High fives

Last Saturday, the wife and I went on a test drive in the new BMW F10 5 Series diesel. Yes, it was very nice, but it was not great step up from the 2006 BMW 5-Series we are driving now. Do you agree?

Scrap unhappy

For the last week I've been helping my son look for another car. He drives a lot of miles, but has a wife and child to support on a minimal income, and £1,000 was his absolute maximum (unlike most of his...

Iberian persister

I have my 1965 Triumph Spitfire Mk2 advertised on a classic car website. I have been inundated with emails and phone calls by a chap in Spain desperate to buy my car, first of all unseen apart from a few...

Motor voter

Mike Rutherford writes about the increases in "road tax", as he calls it, for vehicles in the higher emissions bands. The Government clearly realises the truth that nobody needs a high band car and that...

Getting Teves fixed

The Teves Mk60 ABS/ESP problem is turning into a bit of a nightmare especially for pensioners like myself who have just bought what they considered to be their last car, expecting it to run for six or...

Battery free of charge

I’d like your opinion on my complaint to FIAT Group Automobiles UK Ltd. I bought a £35,000 FIAT based motorhome last year and after 1,700 miles the battery has failed despite a 3-year battery warranty....

Merky past

I want to sell my Mercedes C180 Classic FG52 LFK (88,000 miles) and buy a new C220 CDI SE BlueEfficiency manual. My current car was an Irish import, flat dark blue, no A/C, 6-speed manual (from Motorpoint)...

Paper moan

I am about to part-exchange my car for a new one with a main dealer. Wondering whether the motor trader may not want the car registered in his name (i.e. another owner) I rang DVLA to ask about the completion...

Is £3000 a good price for a 2005 1.3-litre Peugeot 206 with 17,000 miles?

I may have option to purchase a silver Peugeot 206, 5-door, 2005, 1300cc engine with 17,000 miles on the clock for about £3000. Is this a good price? Mechanic says it's in good order, just done MoT, a...

Where do I stand with Ford UK after my Fiesta suffered six buckled wheels over a few months?

I bought a new Ford Fiesta in November 2009. In March 2010 I noticed a bad steering vibration. This was checked at the Ford dealer who reported both front alloy wheels and one rear were buckled. Both front...

I bought a 2004 Audi A4 with a gearbox fault two weeks ago - should the dealer repair the gearbox?

I bought a 2004 Audi A4 1.8t Avant S Line with 75,000 on the clock from a dealer in Doncaster. I paid £8500 which included six months' tax. After a couple of days I noticed a whining noise and have since...

Do you recommend the use of snow chains?

Do you recommend the use of snow chains?

Can I run my classic Mercedes-Benz W123 E-Class on unleaded fuel with an additive?

I am buying a 1982 Mercedes-Benz W123 200E. It is in superb condition, having only covered 99,000 miles. Would it be better to run it with unleaded fuel and add lead-type additive, or is normal unleaded...

What should I expect as settlement for my written-off Volkswagen Polo?

My car was recently hit from behind and I have a feeling it will be written off. Car is a Volkswagen Polo 1998 R-reg, in very good condition before the accident. Anyone know what a good settlement price...

Where should I sell my Mercedes-Benz Vito van?

I wondered if you were able to advise me on the best route to sell my Mercedes-Benz Vito. It's a 2005 white panel van with 109,000 miles, which has been upgraded with colour match paint, windows, smart...

Why won't BMW repair rust damage on my 2003 BMW M3 under warranty?

My (June) '03-registered BMW M3 has developed several small bubbles on the paintwork of the boot lid (on the rear-facing surface). These appear to be early areas of rust. One area is associated with a...

How common is the Mazda 3 ABS / ESP module fault?

Any idea how frequent the ABS/ESP module fault is which affects the Volkswagen Golf V, Mazda 3, Skoda Octavia and BMW 1 Series? Is it a problem that all cars fitted with this unit will definitely suffer...

