Questions from November 2012
Last night I drove very close to a 2001 Peugeot 306 in my Volkswagen T4 at around 3-5mph on a petrol station forecourt. I avoided it altogether, but the inebriated passenger got out and started ranting...
There is a new hazard on our roads - that of very large agricultural vehicles which are appearing in increasing numbers and are travelling longer and longer distances. On main roads they cause long tailbacks...
I would like to warn any of your readers wishing to save money on fuel that the new Ford 1.0 EcoBoost engine is not the way to go. I recently bought the Ford Focus Zetec EcoBoost 125 and the mpg is seriously...
I believe that drivers could be tested and retrained given the political will - but we know that this is sadly lacking for anything the least bit controversial. Just as airline pilots are regularly tested...
How are drivers supposed to know what emergency vehicle is ordering them across a red traffic light?
How is one supposed to know if a police officer is ordering them forward at a red traffic light if you cannot see anything obvious in the rear view mirror? Is sounding their siren enough? In these days...
I have seen a 1996 Renault Romero camper van with a 1.7-litre engine and low mileage which has been sat for some time. I am thinking about buying it. Do you know anything about these vehicles?
Do you remember the days when the AA patrolman with his motorbike and sidecar used to wave at motorists with an AA badge? If he did not wave it meant there was a speed trap ahead. No speed limit on the...
My father-in-law wishes to return to driving after a year off the road. His absence was due to deteriorating eyesight caused by cataracts. He has now had the cataracts operated on and his eyesight is fine,...
We would like to replace our Mercedes 300TE and Volkswagen Polo 1.4 with a fuel-efficient, low maintenance car which is spacious enough to carry two sets of golf clubs. We drive about 5000 miles per year...
Returning from overseas I read the police plan to prosecute drivers who are 'hogging' the middle lane (lane 2) of our motorways. I have not seen anything else on this subject, or how the police propose...
My Toyota RAV4 has been a good and reliable servant for the last ten years but, at 110,000 miles, it’s beginning to creak a bit, so I'm thinking about a replacement. We need space for passengers and for...
I currently drive a 2010 Nissan Qashqai 1.5-litre diesel. I see that they now have a 1.6-litre diesel which offers a bit more grunt and better economy. The engine looks very complex and this makes me wary....
I had my photograph taken on an unfamiliar road in Bournemouth, which for miles had been subject to a 40mph limit but, unnoticed by me, at a junction the limit changed to 30 mph and I was duly clocked...
Five years ago I bought a Suzuki SX4 and it's time for a change. I would like something similar to the SX4; a 1.6-litre automatic hatchback, reasonably high off the road so that it's easy to get into and...
We have a Mazda 6 and, last week, we bought eight acres of land for livestock farming, so we now need a vehicle capable of pulling a stock trailer, negotiating tracks and carrying loads such as bales of...
I recently took my Peugeot to a main dealer for its first MOT. When I collected the car they offered me "Peugeot Accident Assistance". Is this just another accident claims company or does it offer real...
We would like to replace our 2002 Rover 75 Tourer diesel with a tourer or a small MPV. The Rover suits us well, but we'd prefer something physically smaller which is comfortable and reliable. It will be...
I have a 2010 Audi A4 diesel with approx 26,000 miles on the clock, which I purchased one year ago with 9000 miles showing from an Audi dealer, who advised me that it was an ex-rental car.
It has been...
My Honda Civic 2.2 i-DTEC, which I bought last month with 5800 miles on the clock, appears to be making oil.
I have done 700 miles and the level has risen at least half an inch on the dipstick since...
Is it true that Aston Martins suffer a reduction in value if they are sold without a full Aston Martin dealer service history? If so, how much does it reduce the value compared to the saving from having...
I’ve taken your advice on Shell V-Power fuel but I would like to clarify a few other factors. My car has only done 40,000 miles and, even for the age, I’m guessing you would still recommend V-Power. For...
I am thinking of buying a secondhand Mercedes estate and am looking at the E280 or 320 diesel. Having owned an E270 CDI for nearly ten years which clocked up 240,000 miles from new without any problems,...
I'm currently driving a 2005 Renault Megane Dynamique, but I'd like to upgrade to something a bit more suitable. I had spinal surgery last year resulting in a neurological condition, so I need a spacious...
My reputable insurance company recently increased my premium by 11 per cent, without explanation, to £744 with a £350 excess. I have a clean licence and 60 per cent NCD so I approached an equally reputable...
