Trending topics in January 2010
Questions from January 2010
My wife followed your advice to recline her seat slightly in our BMW 320i, but alas her pain continues.
I am nearly 78 years old and have owned a number of SAAB convertibles over the years and think they are super cars. However, I have now developed a slightly arthritic knee and hip joint and find it difficult...
Although the obvious answer to traffic behaviour when two carriageways go down to one is to move up to the front on both lanes (as taught by the IAM I believe) it occurs to me that because of the care...
The low profile 195/45 R16s on alloy wheels on my 08 Fiesta 1.4 TDCi seem increasingly inappropriate for our winter snow-covered, year-round speed humped and potholed roads. I'm fed up of the hard ride...
You frequently write about possible damage caused to buildings by road humps. The High Street in Berkhamsted used to be the A41 but was renumbered A4251 when the bypass was opened in 1993, and was then...
I am writing now in respect of your apparent endorsement of Warranty Direct, "The only Honest John approved car warranty service. “ My 2005 SAAB 9-3 Linear Sport TiD has been covered by Warranty Direct...
In 1990 or thereabouts Wandsworth Council installed road humps - one directly outside my house. The vibration as cars and large vehicles fail to slow down on it really shakes the house. I noticed that...
I recently replied to an Auto Trader on-line ad for a Land Rover Defender. Despite taking as many precautions as possible, including viewing at the seller's home (name and address on V5), doing an HPI...
I said I was not happy with the automatic gear change of my eight year old Mercedes-Benz E270CDI. So my MB dealer did some tests and he tells me that the oil in the transmission has become 'contaminated...
Mercedes-Benz front lights at night on many models look tacky and sadly it is not Mercedes fault. The owners and drivers should give them feedback but they do not bother.
Just fresh last night I had...
The retiring manager of a car dealership in Dartford, Kent was talking to a reporter from a local paper about his life in the motor trade and when asked what was the hardest part of his job, he replied...
I drive a Subaru Forester automatic with cruise control. Having been widowed recently, I'll possibly change to something smaller at some time in the future. What effect on petrol consumption does an automatic...
You recommended www.keyrepair.co.uk to a reader with problems with the remote key fob for a Renault. I had similar problems with the key fob for my Volvo V70, and had been quoted about £200 by Volvo, so...
I have been looking at the web site for an independent car servicing organisation and see that you can have your vehicle serviced by them, as opposed to a main dealer, without any detriment to your warranty....
Having been a 'petrolhead' for many years, owning a string of high performance saloons, I am afraid the time has come to change habits. With ever increasing fuel costs, car tax, insurance, poor road repairs...
I write to express my disappointment regarding the 'Customer Care' provided by my recent insurers in the hope that it may prevent others from making the same naive mistake.
My car received a nasty dent...
Local and national politicians and council jobsworths are bleating yet again that they have no money to repair potholes, despite motor taxation being so high. Might I suggest that they can kill two birds...
I work within the car body repair industry and you are right in branding it a semi-legal rip-off. It is becoming virtually impossible to run a car body repair business without being bullied into using...
I bought a late 2006 low mileage Toyota RAV-4 from Toyota in Bracknell in July this year. There has been a judder on the brakes, which has got worse. I dropped the car in to my local Toyota dealer in Oxford...
One early Saturday morning in October I was driving north on the M6 Toll motorway, relishing in the fact that it seemed similar to the days when the M1 opened (similar amounts of traffic). Out of the corner...
Having received my renewal notice from the RAC this month for Roadside and Recovery I notice that from last year it has increased by over £30 to £178.65. This figure, surprisingly, includes “membership...
I have a 2000 Volvo V70 (170bhp) that has done 60,000 miles with FVSH (purchased ex-demo in early 2001). For the past 6 months, every time I have put petrol in, and then tried to start the car, it fires...
I know of a (rural) location where the jumping of a red traffic light is an issue because of the length of time waiting for it to change. Either on the Continent or in the US I have seen 'countdown clocks'...
My 2007 BMW 120d front washers refuse to spray. The pump runs and even with the spay nozzle disconnected, no water emerges. From a review of Internet websites it seems there is a problem with the pump...
Our 17-year-old son is learning to drive. Can you recommend a good second hand manual car with a budget of about £4k? He wants something with credibility, we want something that is as safe as possible....
