Trending topics in February 2013
Questions from February 2013
I drive 13k miles per year mostly urban with frequent motorway trips (majority less than 40 miles), I've read all about the issues with diesel particulate filters as reported here but not the rest of the...
I have a 2004 5-door diesel Yoyota Yaris which I like very much. I have recently had a second hip replacement and am wondering if it is time to consider replacing it with a small automatic, as I've read...
My fiance is looking to buy a smallish used car for a maximum of £4K. It must be able to accommodate a push chair as she is currently expecting. She insists on power steering. What would you recommend?
We own an Alfa Romeo 159 JTDm lusso 58 plate. ABS not available has flashed up on the dash display.
What could this mean before we take it to a garage?
I am looking to change my van for a car and am interested in a 59 plate Nissan Note 1.4 Acenta with 13500 miles on clock, ex motability, from a dealer with a 3 month warranty, but have been offered a September...
Your review says the new Prius+ is higher, wider and longer than Prius hatchback, but can you say whether the Prius+ has a higher driving position than the hatchback?
I am looking to buy a Ford B-MAX automatic. My local main dealer has quoted £17,255 but have seen it on Ford Retail online for 15,495 is there any disadvantages in buying online instead of a main dealer?
The car is used mainly for "shopping". Engine malfunction display and warning light came on and the car has lost power. 25 minutes run on motorway at more than 2000RPM has made no difference. How do I...
I have been back to the dealer 3 times with an annoying creaking noise in the area of the dashboard.
I still have the noise and can you give me any idea where the common problems are with this type of...
My Ford Mondeo 53 reg airbag light stays on first it flashes 4343 in that order.
A word of warning to owners of cars with auto headlights , I have had several instances of drivers pulling out in front of me during poor light conditions in daylight because my auto lights have turned...
This is the first time I've bought a car in 10 years and I'm stumped!
I can spend between £7-8000. I need a 5-door, 5-seat car that will be used for mainly 20-mile round trips during the working week...
I was always under the impression that new cars had better fuel consumption than older ones. I recently bought a new model (second hand) Honda Civic 1.8 ivtec ES auto having had the old model (same spec)...
We own a VW Passat Estate, diesel, with 130,000 plus miles on the clock. Soon it may have to go. We would like to buy a secondhand car which has the same carrying capacity, can fit a dog in the 'boot'...
A month ago I purchased a 2006 Citroen C4 from a dealer. After a few days and 30 miles the turbo started making terrible noises. My mechanic told me that the bearings are worn and that I should go to the...
I want a van capable of carrying really heavy things because I collect scrap metal, which is usually weighty but not really that bulky. What's best?
All the Fiat Fiorinos for sale have the 75 engine, is that all there is?
I want to buy a new crossover, or 2WD with 4x4 body as I like the high seating position. I am retired and do little motorway driving so I want a petrol engine to avoid DPF problems. All reviews for these...
Our car, a Golf TD is having problems starting. It has an intermittent problem when some days it takes a few seconds to fire. On one occasion it wouldn't start at all and only started after turning the...
Assuming I connect the charger correctly, is it safe to charge the battery in my Honda Civic without removing it from the vehicle? I have a modern CTEK charger which is supposed to be safe to leave on...
Following an accident my wife has been called several times already by Albany Assistance and if we cannot find the registration of the other car, which was at fault, the quote we have had from the body...
I am planning on buying a used 4x2 soft roader and have up to £20k to spend. I would like a mix of performance, resale value and economy. I drive about 10,000 miles per year and have considered a Yeti,...
Friend who claims to be VERY engineering qualified claims that driving a modern manual car and double-de-cluching saves wear and tear of syncromesh and clutch plate. Seems to me by activating clutch pedal...
I'm about to change my Volvo S40. I need space for two sets of golf clubs, and do not want a large car. All the medium sized cars of the past have grown and some of them are now huge.
Hatchbacks now...
I'm considering a 2.0-litre TDI MK6 Passat (about 2-yrs old) and a 2012 Focus. (A) Does the Passat have quality issues that will prove costly and (B) Does the Focus have a poor economy as many reports...
I am thinking about replacing my 7 yr old petrol auto Jeep Cherokee. I do 5000 miles a year and don't need full 4x4, but wish to retain a lazy petrol engine and auto box - what would you recommend?
