Questions from March 2013
I am considering buying a 2009 Ford pick-up, double cab, Wildtrack 3.0 TDCI 4WD. It has 30,646 miles and is £11,991 plus VAT. It will effectively be the family car as I need the load space to cater for...
I have a 2007 Ford C-Max 1.6 110 diesel with 61,000 miles on the clock. My husband has a Ford Mondeo estate diesel 2.2 Titanium X with 60,000. We both now do about 6000 miles a year, a lot on short 4-10...
I need to replace my company BMW 3 Series soon and I now need a car that can take a large and growing dog. The cars I am interested in are the X3 18d SE, Audi Q3 Sportline, the Mazda CX-7 Sport, or for...
Recently a friend was in the front passenger seat with her feet up on the dash. Her husband (driving) had a relatively minor collision and the airbag deployed smashing both ankles of his wife. She‘s unlikely...
You commented that you don't understand the obsession with analogue speedometers. It is a well-understood ergonomic principle that an analogue needle display gives an indication of rate of change that...
I have been looking for the perfect Honda Civic Type S (2.2 diesel). I found the 'perfect car' but unfortunately it was a 200 mile round trip away. However it was being sold from a Honda dealer so I trusted...
I need to review my warranty for my Merc Ml63 AMG. It's a 2007 and has 58k on the clock. I can renew via Mercedes either tier 1 or tier 2 cover for between £1,000 and £1,500 per year or via Warranty Direct...
I am about to take delivery of a new Skoda Yeti 1.2TSI petrol for my daughter and her partner, who know little about cars.
Please advise best procedures for running the car in, engine and transmission...
I am looking to purchase a second hand car for my son of 19 and daughter of 21 to share. I have looked at a Polo 1.4 Match with an 08 plate which was £6,000 but am now wondering whether a Clio or Fiesta...
Just been told that my 2010 model Hyundai i30 requires to have new rear discs and pads after only 27800 miles and its third annual service.
Nothing untoward was picked up in Years 1 and 2 and I have...
I'm having trouble starting my van when the engine is warm.
I've just had a new timing chain put on by my mechanic and since then I have this problem. He has had it back and connected it to the diagnostic...
I cannot work out which Allroad, XC70 or legacy with £8000 to get. Please help. Is one more reliable than the other. I know it will have to a few years old an with decent mileage.
Considering buying a Kia ceed or Hyundai i30 and would prefer to buy top range model with leather seats but would like to avoid harsh ride and criticisms of 17-inch wheels. How easy is it to have them...
I have read some cracking reviews online of the 2013 Clio Estate, but understand that Renault won't ever sell it in the UK. Does HJ know if that is a final (albeit barmy) decision from Renault?
If so...
I'm looking at the Dacia Sandero, which would be my first new car. Although the Access spec suits me fine, it seems the Ambience with the more efficient Tce 90 engine makes sense. At 6000 miles/ year,...
A 56 plate Ford Focus bought from Trader required new front brake pads & discs within 3 weeks of purchase. Am I in my rights to expect at least a large contribution towards costs?
I contacted dealer by...
I'm due to change my current company car soon and need something more spacious for the family. I think a 3 Series is likely to be too small so have looked at the new Mazda 6 saloon and SW, Peugeot 508...
Does the crank sensor read the flywheel - ie, if the flywheel is worn would it tell cam sensor that the timing is out?
I am looking to buy a used Hyundai i30 hatchback with a budget of around £8k. I drive 10,000 miles a year, mainly a 25 minute twice daily commute to & from work on a mix of minor & major roads.
Three cars...
I recently had two new tyres fitted to the rear by a major supplier. The types was the same as already fitted 225/55/16 and this was shown on the invoice. At my recent MOT it was noted that the ones fitted...
I put down a deposit of £50 for a car 2 weeks ago. I only received a receipt saying "I have received a deposit of £50 for vehicle ... balance of £915 to be paid". Signed the receipt.
The car is insurance...
I had an accident on the M25 two weeks ago, driving into a large lorry tyre, dropped by a lorry. Highways Agency attended and told me to give the lorry details to my insurers as it was clearly their fault....
I have a question regarding the correct lane discipline in this instance - there is a roundabout with two lanes on approach and a dual carriageway on the second exit. However, the left hand lane of this...
I am looking to but a used automatic hatch-back car in the range of £5000-7000 for my small family of three. I have few options in my mind as listed below. Would you please help me decide?
Options in...
Will my turbo from my Citroen Picasso 2005 2.0 hdi fit on my 1.6 hdi Picasso?
