Questions from July 2013
I`m helping someone in dispute with Suzuki after a Swift Sport clutch failed at 4700 miles and 10 months. Is there is history of failures on this model?
I bought a 1.4 petrol CVT-7 Jazz in 2006. It has been a great car for my purposes, and apart from brake replacements there have been no problems to date. It gets an annual oil change and biannual transmission...
I had 'drumming' tyres with my Volkswagen Golf 1.4 TSI about three or four years ago. It seems that the rear tyres wear in a 'scalloped' pattern and that causes the noise - not unlike a failing wheel bearing....
I am looking to spend up to £15,000 on a used car. I am undecided between a Ford Mondeo 2.0 Zetec and a Peugeot 508 2.0 estate or a Hyundai i40 1.7 CRDi estate.
Can you offer any advice to which of these...
Two sets of parents at the local swimming club rave about the flexibility and reliability of their Honda FR-Vs, and both bought new ones when they stopped importing them in 2009. They particularly like...
I am about to drive about 3500 miles in my new Aston Martin Vantage 4.7-litre manual. The oil level is half way, should I keep it at maximum or just below at all times?
I own a 2006 Volvo XC70 Cross Country AWD Estate fitted with a 2.4-litre 185bhp 5-cylinder diesel engine. It has just completed 100,000 miles. During a trip last week a yellow warning triangle appeared...
My beloved Rover 75 Connoisseur CDTi is a superb, way-above-average 2003, 93,000 mile pre-facelift example in Copperleaf with unmarked beige leather. The car was vandalised recently by some lowlife hurling...
On Saturday evening between 7pm and 10pm I parked in the Rishworth Centre Retail Park in Dewsbury. As all the stores were closed and the parking notices did not refer to any restrictions other than two...
I am mightily grateful to Toyota for saving me tens of thousands of pounds by discontinuing the 3-door Sport version of the RAV4 some years ago. My family (and I suspect, many others) are so attached to...
My partner's daughter recently ran into the back of another car very slowly and there was no damage to either car. There is photographic evidence to back this up. The other party is now claiming for whiplash...
I am considering buying an Audi Q3 but notice that a significant number are back on the market within twelve months. Do you know of any problems that might be a reason for this? Alternatively can you recommend...
What is your view on the high priced, 'special' car polishes currently available? Are they worth the extra money and is there one you particularly recommend, please?
We have a problem with what I consider to be excessive tyre noise inside our two cars. One is a two-year-old 1.4 TSI Golf running on Dunlop 205/55R16 SP Sport Fastresponse tyres. The other is a four-year-old...
The Agila I was thinking of buying from has been found to have a cracked front bumper on its pre-delivery inspection. Presumably it is only plastic, but they don't know how it occurred and this is worrying....
As a lifelong Saab fan, I felt I had to own one when the news of their bankruptcy broke. I picked up a low mileage 2002 9-3 2.0HOT Aero from a Saab dealership, which I love; it is so easy on the eye and...
The power steering on my 30,000 mile 2006 Nissan Micra failed last November. I sent the unit to ECU Testing Ltd in Derbyshire to be repaired as they offered a lifetime warranty. The unit then failed again...
Your colleague James Foxall's final quip the other week referred to several friends who were very pleased (financially) that they ran on LPG. I met a man filling up with gas earlier this week and he said...
I would appreciate your recommendation of what car to get. I have between £6000-£8000 to spend on a car. I am 24 years old and do not have a no-claims bonus due to never having a car before. I am looking...
I want to change my car and my simple requirements are: Medium MPV-style vehicle, petrol automatic and quietness inside the cabin. My first choice would be a C-Max but there is no such model with these...
My wife has a 2002 silver Mk IV Volkswagen Golf GTi 150 in good order. It has 39,000 miles on the clock. It has never done better than 35mpg. We are now considering a bright red Mk V GT or GTI Golf. I'd...
The screenwash on my 2012 Citroen C4 works on the rear screen but not on the front windscreen. This fault has just appeared. But what is mystifying me is that I can hear the pump working when selecting...
Before retiring I was the technical director of a company supplying OE parts to Honda UK, hence I know just how demanding their standards are and what work was involved in meeting and maintaining those...
My 2001 Toyota Yaris is loosing tyre pressure on all four wheels even after treatment by Inchcape for corrosion. I have to top up every few days.
I have an Audi A7 3.0TDI S-Line that suffers from appalling tyre ‘hum’. The hum is unfortunately right at the pitch and frequency of my upper-tier hearing range. When I first asked about it you suggested...