I don't want to worry you, but, a friend has just told me that she recently went on a Speed Awareness Course in Flint, North Wales for speeding and she was told that the police no longer give any latitude...
After two years of research, arguing, test-driving and reading, my wife and I have at last agreed on one car that will suit us both, for some town driving, but mostly country and highway. It's a 2008 Mercedes...
I test-drove a FIAT 500 Lounge at Parkside Garage, Twickenham. There's no doubt, it has bags of style and character at a very, very attractive price (though they tell me now that If I placed an order today,...
I must part with my April 05 3-door RAV-4 2.0 D-4D XT3. It's only done 26,000 miles and is in very good condition; it's insured to end of March 2010 and is gold coloured. What should ask (and hope to get)...
I just moved to France with my wife and we are unfamiliar with the European models, and thus, reliability. The French swear by their Clios and their 306/307s, but reading online consumers are less than...
When I was in Australia I borrowed a turbo-diesel people carrier. This
had a device that could be set, if I remember correctly, to run the engine for 10-30 seconds after you got out. A good idea, I thought.
I purchased a brand new Nissan Qashqai just over a year ago.
From the outset every time I get into the Qashqai I start
to develop a headache. Can you shed any light on the matter?
A colleague wants to buy his son his first car/mini. Can you pick up a reasonably clean one for this money and what age would this buy. Are there any particular models / engines he should look at and any...
My father decided to sell his motorhome. He e-mailed a dealer to see if they would be interested and the dealer duly made him an offer of £14k-£15k. My father responded saying, “OK, subject to agreeing...
I just tested a Dualogic FIAT 500. The box behaved perfectly. I was then set on a Dualogic Panda, but at the last minute was told that it was no longer produced. FIAT folk just do not seem to know if it's...
I need to buy a small car that can take my 8-year-old son as a wheelchair passenger. It will be mainly used for short journeys with the occasional longer motorway drive. It only needs to seat 4 (including...
I am interested in trading in my 12 year old car under the scrappage scheme for a small hatch under £10k but understand that some motor manufacturers have significantly increased their prices since the...
I would like to know what reasonably-priced cars have a soft suspension as my wife has back problems.
I am looking to replace my ageing 2000X Ford Focus with an auto that has a higher driving position. I have looked at the Honda CR-V, Nissan Qashqai and Ford C-Max. Any other ideas or suggestions as to...
We too have always had a problem with misting on the windscreen of our 2002 Honda Jazz in damp conditions. We choose the correct setting for the windscreen with airflow on 2 (outside). We constantly have...
Last Thursday my daughter and three children were involved in a crash on the M6. She was in the middle lane and was side-swiped by a lorry from Slovakia, she was spun into the front of the lorry side on...
Do the current Ford Fiesta 1.6TDCI cars still have dual mass flywheels fitted that were so troublesome on previous models?
I am upset about the way my local Volvo dealer dealt with an ABS fault on my V50. I believe there is an issue with Brake Pressure Sensors. I am £1,000 lighter of pocket, I wish I could say I was wiser....
I have been searching to try and find info on 'Speed sensor operated traffic lights' without success. I seem to recall that I read either an article or reply to a readers question in the non too distant...
I have a 2002/53 Mondeo Diesel. On 23-03-09 Wynne Motors of Burbage, Leicester fitted a Replacement Clutch Kit, Concentric Slave Cylinder, Dual Mass Flywheel and Mounting (all parts were new). Cost £703.35...
I read with interest your coverage of damage caused by road humps. Although we have some in towns around here in the New Forest, most of the damage to wheels, tyres and suspension seems to be caused by...
I have a Peugeot 406HDI 1,957cc and am looking for a more "sit up " car new. We are both in our 70's and need easy access and headroom. I go fishing and have rods up to 6ft long so need drop down back...
Can you advise concerning a blocked DPF, on our 2006 Jaguar S Type 2.7 diesel that caused a major breakdown at the end of a holiday on which we travelled at high speeds from Calais to the Costa Brava and...
I own both a 2001 E320 CDI estate and a 2003 E320 CDI estate. The engines are ostensibly the same, the earlier one generating 194 bhp and the later one, 204. Fundamentally the later car gives significantly...
What is your view on 'warranties'? I have just bought a car that carries a warranty for 12 months. I have been offered an 'extension' for another year at £150 but would like more convincing before |I buy....
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