Questions from October 2013
I've just bought an Audi S5 Sportback; the preferred petrol is 95 RON as marked on the filler cover. Can I use Shell Vpower or is this too rich?
I have a Vauxhall Vectra 150 design CDTI that is smoking a lot. There's also a smell of rubber burning, along with a rattle from the front left hand side of engine. Any idea what could be wrong?
I need to minimise tyre replacement costs and improve the ride comfort on my Ford Mondeo estate 2.2 TDI. It’s currently on 18-inch wheels and 235/40 ZR18 tyres, but needs a new set. Which should I buy?...
The instructions that came with the 6/12v 740/4355 automatic battery charger I bought from Argos yesterday say “disconnect the battery from the vehicle before charging to avoid possible damage to the alternator”....
I have always been interested in a Porsche Boxster without doing anything about it. At age 77 this is possibly my last chance. At present I have a 2007 Mercedes-Benz CLK with 45,000 miles and I would appreciate...
The passenger side door of my Volkswagen Golf Match TDI failed to unlock, and I contacted a VW main agent who informed me that there would be an initial charge for the diagnostic check costing £60, followed...
I am a student nurse in need of a good, reliable and reasonably economical car. However I am quite the car snob - having grown up around big brothers who like their cars, I have somewhat acquired the same...
I have on order a Hyundai i40 Tourer BlueDrive 1.7 CRDi 136PS with manual gearbox. I am part-exchanging a Land Rover Freelander 2 TD4 XS. I have been on the lookout for this type of Hyundai on the road...
I have a 2002 Renault Scenic 1.9 dCi 75,000 miles. Having had to change two sets of Michelin tyres, to Falken 205/50 R16 (ZIEX ZE914) due to distorted tread, I now seem to have acquired slightly noisy...
I am in dispute with a warranty insurer. In July 2011, I bought a warranty from this firm at the same time as I bought a secondhand car from a motor trader local to where I live. This trader has now left...
I have taken to phoning 101 (the nationwide police non-emergency number) on each of the many occasions when I spot a set of overhead signs that are clearly wrong. Is there a more effective way of getting...
I recently test drove both a Jaguar XFR and an XF 3.0s/c petrol. Both nice enough, but the XFR is a bit OTT for me and I was a little disappointed with the 3.0s/c in that it seemed a bit "grabby" when...
Can you please advise which is the best 7-seater car or SUV for a family of four adults and two kids?
My daughter’s 2012 Skoda Citigo recently developed steering wheel judder when braking. She took it to a Skoda dealer who charged her £189 to replace pads and brake discs. The mechanic said that the discs...
I am undecided between buying a new automatic Nissan Qashqai or a Hyundai ix30 and would welcome your advice, based on reliability records. Even the Ford Kuga is a possibility, but I am limited on garage...
My Ford Ka has no spare wheel (which worried me as an arthritic 79-year-old who could normally get help in changing a wheel). When I asked my Ford dealer about runflats, I was told that without TPMS they...
I retired in 2011 and purchased my 2009 2.0-litre diesel automatic Vauxhall Insignia Elite company car from my employer. It has now covered around 33,000 miles and is in need of new tyres (245/45 R18 96W)....
What are the risks or other drawbacks of buying a new car online from a site like Drivethedeal.com please? I am looking for a new Skoda Octavia 2.0 automatic Estate and they seem to be about £3,000 cheaper...
I have received a penalty charge notice from the council for the following “parking contravention", namely: “Stopped on a pedestrian crossing and/or crossing area marked by zig zags Contravention code...
For some of us who are getting older, the risk of being “caught short” in a traffic jam for several hours is a serious worry. For this and other reasons, can you suggest any vehicles (other than vans)...
Following a car accident I was provided with a courtesy car with advert logo stickers promoting the garage repairing my car, which means I was providing free advertising. My query is whether it’s legal...
Can you recommend a 'not enormous' vehicle that will allow me to drop a ramp, wheel a passenger in a wheelchair into vehicle and secure them in space? It would also be a great advantage if there is a vehicle...
Within a standard lube service for my wife’s Scirocco, using 4.3 litres of Castrol Edge, the cost was £90.30 (last year £57.54). For my car’s oil change, I have been quoted £91.42 (last year £40.49) for...
I am looking to buy a fun car within a budget of about £20,000. It will be a second car and will not cover many miles. It needs to be a convertible, with an auto/semi auto box. I have narrowed it down...
My Audi A4 is in for MoT as I write. At the beginning of the year I was given an insurance against MoT failure to the tune of £750. It says quite clearly on that insurance that the parts covered include...
