Searching for a used automatic family car with a petrol engine

I need help buying a used automatic family car. My budget is £6000. I would like it to be a torque converter automatic gearbox and a petrol as I only drive 4000 miles a year. What cars would you recommend?...

Buying used car - dealer's warranty compared to Consumer Rights Act 2015

I'm buying a used Citroen C4 Grand Picasso from a dealer. They have offered a three month warranty; however, given that the Consumer Rights Act 2015 covers me for six months, do these warranties actually...

Faulty parking sensors - what are my rights?

I bought a brand new Ford Fiesta in 2014 - Titanium five-door, with metallic paint and front and rear parking sensors. From day one, the parking sensors drive me nuts - they go off at random when I'm driving...

Gearbox issues with Toyota Aygo auto

My Toyota Aygo is an automatic. I am a blue card disabled driver and use my car a lot to get around. I have just had the clutch replaced and now the vehicle jumps around at slow speeds, which makes it...

What's the towing limit of the Fiat Panda 4x4?

My step-son is considering buying a new Fiat Panda Cross. Would it be suitable to be fitted with a tow-bar to tow a small sheep transporter? The trailer would probably only be required to transport...

Screen wash leak on HOnda CR-V

My two year old Honda CR-V will not retain all of the water in the screen wash tank and it leaks out to the front near side. I am told by the Honda dealership that it is a known problem by Honda and their...

Need a cheap used car with a high driving position

I am looking to buy a second car. It must be cheap and have a high driving position. I will do less than 5000 miles a year on country roads and am not fussed about mod cons. What do you recommend for under...

Best small car for £7000?

I am looking to spend £7000 on a small car doing average mileage a year. I'd like a car that's one or two years old. What do you recommend?

Will the Audi A4 really return 53mpg?

I was reading the engine specification for the new Audi A4 2.0 petrol auto. It just seems incredible. 53mpg. 0-62 in 7.3 secs. 190ps and yet only £30 per year in VED. What engineering wizardry have they...

What's the most reliable petrol hatchback?

What is the most reliable mid-sized automatic petrol driven hatch or estate I can get on a budget of £10k plus trade in of 15 reg Dacia Sandero Stepway?

Which crossover has the most comfortable seats?

I currently drive a Lexus RX 450h, but have been told by my chiropractor to change it for a car offering a better seating position as I am over six foot in height. I am currently looking at the latest...

Buying petrol automatic hatchback - Golf or Mazda 3?

I am looking to buy 1-2 year old petrol automatic hatchback with decent power and fuel economy for commuting 17 miles each way. Half is stop and go traffic and other half motorway. Annual mileage is 10k....

Convertible roof problems - what are my rights?

I have bought a 2007 Alfa Romeo Spider for £8000. Today, after driving for the first day with the roof down, I got the following message : "Temporary roof failure" and the roof would not close fully. It...

Why does my FIat 500 handle so badly?

I have recently brought a used (two and a half year old) Fiat 500 with 14,000 miles on the clock from an approved Fiat dealer. The handling on rough roads, over manhole covers and even crossing white line...

Buying a four-seater sports car - any suggestions?

I'm looking for a car with a V6 or a V8 that sounds great. Fuel economy is not an issue. I previously had a Nissan 350Z but because it had two seats it didn't get as much use as I hoped. Any suggestions...

Is the Ford Fiesta automatic any good?

I am thinking of buying a 2012 Ford Fiesta. What are your views of the automatic gearbox on this model?

Gears are becoming difficult to engage - why?

When my car has warmed up some gears become difficult to engage. The clutch is still fine but makes a squeaking noise on operation. Any ideas?

Looking for a new car to hold four people and luggage?

I am looking to get a new car which needs to be automatic and able to hold four full size cases as we regularly travel to France on a 1600 mile round trip. I would love a car that can have a full size...

Why doesn't Volkswagen do a petrol Passat?

I'm looking at buying a new Volkswagen Passat, however no petrol engines are available and I am a little concerned about the SCR/DPF issues that are frequently highlighted on motoring sites and magazines....

Will set of winter tyres fit either of my cars?

I have been given a set of alloys with winter tyres size 205/55 R16. I have two cars a Hyundai IX35 215/70 R17 and a mini cooper size 195/55/R16. Will these fit either?

Does the Picanto have a belt or chain camshaft?

Does the Kia Picanto have a belt or chain camshaft? If belt when should it be changed?

Need a car for a once a week commute?

I'm looking for a reliable commuter car for a once per week Fri/Sun commute of 240 miles via A-roads. I've been looking at estates due to the need to cart a bit of gear around when at home (horse feed),...

Delivery miles Octavia vRS for £20k - is it good value?

I have my eye on a Skoda Octavia vRS petrol manual, 16 reg, delivery miles (approx 60), in a main dealer, for £20k. Good value? It has all the kit I want, and standard wheels and tyres. I really want an...

Snapped timing chain - should I replace the engine?

The timing chain has snapped on my Mini One (27,000 miles,1.4 auto 09 reg) and done significant damage. The local garage (non-Mini) has told me that I need a new engine. The car is worth about £5k and...

What is the VAT status on an unregistered car?

If I was to buy an unregistered car that is VAT qualifying, does that mean I need to pay VAT on top of the sale price. How can I tell the year of the vehicle?

Can we tow a caravan with our Focus Econetic?