Are short journeys damaging the DPF in my SEAT Leon?

I have a 57-plate SEAT Leon with a DPF filter fitted. I recently went to my local dealer as a warning light came on my dash. I left the car with them all day, and on my return they told me that as I had...

Can I use a tow bar to tow a car on the motorway?

Can I use a tow bar to tow a car on the motorway?

Why do anti-roll bar link rods/ball joints start to make a noise?

Why do anti-roll bar link rods/ball joints start to make a noise?

Can you recommend an interior glass cleaner for my windscreen?

Can you recommend a good streak-free interior glass cleaner please? I like to keep the inside of my windscreen clean (condensation in winter especially leaves a film after it's dried).

How can I legally get my daughter's SORNed car to a Nissan garage for scrappage?

My daughter's car has been on a SORN for a couple of years and is not covered by any insurance. She wants to take it for an MOT in order to trade-in on Nissan's extended scrappage scheme (worth £2000 off...

Can you recommend a UK insurance company that offers a premium reduction for non-use?

I visit the States twice a year for approx three months at a time. I have an old Lincoln town car there for which my insurance is reduced by half when the vehicle is not being used on public roads. I have...

My Nissan Terrano won't start after an accident - any ideas?

I crashed my Nissan Terrano 2.7TD 1999 model and now it won't start. It's got fuel at the filter, got good battery power, it's not immobilised and I can't find a fuel cut-off switch. It just won't start....

What's causing this 'anti-pollution fault' on my Peugeot 307SW?

I have a problem with my 2003 Peugeot 307 SW HDi. The fault is showing up as an anti-pollution fault. It comes on intermittently and the car is running very sluggish and losing power now and again. I have...

Where should my Honda Civic Type R's clutch bite point be?

I have a 58-plate Honda Civic Type R GT and the clutch bite point seems to be almost at the floor. Is this where it should be?

Do I need to adjust my headlights before taking my car to Spain?

I am taking my right-hand drive car from England to Spain by ferry for a short holiday break. Do I have to make any amendments to my headlights? Do I need to take a road warning sign?

Can I nominate AB Motors of Fengate for your Good Garages guide?

A friend recommended AB Motors of Fengate, Peterborough and to my delight I could see why they had been so highly recommended. The mechanic on the case was friendly, courteous and was very genuine. He...

I need to replace my Peugeot 306 with another car for short trips and occasional longer journeys - petrol or diesel?

I have owned diesel Peugeots (309/306) for around 25 years and found them brilliant, doing 18-20,000 miles a year. Having now retired, my mileage is down to about 6000 a year, most of which are 20-30 mile...

Why have I lost my no-claims discount when no claim has been made against my policy?

I’ve a second car with two years' NCD. The policy runs out at the end of June so I should now have three years' NCD at renewal. Last November, I’m driving home and a pedestrian runs off the road and clatters...

Why's the electronic dash on my BMW fading?

I have a BMW N-reg and the mileage display partly works, by which I mean you get half the display. If you hit the dash it works for a while, but has been getting worse. It is an electronic display. Any...

Can we buy back our written-off car?

Our insurance company has told us they are writing off our car based on information supplied by my husband when we raised the claim. What is the process for buying back the car and getting it repaired...

What's the service schedule on a 2005 Volkswagen Golf diesel?

I have a Golf 1.9 diesel DSG on an '05 plate. It has done 82,000 miles. We do between 15-18,000 miles a year. We get it serviced every year and it has just had new rear discs and pads, plus an oil change....

I was mis-sold a warranty when I bought my Fiat Ducato Maxi Van - what should I do?

I bought a Fiat Ducato Maxi Van in 2007 through a specialist van dealer in Bolton, and was sold it with a 3-year 100,000-mile warranty. It's in its third year now and the slave cylinder has gone on the...

Can we buy back and repair our son's written-off V-reg Fiat Punto?

