Questions from October 2010
I have a friend who, having spent the 1970s in the USA, has always driven with two feet. He does this today with his Nissan Micra. His wife has recently purchased a Skoda Yeti DSG and he says that it confuses...
I was interested to read the correspondence on rusting Mercedes-Benz cars. I bought four E-class Mercedes-Benz Estate cars in a row. The first three were excellent, both mechanically and bodily. I bought...
There are a number of what look like reputable companies advertising simple-to-install electronic upgrades that are claimed to increase the power output and economy of turbo diesel engines. They also claim...
My Honda Jazz auto Sport is just three years old. It has of course been serviced by new by the main dealer in Norwich. I have no idea what may go wrong in the future and I have only driven 16,000 miles....
My 19 year-old shopping trolley, a Vauxhall Nova 1.2 Merit Plus, will have to be replaced. Should I buy a Panda (2004/2005) or a Yaris (2003/2004) or a Fabia for £2,000 to £3,000? And should I source it...
We recently put the childlock on the rear door for obvious reasons but now the door will not open from outside or inside, obviously because of childlock. I'm a bit stuck. Can't take the door panel off...
I purchased a Sept 09 reg BMW 320i in March this year with only 1800 miles on the clock which would suggest that it had done mostly short journeys. It is now 12 months old and showing 7,500mls which have...
I own a 2004 Toyota Avensis automatic with 127,000 miles on the clock. When idling the revs are down to about 400rpm, the car will sometimes stall. My mechanic (an independent) tells me that he cannot...
I have an Hyundai i10, mainly brought on your recommendations, which I purchased in Sept 09 (59 plate) and it has just had its first service. On driving out of the dealership, I started hearing a wind...
Is the actual fuel tank capacity usually that given in the owners manual or is it fact larger to give one a margin before running out of fuel? This a question I asked myself when running short of diesel...
I watched your road test video of the Skoda Yeti and am encouraged to go for a road test. My wife and I are planning on retiring next year and we need to choose one car for the pair of us. She has a 2005...
my Zafira has been playing up for a while now when its low on fuel in looses power only on a left turn. However it's been in 5 garages now and they haven't got a clue. It's a 1.6 fuel injected Zafira 1999...
I have sent the following letter to the English local press here and in Spanish about the proposed EU ban from driving of elderly drivers. You may find it useful.
“Spain has had compulsory medicals for...
I was interested to read of the difficulties JG of London, SW5 is having with the Command sat nav on his Mercedes-Benz C320CDI. I also bought a 2009 320CDI and the satnav would only handle some UK postcodes....
I presently lease a Nissan Micra Tekna through the NHS trust l work for. The trust will not be undertaking any further leasing agreements when mine runs out in June 2011. I have decided to take on a personal...
Having owned and run a 1991 Land Rover Defender since passing my test at 17 four years ago, I was pleased to see the article a few weeks back in favour of older cars as first cars. The Landy has provided...
Would you be kind enough, please, to recommend a car that will do approximately 10,000 miles per annum, and will last for the next ten years, will do at least 10 miles per litre in mainly rural and small...
My husband has a Mercedes-Benz ML270, six years old. Last April he made an insurance claim, having damaged the front bumper and wing by driving into the gate across our entrance. The estimate we had was...
I have recently had a test drive in a Nissan Note Acenta and was quite impressed. Are there any comparable cars of a different make that I should consider? Or should I go for the Note N-tec or Tekna? Are...
I assume that I am probably in a majority who drive a manual as well as an automatic car. I do not understand your oft-repeated argument that drivers of automatic cars should use their left foot to brake....
We have a 2007 Land Rover Discovery but are looking to change for a smaller car, and are thinking about the Audi Q5 or the BMW 5 Series Estate. We do drive to Scotland several times a year from London...
In the Winter/Spring issue of the BMW magazine, BMW announced that it was making available a winter tyre and wheel pack in the UK for the first time. For my 320i Coupe SE the cost of four replacement wheels...
I drive a Vauxhall Vectra Elite. I have now finished work, as I am a pensioner and would like to downsize a little to a type similar to a Corsa for economical reasons. Please would you advise which cars...
I have a problem with an unpleasant aroma in my car. It is a Ford Focus Zetec and has done 26,000 miles. This peculiar aroma upset my wife's stomach, so I took it to my usual garage. They said that they...
Your reply of 2 October to BN quotes the record credit hire bill as £40,000. The attached judgment, involving footballer Darren Bent, raises this to over £63,000. You may not be aware that in Northern...
At age 73 and after 57 years without a traffic violation I finally hit the headlines with an "alleged excess speed offence" of 35mph in 30mph zone recorded by a mobile camera device in a leafy suburb of...
My son is interested in acquiring a Mitsubishi L200. He will not be able to afford a new one and so has been researching the secondhand market, including Mitsubishi dealer offers. Invariably, dealers quote...
Once a week I do a journey of three miles each way in town. Three times a year I do 140 miles each way, mostly on the motorway, and about four times a year I do about 50 miles each way. You have written...
You often publicise issues that seem unfair to road users: speed humps, road repairs, inappropriate speed enforcement and unfair parking charges, for example. Motorists are a huge proportion of the (voting)...
I recently took your advice to another reader regarding his fine for overstaying the permitted two hours at Aldi. In my case I incurred an £80 parking fine (reduced to £50 if I pay early) for staying too...
My husband contacted you a few weeks ago regarding the failure of the automatic gearbox of our Ford C-Max 1.6TDCI CVT with only 20,731 miles on the clock. I am unwilling to let the matter go and have written...
I called into Norton Canes services on the M6 Toll/Expressway services in the morning en route to a meeting in Northampton, staying just long enough to makes a phone call and use the toilets and then carried...
I was involved in an accident. A car ran into the back of my stationary car at approx 40mph and the driver immediately accepted liability, as have her insurers (RSA). The next day I received two calls,...
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