Questions from November 2012
Besides Ford,do any other cars for sale in the UK have electrically heated windscreens please?
My commute has recently become longer, and as a result my annual mileage has changed from 10,000 to 20,000 miles.
I currently have a 06-plate Volkswagen Golf 1.6FSI, which has done 50,000 miles. I regularly...
I have a '04-plate Nissan Tino, and I want to know what type of timing chain it uses?
I have been told that there is two types, Which one does mine have?
Also, the ECU light is on, but there are no...
Would replacing the run-flat tyres on my BMW X5 with normal tyres improve the ride quality? I recently bought a 2010 BMW X5 3.0D with 18in wheels and run-flat tyres. The test drive on dual-carriageway...
I plan to replace the wheels and tyres on my 2002 Lexus IS300 Sportcross, because the rims are corroded and the 45-profile tyres give a slightly harsh ride.
The existing standard wheels are are 17in...
My 2003 Ford Mondeo 2.0 swings its rear-end when hitting bumps. When I buy a new set of tyres, the rears wear out on the outer sides more than the fronts. What could be the problem?
My daughter's Vauxhall Astra (56-reg, 1600cc petrol, 41,000miles) has an intermittent starting problem. The dealer first said it was the keys; then they said it was the SIM card and replaced that.
They...
I started my new Suzuki SX4 2.0DDiS SZ5 the other morning, and the engine made a terribly rough noise. Turned it off and started it again, and all was fine. What could it have been? Sounded like it wasn't...
Is it leagal for a parking enforcement officer to put a parking ticket under your windscreen wiper? I have been told that it is classed as trespass...
My wife has a Toyota Aygo that's coming to end of its three-year manufacturer warranty. The car does about 8000 miles per year, mainly on running local errands and commuting. We have option of buying extended...
I have to go on one of these courses, and I suffer from anxiety. And have this as a result of my accident in June - but have to wait until Dec for the course. I'm 69, and am so worried I won't get through.
I...
I am soon to retire, and need to purchase a car. I am thinking of a 2-3 year old petrol automatic - options are narrowed to Mercedes-Benz C220/250, BMW 320 or Ford Mondeo.
Which would you advise as best...
I have a 2010 Audi A4 Avant automatic. The problem is that it sometimes jerks and vibrates when pulling away. This is especially bad when pulling away uphill, and turning right. I am concerned, because...
Looking to buy a second car to only to use four days a week solely for the trip to and from work, budget is low (£1200ish) and the round trip is 80 miles (on a generally clear Motorway stretch).
Any...
Is the stop-start system on my new Skoda Yeti 1.6TD Greenline going to have an adverse effect on the engine, given that it will switch off the engine even when very hot?
I've recently bought a BMW E93 Convertible 325D Auto and have been looking carefully at the MPG figures. I never get anything like what the manufacturer says but I can live with that but I decided to...
Neath Port Talbot council issued me a penalty ticket in an off road P&D car park. It is my understanding that on the Highway, you can issue penalties. But that off-road, i.e., non-highway, you cannot issue...
I have been offered a 2007 Lexus GS450h with one owner, and just 45,000 miles on the clock for £11,000. It looks and drives very well, but it has had its engine rebuilt after sucking up water.
It's on...
I bought my Audi A6 Allroad 3.0TDI (Tiptronic) new in October 2006. It now has covered 83,700 miles, has a new MoT, and full Audi main dealer service history.
I have been offered £9250 as a trade-in...
I've just bought a three-month old Ford Grand C-MAX. All the Ford Brochures state that the tyre size is 205/55/R16, but this one has 215/55/R16s fitted. according to the handbook I have, either size can...
I recently started driving a 2004 BMW 116i, and I really enjoy driving it. It's fitted with steel 16in wheels. What benefits (other than cosmetic) would swapping over to alloy wheels give?
The reason...
Does Chevrolet intend to bring out a Spark automatic in 2013 live they have in other parts of the world? Also is the spark as solid as the Kia and Hyundai rivals?
How can I find out the next delivery cycle of Hyundai i20 1.4 diesel to the UK?. I have spoken to several dealers and the sort of answers I get always leads to buying another car of their choice.
In January 2012, we bought a brand new Ford Mondeo 2.0L Ecoboost Titanium X Sport. In August 2012, the turbocharger failed.
Ford has been telling us for the last 10 weeks that the part will be arriving...
