Steering problem with a new car

I have a new Nissan Micra Acenta. I have only been driving it for three days. Yesterday I noticed that when I was driving on a very narrow windy country road. I braked when turning and the car veered...

Declaring past 'driver awareness' course to insurers?

Am I required to declare a speeding conviction when I renew my car insurance when I accepted the "Drive Awareness" course incurring no points?

Golf opens itself

Why does my central locking open by itself and at the same time electric windows also go down by themselves? This happens when car is locked and no one is near the car or keys This is on a mk4 Golf 1400.

Diesel cars - expensive problems due?

We have a 2005 Nissan X-Trail DCi Sport which has done 90,000 miles (we've had it since it was under a year old). After having a new turbo and intercooler under warranty after 2 years, it has been very...

Interior light issues

Courtesy Lights do not work with the front doors but do with the rear doors?

Diesel engines - turning them off?

I have recently purchased these two cars, both turbo diesel. As a first time user of diesel cars, have heard that before switching off the engine one has to keep it running for a couple of minutes. Is...

Fabia or other?

My elderly Honda Accord has just passed its MOT, and I think now is the time to get rid, hoping that the 12 month MOT will help resale value! I am currently looking for a smaller car, that hopefully is...

Small automatic for wife with baby

My wife is due to have our baby in October and we need a small automatic hatch which is reliable and around £6,000. Four door and space for baby things. Can you suggest one please?

Insurer's valuation reveals patchy used car history

I bought a 2005 Vauxhall Corsa with 11000 milles from a car supermarket at full price back in early 2008 in ignorance of its previous history. Four weeks ago I was waiting at some traffic lights only to...

Which three-year-old diesel auto?

We want to buy a 3-4 yr old diesel auto and have narrowed the choice down to a Ford Mondeo 2.0 TDCI Ghia or Skoda Octavia 2.0 TDI PD Elegance with 12-month manufacturer's warranty. In either case we...

Saab 9-3 hood hydraulic fault

I have leaky hydraulics on my hood which I need deal with fairly quickly as I have bought a repacement car. Timing is everything they say! Local SAAB dealer has inspected and told me the part required...

Can I be added to my mums insurance?

I am 17 and doing my lessons, aimed to pass around christmas time. When I pass will I be able to be added to my mums insurance in order to drive the car?

Power loss at over 3000 revs in Vectra

My Vectra has been a great workhorse but now when accelerating hard the power fails at around 3000 revs. I have been advised it could be the air mass indicator that has failed. Could this be so?

What spacious vehicle?

Currently own a zafira which I'm looking to replace, My work is parcel delivery (carry anything from packages to heavy parcels upto 17kg and 1.50cm in length, so need plenty of space but also being economical....

Dashboard reflection

Recently hired a Peugeot 107. It was almost undriveable in sunlight owing to total dashboard reflection. This is a serious design flaw and very dangerous. It was worse than somebofy shining their headlights...

Should I worry about DPF and DMF?

I have a June 2010 C Max, manual, 2.0L Duratorq-TDCi (136PS) - DW10, old model, with DMF and am pretty certain a DPF. The car has done 34k and I usually do around 16K per year including towing a caravan...

Buying a second hand family car with seven seats - what would you recommend?

We need to replace our 2003 Renault Grand Espace with a 7 seat family car for two adults and four children. Our annual mileage is about 6000 and we do quite a lot of short journies, so a petrol engine...

Optional DPF?

Is it true that the 1.6 HDi 90 engine on the Citroen C3 has an option for a DPF? If so would I be right in assuming you would recommend the one without one?

Want to replace our two cars - what do you recommend?

We currently run two cars and would like to replace one or both in the next couple of months. My husband drives an 03 plate Toyota Corolla vvti 1.6 and commutes about 50 miles per day - half on pretty...

Buying a Saab 9-3 now Saab is bust?

I recently test drove a SAAB 9-3 Vector Sport 1.9 TTID and was very impressed with the power - 180 bhp from a diesel car with only £30.00 road tax. I am just after your advice on whether you would advise...

Peugeot 5008: instability and vibration when braking on motorway

I have had my car for about 8 weeks. It became obvious on a trip to France that the steering wheel vibrates heavily if you attempt to brake when travelling on Autoroutes. I reported it to my dealer (Gateway...

Which 3 Series tyres?

I have just got a BMW 318i SE 2009. It has runflat tyres and I am finding the suspension very uncomfortable. Can you recommend any tyres that would give a softer ride?

Comfortable mid-sized saloon?

I'm seeking a comfortable mid-sized car and am considering a used BMW 3 series. Many reports say they can cause/aggravate low back problems due to thier offset pedals. What are offset pedals and how...

Which wheels on a new Boxster?

I am looking at buying the new Porsche Boxster to use for touring in Europe and to some out of the way areas. As there is no spare or space saver, only a can of foam, I am concerned about being stranded...

Cars with three seats in the back row?

I have owned a Micra and a Yaris. I have 3 children who are now too big for a Yaris. I want a car that has 3 individual seats in the back. And that a driver used to small cars can drive. Ideally 3...

Belt or chain?

When I ordered my car I am sure the higher powered 170bhp engine was described as having a chain, whereas the lower powered standard 140bhp had a cambelt. I am advised that at the next service my car will...

