Ask Honest John

Honest John Ask Honest John » February 2011
Trending topics in February 2011
automatics buying car parking diesels dpf dvla economical electrical faults fuel economy hybrid insurance legal issues new cars owning petrol or diesel? road tax selling small cars technical issues wheels and tyres
Questions from February 2011
We have the smaller engined FIAT 500 TwinAir. I think it’s a 900cc. The salesman put us off the 1.2 because he said the smaller car was faster and better. I could not see how a smaller-engined car could...
We are getting some interesting cases at the moment that probably should be written up as articles. The first one concerns Enterprise rent-a-car that tried to charge a reader £1,675 for repairing a credit-hire...
My daughter wants to sell her good condition Ford SportKa 55-plate 50k miles. What's it worth in part exchange? With this as a deposit she can afford up to £10k to buy a five-door hatch. She wants something...
I have gone through a set of front tyres on my Ka in just three months doing just 3k miles. Balance and tracking is OK, but steering doesn't feel great. Any ideas what the problem might be?
Engine has overheated for the first time ever. Genuine 80,000 miles and have been told that the head gasket has gone. Car drives fine, normal oil consumption, but heavy petrol consumption and loses water...
Please could you advise me as to why you think the driver's side front and rear carpets are soaking wet. Do you know if it is a known problem with the Hyundai Getz? I know it is not the heater matrix because...
Are there any legal obligations attached to an MoT "advisory notice"?
I have a new Fiesta 1.6 petrol Titanium with the standard 16-inch alloys and 195/45 tyres. Both my wife and I feel that the ride is to firm and hard, unusual for my wife to comment on this, she has never...
My granddaughter is about to take her driving test, and consequently I have been revising my highway code, via the AA's 2007 edition. There seems to be very dubious, if not erroneous, advice on the topic...
Having a Seat Ibiza 1.2 TSI SE 5 door on order and having verified with my dealer that it would come with a full size (steel) spare wheel, I was alarmed to read that they are now only supplied with a can...
I was involved in an accident whereby a lady hit my vehicle from the back and admitted fault. I passed the details onto my insurance company and I got a call from enterprise rental who supplied me with...
The car has just been for its MoT which it passed first time however it got an advisory notice saying 'play nearside & offside steering rack arm' what does this mean? Even though the car is a 2004 its...
We want to buy a (probably new) Roomster as long as we can cope with the four-month wait. I don't know which engine to go for. Does this Skoda have the same VAG 1.4 diesel that appears to be disappointing...
I have owned a Hyundai i30 with a 1.6 petrol engine for last three years and I am thinking of changing my car. I have been offered a SEAT Leon Cupra R, from a Seat dealer, to change my car by giving mine...
My wife and I are looking for a second car. Our current car, a Skoda Superb is our current and only car and is, and will continue to be, used for commuting and long distance driving (ie to Wales, Scotland...
Does the New Nissan Micra come with an intelligent key system?
I have just ordered a new Honda CR-V 2.2 CDTi ES. It comes as standard with 18-inch wheels and I am aware you have suggested it would ride better on 17-inch wheels. If I went for this option whilst the...
Thinking of buying a 1996 P-reg Mercedes-Benz SL600 as fun Summer car in addition to my Subaru 3.0 Outback, price c £11k, 70k miles with history, some but not all main dealer. Car has had new hood about...
I am contacting u from South Africa and am due soon to go to the UK to buy a car. Im looking to buy a small RED convertible, four-seater automatic with left-hand drive as I will be then moving to Spain. I...
If the clutch fails, why does the dual mass flywheel invariably have to be replaced? This repair is extremely expensive.
Reference today's 'Blade ruiner' comment, I would like to mention that a little vinegar on a small piece of lint free cloth is ideal for cleaning the inside and outside of windscreens (front and back!). (Keep...
The local mechanic has used Castrol Magnetec 10/40 engine oil instead of 05/30 in my 2008 Ford Focus TDCi. Will this be a problem?
I have an Audi A3 SE Sportback, with the 1.6 TDI engine and have found the comments about fuel consumption interesting. My car is 14 months old with 12,500 on the clock. Many years ago as a driver of company...
In David Williams recent article there were several examples of people being prosecuted for 'Not being in control of their car' due to eating in their car, blowing their nose, etc., etc. Has anyone ever...
According to a report in your column on 5th August 2006 there was a Law Lords decision that it was not an offence for a motorist to warn others of a speed trap. Yet we read that magistrates are still fining...
