Trending topics in September 2010
Questions from September 2010
Your response to PB's letter on 19 June states that "in an automatic, left-foot braking is the only way to remain in full control of the vehicle at all times". As we manual drivers brake with our right...
I have a 2001/51 Mondeo TDDI 115 diesel estate. Should I change the clutch in Scotland or in Portsmouth? Mr Clutch (in Portsmouth) total charge for clutch, dual mass flywheel and some other parts (everything...
I drive a MINI Cooper 2006 and as my family is growing I am looking for Nissan Qashqai + 2 2.0DCI or Ford S-Max 2.0TDCI. I am finding it difficult to make decision. Please could you advise? My maximum...
My three-year-old BMW 320i SE Touring has just encountered a DSC unit failure and I have been quoted £425 for the repair by the local dealer. The car is three months out of warranty and has only done 18,000...
Let me state straight away that I'm not a Nissan salesman and have no connection with them, other than having owned my Pathfinder for just under 3 years and 62,000miles. I just wanted to let you know my...
I know that skidpan-training courses are two a penny, but they all involve cars with manual gearboxes. Are there any courses / places that offer cars with automatic gearboxes for those who cannot drive...
I currently have a 6-year-old Subaru Forester 2.0iX with which I have been very happy but am thinking about a replacement. My budget is £20,000 plus part exchange and I am looking at another Forester or...
I have often thought that the mileage taken for the fuel gauge to noticeably drop below the 'Full mark', after filling the tank, can be quite variable - suggesting that the nozzles on the pumps are not...
We have been looking to buy a 2-3 year old Mercedes A170SE auto for £10,000 - £13,000. As we want a light coloured interior and they are as rare as hen's teeth we have been offered a brand new A180 elegance...
I am going to be in Scotland for the next 10 or 11 weeks. The cheapest car rental I could find is over £1,500. Should I try to buy and re-sell, or are there places that rent older cars more cheaply? I...
www.w124.co.uk offers retrofitted 7-seater conversions for W124 estates. But I am looking to purchase a 2006 or newer E-class estate and clearly the 7-seaters are in short supply with the other options...
I was pleasantly surprised at reading about Renault's intention of developing 'quick drop stations' to swap batteries in their electric cars. For the past two or more years I have been banging on about...
I have a FIAT 500 1.3 Multijet Diesel. About two weeks ago I had the problem, exactly as described in your column. I towed the car to the FIAT dealership and got from them the answer that there were 2.5...
I am about to replace the rear brake discs on my Renault Scenic. It looks pretty straightforward, but has anyone done it before and have they learnt anything that would be useful to me? I bought a Haynes...
I have a Citroen Synergie on which the rear nearside door will not open or unlock
I have ordered a new Skoda Superb Elegance. As I do mostly short trips I have gone for the 1.8 petrol engine. Do you know of any problems with this engine? Also, I asked for 17-inch instead of 18-inch...
Sometimes when I start my T-reg Peugeot 306, my fans come on straight away and the stop light comes on as well. If I wait the light goes out and the fans go off, everything runs fine. The temperature is...
I keep hearing about the problems you get with diesel particulate filters if you make lots of short car journeys from cold. Can you tell me if the Land Rover Freelander TD4 ES 2002/2003 models have these...
I have a high mileage (147,000) 2008 Volkswagen Passat estate and since February this year all injectors have needed replacing. Is there a problem with injectors on this model?
I've owned my 03-plate Mercedes-Benz SLK 200 Kompressor for five years. It was supplied by a Mercedes-Benz dealer but I have chosen to have it serviced by a non-franchised company with Mercedes-Benz experience....
Our new Toyota Verso has a speed limiter, which I have used quite a lot particularly for motorway contraflows. I used to use the cruise control for this, but with the speed limiter, you can quickly decelerate...
My 2003 Vauxhall Corsa's dipped lights won't come on. All the other lights are working. Is it just new bulbs I need?
I have a 2002 Ford Focus 1.6i. I lost the original coded key, and have another ignition with one code key and another normal key, but the car doesn't start. Do I need to reprogram the key? How do I do...
Some years ago I saved a considerable sum by importing a highly specced Mercedes-Benz from Holland. I am now looking at buying the new S-Class with the new diesel engine and wondered whether it was still...
Could you please make a comment on why my 1999 Mercedes 250 Turbo Diesel Estate engine has become extremely noisy since a faulty glow plug has been replaced? I have owned this car from new and it has only...