Best large family car?

I'm look for a large family car, my current selection includes: Mazda 6 1.8 TS, Mondeo IV 1.6 Ecoboost Zetec or Toyota Avensis TR 1.8 v-matic estate (don't like the saloon!). 1 year old or less are...

Upgrading from an old A3

I just retired, I used to drive 300 miles a week. My now 14 year old Audi A3T never any problems until February when it had a new clutch kit fitted. Recently the clutch seems loose and appeared to stick...

What tyre pressure?

Car has 225x40x18 wheels on it, not the original size - so what pressures should I now put in?

Electric Handbrakes - are they legal?

Last Saturday's Telegraph column discussed problems with the operation of electric handbrakes. The 1978 Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations (regulation 13, para. 2 (b) (i)) say that the parking...

Which car for London driving?

I am looking to change cars and hope you can help. Specifically, the car needs to be an automatic with a large boot but not an estate. A large saloon or hatchback would probably fit the bill as might an...

Ignition key not working on my 308

Over the past couple of months both ignition keys for my Peuguet 308 (58) intermittently fail to lock & unlock the car. The dealerships says I need a £130+ diagnostics check to find out what the problem...

What large car for the snow?

I am looking for a full 5 seater, 3 good seats at rear, will be doing trips 10-12 hours. Also should have 4 wheel drive, as will be driving on snow.

Buying an Astra - wise?

Buying a 2-3 year old hatchback, budget max £8K, any advice? I have been looking at Astras -1.4-1.6 ranging from £6-8k. Would like something that looks stylish (bearing in mind I'm 22), seen the different...

KeyFobRepair - good reports?

Keyfobrepair.co.uk (Crescent Radio Ltd, Palmers Green) offer a key fob repair service, refurbishing & replacing faulty switches, failing batteries, etc for £16.50. Have you heard reports on them from...

A large 4x4

I am looking to buy a larger 4X4 so that I can tow two horses and also use the car as a family run around. We currently have a Grand Vitara and V70 and while both are comfortable they both lack the towing...

Keyless entry - risk of car theft?

I am looking to buy a new car and the model I am interested in has keyless entry. My friend has warned me against this and says that he read a recent article in a national newspaper highlighting an increasing...

Why won't Skoda offer this software and shim adjustment for Roomster drivers with DSG problems?

I was interested in the letter from MG re problems with his Skoda with 1.2TSI and DSG box. Having bought a Roomster in December 2010 with the same engine and gearbox, I can understand his problem with...

How can I stop speed humps being installed in my street?

A couple of weeks ago the council of Harrow had a consultation regarding building speed humps on our road. We made a petition against their proposals which now has signatories from 72 households out of...

Is evidence from dashcams acceptable to courts and insurance companies?

Many drivers now are fixing cameras in their cars to record their journeys. Are the insurance companies and courts accepting film from these cameras as evidence? Can you recommend one for less than £200?

Jaguar or SUV?

I’m retired, my mileage is only 5000-6000 per year and am considering buying a Jaguar XF. I wondered if you would advise the diesel or petrol version, as I vaguely remember you saying (ages ago) that diesel...

Which small, reliable four-door car?

My wife and I are looking for a smallish four-door car. Could you recommend one please? We do only about 6000 miles a year and, being pensioners, are looking for an economical and reliable car.

How is DrivetheDeal able to offer such good prices?

Having obtained a car quote from 'Drivethedeal' I offered my large local dealer the opportunity to give me a price too, if they wanted to (I disclosed the DtD figure). They opted to do so but couldn't...

Credit to Churchill and Chilly Willys for a good experience.

Following a rear-end shunt over 18 months ago (not my fault), my insurance company covered a major repair. The work was good, but a couple of problems related to the incident surfaced this summer, which...

Buying an Audi with adaptive air suspension - should I buy the Avant or the Allroad?

I'm about to change my 2007 Audi A6 Avant Quattro 3.0 TDI SE for the new model. As some roads are often poorly surfaced these days it has been suggested that adaptive air suspension would provide a smoother,...

Is the Speed Awareness Course an alternative to receiving penalty points and a fine?

I am puzzled by your response to CD of Swansea’s query. Surely the speed awareness course is offered as an alternative to penalty points. It is not a course forgiving the conviction. CD broke the law and...

Winter tyres and wheels for my Mini Cooper S?

My wife has just bought a three-year-old Mini Cooper S Convertible and today received an email from Mini offering a set of winter tyres and wheels from £560 per set. They also offer to store the summer...

How can I stop my BMW 316 burning oil?

I have a 1.8-litre 2003 BMW 316ti Compact automatic that has covered 96,000 miles. In the last year and a half it has started to using oil. It is not burning oil, and there is no blue smoke coming from...

Can I endorse Miller Oils' Diesel Power Eco Max for DPF care, as used in my Vauxhall Zafira?

I have an old-school 2.0DTI in a Vauxhall Zafira. I have had issues with the EGR valve for about three years. Instead of having it replaced my local friendly garage "cleans" it and all is well, or was...

Why are Jaguars particularly comfortable for me despite my bad back?

12 years ago I was in permanent pain whether sitting, standing or lying down. My chiropractor told me he could no longer help me after 20 years of successful treatment. The only place I could avoid pain...