Trending topics in September 2013
Questions from September 2013
My 2007 Honda CRV diesel has started slowing and hesitating when putting my foot down on the accelerator. I took it to my local garage, who temporarily fixed it by running the car at high revs for half...
A few weeks ago I paid a deposit for a used Ford Focus ST. The car had a private registration, but the dealer said the paperwork was with the DVLA for the issue of a new plate. After a few days I grew...
The manufacturer fitted Pirelli Scorpion Zero M + S tyres on my Land Rover Freelander 2 will need replacing soon. The car is predominantly used on road, a mix of long and local journeys, with occasional...
Can you recommend a good set of winter tyres for my BMW 3 Series Touring? I wanted to use the same set as my four-wheel drive X1, but my local dealer told me the steel wheels and winter tyres cannot be...
My BMW 320d with 17-inch alloy wheels needs new run-flat tyres. While I have winter wheels with 16-inch steel rims and Dunlop tyres (205-55-16), which are great, I would like a better summer driving experience....
My mother needs a small economical car that’s reliable. She drives around town most of the time and once a week she does a return trip of 100 miles to see her mother. Any suggestions? She has a budget...
My BMW 3 Series has wider rear wheels: can I fit the front size tyre 225/45/R17 on 8.5 inch wide wheel to improve the ride?
My mum owns a 2008 Vauxhall Corsa since new, but has had nothing but trouble with the automatic gearbox. It has been recalled and had its gearbox replaced and fixed many times and it seems unfair that...
The ABS warning light has come on my 1995 Jaguar XJ6. Can you tell me what’s wrong? Is the care safe to drive, or should I take it to a garage?
I purchased a 2011 Volvo V60 from our local dealer a few weeks ago. Before I agreed the sale, I walked around the car with the agent to inspect it – it looked almost flawless in the sun. However, two weeks...
For the past two weeks my 2010 Skoda Favia vRS has been consuming a lot of oil. The dealer has had two attempts to fix it (a breather modification and then a new engine) but the car is still using a lot...
With some good advice from you, I purchased a new BMW320d last year. Overall, I'm delighted with it. However, there’s one slight problem – I cannot discover exactly what changes when I select sport mode....
I bought a Rover 45 yesterday and as I was driving home the revs were bouncing up when parked at lights. Today, the engine light came on and the car died and refuses to start. Any idea what could be wrong?
I have just purchased a 2010 KIA Sportage from an authorised dealer; however, the state of the seven year warranty is starting to worry me. Looking at the paperwork, it seems that it hasn't been serviced...
My Mercedes-Benz E-class is very heavy on fuel, yet it has next to no acceleration. What’s going on?
My son exchanged his Peugeot for a three year old diesel version, along with extended warranty. Last week the car suffered a burst a steel injector fuel pipe and the car was recovered by the RAC. My son...
We are about to change our Ford Fiesta 1.6 Titanium manual for a new automatic car. We have really enjoyed the Fiesta, but have heard varying reports about Ford automatics. Should we look elsewhere or...
I own a new Toyota Auris Hybrid and I want to fit steel wheels with 195/65/15 tyres to replace the current alloys with 225/45/17.
My local dealer has told me this is not possible, so I have contacted...
I live in the Republic of Ireland and want to sell my 2001 BMW M5. The market here is very quiet, so I want to try and sell it in the UK. Does it need a UK MoT? It has the Irish equivalent (NCT) and is...
The near side windows, central locking and electric mirrors on my Skoda Yeti have failed, just six months after the car's three year warranty expired. My Skoda dealer (who sold me the car new and have...
I have a 2001 Ford Focus 1.8 petrol. The car has covered 71,000 miles and is suffering from a speedometer fault. The issue is intermittent and it will stop for a few miles then start working again. Do...
I have a 2009 Volkswagen Eos and some of the LEDs in both rear indicator units have failed. I thought the advantage of LEDs is that they do not blow like ordinary light bulbs, could this be a indication...
I’m coming to the end of a 12 month lease of a Hyundai ix35. During the past year it has been trouble free, with my only complaint being its lack of ride comfort. Which of the current crop of crossovers...
We are looking to buy a new family car to replace our aging Ford Focus and have so far narrowed down our choices to the new Focus and the new Volvo V40. The car needs to be big enough to fit our (rather...
My Skoda Superb interior lights will not work when the doors are opened. How can I fix this?
The front Pirelli P Zero Rosso tyres of my Mercedes-Benz ML last only 4000 miles. The rears show no sign of wear. The car has 31,000 miles with full MB service history. Mercedes says this is normal for...