My daughter's Micra recently broke down in Swindon. The AA were called and she was towed to an AA recommended garage. The garage found that the starter motor had burned out and had to be replaced. After...
Regarding the recent email about problems caused by 7-foot garage entrance doors, the Door and Hardware Federation, which represents the makers of garage doors, is campaigning for house developers to increase...
Our MINI Cooper is 11 years old and still running on its original rear tyres that have 5mm of tread remaining. The tyres are 15-inch Dunlop SP Sport and have covered 39,000 miles. In your opinion should...
The Range Rover Evoque is a sales success and good for the company and people who build it. However, your colleagues in Telegraph motoring who reckon a cramped, not very economical 4-cylinder diesel-engined...
I recently returned from the US, having hired a car from Dollar at Los Angeles International Airport. I was charged for a full tank of fuel on collecting the car, with no refund for unused fuel. I accepted...
Like RF I was involved in a no-fault incident and was contacted by a claims management company. Having read your opinion of these companies, I rejected their offer and took the courtesy car offered by...
I have a 2009 Mk VI Volkswagen Golf 2.0 TDI SE 110. It has over 70,000 miles on the clock and as I do a fairly high annual mileage I want to replace what has been an ideal car. I am looking at new or nearly...
In September 2011, I purchased a Volkswagen Golf SE Cabriolet Blue Motion Tech 1.6 TDI with a high specification including leather seats, front and rear parking sensors, tracker device, Bluetooth, MP3...
I do not share your enthusiasm for runflat tyres. I have them on my BMW325i and the ride quality is not good. A leaky valve on one tyre caused a deflation so I ran it just over 30 miles to get home. When...
My son has a BMW 530d Touring which suits his needs well, but his wife is expecting a third baby and he is concerned that the BMW does not have room for a third ISOFIX seat in the back. His children are...
I'm now 64 and retired but still love cars. We have a nice 2000 model Jaguar XKR coupe for classic car shows and summer day driving. For everyday driving and towing the caravan we have a 2011 150PS Freelander...
My son-in-law hopes to buy privately an Audi A7 3.0V6 diesel, two years old with 30,000 miles for £28,000. Would you recommend this model of A7 and do you think the price is reasonable?
I want to change my 10-year-old BMW for a hatchback with automatic transmission such as the Golf or Focus. The Volkswagen dealer is trying to sell me a 2.0-litre diesel, but I would prefer the 1.4 TSI...
I run a 2006 Mercedes-Benz C220 CDI blue efficiency AMG Sport Estate on a 3-year PCP that expires at the end of November. Since buying this car my driving pattern has changed due to early retirement caused...
I purchased a new Peugeot 407 SW diesel in 2009. I put it in for its annual service at 29,700 miles in a main Peugeot dealer, and was told I needed a new clutch urgently at a cost of £900 including labour....
A single elderly lady has a 2.0-litre Subaru Impreza and wants to change to a smaller, more economical 4WD. I understand that the Fiat Panda is quite effective. Are there any others that you would recommend...
I’m the first to admit my own stupid fault but my photo licence was up for renewal, so I typed that into Google and the first website listed deals. It was orange, like .gov.uk sites, and I went straight...
My friend and neighbour is now on the lookout for a sporty replacement for his Nissan X-Trail. He was ready to buy a 2010 Subaru WRX hatchback but is now stuck having, fortunately, read an article I sent...
Please would you clarify something for my mother, who is over 80 and thinks that the garage is trying to 'diddle' her. Her car is more than ten years old, and doesn't do much mileage at all. The garage...
You often advise about cooling down turbos before switching off the engine. I have a TC petrol engine and during normal driving the oil temp rises to 94/95C. What temp should it drop to before switching...
I just had a 2007 Astra serviced. They said that the thread came out with the sump plug and they had to fit a helicoil. It is a steel sump, so I do not believe them. I had to pay to get the car back. Any...
The engine light has come on my 2003 Vauxhall Zafira. I’ve done a pedal test and got the following fault codes: 1540, 0110, 0100, 0704.
Any idea what they mean?
My 1998 Vauxhall Astra 1.6 petrol has started making strange engine noises yesterday. It sounds like an exhaust blow and rattle under 2000rpm, but cleared after acceleration. I pulled over and switched...
I’m considering swapping my Ford Grand C-Max for a newer edition with the 1.0T Ecoboost engine. Is this a good idea and will it really save me money?
The ESP and ABS lights are illuminated on my Volkswagen Golf. Will this stop it passing the MoT? I've taken it to my local dealer and they've quoted me £1000 to fix it.
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