I have just purchased a Range rover x reg after seeing the car on a 4x4 garage forecourt, there was also an add on auto trader with the car on the forecourt in front of the sign for the 4x4 specialist....
Our V70 has 215x55ZR16 tyres that are getting short on tread. What are the best replacement tyres? I am looking for good 4 season performance (accepting that they will be a compromise compared with specialist...
I have a 2003 BMW 320d touring sport which is shod with staggered 'run-flats' - 255/35/18ZR (rear) and 225/4018ZR (front). The ride is too harsh and tramlines a lot too. I'm considering switching to 17"...
What is the value of a 2003 Vauxhall Omega 2.6 CDX with 18,000 miles only?
I have a shudder through my Ford Mondeo at 70-80mph. I used to have it at lower speeds too but that was helped when I changed all the tyres recently. I've balanced all the wheels and had the tracking done...
My car engine caught fire three weeks ago. I have fully comp insurance. We have agreed on pay out and I have sent all documents back but am still waiting for the cheque. They have now asked for my insurance...
My son-in-law's Z4 has just had to be recovered with a belt failure circa 55k miles and just short of the service when the belt is apparently due to be changed. The BMW garage (independant) advises this...
I have a Kia Rio 2005 which screeches for a couple of minutes on start up. I have had the fanbelts checked and renewed but the problem is getting worse. Any suggestions?
I'd like to get winter tyres for our cars (A 2008 Kia Sportage on 235/55R17 tyres and a 2005 E320D Estate on 245/45 R17 tyres. I've heard that it's possible to specify smaller tyres on steel wheels for...
We currently run a Toyota Verso but my wife finds it too big and the poor turning circle puts her off driving it altogether. We want a small car that is easy for disabled access, easy to drive and park,...
I would strongly advise PS, who wrote about space-saver spare wheels, and anyone else who has one, not to venture out on a motorway with one fitted. A few months ago, the AA fitted my space-saver spare...
We live in semi-rural Aberdeenshire and we do have winters up here, the last three returning to what were 'normal' winters a few years ago. My wife drives a BMW 325M diesel automatic, and we fit winter...
Could you explain why the cost of diesel fuel is up to 8p per litre more than petrol? As diesel is a lower fraction of the crude oil from which it is made than petrol, it needs less processing and as it...
In two recent issues you invited recommendations of car camera systems that run on a “loop” and can record the build up to crashes. As a result of suffering two crashes on local mini roundabouts where...
My wife and I will be hiring a car for thirty days in New Zealand next February. Please can you inform me of reputable insurers who provide a Collision Damage Waiver for a reasonable sum?
I run a 1998 BMW 318 Touring, owned since new, with a mileage of 128,000. I pay £215 road tax and my annual mileage is about 7000.
I feel the charge is unfair in that certain new models will pay nothing...
My Fiat dealer tells me that Fiat Panda 4x4 are no longer made. Are there any alternatives?
You write that a FWD car on winter tyres is better than a 4WD car on summer tyres. Clearly you have little experience of driving in the snow and ice and it’s flat where you live. In Devon there are lanes...
Can you advise me about the car tyre snow socks? This is a new innovation to me and I wonder how efficient they might be, and if are they value for money in your opinion?
My query relates to a cherished number plate which my son had on his car from 2003 until 2005, when he had an accident. The car was deemed to be a write-off and the plate was transferred to his replacement...
I have a Volkswagen Golf 1.4 TSI 122 DSG which is three years old and has covered 32,000 miles since new. The gearbox has failed and needs to be replaced, and Volkswagen has quoted £4,300. They and the...
This winter I've noticed more and more cars with faulty lights. Obviously they have not been MOT tested recently, so is it reasonable to assume that they are not taxed or insured either? To me the scariest...
I've just picked up a new MOT 'certificate' from my local friendly garage. When he thrust a piece of white A4 paper into my hand I thought he was having a joke. It resembled more a receipt from an online...
My wife is looking for a car with easy access, a high driving position, plenty of room for grandchildren and plenty of convertible space, as well as a bit of refinement and 'oomph'. We have narrowed things...
My Skoda Octavia vRS heater was repaired under warranty in May 2011, and the manufacturer's warranty later expired on 3 November 2011. Exactly the same fault has now occurred again, where the heater blows...
As a result of seeing the horrendous pictures of the crash on the M5 at Taunton, I have read through the section of The Highway Code relating to motorways. In the back of my mind, I have either heard or...
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