I bought a Renault Laguna Privilege about two months ago. It drives like a dream, although it keeps cutting out when I come to a stop. Also I have noticed a slight ticking or light rattling between 0 and...
I bought a 2006-registered Skoda Fabia in December 2008. The car had 47,000 miles and was in good condition. At the time of purchase, I was given 12 months' Skoda warranty and was asked if I wish to extend...
I think I have cracked the problem related to the Renault Clio coil light coming on, followed by fluctuating revs and cutting out at junctions and when driving off. I have the 1.2 (1149cc) 16v Clio II...
My seven-year-old Vauxhall Zafira has been faultless, but lately it seems to make heavy weather of speed bumps. Can the suspension fail gradually or is it always sudden?
Is there a document which lists vehicles in order of width and compares this year's model with previous versions? My wife needs a narrow car to fit in our garage. Previously a Fiesta was fine but we suspect,...
I was recently stopped by the police while I was driving my mate's car and he was in front driving mine. I thought my insurance would cover me but it didn't, and the car was seized. Can police seize the...
I need to know about the long term reliability of the Volkswagen Audi DSG automatic gearbox. My car is an 06 plate with 50,000 miles and I bought it from Audi with a year's warranty. The warranty will...
There are two different noises on my recently-bought 2006 Peugeot 407 SE diesel. The first is a squeaking noise occasionally from the clutch. The garage thought this was a worn ball joint and put some...
We are looking at purchasing a replacement car for my better half. Annual mileage circa 12,000, consisting of four daily 30-mile commutes on dual carriageways and very little long distance motorway driving....
Partially based on your review, we would like to buy a new Citroen C3 Picasso, but it has to be an automatic. All our local dealer can tell us is that it will be available sometime in 2011. Do you have...
I have a 10-year-old Ford Focus 1.8 LX TDDI. It lost power while driving earlier this week and wouldn't start again. The local Ford dealer in Northern Ireland is quoting £660 to have a new pump fitted,...
Does anyone know if the odometer is on the ECU or on the dash of a 2000 Volkswagen Golf 1.4? The mileage on mine is very high and the guy told me I can get it changed to what I want. If I change the gauge...
I have a Citroen C2 1.4 diesel (2006) which has done 32,000 miles. The digital speedo has stopped working, the odometer isn't recording miles and the info display is telling me a variety of things all...
I live in Thailand and this week purchased a new Ford Focus TDCi 5Dr 2.0L Sport. The car is great but firstly I cannot find a metal VIN plate. There is a plastic sticker on the door pillar and the number...
I have a 2002 BMW X5 which has got transmission problems, has displayed a transmission error ('Trans. Fail-Safe Prog') on the dash but is not now showing. My dad said that he had read an article where...
My garage suggests I should replace the timing belt on my 2003 diesel Toyota Carina Verso, which has covered 32,000 miles. Toyota's service booklet recommends replacement after 60,000 miles, but no age...
Last year my 1996 Peugeot 106's horn stopped working. It was fixed free of charge when having some other work done as it was just a loose wire. It stopped working again recently, but this time i took it...
I have a Kia Shuma and noticed the other day, when I switched the air conditioning off, that a noise came from the engine. I have had the AA out to look at it and they say the bearing for the air conditioning...
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=85270
I looked at the above thread and I have suffered the same problem with my car. Is Volkswagen liable for this?
My 06-plate Vauxhall Corsa 1.4 SXI's boot will not unlock. All doors will open, but the boot stays in the locked mode. I can hear the solenoid activating but the latch will not release.
I'm looking for a secondhand car that is narrow enough to fit into my garage (1.96m) and also allows easy access for my aged parents. I've found a Fiat Idea, but it's six years old and I'm worried about...
I have unwittingly sold a bike which I believed I had both registered in my name and declared as SORN seven years ago (having sent the relevant forms off). The DVLA have now written to me as the new owner...
I have a 1994 Vauxhall Cavalier turbodiesel with a 1700cc Isuzu engine fitted. It has just passed the MOT but I have been having problems with the power. It pulls ok on the straight but when I go up any...
I have a 2.5-year-old Volkswagen Golf. It's only done 26,000 miles and the clutch is starting to go. I have spoken to the Volkswagen garage, who informed me that the clutch isn’t covered due to wear and...
My son owns a Peugeot 106 1.1 Independence and is soon to go to university. His insurer will only allow him to cancel his insurance and get about £350 back from an annual policy premium of £940. Would...
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