When is the best time to buy a used SUV?

I plan to buy a used Landrover Discovery 4 in time for a new arrival in November. Am I better off buying a 2012 car with comparatively lower mileage or a 2013 car with slightly higher mileage? Also, which...

Buying a used car for £6k - Fabia or Jazz?

A friend of mine is interested in buying a used car for £6000. She is interested in the Skoda Fabia and Honda Jazz. The car must be spacious, comfortable and have four-doors. What should she look out for?...

Need a used car to tow a caravan

I need to replace my 11 year old Audi A4 2.0 diesel, which has given excellent service. I want a good driver's car that is compact and not an SUV. The car needs to weigh at least 1500kg as it will need...

PCP agreement - WIll I be charged extra for stone chips?

I own a BMW 4 Series. Next year my PCP agreement with BMW ends and I have been warned that I will be charged for wear and tear items, such as tiny stone chips on the bonnet. Is this correct? If so, should...

Buying a new hatchback - A3 or Golf?

I am retiring soon and want to buy a new hatchback with five-doors, a petrol engine and manual gearbox. I quite like the Audi A3 and Volkswagen Golf. Is the Golf due a mild update in October 2016 and has...

Selling two cars for one

I have two cars which I need to trim down to one, I have a Honda Civic Hybrid, 2008, petrol auto, with cream leather, absolutely immaculate and has done 43,121 mls and a Nissan Qashqai 2.0 Acenta, petrol...

When should I chance the cam belt on my Volkswagen Passat?

I have a Volkswagen Passat Estate 2.0 TDi BlueMotion (2011 model). Last week my local dealer called to say the cam belt is due to be replaced. However, my car has only covered 80,000. My Service schedule,...

What's the correct tyre pressures for the Hyundai Tucson?

I own a 2007 Hyundai Tucson. The recommended PSI is 30, but it looks very under inflated and doesn't feel right when driving. Should I raise the PSI?. The tyre size is 235/60 R 16 100

Vauxhall Meriva air con not working as it should

The air con on my Vauxhall Meriva works okay for most of the time - producing cool/cold air - but I suspect this means it's not working at full design capacity and might need re-charging. Should this be...

Nissan Note air-conditioning problems

The air-conditioning on my 2013 Nissan Note requires gassing after 21,200 miles. The cost is £250 and I can only get this done at a Nissan dealership. I think the system fitted to this model is not fit...

Porsche warranty

I am lucky enough to have a three year old Porsche 981 Cayman (2.7 PDK) and am covering 7-8000 miles a year. Now is the time to decide on extending the warranty for one or two years at either £600 or £1100...

Dealer refuses to fix Peugeot 308 air con fault for free

My wife purchased a used Peugeot 308 1.6 HDI (23,500 miles, 2014 registered) from a franchised dealer seven months ago. Last week she tried to use the air con for the first time and found it to blow warm...

Why have Renault revised fuel consumption/CO2 figures for the Twingo?

I've just noticed that Renault appear to have revised their CO2 and fuel consumption figures for my Twingo model (2015 1.0L SCE Play). Original figures were: 50.4(urban), 72.4 (extra-urban) 62.8(combined)...

DSG problems with Volkswagen Passant

I own a 2015 Volkswagen Passat 1.6. A few weeks ago the car stalled and made strange noises when restarted. The gearbox refused to go into drive and the car was eventually recovered by the dealer. Since...

Why does our Ford Fiesta suffer from a flat battery?

My daughter in-law has a Ford Fiesta 1.0 litre EcoBoost on a two year PCP plan with a major Ford Dealer. Over the last 18 months the AA has recovered the vehicle on six occasions with a 'dead battery'...

Cam belt failure - should my local dealer cover the costs?

The cam belt on my limited edition Clio RenaultSport Gordini has failed, causing catastrophic damage to the engine. The garage have indicated it requires a new engine, with a rough estimate of £7500. Renault...

Fiesta ST suspension issue

I recently took delivery of a brand new 2016 Ford Fiesta ST2. Having run it for 1500 miles I've noticed that the passenger side of the car sits higher than the driver's side. Could there by anything wrong...

Which Porsche will depreciate the least?

I am thinking of committing a large amount of cash (for me) on a special car to enjoy in my retirement. Which of the following three cars which I am considering is likely to retain the most value over...

New cam belt has snapped - who's liable for the repairs?

I had the cam belt replaced on my KIA Sedona 11 weeks ago. However, last week, whilst driving, I heard a clunk and lost all power. The car was towed to my local garage, who said the cam belt has been torn...

When should I chance the cam belt on my Audi A4?

My 2009 Audi A6 has done just over 60,000 miles. When I had the car serviced, the garage recommended that I should be booking to replace the cam belt; however, a friend who owns a car business says this...

Unnecessary extras sold at a yearly service

I have been well aware over the years of dealers adding things like screen wash top up to a service, even when not needed, so I always make sure its topped up before. Recently I had an annual service...

Buying a future classic

I can't bear to invest in stocks or property so am looking to an investable classic - one to cherish, use and pass through to our kids. I'm thinking Aston DB6 Vantage, original Vanquish S or something...

Mercedes-Benz C-Class coolant problems

My Mercedes-Benz C250 CDI W204 is four years old with just under 32K miles on the clock. Yesterday it came back from its service and the dealer informed me I have two coolant leaks on the engine. Water...

Jaguar XE vs Mercedes C-Class - which is best?

