Trending topics in November 2016
automatics
buying a new car
buying a new suv
buying a used car
buying and selling
diesel engines
diesel particulate filter
family cars
legal and consumer advice
maintenance and servicing
petrol engines
petrol or diesel?
reliability
ride comfort
small cars
technical issues
vans
wheels and tyres
winter tyres
Questions from November 2016
I have just bought my wife a 65 reg Honda Jazz 1.4 VTEC EX CVT. It is fitted with the Honda "SD NAV" system. With this system fitted the telephone buttons on the steering wheel do not operate the telephone,...
I have a 2015 BMW 5 Series. I have been offered a brand new Jaguar Portfolio 2.0 diesel auto 180PS with a cash exchange of £15K. I have also been offered the 2017 BMW 520 SE from March 2017 for £16K....
I have a Ford Fiesta 2011 and all of a sudden the remote is not working,in fact the spare is also not working.
Have looked through previous posts and tried re-programming, turning key back and forth in...
I'm considering buying a second hand Peugeot 308 SW (2014/2015 model). I drive 500 miles a week to work and back on A roads. Whilst diesels do better mpg, it costs more to fill up and the prices to buy...
My 80+ mum who has restricted mobility is planning to replace her beloved Yaris Verso. New or nearly new and she needs something upright with excellent visibility and somewhere to easily put her walking...
I got to the robot and stopped as it was red then when it finally open then I heard a bang from the front and my clutch was not there. It was just soft and I couldn't select gears. There is no brake fluid...
I have purchased a 2015 Mazda 2 115 sport Nav. I'm impressed with the drive, economy, and specs and look forward to many years of ownership.
However, a friend who owns a MX 5 has urged me to have the...
My wife needs a small hatchback for mainly local work commute, school run etc. Must be five doors. Not a 'city car'. Budget is £5k. Ideally Petrol, manual and year 2012/2013. Looking to last five years-ish...
Our Vauxhall Corsa D 1.2 petrol breeze is now over 8 years old (bought new in 2008) and has done 51k miles. It’s been an excellent car, and so far nothing has gone wrong (touch wood!) apart from a new...
I've been looking at the X-Trail to tow my caravan but people are reporting fuel pump issues and going into limp mode are both these models affected by this. My caravan is 1400kg. I am looking for something...
We as parents need to get a basic elderly small petrol hatchback type car for our soon to be 17 year old to learn on and to be a first car, we have seen a Ford Ka Finale 58 plate for £1098 but had a hunch...
Looking for an auto vehicle costing not more than £5-6k with sufficient boot space ideally for 4 sets of golf clubs (each bag approx 50"-or 120cm long) and 4.trolleys. I also want to be able to take 3-4...
My Vectra see the boot locks after you pull away and then if you get out the car the boot will not open until you shut the front doors and then lock and unlock the car
I have changed the microchip on...
My previous car, a Grand C-Max 1.6 TDCI 11 reg, which I had since it was 11 months old, had no end of issues with the sensors in the EGR, dealt with under warranty (so without much explanation from the...
I have a VW Golf diesel that is used as a second car and only for long trips so hopefully avoiding DPF problems. I have been told that I cannot keep the battery charged using a conventional trickle charger...
I have recently bought a Ford Focus MK2 1.6 Duratech and it is now running very rough, it struggles to start but once started it idles rough however does not cut out, when revved it is badly misfiring...
The motorway(M77) that I use is poorly maintained in my view. It is part of a design build and maintain system. It is left to deteriorate and is "plug" repaired with some sort of resin mix which is never...
On 13 June 2016 I taxed a car for one year using my debit card on DVLA's website. The payment went through my bank account quite correctly (£130 for a 2004 Renault Clio 1200cc). On 5 November I received...
I have always had petrol engine cars myself, but my dad has recently purchased a 2010 (60) plate Volvo C30 D2 (1.6 diesel engine, facelift model, R-Design) from a car supermarket. It has around 54,000...
I own a 2010 BMW 320i. Recently, the engine management light has come on. Any idea what might be causing this?
I'm now ready to change my car and have been fancying a 4x4 for quite some time now. I really like the high driving position and, as I am sometimes out in the country I often find myself parking on rough...