The only way of making electrically powered vehicles practicable is to have their batteries interchangeable (charged for discharged) at drive-through service stations, requiring less time than it takes...
I am changing my car this year (2006/56 Mercedes E280CDI with 30k miles) and am considering either Jag XF, BMW X3 or perhaps another Merc. My concern is they all have this DPF nowadays and as I only do...
I would welcome and appreciate your advice on how to remedy three grazed areas on the backrest and head restraint of the black leather passenger seat on an 18-month old Mercedes. This damage is in the...
I spoke with you about a Fiat 500 TwinAir that our family is planning to buy. You told me you were going on a 600-mile trip in one over the weekend. Can you tell me where you went, and if it was hilly,...
I have been buying car insurance for many years and considered myself to be very experienced in driving down the costs. I have just been informed by my wife's insurers that her policy will be less if she...
I found the following info on the Bosch website: “ESP is to be mandatory for new passenger-car and commercial vehicle models from November 2011, and for all new vehicles from November 2014. The European...
Can you help to source available 1- to 2-year-old 1,300cc to 1,600cc. automatic cars ideally 4/5 doors?
Our son has been at university in America and for the past four years his car has stood on our driveway. Apart from the obvious problems of getting it back on the road, a friend tells me that there is...
We are looking to replace our trusty 10 year old SAAB 9-5 Estate with a new manual diesel estate (or similar). It will be used mainly for an 80 mile daily M4 commute. We drive to the Alps so it must also...
The VW futurecar featured recently, with quite extraordinary fuel economy could go even further if it could be adapted to be powered by the passenger, pedalling to power a small dynamo. Could this be the...
Is the DVLA in contravention of the Data Protection Act by giving my name and address details to Parkingeye Ltd? This is a private company and the ‘offence’ was not a police matter.
Of increasing interest to me and especially since the recent MoT failure of my diesel VW Passat with 140k over 11 years is how long to keep it. The car is in fair structural health, on a long run still...
We have a 3-year-old BMW coupe 53k miles and are about to re-warrant it for just one year with Warranty Direct. Choosing to use an independent garage for any work is obviously cheaper. At the end of 12...
Regarding MS's email on page M7 of Telegraph Motoring about using Cif on his windscreen; I use a potato cut in half and the exposed part rubbed on the windscreen, followed by the screen washer/wipers to...
I have owned a 2007 Chrysler PT Cruiser convertible for around 3 months and really love the car. However, during the first real cold weather in December the battery was completely flat after not being...
My daughter lives in the south of England and does a fair bit of motorway driving. She currently has a Volkswagen Polo that is eight years old and is starting to cost her money. We would like to help replace...
Are hybrids pointless? I have a Honda Civic 1.4 IMA hybrid. It returns less than 37mpg, confirmed by the trip meter and by calculation. I've contacted Honda, who declined to take any action, citing all...
A brief note to let you know that the parking gestapo has finally agreed to cease pursuing me for failing to display my valid ticket 'correctly'. It has been an unpleasant experience and I was subjected...
I am looking at buying a new shape Ford Galaxy on your recommendation. My budget is £8-£10,000. We will do 10,000 miles a year and two separate 5-mile journeys a day. Some of those available at low prices...
I currently run a 2006 Mondeo ST220 that I love, while my wife drives a '05 diesel Panda. We can no longer justify running both cars and will be selling the ST220 and Panda and replacing them with one...
Both you and AR are correct about the need to siphon oil from the sumps of boat engines. My previous yacht had a Perkins engine with a built-in oil sump pump. Fast and clean. However Volvo bought Perkins...
I'm being offered a 2000 model Mitsubishi Shogun GLS V6 LWB 3-litre petrol model free of charge by a family member. It's a very nice car inside, and has only done 30,000 miles, but it drinks an incredible...
I purchased a new Mercedes-Benz E220CDI in December 2009. In January I received a call from the dealership asking me to take the car in for a warranty job to be carried out. I took the car in and waited...
I drive a Honda 1.6 Civic CVT automatic. This car is 13 years old, goes very well and has some 67,000 miles on the clock. The Honda has been serviced from new by Inchcape Honda and has only required a...
My wife currently drives a T-reg Toyota Yaris, which has been a fantastic car. We are thinking of changing. She only drives 7,000 a year. We like the Suzuki Swift, but is there another you would recommend?
 

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