Trending topics in July 2016
4x4s
air con
automatics
buying a new car
buying a used car
buying and selling
diesel engines
electrical faults
estates
family cars
legal and consumer advice
maintenance and servicing
petrol engines
petrol or diesel?
ride comfort
suvs
technical issues
turbo engines
unexplained noises
wheels and tyres
Questions from July 2016
I own a 2011 BMW 520d with a manual gearbox that pops out of first. Can this gearbox be repaired or does it have to be replaced? I understand that this is a sealed unit.
I bought an 18 month old SEAT Leon X-Perience with 15,000 mile son the clock. Recently the stitching in the seats has started to come apart. The warranty firm has rejected my claim as wear and tear. Is...
I want to buy a used diesel car for £6000. It must be reliable and boast lively performance. I'd also like an automatic gearbox, but not essential. I have shortlisted the Honda Civic 2.2TD. BMW 120D. Vauxhall...
I have decided to buy a new Porsche Macan S (3.0 litre petrol). Can you tell me if a new/facelift model is due anytime soon? And, if so, do you know roughly when it would be available to order?
I have a 2012 Volkswagen Scirocco 2.0 TDI BlueMotion. It broke down last week with plumes of white smoke coming from the exhaust. It was towed back to my local dealer and they tell me the turbo has failed....
I am looking for a car for high mileage motorway use. Approx 30k miles a year. Preferably automatic. Considered BMW 3 or 5 series (including coupe), Merc C and E class, Jag XF, Audi A4/5/6, VW Passatt...
I deliver cars to customers and collect their trade in car. Is their trade-in taxed for me to drive home or do I have to use trade plates?
I am looking at changing my 2012 Fiat 500C 1.2 petrol as as I have no garage and am concerned about the fabric roof deteriorating. I would like to get another 500 but am wondering which engine to choose....
I own a Hyundai ix35 1.7 Diesel. I've noticed that the steering doesn't has any feedback and appears overly sensitive. I have already been to my local Hyundai dealer four times and they said it is not...
I had a power steering problem with my 2011, 34,000 mile, Citroen C3. I was told it was due to a poor earth in the electrics, which is apparently a common problem with Citroens.
However, I have now been...
Is there a good way of getting rid of the "wet dog/smelly socks" odour which comes from the air conditioning when it is first switched on? It seems to clear after a while but it is really unpleasant. Have...
I'm having issues with the front windscreen washers on my 2012 Kia Rio. I have disconnected the pipe and tested the pump and this is working fine. I have also cleared the jets, so I believe that there...
I'm considering buying a used saloon-shaped hatchback. I quite like the Audi A5 Sportback, BMW 4 Series Grand Coupe, Ford Mondeo and Skoda Superb. Is there anything else I should be considering?
I am measuring the fuel consumption of my brand new car I found that the trip computer gives 4mpg better than the calculation of the miles travelled from full tank to full tank. Honest John's Real MPG...
I take delivery of my new car on 1st September. An independent vehicle detailer in my area offers a new car preparation service which includes extensive polishing and the addition of protective coatings....
A few months ago I bought a new Volkswagen Passat GT estate. The car drives well enough, but emits a loud drone on all but the smoothest of roads. It is on 18-inch alloys and the dealer cannot find any...
I need to replace the front tyres on my BMW X3. However, I have been told that the tyres must be BMW approved and within 2mm of each other, otherwise it will cause a strain on the transfer box. Is this...
My Mazda 323 refuses to turn over. I've managed to jump start it and drive home, but the car emits a smell of burning rubber, with smoke coming from under the bonnet. The water bottle is low and the lights...
I am 42 years old and have just passed my driving test and am looking for a used five-door automatic family car with a petrol engine. My budget is up to £10,000. I like the look of the Volkswagen Golf...
I bought a new Jaguar F-Pace recently, but rejected the car within 30 days because of faults. The dealer accepted this and refunded me what I paid, less new car registration fee and road fund licence....
I have been advised that there was a problem affecting the dual-mass flywheels on older Skodas/Volkswagens. The issue, I am told, caused them to fail with alarming regularity, resulting in a costly gearbox...
I need to buy an automatic car. I have about £4000 to spend and don't want to spend a lot on tax. Which is the best automatic car for a girl? I love the Peugeot 207 auto. Would this be a good buy?
I have a 2009 BMW 120d M sport with 98,000 miles on the clock from new. The car has developed a severe vibration through the gear lever and clutch pedal. Any suggestions as to the cause?
I have recently purchased a 3 Series BMW 320i Xdrive and assume it has a turbocharger fitted. With previous turbocharged cars I have always allowed a couple of minutes for the turbo to stop rotating and...
