Trending topics in September 2010
Questions from September 2010
I'm told I may have a mass air flow meter problem on my Citroen C5, but don't want to go to unnecessary expense. The car is very flat, especially down at the bottom. It feels like something is holding...
I have a 2003 Volkswagen Golf 1.9 TDi. When I depress the accelerator, I get a kind of intermittent grinding noise coming from the front of the car. The noise stops as soon as I take my foot off the accelerator,...
I have a Volvo S70 SE 10v automatic 2435cc with a gas conversion which has been running great, until yesterday when the gas indicator went off. On my fascia I have a button that, when I press a blue light,...
I'm looking to buy a secondhand BMW 530i of about seven to ten years old, and I've found some really cheap ones. One obvious reason for this is they have over 100,000 on the clock! I've always heard that...
My 71-year-old mother drives a six-month-old Suzuki Grand Vitara manual diesel and recently the clutch started slipping, so she took it back to the dealer. They diagnosed it completely burned out and refused...
When do I need to change the cam belt on a Renault Laguna estate 2.2 diesel? I've just got the car and it's done 64,000 miles.
I have a Honda Civic Hybrid (07) and the car is due for it's three-year basic service very soon, and at £275 it seems a tad excessive. Anyway, the car has done 38,000 miles or so and Honda says the car...
I have recently purchased a 2004 Toyota RAV4 2.0 auto from an Independent dealer. From the day after I purchased it the MAL VSC TRC warning lights have come on and had to be reset. The diagnostic errors...
I have a Yaris Verso GS 2001 model in beige. When I bought it in February this year it had only done 9980 miles. It was a Category D but was repaired, and I checked the MOT history to verify the mileage...
I have an 1998 Audi A6 quattro Avant which has done 142,000 miles, and is by far the best car I have owned. It has just had a new MOT, and an advisory item is that new tyres will be needed soon, and I...
Which car seats would I need to fit three children (four years old, two years old, newborn) across the back of a new BMW 5 Series Touring?
I have a 2001 BMW 330d. The other day the Mrs was driving it home from the gym and it overheated. A friend at a garage the next day confirmed all the belts etc were intact and bled the system, and the...
I bought a used 2003 Rover 75 two months ago from a car sales showroom. The head gasket blew last week and subsequently at the garage the block was found to be cracked on my car. If my warranty does not...
I'm thinking of buying a Mazda MX-5 Mk1. I would like to get the English version but how do you rate this against the import? Do you know the insurance groups for both cars?
Can you adjust the clutch free play on a Ford Focus 1.8 1998? If not, what roughly should i be looking at to replace it?
For at least six months I have had a coolant leak, but there are no signs of a leak anywhere. I am now putting in one litre as frequently as every two days, after mileage as low as six. On the other hand,...
I took delivery of a new Audi A3 Sportback 2.0 TDi 170 S Line on 1 September. This is my third A3 and in all I have been very happy with the model. When ordering the new car I decided to go for several...
What is the best car between the Audi A6, Mercedes-Benz E-Class and BMW 5 Series E60? I want my car to be spacious, reliable and as comfortable as possible, and it has to be automatic and preferably the...
I am changing my nice but very-expensive-to-run Saab 9-3 for a Panda Diesel. I've not owned or driven a diesel car before. I believe the Fiats are OK, but what should I look out for and do to keep it in...
I notice that you have mentioned the need for new diesel vehicles to do a yearly minimum mileage when fitted with a particulate filter. The other week you quoted "15,000 miles per year'". No one mentioned...
The Nissan literature gives the overall width of the Note as 1690 mm but makes no reference to wing mirrors extended or folded. My garage is extremely narrow and I am anxious to ascertain the width of...
What are the rear seat width measurements for a 51-reg Mercedes-Benz E320 CDi Avantgarde automatic (estate)? I would like to know if it's possible to fit three child seats across the rear (two forward-facing,...
I own a 2001 TDDI Ford Mondeo. Driving in very heavy rain, I approached traffic lights which changed to red and I hit the brakes. The car stopped as normal but the pedal went down further than normal....
