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Honest John Ask Honest John » February 2010
Trending topics in February 2010
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Questions from February 2010
3 weeks ago my 10-year-old Proton Persona was in a quite severe accident. My insurers (co-op) uplifted it and have assessed it as being beyond economical repair and offered the market value of £450. I...
I'm looking to replace my beloved Fiesta 1.6TDCI Zetec S and want something with the same sort of performance - either diesel or petrol. Now retired, I drive about 5,000 miles a year, and enjoy fast but...
I recently took my Nissan Micra 1.3 into the local dealer for service. Whilst there I enquired of a salesman about the rev counter on the dashboard, my question was "do I need to drive at a certain rev...
I would like your advice as to were to go now? I damaged a tyre on my motor bike on a poorly maintained road at Edenbridge Kent in May I have only just received a reply from Kent County Council stating...
In 2009 we travelled to Tropea in Italy. Now, 6 months later, we have received a parking fine, that we cannot understand as it is in Italian. We do have a cover page listing an IBAN transfer number that...
I am looking to replace my Fiat Stilo Estate with a Skoda Octavia Estate and considering one with the 1.6 diesel engine with DPF (Particulate Filter) especially given low road tax. I note your recent articles...
I've currently a W reg Nissan Micra that has been trouble free but wonder if I'm on borrowed time and should be looking to part exchange it either for a 2/3 year old car or a new Micra? It has to be an...
My brother has just telephoned to tell me that he had a cambelt replaced on his 10 yr old Mitsubishi 1.8 GDI Space Star by a main dealer three months ago but the car broke down Tuesday. The dealer is saying...
I have to drive every week to and back from South Devon to Twyford, Berks or one of our other sites that takes me through 3 long sets of SPEC average speed cameras on the M5 and M4. I can't find a good...
How do you go about dealing with poor workmanship? Our 2004/54 BMW 318i went in to the BMW dealer we bought it from for what we were told to be necessary work just before we took it to France and Spain...
Recently, I had my 2000 Land Cruiser serviced by a small, independent garage with a good reputation. Following the service I was chatting with the mechanic who carried out the service. I mentioned that...
Yesterday on a water-covered surface I braked but slid into the car in front. Damage to my car is to radiator and front bumper - the car In front had a towbar fixture. The garage says my car is a write...
In a recent British ‘police reality’ TV show a driver was stopped, because his car came back as No Insurance. The police told him why they stopped him. The driver said I've got Comprehensive Insurance...
I bought a car and it turned out to be a ringer. Is it not possible for me to keep it and get it insured legally? I’ve read some information on ringers on the Internet but it just says stay clear. Now...
The oil light on my Golf keeps coming on even when the oil level is correct. What could this be?
In April 2008 I had a new ABS modulator fitted to my 24,000 mile 2003 Rover 75. The same fault has now re-occurred and I am getting no sympathy at all from the Rover garage where the part was fitted. Surely...
I picked up a new Nissan Qashqai 1.6 on Wednesday, then on Friday it stopped whilst driving. It did re start, with trouble. Later the engine management light came on. I took it back to the dealer who stated...
Regarding your article on unintentional acceleration of automatics, the early Lexus LS400 was very prone to this problem where the accelerator pedal would suddenly floor itself and the car would be unstoppable...
I own a 2001 Nissan Micra 1.4SE (Mr Blobby body shape) and prior to this owned a 1996 Micra 1.3GX from new. I have been very happy with both cars, and am now looking for a replacement. I am looking for...
My father has been given a £50 fine by a "parking control" company for overstaying in a car park he has never been in, in a town he has never been to. His name and address was passed on by the DVLA. The...
I have a Honda CRV, which is kept outside, and at times is not used that often. As the battery will be flat within three weeks I have recently purchased a solar-powered battery charger with a cigarette...
The ex-demo 1994 Citroen ZX Turbo D I purchased in 1995 is now in the hands of a daughter 150k+ miles. No problems apart from new radiator early on. Still on original exhaust system and remote key batteries....
I am a GP, mountain rescue doctor and am about to do blue light training to respond as a volunteer for the local ambulance service. I need something that covers all three bases, i.e. very fast, suitable...
If I understand correctly, you have a house and farm in Thailand? I also have a house there and currently have a 2-year-old Toyota Vios. I'm considering changing it. However, car prices being so steep...
I wonder if you could advise me please. On 17the October I delivered my daughter to our local Driving Theory Test centre and because she was very nervous I had to take her inside. I parked in the car park...