We have a Ford Focus 2013 TDCi with an 'Econetic' badge on the rear. Our owner's manual states that Econetic is not approved for trailer towing. Our V5 gives a maximum towing weight of 1200kg. We have...

Car failed MoT at one garage but passed at another?

My son's car failed its MoT at one garage who said it would cost between £500 and £1000 to pass. They asked for £60 for a full estimate. He took it somewhere else where it passed with no issues. How often...

Fault air con - should the dealer replace it?

My wife purchased a one year old Ford Focus in January 2015. When we first had warm weather in May 2015 we noticed the climate control was not cooling the car so our local Ford dealer regassed the air...

Buying a used 3 Series - what should I look out for?

I'm buying a (2012 model) BMW 320ed. It has 42,000 miles on the clock, should I buy a 12 month warranty? ...

Which petrol SUVs are best for towing?

I currently drive a 2013 2.0 petrol manual AWD Honda CR-V. My short commute dictates a petrol engine. It's both thirsty (35mpg) and underpowered when towing our camping trailer with a boot full of kit...

Which diesel is best - SEAT Leon or Peugeot 308?

I'm debating between buying a SEAT Leon 1.6 TDI or Peugeot 308.1.6 HDi. There is very little price difference between them (about £500) and I enjoy driving them both. Which one would be best in terms of...

Best used estate for £10k?

We are buying our first family estate and need some advice. We have read your reviews which have been helpful but we still feel overwhelmed by the market/dealer advice/online reviews. We are looking...

Do I have to disclose claims for a named driver on my insurance?

Two months ago my wife returned to her new Fiesta to find a note on the screen. While she had been away someone had damaged the side of her car while parking. The witness gave all the the details and my...

Undisclosed faults on used car - what are my rights?

I bought a 2008 Vauxhall Zafira from a local garage in January this year. I was aware of a couple of minor cosmetic issues but this was to be expected due to the age of the vehicle. In the seven months...

What are my rights after owning a car for 9 months?

I bought a car (09 plate 1.4 Vauxhall Astra) advertised through Auto Trader in November last year. In May/June I went to a trusted garage after noticing I seemed to be constantly topping up oil, assuming...

Fiat 500 central locking issues - what's wrong?

A few weeks ago the central locking on my Fiat 500 stopped working. I replaced the fuse which seemed to fix the issue. However, the fuse has now blown again. Any ideas on the underlying cause and what...

Changing cars from a saloon to an SUV - what do you recommend?

Having driven a Lexus IS250 for the last 6 years, I now require an SUV type vehicle with the same quality ride, quiet engine, quality product and good fuel economy. If there is one?

What cheap estate for commuting 500 miles a week?

I need an estate to accommodate two adults and two children at weekends. I will be commuting 500 miles a week to work mainly on A roads. I would like to spend as little money as possible but have a budget...

Volkswagen pedal issues

At four years old, the EPC light of my 2009 Volkswagen Golf 1.4 TSI DSG came on. The car drove fine but I took it to a dealer who charged £130 (After contribution from Volkswagen) for a new pedal. A week...

How can I fix my Volkswagen Polo misfire?

In March this year I privately bought a 2010 Volkswagen Polo 1.2 TSI. It was sold with a full service history, with 24K on the clock. It ran really well with no issues whatsoever. After around six weeks...

When should I change the cam belt on my Peugeot 2008?

Please could you advise when I should replace the cam belt on my Peugeot 2008 (2016) 1.6 HDi?

Should I change tyres front to rear?

I would like to change my tyres for Michelin All Climate. When is it too late to move the present front tyres to the rear and the rear, which hardly seem worn, to the front to even out the wear before...

Is the hand car wash damaging my alloys?

I have had my car hand washed five times at a one of the local sites. I have been complemented on the finish but having recently had to removed a wheel, have noticed that the lacquer has been stripped...

Buying a used car to drive to Greece - what do you suggest?

We are travelling to Greece next year and I want to buy a used car - preferably economical - with a reasonable raised driver and passenger height and space that I can resell easily when we return six weeks...

Buying a medium sized estate - what would you recommend?

I'm looking to buy a medium sized diesel estate for around £15,000, around three years old with average mileage. I do about 90 miles a day, mostly on motorway, so it must be economical and a comfortable...

Is supermarket diesel as good as BP?

I run my Toyota Auris 1.6D on Sainsbury's diesel for two tanks and then two tanks of BP Ultimate. The car runs very well on both brands of fuel. I have been told that Sainsbury's fuel is supplied by BP...

Volkswagen diesel engine problems following emissions scandal fix

We had owned two Volkswagen Tiguans and two Passats with the 2.0 TDI. The youngest 2012 Tiguan has just has the emissions fix done and it seems down on power. It is holding onto lower gears in the auto...

How much should a Renault Scenic service cost?

I have my Renault Scenic serviced recently and it cost me nearly £400. Is this correct, or am I getting ripped off?

Why is my Astra going into limp mode?

My 2010 Vauxhall Astra 1.6 SRI went into 'limp mode' yesterday, I've recently had to fork out for a brand new automatic gearbox that set me back a bit. I've had no warning codes on the dashboard but the...

Honda CR-V refusing to start

My one year old Honda CR-V refused to start last week. After about five minutes of opening and closing the doors, it started and I regarded it as a one-off issue. However, a few days later, the problem...