Trending topics in January 2012
Questions from January 2012
We have recently changed from a 4x4 to a Toyota Auris Hybrid and, given your advocacy of winter tyres, are looking to have them fitted. The dealer has recommended Yokohama 215/45 R17 91V, at a cost each...
For the first time in 40 years I simply do not know which car I should go for. Two years ago my third Berlingo blew two turbos in quick succession (Iatterly I discovered it was a fault with the model)....
I have a 2007 Citroen C1 with 22,000 miles and the clutch has become a little 'sticky'. I mentioned this at the annual service and was told that it had been lubricated, but that if it persists then the...
I am just about to come into my final year before my GCSEs, after which I will be entering VI Form and hopefully be learning how to drive as I am September-born. I live about 25 miles away from the school...
Now that the EU has decreed that all drivers are hermaphrodites, could you recommend some non-EU insurance companies who would quote women the premiums appropriate to their lower risks?
Our dilemma is what SUV do we go for? We are contracting to one car as from early next year. My husband and I have a "must have" list which includes safe seating for four adults or two adults and three...
I am retired and want to buy my last car. I do not want to pay for extras that I will hardly ever use such as air conditioning or electric wing mirrors. Is there such a thing as a basic motor without the...
I am retired and thinking of buying a very large American motor home. I made enquiries at several sellers of RVs (Stingray RV, Itchyfeet and a several others) of whom some say you can drive them on a UK...
It recently came as a shock to find that my four-year-old A6 2.0 TDI Avant failed its MOT and that the cost of the recommended remedial work was almost £1000. I consider myself both thoughtful and careful...
My wife has agreed to buy a Skoda Citigo Elegance ex-demo and has paid a deposit of £500. The car was advertised on an official Volkswagen / Skoda site as available on 11 October, but the dealer says this...
My 31-year-old son (who currently drives a Fiesta) has been told that his company car for his new job starting next month will be an Aston Martin Vantage. Lucky sod. Can you recommend a suitable course...
My wife and I are looking after elderly relatives and now have to provide transport for them. They struggle to get into our cars so my much loved 2007 Subaru Legacy looks like it will have to be replaced...
BJW originally wrote: Just received a letter from Shoal Enforcement dated 11 Oct stating I have to pay the fine, bearing in mind that my car was parked for just three minutes on the slip road to rear of...
Whilst trying to obtain an insurance quote the salesman informed me of incidents that I was unfamiliar with. He refused to elaborate, merely stating dates.
How can I find out what information is held...
We are thinking of buying a 2008 Subaru Outback diesel as we live in a rural area that has been cut off the last few winters when it snows.
We have a budget of £15000. Should we be aware of any problems...
I'm about to purchase my first ever car and have settled on a new discounted Skoda Fabia Estate from a Skoda dealer.
One area I can't find any advice on is the topic of specifying the tyres on a new...
If the 2.0-litre(210 bhp) engine is the same in the Audi TT, Golf GTi and Volkswagen Scirroco, why is there such a big difference in quoted torque figures?
The TT has 258ft/lbs compared to the 207 nad...
I was told that the head gasket was covered on the warranty, but when I took it to the garage and they phoned them they said it is not covered as it is "wear and tear."
The garages I have spoken to have...
My daughter is changing her 12-year-old Corsa and wants a similar 5-door manual hatchback, petrol, for mainly short journeys. Reliability is the key thing. She has about £4,000 to spend. What would...
I recently negotiated a deal for a recent, used (17000 miles) 2011 Corsa. The car is in good condition.
However I just found the exact same car but brand new for a little over a £1000 more. Do you think...
I am about to change from a 30 mile per week commute to a 400 mile per week commute and am looking to change my Honda Jazz (2004) for a newer and more comfortable car for the journey. My budget is £15,000.00....
I reverse my CR-V to the top of a 25 yard 1 in 8 slope at least once a day. On most occasions I am on the verge of juddering.
If I use higher revs I get the smell of burning clutch. I have to reverse...
Recently, a crack appeared in the glass panaramic roof of my 2009 Honda. I booked the car in at the local Honda dealer who took pictures and agreed there was no sign of impact near the crack. I rang them...
I am restoring a 1965 Morris Minor. All brake cylinders have been replaced due to corrosion. Should I use this opportunity to change to silicone based DOT 5? The car won't be used much and will be garaged.
I am writing to ask for advice and suggestions regarding a challenge that my team and I are taking part in this year. The event is the 2012 Banger Run, which is in support of Help for Heroes.
It is essentially...
