Questions from November 2013
I am 25 and I have just passed my driving test in the UK, although I am not a complete novice driver. I'm looking to buy my first car in the UK and I considered Ford Focus 1998-2004 in 1.6 Zetec trim....
I took my car to the local garage which they were going to sell for me. I parked it where they asked on their premises then left. The car was in perfect condition.
On Monday 25 Nov I went to the garage...
I am starting a new job and will need to commute 25 miles each way. I am looking for a new car that is very fuel efficient (my current 2005 Ford Focus guzzles fuel) and I also need removable air bags so...
My Ford Focus refuses to start. My friend checked the car over and found there was no spark from the plugs, but they worked ok in his car. Any ideas?
My 2004 Renault Scenic is due to have its clutch replaced and my local mechanic has recommended I replace the dual-mass fly wheel at the same time. Is this really necessary or is he trying to get more...
Has Volkswagen/Skoda improved their DSG box to prevent reliability problems? I am about to order a new Yeti 1.2 with the DSG box.
I have a two-litre Renault Megane Cabriolet, which I would like to sell. I know that the advice is "buy a convertible in the winter but sell when it's warmer" - but as the Cabriolet is a glass-top rather...
We have just taken delivery of a new Skoda Citigo and there is a fault with the radio - it doesn't tune into radio stations or keep its reception when on the move.
The dealer has acknowledged the fault...
I suffer with knee problems and I am looking for a vehicle that is not too low or too high. The car must have five-doors and two-wheel drive with a lift up tailgate. Can you tell me what I should buy,...
I have narrowed my choice of new car down to the Volkswagen Golf 1.6 TDI. I do mostly city driving, but a few times a month will go on longer journeys on faster roads. That said, my typical journeys are...
I am looking for a vehicle that has a boot size of 40-inches wide, 31-inches high and 28-inches to the back seat. I have £22,000 to spend, what do you recommend?
I am a GP and I work in the Chiltern area, around Goring and Woodco. We get snow that affects everyone getting around about 3 days a year however when it does snow we've got a large practice area to cover...
I am looking to purchase a used five door hatchback, with with a good torquey diesel engine that will return high mpg on constant speed (motorway) driving.
A high Euro NCAP rating is also very important....
I was recently involved in an accident which was not my fault. I was about to turn left from a main road into a house drive-way when I was under-taken on my nearside. There is damage to my front wing,...
I have a four-year-old Range Rover Sport bought new from a dealer. I have had all the servicing done by the same dealer on schedule. The vehicle has done 68,000 miles and the turbos self destructed, causing...
The CD player on my 2004 Nissan X-Trail has stopped working. The radio is ok and I have managed to buy a used Nissan radio with a CD changer, but I am unsure how to fit it. Can you offer any advice?
I have a three year old BMW X3, with 36,000 miles on the clock. I’m thinking about changing it for a new model, what do you think?
I am looking to buy a used car and want to spend £5000. I want something that’s cheap to fix/run and boasts good fuel economy. What would you recommend?
My wife has owned a Mk6 Volkswagen Golf DSG for nearly three years. She has loved it with one exception, the auto gearbox, which always shudders when moving off from stationary. I understand this was common...
My 2006 Ford Focus was broken into recently, with the thief slashing the wiring loom to get into the front passenger door. My local dealer has been unable to find the correct part, while Ford Customer...
I’m having some problems with my Rover 75. Recently it refused to change gear and now it won’t drive, with the clutch refusing to engage the gears. Any ideas?
I'm debating buying a 2010 Nissan Qashqai 1.5 DCi. I do a few odd trips across the country and want something comfortable, but dislike estates. However, I have two concerns:
1) Turbo failures with bills...
I parked in a free car park that states you must park within the bays. The bays were full so I parked where I was not obstructing and where it was not illegal to park. I have now been fined £60, do I have...
I've just bought a second hand Microcar, but I want to get is a workshop manual so I can do my own servicing. However, I can’t find one anywhere and Haynes don’t make them either. Can you help?
