Why is my Peugeot 306 losing power?

My Peugeot 306 1.6 petrol has started losing power. It struggles to climb hills and feels low of power on idle. I have changed the spark plugs and the coil pack (rail type) but still no joy. Can you offer...

Can I fight my parking fine?

We recently received a ticket for parking on a beach pay & display car park. Prices were £1 for one hour and £1.30 for two hours. We paid for 2hrs using a £1 coin, a 20p and a 10p. I put the ticket straight...

Buying a used car for £11k - Lexus or Volvo?

I wish to buy a quality car that I can get into easily. I'm looking at the Lexus RX and the Volvo XC90. They would need to be around 6 - 10 years old reflecting a limited budget of £11,000. What should...

Volkwagen Up - which wheels are best?

I own a Volkswagen Up and want to put the 165/70 R14 tyres from the 5J x 14 steel wheels (35 offset) onto the BBS (Volkswagen) alloys that are 6 x 14 (offset 38). Will it be safe to do so?

Do I need to adjust my car's headlights for driving in Europe?

The handbook for my 2014 Mercedes-Benz B-Class alludes that the headlights are aligned centrally and therefore do not need any adjustment for use on the continent; however, I can't get a direct answer...

When should I change the cam belt on my Vauxhall Zafira?

Can you tell me when I should change the cam belt on my Vauxhall Zafira 1.9 diesel?

How much should a new timing belt and water pump cost?

Can you please give me a guide to the cost of a garage replacing the timing belt and water pump on a Vauxhall Zafira diesel?

Faulty used car - should we expect the dealer to fix it?

My company has purchased a one owner, low mileage secondhand 2009 Vauxhall Zafira with a warranty (purchase price £6999.00). The vehicle was delivered one month late due to ‘unforeseen’ problems and since...

Buying used car - diesel or petrol?

I am looking to buy a used car/SUV. My budget is around £11,000 and I do a short commute five days a week (under 2.5 miles) - will this cause issues if I decide to buy a diesel, considering modern DPFs?

Are automatics suitable for towing a caravan?

I am about to replace my Volkswagen Passat with a newer model and am considering an automatic. I tow a small caravan for 3/4 weeks a year and am wondering if an automatic will be suitable or would a manual...

What's the best used 4x4 for £15,000?

I am considering trading in my 2007 Land Rover Freelander that has done 105,000 miles. I believe the car is worth £5000 and plan to add an aditional £10,000 to buy a used car. Which do you recommend for...

Buying a used 3 Series- which model is best?

Assuming all other factors are equal (condition, service history, etc) which would be the better buy? A 2001 BMW 330 Ci Sport with 69,000 miles at £4000 or a 2003 BMW 325 Ci Sport with 91,000 miles at...

Used car has developed a fault after 4 months - should the dealer fix it?

I bought a four year old BMW 3 Series from a car supermarket in February. After a few weeks of ownership the car developed a funny vibration at speeds of 70mph. The vibration feels like my driver side...

Which £8k motorway car?

I am looking at changing my car for one which will be used on the motorway extensively. My budget is £8000. I have already test driven the manual 2.0 Insignia SRi diesel (160bhp and 17" alloys) and think...

Which MPV?

I would like to buy a used MPV for myself, baby and partner. My partner will also use it to drive to work. My budget is £4.5k and would like to go up to 10 years max. A car that is cheap to run. I like...

BMW 4 series Gran Coupe - which options?

I am sorely tempted to replace my ageing 5 series with the new 4 series Gran Coupe. Due to a lower annual mileage it'll be a petrol and probably the 420 as I'm not sure I could justify the 428 - unless...

Can I reject an ex-driving school car?

Approximately 3 weeks ago I purchased an 8 month old Audi car from an Audi main dealer. I have now discovered from the V5C issued by the DVLA that the car's previous owner was a driving school. I am no...

Whooshing noise when accelerating

I get a whooshing noise from the engine of my Jaguar X-Type diesel when I accelerate. I took the car to a garage, but they can't find out what the problem is. Can you help?

Rough running Polo GTi

I have a Volkswagen Polo GTi 6R, which is fitted with the 1.4-litre TSi 180 petrol engine and a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. The car was purchased new in March of this year and I followed the ‘running...

Replacing a Multipla

My Fiat Multipla has wear in the rear bushe and is worth more to me than it is to anyone else. It does have 12 months MOT but I am thinking about trading it in while it still has some value and getting...

Dealer warranty is not worth the paper it is written on - what are my options?

A couple of months ago I bought a used BMW 5 Series (2011) from a dealer. The car was sold with a warranty, which covers all suspension and parts. A month after I bought the car the rear suspension dropped...

How much should the VED be for my MINI One?

I have had a 2002 MINI One from new and pay £260 per year in road tax. No-one else seems to pay it when I check other MINI One owners. How can I check my payment is right please?

Oil in water problem - how can I fix it?

I have oil in my water coolant. I have a Renault Kangoo with a 1.5 diesel engine. The Kangoo is running perfectly, but oil is coming out the top of the water coolant fill bottle under the hood. The consistency...

Sold a dangerous car!

Hi, a couple of weeks ago i bought a 1972 VW beetle through "a reputable auction site". The car was advertised as having 12months MOT and to "ask any questions" about the car. This i did but didn't get...

Dealer has delayed the delivery of my new car - am I entitled compensation?

I ordered a new car a few months ago, but didn't arrive on the agreed delivery date. The dealer has told me there is a 'delay' and has no more information. What are my rights? Do terms and conditions override...

