Questions from October 2012
I bought my Passat (2004) in for an MOT retest on Saturday morning at 11am to a garage and they had my car until I called at 16:45. On first starting my car, a warning message came up on the dashboard...
I am about to buy a Audi A5 TDI 2010 reg, fully loaded.
Having test driven the car, I am quite happy with it. But have a few questions that I thought would post here.
1. Though it is a S Line, there...
Is £16K reasonable for a 51K mile, May 2009 Shogun Elegance (with sat nav and reversing camera)?
Car was last serviced at 42K miles in March 2012 - should I get another service done before I buy? car...
I'm looking for a new large family hatchback.
I'm considering a new Octavia, but the order book has closed for hatches in the UK.
There seem to be a few cars still available and the finance is attractive,...
Having driven round France with extreme caution on a recent holiday, I have just received an "Avis De Contravention Au Code De La Route" through the post. It was sent unregistered to my home in the UK...
My partner, who has MS, forgot to display her blue badge at Lincoln Hospital following an emergency dash to see her mother who had been taken by ambulance with suspected heart failure. Our appeal to TPS...
I bought a car from a dealer for £20,000 which was 100% financed via Hire Purchase through a finance broker.
I picked the car up from London and drove it home, some 400 miles. When I got home I noticed...
I have a Ford Ka special edition 2001 (X) reg. I have been told that the suspension and the clutch needs doing. Also there is a bump on the boot lid and the drivers window does not work, repairs would...
My daughter bought a Volkswagen Golf 2009 1.6 manual from a Volkswagen dealer with a one year parts guarantee. Shortly afterwards the handbrake failed while the car was parked and it rolled back into a...
I am thinking of buying a VW Golf or Audi A3. I dont want to spend more than £4K. Would a car with over 100k miles be a sound investment?
I'm from Northern Ireland and would like to know where in mainland UK is the best and largest car auctions to purchase cars to sell on.
I am aware of British Car Auctions, are there others?
Our friends are moving to Dorset and want a small 4x4 for country lanes and have asked me to research. Requirements are diesel, leather upholstery, decent load area and able to drive safely through a ford....
My car is under three years old and the lacquer has lifted from the centre 4" of the alloy wheels.
I bought it second hand from a Mercedes dealer and although I have some minor scuffing caused by me,...
I am looking to buy a Jaguar X-Type estate 2.2D automatic in either SE or Sovereign trim and I believe they are all fitted with DPFs. I commute 25 miles each way to work and do 15,000 per year. Should...
A recent reader wrote saying that Mercedes had turned down a Warranty claim because the car had been serviced at an Independent garage.
My understanding was that provided the service was to the recommended...
I am buying a Berlingo Multispace and am interested in the e-HDI 90 Airdream with semi or full auto and stop/start. Is this a good choice and does the system work well?
We have owned a Subaru Forester X 2.0 since new from 2003. It now has 106,000 miles on the clock. It has become too expensive to run and we want to trade down to a smaller car which will only be used for...
Just wanted to say a huge thank you for all your advice. Purchased a new Hyundai ix35 via Drivethedeal, which I have been driving now for just over 1 week, and I am very happy with it. I found Drivethedeal...
Where can I buy an outside temperature gauge ?
I am looking for one that is connectable to the car battery system not one with its own battery. I bought one made in China and it was meant to run of...
My 2006 SEAT Altea has now had four heater rheostats, the last one only surviving for four days. The blower works fine but only on speed four once the rheostat has failed. SEAT are demanding we pay for...
I drove about half a mile before the tyre was completely flat and then another quarter mile to safety before I changed the wheel. Looks like a nail in the tread, but would you drive on it after repair?...
Your review states that a 5 year guarantee was applicable from 2008.
When buying the 1.6 Eco diesel Bravo I mentioned this to the salesman and was told that the "5yr" only applied for a short period....
which type of coolant do I require for a Sept 2009 Peugeot 207cc 1.6 VTI petrol engine?
I bought a T5 Caravelle second hand last year. All was fine until we did a long journey to Cape Town (we live in Namibia) and before heading back the car started vibrating when accelerating.
In CT we...
I have a 2003 Seat Leon TDI SE 130hp (remapped). Under medium acceleration the car lurches or chokes and there is a kind of sucking noise from the engine. Don't know much about cars but any help would...
