Questions from April 2013
I have a 53 plate Honda Jazz which has just flown through the MOT. I'm looking to upgrade maybe only to an 04 or 54 plate but after speaking to my mechanic he said I would be mad just to upgrade a year...
A friend of mine has a 2002 Volkswagen Passat 2.0 litre petrol and the clutch burnt out. His garage replaced it and presented him with a £1200 bill due to the dual mass flywheel needing replacing also....
Volkswagen Approved Warranty (via Mondial Assistance(UK)) have informed me both during recent telecons and via email that the extended warranty they are offering to renew for my vehicle (first taken out...
I bought a used Peugeot from a reputable garage a week ago. It's a three year old car with low mileage. The garage would not service the car but checked it over prior to resale. The brakes were squeaking...
What anti waxing agent can I add to diesel? I have had three blocked fuel filter problems this winter.
I inquired almost five years ago about what car (second hand so someone else had taken the depreciation hit) to buy for an £8,000 budget I was interested in low tax, fuel bills, insurance, that would ferry...
I've just bought a Peugeot 206, which worked fine on the way home. But now when I start it none of the electrics or dials will work. It will run perfectly fine apart from this. We had to fit a new indicator...
We have a Honda S2000 GT on a 55 plate with circa 67,000 miles on the clock. The car is dark blue and comes with the hard-top as well.
Where would you recommend selling this? we've looked at one of...
1.It seems to me that the modern trend for buying diesels may be more fashion driven than technology driven. Modern diesels are so full of complicated parts such as turbo chargers and diesel particulate...
Does the 90bhp 1.6 diesel engine fitted in the 2010 Citroen C3 Piccaso have a timing belt, if so how often should this be changed?
For some time I've been looking for a CRV EX preferred petrol up to 3 or 4 years old without success. What problems would I face if I bought a diesel? My annual mileage is about 8000 consisting mostly...
After its first MOT my Freelander 2 passed but with a warning that I need a new near side front tyre. I have the original Continental 4x4 235/65/17/108v and they have done 28k miles.
Reading a LR forum...
We intend to purchase a Honda Jazz CVT with 15 inch alloy wheels. We wish to fit winter tyres to a spare set of rims - which are most suitable for this purpose - alloys or steel?
I'm buying my first car at the age of 35. What used car (excluding 2 door) do you suggest to buy for a family of 3? I will commute around 40 miles per day for the 5 days of the week with some long drives...
I'm looking to replace my 2001 E39, found a 2012 62 plate Skoda Rapid se 1.2 TSI 'SE' 86PS 3,500 mile ex courtesy car for £11,000 at my local franchise dealer.
Is this a good price, or should I consider...
I've decided to replace the Yaris I bought (at your recommendation) way back in 2002 with a new IQ.
I've decided on a manual tramsmission but although both are VED free and with good economy, cannot decide...
Should my Nissan be serviced before being laid up for 5 weeks or should it be serviced when I come back of holidays?
I'm looking at buying a 2005 Audi A3 2.0 litre Turbo quattro S Line model with 69000 miles. It's selling price is £7495. Is this fair price?
Having just shelled out £425 to get my teenage son's Corsa through its MOT on Thursday, I'm a bit p'd off that it broke down on Friday. Breakdown guy said it sounds like the bottom end has gone.
Question...
I am now at an age when, you will be pleased to hear, caravanning is losing its appeal for me, and therefore no longer require a large 4x4. As a pensioner I would like to have a more economical though...
I'm unhappy with the harsh, hard ride on standard fit 195/50/R15 tyres on my new Fiesta. The hand book very inexplicit regarding the tyre pressures, too. Can you fit 60 aspect tyres on these alloy wheels?
My...
I am thinking of buying a low-mileage diesel Citroen C3 Picasso. However, I'm struck by the speed at which their value seems to fall. Should that warn me off the model? I'm impressed by everything else...
I've been attracted to the used prices of the Mercedes SL350 and 500.
I'm just about to retire and would love such a second car to enjoy cruising in at weekends and maybe the odd holiday. I'm wondering...
Are Peugeot going to release the 4008 in the UK? Seen ads and links to Peugeot in Oz but nothing for us Brits.
Today I was told by the main Mazda dealer that the part required to repair the automatic selector on my Mazda3 TS2, bought new from the same dealer in September 2007, is not available.
There isn't one...