Trade buyer paid deposit, but has now disappeared - what do I do?

I agreed the sale of my car (a 2011 Volkswagen Golf GTI) to a guy who buys cars on behalf of a trader. He left a £150 deposit (just over 1% of the value) and told me he'd be back with full payment. He...

Buying a used Renault - Scenic or Captur?

I’m interested in buying a used Renault Scenic or Captur. I will cover low annual miles and use the car for mostly short trips. Can you tell me which car and engine will best suit my needs?

Peugeot Expert showing engine management light

Every so often the engine management light comes on my Peugeot Expert (2002) and the engine starts to make a knocking noise. Sometimes it only lasts a couple of seconds, other times it can be a week. It...

Four-wheel drive selector problems with Land Cruiser

I recently test-drove several second-hand Toyota Land Cruisers, none more than a few years old. All had some problems with the (electronic) four-wheel drive selector: on turning the switch, 4WD either...

What are the correct tyre pressure values for a Citroen C4?

I have just bought a 2007 Citroen C4 Picasso and cna't work out the correct tyre pressures. It says on the door panel different pressures for this model from 3.4 bar downwards, but it's in French and I...

How can I unearth my car's hidden accident history?

I've recently found out that a vehicle I purchased in April has, what seems to be, some major repaired accident damage. The previous owners (hire car company) are refusing to give me any sort of information...

Fixing a Mazda 6 - should I do it myself?

I have been given the opportunity to attempt to fix a 2008 Mazda 6 that's got a 'Big End Failure'. Are we talking about a complete new engine needed here or is it worth fixing this on the current engine??...

How do I go about selling a modern classic?

My 88 year old father-in-law has decided to hang up his driving gloves and wants to know the best way to sell his car. It's a one owner 1996 Ford Scorpio with 82,000 miles on the clock. Probably has 3-inches...

Garage has wrecked my car - what can I do?

I took my 2006 Citroen C3 HDi Exclusive 1.6 to the garage after hearing a ticking noise. The car was running fine (bar the noise) and the garage took the car in for investigation. Upon investigation...

Are BMW N47 engines still susceptible to timing chain failure?

I've read all about the dreaded timing chain failure on 320d/520d BMWs with N47 engines manufactured between 2007 and 2011. I wanted to know if models after March 2011 (when they supposedly changed the...

Buying a used Ford Fiesta - which engine is best?

I'm looking to buy a used Ford Fiesta, probably no older than 4/5 years. Used mainly for town driving and some long motorway journeys every month. Which is the best engine out of the pre-2013 cars?

When should I change the timing chain on a BMW 320d?

I am looking to buy a post-2011 BMW 320d with a full service history - every 10,000 miles. Can you tell me when the 320d needs it timing chain changed? I've found a car with 80,000 miles and I intend...

What should I exchange for my BMW 3 Series?

I have a 2011 BMW 3 Series convertible, manual, diesel, 30,000 on the clock. After, breaking my ankle (left), hip problems and being made redundant, I think it is time to exchange it for whatever value...

Which manufacturer owns the rights to heated front screens?

Can you advise on the position regarding heated front screens as I notice the top of the range Nissan Qashqai has this as standard - I thought ford had rights over this?

Nissan Patrol heater has stopped working

The radiator on my 2002 Nissan Patrol was leaking, so I put radiator weld into it. However, a few months later, the heater stopped blowing warm air, could this be a faulty thermostat?

Volkswagen Passat injectors recall

I was advised that the Volkswagen Passat had a recall to replace injectors, can you advise?

MINI Cooper electric mirrors not working

I have 2006 MINI Cooper. Recently I had to replace the window regulator on the driver's side. However since it has been replaced neither of the electric mirrors work. I have checked all fuses and all appear...

Ford Mondeo emiting a burning smell

Six months ago, I bought a 2009 Ford Mondeo 2.0 diesel estate from a main dealership. It has been great so far - it had 45,000 and now has 57,000 - was fully serviced on 45k and has had an oil change and...

Buying an Audi A3 - which engine?

I'm a private buyer and am thinking about buying a new Audi. I have been recommended a petrol Audi A3, as my annual mileage doesn't warrant paying extra for diesel. Question is which petrol engine? Is...

Honda Civic fault

I recently bought a 2006 Honda Civic CTDI 2.2. A couple of days ago I had the engine warning light flashing so I took it to my local garage to get it diagnosed and got the report as a faulty oxygen sensor....

Air con problems with Volvo C70

Two years ago I bought a 2011 Volvo C70. Since then, it has had a number of electronic problems. The most recent one is with the air con, with heat circulating on the driver's side and cool air on the...

Do all used cars get a six month warranty?

I have been told that ANY car now sold by a dealer MUST have six months warranty on engine and gearbox, is this true and on what age of car would this apply to?

Low-mileage Land Rovers - are they worth the money?

We live three miles up a badly potholed forest road. We have concluded that our most important criterion for short journeys (40 miles) is robust simple suspension, so we are considering an old Land Rover...

Dealership has crashed my parents motorhome

My parents recently bought a Hymer motor home. It was their dream motor home but when it went to the dealership for a damp check after only owning it for just one month, the dealership drove it without...

Jaguar XF - what's the best wheel size?

I have just bought a new Jaguar XF 3.0D (lovely car) on 17-inch wheels using your rule of thumb that the smaller the wheel the better the ride. I am concerned to find (too late) that on a previous thread...