Questions from October 2011
About 3 years ago I took your advice and chose the FIAT 500 1.4 Sport as my lease car. I have been very pleased with it. The lease is now nearly up and I have to decide which car to get for the next 3...
I live in a quiet residential road. 3 weeks ago a neighbour parked a burger bar caravan in the road outside his house. It is dilapidated, unroadworthy and unsightly. He speaks little English but when asked...
We are returning to the UK after thirty years in Canada. We are both getting on in years and we like automatic transmission. We have about ten thousand pounds to spend. If possible we would like to buy...
I see that cracked 19"alloy wheels have been causing problems for BMW owners for some time. My car recently failed its first MOT due to three cracked wheels. Two were within BMW's limit and one not. No...
I took your advice and went for Mondeo 2006 2.0 Zetec Diesel 130. I’ve owned it for four and a half years and have covered 70k trouble free miles. I have a query on a warning light, GLOW PLUG INDICATOR...
I just bought a 2011, 2 litre diesel Toyota Verso to use for journeys of approximately 50 miles round trip and needing a low loading area for my parents mobility scooter. I use my wife's petrol Yaris for...
I should be grateful for your advice in purchasing a new/nearly new car. I own a 3-door 54 plate RAV4 with 90,000 on the clock. My partner suffers with Osteo-arthritis with a particular problem at the...
You mentioned in your column last week that the insurer of a motor vehicle should be made aware of any change, however small, that is made to a car as it may affect the validity of the policy held. Does...
I have recently purchased a 15 year old 1996 P Jaguar XJ Executive from an elderly gent who has decided to hang up his driving gloves. The car has full service history and is in excellent condition (a...
Could you please expand on your apparently disparaging reference to supermarket petrol as a contributory cause of lambda sensor failure?
I am thinking of selling my 2007/57 Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe. It has done around 14,000 miles and am wondering what is the best and easiest way to sell it, and to whom?
As I've recently moved to the Yorkshire Dales I'm interested in purchasing some winter tyres for my Mazda 6 2.0 TS. It's currently shod with 205/55 R16 Pirelli P6000s. Please could you suggest some suitable...
My parents, both 89, want to replace their 56 plate Honda Jazz that they have never enjoyed driving (nor me). The brakes are over assisted and the throttle seems to have a lag on it. They want a new, ...
I will shortly be changing my Motability car from a Citroen Grand C4 Picasso 1.6 VTR+ diesel, and would appreciate your advice. It needs to be roomy, preferably diesel, manual, and have: Cruise control,...
FIAT has withdrawn the Panda 4x4. Are they due to replace it soon? If not, are there any small 4x4's you could recommend? I spend all winter in the Alps in the present Panda is fantastic in snow.
My Morris Minor 1000 celebrated its 50th birthday at the beginning of September by passing it's MoT. I have used it regularly for the last 40 years and it continues its daily jaunts to the shops. Now a...
We have ordered, but have yet to take delivery a new KIA Picanto. I note it comes with a tyre inflation kit rather than a spare wheel. I'm a little concerned as we may do several long journeys. Do you...
I have just returned a Mazda at the end of a 3-year PCP with 75,000 miles against a contracted 90,000 miles. The dealer principal signed the car off as “no issues”, but due to his circling of a '3' against...
My son was at traffic lights in Hertfordshire when a van ploughed into the back of his car. At the first inspection it was considered to a write off. However, the insurance company ordered a further inspection...
Please could you recommend a firm to refurbish the 16in alloy wheels (one of them badly "kerbed") on my 07 Audi A3 TDI? Preferably in Oxfordshire or a neighbouring county and ideally which would collect...
I have a Focus 1.6 diesel that has just had its 3rd major service at a Ford main dealer at 33,000 miles. The paperwork indicates that a DPF service is “urgently required” at an additional cost of £150....
My 2005 V/W Golf Plus has been serviced fully by my local VAG garage and was in for service + MOT 3 weeks ago, however last week the ESP light came on and diagnostics showed the ABS failure. I was quoted...
For your information, below is the reply that I got from my MP Ann Coffey regarding clause 56 of the Protection of Freedoms Bill that allows parking enforcement firms to pursue registered keepers of cars...
My BMW 318 is over 7 years old. The annual Tax is now over £200 and the annual insurance is quite steep, due to my age. The car has never let me down and is very comfortable to handle. But I feel the time...
