Should I use the main dealer for my service?

My wifes 2010 Aygo is due 20,000 ml service. Shall I use a Toyota dealer - pricey at £200 plus - or a decent independent I know? Will it affect my warranty or resale value using a non official garage?

Don't let passengers put their feet on the dashboard!

I'm horrified to see passengers of cars and vans, with their feet and legs sprawled over the dashboard. If there's an impact and the airbag goes off, I suspect the feet and legs of the passenger will...

BMW won't pay for a repair under warranty

In late January I purchased an 04 plate 645ci from a BMW main dealer. It came with a full year's BMW used car warranty. Since then, the car has been into my local dealer's due to blocked boot drains flooding...

Should I take this ex demo Avensis?

My local dealer is offering an 11 plate ex demo Avensis 2.0 D4D TR Estate for £18,000. I have a Panda Multijet on a 56 plate with 60,000 on the clock in reasonable condition for possible trade in. Is...

A diesel 4x4 for a GP

I am a GP in West Yorkshire and have to drive 24-30 miles a day through all weathers. I have been very happy with my old Subaru Forrester (1997) - which I fitted with all terrain tyres - apart from the...

Changing the wheels on my Audi A3 - what tyres?

Switching to 16" from OE18" wheels on my Audi A3 Cabriolet S-Line to ease hard ride. (Insurance compnay will be advised) I'm being ofered 100+ tyre options from 'Premium Performance' @ £45, asst brands...

Should I buy a Citroen C5?

I'm after a turbo-diesel 2-litre and have £2000. I would like something with room and comfort for long journeys. I like the look of a 110hp C5 any thoughts? Anything comparable from other manufacturers...

Topping up oil

I recently bought a new 1.2 Suzuki Swift. Only done 2,000 miles but the oil could already do with a top up. The handbook says the number 1 recommended oil is Castrol Magnatec 0w - 20. My question - is...

Clean my turbo or replace it?

The car goes into limp mode when under load going uphill. I have paid one garage to fix the problem by cleaning the turbo. It actually made matters worse. Discovered they actually only cleaned the inlet...

Is rear wheel balancing essential?

Is it essential to balance the back wheels? Just got two new back tyres and the guy fitting them said they dont balance tyres for the back wheels.

What tyres for an ix20?

Like many other readers I have been attracted to the Hyundai ix20 1.2 by your favourable comments. It drives really well and is more responsive than I expected, thanks for pushing me in an unexpected direction. The...

Faulty electric windows in Megane

The electric windows don't work on my Renault Megane. All other electrics work fine.

When do I change the oil in my Golf?

I have a Volkswagen Golf Match Bluemotion, bought new last August. It has now done 5000 Miles and the service is not due for another 5000 miles or 5 months. Would it be a benefit to a new(ish) engine...

BMW 3 Series offside tyre wear

I have a BMW 335cd sport coupe 2007. I have had this car from new and after 9000 miles I noticed the front offside outer edge of tyre wearing, and also that the steering was a bit skittish. I went to my...

Keep my car or scrap it?

My Ford Mondeo 115PS TDCI with 60,000 miles just broke down - NSR brake caliper binding. Last year it was front spring. I asked RAC man whether I should keep on repairing or replace the car and he was...

Yaris vs Jazz

I am looking to buy a Yaris or a Jazz, can you tell me which one you would recommend?

Topping up gearbox oil in a Reliant Scimitar

How do I top up the automatic gearbox with transmission fluid in my Reliant Scimitar SE5a 1975? There is no oil in the box whatsoever, however it goes through the gears without any problems.

Buying a family car

I currently drive a 1.5 tech run Renault Megane. We're expecting our second child and need bigger boot and more spacious interior. I also have a bad back so was looking for something higher up. Budget...

£5k estate also suitable for smaller driver

I'm looking to replace our 2000 Ford Focus 1.8 Zetec estate. The Focus is perfect for me but my wife who is 5'1" tall finds it difficult to reach the pedals. She tried a mark II Focus and the position...

I accidentally put petrol in my diesel tank

We are OAPs (that places us in the almost idiot class to some!) On Saturday my wife put £5.00s worth of Sainsbury's City Diesel in the petrol tank of her 2004 Daihatsu Charade - because the fuel warning...

Wheels and tyres for good ride on a Yeti

I agree with what you say about low profile tyres and have been trying to order a 1.8 TSI with factory fitted 16" wheels. This seems impossible, even if I could swap with a willing Yeti owner, they come...

An older driver buying a smaller car

I'm 72 and looking for a smaller car. Comfort is essential, as is fuel economy, low tax, and an automatic transmission. I am trading a Corolla 1.6 Automatic registered 04, 46,000 miles immaculate condition....

Side-swiped by a foreign HGV - what can I replace my Saab 9-3 with?

Yesterday I had my only serious accident in 47 years. A foreign HGV side-swiped me on the M25, I lost control and hit the central barrier head-on, and was then hit by another van too. When the chaos ended,...

Check bolt length when swapping from steel to alloy wheels.

When swapping from steel to alloy wheels, the most important thing to check is the length of the bolts. An alloy wheel is thicker and will need longer bolts, otherwise the bolts will not be secure in the...

How can I calculate the true mpg in my Mazda 6?

I recently bought a 1.8-litre petrol Mazda 6. The ‘info’ button reveals I am achieving between 42 and 43 miles per gallon. How accurate are these in-car gizmos at calculating miles per gallon?

My Nissan Figaro's power steering fault is proving difficult to repair - is the dealer liable?

My daughter purchased from a dealer a 20-year-old Nissan Figaro with a full three-month warranty. She returned the car as the power steering was leaking. A power steering leak cure solution was poured...

