Snow Chains for Audi A6 Avant 2002

Can I fit snow chains to an Audi A6 Avant (Sport) 2002? Tyre size 215/55R16, Rims 7J. My manual says I can, but Audi Customer Services say I cannot. I have spoken to Thule who say I can and Rud who...

Winter tyres

Do winter tyres need to be fitted by a specialist tyre fitter or will my local independant fitter or nearby Kwik-Fit etc be sufficient?

Winter tyres and wheels

My wife has just bought a `58 Reg Mazda 3 Takara (Takora?) 1.6 with 205-55 R16 tyres on alloy wheels. With all this Global Warming producing so much snow she wants to have winter tyres for the winter...

Winter tyres or tyre socks

I have a Mercedes A-Class (2002) and wanted to know whether it was best to get winter tyres and steel wheels or to go for winter tyre socks. Any advice would be great.

Are spurious personal injury claims pushing up the cost of motor insurance?

An article in the motoring section recently talked about the rising cost of insurance. It failed to mention some of the reasons for these increases. 1) The high, almost obscene charges made by solicitors...

Please recommend Radio 4 MW to your correspondent JD, which will enable him to listen to Test Match Special.

JD laments his inability to receive Test Match Special on his radio because he can’t get Long Wave. However, I discovered a while ago that the rarely-mentioned Radio 4 Medium Wave (720 metres) mirrors...

Can you suggest a device which prevents a driver putting petrol into a diesel vehicle?

Can you please supply details of the device that will prevent one from putting petrol into a diesel car? I know you have published these details before, but at the time I did not have the need for one...

Is there a way of improving tyre grip in ice and snow without changing to winter tyres?

Is there a way of improving tyre grip in ice and snow without changing to winter tyres?

Can you suggest a replacement for my Honda Jazz which offers better protection than a Toyota IQ?

I am thinking of changing my Honda Jazz for a Toyota IQ. I change my car every few years and my greatest joy was a Toyota Yaris Verso, alas no longer in production. The Toyota dealer here says a new version...

Why does my Volkswagen Transporter's DSG automatic gearbox lag before responding to the accelerator?

My new Volkswagen T5 Transporter 2.0TDI 140PS has a DSG gearbox with a hazard. After slowing down for a junction or roundabout there's several seconds pause before it will respond to the accelerator. You...

Where can I get steel wheels for winter tyres on my Jaguar S-Type?

I cannot agree with you enough about the value of fitting winter tyres. Combine them with sensible driving and who needs a 4x4 for road driving in snow? I drive a Jaguar S-Type Diesel and last winter spent...

I had my parking fine from an M6 service station cancelled after threatening to ban my sales force from using them.

You have helped me with this info in the past, but on the last occasion with an unfair £80 fine at an M6 Moto service station, they refused my offer of £10. I then wrote to Moto head office directly and...

Is the known Volkswagen Teves/ESP fault down to the whole unit or just a sensor?

My wife has a 2005 Volkswagen Golf 2.0FSI GT with 51,000 on the clock. The light in the ESP switch, and the dashboard steering wheel and ABS signs, have all come on together, intermittently, over the last...

Why are short journeys in my BMW 118d insufficient to charge the battery?

I drove to Colchester in my 2008-registered BMW E87 118d on 20 October. The journey of 70 miles return was achieved without mishap. However on 21 October, whilst entering a car park, the malfunction display...

How can my in-laws have a speed hump removed from the entrance to their cul-de-sac?

My in-laws live on a private road. On returning from holiday they found that one of their neighbours had installed a speed hump. This is not the first but is significantly higher than the others - making...

Who is responsible if an RAC Trackstar tracking device flattened the battery on our Porsche Carrera?

I bought a new Porsche Carrera 2S four years ago and we fitted a RAC Trackstar device. This work was carried out by a local RAC Franchise as we live in Guernsey. Subsequently we have had four years of...

Your correspondent with the faded tax disc should check the quality of the ink used.

Many years ago, when I worked at the British Standards Institution as secretary to the colour-fastness committees, the Post Office telephoned in a flap. The hand-written entries on tax discs had faded....

How can we clear the misted detachable rear screen in our 2002 MGF?