Soon I shall need to replace my 2 year old Giulietta 1.4 multi-air for something that is good on steep hills, mud and rutted tracks so will need fairly high ground clearance. What would be a good choice...
My car (2012 Mercedes-Benz E250 CDI - 4000 miles on clock) was swamped whilst travelling on a flooded road. My car insurers have agreed to pay for a new engine. The Mercedes authorised repair garage wants...
I recently bought a 2009 BMW 3 Series Touring from The Car Shop in Northampton. I saw the car advertised on Auto Trader's website and then checked the car out on their own site. In the ad they state that...
Failed to tell the insurance company about a TS10 'Failing to stop at traffic lights.'
Now I have had an accident and they are trying to void my insurance. I was not trying to avoid paying a higher premium...
I am about to trade in my 2003 BMW 320d for a 2011 example of the same model but with automatic transmission. My current car is manual and does not have a diesel particulate filter, but the new one does....
We bought a 2004 1.0 Life Vauxhall Corsa a couple of years ago and it now has 54,000 miles now on the clock. It has a timing chain instead of a belt. It recently passed its MOT, but there was a comment...
My partner drives a 2006 Audi A4 2.0-litre diesel and the DPF light is now appearing on every weekend. The light very rarely appeared on whilst it was under warranty and the first time it did after the...
I have seen a 2002 Porsche Boxster 3.2 S for sale at a local garage. It will be a part-ex for my 2007 MX5 with 6000 miles on the clock and a full main dealer service history. The Porsche is £12,000 and...
With three young grandchildren my beloved BMW 3-Series convertible is becoming less practical. I am reluctant to part with it and so I am considering a used inexpensive runabout with seven seats for when...
My 2001 BMW 320i is a joy to drive and has only done 56,000 miles. It is used mainly for longer runs and can return almost 40mpg. My wife's car is a 2003 Yaris and is used as a runabout and was, until...
I have a 2009 Mercedes-Benz C220 CDI. Over the last week a single bleep has started emit from the centre console area every four to five minutes. This happens both with the radio/CD player on and off....
I hope this may be useful to older readers who are still driving. To help older drivers to maintain confidence in their driving, the Institute of Advanced Motorists offers a refresher session. It is an...
I recently bought a 2007 BMW X3 M Sport from a BMW dealer. The car was sold to me with non-BMW approved tyres fitted, although they were of correct size and profile. There were knocks and clunks when pulling...
I'm looking for a new SUV and am attracted to something environmentally friendly. I'm finding it difficult to ignore the Peugeot 3008 diesel hybrid. Is the FWD diesel, RWD electric and 4WD combined concept...
I intend to replace my Motability Ford Focus with the 1.4-litre B-Max. But my Ford salesman tells me that Ford is currently doing a special deal on the C-Max 1.6. Which do you feel is the better car?
I...
I just bought a secondhand BMW and the timing chain needs replacing. I wondered if you have ever looked into this at all?
What evidence enables you to recommend certain fuels to your readers who are worried about supermarket fuels?
There is not a month goes by without someone telling me how they have inadvertently filled their vehicle with the incorrect fuel, and the resultant eye-watering costs to fix.
Why couldn't the fuel companies...
I am relating this experience in the hope it will reach a wider audience and serve as a warning of what they can expect when taking up the police offer, as a first time offender, of taking a speed awareness...
I have a 1999 Mercedes-Benz E320 CDI estate with 142,000 miles which is suffering from severe penetrated rust in the rear floorpan. I was put in touch with Mercedes-Benz Customer Relations who asked if...
Should I expect the satellite navigation system in my 2012 Nissan Qashqai to be up to date for European roads? I was disappointed to find, on a recent trip near Evian, France, that there was one part of...
Will you please comment on the new Toyota Yaris automatic hybrid from the point of view of a Motability lease, its reliability and whether the quoted mpg figures are realistic? I have a Yaris 2009 semi-auto...
Following knee replacements, I find getting in and out of my Lexus IS250 with its low headroom rather awkward. Can you recommend a more accessible ‘sit up and beg’ type vehicle, of similar comfort and...
My garden, at 15 acres with some steepish slopes, is big enough for me to need a vehicle to help with gardening. I had been using a garden tractor with a trailer but when that died, I began to wonder whether...
Can you tell me how I find out if there is any finance outstanding on a car I am thinking of buying?
Elsewhere on 