Most modern cars have stiff and awkward plastic wheels at the base of the seat-back to adjust the recline angle. Release levers are far easier to operate, especially for the weak or elderly, but have fallen...
I've been looking at the Skoda Yeti. It seems lovely. I really wanted the 2-litre TDI engine with DSG gearbox in a two-wheel drive, but they only do a much more expensive 4-wheel drive with that combination....
My Saab 9-5 Aero 2.3 HOT turbo is 10 years old and I need to replace it. This is the fourth Saab I have had and they have suited me very well. They have all been high quality, high performance cars that...
At some point I plan to replace our trusty and excellent 2003 Volvo V70 2.4 petrol auto. I was thinking about a 2008 or 2009 E-Class estate or the new V70. Is the Mercedes-Benz worth the extra money? Will...
In response to "NH" (Honest John, 5 January), what purpose is served by one 40 tonne, 56 mph vehicle spending five minutes to overtake an identical behemoth that is only able to manage 55.7 mph on a two...
I’m considering disposing of my June 2010 BMW 335i Coupe (20,000 miles, immaculate, manual) prior to ordering a replacement BMW from my long-term franchised dealer. However the appraisal price is silly...
I have enjoyed owning my Rover 216 GS1 Auto since new in 1990. It is maintained by a local independent garage. Back in 2004 I had stopped in a long traffic jam locally, and switched off. I could not get...
Although I have given up driving, as I approach my 89th birthday I still have a valid clean licence, having driven and owned a variety of vehicles in a host of different countries since 1943. But when...
I took a drive out from Dulwich to Chatham in my new Skoda Citigo (a brilliant little car) using my eyes and road signs to guide the way. On return I used the inbuilt Infotainment System for the first...
My wife's 2010 Volkswagen Polo with DSG has shown exactly the same bad characteristics as AD of Chorley has experienced. The problem, which took ages to diagnose, was with the ‘Mechatronics’. The car was...
Are cars covered by the Sale of Goods Act 1979? My five-year-old, 29,000 mile Citroen Xsara Picasso suffered a catastrophic clutch failure with little warning, requiring new clutch and DMF. As the vehicle...
I recently bought a 2007 Focus 1.8-litre petrol and am experiencing some road noise from the rear tyres. This has been diagnosed as wear on the arrow pattern tread of the tyres creating bobbles by 2n4...
I would be grateful for your advice. I have a choice of Mercedes-Benz S 350 diesel, new at £57,000, or an Audi A8 SE 3.0 V6 diesel, which has done 4000 miles, was registered in June 2011 and is priced...
In November 2011 I assisted an elderly widow friend of mine to source car insurance on the internet. After a search we settled on Saga Motor Insurance. I paid with my Mastercard to simplify matters and...
Like TC (29/12/12), I have a Honda Jazz 1.4 SE that I bought in September 2005 when it was 18 months old. At the time, I was 74 and looking for a car that was reliable, economical and practical. Next March...
I have an E36 M3. It’s a wonderful car that I have always maintained, money no object, but she now has 170,000 miles on the clock and has recently had one or two sizeable bills. It’s difficult to know...
I have just spent quite a considerable amount of time and effort installing a forward-looking DVR (video recorder, with embedded GPS, audio and accelerometers) into my car because of its value should there...
I regularly find half an inch of clean water in the boot well of my Ford Focus. Exhaustive tests with a hose pipe applied in sections from the bottom of the car back end don't result in any water under...
Having recently acquired the new Ford C-Max and finding it to be everything in a car that I wanted (easier to get in and out was an important factor) I was wondering if there is any paint protection you...
Some time ago you responded to a letter from a company that used some kind of additive in their diesel fleet vans. I think it was about £65 to buy but you only put in a small amount each time and it saved...
I am taking possession of a new Honda CR-V 2.2 iDTEC EX auto at the end of the month. With previous diesel vehicles I have driven them from new following your guidelines with no problems. Unfortunately...
Is positioning of the vehicle when turning right not taught by driving instructors any more? When I took lessons in the early 1970s I was told to position the car as far over to the right as possible without...
I bought my wife a new Honda Jazz in September 2012. On Wednesday, she was driving along an unlit road when she hit a pothole with her nearside front wheel. It was raining and visibility was poor. The...
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