Questions from June 2010
I have found a Mazda 6 1.8s for £3995 with 103,000 miles on the clock. It's a petrol model with full Mazda dealer service history. Is this a good buy or should I avoid it?
I think my car has an air block somewhere. It starts every time, cold or hot, with no sludge or mayonnaise anywhere but when driving, the car gets hot and starts making gurgling noises from where you put...
I would like to buy a small car to get to the train station, do occasional school runs, go into the village, and also, when required, to use as a work car for occasional 270-mile round trips, mainly on...
A friend tells me that there are problems with the turbo on the 2005 Renault Espace. Is this true?
I have, for a while, had problem with overheating with the expansion tank in my Volkswagen Golf estate TDi, particularly when going up steep hills. I keep topping up the coolant tank, sometimes three or...
Hi, do you think if this replacement or modification is fitted, would any insurance company consider this a modification and increase the insurance costs?
I am really pleased with my Bentley Continental GT, but sadly the satellite navigation is poor, even compared to a basic Tom Tom. Please could you suggest companies that can help with an upgrade?
Can you still drive a 3-wheeler on provisional licence, as was rumoured long ago? I want to get a cheap secondhand microcar or even a 3-wheeler for my partner. Ideally we'd get her a scooter but she had...
I have a 2001 Volkswagen Golf TDI 130 and I've noticed that there is steam coming out of the engine in the area around the oil filler. I found oil around here and it seems to be finding its way to a slight...
The cooling fans in my Peugeot 406 don't come on when they should. I've checked the fuses and replaced one but it's still not working. Could somebody please tell me what the problem could be?
My old Volkswagen Polo is labouring and dropping revs when going uphill. What's wrong?
We are about to receive the DLA at its highest award which will mean a Motability car will be available to us. We have had Fords since the year dot and now have a C-Max (which I do not like due to the...
My best friend is coming back from New Zealand to the UK next year for four months, with his wife and two small children. He will be renovating a cottage in Scotland. I am trying to find out what is the...
My 2002 Vauxhall Corsa's dashboard lights suddenly cut out several times during each journey. I have had the radio and head unit thoroughly checked and also the car's electrics thoroughly checked by my...
I've found a Jaguar XJ V8 SE 4.2 SE SWB 4-door saloon in green. It's a 2004 model with 50,000 miles on the clock from a franchised Jaguar dealer. Is this a good deal?
I have an S-reg 1999 Ford Fiesta. The instrument cluster only contains a fuel gauge and a speedometer. Can a cluster containing a rev counter, speedometer, temperature gauge and fuel gauge be fitted?
I pretty sure European cars are better than American cars, but I always hear people saying American cars are better. I don't know why people say this but I need your opinion on who is better at making...
I bought a 2007 Vauxhall Combo van from a dealer in June 2007. Two weeks later it was towed back to them as it had the engine management light on and had lost all power. When I collected the van after...
An excellent and willing garage. Had a front coil spring break on Friday 3pm just prior to Bank Holiday weekend. Called in unnanounced. They put a guy on it straight away. Sourced parts and fitted them,...
My daughter and husband have baby and run a Honda Civic 1600 SE Auto and T reg Escort on last legs. They need two cars as she is a medic and he is to start teacher training shortly. They are moving to...
Excellent independent BMW specialist - Steve, who worked for many years at the Reading main BMW dealer. Very pleasant, helpful, knowledgeable and much cheaper than a main dealer.
My second car runabout, a very tatty H-reg Peugeot 309, has just suffered a cylinder head gasket failure (clouds of steam and drops of water from the exhaust). It's probably not worth even considering...
Having saved diligently for a few years my 22 yr old son finally bought himself, last October, a ‘decent’ car (Astra Diesel Hatch 1.9 CDTi 16V Sri 3 door - 2005) for about £7000 from a reputable garage....
I need a cheap large family car for general use (Asda trips) and longer road trips with lots of baggage. I only have about £1500 for the purchase. I would prefer a diesel automatic and preferably an estate...
My 56 Reg (Nov 2006) Volkswagen Eos has developed a fault with the ABS and my local Volkswagen dealership has quoted me £1300 to replace the unit, although they have offered a "goodwill" price of £680....