A while ago, I read an article about a firm in India (was it Tata?) that was developing a car with an engine that ran on compressed air. This seemed a brilliant idea, after all, air is all around us and...
I need to sell my Porsche Boxster RS60 quickly, but still want to achieve a fair price. It's a 2008 model with very low mileage and some nice optional extras, what do you think it's worth and how do you...
I currently own a 2004 Honda Accord 2.0i Executive automatic and would like to downsize to something easier to get in and out of, with cheaper running costs. A diesel does not seem to be an option. We...
My son has a 2011 Porsche Carrera S but is moving to Dubai for two to five years. He cannot take the car with him as it is right-hand drive, which apparently is not allowed there. Is there any merit in...
A local road running through Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire is very severely potholed. Beds County Council has marked the potholes on its patch for repair, whilst Bucks hasn't. The Bucks stretch has...
My wife is a Thai national and is awaiting her visa to join me here. She has held a licence in Thailand for thirteen years and drove to work in Bangkok regularly. Can you advise what will be necessary...
Almost two years ago, at 149,722 miles, a local garage replaced the original clutch, dual mass flywheel and spigot bearing of my Land Rover Discovery. 22,000 miles later I felt something move through the...
My daughter needs a car that will cope with an untreated hill in snow but is small enough to be easily parked. Is there a smallish, reliable four-wheel drive car?
I love diesels as they suit the terrain here in southern Spain; lots of steep hills where you do not need to change to a lower gear to easily get up them, but we have to go with the flow I guess. I have...
What is the perceived wisdom in respect of using one's direction indicators? On roundabouts, the left-hand signal is often given one exit too early and, and on straight roads, many drivers seem to consider...
We hired a Ford Focus last week but were concerned when we came to refuel the car. On opening the fuel inlet there were signs for a black fuel pump, i.e. diesel, and also a green pump, saying super unleaded....
My daughter was driving her husband's car in a single track section of a country lane when an oncoming car drove straight in to her head-on instead of waiting at a wide part of the road for her to exit...
Our Volkswagen Passat was bought used from a main dealer with warranty last December. Since then it has developed intermittent loss of power assistance when going around some right hand bends.
This is...
Do MINI Coopers made in 2001 have a cam belt or a cam chain? I am hearing two different things.
I've just bought a 2001 MINI Cooper. I took lots of advice before I bought it, and it has a full service...
I've just bought a July 2009 Fiesta 1.4 Titanium. It has low profile Pirelli tyres on it, and has a tyre repair kit in the boot. Ideally I'd like to replace the tyres with 'normal' higher-profile ones,...
I am looking to buy a used car, and am unsure about when, during the process, is best to pay for an independent mechanical inspection (such as offered by the RAC or AA). Of course, I would like to only...
I have a budget of £6000 to replace my current SEAT Leon TDI, and am looking at an Alfa GT Coupe, Audi TT, Golf R32, Golf GTI, Maxda RX8, Alfa Beria, Seat Leon Cupra R.
All manual petrol variants, which...
I'm thinking of remapping my 2006 Renault Laguna 2.0 Dci (150). Is it safe, or would it open a can of worms?
Are there any special rules regarding the signage to indicate where these zones are? A local market town has just set them up, as I have just found out.
There is a sign into town which can be bypassed...
Run-flat tyres: what would expect to pay for an replacement in an emergency breakdown. Size is 225/45R17.
When my clutch is released sitting in neutral there is a buzzing noise from the gearbox area, and can be heard within the car. And in first and second gear, the noise is also audible but not as loud.
I...
Re a recent query re DAB radio - at the moment I would advise people do nothing.
DAB will most likely prove a white elephant, overtaken by internet radio. But whether that happens or not the DAB infrastructure...
I have been persuaded by your (and other) advice on winter tyres and now switch over every winter.
I do believe that my rear wheel drive BMW is better for it, and the cost of switching over twice per...
Seeing your write up about your first car reminded me that my first car was an Isetta 300. I wish I could get it back again now. It always used to eight-stroke when it hit 30 mph and I could not figure...
I know you are not in favour of supermarket fuel, so I decided to check it out against my normal fuel which is Shell regular diesel.
I drive a Nissan Pathfinder and for my test I drove from Cheshire...
An elderly Italian lady friend bought a new Hyundai i20 11 months ago attracted by the 5 year warranty and service given. O
n a recent trip (5000 miles on the clock), the clutch went and she claimed...
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