Questions from August 2010
My local Mercedes service centre quoted £450 for a B service to my 28,000 mile 2002 C220CDI auto. This seams excessive. Another local servicing garage has quoted £320 using all Mercedes components, and...
I read in the Motoring column today's Daily Telegraph that you have an interest in occasions of car cloning. I thought I ought to report to you a recent phone call I had from an Indian man who said that...
In your column you frequently mention that certain parts are used by more than one manufacturer (eg: old Ford Galaxy/VW Sharan/SEAT Alhambra), and some engines being used across a range of manufacturers....
The brilliant new Kia Cee’d CRDi which you correctly advised me to buy earlier this year (6,000 miles already) was yesterday shunted in the rear by an AA Patrol Van at Fleet Services off the M3. I will...
We moved to Dorset 18 months ago and have managed to survive with one car so far, a 7 year old Audi A6 Avant with 100,000 miles on the clock. We now need a replacement family car and want a car capable...
There’s regular and understandable criticism in your column from you and your readers about the damaging effect of speed bumps. Whilst I don’t like them any more than anybody else it would at least be...
I have just retired and need to replace my much loved 'X' registered Ford Focus. Although I am reluctant to do this as it has only done 47,000 miles, it will soon need a change of cambelt (and presumably...
I am considering an eco and tax friendly company car for a budget of £20k and an annual mileage of 12k. I have seen the SEAT Leon Ecomotive. Do you have alternatives you can recommend in that class?
Ford tells me that my 50,000-mile 2005 Focus 1.6TIVCT does not need the cam belt changing until 100,000 miles or 10 years. I have read the discussion but there seems to be conflicting advice. What would...
I am looking for a Vauxhall Astra and have found a 2007 model which only has 11,000 miles on the clock. The bodywork needs some attention but I am worried that, as the owner has only driven 11,000 in three...
I live in Tokyo right now and I think I will be living in the UK for a period of time as well as living in Tokyo. Im still 15 and I probably won't have £10,000 pounds when I'm 17, but I was always curious...
Well done, HJ! Great to hear your contribution on the radio this morning. The other chap did not seem to have any answers to your points. Keep up the good work.
The rear parcel shelf on my MINI has warped or bent such that it will not fit over the rear wiper motor cowl. When the hatch is shut it now forces the shelf under the motor cowl. I can use card board...
Good to hear you on Radio 4's The Today Programme this morning. I have a good example of the revenue-earning motives of the police and safety partnerships. About two years ago, a stretch of the A5 in North...
A pal of mine is now on his third new Porsche, a second generation 997 4S Cabriolet. It's about two years old, bought brand new from a main agent and it's driven by his wife. The clutch has failed twice...
I travel in my Motability car from London to Poland and wish to drive to Ukraine, but at the border they refuse me entry, saying the logbook of car is not correct. Because the car is on the Motability...
I find the RDS traffic updates through my car radio frequently 'behind the times', leading to being stuck in jams when I would prefer not to be. I am aware of the TrafficMaster QBusta but this looks to...
John, you state in your car-by-car entry on the Mercedes-Benz W202 C180 that the bodywork has a 30 year warranty! I called Mercedes-Benz, who said it is only three years. What is the real situation? Is...
I had an inch-wide one meter scratch across the rear door of my 2009 BMW 3 Series. Can you recommend a specialist to repair this who uses BMW OEM water-based paint and has a concealed spray booth? Also,...
My girlfriend owns a 54-plate Vauxhall Corsa 1.2. We have noticed that after a bit of rain, the next time she drives the car water sloshes into the passenger footwell when turning left for the first couple...
My local garage expertly services and maintains my Mercedes-Benz E200 Kompressor estate. However, as it is not a Mercedes-Benz dealer, they cannot switch off the message that comes up saying: 'Main inspection...
I am looking at buying a BMW E36 323i or 328i Touring. What are the bad points and what do I have to watch for?
I am a 39-year-old man with a family of five. I just passed my test two hours ago. I am kind of confused on which affordable used car to buy for my family. I have twins of 11 months and a little boy of...
Six years ago I bought, on your recommendation, a Daihatsu Sirion F-Speed. Yesterday, after six years of uneventful motoring, I part exchanged it for an Hyundai i10. All I have bought for the Daihatsu...