My local tyre dealer says that we don't need to fit higher than a T82-rated tyre to our average family cars (Astra hatchback 1.4, Primera hatchback 1.8 and Rover 200 1.4) as long as we don't go above the...
My partner's car requires two new tyres (the ones to be replaced are on the rear). As it is front wheel drive, the garage recommends putting the new tyres on the front - I would prefer them to go on the...
I am getting rid of my car for a Mitsubishi Chariot. I do not know much about Mitsubishi are they good cars or am I walking into a headache?
I purchased a Renault Grand Scenic four years ago when it was nearly new. I did lots of research, noted your comments, and still have the copy of your test report. We have enjoyed plenty of both UK and...
Can you suggest the top three cars for a penniless student? Budget £2000, low insurance and reliability are important, but space would be useful as I carry a lot of kit around. C1, 106 etc seem so small....
I have a Grande Punto Dynamic 2006 but registered as a January 2007, 5-door hatch, 10,500 miles, 1.4, metallic, spanking condition. Glasses can give me an automatic value only and my car is a manual. What,...
My son has a 1996 V6 Auto Omega, bought for a nominal sum from a friend of mine. It has given him 10 months' excellent service, and for about £500 it has just got through another MOT and been serviced....
We purchased a Vauxhall Astra Twin Top 1.8i new in September 2006. Four months ago we had a major part (engine timing kit) break on the car. The cost of this should have been £800 but Vauxhall charged...
I have recently received a new Mercedes-Benz C-Class on a 3-year contract hire. The small print states that I should get the car serviced at an 'Official Workshop'. I know that the warranty is not dependent...
Have you had any other complaints about the ABS unit fitted to the Vauxhall Zafira. I have a 49,000-mile car and I am trying to get a contribution from Vauxhall. At the moment they will not contribute....
My parents, both fit and strong, though of a late 1920s and 1930s vintage, cannot apply the handbrake of their Honda Jazz sufficiently hard to stop it rolling on steep hills. I just accompanied them to...
I have been using this garage for over a year now, and they maintain my old and fairly reliable BMW 3 Series. Pricing is good, service is excellent - very friendly and helpful - and they think ahead to...
We have all seen insurers gradually remove features that used to be part of "Fully Comprehensive" policies but one insurer has placed a formidable restriction on where you have your car repaired. All their...
One year ago I part-exchanged a 2006 Citroen C3 for a new Citroen C3 1.6 HDi (April 2009) with the same engine. The previous 1.6 HDi engine gave me very good fuel economy, 60mpg with mixed driving and...
What, in your view, is the best pre-1999 diesel estate?
I'd like to buy an ex-BSM FIAT 500, but neither FIAT nor BSM will tell me how the vehicles are disposed of. I read in the press that the cars would be channelled thought a FIAT main dealer for selling...
Drivearchive.co.uk cannot find even the vehicles that I am driving today! The DVLA vehicle search is much more accurate and complete.
I currently own a Toyota Auris T180 with the 2.2 D-Cat diesel. It is a great engine but the cabin is disappointing and, having recently become a grandfather, I need more boot/closed hatch space. I am tempted...
Your advice to DW regarding potholes is not totally correct. DW will need to establish two basic facts: 1) When the highway authority last inspected the road. It is these regular inspections which give...
I have purchased a 2006 BMW 520D Auto with normal tyres, not runflats. There is a cigarette lighter-powered compressor and a can of gunk in the boot, but I broke my cigarette lighter trying to get the...
What would you recommend for my mother who has just had a knee op and has trouble lifting her legs up over a ledge to get into a car. My wife's Scenic is ideal in this respect, but is too big for my mother....
I bought a VW Eos 1.4 160bhp Sport last summer. It rides on 18-inch alloys with sport suspension set up (factory standard for that model). Tyres are Continental 235/40 R18. Its ride has become too firm...
Having read your articles on the problems with these components and as I am considering the purchase of a new Skoda Yeti, I would like to know if these unreliable parts have been upgraded? I asked the...
I have a Mitsubishi Shogun Sport still under warranty with 12,000 miles on the clock. When I engage it in first gear, the clutch appears to slip and there is a juddering movement. There does not tend to...
What was the email address you published in Saturday's Telegraph which allows one to trace old registration numbers?
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