What are your thoughts on buying an ex-police Skoda Octavia?

What do you think about buying an ex-police car? I guess it would be well maintained but possibly hammered? The one I'm looking at is a 2004 Skoda Octavia with 100,000 on the clock.

Does my Vauxhall Vectra estate have a timing belt or timing chain?

I have a Vauxhall Vectra estate, 1.9CDTi. Do you know if this car has a timing belt or a timing chain?

What would you recommend to replace my Honda Civic lease car?

In a few months, the contract on my personal contract lease car (Honda Civic i-CDTi) will finish, and as I am considering retiring sometime in the near future, I do not wish to lock myself into a new agreement....

Does my Toyota Aygo's clutch really need replacing after 50,000 miles?

I had my Aygo 40,000-mile service at a Toyota dealer last August, when they reported the clutch 'heavy and worn' and on amber alert for replacement. Replacement quote £698,77. I had noticed no problem...

Is it normal for Nissan Note front wishbone arms and rear bushes to need replacement after just 21,000 miles?

I have a Nissan Note dCi which is now three years old. I love the car and have always had it serviced at the same dealer where I bought it. When it went in for its last free service and MOT, it passed...

Are concrete central reservations easier to maintain than grassed ones?

Why are some central reservations grassed and others not? Surely concrete zones are better, as lanes do not have to be closed for grass cutting, plus less maintenance is needed and therefore they're cheaper...

Garage musing

I was a little concerned to read that a Ford dealership in Bristol had consulted with Ford, and suggested that seized spark plugs could be “smashed out of the head”. Why? Hardly good engineering practice. The...

Disc fever

After its last service at our local Honda dealer, my wife was told her November 2004 Jazz (37,000 miles) needed new rear pads and discs, pads through wear (ok) but discs because they were suffering from...