I've been told by the garage from where I'm about to buy a 1999 Land Rover Freelander 1.8EXI that it has had a conversion kit fitted to stop the head gasket problems associated with them. Is this correct?...
Friends of ours are staying in the UK for about 12 months with two small children, and want to buy a second hand seven-seat MPV and sell it when they depart. They have a budget of £3000. Can you suggest...
I am looking for something which is able to cope with the odd long trip across Europe, and can fit a lot of stuff in the back (I'm a sculptor - think bulky and messy). I've thought about a 4x4/jeep type...
I am looking at buying a Volvo V70 2.4-litre petrol estate for my work as a plumber, but I don't want anything new so I am looking at 52 plates and 03 plates. They all have very high mileage, around 150,000...
I'm tied into a finance deal for the next 18 months because I got a really bad deal, because of bad credit rating. Since then I've managed to get a new field sales job where I use my own car - a Ford C-Max...
I had a new water pump on my car, then two days later it packed up again. I took it to back garage and he said to me that I need a new head gasket, which we only had done two years ago. Is it the garage's...
How often does the timing belt need doing on an 06 Peugeot 407 diesel?
I have a Mk1 Fiat Punto. I've had no problems with it at all until yesterday, when I was driving along and the battery light came on and is now not charging the battery. I have it on charge at the moment,...
I'm considering buying a 52-plate diesel Vauxhall Omega Estate and wanted to know the mileage frequency of cam belt changes on this model.
We are looking at buying a Nissan Qashqai or Hyundai ix35 - we have two young children and like the style and space provided by both vehicles, but we are somewhat flummoxed by the finance options. The...
I bought a 2007 Citroen C4 SX HDI automatic on 22 April 2010 for £10,495. Within the first week it was signalling that the engine management system was faulty. The garage agreed to have the car inspected...
I have a 1999 Volkswagen Golf IV cabriolet 2.0 and the electric roof doesn't work. This is because the hydraulic fluid has leaked out. It seems that the pipe has come off the hydraulic pump which is situated...
I read your report on the Mitsubishi ASX. Can the stop-start system be switched off? I think it would be very frustrating in a stop and start situation, on a motorway for example.
I am currently on the look out to buy a secondhand car. I am looking to buy a BMW 1 Series 118d, up to 40,000 mileage and up to three years old. I had a look at the BCA site and see they often go for auction....
My Vauxhall Astra has just made a 'thud' sound when I tried to set off and now it will not drive. The car will go in gear and the clutch feels as normal, it just will not drive when a gear is selected.
I have a T-reg Volkswagen Golf. I would like to get my engine checked. Who can do this?
I have a 2007 BMW 318D E90 2007. When I engage the cruise control (70mph) it cuts out the engine and all kind of warning lights appear on the dashboard. I restart the car and it drives away without problems....
The display in my 2001 Audi A6 TDI 2.5-litre's dash is not clear at all. When I first got the car four days ago I couldn't make out anything at all. It did clear slightly, but now it has gone funny again....
My Toyota Auris has done 21,000 miles. The front tyres are at 2mm and the rears at 4mm. Should the new tyres go on the front or the back?
My wife ordered a brand new Honda CR-V for delivery on 1 September, but it arrived at the dealer several days late and, as we had not sold her old one, we were not too concerned. We would like to take...
I can't find a gasket for the EGR valve next to the exhaust manifold on my 2000 Volvo V70. Would you know of a supplier that could assist me with this part?
I hear a rumour that the new Honda Jazz will be available with the CVT transmission used in the earlier car. Do you have any intelligence on this?
My Volvo XC70 AWD (current model) is fitted with Pirelli Scorpion Zero 235/55 17 99V tyres all round. The rear pair are worn down to 2mm and need replacing. Is there any reason why I should not fit tyres...
What is an acceptable delivery mileage on a brand-new car from a dealer? Is 500 miles ok?
I have a 2000 W-reg Peugeot 306 diesel estate which produces a knocking from what seems to be the back of the car, although one witness believes the noise is from the front. Any suggestions please? The...
I am looking to cancel my car insurance policy as I am moving abroad. I am six months into a 12-month policy. I pay for the insurance by monthly direct debit. I have called the insurance company and they...
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