Parker's guide has a big price difference between a 320cdi(06) and a 320cdi Euro 4 - nearly £3000 for 07/07.
What's the difference please, and how do I tell which I am getting?
My wife has recently acquired a three-year old Nissan Note Techna 1.6 Auto (2010) which recommends 95 Octane unleaded petrol.
Some garages only stock 91 and 97 Octane petrol. What is the downside with...
Within certain limitations, and if I put my mind to it [with current diesel prices, I try very hard so to do], I drive very carefully. With a full load, my Suzuki manages 36 mpg, but with just the driver,...
What are your choices for a true 60mpg car ?
I'm looking to change my current car, 2008 Peugeot 207 SW 1.4VVTi for something more economical as I now have to drive to work two days per week 100 miles...
I bought a Volkswgaen Caddy (manual) with 6000 miles on clock, clutch has now burnt out at 19000 miles. I there a problem with clutch/flywheel on these vans? It's 62-plate.
A forwar-facing speed camera gave me a very bright flash straight into my eyes. It quite startling and downright dangerous. Is it legal?
It is on the A5120 Northbound in the village of Westoning (Beds)....
Last week your correspondent (SD, London) complained about a pinch point and speed humps and the effect they were having on his property. However, he did say they slowed the traffic. I'm sure you will...
I have a Volvo SE60 2.4 D5 SE Auto on 84,000 miles from new. It is a 2004 so I guess this is about average. I am looking at an identical 2005 car with only 40,000 on the clock. It is one owner, like mine....
I am on the verge of purchasing a Freelander 2 diesel SW 2.2 TD4 XS 5-door, new, in metallic Santorini Black with Almond leather upholstery. I am trading in a Freelander 2 SW special edition 2.2 Td4 Sport...
My daughter has a 2004 Ford Ka. It has developed an intermittent fault whereby it will often over-rev when idling or rev in "pulses" as if someone is fanning the throttle. It has now also started running...
I recently visited a Volkswagen garage and put a deposit down on a secondhand Scirocco. We signed a contract of which I have a copy. I will collect the car in two weeks. Two days later (today) I had a...
The accuracy, or otherwise, of manufacturers' fuel consumption figures attracts regular correspondence but my question is slightly different. We have just taken delivery of a new Vauxhall that boasts start/stop...
Following your road test of the Mazda CX-5, which size tyres would you recommend with a 2-litre petrol? I rather got the impression that the 225/65 R17 were too high profile and that the 225/55 R19 were...
I have covered 5700 miles, all on V-Power, in our 2011 Polo 1.2TSI 105 following your recommendation. It’s a great car in all aspects but one. On a run I average low forties to the gallon which is exactly...
Regarding BI’s email in February, I have reported well over 500 potholes via www.fixmystreet.co.uk using the iPhone app that is so easy. I am quickly approaching 1000. They have all been fixed apart from...
Are all automated clutches the same? Having changed my Jazz to the revised model CVT-7 because the auto clutch was not to my liking I note Ford has changed the new Fiesta to an auto clutch. Has Ford discovered...
It’s vital that drivers of other people’s cars know that if you borrow another persons car or test drive that car you owe the owner of the car a duty of care. In a recent case in the high court, Mark Hales,...
I have a 2003 BMW Mini with 40,000 miles on the clock. Towards the back end of last year, it developed a rattle which was subsequently identified as the catalytic convertor substrate failing. BMW quoted...
My wife has a Vauxhall Meriva 1.6 Club which is three years old in August and has done about 15,000 miles. It cost just under £9000 new as it was the last of the old models. I am considering replacing...
You may be interested in something that I did not until now realize, and I suspect most people are not aware of, in connection with the extra insurance that they can take out on their motor policies for...
I wonder if you can help me? I own a Peugeot 308 Sport with 225/45 R17 94WXL tyres. Is it possible to use ‘ordinary tyres’ and not the ones the car was supplied with? I assume I would get a smoother and...
As a keen reader of your columns in the Saturday Telegraph, I am well aware of the pitfalls of operating a modern diesel for short journeys. Our local postmen have been subjected to new "modern" work methods,...
My 3-year-old BMW 635d occasionally produces an unpleasant smell from underneath. This can best be described as being like 'burning rubber' or 'dead mouse'. It is the only problem with an otherwise perfect...
It may be necessary for my 9-year-old grandson to travel in the front passenger seat of my Peugeot 206 from time to time, using a booster seat. I am unsure whether, after pushing the seat back as far as...
My brother-in-law knocked down a pedestrian. He kept his insurance company informed (LV) and had to make a claim to rectify the damage on his car. The police investigated and classified the accident as...
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