Questions from October 2012
Please pass this on to Mike Rutherford in relation to his item about dealers selling cars “at cost”. Many years ago David Brown Senior was at a lunchtime cocktail party in Huddersfield when he was approached...
I recently purchased a 2011 Audi 2.0-litre Allroad Estate. I am generally delighted with the car, as I wanted a four-wheel drive estate but I do have a pet hate, which is that it excessively follows the...
My daughter has a 2007 Mazda MX-5 and now has a 20-month-old son. She has been driving my Fiesta and I her MX5, but I need my car back. Should she keep the MX5 until he no longer needs a car seat? Garaging...
Under The Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) British military personnel and civilian support staff serving in Germany are entitled to purchase a new car (New Means of Transport) free of VAT. Once the car...
The parking brake on my 2005 Land Rover Discovery 3 has just failed at 70,000 miles, and the local Land Rover dealer is charging me £1100 to repair it. This seems to me to be an unutterable waste of money...
Please clarify two points for me. Exactly what is a dual mass flywheel, and is it something to be regarded as a potential future bill, like belt driven cams?
Secondly, what does the term 'common rail...
I've just bought a new Hyundai i10 Active auto for £8527. But the salesman wanted me to pay an extra £395 for glass coat paint protection and interior Scotchguard protection and also £395 guaranteed asset...
Earlier this year I purchased a 2003 BMW 320d. Today I was driving to work and it started shaking the steering wheel as if the front discs were warped, so I pulled over and checked every wheel for loose...
I’m contacting you from Bridgestone’s PR agency, Smarts. Please see the press release below from Bridgestone about their A001 All-Weather tyre range and how it can benefit drivers in the UK who may experience...
I am owner of Honda Jazz. In the event of an accident to whom should I report: Honda Happiness Accident Assistance or my car insurance company?
I would like to buy a compact MPV which is comfortable and practical with some luxury. I have been looking at the Citroen C3 Picasso, Ford C-Max, Mercedes-Benz B-Class, Peugeot 3008, Renault Scenic and...
At present I am a 72-year-old Motability customer and am shortly due to hand back my Volvo XC90 after three years. I am now considering buying my own vehicle as I only do 5000 miles a year. The two vehicles...
I’m thinking of buying a new car through a broker if I can’t get the same deal from a main dealer. Which of the numerous discount car brokers are reputable and trusted?
I have a problem with the self-dimming interior light in my 2007 Nissan Qashqai 1.5dci. On numerous occasions we have discovered the battery flat after a weekend, and the dealer says diagnostic scans find...
My 2007 Skoda Octavia diesel, which has covered under 40,000 miles, recently developed a fault involving the steering, speedometer and ABS. The car was taken to a Skoda garage and the ECU had a replacement...
I have a 2010 Subaru Outback Boxer diesel which has covered 23,000 miles. I had planned to keep it for a further two years but due to the possibility of problems with the DPF, dual mass flywheel and the...
My car was damaged in a Tesco car park. On Friday I tweeted the link to my blog about this to Tesco's customer service Twitter channel. I received a reply saying that they want to help. On Friday and Saturday...
The airbag light came on in my Subaru Forester about one month ago and stayed on. I contacted Airbagman because of Honestjohn's recommendation in Saturday Motoring. They called me back within two days....
I've e-mailed you a few times about buying my next car and narrowed it down to a nearly new (6k miles, 1yr old) BMW 118d SE, a Hyundai i30 Style (126 hp), Kia Cee'd 4 (same engine as the Hyundai).
After...
Please could you give me your opinion on the following:
I was given a fixed penalty speeding ticket last week by Cambridgeshire Constabulary for doing 93 on a dual carriageway (70).
On reading the ticket...
I am considering the Toyota Yaris Hybrid, but now I have just seen the New Clio (Wow) in dCI mode, which is the better car
I have just received a speeding fine from France whilst driving a hire car. 80kph in a 70kph zone apparently. I thought I was generally driving very carefully but this is only 6mph over the limit.
The...
Do red paints used on cars from say 2009, still suffer from fade over time, as seen on many old cars? If yes, what's the best treatment to prevent fade?
I have as the owner been served with the above notice with a demand for the full amount £50 as it was not paid within 14 days.
Reason - Not displaying a valid ticket, Time of Contravention – 19:09pm....
I want to buy this used Peugeot: Special Eds £1,795 1999 (S reg), Hatchback Trade seller, distance: 34 miles 62,000 miles Manual 1.9L Diesel, only 62,000 miles with full Peugeot service history 12 stamps...
