Trending topics in September 2010
Questions from September 2010
I'm getting a van and I want one in which two people could sleep in the back and do some rough camping on surf trips. The biggest issue for me is fuel economy. I have only £2500 to spend. I have a 1997...
Approaching Luton airport in the early hours, there was a tailback of slow-moving traffic some 1000 yards from the terminal. My son, who I was dropping off, decided to alight and walk. Only when I turned...
I have a 2000 320CDI Mercedes-Benz estate with 175,000 miles, owned from new. The latest problem is with the automatic gearbox. It won't go from park to drive unless you stop and start several times, and...
My 2005 Toyota Hilux's clutch pedal seems to go down on its own with little assistance and needs my foot under it to bring it back up. This is happening more frequently since it started two days ago. Any...
Twice within 72 hours my Citroen C5 automatic diesel saloon (reg May 2009) has ground to a halt within less than a mile of setting off. On both occasions the audible alarm and visual display came on to...
Whilst my car was being serviced today it was involved in an accident in the garage, resulting in damage to the bumper and damage to the back quarter. The garage has accepted all blame but I don't want...
How do I get the door mirrors to fold in on my Peugeot 207?
My wife is using a Subaru Forester XT 2.5 auto which we bought in 2009. I anticipated that the annual mileage would be around 6000, but in fact it's double that due to two 30 or 40 mile round trips per...
I just bought a 2005 Chrysler Grand Voyager 2.8 with no manual. I don't know how to operate the sat nav or DVD player. Any suggestions?
I've recently bought a Citroen C5 2.0 HDI VTR believing the wheezing noise was coming from the alternator, but a friend has now told me that it could be coming from the turbo. I disputed the fact that...
We currently own a Volkswagen Passat SE TDI 140 Auto which is now over three years old. We find it very comfortable but want to trade down to a smaller, equally comfortable car. What would you suggest?...
Do you know if the Vauxhall Monaro has ever been produced in left-hand drive?
I retire in October and I'm considering buying my company car, a 57-reg Ford Focus 1.6 TDCI 90ps which has done 45,000 miles (I'm currently getting 64.8 mpg). Does it have a diesel particulate filter?...
Where can I purchase the cheapest replacement turbocharger for my 2004 2.0-litre TDCI Ford Mondeo? Also, if I was mis-sold said Ford four years ago as never being in an accident or written off, but have...
I have a 2006 Audi 3.0 V6 TDI. Does this engine have a particulate filter? At the last service the garage used long life oil and said it would not need another service for 24 months. I don't do a high...
I sold my car to a really nice guy who drove it round the block. I suggested going further to "open it up a bit" and he went a little more, but not far. He offered me a cheque, slightly below the asking...
What are the realistic fuel figures for a 2006 Honda Accord 2.2 CDTI Tourer? On average, I am returning approximately 39 -42 mpg for general careful driving. Can you suggest any changes that can be made...
I've got a question about the choice of Mitsubishi Colt (08, manual, petrol) and Honda Jazz (08, manual, petrol). I need a car for my job every day in London, which is 10 miles away from my home. Sometimes...
You have previously recommended a firm which accepts, prepares and sells cars at auction for clients. Will you remind me of its name, please?
My new Opel Astra 1.7CDTI SE (110) is still heavy on diesel with over 13,000km on the clock. The manufacturer quotes circa 61mpg, whereas I am lucky to get 45mpg. I don't drive very fast and don't have...
I am looking to buy an E220 Mercedes-Benz saloon and the garage has put four new tyres on. They are NANKANG ULTRA SPORT NS-11 225/55 R16 95V. The garage assure me that these tyres meet the specification...
I just bought a Peugeot 307 HDI 2002 2.0-litre 110hp and it doesn't go over 3000rpm.
I've just purchased a MINI Cooper 54 plate, costing me £6299 from a small dealer. I have finance on the £6000, and have paid £299 cash. I bought it on Saturday. It went for a service on the Monday and...
Which of the Avensis D-4D diesel engines does not have a timing belt? I fancy one, but I've had enough of worrying about the belt change on other cars I've owned.
