Brake chancing

We saw and test-drove a VW Touran just under 3 weeks ago. There was a light on the dashboard, which I thought was the traction control light, and the ESP light near the gearstick was also on. The dealer...

Bling low, sweet chariot

I bought my BMW E93 330d MSport cabrio new on 25/06/2007 from Almondbury BMW Huddersfield With 19” wheels. After 5,000 miles the rear tyres badly scrubbed on their inside edges. BMW replaced the tyres...

Skids marked

I wrote to you in July this year about the new 2009 model BMW 320d automatic convertible I bought. It is the first auto and convertible I have owned and is a great car even in the colder months. However,...

Flat broke

A friend is changing his 2006 BMW 330i SE Coupe. It is in pristine condition and he has offered it to me. However, it is on 19" wheels and in the last 2 years he has had 3 punctures and had cause to replace...

Peak performance

I am a GP, mountain rescue doctor and am about to do blue light training to respond as a volunteer for the local ambulance service. I need something that covers all three bases, i.e. very fast, suitable...

Tyrer blanks

My wife and I set out on a trip from London to Lyon last Saturday (14 November) in our new BMW 320 Touring to have a birthday dinner with friends. Whilst on the autoroute between Calais and Reims, we...

Closing the unstable door?

I own a VW Golf Mk5 SE 1.6 FSI 115PS registered 16/05/2006. The ESP OFF light came on along with the skidding car motif on the console and would not respond to the switch. Peter Cooper (Southampton) Ltd...

Bump stoppers

My wife has driven BMW 3 Series cars for the past 7 or 8 years, and for the last 3 years a 330i Sport Automatic on 18" wheels - so the tyres are very thin. She has much enjoyed it, but is now becoming...

Maz’d hysteria

I have been watching an increasing number of entries on your Mazda 3 technical forum with problems associated with the Dynamic Stability Control unit. As the repair of this problem, a replacement unit,...

5 years new

Motorpoint is selling an E60 BMW 525i SE 4-door Automatic with 52 miles on the clock for £23,000: a saving of £13,000, they reckon. I'm seriously tempted, but what's the catch?