My Tyre Size is:
Front 215/40/R18
Rear 245/35/R18
I put Vredestein Wintrac Xtreme 225/40/R18 on the rear last year but want to put some of the same tyre on the front this year (because it's OK getting...
I have recently ordered a Volkswagen Up (your review was very informative) and was wondering what fuel (brand, RON etc) would you recommend?
The model is a Take Up with the petrol 60PS engine.
What's the best bet for a country load-lugger (estate and/or 4x4 but not a pick-up)that will cope with country roads and stand the test of time?
I have a small budget of 3,500 - 5,000 and would like to buy a small 4x4.
I have been looking around at these models: Toyota RAV4 (2003-5), Honda CR-V, Nissan X-Trail, KIA Sportage (2005).
Two parts...
I am considering (as a launch customer) a Ford B-MAX Titanium (1.0 EcoBoost). Is this a model which has already been on sale on the continent and is therefore "de-bugged" and are there any up-grades already?
My wife has recently purchased a pre reg Fiat 500 at a very good discount, my question regards the stop start system. Do you think it is a gimmick or does it have any real purpose. it strikes me that the...
I recently received a penalty notice for driving my 49cc moped, disguised as a Mitsubishi Cantor truck, in a bus lane, from Leeds City Council. I don't really have to say any more. Suffice to say I have...
Nick Smith, Labour MP for Blaenau Gwent, made a speech in the House of Commons on 28th September 2012 asking that leave be given to bring in a Bill to make provisions relating to signage and ticketing...
I am going to the United States this week and will be out of the UK when my car tax expires at the end of next month. The DVLA website details a procedure to get a tax disc early - write a letter, complete...
I have a 2003 Peugeot 807 2.0 HDI. Every 400 miles or so, the car will suddenly lose power when driving and stutter intermittently for the next ten miles. When idling the engine will hunt between 600 and...
I have had a 2003 SEAT Toledo TDI Sport for most of its 75,000-mile life and recently it has started to leak quite badly, with the carpets on the driver's floor area and passenger area getting quite wet....
My daughter who lives in rural Aberdeenshire is looking to replace her 10-year-old Subaru Forester with a smaller, newer 4x4 with a punchy engine suitable for snowy Scottish hills. She has test driven...
I recently purchased a 5000 mile 2009 Mercedes-Benz SLK. After a couple of weeks whilst washing the car I noticed that the paintwork, mainly on the bonnet, had started to flake off. I got in touch with...
I have a BMW X5 in Spain that spends long periods sat in the sun. The car has completed 16,000km over the past four years and the tyres are cracking on the sidewalls. Is there anything I can spray on or...
An friend’s new Golf GTI 2.0 automatic suddenly accelerated whilst being parked and ran into a restaurant. His foot was on the brake at the time it happened but the brakes were unable to hold the car and...
Readers interested in the facts about daytime running lights (letter "Glaring Error?") should visit www.lightmare.org
I have 103 pre-war ‘Autocar’ magazines to sell. They date from 7 January 1938 to 26 December 1939. Can you recommend other than eBay the best way to advertise them or sell them?
A couple of weeks ago reader asked the depth to which a car could wade a ford. You mentioned water in the engine but even worse is when the water is too deep. Cars float, even 4x4s, which is why Land Rover,...
I was once the proud owner of a BSA four-wheel front wheel drive car (BOA 666) and I was wondering if any such cars still exist, as I have been to an old car rally recently and hoped I might see one. No...
I garage my Mercedes-Benz SL500 each winter. This spring I noticed, to my horror, that mice had eaten some of the engine compartment insulation. We live in a rural location and, upon the crops being removed,...
I own a 2007 Citroen C6 that has Xenon dual function directional headlights. My local main dealer assures me that because of this feature, when travelling in France, I do not need to fit headlight beam...
Would a reputable British breathalyser, such as the Alcosense Elite, obviate the need to purchase multiple French breathalysers in the light of recently introduced legislation in France?
For the last eight weeks an old, tatty Ford Transit has been parked outside my next door neighbours' house. It hasn't moved for over eight weeks since the driver, who doesn't live in our road but used...
I would like to draw attention to my treatment by APCOA at Exeter Airport. Last year I pre-booked airport parking for five days and on return found that I had paid more than for the current offer for seven...
I am due to retire soon and my company has offered me the opportunity to buy my 34,000 mile 2009 Lexus IS 250 SE company car at book cost, which is around £7200. It seems like a good deal but I understand...
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