January 2017 | Ask Honest John

I'm selling a car, listed it last night around 8pm on various websites. Just after midnight someone sent a text then followed up with the following message this morning; "Thanks for getting back.. please...

Is the Volkswagen dry clutch 7 speed DSG gearbox reliable now?

I have a 6 year old Skoda Roomster 1.2 TSI with the 7 speed DSG gearbox, which I like and has been reliable. I am aware of the conductive oil problem with this gearbox from reading your website. I now...

If I change all 4 tyres to Michelin Cross Climates could I still use my space saver wheel?

I have a Volvo XC60 and am thinking of changing all four tyres to Michelin Cross Climates, however, I have a space saver spare wheel. Would I still be able to use the space saver in the event of a puncture,...

What automatic car would you suggest for an elderly couple?

We have decided to swap our 2003 automatic Honda Jazz for an automatic car that has high seats and is suitable for low mileage. What would you recommend for a couple that are over 70 years old?

Where is the headlamp adjustment screw on the Mazda CX-5?

Where is the headlight adjustment screw on the Mazda CX-5?

What's the best small car with an automatic gearbox?

My wife broke her shoulder last January and hasn't driven since. She now needs a Fiesta size car with an automatic gearbox. Can you help?

Should I buy a diesel Honda Civic or a petrol Mazda 3?

I'm looking at buying a Honda Civic i-DTEC 1.6 or a petrol Mazda 3 2.0 SE-L. Could you recommend a diesel engine or suggest whether petrol is the way to go based on future diesel city taxes. Probably looking...

Are there known problems with the MINI Cooper 1.5 crankshaft bearings?

My wife's 2015 MINI Cooper 1.5 is due for its first service.The dealership have informed us that there is an issue with the crankshaft bearings and they will carry out the necessary work. This is not a...

Should I use premium unleaded fuel in my Ford Focus?

Should I use premium unleaded fuel in my Ford Focus 1.0-litre 125, as Ford recommend a minimum 95RON?

How reliable is the Citroen C4 Picasso?

I am considering the Citroen C4 Picasso 1.2 Puretech EAT6 as a long term proposition (up to 7 years) but would be interested in your thoughts as to reliability, particularly of the transmission, having...

Should I get the emissions 'fix' on my Volkswagen Caddy?

We have, from new, a Volkswagen Caddy which is now 4 years old. We have just had a letter from Volkswagen saying they are able to do the emissions "fix". I've looked into this and people that have had...

What winter tyres should I get for my Skoda Octavia vRS Estate?

I am planning a 2 day trip to Germany soon. My Octavia vRS Estate has 19-inch alloy wheels, but I will need a set of winter/snow tyres for this trip. What size tyres should I get and on what size rims?

What is your advice for a timing chain that broke just after warranty ran out?

I've had my Skoda Fabia for 3 years. The warranty ran out 10 days ago and the timing chain broke after only doing 38,000 miles. The dealer and Skoda U.K. are willing to pay £3500 towards the cost of new...

What's the better option for me - SEAT Leon or Volkswagen Golf?

I'm looking at two estate options, both approximately £17,000. The choice is between a 2016 SEAT Leon ST FR 1.8 petrol, second a 2016 Volkswagen Golf TDI GT 2.0 diesel. Both cars have well under 10,000...

How do I claim back expenses from Renault for a breached contract?

An old Renault Zoe was advertised for £9000 on the Renault website (for orders placed till 31 December 2016). My local dealers did not do the deal, but Renault put me in touch with one less than 100 miles...

Should I change my 18-inch wheels to 17-inch for a more comfortable drive in my Honda CR-V?

We changed up from a 2007 V70 Volvo auto with 17-inch wheels and purchased a 2014 Honda CR-V 2.0 i-VTEC EX auto in November and like it very much. However, the 18-inch wheels make for a hard and uncomfortable...

Nissan will pay 75% of the parts cost for my broken Nissan CVT gearbox- is this reasonable?

I purchased a Nissan Qashqai Acenta 1.6 CVT approximately in October 2015. It was an ex-motabilty, done less that 8,000 miles and had been serviced 3 times since new. After completing somewhat less than...

What cars have the most adjustable seating?

I am disabled and need a car soon with a very adjustable driving position. I would be happy buying an older car and likely to be doing low weekly mileage. I don't care about fuel consumption, only comfort....

After the first 28 days, can I still reject a car that had a fault before I bought it?

I purchased a car on the 7 October 2016 and it showed an engine fault warning light on the first day. I contacted the seller and he said he would have it fixed due to it being the EGR valve warning but...

What do I do if a wrongful insurance claim has been made against me?

I was proceeding on a main road when a parked car in a mobility space pulled out suddenly with no indication onto the main road. This caused me to swerve onto the opposite side of the road, just missing...

Is it smart to buy a very low mileage two owner car?

I have seen a dealer approved 2015 Mazda 3 automatic, with two previous owners. It was a demonstrator and had a private owner. It has done only 2000 miles. Is it okay to buy this car or stay away from...

Can you suggest a small reliable hatchback for older drivers?

We are in our early eighties and want to buy a reliable 2-3 year old small 5 door hatchback. All we require is power steering, a chain cam, a heater, a radio and parking sensors. We mainly drive locally,...

Which second hand hybrid should I buy for £7000?

I want to buy a small second hand hybrid, budget £7000. What would you recommend?

Is it wise to change my Toyota RAV4 for a Suzuki Vitara?

I'm thinking of changing my 2010 Toyota RAV4 multidrive for a Suzuki Vitara 1.4 petrol automatic, is this a wise move? Also will I be able to claim back the vat on a new model as a registered disabled...

