pair are worn down to 2mm and need replacing. Is there any reason why I should not fit tyres...
What is an acceptable delivery mileage on a brand-new car from a dealer? Is 500 miles ok?
I am looking for something which is able to cope with the odd long trip across Europe, and can fit a lot of stuff in the back (I'm a sculptor - think bulky and messy). I've thought about a 4x4/jeep type...
I am looking at buying a Volvo V70 2.4-litre petrol estate for my work as a plumber, but I don't want anything new so I am looking at 52 plates and 03 plates. They all have very high mileage, around 150,000...
I'm tied into a finance deal for the next 18 months because I got a really bad deal, because of bad credit rating. Since then I've managed to get a new field sales job where I use my own car - a Ford C-Max...
I'm considering buying a 52-plate diesel Vauxhall Omega Estate and wanted to know the mileage frequency of cam belt changes on this model.
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