Questions from October 2011
I have a Mercedes B-180 CDI automatic, which I bought new in January 2009. It is my third Mercedes and was chosen over a saloon because of its compactness and flexibility that were convenient when transporting...
Last year I bought a set of steel wheels for my Mercedes C-Class for some winter tyres. Bridgend Mercedes Benz made sure I have the correct size bolts and I bought some wheel trims too. This year I want...
I recently moved to Chiang Mai in Thailand from Kenya and Ethiopia where I drove a RAV-4 that was ideal for my needs and the prevailing conditions. In Thailand, I am torn between a second-hand RAV-4 and...
I have looked at the British Parking Association website and examined the appeal. As far as I can see the process is simply decorative, designed to show BPA’s 'caring' side, which we all know it does not...
My Audi A5 is 6-months old and has done 6,000 miles. On recent 150 mile run I had black soot in my exhausts and an oil usage of half litre /600 miles. I am told by Audi this is normal!! How can this be...
Bought a 2007 Freelander 2, diesel, manual with 57,000 on clock from Evans Halshaw, Sheffield on July 12 2011. I live 250 miles from dealer near Poole, Dorset!
Everything seemed fine at first. Car now...
The plastic back to the side mirror (near side + colour of jean blue) on a 06 plate Ford Focus needs replacing. I am willing to bet that a main dealer will charge extortionately for this bit of plastic...
How can I find original list prices of Audi RS2 and 911 3.2 (1986) as i want to compare + or - of having as a company car.
A friend and her husband have just been followed home and told they had driven into the back of this persons car whilst in town and that they had 100s of witnesses.
They are claiming whiplash but there...
Due to an expanding family it is time to get a larger car, preferably 7 seater. The current 0% finance offer from Toyota seems attractive on the Verso range and the car looks very attractive in the 2.0D...
Randomly a warning light appears on the dash. It's the orange one that means a bulb has gone. It's usually the drivers side indicator. If you keep the indicator on for a minute, constantly it fixes itself...
New tyre (Falken 452 225/40/18) fitted by mobile fitter. Car driven 2.5m then stood for 20 hrs before noticing that one of the tyres was actually flat.
I inflated the tyre and realised that it had a faulty...
Ford Focus 2002 TDCI, driving along... lost drive , pulled over, car will go into gear without touching the clutch, clutch feels like normal when pressed. Will not pull away (no drive). Although in 3rd...
In short, I recently bought my son a 2004 plate Vauxhall Meriva with FSH and only 60k on clock. This was to replace his aging Peugeot which I deemed as unsafe!
All went well until today when he rang...
We currently have a Saab 95 estate which we use to travel to France each year on a family camping holiday.
Can you please recommend a more economical runner in terms of MPG and also road tax and insurance.
Needs...
I've reported a recurring problem with my Vauxhall Zafira to the dealership I bought it from over a period of 18 months.
The problem is that the car loses power and goes into "limp mode", showing a warning...
Thinking of buying used Mazda5. Read about problems with diesel versions but also heavy tyre consumption. Need to be changed around every 10,000 miles?
Is it worth buying a used Mazda5 then? Also fuel...
I have a 2006 56 model BMW 520 d SE Auto which I plan to keep for two winters. They are now on 225/50 run flats on 17 inch alloys.
1. Do I just fit same size and profile winter tyres on the same alloys?...
My daughter has been given a ticket for overstaying by 6 minutes in a car park in Exeter "policed" by Premier Parking solutions. It is for £100 reduced to £75 if paid within 7 days.
Personally I believe...
My wife has got a new job which will involve a 60 mile round trip, mainly motorway driving. She currently has a 2004, 1.4l Fiesta and we are wondering if she would be better replacing the Fiesta with...
I have owned a 53 plate Toyota Yaris D4D for six years which hasn't caused me an ounce of bother. It has 92000 miles on the clock. Recently I've had an annoying issue with the engine idling. When you first...
My car is 07 registration. I purchased it from a garage in 2009. The car had been traded in.
While it was still in warranty I had it in a Peugeot garage on numerous occasions as it wasn't running smoothly...
I am retired. I have a Mk 1 Freelander 2004 td4 (automatic) for general running about and towing an 18 foot caravan (Bailey Senator) 2 or 3 times a year.
Wife about to retire; has 2003 BMW 316i compact...
I'm about to have winter tyres fitted to a new set of rims on an Audi A4 cabriolet.
The summer tyres are rated at 93 ( 215/55 on 16); there is a choice of Continental winter contact TS830 in a 93 weight...
