Trending topics in April 2010
Questions from April 2010
Do you have any feedback on the durability of Volkswagen's six speed DSG gearboxes as fitted to the current Passat? Do you have any advice to help reliability other than the standard 40,000mile/4 yearly...
I was interested to read the article about 4x4s in the snow by Erin Baker. It really amazed me that the various public authorities were not organised enough to request volunteers to use their own 4 wheel...
We purchased a used Peugeot fleet car 16 months ago. It is a 2007 Peugeot 307 SE SW 1.6 petrol. It was first serviced by the dealer in October 2009. Until then it had performed perfectly. However, following...
I noted in your website ‘What to Watch out for’ section for the Golf Mk VI: "Problems emerging with the 1.4TSI and 7-speed DSG: jerking at low speeds, losing drive, etc. One owner had the transmission...
For the second time in six months I have suffered a puncture in a runflat tyre on my BMW 1 Series. I have been driving for 46 years and prior to 2009 my puncture count was a mere 4. I have two questions:...
Last week I went to Tesco for a newspaper. As it was only a paper I went for I parked in a disabled parking space and ran in, I was only a few minutes And when I got back I had received a parking ticket...
In the 1980's, having spent 3 years working in Saudi Arabia, I treated myself to a Golf GTI Mk II and held on to it for 12 years. A super car. Now, somewhat older, I still have adrenaline in my veins and...
I feel very strongly that you should be more careful about the frequent advice you give your readers to use the Small Claims track of the County Court, because the fact of the matter is that this justice...
In the few months from new, my new car has been in the garage for over 2 months, of that we have been left with a small courtesy car, and some periods of having 'no car' for periods whilst the vehicle...
I am looking to change my Golf in the not too distant future and am looking for a mid sized diesel auto 4 x 4. I have studied your web site and driven the new Kia Sorento, which was very impressive. However,...
Can you let me know if one can legally go through a temporary red light at a road works that is failing to change to green and there is no oncoming traffic?
If your garage returned your car after servicing, by special truck, and damaged it, what would you do? The car: a Bentley. The damage: Scraped the entire front wing and part of the driver's door. First...
Is there an alcohol test meter you would recommend, please? I seem to remember there was one described in your column only a few weeks ago. What was that one, please, and is it the one you would recommend...
I am thinking of trading in a 57 Mondeo (10k miles) for a smaller 4x4 with good reliability and good performance and road holding. Suggestions would be welcome.
Are there any specific places in the UK where one can practice driving on the right, prior to taking my car abroad?
I would be grateful for your advice on the following matter. I have noted that on occasion you have highlighted the problems and associated remedial costs caused by failure of diesel particulate filters....
Just out of interest to Motorhome owners it is worth noting that whilst the main recovery agencies are happy to take your money most of them will not recover Motorhome over 6 metres long (which most are)...
Regarding your report about a driver being stuck in France with a Skoda Octavia that had a clutch release hose fail, apart from the follow up with the UK dealer, as reported it is the experience that damns...
I have just replaced my 156,000 mile 1994 Volvo 850 auto estate with an almost identical 1998 V70. This is the 4th consecutive Volvo estate I've owned since 1975 - all second-hand. I've followed your advice...
I am looking to buy a used car in the next few months. In the long term when I come to sell the car, will it be of greater value if I wait until March to buy it and it will be one-year plate older? Also,...
Following advice from you the other day I'm looking to get a 2nd hand Ford Mondeo Estate. I've narrowed the choice to two 2.0 TDCi versions - they're both at the same price. One is '05 reg, 48k miles,...
I have valid VW Road Side Assist and VW Extended warranty for my 8-year-old VW Passat and the car is parked outside on my driveway. Unfortunately my Alarm system suddenly took on a life of its own and...
Last August 09 I sold my car to a main dealer. They took the Logbook, MOT, etc. and they signed the V5 slip along with me and I sent this to the Royal Mail. In November I had a letter from the DVLA saying...
I am 79 years old and currently own a 2000W Nissan Micra Celebration and a 2002 X-Type Jaguar 3 litre automatic with £1,000 outstanding finance. Don't ask how I finished up with these two cars - it's a...
Last summer whilst I was parked at our local hospital, the car in front reversed into me as he was about to leave. We exchanged details and I had my car checked the following day but other than a small...