Is it correct to stay in third gear in a 30mph limit?

My wife recently paid to attend a speed awareness course (after getting caught by a speed camera) and the main 'instruction' from the lecturer was to always stay in third gear when in a 30mph zone and...

Why can't I contact a car's owner to tell him his car has been damaged?

Two cars had had a collision outside my home. I got their numbers. Unfortunately, an unattended parked car also had its near-side front wing damaged in the collision. I attached a note to its windscreen...

Why are some drivers so opposed to being passed by filtering motorcyclists?

I am a motorcyclist who will always take the opportunity of filtering when it presents itself. This is part of the point of a motorcycle. When scything between lanes of traffic, one is in a state of high...

How should I maintain my air conditioning system?

I can't recall having seen an item in your column about how air con should be maintained, for example how often re-gassed, de-odorised etc. Could you please advise? Will I get a better deal mid-winter...

Why aren't people forced to wear high visibility clothing when on foot on the road?

After a couple of incidents I witnessed this week it is so clear to me of the benefits of always wearing high visibility jackets at a breakdown situation or similar. Rule 274 of the Highway Code only advises...

Did you know that the user's handbook for the Skoda Fabia advises drivers to allow the turbo to cool down?

I have just bought a Skoda Fabia, which uses the same turbo-diesel engines as the Octavia. You may be interested to know that your advice is strengthened in the owner's handbook, which instructs (not advises)...

Is there a website that shows cars which have been caught by a speed camera?

I recall reading an article about how a speed camera recorded details if a vehicle was over the limit, but not sufficiently so to issue a ticket, and those records were kept on a site accessible to the...

How can I eliminate a bad smell from my Fiat 500?

I bought a January 2009 Fiat 500 and have had it for nearly four months. However, recently there has been a bad smell inside. It is not a petrol or oil smell. Could the cause be attributed to the cold,...

Why did VOSA take my boat trailer off the road after temperature-checking the brakes?

A reader recently wrote of the ridiculously heavy-handed way some VOSA inspectors check on MoT stations. Your readers might be interested in how the VOSA checks boat trailers. In July this year I was pulled...

Which car to replace my BMW 520d will be more reliable and easier to handle in winter?

My current BMW 520d auto estate company car is due for replacement soon. I commute between Sheffield and Macclesfield at an average of 35,000 year. The current car is very comfortable and suits my needs...

Fraudulent insurance claim has been made against my policy - how can I proceed?

On receiving my renewal form my car with Aviva, I noticed that an accident was recorded in the renewal form. On making enquiries (by telephone) I was told not to worry as this was being investigated and...

Why are some headlights blindingly bright?

Why is it that some brands like BMW and Audi appear to have much brighter headlights? Also, don't you think that the many people who leave fog lights on constantly are often responsible for dazzling oncoming...

Should the oil in my Meriva need changing at 7600 miles?

On 18 July 2011 we purchased a pre-owned 2011 Vauxhall Meriva 1.4 turbo petrol with 3,000 miles on the clock. On 18 December 2011 a warning message came up to say that a service was due, and the oil and...

Why does my Volvo V70 use so much oil?

We bought a used 2006 Volvo V70 T5SE in April 2011 with 59,000 miles on the clock that continues to consume about a litre of engine oil every 2000 miles. We took the car to the dealership that supplied...

Where should I service my Hyundai i10?

On your advice I bought a facelifted Hyundai i10 1.2 automatic. I just wanted to say that I am delighted with the car. However I am not sure whether I should wait 12 months to have it serviced? My nearest...

Which small automatic offers easy loading and a high seating position?

My eighty-year-old in-laws are looking to change from a Nissan Primera to something smaller for their final years' driving. Given that they need an automatic, space for a folding wheelchair (without a...

Should I buy a cheaper Aston Martin from a non-franchised dealer?

I am about to buy an Aston Martin V8 Vantage. I have a choice of two almost identical cars with full service history and with 16,000 and 18,000 miles on them. One is with an Aston Martin dealer and is...

Why is my Lexus GS twitchy under steering?

Having read several road tests on-line, it seems my Lexus GS is prone to twitchy steering at low speeds. This is due to the variable-ratio, speed-sensitive, electronic power steering, which gives a high...

Why are some car headlights so bright?

Is it just me or have you and your correspondents noticed how bright some vehicle lights are? I think it may be time to revisit the motor vehicle construction and use laws in this regard. I believe, but...

Which cars offer good comfort for a back pain sufferer?

I had a slipped disc a few years ago, and still get backache. I find that sitting for more than about half an hour brings on back and leg pain, and driving has become a particular problem so I now take...

We'd like to buy a car with easy access and a petrol engine - what do you suggest?

Increasing age has made us consider our future motoring. We've passed our second car, a Volkswagen Polo, on to a granddaughter and are considering downsizing from our A4 2.0TDI SE saloon to something smaller...

Charged for an insurance renewal I didn't want - how can I dispute this?

My car insurance expired on 5 November 2011. I did not renew with that company as I obtained a cheaper premium elsewhere through a price comparison site. I have now received a letter from them stating,...

Is the Mazda 2 automatic suitable for a diabetes sufferer?

I have type two diabetes and am finding it unsafe to find the clutch pedal on my Terios. I use also a MX-5 Powershift, which is fine. I have to have a second car with a bit of guts for continental working....

My Skoda has suffered an irreparable turbo fault - who is to blame?

I have a 10-year-old Skoda TDI with 1.9 diesel engine and 70,000 miles on the clock. My wife drives the car, and even she complained of lack of power. I took it to our local garage complaining that the...