Eight months after the warranty ran out on my 2006 Skoda Octavia 4x4 1.9 TDI estate, I started it one morning to find that the ESP button light was permanently on, as was the warning light on the dashboard...
I need to buy a new car after not having driven for 8-9 years. Using buses has become hopeless with so many services closing. I'm thinking of a diesel Skoda Yeti. I watched your video review and you seemed...
I hired a car in Faro 3 weeks ago from www.myalgarvecars.com. The rental company took a swipe of my credit card as deposit. When we returned the car intact a week later, there was no one to check it in...
I have a VW Tiguan SE and find that I get a hard-core jiggerly ride. I remember you suggesting in your column a particular tyre that would give a softer more comfortable ride - what were they? The current...
My wife and I set out on a trip from London to Lyon last Saturday (14 November) in our new BMW 320 Touring to have a birthday dinner with friends. Whilst on the autoroute between Calais and Reims, we...
What is the advantage and disadvantage of speed/revs gauge/dial being centralised in a car, for example the Yaris, opposed to the normal placement, i.e. directly in front of the steering wheel? I’m asking...
The DVLA has finally summonsed me to court to answer the charge of failure to notify change of keepership. In the DVLA’s submission to the court is the buyer's signed statement that he saw me post the...
We ordered a nearly-new Ford Fiesta from our local Ford dealer on the Ford-direct scheme (7 months old 2,500 miles – decent price - £10,400 for a Zetec silver, with Bluetooth fitted). That was two weeks...
I have a 2008 reg manual Ford Fiesta Titanium. I am very pleased with it. It's a great car. The car was supplied with low profile tyres. Pirelli P-ZERO Mero 205/40R17. I have had bad experiences of low...
I have ordered a new car from a franchised dealer, only to find his quotas have been exceeded for the next few months. Am I entitled to my deposit back so I can find a dealer who can process my order?...
I bought a new Mazda 2 1.3 TS2 last year and just could not get on with it - too much road and suspension noise and rattles in the dashboard area. I decided to get something else and tried Jazz, Yaris...
I have a 2006 Volvo S40 with 1.6 diesel engine. You suggested this engine in preference to 2.0 litres. It has been economical (average of 48mpg for mixed motoring) and very satisfying to drive. In the...
Our 2005 Astra 1.8 Auto has just become a near write-off. The auto gearchange stopped working and when we took it to two Vauxhall garages both said that fluid had leaked from the radiator into the gearbox...
I am looking to replace a 1996 Ford Escort Cabriolet 16v Ghia, with a FIAT 500C. I had terrific service out of my Ford, but after 13 years living in the open air (no garage), the roof started to leak because...
For your information, I recently bought a car through Drivethedeal. Everything went fine. Good communication from all parties involved, especially the supplying dealership. I collected the car ten days...
I am going to soon purchase a second-hand car from a Vauxhall main dealer. He says the car has been HPI checked as are all the second hand cars they sell. Do I need to make any more checks before purchasing...
I had my timing belt replaced 3 months ago, but it snapped. The garage says that the water pump broke and that caused the belt to break. The garage that recovered my car said that the waterpump should...
The tyres for my car should be 225/55/16 95W. Unfortunately the tyre supplier has fitted 225/55/16 95V. Would this affect my insurance?
I am considering purchasing a car in the USA (Florida) rather than paying car hire charges for lengthy stays (2-3) months twice a year. I would preferably like something the size of say a Freelander and...
I own a VW Golf Mk5 SE 1.6 FSI 115PS registered 16/05/2006. The ESP OFF light came on along with the skidding car motif on the console and would not respond to the switch. Peter Cooper (Southampton) Ltd...
I am thinking of changing my 2006 Focus 1.6 (113) Zetec for a new Octavia with the 1.4 turbo petrol engine. I would appreciate your view on small turbo petrol engines in general and this one in particular....
My Granddaughter, who is 17, hopes to pass her driving test in the next couple of months and my wife and I are thinking of buying her a car. I seem to recall you mentioning in your column that a KIA Picanto...
I am looking at changing from a VAG 1.6FSI petrol to a VAG 1.4TSI turbo petrol (Skoda). I have an unavoidable 40% proportion of sub-2 mile journeys from cool/cold. I do intermittent long motorway runs....
In your reply you suggest to HR of Oakham that he needs a satellite navigation unit that shows the prevailing limit and the true speed. I have two problems with this. Constantly watching the display for...
I am interested in the overfuelling problem about which you often comment. Can you please tell me if this affects diesel engines as well as petrol engines? It seems strange to me that with all the latest...
 

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