Questions from October 2013
We have an apartment in Mallorca, Spain and currently rent cars. This works well, as we have found a decent private operator, but are looking for a slightly better standard of car as we increase our use...
I want to fit winter tyres to my Mazda 3. Can you recommend a good set of wheels and tyres?
Can you tell me what was the original list price of the five-door 2010 Audi A3 Quattro 2.0 TDI?
I'm thinking of buying a Vauxhall Insignia VXR, can you tell me what it is like to own and run?
I am thinking of downsizing from my 2009 Mazda 6 Tamura 2.0 petrol to something smaller and a bit more sporty. My budget is £15,000 with an additional £7000 in part exchange for my Mazda. What do you suggest?
I'm thinking of buying a new Volkswagen Passat, but remember older models suffering with an oil pump issue. Is this still the case?
My 2005 Ford Focus diesel suffered a clutch and flywheel failure at 70,000 miles and was repaired by a local dealer. Now, 21 months and 17,000 miles later it has failed again requiring identical repair....
I own a 1998 Ford Focus, but have noticed the cooling fan coming on when the engine has barely warmed up. Can you tell me if there's a problem?
I recently purchased a very nice 1980 Rolls Royce Silver Spirit, RHD, here in the US. I know the 1980 was the first model year for the Silver Spirit and I've been able to find all kinds of information...
I have just had my BMW 520d Touring serviced at 33,000 miles by a local dealer, preceded by a warranty check, which found a leaking exhaust manifold and a faulty EGR. When I took it away, I noticed that...
I purchased a two year old 19,000 mile car from a large car supermarket three weeks ago. I collected the car and drove it the 50 miles to my home. Within a day, the car refused to start and was towed to...
I’m being offered a 2012 Ford Mondeo Titanium X 2.2 TDCI with 16,400 miles on the clock for £16,841. Can you tell me if this has PowerShift and explain what it does?
I'm thinking of replacing my trusty 2005 Subaru Outback with an automatic 4x4 estate/SUV. I cover 10,000 miles a year and would prefer a petrol model if possible. I’m torn between the Volvo XC70, Subaru...
My 18 year old stepson has had his insurance void/cancelled because he failed to notify the insurance company of modifications to his car. He is now looking to insure a new vehicle and must declare this...
My husband is thinking of buying a diesel Dacia Duster, but is hesitating because of the DPF - he is a mechanic so is aware of the problems they can cause. He’ll drive around eight miles a day and the...
My wife needs to upgrade her three-door Toyota Aygo. She would like to keep small, but safety is important as she’ll be driving our two year old grandson around. I feel upgrading to a Yaris sized car would...
My 2005 Lexus GS 430 has developed a fault after a recent 100,000 mile service at my local dealer. The auto ‘box oil was changed as part of the standard service, and whilst normal driving is fine, I've...
I have been looking to buy a used 2012 Range Rover Sport and noticed there are a lot of cars on the market. Can you tell me if the new model is filtering onto the used market or if the 2012 model offers...
I'm looking to replace my 2003 Nissan Primera diesel estate and want something with 50mpg+. I've test driven a BMW 116d SE and like eight speed automatic box, potential economy and drive, but find it a...
I need to buy a used van, but have a limited budget and don’t trust dealers. Do you know of any other places to get a bargain?
I have an on-going oil leak on my Citroen C3 diesel which despite numerous trips to the dealership has not been resolved. On my last visit I was informed that it was the oil pump that was faulty. As the...
My Lexus LS diesel has covered 83,000 miles and is trouble free, but my only concern is lack of power and poor economy (30-35 mpg). I'm considering having it re-chipped, would this be a good idea?
I am in the market for an up market executive car. I really like the Audi A7 and used values for low mileage example are within our £35,000 budget. The big "but" is that it would mean diesel. We do under...
I am looking for a used Ford Mondeo diesel estate with the best fuel economy. I’m considering a 2010 model, with a 2.0-litre engine. What do you suggest?
I own the latest Skoda Octavia Elegance, but am having difficulty finding out the correct front /rear tyre inflation pressures (tyres fitted 225/45R17). The handbook does not contain this information,...
I am interested in buying an Audi A4 Avant diesel. It seems that my budget should buy me a 2008 or 2009 car depending upon the mileage. I'm told that 1.9 TDI engine is very long lived, but that the early...