My son went into the back of another vehicle a few weeks ago. The car he hit sustained a small scratch - nothing else. His car sustained some damage to the front bonnet and bumper on the drivers side....

What are your thoughts on buying an ex-police Skoda Octavia?

What do you think about buying an ex-police car? I guess it would be well maintained but possibly hammered? The one I'm looking at is a 2004 Skoda Octavia with 100,000 on the clock.

What has caused my wife's two-year-old Volvo C30 to suffer a broken dual mass flywheel?

My wife's Volvo C30 2.0D has just suffered a flywheel failure at 2.5 years old, 21,000 miles. Volvo are replacing it under warranty but she is concerned about the cause, and whether there likely to be...

Can you have points removed from your driving licence earlier?

Can you apply to have points removed early to help you get a driving job?

Will Hometune use genuine Honda products when servicing my 2005 Honda Accord?

I have a five-year-old Honda Accord 2L EX automatic. If I use Hometune, is the filter and oil consistent with the Honda specified products, or should I pay the extra at a Honda main dealer?

How likely is it that my Mercedes-Benz 320CDI E-Class anti-roll bars need replacing?

My 2004-registered Mercedes-Benz 320 CDI E Class estate (Elegance) is producing a rattling, knocking sound from somewhere in the front whenever I go over even the smallest of bumps. The car has done 82,000...

Where can I have a narrow angle Volkswagen V6 engine modified for better performance?

Where in the Midlands or Northern England can I find an engineering company that can modify a narrow angle Volkswagen V6 engine for high performance? Many thanks.

Can I add K&M Auto-Techniks to your Good Garages guide?

I'd like to recommend K&M Auto-Techniks of Windsor. They are simply brilliant. As a female driver I have been pretty consistently unhappy with service I have received at garages - many, many over the years....

Is it reasonable to accept 50 per cent goodwill from Porsche towards repairing a blown engine on my C4S?

I bought a 2004 Porsche C4S with 10,000 miles on the clock (40,000 now) from a Porsche main dealer in 2007. Two weeks ago the engine blew up, which Porsche diagnosed as an intermediate shaft failure. I...

Where can I have my Volkswagen Polo's airbag reactivated?

I have bought a used Volkswagen Polo on which the passenger side airbag was deactivated by the previous owner. Volkswagen is quoting £120.00 for this work. Could you recommend somewhere else who would...

Is this a good part exchange deal for a new Land Rover Freelander 2?

I have been offered a Land Rover Freelander 2 GS, including metallic paint, for £23,000 on the road with £12,000 part exchange for a RAV4 '07-plate with 36,000 miles on the clock. I understand the Land...

When should the cam belt be changed on a 2001 Citroen Xsara Picasso?

I'm going to look at a 2001 Citroen Xsara Picasso 2.0HDi at an independent dealer tomorrow. It's advertised as "Full Service History, 8 Stamps In Service Book" with a mileage of 80,000. First question,...

What should I replace my 2002 Ford Fiesta with?

My husband wrote off my 2002-plate 1.4 diesel Fiesta and I am now left with the quandary of what to replace it with. I need a diesel because of the amount of miles I do each year. I also have three small...

Does the petrol Fiat 500C drive as well as the diesel version?

In your road test you thought the 500C drove like a sports car and was as good as the Mini Cooper thanks to the anti-roll bar. Is this the same as a torsion bar, which appears to be installed in the Diesel...

Do you think Audi will contribute to the cost of a new dual mass flywheel and clutch in my A3?

My wife bought an 2.0 TDI Audi A3 in 2005 and had a dual mass flywheel replaced under warranty after 36,000 miles in 2007. It's now out of warranty, has done 76,000 miles and needs a second DMF. Do you...

Is there a car in which the rear seats fold down to make a reasonably-sized bed?

I need a car that has rear folding seats to make a bed for occasional nights away with reasonable headroom, but not so tall that I can't easily get ladders on and off the roof. I have between £2000 and...