Questions from September 2011
My car keeps cutting out when I come to slow down but will start straight after. This happens more when engine is hot. I have changed the plugs and reset idle with no effect
I'm thinking of replacing my six year old Honda Accord 2.0 EX (petrol) with the new 2012 model.
The new 2.2 diesel engine seems to be getting good write-ups, but I am concerned about your previous comments...
I've got a Ford Ranger and I want to buy a new one. Is there a time which would be more advantageous to get one a bit cheaper from a dealer?
I've got vibration at cold & idle at 1600-1800 revs, then tails away. When driving cold, it loses power at that rev range too.
My mechanic has said it's an imbalance in the engine. No fuel issues, flywheel...
I drive a 2004 530DSE which is high spec and has done 120k. I am soon to retire and will no longer need to cover the distance I previously travelled.
I will still undertake journeys of 300 miles each...
On the 15/09/2011 I purchased a 57' Nissan X Trail (New Shape) from the main dealer, Cooperative Group, 200 miles from where I live. Before purchase I phoned the garage to make sure it had no towbar fitted...
Dealer (John Clark Aberdeen) suggesting 16" steel wheels + Dunlop winter runflats (total £990) - would this be best option, rather than alloys (+£310), or non-runflats (-£147)?
I'm 6ft 4, could you recommend a good car with plenty of drivers leg room for around £4000. I've been told that a Citoenn C5 or a Peugeot 406 has plenty of leg room.
In the past I've had a Rover 75 which...
I have a continuous warning for check emissions although the car is running fine.
My local independent garage ran a diagnostic check & came up with a DF209 code which is EGR Valve Position Circuit. As...
Need a family car which can accommodate 2 toddlers and an adult in back and sometimes 3rd child, boot to fit double buggy and/or 2 bicycles, economical and which will not let me down in snow/ice. I live...
Want to buy a used family car which can accommodate 3 children and have enough boot space to store their belongings.
Need a reliable car which will not get stuck in snow.
Please advise out of the sliding...
I need to change car to accommodate for bigger family now and more storage but not sure whether to go for a 4x4 or fit winter tyres to a family car.
I lived in Edinburgh and the snow was severe here last...
I find the ride on my SEAT Leon FR TSI really hard - much harder than my previous Leon 1.8 Turbo. The car has Pirelli PZero Rosso 225/45R 17 91W tyres fitted (excellent road holding but noisy). Could...
I'm looking for suggestions on purchasing a family estate car that's capable of overtaking on A roads with confidence. We own a Kia Rio 51 plate 1.5 SE and its simply not up to the task any more. Our problem...
Last winter our Audi A4 TFSI 1.9 auto on 17inch wheels was hopeless in the snow. We have changed it for an Audi A1 Sport TFSI 1.4 auto also on 17 inch wheels.
Which winter tyres would you recommend please...
I'm looking to buy a large, 'proper' 4x4 (it will be off-roaded) which is very reliable for up to £6k. What vehicle would you recommend?
My primary concern is reliability, but it must also be large and...
Bought 53 plate Ford Mondeo TDCI 130 in March this year and now see why they are called money pits on some forums!
New pads and discs when I first got the car; fair enough.
Then turbo seized and had...
My windscreen has developed a split and needs replacing.
I have glass insurance in my policy but I have read in your column that some insurance companies will increase future premiums if you have had...
As we approach winter, I now have to leave my car outside on the drive. What is the best way to reduce the frost build up on windows overnight and what is the best method of removing ice in the morning
Some time ago you recommended the Ford C-MAX for ease of access and comfort of ride. We are looking to replace our C-MAX and would be looking for something a bit smaller but with the same characteristics....
I am purchasing a second hand car from a main dealer who tells me that the law has changed and he cannot transfer my own number plate off my current car, which is being part exchanged. Is this correct...
Car salesmen decline to confirm whether models are chain or belt cam. They are unwilling to disclose how much it will cost to replace belts at 50,000 miles or on five year old car.
This leads me to...
I have a Ford Galaxy 2.0TDCi '07 bought on your recommendation (thank you, it's exceeded expectations!) and, having read your correspondence on winter tyres, have decided to fit them next month.
I understand...
I am thinking about purchasing a 1997 BMW Z3 2.8l with 130k miles on the clock and 9 previous owners. What should I look out for, what should I be wary of and what questions should I ask the garage?
It...
I want to buy a more fuel efficient car, as I have a long commute to work of 350 miles per week. I am thinking of a diesel, with a reasonable engine size. I was wondering about the Peugeot Oxygo/Economique...