My shortlist for my next car is between the Jaguar XE petrol and the MErcedes-Benz C-Class (also petrol. Which is best? Also is there a new Jaguar petrol engine on the way?

Land Rover Freelander engine whine

Our three year old Land Rover Freelander, 19,000 miles on the clock, has suddenly developed an engine whine. The dealer, after a brief listen, says its caused by the power steering oil being contaminated...

Need a economical SUV with a bit of poke

I am thinking of selling 2013 Nissan Qashqai (underpowered and thirsty). I want to replace it with a petrol/automatic/ SUV with a smaller footprint (London parking). However, it must have space for a set...

Claiming on extended warranty - should I have to pay anything?

I had reason recently to claim against a third party warranty. My car is a SAAB 9-3 XWD 2010. I took my car into my local garage for assessment. They diagnosed problem as a failing offside front wheel...

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV,depreciation

I own a Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, which I bought from new in 2015. I am thinking about changing to a BMW 2 Series Grand Tourer 218 diesel because residual values on the Mitsubishi seem to depreciate greater....

Dealer has over pressured my tyres

I bought a brand new Audi S3 six months ago. I've now done 4200 miles. I have a long drive tomorrow so decided to check the tyre pressures for the first time. They should be 38psi front/35psi rear at normal...

Buying a large MPV - Ford B-MAX or Citroen C3 Picasso?

We have decided to opt for the C3 Picasso BlueHDi 100 Platinum; however Motability have allowed us to change our mind if we wish to before delivery. The reason is because after contacting yourself last...

Buying a Renault Modus - which engine is best?

I need your assistance and opinion regarding the Renault Modus. We are planning to buy second car (used) and we are considering the Modus. We are in a dilemma in regards which one to choose. We have almost...

Need a comfortable hatchback with lots of space

I am looking to buy a Golf sized hatch. The car must be comfortable to drive and be easy to get in and out of. It must also have a petrol engine. What do you recommend?

Buying an old car with low mileage - what should I look out for?

I am thinking of buying a Mercedes-Benz SL280 as future classic. There are some low mileage ones around, but can low mileage be an issue?

BMW M5 brake noise

Around 12 weeks ago I bought a used (2013) BMW M5. All was good for a week, then a nasty brake squeal developed. The dealership initially said it was down to new pads and they would bed in. However, five...

Heater has broken, yet makes clicking sounds

my heater goes off and on and clicking sound from glove box

Local garage has broken our clutch - what should we do?

We are the second owners of 2001 Toyta Yaris 1.3 with 120k on the clock. The clutch started to go at end of last year and it was replaced by a local garage. Following that we started to notice that the...

Someone has cloned my car's registration - what should I do?

In July last year I received insurance papers for someone claiming to live at my address. Assuming it was a genuine error I phoned the insurer and wrote to confirm that this person did not live at my address...

What's the best compact SUV?

I'm looking to 'downsize' my SUV and quite like the look of the latest BMW X1. However, I have read that it's not the best in its class. Can you help me choose a new SUV?

Should I continue to use Shell V-Power Nitro +?

We've always used Shell V-Power Nitro + in our DS3 DSport plus. Next week we are changing it for an Hyundai i20 1.0t, should we continue to use the same fuel?

My car has a hidden accident history - what are my rights?

I purchased a used car seven months ago and have just discovered that it was involved in an accident. Water has also started to enter the car, causing damp and a bad musty odour. When I purchased this...

How much is my Volkswagen Eos worth?

How much could I expect for a private sale of my 2011 Volkswagen Eos 2.0 BlueMotion? It has done 32,175 miles and is in excellent condition.

Best place to sell an Audi S3 Sportback

I have a May 2012 Audi S3 Sportback with c33000 miles and full Audi service history. I plan to order new model A3 or S3 saloon later this year when the new models become available. I imagine S3s attract...

MINI Cooer solenoid problem.

Just an add on to your Good & Bad review of the MINI Cooper & Cooper S (2007-2013). An engine warning light recently came on on my wife's 2011 Cooper. The fault was traced to a failed solenoid in the sump,...

How to proceed with a dealership replacement part fitting

Hi, I asked for an upgrade of the factory fitted towbar electrics on my Honda CRV 2.2iCDTI from a 7 pin to 13 pin system to future proof the car as there was a fault with the old hook up. I paid £250...

Size

A friend ,in her eighties, currently drives a Suzuki splash automatic. Due to the width of the car relative to the garage, even with the wing mirrors folded she now has difficulty in driving the car in...

Bought faulty car

Hi I have been in touch with the citizens advice and they have referred my situation to the trading standards. What happened was we bought a second hand £2300 from auto trader the descripton said part...

Why does my Mazda 6 need an oil change after 7000 miles?

The oil change service indicator on my Mazda 6 2.2 diesel has come on. The car is just under seven months old and has 6300 miles on the clock. Would you expect the oil change service interval to appear...

Is my Zafira a write-off?

I've been told the following about my Zafira by a vaxhuall garage: Fault on inlet manifold and noisy on initial start up –suspect internal swirl flaps have collapsed and possible engine damage Vehicle...

Jaguar XF Sportbrake - which all weather tyres are best?

Can you advise the best tyres for a Jaguar XF Sportbrake? Its original Pirellis 235/55r17 are almost worn out. I normally do 15-20k miles and change to winter wheels tyres when the temperature drops below...

How often should I have my car's air con serviced?

I have the air con of my Toyota Auris 1.6 diesel permanently switched on and set to air recirculating in all weathers. I was wondering when the air con system will and how often require maintenance? The...