Are dealer-only oils any different from those publicly available?

I just received my car back from its first dealer service and saw I had been charged £60 for 3 litres of Castrol magnatec 5w30 c2 oil. I showed how I could but the same grade myself for less than half...

Is my Fiat 500 Multijet suffering from a DPF fault?

I purchased my Fiat 500 diesel Multijet in April this year. It's about five years old. According to the service history, the oil was changed in October last year. The flashing oil light came on in May,...

Oil cap not replaced after service - is the garage liable for engine damage?

My Mazda 6 had a service 9000 miles ago. Last week I opened the bonnet (to refill the washer bottle) and found that the filler cap was missing. Oil was everywhere and nothing is showing on the dipstick,...

What has caused a major engine failure in my Fiat 500 Multijet diesel?

In 2008 I went to a Fiat dealership and, with the help of the car salesman, configured a 500 Multijet diesel to my 'needs' and to a very high spec. Having spent my life savings on the car, I was told it...

Is it normal for my Volkswagen Passat to have needed two clutch pack replacements by 50,000 miles?

Regarding the email from KB of Sevenoaks, I have a 2010 Volkswagen Passat 1.8 Passat CC DSG with 55,000 miles, and I have already had two clutch pack replacements to the DSG gearbox, following juddering...

Winter driving - car won't start

I have a 13 year old Audi A6 Allroad, which I use in the Alps in the winter. However, I’ve noticed that the car runs very poorly in cold weather and sometimes will refuse to start. I’ve tried using polar...

Should I buy a Volkswagen Polo 1.4GTI?

I am seriously thinking of buying a Volkswagen Polo 1.4GTI DSG and have read a number of articles, none of which have been very forthcoming or informative. However, I was very interested in your comments...

Have you noticed a rising oil level in the Mazda 6 due to a DPF fault?

I notice you were yet to be made aware of any DPF issues with Mazda Skyactiv diesels so I thought you might like see the attached which comes from the May 2013 issue of Diesel Car. Are you seeing any evidence...

Why don't drivers check their oil levels more frequently?

I would suggest oil levels should be checked not only “regularly” but, in the case of new (or newly acquired used) vehicles, “frequently”. This provides the user with what the current norm is for oil consumption...

How can I ensure my Saab 9-3's turbo doesn't blow again after being repaired?

My car is a 10-year-old Saab 9-3 2.2TiD. On a recent journey it suddenly failed to accelerate and large clouds of smoke came out of the exhaust. I called the AA and they told me it looked as though the...