As my wife and I will both be retired next year we are looking to run one car instead of two. We currently have a 2008 RAV4 D-4D, which was used for towing and an elderly Golf estate, both diesel. We live...
My 18-month-old Chevrolet Orlando has Velvet red metallic paintwork. After shampooing and drying it looks superb. Should I be waxing it? If so, what would you recommend and how often please
My sister wishes to buy a new Honda Jazz. Can you please suggest which is the best in the range, as there are so many models of Jazz? She fancies 1.4 EXL CVT for £17,200.
I have a 2002 Volkswagen Golf GT PD 130 that has now done 205,000 miles. I bought it two years ago from a family member who had owned it since new. It's been well cared for and I have every receipt. Its...
Chris Knapman's article about older cars facing extinction was most interesting. He quotes your website as stating that the Lotus Elan has top spot for survival with 38 per cent still registered. I'm sure...
I sold my Golf once it was repaired and replaced it with Ford Focus 125 Ecoboost, which is really nice to drive. I see the real world MPG for this car does look a little disappointing but I'm soon going...
My father-in-law owns a 1998 Saab 9000 2-litre saloon. He has owned it from new and it has only done 30,000 miles. Over recent years the batteries in the keyfobs have consistently run out every six months...
You kindly advised me about changing my Volkswagen Passat a little while ago. I went in to Nottingham Volkswagen to look at a newer Passat they had, and they did a check on my car prior to making me an...
Over the past few months my Skoda Superb Estate has been performing worse and worse from cold starts, with what appeared to be misfires or fuel starvation until it had begun to warm up. At its third variable...
The local dealership where I bought my SEAT Ibiza 1.2 TSI 2 years ago has given up the franchise. I now have to travel an hour to a SEAT dealer. That would have been fine if the car had not been dogged...
This year I have bought myself a Fiat 500. I love it. When at traffic lights and I put the car into neutral, with the hand brake on, the engine cuts out. It is designed to do this to save petrol used while...
Regarding the letter from WR of Grays in, we had a similar problem with our Scenic. I took it to our local Renault agent, who, after four visits and two components changed, charged me £575. The problem...
I am in the process of selling my Focus, as my Mercedes-Benz does as many MPG as it and is a much better car. Ford should hang Its head in shame advertising such a high MPG. They must use some very dodgy...
My local Renault dealership closed in Weston Super Mare so the nearest dealer is in Bristol. Will I invalidate the 5-year warranty I have with Renault if the car is serviced at a small local garage in...
My daughter is moving to a flat in London. She will have to park her car on the street where you are required to purchase a parking permit. Her car was bought new and registered in her hometown in North...
I saw the article about the 230E and wondered if my Mercedes-Benz had any real value. It is a C230 Elegance 1996 automatic silver saloon in good condition, 110,000 miles with leather interior, cruise control...
I am a retired 73 year old and do around 4000 miles a year maximum. I have protected NCD. When I renew my motor insurance I tell them that I don't need a hire car should mine be off the road (I can use...
I have queries on two issues on which you have advised several times. Firstly you have warned that a turbocharged engine should be left idling before switching off to enable the turbo bearings to cool....
I wonder if you would be so kind as to give me some advice regarding my next car. I have been driving a BMW 530d since 2003 and using it to make very frequent long commutes to Scotland from Herts. It has...
I've just replaced my 2010 BMW 320i Touring with the identical but new 2013 model. I have a BMW supplied set of wheels/winter tyres for my old car but I cannot use these on the new model because the tyre...
Our daughter has a 58 plate belt cam Hyundai i30 2.0 diesel. Her local Hyundai dealer at her last service flatly refused to change the belt at 40K miles (made it clear they thought she didn't know what...
Mercedes-Benz is asking £500+ to replace a broken interior door handle. Apparently they don't make a specific part so you have to buy the whole interior door panelling!
Has anyone found an alternative?
I have owned a Laguna from new. I intend to keep it for the fourth year. No more Lagunas! Do you consider that renewing the manufacturer's warranty a good investment? It's now due MOT and service.
My Corsa was hit at a mini roundabout, along the front, from the left, by a heavy crossover vehicle travelling at 10-15 mph whose driver had simply not seen me. I had just managed to stop but she didn't....
I am about start work as a junior doctor and am looking to buy my own first car. I can spend up to £4000 and I was wondering what you would recommend? I will be driving short distances regularly, but also...
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