We are thinking of purchasing a Dacia Sandero Stepway, and would like to know what is your opinion of the small petrol turbo engine versus the diesel? Our mileage is light. Would the small petrol engine...
We have a Rover 45SE 1.6 petrol from new with 85,500 on the clock. We will be leaving the car at home for up to 17 days not garaged. The battery is two years old and the alternator is only three months...
We received a call from the dealer, and apparently the reason for the multiple indentations on the car we bought was hailstorms. The dealer is taking the car in to assess the paintwork and is going to...
I used to have an R-reg Mondeo that was an absolute snowplough in the winter and had no concerns driving it anywhere. Last Xmas my boyfriend gave me his 2005 Focus, which is very bad to drive in the snow....
I recently bought a new Fiat 500C. My query is that, amongst the huge amount of paperwork I received, I am encouraged in the event of an accident to contact 'Fiat First'. The garage where I bought it (Glyn...
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Please advise what would be a suitable first car for my 18-year-old granddaughter who has passed her test? She wants to spend only about £2000. For that sort of money, what could be a fairly reliable and...
My wife complains that there is nowhere to rest cups or sandwiches in our Hyundai i10 when we stop for refreshments. I read Fiats are so endowed. Your comments, please.
Which cars in the 1.2/1.4 petrol category (manual gearbox) would you recommend?
I have an issue that I feel deserves public airing. It concerns the recent change in the law that allows pre-1960 cars exemption from an annual MOT test. As a classic car collector and restorer of my own...
In February 2000 I bought a 1999T BMW 528i Auto with 29,000 miles for £25,000. It has now done 141,000 miles and is still a pleasure to drive. The only obvious problem is the LED matrix on the dashboard...
What's the position where you are 'forced' across a red light with camera by a police car? It happened to someone in the lane next to me yesterday and could have been me. The police car came up behind...
Regarding our mis-built Volkswagen Golf VII, I wanted to advise you that Volkswagen UK contacted me within a few days of sending the letter to their MD. The MD appointed a member of his executive team...
More than once in your column I've seen complaints by readers that cruise control is a fuel waster. I was always under the impression that cruise control allows the engine management system to select the...
I have a 2010 BMW 520D Efficient Dynamics with 18-inch rims 245 front and 275 back. However, sourcing winter tyres is a problem - even with the BMW dealer - can I go to a different rim size/tyre package...
I am looking to buy a used Chrysler Crossfire. Can you tell me if there are any known mechanical issues?
I have a set of 7J x 17 alloy wheels I bought two years ago, which I then fitted with Lassa Snoway 225/45R17 winter tyres for my Mercedes C200 W204. I changed to a Toyota GT86 in the summer which is fitted...
I have a 2006 BMW X3 with 76,000 miles on the clock bought last year secondhand from a small local dealer. A few weeks ago the car developed a 'knocking noise' when slowing down to stop and then moving...
My wife and I are now in our mid 70s and finding it difficult to get in and out of our 2004 Volkswagen Golf. We require something that you can "slide in and out of". Any suggestions what our next and possibly...
I have read your advice online about buying and selling cars, which is a process I do not enjoy. However I am keen to buy a Mazda MX-5 sports car before I get too old to enjoy one and will need to part-ex...
My next-door neighbour and I both own Vauxhall Zafiras of about the same age. Mine is 2004/04 registered and his is 2004/54. Both have 1.8 petrol engines. His is a manual whilst mine is an automatic. I...
Regarding the email from KB of Sevenoaks, I have a 2010 Volkswagen Passat 1.8 Passat CC DSG with 55,000 miles, and I have already had two clutch pack replacements to the DSG gearbox, following juddering...
My husband is looking at buying a SEAT Altea TDI. I've read a few comments on the internet about the turbo blowing and costing a fortune to repair. Is this a common fault? We had a Ford C-Max TDCI a year...
I have a two-year old Nissan Qashqai, 11,500 miles, which was serviced today at a Nissan dealer. The garage say that the front discs need replacing as they are scored and will rust and that this is not...
The DPF light is showing on my 2008 Mazda 5 diesel. Some say it is the better option (and legal) is to remove the filter altogether. Any suggestions?
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