Trending topics in October 2009
Questions from October 2009
We are considering buying a Rover 75 Connoisseur 2.0 TD 05 plate to see us through the next 7-10 years. Is this a sensible project? Are spares a potential problem; will the engine be BMW sourced; are there...
Twice in the past 12 months, my wife's leased Mercedes has been bumped whilst stationary or parked and on both occasions, the lady drivers concerned admitted responsibility immediately. Because the car...
I am in the market for a new car this year and I am attracted to either the Honda Civic or the Toyota Prius. I am aware that there is a new model of the Prius. I have a budget of £22,000. My motoring...
I always understood that it was legal to pass through a red traffic light when instructed to do so by a police officer. I read in the Telegraph yesterday that a chap in Manchester has been fined after...
I have now done 6 months with my New 2008 model 1.5 L 120 HP Jazz. 6,500 kms on the clock and mostly used around town, Chiang Mai, Thailand, but with a couple of runs up to the Burmese border at Mai Sai...
I read with interest the letter from your reader pointing out the dubious nature of the DVLA's practice of sending out penalty charges when they deem a V5 document not to have been sent to Swansea. I recently...
Have you noticed how many new cars have their front indicator lights in such a position that they cannot easily be seen? At mini roundabouts for example, if the approaching car is turning right, you cannot...
I have had insurance4carhire.co.uk for a few years now and for the first time made a claim this June. A careless shopping trolley driver made a mess of the hire car rear bumper edge in France and the cost...
I travel several times a year to Germany on private leisure trips. I keep my car and its tyres in good order, and have a great deal of experience of continental driving, including in winter conditions....
In addition to the many errors, misrepresentations and examples of wishful thinking I identified in the ‘Intelligent Speed Adaptation’ report advised in my last email, there is another, enormous discrepancy...
Imagine the quietest village. Imagine a quiet slip road off it. Imagine double parking but not obstruction the lane while you are loading the kids into your car for a day at the beach. (4 minutes tops)...
I recently had to stop at a motorway service station for petrol and found they only sold Total, a brand I was not familiar with. I use ordinary unleaded so looked for this. The unleaded pumps were marked...
I have a three and a half year old Mercedes C Class. 3 times since year one I have reported a loss of upchanging of gears. Each service they said there was no fault found. My car has done 31,500 miles...
I read your advice regarding the choice between an Audi A4 and a BMW 520d in Telegraph Motoring in August. I agree that the 520d is a heavier and bigger car than the A4 (just try sitting in the back seats)....
I'm looking at a 2007 Audi S3 with 14,000 miles and two owners. I've been informed the car was originally imported from Germany to Jersey by the first owner. The dealer has said that technically all Audis...
You've put the cat amongst the pigeons now. I test drove the FIAT 500 Lounge 1.2 and the Mazda 2 1.3TS2 back-to-back over the same course this week. (Same dealer.) The Mazda has a quieter engine, less...
Over the last couple of years my air-conditioning has intermittently cut out until this summer when it only worked for 5 minutes from starting the car from cold. I had it re-gassed but it turned out that...
Now living in Australia I have acquired a second-hand six-year-old Honda Jazz at auction with 165,000 kilometres on the clock - only an average mileage out here. Australia has already gone down the bio-fuels...
I have owned a Honda CRV diesel since Mar 2007, the latest model. I think that it is the best car that I've owned over the last 50 years. I have decided to change it soon and would like an automatic. I...
Earlier this month one letter writer provided information about registering potholes with the local authority. Please advise.
I'm tall (6'6") and have three teenage sons who are going same way. Our current cars (SAAB 95 and Vauxhall Zafira) are reaching the point where we can't get my wife and I and three boys in without contortions...
I thought that it would be useful if I updated you on the Bluetooth phone saga in my new Mk VI Golf. I now have had a Bluetooth interface fitted to my car, which is a VW/Skoda part and the relevant part...
For the fourth time, I am going to need a new rear screen on a nearly new secondhand car because removing a sticker damaged the heating elements. In two cases I demanded that the retailer remove the sticker...
I have a 2004 Accord Estate. I am thinking of updating it with a new model with lane control and automatic braking. What do you think of these extras, which cost about £2,000 extra? Does anyone else...
My mileage is around 5kpa with most journeys being less than 5 miles. I always understood that petrol was best value given the premium on the cost of a diesel car, but today a dealer told me otherwise....