My 2012 Lexus RX 450h has developed a loud engine noise. The noise is persistent and deep - almost like a base note. I have owned a RX 450h before and it never made this noise. My local Lexus dealer cannot,...
Back in March 2015 I asked you:
"I bought a 2012 Honda Civic 1.8 EX i-VTEC in February, swapping it for my 2006 2.2i-CTDi. The overwhelming 'feature' of the new car is its enormous thirst for petrol and...
I'm having lots of software problems with my Volvo XC90. Many of the functions for which I bought this car don't work at all, or work for a while after a software update and then fail again. My dealer...
We love our 2007 Mercedes A180 CDI automatic, especially the high driving position (making getting in and out so easy for bad backs). With 80k on the clock, do we stay put and hope for another 50k or is...
I'm unfortunately in a really sticky situation with a 2010 SEAT Leon 2.0 TDI CR FR. I bought the car new in 2010 from a main SEAT dealer, and the car has been serviced and maintained at the same main dealer...
My wife has a 2009 MINI Cooper which now needs four new tyres. She is uneasy about the lack of a spare tyre and has little faith in the tyre inflation,sealing system. Would you recommend fitting runflats...
My Audi A6 Avant has almost 9000 miles on the clock and I bought it from new. It had a slow puncture caused by a nail in the front driver's side tyre. The guy at the tyre specialist said that the tyre...
I have a Volkswagen Polo 1.2 TSI that is 12 months old. When I went for a test drive, prior to purchase, I complained that the ride was too hard. The dealer told me not to worry as there is a 'comfort...
My 2006 SEAT Ibiza 1.9 TDI has a steering fluid leak somewhere. I read it´s important to use the right type of fluid, but can´t find the type in the manual. Also do you know if using a ´stop leak´product...
I have just bought a 1996 Audi A4 Estate. The turbo has now suddenly blown, with black smoke coming out of the exhaust. Thankfully we were near a garage and only drove it very slowly and carefully for...
I am looking to downsize from my Honda CR-V. A petrol automatic is essential and I am considering buying a Honda HR-V, which seems to be a good step down without getting to small. I have read a number...
The heating system on our Ford Ka is broken and just blows hot air. We took it to our local garage and they want £600 to fix it. Surely this is too much?
I currently have a three-door 2003 Volkswagen Golf 1.9 diesel. It has a manual gearbox and has done around 180,000 miles, on the original clutch, flywheel, turbo etc. I am looking to replace it with a...
I'm looking at replacing my current car with a small petrol 4x4. I do about 7000 miles a year and want a car that will allow me to do lots of outdoor activities, all year round. I intend to keep the vehicle...
I was on the motorway recently in my 2010 Ford Fiesta 1.4 TDCI and the car started speeding up on its own accord. I applied the brakes and lifted my foot off of the accelerator, but still it sped up....
I have read about the problems with Volkswagen dry clutch autos. Does the same issue exist with the Alfa Romeo TCT auto? Also does this Alfa gearbox need any maintenance?
The last two estate cars I have owned (for 10 years and eight years respectively) have been Volvo 850 diesel and a Saab 95 diesel. The latter is giving me DPF problems and I am thinking of buying a new/nearly...
I own a Peugeot 1007. Last week I hit a pothole at about 30mph, which make a large bang. I stopped, but no obvious damage underneath. Now I have a smell of smouldering plastic/rubber or hot wires from...
Three days ago the power steering system failed on my Citroen C3. Apart from the power steering faulty light showing, everything else appears to be in order.
The local Citroen dealer say they have never...
I'd like to sell my Ford Fiesta (1.3L, petrol, manual, 2006, 55000 miles) and get an Audi A4 B6 (2.0L, petrol, automatic, 2001, 95000 miles). The main reasons are: (1) I'd like to switch to automatic transmission;...
I have a 2004 Vauxhall Corsa 1.3 diesel that i'm a bit worried about. The car suffers from occasional stutter on acceleration in second and third gears. I have also noticed white smoke coming from the...
I took my Honda CR-V into the main dealer for a service recently, only to be told that the central differential is seized and requires to be heated up in order to un-seize it. They want £400 to do this....
I've £8000 to spend and I'm tempted with the Kia Cee'd. How reliable are they? Is there another car model you would recommend instead?
We are interested in buying a used seven-seat MPVv and have seen a 2015 Fiat 500L MPW 1.6 Popstar diesel on offer for 10.5K with around 5500 miles on the clock. They look really different from the norm...
Last week I bought a used (2008 model) Hyundai i10 from a dealer. Within days the car developed an engine fault. I took it to an independent garage and they said it was the spark plugs. The car has a full...
My one month old Skoda Yeti 1.2 TSI has started to make a rubbing sound when the engine is running. Sounds like a loose belt or something. Can you shed any light on it?
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