I've just received a letter from the police saying that i was caught (by a camera van) doing 81mph on a motorway in Scotland. From memory, the road was pretty dry, the sun had just come out and there was...
I just want to know whether you can tell me about the common faults on the 2007 Saab 9-3TDi Vector, and whether overall it is recommended to go for a Saab?
I've signed the paperwork to buy a new car on the basis of a very generous trade-in valuation. I think the dealer may have made an error, despite the price being agreed by the sales manager and being shown...
Have just returned from picking my car up after MOT and have been told that my rear tyres have slightly uneven tread blocks. The mechanic says it is due to the budget tyres that are on there and if I only...
I have a Vauxhall Corsa 1.4 auto Design. It cuts out when hot then, when it cools down, it starts up again. If I hold the revs at 2000rpm it will still cut out, but will start on Easystart for the duration...
I'm after information regarding my 1.7 VCT Ford Puma. I have had bad running issues for some time now. Basically, when I start the car from cold the engine revs up to around 3000rpm and slowly settles...
My teenage son has been given a fixed penalty notice for exceeding a 30mph limit by a policeman checking with a hand-held speed camera. The notice shows my son's date of birth as 30 June 2010 - this would...
Should I buy this 2001/51 Renault Megane? It's an ex-police car with all service history etc, but they say its stuck in limp mode. It's priced at £595. Is it a dud if their mechanics can't solve the problem?
How do you set up the lights on a Vauxhall Vectra? I need distance and height to set lights up against a wall.
I have just paid a £200 cash deposit on a used car at a trader's premises. We test drove it and the car appeared ok. At the time I had no internet access, however on return home I carried out a VOSA MOT...
I have a Ford Fiesta 1.2 Finesse 04 plate, petrol engine. When the fuel level goes below 1/4 of a tank, the car starts stuttering, like it's losing power, then suddenly gets it back again. The lower the...
I'm considering buying a 2007 Alfa 156 Selespeed Twinspark (1970cc). This is one of a small number of twinsparks that were sold by Alfa after the introduction of the JTS engine. I believe the CO2 emissions...
Last week I signed a purchase order from the local Vauxhall main agent for a new Astra "Exclusiv" 1.4i. I subsequently discovered that this description covers two versions of the same engine, one with...
My S-reg Vauxhall Vectra 1.8's engine management light has been on for a week. Does anyone know why?
My Audi A4 recently developed a misfire on number two cylinder. I've replaced the spark plugs but that didn't resolve it. I checked the coil pack and leads, and they seem ok. I even changed the injectors...
I've just been told by my garage that my 1998 Volkswagen Golf SE should have a new cam belt. He claims that when changing this, the water pump sometimes gets damaged so they sell the process of replacing...
We have a 2006 Ford Transit Connect which passed its MOT two days ago, but now it has no power. It feels as if there is no boost from the turbo. I've checked all intercooler hoses and found them to be...
My beloved 2001 MG F has got a fault with the gearbox. She sometimes revs then drops into gear, and sometimes she's fine and goes into gear no problem. I have been told that I might need a new gearbox...
I got my Citroen Picasso serviced in January 2009 at a Hyundai dealer, and was told by their technicians that it needed a new crankshaft pulley and tensioner. I told them to go ahead with the work and...
I have £6000 to spend on a used car. It should be 1.4 litre with a petrol engine, to cover about 7000 miles per year, mainly short 3-10 mile journeys and a few longer trips. It should be economical and...
I have a 2004 BMW 318 Tiptronic N42 2004. If the transmission light appears what should I do?
My Triumph Herald suffers breakdowns due to rotor arm malfunctions. I've replaced the part but no joy. Any suggestions?
I have had a very bad experience with renting a motorhome. When I went to collect the vehicle at the start of my holiday, I was not happy with the condition of the vehicle, I feel that the company should...
For the first time in my life I had to drive to Battersea, South London at short notice. When I got to crossing the river bridge, I tried to get into the left lane and go west along Embankment to get back...
Can you please tell me where the fuel pump is located on my 1998 Vauxhall Vectra please?
Elsewhere on 