My 24-year-old son wants to upgrade his old Clio to a VW Golf and spend around £6k.
It's the old story of buying a car that gives him a bit of street cred and not a middle aged car(I tried to estoll...
Are there run-flat winter or all-weather tyres available from any manufacturers? If so, which brand would you recommend and would it be suitable to leave these tyres on all year round on a BMW E60 auto?...
Having been frustrated the last two winters trying to drive my beemer in even the smallest amount of snow I've resolved to buy some winter tyres.
My local, trusted tyre fitter has offered me Falken HS439...
I am trying to buy a pair of General Grabber AT2 tyres for my X-Trail which needs 215 65 R16. It would appear they are no longer available. Can you confirm this for me and if so recommend a suitable alternative?
Many...
I am a 71-year-old pensioner and am looking to buy what will probably be my last.
I want a petrol Laguna automatic about three years old and I have found a 2.0 litre turbo Dynamique for £8,600.
Are...
Will the Kia Cerato be expensive on repairs, as it is a foreign make, as opposed to a Ford Focus?
In March I purchased a 2007 (early new shape) Honda CR-V manual, petrol with 29,000 miles. Has 17" tyres.
Above 50mph the steering seems to want to wander and I have to consciously control this all the...
I am retired, so motoring costs matter. I like basic, and favourite cars have been 2CVs and Renault 4s. I need a small pick-up, like the VW Rabbit/Caddy. All the current pick-ups seem like monster trucks,...
Following JF of Eastbourne’s email about the Honda Jazz, I bought a second hand CVT recently and have managed to push the mpg up to 51.5 average. I previously ran a Mitsubishi Colt DI-D auto that did 50...
For your files, the company exposed by the Sunday Times on 25th September was Shoal Enforcement. The story was essentially about a motorist, Nick Raymond, who owns a classic Sunbeam Alpine. He had a permit...
What is your opinion on buying second-hand petrol turbocharged cars? My current car is a Skoda Octavia vRS (2001, 106,000 miles) and when stopping at a service station etc.,on a motorway journey I always...
I'd never owned a diesel-engined car before I bought my pre-registered 2005/55 Volvo V70 in March 2006. It's a delight to drive: a real mile-eater, and very comfortable. But at the time I bought it I'd...
Earlier this year I tried a new Renault dealership. They rang me in the middle of a service and told me that Renault recommended replacing brake fluid every 3 years and quoted a separate price for this...
I have a 2 door Citroen C1 that I have been pleased with and I wish to fit a tow-bar for a cycle-rack, but I am informed that it is not possible to fit a tow-bar to a C1.
I was thinking of replacing...
What are you thoughts on the Abarth 500? I’m looking to buy one new, so are there any must have options? So far, I've ticked the Xenon headlights box.
I drive a Renault Grand Scenic, registered in June 2010, with a diesel engine. Having two Labradors I find the vehicle more than satisfactory. My problem started when I visited my local Tesco Fuel Station...
My husband's trusty and very ancient Vauxhall Astra 1.6 automatic has finally given up the ghost and he needs to replace it quickly with a very reliable second-hand car that we will keep for a long time....
At the age of 77 I have been offered the chance to run a 'company car' with advice to get one with a low emission rate to avoid as much tax as possible.
Over the past six years I have run three Mercedes...
For more than a decade, I have been commuting long distances to work, so have had a small diesel MPV, and also tow a caravan. Quite a cost-effective combination for 18,000 miles a year.
But I have now...
I have received notice of proposed traffic calming measures from the council. They wish to put 13 sets of speed cushions in what is currently a 30mph zone. I have taken note of your opinion of these humps...
On 20th March 2008, having previously read a favourable report in your column, I purchased a new Honda CRV from Bob Gerard Ltd in Leicestershire, at well below the price quoted by my local Honda dealer....
We have decided to keep our son’s car while he is at university. His insurers will 'suspend' his policy until he needs it in the hols. We make the payments during suspension then the amount is deducted...
A government proposal to reduce the frequency of MoT tests could affect road safety in the UK. Under the current MoT system, our cars receive a yearly inspection that includes critical safety items such...
I am thinking about buying a new car to replace my ageing Subaru Forester. I am retired and living in rural Aberdeenshire, so often will only make one or two 12 mile round trips to the nearest market town....
Our Astra of 10 years and 100,000 miles has nagging problems and we struggle to get out of the low seating and to load a wheel chair in and our of the boot well. The Vauxhall Zafira is popular here and...
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