My wife, aged circa 71, would like to have her own small automatic gearbox car. It must have an excellent reliability record, low noise level and feel refined (we are currently sharing my Mazda 6). The...
I am currently having my TDI serviced today at the Audi dealers. I had previously reverted to the fixed 10,000 ml service routine at 24,000 at last service in July 08, latest mileage now 34,000 and was...
Is a Mercedes A160 or A170CDI a good buy for a single mother of two who needs a good, reliable low maintenance car as a first time buyer. I also need to be able to use it everyday, so low petrol consumption...
I need your help with my Vauxhall Corsa. I bought a 2005 1.2 SXI last year in May 2008 from Vauxhall dealer for a high price because the car had only one previous owner and had done low mileage of 33,000....
The article in the Daily Telegraph Money section about misplaced loyalty by staying with the same insurance company year after year is not confined to home insurance alone. The AA is now charging me £53pa...
I am a 65 year old lady and only 4" 9" tall. I am interested in buying a brand new small car that is reliable and made to last. At the moment I have a Renault Megane 2002 model but am worried that I have...
Is there an explanation why any work carried out under both manufacturer's or aftermarket warranty never comes with a receipt or written evidence? If work is carried out in this manner, is it guaranteed...
I am thinking about using the scrappage scheme to trade in my 1993 E Class Automatic Mercedes. It has been a great car and has only done 82,000 miles. My wife is reluctant to see it go as she is more than...
I recently bought a Honda Insight, which I use mainly for short journeys of three to five miles Honda claims about 61mpg for urban work. I am getting about 51mpg for such journeys. I have spoken to Honda...
Yesterday I noticed water in the rear passenger foot well of my VW Passat saloon. Year is 1999. I am not sure how it got there and I no nothing about cars anyway but I am willing to have a go at rectifying...
I read regularly what you say regarding shredding of inside edges of tyres on disintegrating humps. Why is it the inside edge that is affected and is it only the inside edge?
My husband needs to replace our 15-year-old RHD Clio with a new RHD Modus. Ideally he would like to buy one over here, in order to save the long trek to London. The dealer in Marmande believes this to...
My son now lives in Dublin and he is interested in buying a new or nearly new Ford Mondeo. However, we have been shocked by the high price of cars in Ireland, which are thousands of pounds more expensive...
Last September I exchanged my five-year-old Mondeo Zetec 2.0 auto at 100k miles for a Focus Titanium 140TDCI Powershift. The Mondeo was supplied and always refitted with Continental Conti Premium Contact...
From casual observation most of the lumps and holes in our roads are the result of poor repairs after work by the utility companies. As local authorities eventually have to fix these, it would surely be...
I am buying a 2007 Citroen Xsara Picasso with 19K miles for £8,250. The Citroen dealer suggests I take out a GAP insurance policy to cover the potential loss of value if the car is written off in the...
I complained to the MD at Mercedes Benz UK about rust on my Mercedes and Mercedes failing to rectify it under its 30 year Mobilo warranty because I had not had my car serviced by its dealers. I thought...
I live in London and currently drive an 10-year-old Ford Mondeo which has been very reliable and which I have no reason to change other than that I will soon be a father again. I will have three young...
I note that there has been several letters concerning speed ramps in the Telegraph recently. Last December, I was involved in a minor shunt in rush hour traffic (the driver in the following vehicle failed...
I retire in 3 years time and after a motoring life of boring family cars and company Mondeos it’s time to buy myself something interesting for weekends, holidays and outings, which might become a bit of...
I'm looking for a 3-year-old Audi A4 Avant with a bit of grunt but many on offer have the S-Line option, which I understand to include lowered, "sports" suspension and bigger wheels with ultra-low profile...
Been looking for advice on faulty EPS light for my Meriva and got a link to your page - also read the Vauxhall owners forum. I guess you are maybe wanting to collate these as you have asked for feedback...
My 40-year-old unmarried daughter has had a VW Golf CL since new in 1994. The car lives in a heated garage and has done approx 25 thousand miles. In spite of regular servicing apparently the gear change...
My 10-month-old Mitsubishi broke down on the 14th July. I put approx 45 litres of diesel in the car on 12th July and covered 200 miles before it broke down. I have all receipts for fuel. The Mitsubishi...
Further to your reader's letter regarding a £50 penalty at MacDonalds near Heathrow, I too suffered in the same way, this time because my order was forgotten and by the time I had received and eaten it,...
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