I'm sure you are aware that, with the increasing automation of many car functions, many modern cars have an Automatic option for their lights such that the sidelights and headlights come on and turn off...
Here is an excellent example of how VOSA as a governmental organisation can, and does help, motorists:
Dear A.R.,
Thank you for your note to VOSA's webmaster unit, which has been passed to this branch...
We have just bought a Citroen C4 Grand Picasso, which we're very pleased with. We allowed my granddaughter to sit in the front passenger seat. She is now tall enough not to need a booster set. A friend...
Not sure if you know much about www.webuyanycar.com , but I thought I'd pass on my experiences. My girlfriend got a quote from them for her old Punto. Slightly less than market value but we went anyway...
I wonder if you can help me with Volvo? I have a 2002/52 V70D5 registered. I am the first owner. Mileage is 77,526. It has been driven carefully and the MPG average over the whole 77K miles is 51+. The...
Emma Wall (Your Money, January 30th) attributes rising motor premiums to fraudulent claims and uninsured drivers. I suggest that the third reason is the increasing involvement of accident management companies....
When my husband died I was left with his 10-year-old SLK Kompressor and my own Abarth. An ideal combination. Unfortunately a recent illness has made it impossible for me to drive anything other than an...
My Nissan Terrano is 8 years old this year and has done 58,000 miles. I am a golfer and we live in a remote spot 700 feet above sea level so a 4wd has been very useful over the years. The vehicle has been...
While in the local depot having new tyres fitted I spent the waiting time looking at the discarded tyres in their disposal cage. It was quite illuminating to see just how many had severe damage to their...
It was clear to me that when speed humps started to be installed on our roads, that nobody thought about snowploughs. The avenue on which I live has full width speed humps along its length, and during...
My 4 year-old Fiat Punto with 14k miles on the clock was recently put through the MOT test and failed. I was contacted by the garage (Arnold Clarke, Newcastle under Lyme) and advised that it required new...
I am thinking of buying a 2nd hand Toyota Prius but almost all the driving I do is on the motoway - usually between London and Wales. I have been driving an old SAAB 900 automatic, which I need to get...
I know you have spoken out about clutch/dual mass flywheels before but the problem is very widespread. How can something be done about it? Is it fair that customers are still having to fork out for mechanical...
I have a Yaris Semi Automatic and hate the lurching effect. I had decided to buy the new Jazz and now discover from the article in last week's Motoring that they are adopting the same semi auto. So now...
I have a 2000 Corsa 1.7D GLS that doesn't look too tidy and with a high mileage but which has been very well maintained, with FSH and serviced every 5,000 miles. Everything works, it still drives like...
My May 06 Octavia 2.0 TDI has just been diagnosed with the failure of the ABS unit [G201 fault code]. I note your recent comments about VW covering the cost of replacing the pump, but from other comments...
Last July, just before my car insurance came up for renewal, I was side-swiped on a dual carriageway by a motorist trying to pull out to overtake parked cars without looking. There were no witnesses. The...
I have a handicapped daughter who travels in the rear passenger-side seat with me as the only other occupant. I have to have at least a medium size car to ensure that she cannot reach me to interfere with...
I have a Golf VR6. The car has started to overheat so I’ve pulled over to let it cool down. I’ve then topped it up with water, started the engine with the water cap off and water keeps bubbling to the...
My sister has a 2005 Golf Mk5 GT 140bhp TDi with climate and DSG
without flappy paddles but, with climate, option pack, metallic paint etc., with approx 55k miles on it. It has been on a VW service plan...
I have a 2005 Renault Grand Scenic 1.5 Diesel car that failed a year ago. The Renault Garage replaced the complete fuel injection system free of charge. I assumed it was covered under warranty or it was...
Your recent e-mail from a Volvo V70 owner in Eccles reinforces my belief that Volvo franchised dealers lack "imagination". I have owned from virtually new a 1999 XC70 which has done over 200,000 miles...
Your recent cover story about the Honda Jazz makes interesting reading, but I should like to add a few points. I bought a new 1.4i DSI SE CVT-7 at the end of 2008, which was one of the last cars imported...
Sometime this year I want to fulfil a lifelong dream by having a car built to my spec, basically it will be a late model car and be rear-engined with a GM LS type v8, say between 5.7 and 6.3 litres. I...
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