We live in rural Devon and, after the last two winters and based on your advice, I am looking to get a set of winter wheels and tyres. Both my wife and I drive diesel automatics; she has a rear wheel...
Over the last day or so, I have noticed a buzzing/crackling type sound (appears to be from the dash area) when accelerating at around 2000rpm. It seems to go away when I accelerate through it or take my...
Having recently paid a deposit on a 2005 Golf Plus, we noticed on the test drive that the ESP warning light was on, showing the skidding car on the dash. The trade seller has said that he will fix this...
Why are the intermediate gear ratios in modern cars set so high?
Many cars with 6 speed gear boxes have the same peak speed in 4th, 5th, and 6th. Why not set 3rd, and 4th a little lower to aid overtaking...
I am thinking of getting another car for the family (5 Door with decent power and boot space) but unsure which to go for Petrol or Diesel?
My work would be return journey of 16 miles a day (Non motorway)
But...
I have a budget of around 17,000 to buy a quality used car that will last a good while. I want an auto and plenty of space. I do a fair bit of mileage so economical and comfortable.
Long suffering with an Audi I've bought. The dealer has said the car is repaired and being picked up tomorrow. He wants me to go and pick it up. This is a 150 miles away 300 mile round trip.
I've checked...
I have been told that if I do several short trips in a 4x4 with a dpf i can un block it by engaging low in theauto box and then driving flat out up a steep hill for about one mile. Could this be true and...
I recently bought a 58 reg Nissan Note Tekna with 7100 miles on it. I would like to know the capacity of the fuel tank and also when the fuel indicator lamp comes on how much fuel(in litres) is left in...
Please can you tell me what is the cheapest but most reliable small automatic available at the moment - i live in Borehamwood - so any pointers on which garage would also be great.
Buying a low mileage diesel E280 Mercedes from a franchised dealer in 2010, I took out a two year warranty from Mercedes Benz UK.
I later found that there are 28 categories of items on the car excluded...
I currently have a 2004 VW Golf 2.0 GTTDi 140 with 225/45/R17 wheels, these are hopeless in the winter and especially caught out in the snow.
I have purchased a spare set of 15'' steel rims with a view...
I know the Mitsubishi Outlander has several diesel versions. I refer to the 2.2 PSA diesel with SST automatic as in the JURO model. Is this engine belt or chain cam?
My 2000 seven-seat E-class has finally reached the end of the road as the suspension needs serious work (probably as a result of speed bumps that blight our part on London). I need a replacement and have...
I enquired about a car I had seen online. The dealer was some distance away and I could not visit for a test drive for 2 or 3 days and was told that a 'fully refundable' deposit would secure the car until...
I bought a 2007 VW Golf GT TSI in March11 (48k miles) from an independent dealership. I am now faced with a large repair bill (new cylinder head) after a bolt dropped out of the crankshaft in Sept 11...
Some weeks ago you recommended a company to contact re replacement remote car keys, could you again give me that information again for a friend?
I have a Skoda Yeti 2.0 TDI 140bhp 4x4 DSG (which is a diesel automatic). It the 2010 model and is a 2011 reg. I absolutely love this car. It does everything it says it should and I get fantastic fuel...
Some time ago I saw an email about taking out legal cover independently of one’s car insurer. I cut it out and kept it but now can't find it. Can you tell me what it was?
I just read NS’s email regarding the extortionate cost VW charged for engine oil. I suffered similarly with Audi a few years ago, being charged for 18 1/2 litre bottles. This year Audi wanted to charge...
Anyone in the West Midlands/ Wolverhampton area with a VW, Skoda, Audi or SEAT needing reasonably priced, friendly and helpful service should try VW Rescue at Wombourne. A family company that is always...
I own a Ford Fiesta Zetec Climate 1.2 first registered in November 2008. Last week I took it in to the dealer I bought it from for its third annual service. The service department rang me to say that all...
Three years ago we bought a Vauxhall Corsa Design 1400 automatic. We like the car but we are not happy with the fuel consumption. The manual says it should do 330 miles on a full tank but our car only...
I have a 2005 Mondeo Titanium X 2.2 TDCi, bought two years ago to tow a caravan. This has four 255/40ZR18 low profile tyres on alloy wheels. These tyres hammer noisily over rough surfaces, tramp sideways...
Your readers might be interested in how VOSA checks up on the performance of MoT testers. They sit in a car nearby and log into the MoT testing station computer. A Vauxhall Vectra had been passed and was...
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