Should I buy a diesel car based on the future diesel bans?

I'm looking at buying a new car, and have traditionally always driven diesel cars. I'm a little worried, however, that Madrid, Paris, Mexico City and Athens have recently announced plans to ban diesel...

My Jaguar XF needs a new engine at 100,000 miles - what should I do?

I have engine failure on my 2009 3-litre diesel Jaguar XF at 100,000 miles. The car was fine when taken to the dealer who have serviced the car from new. The valves appear to be hitting the pistons and...

Why won't the stop-start on my Smart Fourtwo work?

I am being told by Smart that the stop-start on my Smart Fourtwo will not work when the external temperature is outside of a suitable range. Today the extenal temperature is 9C, and it still won't operate....

I believe a have been mis-sold a car - do I have any rights?

Three weeks ago I purchased a used Ford C-MAX from a local dealer. The part exchange vehicle was a 1.6-litre Ford Focus with a 125PS petrol engine and I indicated to the salesman that I was only interested...

How can I claim back my impounded car that has no road tax or MoT?

I have insurance but received no notification regarding my MoT and road tax. I was stopped by the police who told me that i did not have tax nor MOT so my car was impounded. How can i claim it back?

My Mercedes-Benz AMG is having steering problems on full lock at low speed - what do I do?

We own a Mercedes-Benz AMG 4matic with the same issue that you have written about on the Mercedes-Benz GLC and GLA a few days ago. So far we have had the same response from Mercedes AMG in writing and...

The steering rack on my new car was defective - can I claim against the dealer?

We have had a fairly acrimonious dispute with our local dealer and also VWUK about having to replace track rod ends and the steering rack on a Volkswagen Golf VII barely 6 months out of warranty. My point...

Should I swap my BMW 535d Touring for 530d Touring?

I'm thinking of swapping my 2011 535d BMW Touring M Sport, that has done 111,000 (on 19-inch wheels), for a 2011 530d BMW Touring SE that's done 98,000 (on 18-inch wheels). They have almost identical spec...

Is it worth getting a Superchips Bluefin remap of my Ford Focus 1.5?

I'm looking at getting a Superchips Bluefin remap for my new 2016 Ford Focus 1.5 EcoBoost, 147PS with 2600 miles on the clock. The remap boasts a 47PS and 63Nm torque increase, although I'm well aware...

Why is my friend's Audi A6 emitting excess smoke when idling?

A friend's 2007 Audi A6 2.0 TDI had a DPF removed and deleted, as well as an EGR shut. It also had a remap done. From test drive, the vehicle begun emitting excesses smoke when the engine was heated and...

Is buying another diesel estate a sound investment, considering future bans and expenses?

I've got an 8 year old Honda Accord EX i-DTEC 2.2 diesel estate which I like very much and is the third I've had over the last 20 years or so. I hear alarms about possible future penalties on diesel emissions...

Should I avoid the DSG gearbox in the Skoda Yeti?

I am in the market for a 2013 Skoda Yeti and would like to know if I should avoid the DSG gearbox which has been troublesome in other VW products.

Is it possible for my Volkswagen Tiguan to need 4 new injectors after 57,000 miles?

My 2010 Volkswagen Tiguan at 57,000 has been diagnosed as needing 4 new injectors by very competent Volkswagen specialists, surely this cannot be correct due to its low mileage.

What problems does the Mazda 3 2.2d engine have?

Thinking of buying a 2012 Mazda 3 with a 2.2d engine. What is your opinion on the reliability of this engine?

Can I check my own details on the National Insurance Database?

My car insurance is now due for renewal but premiums are all excessively high, being 75-100 per cent more than last year, even though I have 14 years NCD. When I contacted my current insurer it appears...

What is my car worth?

I have a 2003 car, what would you say it is worth?

Can I get a refund for a diagnostic check that was charged under warranty?

My Peugeot 208 developed a fault with the electric window so took it to the dealer. They say it needs a repair and it's covered under warranty but they've made me pay £114 for the diagnostic check. That's...

Which used Kia Rio should I buy?

I'm trying to help my brother-in-law buy his first car. He's in his early thirties, has little interest in cars and just wants reliable transport with a low insurance group. He mainly lives and works in...

What is the best small to medium car that's able to carry a mobility scooter?

What variation of the Honda Jazz should I buy?

My wife has a 2004 automatic Honda Jazz which she is considering changing for a newer model. She has been completely satisfied with her Jazz and does not wish to change to another model/manufacturer. ...

What is the radio code for my Ford Focus?

I had to replace my Ford Focus Zetec climate battery and of course disconnecting this has reset the radio time and date settings and I have no code to enter. I have looked everywhere in case the previous...

Is my write-off valuation lower than expected?

Just before Christmas I was involved in a no fault accident when a white van pulled out from a driveway and hit my 7 year old Aygo (3 door).The insurance company have said it's a write off and offered...

The emissions 'fix' made my Tiguan worse - how do I take action against Volkswagen?

My Volkswagen Tiguan has been back to Volkswagen 3 times now for being noisy following the emissions fix and they are telling me that there is nothing wrong with it. I have searched the internet and can...

Should I buy a car with proper roof bars?

My Peugeot 307 SW is getting to the end of its life and I'm finding roof bars seem to be out of fashion on modern estates. I'd like a Honda Civic Estate or a Ford Focus Estate but can I trust those clippy...

We will soon have to replace our 16 year old Suzuki Wagon R. Is there a similar car, equally reliable, available with a sun roof please? Up to £4000.