We have a 2002 MGF. The detachable rear screen has become very misted and the dealer we spoke to could only suggest replacing it. Do you know of a cleaner or spray that would help to clear this?

Should I pay a fine levied for overstaying in a supermarket car park?

I recently received a notice of a fine by the company operating the car park for Morrisons in Northampton for £90.00. This was due to my overstaying for 35 minutes. How do I stand on this with regard to...

Should I get a set of wheels when I buy winter tyres for my Ford Focus?

I have a new Ford Focus Zetec 2.0i automatic Titanium X. Am I better buying a set of winter tyres or going the whole hog and buying a set of new wheels with appropriate winter tyres?

Why can't my wife use her no-claims discount on a second car?

My wife recently took over ownership of our son's car as a second car, but when insuring it was told her no-claims discount on her main car of some nine years wasn't transferable to the second car, and...

Can you recommend a smaller, more economical replacement for my Mercedes-Benz B-Class?

I bought a B-Class Mercedes-Benz car last year in order to be able to carry my husband's electric wheelchair, (with the help of a hoist) and also a manual wheelchair, folded between the front and back...

How common are ECU, dashboard and ABS module faults on the 2005 Ford Focus?

It was very timely to read in the Telegraph on Saturday about an Audi's failed ABS system. The light on my 2005 Focus keeps coming on intermittently. I haven't had it diagnosed yet but have just looked...

Should I ask for the third party to cover a diminution in value to my Audi A5 due to accident repair?

A neighbour has pranged (wing, lights and bumper) my new A5. The repair is underway and I hope it will be looking good soon. However when I trade this car in, probably in two years, I expect it to be worth...

Thanks to the RAC's European Rescue service for their help after my car broke down in France.

An unusually rare act of vandalism overnight in a hotel car park in central France earlier this month rendered my car inoperative and obliged me to call on the services of RAC European Recovery. I cannot...

Please warn your readers to repair lease cars fully before returning them to Mercedes-Benz Finance.

I have recently returned a Mercedes-Benz SLK at the end of a two-year lease through Mercedes-Benz Finance. I carefully studied the Vehicle Return Standards booklet and repaired a wing mirror and a dent...

Why are speed humps still used when they damage tyres, like those fitted to my S-Type Jaguar?

I am writing to you on a subject to which I believe you referred in your column - traffic humps. I am the owner of a Racing Green S-Type Jaguar which is dealer-maintained, and by the way I am an extremely...

Where can I get a front brake wheel cylinder for a classic 1962 Mini?

My beloved Mini has just failed its MOT due to a seized front brake wheel cylinder. The part I need is a GWC101 (15/16ths bore dual piston front wheel cylinder) for a 1962 Mini, which is proving very difficult...

Why did the police let me off when I crossed a solid white line near Dover port?

Last night at about 19.00hrs I left Dover dock and got into the wrong dedicated lane and found myself going up the A2 instead of the A20. There was no traffic in sight coming towards and nothing behind...

How can I prevent condensation freezing on the inside of my Honda Jazz and Peugeot 207's windscreens?

Are there any tricks to prevent a windscreen icing up on the inside during winter? If it's unavoidable, what is the best way of dealing with it as quickly as possible before driving off? I assume leaving...

Why won't TfL easily allow for drivers caught stopping on Red Routes to make an appeal?

As a pensioner driving in London at 5.30pm on a Sunday evening, I became disoriented after following diversionary signs from multi road closures and stopped to consult my ABC and seek directions from a...

Why are some drivers seemingly incapable of left-foot braking?

I continue to be astonished at the letters in your columns on the subject of left-foot braking, and just thought you might like some more support for your arguments on this. I have driven an automatic...

Why can't I seem to learn to left-foot brake when driving my automatic?

Whilst I understand your passionate desire to spread the left-foot braking technique among drivers of automatics, I fear that the very people that you are aiming to convert will find the change beyond...

Why can't I negotiate a discount on the list price of a new Audi A1?

I am thinking of ordering the new Audi A1 from my local Audi dealer. This would be a cash deal with no part exchange, but I am told there can be no negotiation on purchase price. Is this reasonable? There...

Can you recommend a suitable automatic car to replace our 2003 Citroen C3?