As part of my mid-life crisis, I've been looking at Audi A5 Cabrio deals. However, with the new model imminent, would it be better to wait for the new car? And when will you get the chance to road test...
I've recently bought a Fiat Talento and would like to buy some van racking or storage for it. I would like something that lasts a long time and is not plywood (bad experience before). I have checked out...
I purchased a 2010 Freelander II five months ago from a main Mitsubishi dealer.
Last weekend a transmission error was displayed on the dashboard, at which point I took it to a local mechanic. He ran...
We have owned a Subaru Outback diesel from new in September 2009. At the last MoT, it was found that one of the steering gaiters had perished causing rusting to the steering system. A new one was over...
I own a 2003 Ford Focus. I have replaced the tail light bulb, but it refuses to work. Could it be a fuse? If so, where would I find it?
The Toyota Proace Verso: Is a joint venture with PSA and made in France? Or is the vehicle a re-badged Peugeot or are its engine, gear box and electronics Toyota made or supplied?
I have just sold my old Land Cruiser as it was proving too expensive to run. We have three kids and seven dogs and need something that will cope with motorway driving on a daily basis. We will need to...
I am looking to change the water coolant on my 2007 Kia Ceed 1.6 diesel. Is there a procedure to do this? Is there a bleed valve and is there a drain plug on the engine block and radiator? I have tried...
I recently bought a used Volvo S60 R Design. The insurance database has it listed as an S60 R Design Premium, but it's just a standard R Design (with a couple of option packs) as confirmed by the Volvo...
As Toyota do not supply a 17-inch steel rim, I have been sold a 16-inch with a 205/60R16 92V tyre for my Avensis. Will it be legal to use this tyre to tow a caravan?
I have had intermittent fumes in my Touran for about two years.
The local VW dealer has tried hard to fix the problem, but I am still getting fumes and have to open the windows.
It typically occurs...
I need to buy a car that my children can learn to drive in (affordably) and that I can use for my commute. However, my wife is a wheelchair user, so it needs a big boot and a high seating position. Oh,...
My wife turned right out onto a local road. There was a single small no right turn sign high on the left and she has now been penalised and fined. I have a photo of the road. Is there any way of contesting...
Renault recently released their new Megane models but as yet there is no cabriolet version. Are Renault planning to release a convertible version of the Megane or have they stopped manufacturing this model?
I am thinking of buying a BMW 320d Auto GT M Sport, do these cars have a problem with towing because of the auto gearbox? If they do, does this apply to other auto vehicles as well?
Looking at your previous comments, previous owners seem to be relating to 2013 and previous with their headlights..
Has anybody experienced the same with the new model 2014 onwards?
What is the best tyre to buy in terms of longevity and reliability for my Ford Fiesta Style (2006) model? And also what size alloy rims would I need to buy?
I have had a Ford C-MAX 1.8 TDI. It now has 62,000 miles on the clock and recently I have noticed excessive road noise from the front tyres. My local Ford dealer says that the "alloy wheels may be slightly...
How do I disconnect the parking sensors on my Honda Stream?
My 1992 BMW E36 320i has 55,000 miles on the clock and, occasionally, cuts out when idling. So far the electronic testing has not revealed any faults. Any idea what could be causing this?
My wife's 2015 Toyota RAV4 needs new tyres and ideally I'd like to buy some modern all-season tyres. Neither Michelin Cross Climates or Goodyear Vector 4 Seasons seem to be available in 235 / 55 / 18....
Can I have your views on buying a new Mitsubishi ASX 2.2 diesel auto? Is it a good car?
We purchased a van from a local dealer (2010 model, £4500) five weeks ago. Last week, the van developed faults and had to be recovered from the roadside by a local garage . A mechanic inspected the vehicle...
I see that you are testing the Renault Kadjar as a long term test car. Have you had the same problems as me or is your press car specially prepared? The alarm constantly goes off and the DAB radio loses...
What tyres are best for the Ford Mondeo Estate (2007 model)?. Michelin Cross Climates are not available in my car's size - 235/45 R17. We have tried Michelin Primacy 3 but got less than 10k on the front....
I have an Astra 1.4 Turbo Limited Edition on 235/40/19 tyres. Can I change the tyres to 235/50/19 without affecting performance etc. Would my insurer need to be told?
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