I am looking at buying a Mondeo Titanium X 2.0 TDCI 130bhp on a 58 plate - but it has 90000 miles on the clock.
The car looks mint and in very good condition, and has a full Ford service history. Is the...
I am looking to change my car and have one main criteria! It needs to have 3 distinct rear seats. I currently have a Ford S-Max which has this feature, and the only alternative that I have found so far...
I have a 2002 Volvo V70 T5 Automatic. I bought it in 2005 for over £10,000 with 60,000 miles. It now has done 187,000 miles.
Lots of history, but for the last year I have changed the oil, filters & plugs...
My wife has just had an articulated lorry rip the side off her car on a roundabout and, of course, we are now in the usual insurance tangle.
The car is a Citreon Berlingo Multispace HDi VTR 1.6 Diesel,...
I am retired, 70yrs old, and drive a Berlingo van.
I have bad knee joints and keep a fold up cycle in the back of the van. I rely on this to get around - it is essential kit.
I now want to do a 'Grand...
Owners of classic and vintage cars are being advised that new fuels with ethanol are incompatible with some materials used pre-1960. We are informed that Esso 97 unleaded does not contain ethanol. Is this...
The accelerator was no longer responding on our Espace and it was still picking up speed. I switched the engine off and then on again, and the car started revving itself.
I need a spare key cut for my Fiat 500. I currently have the electronic fob and key so just need an extra key cut.
I have been told that only the Fiat dealerships themselves can do this because the key...
I'm considering an X-Type Jaguar estate diesel. It's an 04 plate and costs around£4000. Is it a sensible buy as a family car?
It does appeal as spec is very high - ie leather etc. Or am i likely to encounter...
We purchased a brand new Vauxhall Astra at the end of last year (2011).
The combined economy figure quoted was 51mpg. Upon driving the car the average has been around 25mpg. Comparing this to other cars...
We have a 2006 petrol automatic Peugeot Allure 206. The car came up with an ‘Automatic Gear Box Failure’ recently. We took it immediately to a Peugeot dealer. They found contaminated fluid, drained it,...
We are considering buying a new Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer estate but the only diesel is currently 2.0 litres. Due to price differences between petrol and diesel, would it be better to look at another...
I was tickled pink to learn that Volvo 940s are "deeply unfashionable", “but have a following.” My 940 2.3 Turbo Estate has served very well. I think this type of car was one of the last of the real Volvo...
Some time ago you rightly pointed out that, approaching a green light, you should expect that it would change. Although theoretically it shouldn't happen, sometimes, in a flow of traffic, it is too dangerous...
I'm looking to buy another car for a 50 mile commute to and from work, predominantly on dual carriageway and motorway, capable of carrying at least one electric golf trolley and bag, occasionally two....
My car is a Toyota Auris hybrid T Spirit and comes on 17-inch wheels with 215/45R17 tyres. Is there any reason I can't have the 15-inch wheels with 195/65R15 tyres fitted, which should give me a softer...
I believe we drivers who suffer the Olympic shenanigans are entitled to a bonus. Tube drivers, bus drivers, the Boris Bike mechanics, and TfL workers are flocking to climb on the bandwagon to demand bonuses...
The Engine Management Light has illuminated on my early 2000 Volvo V70 petrol estate. My local garage, which I think is reliable, says it is the heating element that brings the Lambda sensor up to scratch...
When my 2005 Peugeot 407 SW was 12 months old the ABS/ESP showed to be faulty and was rectified under warranty. Shortly after another sensor was faulty and replaced, followed within six months by a third....
In a recent reply you wrote that cars will now fail their MoT tests if certain warning lights, including airbag warning lights, indicate anything wrong. For the last three years I've been driving a 2003...
Among the myriad of gadgets in modern vehicles, I wonder why there is no "Speed Limit Reminder". As you enter the speed limit you would press the appropriate one of a row of buttons on the steering wheel,...
I saw advertised a Honda CR-V offer which was worth about £2500 off the asking price. I went to my local dealership and had a test drive. I liked it. They informed me that they had one in stock in the...
I have a middle age hankering after a Jaguar XF. I have seen a 2010 3-litre petrol model that I may be able to get for £15,000. It has had two owners and covered 25,000 miles. I do around 5000 miles a...
The mpg on my Alfa Romeo Giulietta 1.4 MultiAir TCT has worsened to a combined 26.4mpg. I have just got it back from the dealer today after having it checked and they have said there is nothing wrong with...
I thought your readers might be interested in this info. In the last 16 years I've mainly owned and run older cars. What I've found is that you can insure a lot of cars over 16 years old on a classic car...
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