We have a 2003 Citroen C3 1.4 automatic. We would like to trade it in for a newer car. It has to be an automatic and we would like the same size car with similar spec. With trade-in we have about £12,000...

Is it possible to get figures which show the environmental impact of a vehicle over its whole life?

Much is made of the low carbon dioxide emission needed to meet various targets and the drive towards zero emission objectives through all electric vehicles, using technologies such as fuel cells etc. Most...

I've had no DPF problems with my Nissan Qashqai diesel over 20,000 miles, despite using it for short trips.

I owned a Nissan Qashqai Acenta 2.0 DCI Turbo for 31 months during which time it covered 20,000 miles. It averaged 40mpg (according to the computer). At no time did I have any issues with the DPF. At each...

I claimed for sump damage to my Rover 75, caused by speed humps, from my local shopping centre.

Last year my local shopping mall installed black and yellow speed humps that were too high. These damaged my Rover 75 sump tray. It took me a month to find who was responsible. I sent them an estimate...

Is the Volkswagen Eos worth almost £7,000 more than the Vauxhall Astra TwinTop?

We are both in our 60's and my wife wants to exchange our Skoda Fabia for a folding metal roof cabriolet. Reviews suggest that a Volkswagen Eos would be the best buy. However, the new model is not available...

Will Volkswagen repair a Teves ESP fault on my 2005 Golf Plus?

I would like some assistance with how to approach Volkswagen as my 5-year-old Golf Plus (2005 with 44,000 miles) has now become the latest in a long line of failures of the Teves Mk 60 ESP. I noticed that...

I've just bought a used Renault Clio which has a dephaser fault - is the dealer liable for repairing it?

In August I bought a Renault Clio from a used car dealer. The car is 54 reg and is on 44,000 miles. I paid £4,800 for it. I have covered fewer than 400 miles since the purchase and have now found out that...

How should I store my wheels and tyres whilst I have winter tyres and steel wheels fitted to my Volkswagen Jetta?

I am having steel wheels and winter tyres fitted to my Volkswagen Jetta. The winter tyres are Bridgestone 205/55 x 16 (same size as existing tyres). How should my existing alloy wheels and tyres be stored...

Which tyres could I fit to my 2009 Peugeot 308 which offer quieter running than the Continentals it currently has?

I recently purchased a 2009 Peugeot 308 Verve 1.4 fitted with Continental tyres. Could you please tell me if anybody as done any research that would indicate that a different make of tyre would run quieter?

Can I offer a tip to your readers who suffer from leg cramps in smaller cars?

In support to FD of Brentwood’s complaint about severe pains in his right leg, I also suffered a similar pain after changing my large, comfortable Volvo to the smaller variant. I found that I suffered...

Which runflats would you recommend for my BMW 530D and how long should they last?

I would like some advice on tyres please. I need four new runflat tyres on my 2003 BMW 530D (225/50 17 94w) and wondered if you have any suggestions? I currently have Dunlops, which offer a very hard ride...

What value do accident management companies add to the aftermath of an accident?

Although my experience of accident management companies is limited to using them via a corporate lease plan, I have to say that even then, I question their usefulness. A skip delivery lorry recently drove...

Which comfortable MPV-style vehicle would you recommend to replace our Vauxhall Meriva?

We currently run a Vauxhall Meriva ‘A’ 1.7CDTI and will shortly be looking to replace it. We have been looking for something in the £30 tax bracket that can tow a folding camper weighing up to 1,100kg,...

Should winter tyres be fitted to all four wheels, and can they be fitted to the existing rims?

You recommend winter tyres as an alternative to having to buy a 4x4. On a front-wheel drive family car do you need all four or just two to provide better traction on the front, assuming the rears have...

Following an accident, should I contact the third party's insurance company directly and avoid accident management companies?

I had legal assistance cover on my insurance policy. After an accident my impression of their service is that they seem to be fixed on getting me into a hire car. I was wondering whether I would be better...

How easy is it for an experienced manual gearbox user to switch to automatics and left-foot braking?

I've been following the thread about left-foot braking with interest, as I've been considering switching to an automatic next summer when my Motability Ford C-Max is due for replacement. I can see the...