Two years ago I bought a Suzuki Swift Ddis from an authorised dealer. The car was running fine until, a few months ago, the turbo failed. The car was still under warranty, but I had to pay £100 to recover...
I am buying a Volkswagen T5 based Camper van and the dealer has given me a choice of a new van with the DSG gearbox or a used van with a conventional torque converter 'box. I plan to keep the vehicle for...
Following your advice, I am trying to negotiate a great price for a new Volkswagen Golf Estate. My local dealer wants £19,115, including trade in, while another dealer (which is much further away) is asking...
Can you tell me when it’s wise to change the cam belt on my 2007 Vauxhall Vectra? My local garage says 100,000 miles or 10 years, whichever comes first. Do you agree?
My 1999 Ford Focus has started behaving erratically. A few weeks ago the revs started to jump to 1400rpm when the engine was warmed up, while other times it’ll drop to 750rpm and cause the engine to labour....
I want to buy a Ford Galaxy or S-Max second hand at auction, but I don't know how much I should budget. Can you help with prices?
The windscreen wipers on my 1999 Peugeot 406 only work only 8/9 wipes and then stop. Any idea what’s going wrong?
I am about to buy a 2004 Saab 9-3 2.0-litre petrol for £1690. Do you consider this to be a good deal?
I am a new owner of a 2006 Nissan 350z as my daily driver. It currently has winter tyres fitted, but want to fit a winter set as I’ve already had the traction control/ESP kick in during the wet weather,...
I need to buy a new car that will be suitable to carry my wife who suffers from scoliosis. I currently own a BMW 728, but find the car to be very expensive to run. Can you recommend something to replace...
I am in the market for a new petrol crossover. Can you tell me which ones are best? I like a high, upright, seating position and I do little mileage as I am retired.
I have been reading the debate about lane hogs on motorways with interest. JB of Altrincham and the party bore in ‘Beef encounter’ don't realise the problem posed by lane hogs to trailer drivers such as...
Some many years ago I was employed in the ‘Met’ as a traffic officer and trained at Hendon Driving School where I attained certificates as advanced motorcyclist, car driver and vehicle examiner. I am incidentally...
My wife's Range Rover Evoque is only a few months old. We found some bird droppings on the car that, after attempted cleaning, did not remove the matted look. We took it back to the dealer who, to our...
The aircon on my 30-month-old (23,000 mile) Jaguar XF suddenly stopped working recently when on the M11. My local dealer (from whom I bought the car) tells me the aircon unit has become punctured, possibly...
I'm the happy owner of a Volkswagen camper. What would make me even happier is being able to charge my Braun electric toothbrush via the cigarette-lighter type socket that runs off my leisure battery....
I am looking to replace my aging Suzuki Jeep, which I use in the Falklands. I have narrowed the list down to either a Nissan Terrano, a Toyota Hilux Surf or a Mitsubishi Shogun/Pajero, all diesel models....
Travelling home to Somerset from Heathrow along the M4 I was grateful to be warned, on numerous occasions, that there were long delays from J13 to J24 on the M5. However, these warnings did of course omit...
I have recently renewed my car insurance with a new provider (a reputable company with five star accreditation) for a very reasonable premium. However, I notice that the clause "Insured to only drive the...
A local company has offered to remove the DPF from my Golf estate, reprogram the ECU and leave it looking identical underneath. They claim better mpg and power and, obviously, no blockages caused by short...
I have a budget of £10,000 to £12,000 and am looking for a hatchback with room for two sets of golf clubs plus trolleys. I am single and travel to work three days a week, comprising a round trip of 50...
My car is a 10-year-old Saab 9-3 2.2TiD. On a recent journey it suddenly failed to accelerate and large clouds of smoke came out of the exhaust. I called the AA and they told me it looked as though the...
I have a 2007 1.8 petrol Saab 9-3 Sportwagon. I'm keeping it for the foreseeable future. I have just had it serviced by Kwik Fit (great value and service by the way), and they flagged that the timing belt...
I am thinking of replacing my Peugeot 206 with a Citroen DS3 and had been intending to purchase a petrol model. However, the salesman is recommending a diesel on the basis that fuel consumption is more...
Elsewhere on 