You mention that it is not illegal to warn approaching drivers of the hazard of a speed trap, unless the person warned was in fact already speeding. I remember reading recently of a speed trap set up where,...
We have a 2002 1.9 Mitsubishi Space Star which has reached the end of its life. We do not replace our cars on a regular basis and are somewhat out of touch with the current market. We need a replacement...
While parked in a supermarket car park my car was run into by another car reversing out of a parking space. The woman driver apologised, admitted liability and offered to pay my repair costs rather than...
My fiancee has a van which he wants to sell through “we buy any van”. He just wants rid of it so just wants a quick, no hassle sale. My question is whether we can drive it to the centre without tax or...
Your real mpg lists at www.honestjohn.co.uk/realmpg make very interesting reading. I note that the real mpg values for the 2003 Avensis and the 2009 Avensis are almost the same (1.8 engine), yet the later...
Our 2002 Renault Scenic 1.6 automatic has clocked exactly 45,000 miles. On a recent motorway journey of 150 miles I decided to check the economy and was horrified to find it was only 26mpg. We only use...
My husband is on his third Mercedes-Benz ML. His current ML350 is now three years old and he is starting to look for his next car. He thinks this ML350 has been his best car ever - we use it for family...
The original tyres have perished on my April 2012 Suzuki SX4. A report prepared by Kwikfit states that the tyres were manufactured in week 33 of 2010. They were described as badly perished and immediate...
I have a 5-door 2007 RAV4 diesel with 24,000 miles on the clock, only because the fantastic 3-door versions are no longer made. We are looking to replace this in the next six months. I do around 6000 miles...
Asking price for 2010 Skoda Yeti 1.2 TSI Elegance DSG with SatNav, leather upholstery, spare wheel, front and rear parking sensors and park assist with a mileage of 23,000 is £14,995 from a Skoda franchise...
I am looking to buy either a new Ford Fiesta or Honda Jazz from a local dealer. I just want a base model with no fancy extras as I don't do a lot of miles, just local trips. I don't need finance and have...
I have a 2011 Land Rover Defender 110, which I use on my farm and local journeys and a 2009 Honda Accord, which is used only about five times a year for long-distance trips. Service, tax and insurance...
My girlfriend is very keen to purchase a Fiat 500 Lounge. She will cover 12-14,000 miles a year of which two-thirds will be motorway commuting, the rest city driving. I am not sure which engine is best...
I'm thinking of buying a Mazda 6 Tourer, but the auto version that I want is only available with a diesel engine and 19-inch wheels. Have the DPF problems been sorted and is the ride ok on these wheels?
My car went for its fifth annual service and MoT at 39,000 miles. It failed because the brake pedal rubber was worn. In my judgement it was showing a fingernail size piece of metal through the bottom right...
My beloved 1997 Discovery automatic is dying and I don't know what to replace it with. I have a budget of approx £23,000 and initially thought of a Freelander, new, or on my budget, more likely used. I...
I am now 82 and my wife is 78. We are still both capable drivers. We recently moved into a city environment, well served with shops and free public transport. Earlier this year we got rid of our car after...
I run a Citroen C4 SX HD1 110 diesel that is now eight years old, with 93,000 miles on the clock and still running fine. The car is serviced according to the handbook by the local Citroen dealer. Financial...
After the high kerbs of the chicanes on Copse Hill, Wimbledon caused considerable damage to my car, I challenged Merton council. They replied via their insurers, Zurich, maintaining that the chicanes are...
With a budget of £10,000, what Focus or bigger-sized diesel auto would you recommend secondhand? I'm running 30,000 miles per year, so it shouldn't be too expensive to run in fuel/parts, and needs to be...
My granddaughter has a 3-month-old Nissan Juke and last weekend she approached a T-junction, did not see it, went straight over the T, up a bank and through a six foot high dry stone wall (don't ask!)....
I appreciate that diesel has many advantages but I have always been concerned that even with the best systems, NO2, PM5s and more especially PM2.5s could be a health hazard. Now, according to ‘Autocar’,...
Regarding your reply concerning a laid up camper van and resulting slipped cambelt, what advice can you offer owners of camper vans regularly laid up for long periods to avoid such mishaps?
Becoming senior citizens, my wife and I have decided our existing car is no longer appropriate to our changed needs. We shall be looking for a small 4-door hatch, automatic, with a 1.4 engine although...
Elsewhere on 