I have a 2009 (Sept.) 3.6 TDI Phaeton which I bought as a demo in Feb 2010. It has done 20,000 miles.
A dealer has just offered to PX for a Feb 2011 (latest model) with 50 miles on for £8,500 which equates...
I am buying winter tyres on your recommendation for my Ford Kuga. I have decided to go for 235/55 R17 Dunlop Winter Sport 3D to match the circumference of the current 235/50 R18's fitted from new.
I'm...
I purchased a 300C SRT demo with low mileage from Synter Group dealership on 7 October 2010.
V5 states "new at first registration 03/03/2010", noticed heavy rust on some bolt heads, not long after delivery...
Just realised (after 2 years!?) that I hadn't changed my address on my licence or log book. I got re-direction for 1 year from the previous address - so I simply failed to notice when renewing my car tax...
Can you suggest any makes and models of small panel vans that have fold down passenger seats in the back so that it can seat four people if needed.
I am looking at buying a Honda Accord Estate.
Ideally I want a diesel for the economy, but having read many issues on DPF (diesel particulate filters) effecting many manufacturers I want to go for the...
I bought this car new and since then learnt that the engine has a design fault around burning oil. It has a TPI completed on it but still is burning a large amount of oil.
The car has 8k miles on it...
When I start up the car the idle speed is high, around about 1300 rpm.
Also, when I go around a corner in 2nd gear if I slightly press the brake the car wants to speed up.
We live in a small village and for the last two winters have struggled to get out. I am now thinking of replacing my BMW 1 Series, with an AWD car. I would like to purchase the X3, but the wait is close...
I was looking round a nearly-new-used-car showroom yesterday and could only find one car with a pair of tyres on the same axle that matched. These were ‘Sunny’, made in China. By “matching”, I mean that...
I am not often given justification to offer thanks for the standard of service in today's profit driven society however I wanted to record my thanks to both Honda UK and to my local dealer Cloverleaf Honda...
I have just bought a Land Rover SVX soft top from Stratstones in Stourbridge with full service history (I traded in a Lotus Elise). Taking the word of the salesman I did not check the paperwork until getting...
In your column on Saturday, October 8th you made mention of supermarket petrol. What is wrong with it? And is diesel affected as well?
I drive a 2008 BMW 116ES, 1,596cc. Annual mileage: 4,000miles. Last winter I had a bad experience when I went into a very bad spin on black ice and snow. I managed not to hit anything, but I had to abandon...
I was recently on a Classic Car Tour in Italy in my 2005 Morgan Roadster. While there, the rubber hose from the fuel filler cap to the fuel tank split open and allowed petrol to cascade onto a very hot...
I bought a nearly new car from a franchised dealer about 18 months ago. This past week I have received a letter from Retaina regarding the ISR window etched number. The letter states that the number is...
We've seen a 60 plate FIAT 500 1.2s at Motorpoint for £8,600, but they have no TwinAirs yet. A new TwinAir from FIAT will cost £12,700, but is it worth waiting to see if Motorpoint will get any? We're...
We sometimes need to sell our vehicles quickly and easily and do not want the hassle of bargaining with sales or public. I know you tell your readers of the auction route but I recently relented and went...
In the week that Philip Hammond, the Transport Secretary, announced plans to raise the speed limit on motorways to 80mph, I received a Police summons for 80mph on the M4 at. For this offence, I may be...
As a retired former senior executive in the car industry, the most refreshing aspect of your column is the even-handed way you dispense advice on customer and manufacturer complaint resolution. Since retiring...
We have been a three-car, but two-driver, family for years now, but age is creeping in and the hassle of taxing, MoTing, insuring and servicing three cars every year is too much. Also, two of the cars...
I have recently finished studying my doctorate. I currently have a 2002 Citroen Saxo Furio 1.4 and feel that I have out grown this car. I'm looking to spend around £4,500 plus part-exchange value of the...
In your reply to WS on 8/10, you warn of the need to be careful with automated manual gearboxes but do not specify the problems. I intend to replace my 2010 Astra auto with a Yaris auto/manual next year,...
The rule I have always used when driving in the left hand lane of a motorway is No 167 of my Highway Code otherwise it would mean braking when nothing is in front of me if lanes to the right of me slow...
My car was written off in no fault claim and I was given £2,000 by my insurance company (LV) to which I can add £3,000 - £4,000. That won’t buy a new car so I have decided to go for a used Audi A3. My...
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