I need to buy four new runflat tyres for my BMW 535D. You say that there are now "third generation " runflats that give a much better ride. Can you tell me where or when I will be able to buy them?
I would like a great family car in the large executive range. I have between £20-30,000 to spend for a new or ex-demo, but could go a bit higher if necessary. What would you recommend? I really don't want...
I am using a glow plug style vegetable oil pre-heater unit on a Citroen Xantia with a Bosch pump. My fuel mix is 80 per cent new vegetable oil and 20 per cent diesel. It was fine at first, but now it stalls...
Which breakdown service do you recommend?
A buyer has a 2003 Audi TT 1.8 Quattro Roadster in mint condition, with 48,000 miles, two owners and a full history for £8995. Is this a good deal? I have a 2009 Ford Fiesta Titanium 1.6 to trade.
I am looking for a mains adaptor for a 12v tyre inflator in order to avoid draining my car battery in winter. Can you recommend one?
My wife runs an R-reg Renault Megane for twice-daily short journeys, taking our three Labradors to an area of sand dunes where they walk. The "car park" is unmade and is very uneven, mostly worn grass...
Recently I've noticed that upon acceleration at 50-60mph the steering on my Ford Focus Mk1 feels very light, to the point that I feel I could lose control if I enter a lane to quickly without breaking....
I recently bought my wife a new Vauxhall Corsa. I was surprised to see that it does not have a temperature gauge. Why does this car manufacturer do this?
I need to find a replacement reliable, cheap-to-run car for my parents. Their current car (an M-reg Nissan Sunny) has rusted to the point where it is going to cost more than it is worth. I would like to...
We are considering purchasing a 4x4 for our growing family but are not sure of the best option. Our budget is £16,000 and we are considering the Land Rover Discovery, Volkswagen Touareg, and the BMW X5....
I've been offered a Ford Ka on a 53 plate with just 18,000 miles on the clock. The low mileage is because it has been standing in a garage for five years. Should I buy it as a low mileage motor or run...
My Vauxhall Astra Life 1.8 16v 91H 2007 has a warning light showing a car and spanner. I have just had an oil change, so it can't be that. Any ideas?
You said in a recent reply that the ESP (Electronic Stability Program) control could suffer a failure after three to five years. The replacement could cost up to £2000. Would it be an advantage to disengage...
I was driving along in the rain today when my Ford Focus decided not to work. I had my foot on the throttle and I was getting no response. I then stopped, put my foot on the clutch and revved the hell...
I want to buy a used Fiat Doblo van 2001 - 2005 and have up to £3000. For safety reasons I want it to have ABS. Is there any model I should look out for that has this function?
I pull a large caravan with my 2006 Ford Galaxy 1.9 TDI 115ps, within towing regulations. In France on a long hill, not overly steep, there was a big drop in power - it felt like the turbo dropped out....
Our Volkswagen Golf is coming to the end of its life after over 170,000 trouble-free miles and we'd like some advice on getting a new MPV. Whatever we buy we want to keep for another 10 years at least....
This is a very important question as many vehicle owners suffer sticking vanes in turbochargers due to carbon build-up, which is very expensive to fix. Do any of the super fuels (V-Power, Ultimate or Excellium)...
I'm going to take a look at a 56-reg MkV Volkswagen Golf TDI at a local independent dealer at the weekend. I've had quick browse on here and found a lot of people talking about the ESP fault that seems...
You recommend fitting third generation runflat tyres to improve ride quality, but I have been unable to find any for sale in the UK. The most common mentioned is the Bridgestone Turanza but that was the...
I have a 1952 Ford Prefect insured third party, fire and theft. A fault in the trafficator caused the loom to short. The dash, headlining, door card, front carpet, steering wheel and driver's seat are...
We need a cheap small secondhand runabout with low insurance, road tax and running costs and for teenagers to learn to drive in. The Aygo, C1 and 107 are essentially the same car, but I'm concerned that...
My three-year-old Audi A4 Cabriolet has developed a fuel leak somewhere low down behind the engine. Is this a known fault and am I likely to persuade Audi to contribute to correcting the problem?
I have an N-reg Peugeot 405 TD and for the past week the car has got a lot quicker, but this has come with a noise during boost. What would you say it was?
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