Six years ago I bought an 03 plate 1.9 diesel Skoda Octavia Estate for £6k with under 80k on the clock. It now needs replacing and I don't know whether to go for another 5 yr old equivalent Octavia estate...
When starting my Micra from cold the idle speed is low, but when at operating temperature the idle speed remains too high (1000 - 1200rpm). It is like the choke operating the wrong way round. Only done...
I am looking to buy a new supermini. I have looked at the new Ford Fiesta with both the 1.0 petrol and 1.5 diesel units and they seem really efficient.
Which supermini do you recommend? Maybe a Mazda...
I am looking to buy a 4x4. It will be used for commuting and general driving but also going up and down a mile long pot holed drive four times a day and for camping trips.
I have a budget of £10,000...
Thinking of buying an Audi A3 1.4TFSi or 1.8TFSi manual. Are both engines reliable and are they both chain cam? Which would be the better long term bet?
Looking at paying up to £15,000.
I am thinking of having Lifeshine protection on my car. Is it worth the money 300 pounds or just a case of the salesman making more money?
I want to buy used Mercedes-Benz C-Class estate as a family car which I plan to own for 10 years or so.
I've been looking at lower mileage (<80k) older cars (pre-2006) for £5-8k because I thought quality...
I have a new Audi R8 V8 manual and I have noticed a hesitation when accelerating hard from 30mph in third gear. It turns out that this corresponds with the EC ‘drive-by’ noise test, so, to pass this test,...
Are some car insurers killing off Speed Awareness Courses? You may wish to sign this petition or not as the case may be. It relates to certain car insurers increasing the cost to drivers/riders who have...
My 20,000 mile Grand C-Max 1.6TDCI, after several transient episodes, recently went into permanent 'limp home' mode. The dealer reported that the fault was due to a partially blocked fuel filter, and...
Just a reminder to motorway drivers. I will be driving my motorhome down from North Manchester to Folkestone terminal on 12 May. I hope you will be as good as in previous years when you have emptied the...
As a long-time reader I have seen many emails appear over the years about speed humps, their effectiveness, and the side effects of their imposition, not only car drivers and their vehicles, but upon residential...
Suspension engineers seem to be deluded. They seem to think we all want to drive sports cars on perfect German roads. I have test driven several premium brand saloons and estates, as well as a few others,...
I have just ordered a Volkswagen Golf 1.4SE with the DSG gearbox. My reason is that, after test-driving most of the other manufacturers in this range, I feel this is the best car. However there are two...
I have been looking at purchasing a new, luxurious compact car (e.g. Mercedes, Lexus, BMW, etc.) In the light of the present economic conditions, what would be a reasonable discount to expect?
The latest heavy-handed MoT legislation by the EU will force many perfectly safe, usable, older cars off the road. The costs of rectifying faulty warning lights will, in most cases, be prohibitive, particularly...
You recently published a letter from a driver wanting to know at what speed maximum fuel efficiency was achieved on the motorway. Your reply correctly stated that 50-55mph was too slow as it hindered HGVs...
I own a 2005 Nissan X-Trail 2.2 diesel Sport that was five weeks old when I bought it, now with 39,000 miles on the clock. A local garage has diagnosed a whining fault as indicative of my turbo about to...
Regarding catalytic converters, I have a friend who is co-proprietor of a 5-bay independent garage, with MoT testing. He tells me that the scrap dealers will give him money for original equipment cats...
I recently bought a 1980 Reliant Scimitar for £5750. One of the attractions of this car was that it had been owned by the deceased Don Pither who wrote the definitive book ‘The Scimitar and its Forebears’....
I am considering the purchase of an in-car forward-facing camera recording system. It would need to be compatible for use in both my 2008 Ford Focus car and 2011 Peugeot Boxer Motorhome via the 12v socket...
My wife runs a Renault Modus 1.5 DCI 86 Initiale, Quickshift 5 gearbox. She has had it from new in 2007. It runs on 185/55 R16 tyres on appropriate alloy wheels. It gets expensive at £116 per tyre, considering...
I currently own a BMW 528i SE, first registered in December 2010, which I am very pleased with. However, the tyres on the front are 245/40 R19 94Y and on the rear 275/35 R19 96Y. To replace either tyre...
Having just paid a deposit on a 2010 Mercedes-Benz A180 automatic, I'd appreciate knowing whether I made a good choice or not? I'd rather lose the deposit than suffer more heavily again, so please advise...
.jpg)
