Buying new 7 seater

I currently have an Ford s max and am thinking about changing it for a four by four, I have narrowed my choices down to: Audi Q7 (2006) Land Rover Discovery 3 (2004) Hyundai Santa Fe (2006) BMW X5 (2007) Volvo...

A realistic valuation

I cannot find a valuation for my car anywhere, they all seem to vary so much. It is a BMW 330d m sport saloon 55 plate with 105000 miles. FSH. Profesional Nav and leather. Good condition. My local BMW...

Buying a reliable used family saloon

I'm helping a friend replace her car, she's a mum with two primary-school-aged children, doing average mileage, but mainly short local distances (1 to 5 miles). Currently drives W/2000 BMW 318, which...

Driving characteristics change after turbo change

The turbo failed on my September 2004 BMW 530D auto at 112,000 miles and was replaced and since the new turbo was fitted, the driving characteristic feels different. The automatic gearbox now changes up...

Service history from garages

Last week I took my car for a service at a BMW main dealer. The dealer damaged the car while it was being serviced (slammed the bonnet onto a spanner apparently), and held onto it for an extra couple of...

The tyres that came in from the cold

We have a BMW 3-Series auto which came with standard Continental tyres (not run-flats) and all I hear is that this combination is probably not going to be too clever when the snow comes (we live Scotland)....

Winter tyres - what to do?

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?...

Wheeler deals

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...

Replacement for a 530d

I drive a 2004 530DSE which is high spec and has done 120k. I am soon to retire and will no longer need to cover the distance I previously travelled. I will still undertake journeys of 300 miles each...

Steel wheels and winter tyres

Dealer (John Clark Aberdeen) suggesting 16" steel wheels + Dunlop winter runflats (total £990) - would this be best option, rather than alloys (+£310), or non-runflats (-£147)?